> Bring the Thunder
>  by Ze Guest
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> 1: The Canterlot Heist 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I always wondered why no one liked me. Was it because I was different. That's what they all say. Is it because I'm bad. I'm not. Well, I can't say that now, can I? Whoever put me on that doorstep must have had a reason. Maybe there was just something about me? That- that makes sense. Now? Well, I highly doubt they came what I'm doing now. I knowThey don't care.

I stood on guard in front of a large vault inside of the palace. I've been waiting for quite a while now but I know sooner or later, it will happen. "So, Rock Well, hear any good rumors lately?" asked Sgt. Bull. 

Well, Bull wasn't his actual name, but I never got time to learn his real name. All I know about his nickname is that it has something to do with his immense strength and quick temper. "No, nothing at all, really." I told him having to keep up the broad Sireish accent. 

It was easy to hide from him. My face mask protected me from tipping off any-pony, or as I prefer it " anybody,"
The face mask itself didn't arouse suspicion since everyone was used to seeing this type of armor. Only the best of the best could wear it. And the armor was full body too, to block the rare color of my fur. So why am I guarding the vault? I simply asked permission and the spot was mine. Of course I had to sprinkle a bit of fake affection to get it, but it worked like a charm. "I still can't believe you took to guard the vault." said Bull

"Well, I though it would be a good gesture. It's a very big day for Shining Armor and the last thing I want him to worry about is money. Am I right?" I lied to him.

"I'm just saying, man. It's boring as hell." Bull complained 

I hung my head and sighed. "Just stop bitching and talk about something else, and if not then don't talk at all."

I could tell that Bull was about to destroy me. But to him I was his better, he wouldn't dare. And if he did, he could lose his job, or with me, his life which didn't matter to me. We're all destined to die, some closer to it than others. Like my old friend who sacrificed himself for this, but also complicated the job. Or that Rock Well guy. Or that other one. Hint, hint. "Rock Well, I'm just saying, he gave you permission to be right in front of the doors and you blew it off. You would have been remembered." said Bull.

"Well, some times, the future can be more important than the present." I told him.

Bull just rolled his eyes and did the greatest thing he could, shut up. I wonder if they just bailed on it, said it won't work. But how could they? The chance to rule Equestria? No one would just bail on it. Then my question was answered, but not the way I hoped. "P-Princess Cadence!?" shouted Bull. I was just as confused as he was.

"Bull! Rock Well! Listen to me, I think we're going to be attacked!" she told us.

"What!? By who!? Terrorists!?" Bull asked sounding like a bumbling idiot. 

"No. Changelings." And with that, she ran off.

There was someone behind her too. A lavender unicorn. She turned to us and just said, "Good luck." and did the same as Cadence.

Bull tried to run but I quickly held the end my spear in front of him, my hoof was almost touching the point. Bull looked at me with confusion. Then I swung it back and slapped him right in the face with it and the stick part broke in half. Bull fell back and I quickly put the blade in his chest. Bull looked at me in horror. "Rock Well..." He squeezed out.

Thankfully, the armor covered me head to hoof, until now. I threw off the helmet, revealing someone completely different. As he looked at my face covered in black fur he almost started to cry. "I'm sorry. You must be mistaken" I said to him, finally being able to drop the accent. 

"Why-Why are you doing this?" Bull asked me.

"Two reasons," I told him." One: Money. Everything has to do with money. And Two: I can't have witnesses, am I right?"

"Go to Hell!" shouted Bull.

I shoved the blade in deeper and he winced and cried. "Good. I'll see you there..." I said, quietly.

I pulled the blade out and that was that. The shouts and screams of the attack were getting closer. I quickly put in the code to the vault, 44-19-27-2, (Ha! I'll never forget it!) and slipped in. I pulled out my coin purse and decided  it was best to leave my armor on. Now you're probably thinking, How are you going to rob a whole royal vault with a little coin purse!? And the answer, it was enchanted, which meant I could fit any number of money into it. Oh, by the way, if you are imagining a little girly purse then stop thinking because it's just a little brown sack. Nothing too appealing. This was the last gift my friend had given me before that brute killed him. 

I busted the look to a little cell where some money was stashed and started shoving it into my coin purse, until I heard the vault door blast open. The changelings had broken in and they just went on destroying everything they saw. I scrambled around, looking for a place to hide. It was too late though, they saw me. 

They shot lasers using their horns which I thought was ridiculous. I pulled out the spear head for it being the only way to attack them. One instantly flew over and tried to get behind me but I simply held up the spear head and he was dust, literally. He just exploded into black dust. That left two of them and they were most likely going to kill me. They were shooting the lasers at me so all I could do is dodge. I hid behind a corner and waited for them to come around. I saw the head of one of them and quickly threw the spear and I got him right in the neck and then, dust. 

The last changeling turned its head and I quickly felt a burning sensation in my back leg. There was a chink in my armor. I ran towards him as he tried to hit me again but man, was I someone else or what! I mean, sure I'm small so I can move quickly but I was all over this guy. Either he really sucked at accuracy or I- I don't know. I jumped up, put my hoofs on the sides of this head, one moved forward, one back and he was dust.

I fell to the ground and grabbed my shin. Little drops of blood covered the floor, my blood that is. But now was not the time to cry because of a little boo-boo. Now was the time to... wait. I turned around too see my life's only hope in shreds. My enchanted coin purse was just a cloth of lost hopes and dreams. As stupid as it sounds, that is exactly how I felt and nothing less. I could almost feel myself crying. Nothing made sense anymore. My life is literally a series of unfortunate events. But I could hear ponies running down the hallway so I had no choice but to suck it up and get the hell out of there. Whatever the cost.
> 2: Following the Runners
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

That was about Five months ago. Now here I am in the middle of the damn woods praying the bears don't eat me. Now you probably want some answers about me, the guy who killed two guards to complete a mission that really didn't work at all. Alright, first off, my name is Volt. I have black fur ( which is very rare among pony-kind) dark blue eyes and gray and blue mane and tail. 

I was raised in an orphanage and pretty much lived there until I was 18 and had the audacity to live on my own. There were really only two ponies who liked me: Maiden the orphanage owner, and Lightweight, my best friend until he was adopted. Lightweight was really the reason I say anyone instead of any-pony. Apparently, Maiden found me at the doorstep of the orphanage and took me in. No one knew who left me there and we had no leads so we put the past behind us and moved along. 

The thing was, no one wanted me. Ponies who came to look for foals wouldn't spare a glance at poor little me. But you know what? I'm perfectly fine right now. Just a wanderer, taking chances others wouldn't dare to consider and completing them like they weren't even worth my time. I knew Equestria very well. I'm sure that I've missed a few towns here or there, but that only means they probably have little to no value at all. That should be all you actually need to know about me and, in case you haven't noticed, it isn't much.

I had made myself a little camp as far away as I could from Canterlot. I could still see it in the distance but it was far enough so as you could tell, I've been laying low for a while - trying no to be found. I could hear some rustling in the distance but I guessed it was just a couple animals doing whatever the hell they do at night. The problem was, it just wouldn't stop. All I wanted to do was go to sleep. Just another day in the life of me. I tried covering my ears but, of course, I would have to stay awake to do that. and even if I started to fall asleep, my hoofs would move away, exposing my ears to the sound. I decided it was best to go and find out what it was so I grabbed my knife I found and went to follow the sound. It was then I noticed, though, it was getting closer and suddenly, someone started screaming so I ran to find out who it was. I saw about nine zebras and they were trying to help someone who fell, another zebra. 

When they turned to look at me, fear struck them. " What's going on?" I asked quietly. 

Some of them started to cry as others looked away in shame. The injured one still lie on the ground in pain but stopped screaming. " Ya gonna take us back?" one of the male zebras said, trying hard not to look back at me. He had a very deep voice.

I noticed right away what was going on. " You headed to the Black Haven, huh?" and I smiled." Well, I have no where else to go. Need help?" In case you were wondering, the Black Haven is basically an area of Equestria where slavery is illegal and it's a little ways west 

The zebras started to look back at me with confusion. I walked up to the injured one, it was a teenage female, she looked about  fifteen. I took one look at her back leg. " It's swollen to hell. No doubt it's broken," I picked her up so she rested on my back. She was very light and I could see some of the scars from the whips. " I have some medical supplies at my camp, that should help," 

I took her to the camp and pulled out some bandages to wrap her leg in. Some of the zebras held her down and tried kept her quiet as I moved the bone back into place. Once I got the bandage wrapped around, I offered food, I didn't have much but it was enough to give a little to everyone and still have some left over for me. " I'm Maverick." said the zebra who talked to me earlier. 

"Volt," I said, and we shook. 

" Thank you for helping my niece, Eclipse," Maverick said." don't let our names fool you. They only mask who we really are. Maverick was the only name of mine I ever knew. The lazy, good for nothing owner gave it to me."

I just nodded my head and looked at the zebras he came with. I would have asked where Eclipse's parents were but I guessed it would be a bad idea to do so. "  Well, you got away from him. That's good. Where are you headed?" I asked.

Ponyville, we have a friend there named Zecora. She will lead us the rest of the way," Maverick said, looking deep into the woods. " We want to get as far west as we can. So they can't find us and take us back,"

I didn't know what to say. I was just glad I was fortunate enough to be born a pony and not a zebra like Maverick. " You should all get some sleep, you must be tired. I'll stay up an keep an eye out," Was all I could say.

He turned and smiled. " It's good to know that there are some ponies out there who care for us." Then he got up, laid beside Eclipse and kissed her good night.

Now, of course, I wasn't awake the whole night, Maverick woke up a few hours later and let me sleep until morning. Everyone was awake before me but they seemed fine with that. When I did wake up, I slung my brown leather knapsack over my shoulder and we headed off for Ponyville, the town with the utmost stupid name. But we were going there for a reason, for freedom, for the zebras at least. We stopped by a little hut on the outskirts of town, that was where Zecora lived.

She checked to see if the zebras were sick and thankfully, none of them were. All she had to do is take care of  Eclipse. One thing I noticed is that Zecora talks in couplets. And, somehow, I was able to gain the courage to ask. " Why do you rhyme all the time?" I said, only noticing after that I rhymed myself.

" Well," she said as she gave Eclipse the last drop of... well, whatever it was," Does it bother you? Because I don't want to make my guests feel blue." 

" Nah, just wondering."

We stayed there for about two hours, had a meal and Zecora gave them directions to a town far east called Hoofington. I wanted to go with them but Maverick said he didn't want to endanger me anymore and after a few minuets of debating, I decided it was best to just let them go. But as they walked through the town, I hoped that I might see them again. 

They were free, that's just about all you can say. But still, anyone could come up and claim them. It's a shitty world out their, and trust me - I know...
> 3: Damn Bears
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Well, like I said before, I had nowhere else to go and - five months should be enough, right? So anyway, freakin' Ponyville. Who's stupid idea was this!? Now I'll admit, the town looks fairly nice but I just can't get over that damned name! Now would be a good time to take a look at this place, anyway. 

Seemed like any normal town, houses, a marked place, town hall,  stuff like that. But, now, now, now, a nice town has it's fair share of fools. Some wired pink mare who most likely broke out of the psychiatric center a little ways southeast. She... she was just strange. I mean you should have seen this crazy pony! Singing and trying to dance but kept tripping over herself. Appleoosa guy... you've been replaced. This is the strangest pony I've ever seen and hopefully won't meet. She looked up and waved at me and I went the speed of light! That was close.

I was lucky enough to be able to escape her sight because lord she was a demon. But anyway, the town seemed quite nice actually. And the best part was, no one knew who I was. So it seemed like I was in the clear. There was an apple orchard I walked past called " Sweet Apple Acres". Didn't really ring a bell, though. And at the edge of the forest that almost surrounded the place, there was a little cottage. The scenery was so nice it made me pop out a cigar and have a quick smoke to admire the place. But, of course, that didn't last long at all. About half a minuet later, there was a bear and it was chasing someone. And this bear was pretty frickin' pissed! And as for the mare getting chased, orange fur, nice face, not a bad body, a little to rock-hard, she even had a cute little cow-filly hat on. She seemed like she needed some help and, to be quite frank, I don't blame her. I stomped on my cigar so it might not get anything burned and prepared myself, this was going to be interesting.

The bear was just about to swat at her and probably kill her but Nope it's just Volt, and tackled that thing to the ground. Of course, this was going to be the only luck I get since I caught 'em off guard. I did take advantage of the moment though, I gave him a couple good shots in the chest which felt pretty bad ass, but now it was the bear's turn. He grabbed me and slammed me to the ground and slapped me across the face. I pulled in my hind legs and got him in the nose which gave me a few seconds to get my distance. I watched the orange mare run into the woods probably trying to run away. Bitch. I save her life and she runs the fuck away? and I honestly don't see anyone in the cold, dark woods who could possibly help her. 

As for the bear, he tried to chomp me but I gave him another roundhouse kick to the face! I got on top of him and rode him around a bit while poking him the eyes. I could snap his neck like I did with that changeling back at the Canterlot Wedding but let's just be clear now, It's a fucking ten foot bear! And besides if I tried now, I'd get flung off his back. The bear lied down and started rolling around trying to get me off which worked wonderfully. And he started slamming down on me. Oop! dislocated shoulder! Perfect. Once I had given up, Guess who showed up? And she had a friend. Problem was, this one looked as fragile as glass on a decorative window they have at the worshiping halls.

But turns out, she was pretty strong minded, and the bear was the opposite. She got the attention of the bear and gave it the most demonic stare I've ever seen and the bear stopped dead. Someone else came flying down and pulled me away and towards her. The one staring at the bear had yellow fur and the who pulled me away was lavender.  

The orange mare ran up to try and say something to me but I couldn't hear her, my ears were ringing badly. I had a little chuckle to myself, " Damn bears..." I forced out. And everything went black. 
> 4: I Wake Up Next to a Princess
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 My eyes slowly opened for no real reason at all. They weren't heavy or anything like that. I most likely didn't want to wake up. And besides, my eyes didn't need to be open to tell I was wrapped in bandages in a hospital because where else could I be? Some pervert's dream bed? But when I did wake up, I wasn't alone. I was right about being in a hospital but someone was sitting in the chair reading a book. " Who...What are you doing here?" was all I said to grab her attention.   

She glanced at me and smiled softly and closed the book. "Hello. How are you feeling?" 

It took me a few seconds to gather my pig pen of a mind together and realize it was that lavender pony who pulled me out from under the bear while the other one- I guess- stared at it? " Who are you?" I asked still a bit dazed. 

I was able to get a good look at this lavender unicorn - wait - pegasus... Both? Wow... I'm sill a bit screwed up. "My name is princess Twilight Sparkle," she said as she raised a hoof to her bosom in a polite gesture. 

Ok, it was strange enough for just anyone to wake up next to me. But, when this "anyone" is a princess! Now something must be wrong with me. Thing was, she didn't have any pretty little princess crown to put on her pretty little head. And she didn't have any type of dress on. Just looked like a normal pony if you rule out the wings-or horn- or both. " Princess? You certainly don't look too much like one. But what-" 

" Am I doing here?" she cut me off.  "Sit yourself up and I'll tell you," 

I sat up as best I could, I could see just how covered up I was, There was a large cast around my rib cage and I felt some more around my back leg. " Where should I begin?" she started off. 

I would have answered that question but I would sound more like an ass than a helpful soul. "Well, after that whole thing with the bear, Applejack, my friend, told what you did for her. She offered to take care of  you until you get better but I told her she was too busy with the farm and the family. And besides, it's harvest season anyway." I was half listening half trying understand if my head was screwed on right. But I guess the only way to find that out was to listen to her. 

" Most of my friends have jobs and some just couldn't help." Twilight went on. 

" And who were these friends of yours? The ones who claim they couldn't help?" I asked with a brow raised and a hoof on my chin. 

She looked at me a little shocked and then snorted to herself. " Well, in case you were wondering, they aren't selfish jerks. They had good reasons." I leaned in closer. " And what are these reasons?" now with a dashing smile on my face to lighten the mood a touch. 

She smiled and continued." Well, one is trying to get into the Wonderbolts and she lives on a cloud so she couldn't help anyway. And the other... well, we decided it was best not to leave you with her. She's a real animal lover and of course after the bear - well, you know. Trust me, she's very nice but we were just a bit worried."

Funny thing, I kind of felt like we were friends ourselves. It just seemed like we'd go great together. I don't know. I am in the hospital with a bandage around my head, though. Just then, someone else peaked their head in the door. " Hello? Is every-pony awake?" Though, with his accent, it sounded more like "avake," 

Twilight waved him in and he followed. " Hello - uh..." the colt flipped through his papers on a clipboard. " Twilight Sparkle?"

"Volt." I corrected him. 

"Ah, yes. Volt. I am Dr. Cardiac" He looked like your average doctor, beige fur, round glasses, black hair turning gray, stuff like that. "Princess, if you would, I would like you to go outside for a bit," he said to the princess. She nodded and smiled.

" Bye Volt, I'll talk to you later." and left the room to the doctor's content.

Dr. Cardiac walked to the window at the left of the room and opened it to let the air in. A cool, crisp breeze hit me almost instantly. "Now from what I've been told-" he turned to look at me. " You fought a bear?" He looked puzzled. 

" Well, I was trying to help someone from getting mauled by it so I took the spot." I explained to him. 

He paused for few seconds and looked at the floor. "I see..." he mused. 

Finally, a smile started to return and he looked back at me. "Well, did you save the poor soul?" The smile was somewhat confident, the eyes were deep and sympathetic. I nodded and his expression grew more confident." Well, all good things come at a price." he said. I just shrugged and went on with it. 

So at the end of the day, I only have two broken ribs, a broken hind leg, dislocated shoulder as I said before, oh, that's right a concussion too. The purging came later. It also turns out I need reading glasses but I kind of already figured that because lately I've been having a hard time reading notes and signs and stuff like that. 

Twilight came in the next day with some of her friends including, of course, Applejack. There was one slight problem, though. Remember the insane pony I saw? Well, apparently she's one of Twilight's best buddies. Hooo boy. " Hhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyy, I remember you!" she said with shrill joy. " I waved hi to you! You seemed to be in a hurry, though, but that's okay! I'm Pinkie Pie!"

As Pinkie Pie went to tie a get well soon balloon on my  hoof, another one of Twilight's friends came up to me, this one seemed more pleasant to be around. "Hello darling," she had a Baletish accent. " I heard what you did and I just had to meet you to see if it was true!" She seemed really excited to meet me. " I'm just really excited to meet you! I'm Rarity, and your name?" she said as she held out a hoof for me to shake.

" Volt. It's a pleasure to meet you." I said, she seemed to blush a little but trying to hide it, of course.

Next was a cyan colored pegusus with a rainbow mane which oddly suited her quite nicely. " Hay! I heard what you did and that was pretty bad ass." She awaited a high-hoof and I guess I couldn't resist. and finally, Twilight intervened. 

"So, Volt, where do you live? I've never seen you around here before." and  everyone stopped and looked at me. Waiting.

"Well..." I rubbed the back of my head. "funny you should ask. I don't really live anywhere - heh..." 

They all stood there in silence. Pinkie Pie looked like she really wanted to give me a huge hug but seemed to be trying to resist. Then Applejack spoke up. " Ah'll take him, it's the least ah could do." 

Twilight quickly turned around to look a Applejack. " Applejack...!" The sudden shout form Twilight caught us all off guard, even her. " Look, I understand that you owe him, but you said yourself you have too much to do in so little time. I can't put this kind of burden on you." Yep - that's totally me. Nothin' but a burden is all.

" She's right Applejack, Besides, you have the family which makes you the busiest of all of us." Rarity reminded her.

Right then someone else came running up, it was that yellow mare that helped save me from the bear. " Oh I'm so sorry I'm late, I hope I didn't miss anything important." 

Twilight turned to her and said " That's okay Fluttershy, everything's fine." 

Pinkie Pie hopped up to her and gave her a big hug - it looked painful. " Yep, everything is okie dokie!" 

When Pinkie Pie stopped crushing her, Fluttershy gave me a quick little smile. " So what's going on?" Fluttershy asked. 

Twilight walked up to me to gain everyone's attention. "Well, ironically, I'm the only one who isn't busy, and Volt has nowhere to live, so-" She looked at me and smiled. "I guess he's staying with me."
> 5: The Perfect Storm
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 I struck the match on the side of the box and put the cigar in my mouth. I was going to have myself a nice little smoke outside until Twilight came out. I was on the balcony all alone looking out towards Canterlot thinking of past times when she pulled the cigar out of my mouth, damn, I didn't even get to light the thing. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. What have I told you, Volt?" she said mockingly.

"Aw come on princess. What could go wrong?" I asked looking back at her.

"Hm... let's see," she put a hoof on the chin and pretended to think hard about it. "Oh! That's right! There's Lung cancer and it makes you smell and-" 

"Okay, okay, I get it. It was a stupid question. Hell, I bet you lost half you IQ just hearing me say that," I admitted reluctantly. " But, hay. It's a very nice view. I couldn't help myself."

Twilight looked out where I was looking. The orange sky from the setting sun complemented the view, even with that weird looking castle. "I have to admit it, you'er right." she said as she walked up to me, smiling. "It is a great view. I could understand why you wanted to use this." She waved the cigar around, most likely to piss me off, but I counter-acted.

"You want one then?" I pulled one out and held it in front of her. 

Twilight seemed a little embarrassed by the question. "Wha- but - I - uh..." She rubbed the back of her head and looked away. I could tell she was thinking about it, for real this time. "Well... uh, I- I guess. Maybe one couldn't hurt." and she sat on the floor.

"I've been using up all your resources for a little over a week now anyway, you deserve this." I looked over the town. It really looked like mid-October with the leaves all red and brown and yellow and stuff like that.  But I also remembered something coming up next month, November 18th, my birthday. Or at least the day Maiden found me on the doorstep. I would usually just get drunk on that day to forget everything. 

I cut off the front and punched the hole in to give to Twilight and she handed me my own cigar. I struck another match and lit it for her and I did so with mine. "Are these Coltbin cigars?" Twilight asked. I was quite surprised she knew the taste.

"How did you know?" I asked with a little smirk. 

Twilight looked around with her cheeks slightly red. "Uh, well I've- I've had some before." 

"Busted!" I said and pretended to point a shotgun at her and pulled back my hoof like I was pulling the trigger and Twilight slowly laid down like I shot her in slow motion. We both laughed hysterically. Then we just sat there in silence, we admired the view with our cigars. And suddenly, the door behind us opened. It was Spike.

I remember when I first saw Spike. I thought he broke into the house and was waiting for us to come so he could eat us. When Twilight calmed me down, she told me that Spike was an assistant of her's and there was no way he would eat us. But trust is slow to gain. "Twilight! There's a huge storm and it's moving quickly!"

Me and Twilight turned our heads and saw it instantly. "Oh no," Twilight said to herself. And oh no was right, There was no way a storm could move this fast. Twilight got up and helped me get up. As she assisted me to the door, lightning struck right next to us. Twilight screamed louder then the thunder that came right after. Spike went to help but Twilight told him to get inside. Just before we got to the door a blade went into my back. The pain surged all over my body. I fell to the ground as the wind kicked up and the rain was drenching us. I was struck by lightning but I was still alive. I tried to get up but I saw another bolt coming at me. I shielded my face. This time, though, something was pushing down on me. The floor was lit with a light blue. I looked at Twilight who looked amazed, and a little scared. I looked up and the bolt was still there, it was...In my hoof!? 

Wherever  I moved my hoof, the lightning seemed to follow. I pushed it away and it went back into the storm which seemed to slow it down. More came at me and I kept catching them and throwing them back. I still had no idea what was happening but I was getting into it. Then came the big one. The really big one. I needed both hoofs to hold this one, and it was weighing down on me.

I tried keep it from destroying the place. I took a couple seconds to breath and concentrate. "One..." I counted. " Two..." I drew one last breath." Three!"  And pushed as hard as I could. The last bolt shot back and penetrated the clouds and they suddenly expelled. I fell to the ground. I couldn't tell weather I was drenched from the rain, or the sweat. I don't think lightning was supposed to be as heavy as that.

I felt my chest and realized that the cast was gone. Just gone, no ashes or anything. I couldn't even think clearly. I just lied there trying to process things fruitlessly. Whatever just happened, I had a feeling there was more to come.
> 6: My Little Birdie
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 All of Twilight's friends came almost right after the storm. They must have noticed exactly where the lightning struck and came to see if the tree-library-house hadn't been completely burnt to the ground. Turns out, they demanded to know what caused the storm because there was no way it was natural. But the truth was, not even Twilight knew what the hell happened. "Look I don't know!" she complained to Rainbow Dash for the second time.

Apparently, the storm caught her off guard and sent her into a tree. You could tell where she was hit because there was a little dried blood in her hair. "Well some-pony must be on to us because that thing went away right when I got hit!" the fairly angry Rainbow Dash replied. 

They have only been here for less than a minuet and Twilight was losing her patience and played the last card she could before she slaughtered someone, "All I know was that it might have had something to do with Volt," 

Now, I was just cooped up in the corner trying to avoid the conversation, but now that I have been mentioned, Rainbow Dash had to show at least a little mercy. Right? "Alright then," she walked over to me, her expression still not to light. "What happened? If the storm had something to do with you, you might know a little more," Now we were face to face. 

So, to Rainbow Dash's request, I told the story. I didn't tell about anything leading up to it though in case one of them turned out to be a gossip whore. Of course, as I told them the tale they might have been wondering if I had been making some experiments of my own. (crack, meth, cocaine. Messed up stuff like that in which you probably do anyway because screw the world, right?) Twilight was part-time scientist after all. So I had to act as normal as possible. I haven't been here long and I didn't want the reputation of a crack head. 

I looked outside, it was dark out, darker then the storm, amazingly. "Where are yer casts, Volt?" I turned to Applejack who was the first-er-second to notice. Everyone else caught on.

"I don't know that ether. They just disappeared. They don't seem to be broken anymore, though."

Pinkie's eyes went from serine to complete joy. Wait- oh no. She bounded over to me in slow motion with the hugest, most innocent smile on her face. My unfortunate life flashed before my eyes as she flung her foreleg around me. I my lungs were instantly flattened and I squeaked. When Pinkie Pie let go of me, air rushed right into my lungs. The next second I fell to the ground, moaning.

Twilight was looking through a book of old legends to see if she could find answers. She didn't look lucky. "Nothing makes sense. There is no way this should have happened," 

And if things couldn't get worse, a bird flew though the window and started flying around. Rarity and Applejack ducked for cover, Twilight and Pinkie Pie ran to the kitchen, Fluttershy just stood there and watched the bird, I couldn't even find Rainbow Dash, and Spike being the only useful guy, chased it around with a broom. The bird landed on my shoulder and Spike ran up to me to hit the bird off but luckily, I stopped him. The bird started rubbing up against me like I was it's mother or something and I'll tell you this, I am not in the mood for children.

" Awwwwwww," Fluttershy said as she watched us. 

I just rolled my eyes and said, "It's okay everybody, it doesn't look like it wants to kill us," 

Pinkie Pie popped her head out of the kitchen."Everybody?" she asked. " I thought ponies said every-pony?"

" Yes," I said "but this one doesn't. Now come on out." 

And with that, everyone came out. It turns out that Rainbow Dash was the best hidden out of all of us, she was hiding at the top of one of the bookshelves. "Well, well, well. You are quite a good hider, Dashie, I wonder which side of the family you got that talent from." 

Rainbow Dash turned to me." Shut the hell up," And that got everyone to laugh. They all looked at the bird that was perched on me. 

"Wait, what's that on it's foot?" Rarity asked. I looked at the feet.

"It's a note," I said. Rarity untied the note with her magic and I read it. It was spooky.

-Volt
Be prepared. Astheno can help.
- a friend

I read it aloud to everyone. They said nothing when I finished. How did this guy know who I was? And I certainly know anybody as a friend who could send birds. To an exact location in which no one would check. And be prepared for what? The note fell out of my hoof. "What friend?" Rainbow Dash asked.

I didn't answer her. Twilight pulled out another book and flipped through it. "It's a Nightingale. The bird is a female Nightingale. Volt, you can't keep that! It's endangered, and  it's illeg-" Twilight stopped for some reason. What reason? Beats me. But she only got weirder from there." She looks cute, maybe Fluttershy could help you raise her."

Everybody seemed confused, especially Fluttershy. " Wait, I thought you were just saying I couldn't keep her." I said.

Twilight cocked her head to the side." What? Why would I say that?"

Pinkie Pie, all of the sudden became alarmist." Twilight! Are you alright?! Do you have Alzheimer's?!"

I stared at Pinkie Pie along with everyone else. Alzheimer's? I don't quite think Twilight is at that age yet.

I looked at it the bird. "Astheno..." I mused " you're  Astheno, huh?'" she chirped happily and flew over to the door. When she landed on the cabinet next to it, someone knocked.

Twilight answered the door, they were guards." May I help you two?" she asked them.

"Princess Twilight Sparkle, you and your friends are requested by  Princesses Celistia and Luna. The word seems dire," 

We looked at Astheno again, she was standing on the note right where it said " Be prepared."
> 7: No Harmony in Malice
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 I have no idea why they had to come at 7:00 at night and I wish I could make them pay, but they were the damned princesses of Equestria so that means I won't be getting my way. Then I realized something that scared me. Canterlot, the place where I killed two guards. They were on to me, they knew who I was and they had me. They were taking me to jail in the sliest way possible. And now there was nothing I could do. But that may not be it, it could be something else. Maybe Celestia dropped her bean burrito and we have to go on a thousand mile quest to buy her another one. It might be far-fetched but it's the only hope I got.

Twilight, and for that matter, everyone didn't look to thrilled. Not even Pinkie Pie spoke that much so she must have felt something was up. "Well, I got a new client today and he's having this big wedding. It looks like he's pretty rich so I'm expecting a nice pay." Rarity said, trying to get everyone to talk. 

" Oh, that's nice," I said. I wanted to get talking too, I didn't want to suffer in the dark. "Where is it going to be?"

Rarity seemed happy that someone was talking. " It's going to be in Fort Trotterdale. He served in the army and all I can say is, that mare is lucky!"

" What is the mare's name?" I asked.

"Chardonnay, I saw a picture of her and she looked lovely. They met each other when a friend told him about her. But it's kind of sad really," Rarity's smile faded away.

"What? Why?" 

"Well, you see, that friend was killed during the Wedding In Canterlot," 

Now, she might as well have cut my leg off and poured a gallon of lemon juice on it because it would have hurt all the same. I tried not to show it. "Oh...! That's... that's horrible!" 

"Yeah, his name was Ray Shine. But every-pony-" She looked up at me." Or, as you prefer it, everybody, called him Bull." 

Okay, I think I'm gonna go skydiving, Let's see here-. No parachute...check! Of course, I didn't do that. Though maybe I could make it look like an accident. Hay, ya never know. " We'er almost there." one of the guards announced. 

Astheno flew over to me and sat on top of my head. "Aw." everyone said, almost everyone that is. Rainbow Dash, I'm sure, isn't known to do something like that. She did smile, though. And hay, that's close enough. 

The carriage landed in front of the castle and we were escorted in. I imagined what it was like when princess Cadence ran through here to warn Bull and Rock Well about the changelings taking the place over. "Hay, remember when we beat the shit out of those changeling ass holes?" Rainbow Dash said to Pinkie Pie. 

" What?!" I turned around In complete shock. They were here?!  During the wedding?! The two of them stopped and looked at me. I had to think of something quick and stupid to say. "Uh, you guys did that? That's - that's pretty cool. Wish I was there. But I wasn't, so, heh, you know." 

Rainbow Dash was going to say something but I was happily trotting away by that time. Way to go dip shit. And, of course, who could forget, the vault. There was a huge sheet covering the hallway leading to it. "What's going on there?" I asked.

One of the guards looked back at me. "Well, after the wedding, and the deaths of the two stallions guarding it, we all decided to move the vault to a more remote and discrete location," Oh, just kill me already.

Finally, we reached the throne room where both princesses sat, looking uneasy, actually, kind of afraid. I think the matter is more important than me killing a couple guys. I'm not that ferocious to actually scare the princesses, especially after a little over five months. Princess Celestia looked at me and shot out of her chair. "Who is that!?" She boomed. Here we go.

Applejack ran and got in front of me as if she was defending me."A friend... He's a friend, his name is Volt," 

"What makes you think he qualifies to be here?" Celestia asked. She demanded an answer.

Applejack looked back at me."He saved mah life." she said, unencumbered by Celestia's intimidation.

"And mine too." Twilight said boldly.

They were defending me? Maybe I really am a friend, maybe they really do care. Applejack looked at me and we smiled at each other. And for some reason, she looked a lot cuter when I first saw her. Maybe I didn't get a good enough look.

Celestia sat back in the chair. "I see. You all seem to be fond of this young stallion." I looked back, everyone nodded.

The princesses looked at each other. "What do you think, Luna?" Celestia asked. "Should he stay?" 

Luna looked at me and observed me. She looked back and nodded. "He is strong at both muscle and will. We'll need that from him."  

Be prepared. I thought. Something big is going to happen, and I might be a part of it. Celestia looked up at the guards who had brought us in. "Leave." was all she said to them. And they left. "You are all here for a very important matter that needs to be attended to." Celestia started.

Be prepared. There it was again. Chiming in my mind. " The fate of all the Equestria, the world is in your hoofs.

Be prepared. Damn it, stop! "We are being threatened by a massive force. And she doesn't even have an army." 

It stopped, what Celestia said got my attention. "What?" Twilight asked. "if it's just one pony, how can they have an impact whatsoever?"

I felt I had to go with logic here, one little pony can't threaten an entire kingdom to the extent where they require citizens to take care of it. Unless, of course, they had an army behind them. And in that case, You have an army yourself, can't you just send them in and have them take care of it? Something was off. 

"Her name is Malice. We don't know very much about her, but we do believe she could have something to do with Discord."

"Discord!? Please." The doors burst open and in walked a pony. Hell, could you even call her a pony? She was Celestia's height. She had blood red fur, black hair, a horn and wings. Her brand were two swords crossed. She had magenta eyes filled with destruction and an amulet around her neck That was golden with silver linings and what believed to be obsidian in the middle. Something was telling me, this was Malice.

"You would really find me to have any sort of relationship with him? That cowered wouldn't even hurt a fly after what you did to him. And, may I imply, how could you have forgotten me? I thought I was a good student! In fact, if it wasn't for you, I couldn't do this." She picked me up with her magic and slung me across the room and I hit the wall. My head and back hurt like someone took a metal pipe and started beating me with it but stopped in the middle to go get a drink, therefore, leaving me alive with the pain and having to experience it. My ears were ringing so badly I couldn't hear what anyone was saying. I didn't feel any broken bones which was good, but when I looked back at the wall I hit there was a few cracks in it. Right away Applejack was next to me, helping me up. I was finally able to hear over the ringing. 

"Aw, isn't that cute. The bastard has friends to pick him up. who'd of thought?" Malice walked up to me."What is your name?" she asked.

"Volt," I spat at her."And that will be the last thing you hear before you die." 

Malice lowered her head to look into my face."Is this a challenge?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. 

I smirked as devilishly as I could."But of course. A challenge is always a good thing," 

"Yes," Malice said. "But not when you know when you are going to lose," Now I don't know what, but a wave of blind fury washed over me when she said that. The best reflex to not think about was punch in the face. As hard as I could. Even harder. But Malice just stood there. She didn't move nor even blink! I think it hurt me more than her. She walked away. "Now as I was saying, The Elements of Harmony? I know where they are, everywhere. All around Equestria," she said, picking something from her teeth.

"You'er bluffing," Luna said. " You can't separate the elements. The charm pre-"

Malice shook her head. "No, no, no, no ,no! I'm already aware of that. As long as there is enough harmony in the world, they won't be separated from each other. Come on! There isn't enough harmony in this world can't you tell? Poverty, slavery, war, crime. It's all around you! I mean really, why else would I start this whole thing now? In fact..." A tiara flew into the room. Twilight looked shocked to see it. "Observe," The ceiling collapsed, or at least part of it did, and soon, the tiara flew away until it was out of sight. 

Celestia watched in disbelief. "How-" she didn't seem to know what to say. 

"Well, I do believe I've overstayed my welcome. I must go now," and she left the room. No one chased after her,or said see ya,. Complete silence. There was nothing we could do, any trying to stop her would be fruitless. Celestia hung her head and buried her face in her hoofs. 

Luna looked at all of us and said,"Go, find the elements, defeat Malice." 

Rainbow Dash walked up to Luna, "Wait a minuet. How are we going to find the elements? We don't even know where they are." 

Astheno jumped on my head, she had a note in her mouth, or beak, maybe. Anyway, I plucked it out and read it. 

-Volt
Be prepared. Astheno can-

Wait, I already read this. But why did she have it? I thought for a minuet. "I think we already know where they are, or, at least, someone does," Astheno chirped. I held up the note."It says that Astheno can help, which means she must know where the elements are!" 

I think you might be right, Volt," Twilight said. "It would only make sense."

I looked up to Luna and Celestia. "We will take on your quest."

As we started to leave, Celestia said, "This is all my fault..."

"What?" Twilight said, turning to the princess.

"Not now, Twilight! " Luna said. "Now is not a good time."
> 8: Shocking Perks of Intimidation 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Now believe me, none of us wanted to go anywhere except bed. It was 9:52 right now and we were going to have to go on a pain in the ass quest in the morning, so... yeah. Now, given the fact I am only living the tree-library-house temporarily, I am sleeping in no other place than the couch. The good part was, since the casts were off, sleeping was less cumbersome. But despite resent events, I had a hard time sleeping. Where was Astheno going to take us? I have no clue. Were we all going to die? Probably.

I woke up as early as I could, which really wasn't early at all and we had to pack because we are not going empty hoofed. Now, for me, packing is almost too simple. Just throw my knapsack around my shoulder and there you go, I'm done! I guessed that Twilight might need some help but turned out she was done before I even woke up. She didn't really need that much either, food, spells, spell books, some bottled water and a novel. Not too much. Twilight gave me some buttered toast and orange juice for breakfast and told me to get the hell up.

Okay, so we wasted ten minuets looking for everyone and found out they we all outside Rarity's house where they were arguing with her. Rarity, being as pampered as she is, decided it would be wonderful idea to bring everything she possibly owned. Now, I'll be honest, so did I, but I have a completely different case since everything I owned weighed less than twenty pounds.

"You're kidding me, right?" Rainbow Dash said. Her hoof was on her forehead and smiling like it was a dumb joke. "There is no possible way you think you'll just bring everything," 

Rarity wasn't making eye contact with anyone, just trying to hide herself. I was personally offended by the sight of this. Never in my life have I owned anything close to that. "Well, I mean, you never know when you..." Rarity trailed off when she saw me, and I wasn't happy.

I walked up to Rarity to deal with this myself. "What is this?" I asked and I held up my knapsack. Rarity didn't answer. "This is a bag." I started circling around her. "Now, this bag doesn't have too many things in it. But hold on! Why doesn't it? Well, mainly because this is everything, yes, everything I have ever owned. For myself mind you." Rarity still didn't answer. I put a hoof on my chin. "Now, do you think you really need all this?" I asked, gesturing towards the pile of random and useless things.

"Well," Rarity said in a weedy little voice.

"Just say no," I mused. 

"What?" She asked since she clearly didn't hear me.

"I said,  just...say...NO!" I roared at her. Now, I honestly don't know what, but I seemed to me like a little bolt of lightning slithered around me. I could feel it, and everyone could see it. Rarity backed up, trying hard not to start crying. 

" What the-?!" I said, hoping it was just my imagination. "You saw that, right? That.... that, that blue thing, right?" I was pretty scared. I looked around, hoping someone would say the hell are you talking about?, or at least shake their heads.

" I saw it..." Fluttershy said as low as possible so no one might hear it.

I looked at my hoof to see if it was still there, thankfully it wasn't. Then I realized something. What if it was the storm that was the reason for this bull crap. This was very... interesting. I looked up. Everyone was still looking at me. "Uh...I-I'm sorry about that, um...little episode. I'll help with this." I said, picking up some of Rarity's over-packed bags. "Where do I put this?" I asked Rarity. 

For a few seconds she stood there motionless but then finally spoke. "I'll show you the way." she said awkwardly. She picked up the rest of the bags and walked inside, I followed. She took me to her room and we piled the bags at the far wall. I felt I needed to say something to her. Before she left the room I spoke up. "Look, I'm sorry about that whole thing down there. I was just a bit, well, upset." She stopped at the door.

"No... I'm sorry," she said, "I should have been wiser then that. I should have known seeing that would make you hate me. I'm the one who should be sorry. You had every right to judge me for that." I wanted to say something that would make her feel better, but I couldn't. So I just walked up to her and put a hoof on her shoulder.

She turned around to look at me, her eyes were watery and her face was a little wet. I was going to say that I would do my best not to do it again but before I knew it, she was hugging me. A passionate hug and she kissed my cheek softly. I was a bit shocked by that...not bad, though. I couldn't hide my burning red face, and she didn't mind seeing it. I fact, she smiled. "Come on, don't we have somewhere to be by now?" She was right, it was time to go.

I helped pack things she would actually need. Applejack had a tent for six. This troubled her, because there wasn't enough room in a tent full of mares and one colt. It got me excited, I'll admit, but I decided it was best not to disturb anyone while they slept. Luckily for everyone else, I knew how to make a tent out of animal hide. All I had to do was get this past Fluttershy and we would be good to go. Or maybe I could just keep it discrete, everyone would know but her, it was out best bet. I started explaining to them how I might be able to do it. Without Fluttershy around of course.

"WHAT?!" Oh carp! She heard our conversation. No mercy now. No way out. "You can't kill animals! I won't have it." we were all disappointed. 

"Aw c'on, Fluttershy!" We all sounded like little foals."He needs to do this. We just ain't havin' him sleep with us!" Applejack pointed out. "Unless ya want to have 'im sleep with you, that is." 

"I don't care. I could handle it." Everyone's jaw just dropped. Ah, the perks of having female friends. 

"Wow..." I said aloud. "I wouldn't even have the courage to do that. All in agreement that Fluttershy has more balls than us?"

"Aye." Everyone said, raising their hoofs. Even Astheno chirped. Fluttershy just stood there with the most confident face I've ever seen, from her at least. 

"Alright, Astheno. Where are we going?" Fluttershy asked.

Astheno started flying away, slow enough for us to follow her, but fast enough not to give us any slack. And with that, we were off. I just couldn't stop thinking about that lightning bolt that snaked around me earlier. I wondered what this meant. I wondered what was going to happen. But a big bother I had was what would happen during the nights. If I'm lucky, I won't get... well, you probably know. [iHooooooooo boy!


> 9: Icarus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 When you think about the word adventure you think about scaling long forgotten and forbidden landscapes, epic dragon fights to save the fair princess. Protecting some village from the pirates and being praised for centuries come, right? That may be so, but let's be frank, you probably haven't thought about having to walk a billion and a half miles, having nothing to talk about accept stocks and politics. For instance, Twilight invested in a lumber company and now they're not doing to well compared to a competing company in which she had first thoughts about investing before she changed her mind. Sucks, huh?

"So, I've got that pulling my leg. Guess I made a bad mistake." Twilight said, hanging her head, she was still smiling, though.

"Oh, come on Twilight." Rarity said with a hoof around Twilight's shoulder, "You should know that everybody makes mistakes. Even eminent ponies." 

Everyone stopped to look at Rarity. She just turned to me and winked, welcome to my side, Rarity, enjoy your stay. "Rarity?! Now [iyou'er saying it, too?!" Pinkie ran up to her and looked her straight in the eyes." Are you Mad?!" 

Rarity slowly backed up looking a little uncomfortable. "It's not really a big deal. In fact it makes more sense to say that then, well, you know." 

Applejack intervened, "She's right, sugar cube, I think ya lost this one." 

Pinkie Pie looked at everyone, who was looking at her, and slowly turned her head back to Rarity. "Okay!" she said cheerfully and hopped back to the front.

I trotted up to Rarity who was lagging a little behind me. I realized that she was at least two inches taller than me, It sucks to be short. "Looks like you're on my side now, huh?" 

She snorted, "Oh really? What was your first clue?" and we laughed together without disturbing anyone else.

I looked at the sky, the sun was pretty close to setting. Then I noticed Rainbow Dash who was flying above us like she usually does to show off. "Hay Rainbow!" I shouted up to her."how much longer do you think you can take of this?"

She looked down at me, "Not enough, what about you?" she asked.

"As long as it takes me, really. It's getting dark though. How about you try using your legs, or have you already forgotten you had those?" 

Rainbow Dash swooped down and landed next to me. Her expression showed she wasn't too impressed with my remark. But I could tell by looking into her eyes, she was tired. She even started to yawn, which made me yawn, which made Rarity yawn, which made Fluttershy yawn and so on and so forth until Twilight got Astheno's attention. "Astheno, sweetie, I think it's time to turn in for the night."  Astheno landed right on my head, pretty much saying she was ready herself.

Applejack set up the tent and Rarity helped since she had magic on her side. I went trough my knapsack just in case. Food, water, binoculars,, a crudely made spear, my knife I found in Canterlot, twelve bits, my new reading glasses which Twilight paid for and keeps saying it's a gift and I don't have to pay her back, a box of matches, and some Coltbin cigars I, uh... found. I had everything except my hide blanket which was really comfortable but we all knew it wouldn't fly with Fluttershy.

Rainbow Dash nudged Fluttershy and motioned her head towards me with a smug smile on her face. I was watching this and she noticed that so she winked at me. When the tent was set up we had a quick dinner and went to bed. Fluttershy had a blanket she bought with her and looked big enough for the both of us. I could hear Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie snickering. "Oh shut up!" I told them and they listened, for now. 

I laid down next to Fluttershy. "Goodnight, Volt." she said and she turned away from me and went to sleep, and so did I.

The dust was blowing up in my face that warm day. It was a somewhat nice town, small, western and dirty. Cribbingdale had probably about five hundred citizens as it was. I ran into the place after getting lost in the desert. The ponies were nice, they greeted me, offered me food and water which I honestly needed. They didn't even know who I was and they liked me, I could live here, but it's just to hot, and having black fur doesn't help.

The sun was blazing down on me and everyone else, as I had imagined. I could hear something in the distance, sounded like ponies were coming, a lot more then one. Gunfire echoed through the town and bandits closed in. Everyone was either running inside to protect themselves, or running out with guns to protect the town. The bandits came in with shotguns on their backs or a revolver strapped to their wrist so they had a free hoof. The bandits were killing everyone they saw, stallions, mares, foals, anything that moved, really. I ran to an alley with empty boxes and water barrels and hid there, waiting for the bandits to pass.

One of them found me, though. He had a revolver pointed at my head, he didn't have the strap so he had to hold it with both hoofs, one in the trigger and the other on the side. " Well, well, well. Thought ya could get outta here alive, didn't ya?" Someone came up behind him with a knife and slit his throat, I closed my eyes, I wasn't a fan of large amounts of blood.

"Look at me," the guy who saved me said. And I did as was told. He had white fur, and a horn. Nothing too memorable about his face. He pulled the shotgun off the now dead bandit's back and handed it to me."You're gonna need that." he said.

He picked up the revolver, pulled a gun strap out of his pocket and applied the gun. He put on the hat that the bandit was wearing, looked at me, put a hoof to his mouth, indicating me to be quiet. And before my eyes, he turned into the bandit, like, for real. He looked exactly like him. A green aura covered him as he changed. "What the hell?!" I exclaimed.

Another bandit came in. "Hay Lancaster! I just killed me a stupid motherfucker!" He said in his broad western accent. The guy who changed into Lancaster looked at the bandit who looked about ten years younger then him.

"So did I." he said, trying to mimic the accent of the real Lancaster.

"Really? Who was it?" 

Lancaster pointed the gun at the other bandit and changed to his real,  Treek accent. "You." and pulled the trigger. 

"Use that shotgun and you just might get out of here alive." he told me, and ran out, waving his gun around.

I held the shotgun in my hoof and looked at it. Then I looked back out at the raging battle in the middle of the town. If I had a shotgun, I was sure as hell going to use it, I think you would too. I laid down a barrel filled with water and rolled it out. I watched as it sent someone flying. She hit the ground and looked up at me but before she could whip her gun around to shoot me, I fired and she fell right back to the ground. I poked my head out and saw a little wave of bandits coming in a "V" formation. I got another barrel and rolled it out. They stopped and watched the barrel pass by, and as they did, I ran out with my shotgun and started firing at them. It was a small group, about six ponies. They were quick to react and immediately started to fire back. 

I dove into the building I ran in front of. It was a bar. I could hear something behind the counter. I held my shotgun tight and slowly advanced towards it, trying not to trip over the cadavers on the ground. I looked over the bar and pointed my gun at a pony trying to open something. "No, no, no! I'm not one of them! There's something down here that could help us."

I climbed over the counter, not losing my guard. "What is it?" I asked. "Why can't you open it?"

"The key" he said, "I can't find the key."

I pushed the guy over and shot the lock open. He opened the door. "Rags, rags and booze,"  I said "how will this help?"

The guy pulled an oil canteen from behind the counter. He took a rag and a drink."Not just any booze," he said opening a bottle,"Rum," 

He dipped the rag in the oil and pushed half of it into the bottle so the rag stuck out of the top, struck a match and lit it. He tossed me a bottle, rag, and another oil canteen. I realized what he was doing, rum was flammable. We made a couple more and brought them to the front of the bar. Let's see if these guys were in the mood for cocktails. The bandits were still waiting for me outside. I picked up one of the bottles and tossed it. It hit one of them and he burst into flames. I threw another one, hit another guy, so on and so on. And soon enough, that got the rest running for their lives.

Me and the guy from the bar stood there, watching the bandits run away and we looked at each other. "Not bad." I said.

"Not at all." he replied. 

The guy who turned into the bandit came up behind the guy from the bar and motioned me to step aside. I did as I was told. Lancaster pulled out his gun and shot the guy in the back of the head. "What the fuck is wrong with you!?" I shouted at him. "You just killed an innocent pony!" Lancaster watched unencumbered.

"Innocent?" he pulled out a roll of paper, a wanted poster."Really?" he looked at the poster, "Wanted, dead or alive for murder, rape, and theft. Doesn't sound very innocent." he said. 

We turned in the body to the police and in return, he got twelve thousand bits, he decided to give me twenty five percent of the money since I ended up helping him. And for no particular reason, we started leaving the town. "Now, you probably wouldn't believe me if I told you," he said in his Treek accent, "but I'm not who I look like."

"Oh, really? After what you showed me, I think I will." I told him.

"My name is Icarus, I'm-" He stopped to look around and make sure no one else was around us, we were in the middle of nowhere, though, I wasn't expecting someone to just pop up.

"I'm a changeling." I stopped short and looked at him with the most confused look I knew to give.

" What?" I asked

The green aura surrounded him again. I looked away because the light was hurting my eyes. When I looked back, I saw nothing short of a changeling.

My eyes swung open and I sat up, my heart racing. It was early in the morning. I could tell that everyone was up except for Fluttershy, who I scared with my sudden movement. "Are you alright?" she asked.

I didn't answer her because I wasn't alright. I knew Icarus, that wasn't a dream, it was a memory.
> 10: Loyal Subject
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

" Volt, are you okay?" Fluttershy whispered into my ear.

I turned to her, "I'm fine," I told her, a little more lax. "Just... just a nightmare, they happen all the time." 

"I was just worried, you didn't answer me before." she said.

We both walked out and right away, I was hit by another one of Rainbow Dash's witty sex jokes. "Oh, of course you two are the last to wake up. It's fun but it takes effort." and that pretty much got everyone going.

"Well then, if that's the case, I bet you were up all night listening, grinding you're own gears. Ya know, I heard if you do stuff like that, you could go blind." 

Everyone was laughing except for Rainbow Dash, who playfully threw a rock at me, and Fluttershy, who punched me in the arm.  I guess this was going to be what me and Rainbow would be doing the entire trip, I don't mind at all. Astheno landed on my nose and looked at me. 

"I'm guessing you'er hungry?" I asked her.

"I already fed her." Twilight said. 

"Oh, then get the hell outta here!" I said jokingly. But Astheno wouldn't budge.

Then, for some reason, Astheno just started to fly away. Well, I mean, I know I'm a dick, but not so much of a dick that I repel magic, all-knowing birds. "Hay, Astheno! Wait!" 

I was starting to get worried that I just fucked everything up until she landed on me again. We were looking at a cave. It was just a cave. "Okay, It's a cave, what about it?" I asked.

Astheno flew in the cave. I followed after her. There was some kind of necklace hanging on the wall. It had a red lightning bolt on it. "Is- is this one of the elements?" I asked. 

Astheno chirped which probably meant yes, and we ran back to the camp. "Uh...guys?" Everyone turned to look at me wondering, of course, what was going on. "I kinda need you to follow me, please." And everyone got up and followed.

I led them to the cave that Astheno showed me and I told them that it might have an element in it. "Well, well," Applejack started. "Looks like this won't be too hard after all." And with that, we walked inside.

The cave was shallow, like, very shallow. We didn't even have to take a turn, we just walked in about a hundred feet and it led to a little room with the element hanging from an outcropping in the wall. 

"The Element of Loyalty," Twilight said. "Rainbow Dash, this is for you."

Rainbow Dash cracked her neck and walked towards it. She was just about to pick in up when some kind of blue force field stopped her from grabbing it. Another one formed over me and everyone else except Rainbow Dash.

"Hello, Rainbow Dash," Out of nowhere, some kind of ghost walked out, it had no face so we couldn't tell who it was. It was a male though, we could tell from the voice. "I believe you need this," he motioned towards the Element of Loyalty. "Well, I can't just let you have it. I'm sure you are aware." his voice sounded like one of those old transverse radios.

"What? What is this?" Rainbow Dash said with a stern face.

"You came for the element, that's true, but can you show me you deserve it?" the ghost guy said. "Are you as loyal as you say you are? You're friends say yes, but I only see to believe." 

"Well what do you expect me to do?! Beg for it?" Rainbow asked.

"Beg, that's cute. But no. Just follow the instructions for this...simple....test." The sudden pause made me feel uneasy.

"I'll do it." Rainbow Dash's confidence made me feel a little more at ease.

"Well then." the ghost said. "Are you prepared to lose your innocence for your friends?"

"I don't care! Let's get this over with already!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

"Oooo, ambitious,  just what we need. Now, are you loyal to your mission? I'm curious. Can you watch an innocent pony die?"

Rainbow Dash backed up, "What...?" she said in a puny voice.

"You can save this pony, but if you do you will fail the test and you won't get your prize. And you cannot try again." 

Now Rainbow Dash didn't look as confident as she once was. Her hoof was rubbing against her leg. She suddenly turned back to the old Rainbow Dash, or at least the one I knew. "I don't care! Let's go!" 

The ghost shook his head. "You don't know guilt." And he turned to me. And, for a second, it almost looked like he smiled at me. Not a happy smile, No, it only flashed for a second, but it seemed crooked, demonic even. He knew something. "Not yet. Let the test begin." And out of nowhere, some guy just popped up. He was a pegasus with brown fur.

"Where... where am I?!" he shouted. 

He looked around the the room and laid eyes on Rainbow Dash. "You! Help! Get me out of here! Please I'm innocent!"

The ghost walked up to Rainbow Dash. "You have five minuets." 

Some kind of red light swirled around him and he lifted off the ground. "Look, what did I do?! I don't know what I did!"  He was struggling, trying to escape. "I have a family, with foals, my wife is due for a fourth one! I wouldn't do anything to harm any-pony!" 

Then he started screaming in excruciating pain. "Sweet Celestia! Help me!"

All Rainbow Dash could do was stand there, totally and completely able to help him. She knew, though, that if she did, she would let all Equestria down. Her eyes were starting to look watery. And the guy wouldn't stop screaming, I don't blame him, though. He must have been in some type of pain. One I couldn't imagine how it would feel.

Rainbow Dash was crying now, a lot. She was trying not to show it. She was hiding her face. And then the ghost walked up to her. "You can do it, Rainbow Dash.  Just grab his hoof and give a little tug is all." he said. 

Then the hair started being torn off the pegasus's mane, clumps at a time and same with the tail until all of his hair was on the ground. Then his wings stretched out and it looked like they were being pulled, just like the hair he once had. His wings started spreading even further until I could see the muscles stretching out. At that point, I knew it would only get worse so I quickly got down on the ground and covered my eyes. I was able to stand blood by now, I would see it all the time when looking to make hide tents and blankets and other stuff, but this was insane.

As I lay on the ground with my eyes covered, I could hear a tearing sound and then a snap. The guy only got louder and louder. And so did Rainbow Dash's crying. "I'm sorry!" she shouted at the pony, her voice was weak, though. "I cant help!"

I could hear the ghost again. "It's so easy, Rainbow Dash! It'll take two seconds!" 

Something cracked, it might have been a bone. Then more ripping. If Rainbow Dash hadn't broken yet, she was a lot stronger then me. I stood up, "Shut up!" I yelled at the ghost thing. As I said that, lightning vehemently shot out of me. Of course, since we were in the force field, it was absorbed and gradually went away. More lightning randomly coming out of my body, I wonder how long this was going to happen.

I got a good look the guy, too. His wings were gone, his front legs going nineteen different angels, his hide legs, not even there and it looked like something was going on with his chest, like something was going to burst out. Rainbow Dash had her head down with one eye open, still looking at the guy and she was drenched in sweat and tears. I was amazed Rainbow Dash was even able to watch this. I certainly couldn't and I covered my eyes again.

More ripping, more screaming, more crying. I couldn't take it anymore. All I could think about now was Rock Well and Bull. The two ponies I voluntarily killed. Guilt[/i.

And everything went quiet. No more screaming or shouting, no more ripping or tearing, just Rainbow Dash crying. I looked up slowly and all that was left of the guy was bones and a few hairs. The ghost picked up the skull. "Well, well, well. You are loyal, indeed. Strong, too." 

He pulled the Element of Loyalty off the wall and put it around Rainbow Dash's neck.  "You look beautiful in it, darling. Pretty as a picture." 

The force field around us dropped and we quickly ran over to Rainbow Dash, but she ran out of the cave before we could get to her.

"I'll be seeing you soon." he said and he vanished.

Rainbow Dash was back at the camp, sobbing. We decided to give her some space, some time to cool down, because that wouldn't come easily. And the fact that we would be seeing him again didn't exactly bring any smiles. I ended up staying up with Rainbow Dash that night. She didn't say too much, just looked at the fire, poked it a couple of times with a stick. I wondered if I should tell her about me killing the two guards. It might make her feel a little better. You are probably thinking as you read this That's a horrible idea, are you kidding me? But just hear me out, alright. If I tell her my guilt, the burden might not be as bad as it is for her right now. I thought about it for a little bit and made my decision.

"Can I tell you something, Rainbow Dash?" I asked.

"What?" she asked quietly.

"Alright, but you can't tell anyone else, especially Twilight. Please, I need to know if you can keep a secret."  

She turned to me, looking confused. "Why Twilight?" she asked. "Yeah, I can keep a secret."

"Look me in the eyes." I told her sternly.

She looked at me straight in the eyes and swore on her life. And I scooted up to her and put my mouth to her ear. I hesitated but was finally able to get it out.

"I-" I thought about it. Would it really help? I was already in knee deep, might as well get it over with.

"I-" Just say it, they're probably going to end up hating you in the end anyway! What difference does it make if you they do now?

"I killed someone" I managed to say.

I slowly backed up and waited, my heart was thundering. She looked at me, not quite sure what to say. 

"You- you would trust me with that?" she asked.

Holy crap! I think it worked. I tried to smile, "Of course." I said.

And for the first time almost all day I saw her smile. It was a little smile. "Well... would it be too much to ask who it was."

I thought about this. I wasn't too sure. It could be too risky. And she probably knew them since she was friends with Twilight. But what if she didn't know them. I sucked it up.

"They were guards. Two of them. And it was during the wedding." I said in a soft, low voice.

"The wedding?" she asked.

"The one in Canterlot." I told her.

She covered her mouth with her hoof. "Bull? Rockwell?" she asked quietly.

I said nothing. I just looked at the ground. "It was for a heist. A failed one at that. I was going to do it with a friend, but he died trying to set the thing up, get me familiar with the place. His name was Icarus, he was a changeling." 

How the hell did I get that all out? Well, either way, I was screwed. But Rainbow Dash- now, you're not going to believe this, but Rainbow Dash hugged me.

"I can't believe you told me that. And just to make me feel better. Thank you," she said, squeezing me tight.

"So, you won't tell, right?" was all I could think to say.

Rainbow Dash pretended to zip her lips. She asked me what I did and how the heist was destroyed. So I told her everything as quietly as I could. How I killed Rock Well, how I pretended to be him, how I knew about the attack and how it backfired on me.

Rainbow Dash told me her part of the story. Apparently, she had to fight the changelings and that she and her friends ended up getting rid of them. I felt like an ass when she told me her story until she told me how much fun she had beating them up. And that's what we talked about the whole night. It was twisted, yes, but if it made Rainbow Dash happy, it was fine with me.
> 11: Framing Buckwheat 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight woke up to quite a surprise when she saw a smile on Rainbow's face, she was completely awe-struck.

"Hay Twilight!" Rainbow Dash with a smile. Twilight just stood there, not sure herself how to comprehend the nature of the event. I, myself was hoping she didn't know exactly what we were talking about last night. Rainbow Dash's happy expression faded as the awkward silence grew. "Are you okay, Twilight?" Rainbow asked.

Chances are, though, she wasn't. She certainly didn't look the part of okay.

"Oh, I'm fine," Twilight said awkwardly." Just a bit...astonished by your conduct".

Rainbow smiled again. "Well, when you're feeling down and out, just talk to Volt!" she said.

As she advertised me, I hoped she wouldn't make a little jingle while doing so. Oh no, I'm thinking of one right now! Anyway, I looked at Rainbow Dash with an eyebrow raised, If I told Twilight what I told her, I'd be headed down the one way street to death. Rainbow Dash just shrugged and we left it at that.

"Well, I'm glad that you're doing well." Twilight said, smiling.

Twilight walked up to me and whispered in my ear, "How the hell did you do that?"

I just smiled and shook my head, "I have my ways." was all I told her.

Twilight looked dumbfounded, she seemed like she really wanted to know. Sorry, I'm not quite in the mood for dying at this point in time. 

"Well, you have been up all night, haven't you?" Twilight asked.

Rainbow Dash snickered and I just sighed. Rainbow, you're a great friend, but get your mind out of the gutter.

Twilight herself rolled her eyes and continued. "I was just thinking that you should get some sleep. If we want to get this over with, we need to be awake."

Me and Rainbow looked at each other and shrugged. "I guess it's for the best." I said, and we walked inside the tent.

"Volt?" I turned my head to look at Applejack.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Well I- I guess I never thanked ya properly for, ya know, the bear." She shifted uncomfortably. I just smiled.

"Well, you're welcome." I wasn't sure about what else to say except that. I lied down next to the now waking Fluttershy.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Going to bed." I told her.

"Now?"

"If this is surprising you go talk to Rainbow Dash."

I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. I didn't feel very tired, but when I shut my eyes, I couldn't open them.

The rich, chocolaty taste of a one-hundred percent Coltbin cigar touched my lips for the first time, it was lovely, I mean really. Icarus was good at picking out stuff. 

"So what did I tell you? It's the best, isn't it?" He was in his real form right now, changeling.

The bar wasn't as busy as Icarus said it was on the usual Friday night. Everyone was welcome at this bar, Ponies, mules, zebras, changelings, even me. And no one cared. Sure, the average pious pony would come in and bitch about every single little thing but usually they would just be thrown out or, like tonight, if one came in preaching to us, he would be brought out back and stabbed to death and tossed into the sewers. I honestly didn't mind about that, some ponies just deserve to die, no matter how pure they think they are.

"It's not that bad, actually. Where'd you get it?" I asked dying to know.

"It's embargoed! Where do you think? I smuggled loads of the stuff here. And took from others that failed." He said, looking proud as can be.

Our attention turned to a drunken brawl at the back of the room. Everyone seemed to be placing their bets on a zebra who was more sober than the pony, who was screaming out racial slurs. Icarus turned to the bartender and got his attention.

"You see that little fight over there?" he asked pointing his hoof at the brawl, which had moved to another corner of the room.

"Yeah, what about it?" the bartender asked.

"Who do you want have win?"

The bartender thought about this, he hadn't really paid attention to this fight. "Ya know what. The zebra, he's sober, no way he can lose." 

Icarus smiled, "Here, watch this." 

Icarus turned back to the fight and used his magic. His horn glowed a bright green and soon, the drunken pony was punching himself. Everyone was laughing hysterically. Three guys looked disappointed and one threw their hat on the ground. Someone walked up to him, asking for the money probably he owed. Icarus turned back to the bartender who was clapping.

"Not bad, Ha! Not bad at all!" 

He started banging on the table, he couldn't help but laugh. He even bit his hoof to stop himself when someone called him over, but it was fruitless. The drunk guy got back up and tried to yell at the zebra.

"Tou jut wait an' see! I'll bu buck an' kick tour aus tou stpid zugor!" But everyone just laughed at him and one pushed him to the ground.

"Boy, he may be striped but he whipped your ass!" Someone shouted at him. 

The zebra stomped his hoof on the ground and laughed. And as for the drunk guy, well, he just stumbled out. I have to say, he got what he deserved. After a little while, we left ourselves but, unfortunately, three guys were waiting for us.

"You. You think you're some funny guy don't you? A comedy genius." 

Icarus rolled his eyes, "Well, I guess I cheated you out of some good money, huh?" 

"Damn right!" one of the guy's buddies said.

"And you're gonna pay us back!" he said.

One of the henchmen grabbed me and pulled of my knapsack. The another guy grabbed Icarus.

"You're a scam artist, Buckwheat. Should have expected this from you." Icarus said.

Buckwheat looked into Icarus's face. "Well this ain't no scam, this is simply repayment." he said.

The guy on me tossed Buckwheat my knapsack. He opened it up and dug through. He pulled out a tin with some food in it.

"Mommy pack you lunch?" he mocked.

I was about to brake out of this head lock and shove this guy's balls down his throat, but then I came with a more civilized approach, a two part one, if it worked, that is.

"I was never adopted, never had a mommy, never will." 

Buckwheat sneered, "Why would any-pony want you anyway?" 

Part two was coming on, "Well, I'm fairly sure your parents regret not giving you up."

Alright, I know, not the best in the thing world but it's somewhat decent. But instead of the cold shoulder, Buckwheat looked at me with blazing eyes full of hate. Quick as a snap he pulled out his gun and aimed at my head, the guy holding me was cackling for some reason.

"Buckwheat no! He isn't aware." Icarus said.

Buckwheat looked him for a few seconds with almost no facial expression, then he looked at his friend, who stopped laughing, but still smiling.

"But he is..."

Buckwheat whipped his gun around and shot his friend in the face, killing him. The sound reverberated across the vast land of nothing. We could look down the empty road and see someone from seven miles away because it was so empty.  I shoved the body to the ground which made a muffled thud. 

Buckwheat kept sifting through my bag but still aiming the gun at me so I don't do anything stupid. And he found it, the prize money from when I first met Icarus. He flipped through, a smile emerging from his rough face.

"You almost got three thousand bits here! You a little rich boy, aren't ya?" he said, throwing the knapsack at me.

"That's all I have." I told him.

"Not anymore." he said He stood there with the money in his hoofs. Flipping through it all, again and again. The greed in his eyes, growing. He simply couldn't believe his luck. He looked up at me.

"Well, that's very generous of ya."

"I wasn't offering."

"Who said you had to? And, ya know what? Since you be giving me all this money, I think I'll give ya some back." 

Buckwheat grabbed twelve bits from the batch and tossed it at me. Then, he got his friend to follow him and they walked away.

"Hay! What are you gonna do with your dead friend." I hollered at them.

"I don't care, you can bury it, eat it, fuck it. Like I said, I don't care."

And they walked away, saying nothing more. Well, I just got robbed of three thousand bits. Just what every cool guy does these days.

"Well, we're screwed." I informed Icarus. 

"I don't think we'll be getting you're money back anytime soon." 

"Ya think? How did I piss that guy off anyway?"

"Child abuse, no one ever found out, until he ran away, of course."

"Oh...I see."

"Well you know what?" Icarus looked down at me, since I was as short as hell.

"What?" I asked.

"I'm good at enforcing the law, that's true. But I'm also good at breaking it."

I looked at Icarus, not quite sure where he was going with this. "What are you talking about?" I asked 

"We can't get your money back, but we can get revenge. We'll frame him, we'll do it so well it just might get him killed." Icarus have an almost evil smile on his face. As he took the form of Buckwheat.

I'm not sure if it was a cruel joke or he meant it. But either way, I would happily agree. And guess what, we were going to do it. Well, at least Icarus was. He would take the shape of Buckwheat and kill a few ponies, in their sleep, of course. We didn't want to get caught that badly. And so that night me and Icarus looked around for a good target, someone Buckwheat would kill if he had the time. 

We found the house of a family of a former swindler. The perfect victim. Now, to be honest, I'm not someone to feel bad for other ponies. Icarus already had the form of Buckwheat. I waited a couple blocks away so I won't get dragged into this. I sat on the ground and decided to have another one of the cigars Icarus had given me.

Alright, if you haven't stopped reading yet, you're asking, Why didn't you just go up and kill Buckwheat, dumb shit? Well, because we agreed that revenge isn't just best served cold, but marinated as well. He'll have to go through about five weeks in court, then another three in a cell, knowing the exact day and time he'll die and knowing he doesn't deserve it. If you had an enemy you hated so much, would probably want to do the same.

I saw figure against the black night sky, it was Icarus in the form of a future convict. We followed each other from a distance, just to play it safe. We ended up meeting at a motel, He had a different form now. I knew because he quickly flashed his face to show it was him. He gave me some money to get a room for myself because there was no way were going to be in the same room as each other much less the same bed.

The next day, on the front page of the news paper, there was text saying this:

Family of Six Murdered! 
Suspect found!

They didn't give any pictures, but the name was exactly what we expected. Buckwheat. Apparently, he was found at around five twenty last night, seven hours after the murder. Investigators were informed at 12:51 after a suspicious figure was viewed leaving the scene of the crime. They found the bodies in the home they belonged to while investigating. The door was wide open and the place was trashed. Icarus said he left evidence all over the place. We winked at each other as we met up the next morning.

The rays of the evening sun seeped through the tent and shone in my eyes. It wasn't that late, but Rainbow Dash was up and already eating an early dinner.

"Hay small stuff! What's happening?" she said.

I hung my head, "Now you're making short jokes, huh?" 

Rainbow started laughing. And despite hating being short, I laughed too. I remember when me and Icarus framed that guy. Buckwheat was taken to the gallows and hanged a month after that. That was a year ago, and to this day, no one knows who really killed that family.
> 12: I Attempt to do Something Productive
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

We finished up dinner quickly because we were all pretty hungry, and also considering the fact we used up everything we could talk about on the way here. And after that we decided to play some games and stuff.

"Check and mate!" Twilight said with a smile all over her big face.

I grumbled at my misfortune. I guess there was no real way to escape that last move. Twilight had some chess and we decided it would be a good idea to have a tournament. Pinkie Pie arranged the matches and she couldn't help but make me face Twilight. I buried my face in my hoofs, laughing. I was going to win, I was soooooo close! But I messed up and gave Twilight an easy victory. I suck. 

"Well, I'm gonna have to say it anyway. Good game, Twilight." 

"Good game." And we shook

I helped reset the board so Rarity and Fluttershy could play. "I bet you're rooting for your mare-friend." Rainbow Dash said, mockingly. 

"Here we are again, Rainbow." I said, rolling my eyes.

I watched the game for a little bit, Rainbow would nudge me every time Fluttershy made a good move. After a while, though, I kind of lost interest and backed out without anyone noticing. I looked out into the woods, reminiscing about my misadventures with Icarus. I wonder, though, why they're coming to me in dreams now. But so far, I kind of liked it. 

Astheno landed on my head and snuggled up. She's cute, I wish I knew who to thank for her. I remembered the fist day-er night I saw her. And whatever happened to Twilight? I don't know. And that led me to think of the storm, and the weird things that was happening after that. Maybe, just maybe, I could control it somehow. I aimed my foreleg at a tree, pushed it forward and... nothing.

I tried again, nope. Again, nothing. Astheno flew off my head, I watched as she landed right on Applejack, who was leaning against a tree, watching how pathetic I looked. "What are ya doin'?" she asked.

I must have looked stupid before and after I realized Applejack was watching me. "Uh... you know, nothing." I said, still looking dumb.

Applejack giggled. "Sure didn't look like nothin'." she said.

"Well," I said. "It must have been a pleasure to watch." 

Applejack walked over to me and circled around. It reminded me of a hawk looking for mice. "It was." Applejack said.

She started to look at my flank. She put a hoof on her chin and observed. Now, as you could imagine, this was uncomfortable. It reminded me of pedophiles. "So, checkin' me out, huh?"

Applejack looked up quickly, scaring Astheno off her head. "I was just wondering' what your special talent might be. Ya don't have a cutie-mark yet."

"Well, not everyone gets a brand. My special talent could be being a jackass. Though I would have my brand already?" I said.

Applejack laughed at my little joke. "Well, yer funny, I'll give ya that. Why do ya say everythin' differently?" she asked. "Instead of sayin' some-pony, ya say someone, You say brand instead of cutie-mark, What gives?" 

"Well, my old friend, Lightweight taught me that saying "some-pony" was stupid. And I say brand instead of cutie-mark because... Well, think of the name, now think of the place in which the thing is seen."

Applejack stood there, thinking. "Okay, so It's on yer flank, it's called cutie-mark...oh...ah see, wow. That's... that's kinda scary, actually." 

"Yep," I said. "Pedophile paradise," I decided to do a little demonstration."Just imagine, alright. A stallion throws a teenage filly on a bed and this filly doesn't have a cutie-mark. So the stallion says: Hay! You wanna a cutie-mark? How 'bout this? Spank, spank Spank!"

Applejack covered her mouth, not believing what she heard. "Dear Celestia!" she said. We both started laughing. Okay, a little sick, but hay? What are you gonna do? It seems to happen every day now.

"So anyway, what are ya doin' out here again?" Applejack asked.

"Really just trying to do something stupid."

"What kinda stupid thing?" 

"Well, you know how that lightning stuff keeps flying out my body?" 

Applejack tilted her head to the side. "Yeah, kinda. I wonder what that's about. It sure is strange."

"Yeah, well I'm just trying to see if I can just control it or something, ya know. Maybe I could be some kinda superhero or something." I said

"You? A superhero? That'll be a day." she said jokingly. 

Really, though, I could be a superhero. That would be pretty cool. I can come up with a cool superhero name. Something that isn't anything like Mare-do-well. Dumbest name for a superhero. And her dynasty only lasted, what, three weeks? More or less. I wonder who it was, anyway. I did like the suit though, bad-ass.

"So what are ya gonna go with the whole "With great power comes great responsibility" thing or something?" she asked with an obvious smile one her face as she mimicked the popular saying.

"Ya know what I think about that?" I asked  "I think it doesn't mean to use your power for good, I think it's more like fulfilling what you would call a responsibility, good or bad." 

Applejack thought about this. She shrugged "Ah don't know." she mused. 

We could hear Pinkie Pie calling out Applejack's name, it was her turn and she had to play against Rainbow Dash.

"Well, I guess I'm off. Good luck doin' somethin' stupid." and she ran to Rainbow Dash.

Once again, I stuck out my hoof. Once again, nothing. Astheno pecked my head.

"Hay! What gives, Astheno?" 

She just sat there on my head again looking innocent. I rolled my eyes and looked at my hoof.

"How the hell do I do it?" I asked myself.

Astheno pecked my head again. A little harder now.

"What the hell? Would ya stop?" I said. 

Astheno pecked me yet again. Now I was becoming vexed.

"What!? What do you want?!" 

Astheno held out her wing and rubbed her head against it. If she was telling me something, I wasn't getting it. Maybe I should ask her.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" I asked 

Astheno chirped. 

"Hmm" 

I rubbed a hoof on my chin. Thinking what she was trying to tell me. She was pecking my head. It must have something to do with my head, but what? Let's see, stuff about heads... they contain faces. I don't think she's saying I'm ugly, wouldn't blame her though. Anyway, heads... skulls. Skulls hold eyes,  jaws, brains. Brains...

"Do I have to think of something?" I asked.

Astheno hopped and chirped.

Okay, I have to think of something. Wait, maybe lightning? That is what I was trying to do. Get the lightning to jump out of me again. That's it!

"So, hold on. I have to think of lightning, right?" 

Astheno hopped and chirped again.

So that's what I had to do. I had to think of the lightning inside me to generate it. Might as well try. I held out my hoof slowly. All I was thinking about was lightning. I aimed at a tree and thought about the lightning shooting out my hoof. I pushed forward. Buzz... That's it? A little buzz? What about all those other times it wasn't just a buzz? 

"Maaaaaaaaaaaaawww" I shouted annoyed as ponyly possible.

Well, that was an absolute waist of time. I guess no superheroes here. I felt more than pathetic as I slapped my hoof on my forehead. Pinkie Pie burst out and tackled me for most likely no reason at all. I hit the ground with extreme force.

"What happened? Is everything okay?" she said, observing the area.

Everybody else came out and all they saw was me out on the ground and Pinkie Pie looking under rocks, trees and bushes with one of those old fashioned detective hats on and smoking a pipe. I think Pinkie might have hit me harder than Malice, actually.

"Are you okay Volt?" Applejack said lifting my head off the ground.

"I might be." I said.

"Darn it!" Pinkie shouted, throwing her magnifying glass on the ground. "Who ever attacked Volt got away and left no evidence. This will be troublesome." she put a hoof on her face in disappointment.

"Pinkie," Twilight began." I don't think-"

"Wait!" I said cutting off Twilight. "I got a good look at the guy. You good at drawing?"

Pinkie Pie pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil. "Give me a precise portrayal of this pathetic pony who pummeled you, and I'll put 'em in prison!"

"Okay, it was a female, she had blue eyes, pink fur, puffy hair almost like cotton candy!"

Pinkie started drawing. "Did she have a cutie-mark?" she asked.

"Yes! It was a balloon! No, three! Three balloons!"

Pinkie kept drawing. When she finished, she gasped in horror. "No! It can't be! It's... it's Twilight!?"

Everyone looked up at Twilight who seemed a bit shocked. "I'm sorry, what?"

"How dare you, Twilight! Injuring a poor, defenseless pony! I never would have thought. I thought you were better than that." 

Applejack played along, too. "What a shame. I guess Twilight ain't such a good apple, now are ya?"

Rainbow shook her head.  "I can't even believe it."

We all started laughing, even Twilight. It was late. It was about time we all had to go to bed. But I didn't want to sleep. Because tomorrow, we would be on the road again.
> 13: Pinkie Uses Sweet Talk
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Everybody was starting to look worried again, wondering who was going to be next to be tested. But I had a plenty good feeling that I won't have to do these things. Let's face it, they aren't my elements, they'er their's. I can tell that sooner or later, though, I'm going to feel guilty being the only one who didn't have to do that. 

Astheno was swooping around today so we didn't know whether to turn or keep going straight.  

"Hay! Would it kill ya to fly a bit straighter?" I said to her.

Astheno looked back at me for a bit. I can see now that she's got a sense of humor. Astheno made started go a little wider, then a little more so. Her movements were getting slower and wider by the second. Everybody giggled, except me, of course.

"Yeah, yeah, that's real cute, Miss, but we have somewhere to be. You don't want to come back to Canterlot to find out it doesn't even exist anymore, would you?"

Astheno slowly started to get faster, but not straighter. Before I could say anymore, I realized I had lost the battle, so I said nothing more. I wondered if this thing was battery powered because she kept going on and on.

"OW!" Pinkie Pie shouted. It was so loud you could probably hear it all over the world. 

"Pinkie! Are you okay? What happened?" Twilight said, alarmed.

"Oh, I just stepped on a rock, no biggie!" she said in a happy-go-lucky way.

Twilight let out a breath she was holding in. "Okay, good. Just, please don't be so loud if you do it again."

"Okay!" Pinkie said. 

As for me, well, I wish I knew where I was going because there was a huge explosion. I flew back, shouting in pain. My back left hoof, Dear Celestia! I couldn't believe it. The worst pain I had ever experienced. What could be worse than getting stabbed, beaten, water torture and kicked in the balls, all at once? And I'll tell you. Stubbing... your... hoof. And on a boulder stuck to the ground. I rolled on the floor in blistering pain of the unexpected shock of one's subbing of the hoof. It felt like there was a whole civil war on my hoof as everybody stared down at me, completely unimpressed. 

"Volt, what happened?" Applejack said in the most monotone voice I had ever heard.

"I stubbed my hoof!" I shouted.

They looked at each other, still looking bored out of there minds. 

" Volt," Rainbow Dash said." You're being a baby. Get up and walk it off."

I slowly got up. "Okay, I'll try." I said.

"You stubbed your hoof, not had your leg cut off." Rainbow Dash said.

I stood up, my hoof still killing me. Luckily, though, I was able to walk. And I can't be sure, but I think I lost some respect on this day.

"What is with all these rocks? And it only looks like it's getting thicker." Twilight said.

She was right, and who knows, maybe, due to an accident, someone else might feel my pain. That might just happen. He he he. As we walked farther and farther, more rocks were coming out of nowhere. After a little while of this, Astheno just stopped. She sat on a boulder and did nothing except stare at us.

"Rocks, rocks, rocks, rocks, rocks, rocks, rocks! Reminds me of a young fellow I used to know..."

There he was again, that ghost. He was just walking through the fields, picking up rocks and throwing them behind his back. Then he turned to look at us. "Oh! Hello again. Rainbow Dash." he said, possibly looking at Rainbow Dash.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Well, to do another test with one of your friends, why else?" 

He picked up another rock. It was covered in moss and he started to peel it away. "Now, I- I know at least one of you have something to do with rocks, but I just can't place my hoof on it. Who was it?"

Pinkie Pie started to back up slowly. Hoping no one would see her. Ironically, it drew all the attention to her.

"You!" he shouted happily. "Your the one I've been looking for!" He pulled something out of the ground. "Than this must be yours!" It was another element. Unlike the last one that had a bolt of lightning on it, this one... I don't know, a balloon maybe? He laid it down on the ground.

"Uh..." Was all Pinkie could make out.

"You remember these, don't you?" the ghost said with a hoof-full of rocks and pebbles.

"Y-Yeah." she said.

"I can already see the sadness of your memories rushing back to you. But this test should be easy for you! You've already done it before. Let us see if you can do it again!"

Pinkie looked at him confused. "What do you mean?"

"What do I mean? The one event that started your legacy is what I mean! Remember the time when you gifted your family to that wonderful party. Their very first one?"

Pinkie Pie grew a little smile on her face. That must have been quite a day. "Yeah, I remember that." her face looked proud for a few more seconds, but started to shrink back down again. "So what do I do?" she asked.

"Just like what you did to your family, you will be bringing joy to the sullen and unfortunate," The ghost cocked his head to the rest of us. "Oh! I almost forgot." and quickly, we were in another blue force field.

Now, instead of some guy just popping out of nowhere, we seemed to magically appear in a casino. It was spacious and nice-looking. It even had a waterfall in it, a small one that is. There were ponies playing Poker and Black Jack and a bar with a guy sitting there, lonely and quiet. Nobody seemed to notice us, though.

"Where are we?" Pinkie Pie asked the ghost.

"Oh, I don't know, some casino in the middle of nowhere." He said. "Now you see that poor fellow over there?" He asked, pointing a hoof to the stallion sitting alone at the bar. "He's been facing some tough times. His daughter was just brutally murdered and his wife left him. All he can do now is sit down and drink his problems away. Unless, that is, you could bring a smile to his still young face. If your good at making ponies laugh, this won't be too hard." 

Pinkie Pie look unsure. I mean, if I were that guy, I would want space. Pinkie Pie put a smile on her face and walked over. "Hello sir!" She said in a perky tone. "How are you?" she asked.

The stallion turned to face her. He had red fur. "Can I help you?" he asked quietly. He quickly jumped back in shock.

Pinkie Pie turned to look at us, he had a very realistic-looking mustache on. I snorted at the absurdity of it. "I'm here to put a smile on your cute little face!" She said.

"Please, not now. I-I've got a lot going on." the stallion said, and he took a sip of his, what I believed to be, Scotch.

"Nonsense!" Pinkie said pulling off the mustache. "All I want to do is see you smile." She said." What could I do for you?"

The stallion shook his head. "Are you a prostitute of something? Because if you are, you picked a bad time."

Pinkie Pie didn't look to flattered by the remark, but pressed on. "No, I'm not. I just want to help." she said.

"Well, if you want to help then leave, now." 

"I won't leave until I see a smile." Pinkie Pie said.

She pulled some kind of... cannon? I've never seen it before, and with its size, I probably should have. Pinkie pulled a string and confetti shot into the air. The pressure seemed to hit the stallion hard both physically and emotionally. He got up and punched Pinkie Pie in the throat. "Hay! You prick!" I shouted. That bastard just punched a friend of mine. Well, the feeling might not be mutual, but I consider her a friend.

"You want to see a smile!?" He boomed at Pinkie Pie. He make a fake smile and danced around in a silly way. "There ya go! Now get the hell out of here!"

I raised a hoof and I was going to break out of this thing and slap his face. But the ghost stopped me. "Not yet." he said.

"What do you mean not yet?' I asked. But the ghost ignored me and walked out of the force field.

The room was dead quiet. Everybody was looking at Pinkie Pie and the stallion. He slumped back in his seat and started to sob. "Dear Celestia, look at me." he said to himself.

As for Pinkie Pie, she had tears in her eyes and she could hardly breath. The ghost knelt next to her. "Don't worry. It's not over until you want it to." 

Pinkie Pie wiped the tears from her eyes and got up. She sat down next to the red stallion. Pinkie Pie had just blown my mind. "I'm sorry," she said. "I've had a hard life myself and- and I just wanted to make you and me both forget for a little while." she said with her head hung low.

The stallion slightly turned his head to Pinkie Pie. "You don't know when to quit, do you?" he asked. He swiveled his chair towards her. "Your nose, it's bleeding." he picked up a napkin from the table.

"No, no. It's alright, I got it," she said. "I have weak skin, I bled a lot on the rock farm." and wiped the blood off her nose with her foreleg. 

The stallion raised an eyebrow. "Rock farm? No, you seem to carefree to have worked on a rock farm." he said.

"Oh no, not just worked. I was born and raised." 

"Really?" 

"Yep! Sometimes when I would bleed, my mom would tell me to go get a jar and pour some of it in there to donate to the hemophiliacs and get some money."

And to our surprise, the stallion started to laugh.

"I guess your mother was a hardy one, huh?" the stallion asked.

"Yeah. And my father didn't stand a chance against her, when she'd scowl at you it would be worse than having a gun to your head." Pinkie Pie said.

The stallion was laughing a little harder.

"Whenever you would disagree with her she would say: "Don't you dare say no! If you want to live a free life, live in the streets. And I'll tell you this, you will beg and cry for mercy and I will do nothing help you!" And we would always listen to her." Pinkie said, mimicking her mother's voice.

"Well my mother was never like that," the stallion said with a smile on his face." She was always so kind and sweet. My father was the one you would have to be afraid of. He was always yelling and you could never even tell what he was saying! My friends made up this game where every time he would yell at us, we would try to make out as many words as possible. When he finished, we would huddle together and tell each other how many words we got." 

They were both laughing hysterically now. The ghost popped up next to me. "So, how are you?" he asked.

I didn't know what to say, I just shrugged.

"Well, you hold a lot of secrets, don't you?" he asked.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"I'll tell you later. Take good care of Twilight for me, will you?" 

"What?" I turned around to face him, but he was back outside, watching Pinkie Pie and the stallion talk.

"Look," the stallion said, rubbing the back of his neck,"I'm sorry about before." 

"Oh don't worry about it, I forgive you!" Pinkie Pie said, smiling widely.

"I'm Wind Rush." the stallion said with a hoof out.

"I'm Pinkie Pie." And they shook.

And we were back in the field of rocks. Pinkie Pie looked around in hope of finding Wind Rush, but it was no use. "What happened?" she asked.

"That's it, you're done!" the ghost said. "You did what you had to and this is your reward." He tossed her the element to Pinkie Pie.

"But what about-" Pinkie choked up. I could tell she liked Wind Rush.

"Oh, him? I don't know where he is, he's somewhere. But you made him a little happier today."

"Oh..." Pinkie looked down seeming a little upset.

"Cheer up," The ghost said, "You helped your friends get farther into there adventure! You did a good thing!" 

The force-field went down, but we stood still. We didn't know what to do.

"So we just go now?" Pinkie asked, sadly.

The ghost nodded.

"Will I ever see him again?" she asked.

"That's your choice." he said.

Pinkie Pie stood there for a few seconds and she turned around. "Let's go." she said.

"Oh! wait!" The ghost came running back. "I forgot to give you this." He handed her a rock.

"What am I gonna do with this?" Pinkie asked, looking down at it.

"Keep it," he said. "Maybe not in your lifetime, but someday, that rock will become a beautiful thing, much like that gem on your necklace there," He pointed at the element. " That was once a rock, too. Even ugly things can become wonderful." And the ghost vanished. As for Pinkie Pie, she smiled a little and put the rock in her bag.
> 14: The Summons 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was really dark now. Pinkie Pie went to bed early. Her cotton candy-like mane looked a little straighter then it usually was. It was fuzzy, but not fluffy. Twilight looked concerned for her. She mentioned how Pinkie Pie didn't use her usual humor after the guy punched her, and that's when she sweet talked her way to the end. The guy seemed nice, I'll admit... well, after Pinkie got his spirits up. The name reminded me of my childhood friend, Lightweight. Wind Rush sounded like the name of a racing pony. Once Lightweight left, I expected him to become the best, but I never heard about him since. 

"Well, ya know what they say: It's better to have loved and lost then never to have loved at all." I pointed out. Boom! Wisdom. 

But all I got was a couple of looks and a "The heck?" from a Rainbow Dash. 

"Well- this got awkward." I stated.

I got up and walked into the tent. Pinkie was fast asleep which was good. He had the rock in her hoof. I laid down in my usual spot that was deprived of Fluttershy's presence. It didn't matter, though, because I went right to sleep.


We had gotten the full up-grade. Two months and two thousand bits got us into a decent hotel and laying back by an outdoor pool, sipping down Bourbon, Scotch and beer.

"This ain't bad." Icarus said.

Icarus's disguise was a stallion with rust colored fur. He was slim and slick, like from the 70s or 80s with the a cigarette hanging out his mouth, sunglasses and combed back, black hair. He tried to fit in the cocky, laid back accent that best fit it.

"Certainly not." I replied.

"I figured we wouldn't be goin' anywhere for a while so I decided to use some of my prize money to get us in a nice place. How'd I do?" the rust colored, cocky Icarus said.

'Hmm..." I pondered the question, might as well give honest statistics. "9 out of 10." I admitted.

Icarus's smile shrunk. "9 outta 10?" he asked.

"Come on, let's be honest, this Scotch tastes like it was made yesterday! These guys don't know how to age anything!" I told him.

Icarus rubbed his chin in thought. "You make a fair point my friend. Hay! Waiter!" 

A young mare came up, she had white fur and was wearing the red velvet outfit everybody who worked here required to wear, or at least the ones who had to make a good impression. Housekeeping just wore the generic black and white blouse.

"Oh, I'm sorry... Waitress! Where are my manners? Could you be a dear and get me something that's a little older, sweet cheeks? This Scotch tastes too new."

The waitress could tell that Icarus's character was hitting on her, I don't blame him. "Right away sir." she said with fake enthusiasm.

"I'm gonna see if I can bump up that 9 to a 10." Icarus said smiling.

A mail stallion came through the double doors leading to the outdoor pool and rushed up to us, his face looking urgent.

"Icarus, sir, I have a message for you!" he said, raising his hoof to his forehead in a salute.

Icarus flicked down his glasses so you could barely see his eyes looking up, he still didn't move from his seat."Icarus? I'm sorry, you must be talkin' 'bout some-pony else. I don't know no Icarus." 

The mail stallion lowered his head and whispered into Icarus's ear. He sat up, put his cigarette in an ashtray. "So you are, huh?" he asked.

The stallion nodded his, looking wary. "You are requested by her." he said.

Icarus stood up. "Come on, Volt. This seems important." Icarus said, losing his character.

"Uh- him?" the stallion asked. "Is he-?" 

"No, he's not. But he deserves to know everything I do. In my books, he's qualified." Icarus winked at me.

"Are you sure?" 

"Of course! He is a good friend."

The mail stallion rubbed the back of his neck. "If you say so." and started to escort us to our room.

The waitress was coming back with Icarus's drink. "Here you go, sir. The oldest I could find."

Icarus plucked it off the tray. "How old?" he asked.

"Twenty-five years!" she said with that fake enthusiasm.

"Alright!" he said and took a sip.

We got back to Icarus's room and I shut the door. Instantly, Icarus and the mail stallion changed to their original forms. Icarus was looking serious which seemed like a huge change at the moment. "What does she want?" he asked, putting down his half empty glass of twenty-five year old Scotch.

"The queen requests that every possible changeling answers this summons, even rouges. It's big news." 

"What is it about?"

"I don't know, she wouldn't say."

"What if I don't go?"

"Rouges are not required to go. But she would be pleased if you came."

"I don't aim to please."

"She can promise you big things."

Icarus stopped and looked over his shoulder at me. "What kind of things?"

"Depends on the outcome."

Icarus was silent for a little while, he was thinking hard about this. He looked curious about this random request of his presence. And by something he abandoned long ago. "I'll think about it." It wasn't an absolute yes, but he gave the possibility he might be there.

"That's all I need to hear." the other changeling said.

He turned back into his mail stallion form and walked out the door. Icarus sat down on the bed, looked down and put a hood on his forehead. "Damn it..." was all he said.

I stood in the middle of the room, speechless. I didn't have a good idea of what to say. I just looked at Icarus who was sitting in complete silence. All I could hear was our breathing, which was very faint. For what felt like hours, we stood there, frozen in time thinking to ourselves. Icarus finally got up.

"If they want me so badly, I might as well see why." he said.

"Wait- you're going!?" I said, exchanging into the real world once again.

"You bet! I know the place." 

"I should come then?" I said, running up to him as he turned into his character again and about to walk out the door.

"You kidding me? They'd gut you like the fattest pig in the slaughterhouse. I can't let you in there. And you can't argue with me because I know them more then you do."

I couldn't argue. Even if I tried, I would mess up somewhere. "Go." I told him.

He smiled. "I'll be back by the night." Icarus said. And he walked out the door.


The rest of the day I was on my own not knowing what to do. I went to the bar, took a dip in the pool, went back to the bar, took a walk, played some pool, went to the bar again and had dinner. I wondered what Icarus was doing around this time, and I sure hoped he didn't mind if I used his money. 

Back in my room, I lay there on my bed doing... well, nothing when the door swung open and Icarus ran in. He was changing into himself and slammed the door behind him. He threw off the sunglasses and spat out the cigarette in his mouth, right into an ashtray.

"What's going on?" I asked.

Icarus didn't answer me right away, he just laughed to himself and shut the window and closed the blinds. Then, he threw a sheet of paper at me. 

"I need you to sign that paper and I'll tell you what!" Icarus said.

"What is it for?" I asked.

Icarus looked up at me as if I were stupid. "Well- read it!"

I looked at the sheet of paper:


Writ of Acceptance


By signing the document, you are admitting that you are not a member of the Changeling race but have been seen as a figure of friendship or importance to some or all of us. When the Changeling race takes advantage of Equestria, the following races shall not be accepted and executed immediately: Pony, Griffon, Mule, Donkey, Minotaur, Manticore, Liger, Zonkey, Zebra, Ducks and all other non-changeling beings.

I looked at the bottom to see why ducks were in red ink.

Any race in red text will not be accepted, no matter the reason.[/i
I read on.

If you belong to any of the races mentioned you must leave the county immediately to avoid further harm. If a Changeling has given you this contract, and you have signed, it means you, the non-Changeling reader, Will be seen as an ally and therefore, treated with respect among the Changeling empire. However, if you do not follow Changeling laws, you will be breaking the contract, be seen as an enemy and furthermore, executed. When or if the Changeling race is put into full power, you must learn and carry out the laws in which will be presented to you and all others wielding an identical contract with their signature.

I looked up at Icarus who was writing something in a notepad. "What's this about? Are you saying that the Changelings are taking over Equestria?" I asked him.

"Well- I personally think they'll fail, but we can take advantage of this."

I walked up to Icarus and tried to look at what he was writing but he wouldn't show it to me and threw it behind the TV. The look on his face after he did that indicated he didn't mean to actually throw it behind the TV.  "We are going to do- are you ready?" Icarus said, the words speeding out of his mouth.

"Okay, what is it?"

Icarus was smiling mischievously. "We're going on a heist! In Canterlot! You and me alone while the entire place is under siege!" 

I raised an eyebrow and looked at him. "Are you kidding me?"

Icarus's smile slowly went away. "You don't like the idea? How could you not like the idea. The money that was stolen from you! You can get it back and more! The vault in the castle! Millions of bits! We'll split it 50/50 right down the middle."

I don't know why, but I was starting to like this idea, I started to really like this idea. "So that's what's got you all excited huh?" I asked.

"That's right! Are you in?"

"Well, hold on. What if the changelings do take over Equestria? The money would be rendered useless."

"We'll just melt it all and turn that in! This can't go wrong!"

"Then that's all I needed to hear. I'm in."

Icarus's smile grew wider. "Then, we're off to Canterlot!"

I signed the paper Icarus gave me because let's be honest, we don't know how the whole thing is going to turn out. I looked at the contract I had signed. "Why are ducks in red ink?" I asked Icarus.

"Ducks can't be trusted." Icarus said with a stern face.

"They're just ducks, What harm could they bring?" 

"A duck once killed the king and queen before Chrysalis, and a wolf." 

I stood there shocked. I didn't think ducks had such destructive capacity. 

"We leave in the morning." Icarus said as he left the room.

I looked at the TV where Icarus threw the notepad. I flipped it open. Icarus had been doing math, and not just any math. If this heist works out, I'm going to get 22.7 Million bits. Not bad Icarus, not bad at all. 

"Ah!" Pinkie Pie was standing on my chest and smiling right in my face. Pinkie wasn't as light as one might expect.

"Wake up sleepy-head! We have another big day ahead of us!" she said, happy and completely oblivious about my rib cage.

"Well, this may come as a shock to you but I need you to get off of me so I can do that." 

Pinkie hopped off and I got up. "Who pushed the reset button on you?" I asked.

"Oh, no pony, I just realized what the internet was for!" She whipped out an ancient computer and held it in front of me. It had stickers covering it and the wire looked like it had been chewed on slightly. It looked heavy. "Maybe one day, I'll get a laptop of my own and find some-pony on that!"

Her own laptop? "Isn't that your laptop?" I asked.

"Oh, no. This is Gummy's laptop. He let me borrow it. Isn't that so nice of him?"

"Who is Gummy?"

"My pet alligator!" Pinkie said, joyfully.

"You have a pet alligator?"

Pinkie defied the laws of gravity and suspended herself in the air, completely shocked. "How did you know?! Wait- are you stalking me?!" She gasped." You creeper!"

Pinkie Pie- from what I've collected, is known to take things a little too far, even when the circumstances are so insignificant and mostly, for things that don't matter or things that hasn't nor will ever occur.

"That is not even remotely the truth. I would never do such a thing. I'm not good but I'm better then...that." 

Pinkie landed on the ground and smiled. "I know! I was joking with you, silly."

Pinkie Pie and I trotted out of the tent to everybody talking and eating together. I had a little less than I normally would. I didn't want to run out of food too quickly. After our little social hour, we got up and headed down the road.
> 15: Neon Lights
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Somethings was a bit... unsettling. I don't know what, but something didn't feel right. Everybody else seemed fine,  Rarity and Twilight were talking up a storm while Rainbow, Pinkie and Applejack played the road game. Me and Fluttershy were just walking next to each other quietly. We would end up talking about something once in a while, but mostly we just kept to ourselves.

"You feel anything, I don't know, strange? Like something bad is going to happen?" I asked her.

Fluttershy looked up at me, "No, why?"

"I don't really know. Forget about it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."

The ground was starting to get dryer. It was warm, and I got hit in the face with a tumbleweed. Dirt kicked up for each step we took.

"Ya know what? I think we'er headed towards Appaloosa. I can introduce Volt to mah cousin." Applejack said, looking back at me.

Appaloosa... I remember that place. Now I'll admit, it was a nice place with nice ponies. Not as nice as the ones in Cribbingdale, before they died that is. But there was one guy, Braeburn. The most annoying, ignorant, sad excuse for a pony in all history. I'm almost glad I didn't hang myself... almost.

"I've been to Appaloosa before. What's your cousin's name? I might have met 'em." I said.

"His name's Braeburn! I think you'll like him. He's real nice."

... Are you joking? No, seriously. Where are the numbers? I want a look. Well, at least I didn't kill the guy, then me and Applejack wouldn't be such good friends now, would we?

"Oh, that is good." I said flatly.

I was pissed, true. But not as pissed as I was going to be. Something grabbed my hind leg and pulled me up a tree. I was hanging upside down. You know those traps in the old cartoons where there was a lasso on the ground and if you stepped in it you would be pulled up? Yeah, it was that kind of trap, but this time, there was some kind of- water snake!? It slithered down the rope and surrounded me in it, it was drowning me. I couldn't move and every try the others made were fruitless. 

Now, what was a water snake doing in a place like this? It didn't have eyes though, which was weird, and kinda creepy. But hold on, I can generate electricity Even though all I would get was a little buzz and a spark. I was in a water snake who's only weakness is lightning since water is a conductor. And I know that I am resistant to said electricity after the storm. I let out at much electricity which probably wasn't much. And sure enough, the snake splattered on the ground. Twilight cut me loose and I fell to the ground.

"Volt! Are you alright?!" Rarity asked and she and Applejack ran over to help me up.

"Well, I almost died a horribly slow and painful death. But under the circumstances, yeah, I'm fine." I said.

"Ah don't think that was the last of 'em!" Applejack said as the remains of the water snake started to move around and finally, took the shape of a pony.

"What do you think you'er doing here?" he asked.

He was had eyes now, and a mouth and a voice. But unlike most ponies who are made of about 95% water, this guy was 100%! Accept for whatever eyes are made of. He had a normal northern accent, nothing too different from my own.

"Oh, well you know. Just walking along side my friends. I'm sorry, is this a restricted area? That's what this is, isn't it? Well you must be clueless or something 'cause as far as I could tell, I don't think you made any " Fuck off" signs. For if you did, maybe we would've done so. But of course, the world's just chock-full of idiots these days who would love to drown each other at first sight." I said.

The water guy smiled. "I guess you're right. Either you're smart or I'm dumb. So I guess this was all on me."

Interesting, he didn't seem know about my powers. Then again, nobody would just know I had super powers. Maybe I could intimidate him or something. I concentrated really hard. To the point that when you open your eyes, you see all those colors flying around. I was able to get a bolt about an inch long to curve out.

"What?"

And with that, he just- he vanished. He was gone in not even a second. I looked around to find him and so was everybody else. A blue light started to glow behind me. I turned around and he was there, but he was literally glowing, so much it blinded me and right away I was kicked in the face. Twilight picked him up with her magic and I got up.

"What do you think you're doing?" she said.

The once water now shiny guy smiled again. "Just protecting myself."

"From who?"

"The ones who seek to kill me. Rid me from the world."

Everybody exchanged looks until Twilight locked eyes with him again.

"Well, I can do just the same thing. Right now!"

"Then go ahead! Kill me!"

Rainbow Dash stepped in. "Whoa! Twilight! Let's try not to do anything crazy!"

If Rainbow was just a tap early, she might have been able to stop Twilight. The magic around the guy was getting tighter. If I'm correct, I think Twilight was going to crush him.

"Oooooooh nooooooo!" he said... mockingly. He started fake dying, he even said yeowchydoodles which was so strange I kind of laughed to myself. I hated this guy, true. But he really wasn't putting his heart into his fake death.(If he had a physical heart.)

"Ya know, and I should have told you this, but you can't kill me. The only ponies who can are the guys who are looking for me." he said.

Twilight threw him to the ground and turned away. He can't die? That's- that's pretty impressive. Gets me thinking.

"You," he said. And walked over to me." Who are you?" 

"Volt." I told him.

He wasn't as bright now and wasn't trying to kill me. " I'm Neon!" he said and bowed.

I looked awkwardly around, I don't know why. Maybe because he went from ass hole to gentle-pony in 2.5 seconds. I was definitely more shocked than he was. I should have guessed. This guy can turn into water, disappear, and glow in the dark. He was a mutant! Not too far from me, actually. And since he can't die, he could help. I know it's crazy but hay, he could be useful.

"Maybe we can make a deal." I said

Everyone gave me the weirdest looks they could give. First, the guy tries to kill me, now I'm trying to reach an agreement with him. Twilight especially wasn't happy. "What are you talking about, Volt?" she asked.

"Well, Twilight, let's be honest here. This guy can't die, maybe he could help if we get into trouble. For instance, what if things get tense? What about Malice?"

Twilight wanted to argue, "How can we trust him?" 

It was a good argument, one that might have to give some thinking to but I had an Idea.

"Well, I don't think he'll kill us. Not if we keep this guy alive." 

Neon backed up."What?" 

"Here's what I think," I said. "We will protect you if those guys ever show up. In return, you help us on our little quest." I said.

Neon paused for a moment. Then he smiled. "They look freaky. Like from some kind of tribe or cult. Then have weird masks and face paint, too."

"Volt! No! We are not getting personal with him! He just tried to kill you!" Twilight shouted.

"Now, I wasn't trying to kill him. Just scare him. And the rest or you, too. Just in case you were looking for me." Neon said.

"Yeah! Bullshit!" Twilight shouted. 

I needed to think of something convincing to say to get Twilight to change her mind. Something she would like to hear. I got it. I walked up to Twilight. "Think of it this way. Now that we know what these guys look like that are hunting for him. If Neon fails to follow our deal, we could track them down and kinda, you know. Point them the right way." I whispered.

Twilight seemed innocent when meets the eye, but I realized just how twisted she could be. A devilish smile slowly grew on her face and she rubbed her chin. "I like the way you think," she said.

She spun around to face everybody else looking quite happy. "Well, I don't know about you, but I think it would be nice to have a little help along the way! Who agrees?"

The rest just exchanged looks at each other, they had been left out of the conversation and only now they were getting dragged in, and to make a big decision. They seemed confused. 

"W- well. I guess it wouldn't be the greatest idea," Rarity said. "but it shouldn't be the worst."

I wasn't exactly sure if that was a yes or a no, but Twilight seemed to be more on top of the matter. "Sounds like a yes to me! Any-pony else?"

Rarity stepped back a little looking shocked. Twilight's capriciousness about Neon caught her off guard, as well as everybody else. Pinkie Pie started hopping up and down. "He looks so cool! Just imagine him at an in-the-dark party!"

Neon raised an eyebrow and so did I. I'm fairly sure it was for the same reason. An in-the dark party? I don't know.

"Well! That makes majority rules! So looks like, Neon, you're coming with us!" Twilight said with a crooked smile.

"Well, uh - Twilight, if he's comin' 'long, I better keep a close eye on 'em." Applejack suggested.

Twilight rushed right up to her and looked her straight in the eyes. "No, no, no! Please, I'll do the honors. No need for you to do it!"

It was no doubt,( to me at least.) that Twilight hated this guy and really wanted to see him screw up. And so she could get him killed. Damn.

"So what are you waiting for Neon? Are you coming or what?!"

Neon looked around at everybody. "Well what if I can't. What if I have something important to do?" he said.

"Do you?"

Neon looked around at everyone awkwardly. He wasn't expecting the question to come up. "Uh... well, n-no."

"Then, unless you want to die, let's get a move on!"

Neon decided to tag along. Twilight was hovering around him, asking him about the guys who were after him. I guess if you want to kill a guy, you need to find the right pony for the job. Neon would just give Twilight weird looks as he walked in his fluorescent glory. One slip and he's a goner. He better watch himself because Twilight is a gun with a hair trigger. 
> 16: The Truth Hurts, Doesn't It?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I got a chance to speak to Neon. He's actually really interesting. Turns out the guys who are looking for him were the ones who created him. For some reason though, they want to kill him now and only they know how to kill him. He was able to run away before they got the chance. He found a little spot in the woods where he could hide and that's where he set up his trap. 

He is made of mutated matter which means he can turn into the four main types of matter. Solid, (Ice) Liquid, Gas, and the form he prefers, Plasma. He even showed a demonstration to everybody and we all thought it was really cool. And since he isn't an actual pony he can run for miles and not even break a sweat. But that also means he can't eat or sleep. I even had to explain what a dream was and things that happen in them. ( which is basically everything.) 

And Twilight. What does she do? She keeps an eye on Neon 24/7 just waiting for one slip up. One time there was a bug on Rainbow's shoulder and he shooed it off. Twilight thought he hit her or something so we had to tell her it was a bug and Neon was being a nice guy.

Astheno was leading us to a little town which was Appaloosa. I really didn't want to go there and I'm sure you know why. Maybe, just maybe, Astheno will turn at the last second and we will be going somewhere else and not have time to pay any visits. But, to my misfortune, we were walking right into it. The town was empty. It was a Monday I believe. So the ponies of this town should be busy. But no, just a complete ghost town. Last time I was here it wasn't even close to this. Applejack herself looked very worried. But I was fine! No Braeburn, no worries! But of course, a good day never exists when I'm around. And there he was again.

"Hello, once again." said the ghost.

"Whoa! What is that?!" Neon shouted and pointed at it.

"Huh? I'm just a ghost, I want to know what you are."

Neon the the face-less ghost stared at each other. The ghost shook his head and focused on Applejack. "You know this place, don't you?" he asked.

Applejack looked at him and fixed her hat. "Yeah, this's where mah cousin lives." she said.

"Indeed," the ghost mused. " It's a very nice town, but where is every-pony? Right here!"

There were a bunch of ponies cramped up in to little jail cells. I knew the place had a small population but I didn't know you could fit them all into five jail cells! That's just- wow! 

"Where's Braeburn?!" Applejack shouted at the ghost.

He looked at the cells filled with ponies. "Well, he should be somewhere. But that's not the point. The point is, it's you turn Applejack! The truth won't set just you free, but the whole town, too! Can you tell your deepest secrets? Or will you give up and keep these poor souls in jail forever and never be able to save them again?"

Applejack lowered her head and sighed. "Do ah really have a choice?" she asked.

"Well, technically you do. But in your case, I guess not," the ghost said. "Please, go over to the first cell." The ghost looked at me and soon we were in a little blue force field again. Neon panicked a little bit but Rarity was able to explain to him what was going on.

With a little hesitation, Applejack went to the first cell as she was told. "First question!" the ghost said and pulled some small cards out of nowhere. "Where do you live?"

Are you kidding me? That's the question? I'm not too impressed to be honest, but oh well. Applejack raised an eyebrow when the question was asked. Inside the cell, someone was pushing to get in front. He was a brown stallion in about his late fifties. Dismay seemed to surge over Applejack when she saw him. "Hay sweetie. Looks like I'm finally gonna have a place to send all my letters to." he said.

"Ya gotta be kiddin' me." Applejack turned to the ghost. "Do I have to tell him?" she asked.

The ghost looked up from the deck of cards and said. "Sorry." was all he said.

"Well, if ah say it, can I keep just him in the cell?" she asked.

The ghost shrugged. "That's the town's choice."

Everyone in the cells commented in agreement. "What?! Aww c'mon." the pedophilic stallion said in disappointment.

One guy nearly popped his head out between the bars."Whadaya mean c'mon?! You've hit on every single filly half your age! Why do ya think yer wife left ya?"

The ghost got everyone's attention again. "Well, if the town agrees, then yes. The pedophile can stay behind bars!"

Everyone started to cheer in pure joy all except for the pedophile who hung his head, disappointed. Applejack, meanwhile got back to the task at hand. "Sweet Apple Acres, Ponyville." 

The cell door swung open and ponies walked out. The pedophile tried to slip through but Applejack quickly caught him. When everybody got out, Applejack threw him back in the and ghost shut the door. "This ain't legal!" the pedophile complained. "I haven't been told my Miranda rights!" 

Applejack moved along to the next cell and the ghost shuffled through the cards for the next question. "Where did you get your fancy looking hat of yours?" the ghost asked.

I was thinking that this would be over in a breeze. I mean really? Where she got her hat? Probably from the store or something. But the question seemed to hit Applejack harder than I expected. She looked to the ground and rubbed her hoof along the wooden grain on the floor. "Daddy gave it to me on my fourth birthday..." she said, trailing off.

"Good answer!" the ghost said. He walked over to the next cell door and opened it. One of the ponies in that cell walked up to the first cell with the pedo in it. Sure enough, he read his Miranda rights. The guy in the cell rolled his eyes as he sat against the wall. 

Applejack moved to the next cell and awaited the next question. The ghost shuffled through the cards again and came up with the third question. "Where are your parents? Now that we're talking about them." Applejack looked upset. Something tells me that wherever they were, it wasn't a happy place.

"They're- they're six feet under." she said, very very quietly.

"Indeed they are!" the ghost said, a little to happily. He grabbed the door and swung it open. Ponies walked out and watched as Applejack proceeded to the next cell. The ghost crumbled up the cards that he probably already used and asked the next question "How did your father die?" he asked.

"Ya know, why are you askin' all these questions 'bout my parents?!" Applejack snapped.

"Because you know the answers. But they're the hardest to admit." the ghost said almost immediately. Applejack pursed her lips and closed her eyes. 

"Heart attack. It was a heart attack." she said. Now, I heard it perfectly fine, didn't you? Wait... forget I said that. But anyway, yeah! I heard it just fine. But the ghost, who was closer to her said he didn't hear it and forced Applejack to say it again! What a jerk! Applejack said it again and moved to the last cell. When she looked inside she nearly had a heart attack herself.

"Big Mac? Braeburn? Granny? Applebloom?" Applejack seemed disgusted by the sight. Now I can honestly say I have no idea how she felt because, as you all know, I never had a mother nor father.

"Last question. Are you ready?" the ghost asked. Applejack nodded her head because there was nothing else she could do. "Your mother. Explain her death." Applejack turned to look at him so fast if I did it with my scrawny little neck I would have broke it.

"What?!" she screamed.

"Ha! You're a fool!" Braeburn the antagonizing said. "We already know how she died. Some low life slit her throat right on her death bed! I think you be lettin' us go now." Braeburn crossed his fore legs with a smug smile on his face.

"That is true, yes. But some know more than others. Right Ms. Apple?" said the ghost who was now sitting in mid-air. Tears streamed down Applejack's eyes. Her mouth was quivering and she tried to cover it with her hoof.

"I- I..." Applejack choked up. I was hoping she wouldn't give up

"Applejack!" I blurted out stupidly. But it was enough to grab her attention so I might as well say something."I know you're strong. I just know it! What about Rainbow Dash's test? I was being a little baby! Covering my eyes and everything. You watched it to the end!"

Applejack fought back at me. "Says the guy who fought a bear!" She said.

"What? That wasn't fighting! I just grabbed it's attention for a few short seconds! Sure, I got a couple of hits in, but I never would have won! If you didn't get anyone, I would've just been the dead guy who no one knows! I didn't save you, you saved me." everybody was looking at me. Applejack looked away and blushed as a smile slowly grew on her face. Well, looks like I did my part. 

Applejack turned back to what I believed to be her family and sucked in all the air her lungs could take. "I was awake when it happened." she started off. Everyone in the town looked at each other. But she pushed on. "I didn't see the face, but ah saw the stallion at Ma's bed. I can't even say that on any other day I would have done somethin'. Ma was so sick, an' she was gonna die really soon. Ah couldn't even take the stress of it anymore. I just sat there and watched her die."

Everything was completely silent. We all just stared at her in shock. None of us knew it would be that dark. Tears started rolling down Applejack's face . The ghost walked up to her. "You did it. Like I said, The easiest answers can be the hardest to say."  He pulled out a key and opened the cell door, letting Applejack's family out. They crowded around her and hugged her. Now Applejack was full out crying. During the family reunion, the ghost presented the element of honesty to her. He even put it around her neck. He turned to us and put the force field down.

"Volt." the ghost said as he floated over to me. "That was brave. Saying all that. Are you taking good care of Twilight?"

I looked at him. I had forgotten his request to do that. "Yeah, she's doing just fine."

"Well, I want you to protect her like I would. Can you do that?"

"Well, how would you do it?"

The ghost grew a mouth and smiled, no demonic like the last time. This one was warm and friendly. "With my life."

I gave him a confused look. "Yeah. I think I can."

"Good." he said. And he disappeared.
> 17: A Little Celebration 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Now, instead of walking along down the road like I was hoping, it ends up the town wants to throw a party for us. I had stopped going to parties when I was about ten when Maiden said I was too old for birthday parties. For me at least. The only other foal's party I would be invited to was Lightweight's since he was about two years younger than me and still taller as you would have guessed. But we're here and they're offering to do something nice for us, might as well take the advantage of the situation. And by that, I mean sit on the front porch of the salt bar and do my best to avoid Braeburn.

I had a cigar in my mouth as I always did and looked out at the shadowy town streets with the exception of Pinkie Pie trying to get Neon to dance in the dark but Neon wouldn't get out of his gas form which made him invisible. Occasionally, she would invite me to dance with them but I would refuse. I would look inside the bar where the party was. One time I looked, Applejack was talking to her family and their expressions were grave and Applejack's shocked. Someone burst out the doors, hollering my name."Volt? Volt? Volt! Is it really you?!" 

Oh No! It was Braeburn! He found me! He found me and now he's gonna make me rip my head off. "Hi..." I said awkwardly as the bane of my existence walked up to me with a slap-happy grin on his yellow face. 

"Why, I can't believe it's you! I remember when you first walked in to AaaaaAAAApaloosa!" Yes, how could I forget, his trademark on the way he would say Appaloosa. Braeburn went on to talk about something but I wasn't listening. I was looking around for Astheno. She was the one who took us here. She was perched on Fluttershy's shoulder as Twilight tried fruitlessly to get her to talk to someone. I looked back at Braeburn as he finished with whatever he was saying. He smiled lightly and he shook his head. "I'm sorry."

I raised my eyebrow. "Sorry? For what?" 

"I'm makin' you wanna kill yourself, aren't I?" 

"What are you talking about?"

He shook his head again. "I've realized that I can... well, annoy ponies and I've been doin' my best to just calm down a bit. So I guess I wasn't tryin' too hard, huh?" 

I certainly couldn't argue. I did want to shove this guy's head in a furnace, before he admitted his uncanny ability to be hated by many.

"Uh... well..." I rubbed the back of my neck. 

To my salvation, Applejack showed up. "Well, ah see you meet each other." Braeburn became his himself again and smiled.

"Well you bet! I never thought that the next time I'd see Volt again he'd be dating with one of you!"

" What!?" Applejack bellowed. I choked on some of the ashes of my cigar and thinking they would set my lungs on fire and burn me from the inside out.

"Where did you get that?" I said with a scratchy voice.

"Oh, well I just assumed 'cause you'er the only guy and all the encouragin' stuff ya said to Applejack. Is there somethin' else I should know?"  Braeburn asked.

"Like what?" Applejack asked. Braeburn was going to say something but he decided to keep his mouth shut which was smart. But now I have a pretty good idea of just what he wanted to know. "Look, Braeburn. Can ah have a few minuets alone with Volt?" Braeburn smiled awkwardly and slowly walked back inside.

"I feel I should thank you." I said. Applejack laughed. 

"How are ya?" she asked.

I looked at her. "So that's what you so desperately needed to be alone with me for, huh? I'm fine."

"That's good. Things back home aren't doin' too well." she mused.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Ever since we left, Malice has taken things over. My family had to leave because of all the violence over there. We gotta hurry up." Now, I can't say I, myself feel too bad about that Ponyville place. It didn't have any real sentimental value to me. I just saw it as another town. But maybe I should feel bad for everyone else who lives there but I just don't feel it. I just wanted to see Malice die or at least go away and out of my mind like everyone else in my life.

"I guess we should." was all I could say.

We were silent for a little bit, looking at Pinkie kind of getting Neon to do the Hustle. "Ya know what? I haven't introduced ya to mah family!" Applejack led me into the bar where they played country music and ponies danced and drank the night away. Applejack led me to an old mare. "Granny, this is Volt."

Granny turned her head and looked at me with that old wrinkly face. A smile smile grew on her dry lips. "Well, you must be the young stallion Applejack has told me so much about. You'er the one who saved her from the bear aren't ya?"

I forced and awkward looking smile "Well, ya know, I had to do something."

"Why, ya don't even have a scratch on ya! Ya look fit as a fiddle!"

I shrugged. "It's kind of a crazy story, really." The grandma went on to talk about the old times when she was married. I can't blame her, glory days pass you by in the wink of a young mare's eye. Every old pony seems to be infamous about boring stories of their glory days.

When she was finished recapturing the good times, Applejack took me outside, around the back where this big tough stallion was playing tag with a little filly. "Volt, that's Big Mac and Apple Bloom." she pointed to them. They paused their game to greet me. In case you haven't noticed, they were outside because, well, duh! Anyone under 18 can't enter a bar. The other guy was outside to keep company. The whole family was nice, but it only made me wonder more and more of what an actual, functional family was like. But you can't have everything.

"Hay! You don't have your cutie-mark either? Cool! You can join my club! The Cutie-Mark Crusaders! We don't have a colt in it yet!" Apple Bloom said. Now, I'll admit, it was a bit embarrassing since One: I'm 24 turning 25 and I don't have a brand. Two: I'm being asked to join a little filly's club because of it. I just said "maybe" and moved along.

The rest of the night went relatively well. Some ponies wanted me to sing The Ring of Fire because they said I looked just like the singer, Cash. Those were the drunk ones. The owner of a hotel even gave us free rooms for the night. My room was just me, Neon and Astheno, the others were scattered down the hall. Me and Neon spoke to each other for a bit and I had to ask him to take a different form when I got tired. He took his gas form so I told him not to sneak into the mare's rooms. He told me to shut up and I fell asleep, expecting another dream about me and Icarus. But for some reason I just had one of those dreamless nights that make you wonder where the night went off to. 

I woke up, stretching out my fore-legs to the point where it burned the muscle but you don't really care because it kind of feels good. I turned to my side and saw someone laying next to me. "Good morning, Volt."

"Gah!" I flew off the bed and smacked onto the floor. I could hear Neon laughing as Fluttershy's face popped up over the top of the bed." Neon, did you do this?" I asked.

"No," Neon said, laughing as hard as possible. "But I think it's funny!" Twilight busted into the room.

"What did Neon do!?" she shouted. Neon shut up faster than a jackrabbit on a date. He almost seemed to know Twilight was on to him.

Fluttershy stood up as well as I. "Sorry, it was me. I scared Volt by accident." Fluttershy said to Twilight. Twilight almost looked disappointed by this.

"Look, Fluttershy. What were you doing in my room? You almost killed me!" I said.

"I'm sorry, Volt. But the girls wouldn't leave me alone about the whole deal we had. You know, to keep you from killing animals?" 

I dug my face in my hoof. "That's alright. But come on guys! Couldn't you have just- wait a minuet. Twilight, how did you get in the room? I thought I had the door locked." I walked to an angle where I could look down the little hallway with the door and I saw Twilight standing among pieces of wood that used to belong to a door. "You're paying for that." I told her.
> 18:  Thank You for Your Generous Donation
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unlike last night's bar-side bash, the breakfast the ponies of the town gave us was family friendly. It was a huge buffet outside in the middle of town. There were benches and tables packed with food. I didn't eat much at what they called the Defender's Breakfast for some stupid reason, but I did take a lot for the road because I was running low on food as it was. I was surrounded by ponies who were thanking me and acting as if I were important. We had a table of our own and I was sitting beside Twilight and Rainbow Dash. Rainbow was liking the attention.

Twilight came back with nothing much on her plate but she had a little more than me. She leaned over and said. "Don't worry, I left some money on the counter for the door."

"Good, I just hope they don't blame me for it." I said. Twilight quickly changed the subject to something that caught me off guard.

"What was the ghost saying to you?" she said.

"Huh?" I asked stupidly.

"Yesterday, when Applejack finished her test, that ghost said something to you. What was it?"

I fiddled with my hoofs. Should I tell Twilight? I don't know. "It's- it's nothing." I said.

"I don't care. He told you something and I want to know what it was. So tell me."

I sighed and gave it up. Some of it. "He wants me to do something." I said.

"That's not good enough. Tell me what he wants you to do."

Well, there was no way out of this. Even if I just stormed off and called Twilight nosey, she would still interrogate me. "He wants me to- to protect you..."

Twilight sat there silent as someone came up and bowed and thanked her. "Wh-what? Why?"

"I don't know. He just said that if he was doing it... he would do it with his life."

Twilight and I didn't say much to each other after that. We just sat and ate. Saying hello to the other towns-ponies and assuring them that we will save the damn world and whatever. I looked over at Rainbow Dash as she showed off her flying skills and gave rides to the foals. Ponies wanted to give her money but she would say no because the rides were her pleasure. Now, with me, that can be taken one of two ways, but hay! That's just me.

After breakfast, we left town and said good bye to everyone. And I even said good bye to Braeburn. Maybe because it felt good rolling out of my mouth. Which would explain why I said it multiple times in a very happy tone. But I guess his honesty made me hate him a little less.

We had been walking for quite a while now. I felt so alone. The wind blew lightly past as I watched the sun set. Now for some reason, I kind of like the feeling of being alone, the only one. Maybe I was so used to it I started to find it as a sort of heroine. It was depressing, but I liked it. I shouldn't feel lonely though. I was with six mares, a bird, and some weird flashy guy who can control his body temperature. 

We were getting closer to a highly wooded area. "Uh oh." Rainbow Dash said. We all stopped.

"What?" Rarity said.

Rainbow Dash landed. "An ancient evil lurks in these woods. The Slender Mane! He'll take you and- well, no-pony quite knows what he does to you, but I imagine it's unpleasant."

I walked forward. "Oh really?"

"Yeah! Why, I know some-pony who knew a guy who wandered into these woods and she never came out!"

"Then how come we never heard of him?" Rarity asked.

"Well, the truth is, I don't really like to talk about it." Rainbow Dash said.

"Oh yes, of course! The rock hard Rainbow Dash becomes melancholy about someone she doesn't even know. I mean, duh!" 

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I should have known. You guys are too smart. And no fun either."

"Well that's me Rainbow, fun police." I said. 

We walked a few more miles and came to a little building in the middle of the woods. We all decided to put Rainbow Dash in the middle of us so we can keep an eye on her so she didn't try to scare us. It was my idea too! It was a one story building but the thing was like a maze! Twilight found a sheet of loose-leaf paper taped to the wall and it just said stop a bunch of times in poor hoof-writing. "What did I tell you guys!" Rainbow said. We all scolded her for a second or two and kept going. 

Astheno found a staircase leading down. The farther down we went, this blunt banging sound got louder. I told Rainbow to shut up but she said it wasn't her. pfing, pfing, pfing! It only got louder. Twilight stopped and opened a door at the end of a little hall, where the sound was coming from. I could hear someone in there. They were making grunting noises like they were hitting something. When we walked into the room, it filled with gold and gems and other stuff.

"Be careful," Twilight said. "This might be a dragon's lair." The grunting and banging stopped and guess what? The ghost came out. He had a bat over his shoulder. The bat was silver, most of it at least. There was some red on it but I don't think it was there originally. The ghost tossed it out of sight.

"Sorry. Baby dragons everywhere. They can be pesky and stupid. They're gone though. But watch for the bodies. There's plenty of them."

I just nodded my head and accepted while I looked at a red and orange dragon infant lay listlessly on the ground, face down in a puddle. Fluttershy on the other hand...

"Who the hell do you think you are!" she shouted. She ran up to the ghost. "How dare you kill these dragons! They did nothing to you!"

The ghost shrugged. "You don't know that. Too quick to judge. Not very kind, I'll say. But soon, my friend, soon. Now where's the mare of the hour?" He swaggered across the room looking at us. "Who's is this?" He held up another element with a purple gem on it. 

Rarity backed up sheepishly, but shook her head and tromped up to the ghost."I believe that belongs to me!" she announced.

The ghost nodded and turned to Fluttershy who was giving him that demonic stare."I'm sorry, but you must move over, we are going to need some space." And out of nowhere, some kind of pony who looked very ill and most likely dying on a stretcher popped up. "Now believe me, Rarity, it's not so easy to make all of these tests, but this seemed to be the most effective."

"It's just a ill pony. What is he- or she doing here?" Rarity asked looking puzzled.

"Oh, right." the ghost said. Another stretcher came out and a blue curtain hung from the ceiling and touched the ground. "Now, this patient is in need of a kidney because at this time, she, has none functioning and time is of the essence! You have two working kidneys, right?"

"Well, of course." she said even more confused. Before Rarity could say another word, the ghost pushed her onto the stretcher.

"Now there is quite a problem I should mention. While I was- uh... obtaining the patient, I was only able to get a dose to let one pony fall asleep for the entire surgery and by law, it's all or nothing. Either I give you the full dose, or I keep you awake, at your request of course. If only you were Generous enough to, say, give this to some-pony else."

I see where this guy is going, basically, he wants Rarity to give the knock-out drug to the patient and have Rarity awake for the surgery. Wow... I don't know what to say. "I can do this," Rarity said to herself. "Give her the dose. I'll be awake for it."

"Wonderful!" the ghost said. Something finally clicked in my head that I guess I should have thought of before. 

"Wait. What about the rest of us? We're just going to be sitting around a little shield again for eight hours doing absolutely nothing?" The ghost turned to me.

"Quite right! I should do something." About a second later, I started to get tired, really tired. I could hardly keep my eyes open. "There! That should do the trick!"

Everyone just started hitting the floor except for Neon who just stood there like nothing was happening. "What are you doing?" He asked. I fell to the ground, trying to keep my eyes open the last thing I said was.

" You- you bastard...


...


"Oh shut up! We're almost done. This part doesn't even hurt. At least not as bad as the rest of the surgery." I stood up slowly and rubbed the back of my head. I looked up and everyone else was still asleep. I looked behind me and Neon was sitting back looking at a gold coin. 

"What are you doing?" I said to Neon.

"Nothin'," he said. I could hear Rarity grunting in pain. "The guy is sewing her up. It was a lot louder in here while you guys were asleep."

"Yeah, thanks for the update." I said sarcastically. I heard something moving on a pile of gold. I turned and saw a baby dragon leap at Twilight. It looked like it was going to eat her. "Twilight! Look out!" I shouted.

"Huh? Wha-?" Twilight said lazily. Her eyes flew open and she quickly rolled away. The dragon flopped on the ground and ran over to it. I was holding it down tokeep it from doing anything else.

Neon ran over to the dragon. He turned into his liquid form and surrounded it. I backed off. The dragon was trying to swim but it didn't know how to. I could see it had a black eye and it looked pretty beat up. "Shhh..." Neon said quietly to the dragon. "It's alright. Go to your family." 

The dragon gradually slowed down as it's facial expression turned from anger to woe. Then it closed it's eyes and stopped moving. Neon got off the dragon and turned into his regular form. Twilight stood there tearing up as she looked at the body. The ghost flung the curtains open. "What's going on?"

The body of the dragon lied on the ground.The ghost looked in my direction. "Good job my friend. Now I can finally believe you saved a life now."

Before he dove back into the curtains I got his attention. "What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

He slowly moved his head back out. "You should know." And headed back inside.

"You guys saved me. And Neon-" Twilight looked at Neon who looked at the body. Neon peered back up at Twilight.

"Are you going to scrutinize me again?" he asked.

Twilight looked astonished that the question was even thought. "No, of course not. That was- that was- I can't even find a word for it."

They stared at each other silently. Now I don't know why, but the song We've Got Tonight played in my head. Natural reflex maybe? "She's all done!" The ghost announced. Me, Neon and Twilight turned to the ghost. "if you want to visit, you have to come inside."

Twilight ran inside as me and Neon waked everyone up. "Hay! What was that?" Rainbow Dash complained to the ghost.

"Well, I had to do something with you." he said.

We all walked over to Rarity. She looked horrible. She was pale... well, more pale than normal that is. Her mane was a mess and she laid motionless on the stretcher. She almost looked dead. "Uh oh..." the ghost said.

"Uh oh?" I slowly turned around. "What do you mean uh oh?" I said. 

"Well, I mean she was awake a moment ago. Uh..."

"Did you just kill her?!" I asked.

He rubbed the back of his head. "She did lose a lot of blood."

I stood there motionless, thoughtless, all of the above. "You- you SON OF A-"

I heard snoring. I turned to Rarity who was making the noise. The ghost sighed in relief. "Here, I'll help her." And Rarity blew up. Well, not literally thankfully. Her mane was fixed and she became... less pale, I guess. But she was still asleep. "Let her sleep. In the meantime," He gave me the element. "You take this." 

"You're lucky she's still alive or I would have killed you- uh, again." I said

"Yes. Indeed"

And he was gone.
> 19: Glistering
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

  I was quietly shoving gold and stuff in my bag. Let's be honest, I'm pretty poor all I own is everything in the bag I'm shoving things into. Even Astheno was helping me. She would drop a gold coin on my head once in a while. Pinkie Pie snuck up behind me. "Whatcha doin'" Pinkie asked. I turned my head.

"Nothing. Why do you ask?" I said. Pinkie Pie laughed until the ground started shaking and we heard a deep groaning sound. "Mama Dragon." I said and dashed off. As I fled for the stairs, Fluttershy watched as the dragon picked up one of it's dead young and roared in sorrow.

Fluttershy took one step, then another, then she started flying over to the mother and, instead of being killed, she spoke softly to it. Neon-  now you're not going to believe this, Neon flew over to the dragon as well. He can fly?! "You can fly?!" I asked.

"I sure can! I'm lighter than air!" Neon hollered back. Both him and Fluttershy were speaking to the mother softly and carefully. When they were done talking to it, they said the promised to burry the dead dragons. Twilight took the still sleeping Rarity and the rest of us took the babies outside. 

We buried the dragons and had a moment of silence. Neon and Fluttershy wanted to console the mother more but she went away back to her cave which is when we found out there was a huge opening about a quarter-mile away. Neon stayed by the grave of the dragon he and I killed for a while, just looking at it. I just went to sleep. 

Throughout the night, I could hear the mother moaning and howling. If dragons howl that is. I was lucky I was able to get to sleep.

"Welcome to Canterlot Station." a young mare's voice said over the loud speaker.

"Finally!" Icarus said, stretching out. "Thought we would never make it!"

"Well, at least we're here," I said. Icarus was once again in the form of the rust colored stallion with the 80s mane-cut. "Shall we tour the city?"

"Nah, I already know where we're going." We walked around the city getting lost over and over again. Icarus led me to a shabby old alleyway covered in litter.

"This is it? This is where we are going to pull off the heist of the century?" I asked.

"Oh come on! It's only going to be a couple days. And after that we'll be living in the biggest house in the world!" Icarus changed into his regular form. "Ten days." he said. "Oh! and by the way, here!" Icarus tossed me a little brown sack.

"What is it?" I asked.

"It's magic! That little bag can hold all the money in  the world! I got it from a friend of mine. He can make things with infinite capacity. That's where the gold is going."

We plotted the whole thing that day. Icarus would set everything up by going into the castle tomorrow. He set up a spell so I could watch him while he does his magic. There is supposed to be a guard who checks the vault. Icarus will kill him and turn into him and  look for any odd marks in security and a way to get me in when we start taking the money.

At about 3:30 in the morning, Icarus broke into a house. You could hear someone having a major coughing fit. This was the guy who was going to be making sure everything was in order in the vault. Well, not really. Icarus would be doing that. Icarus slit his throat before he even knew he was behind him. Something woke up the wife. She saw Icarus but he quickly snapped her neck with magic before she made a sound. He looked around for any foals. One. Not anymore.

He suited up and went to the castle. He bumped into this one stallion. He had full-body armor on except for his face He had white fur and a brown mane. "Hello there." He said to Icarus. He had a sireish accent. "I believe you'll be takin' care of the vault today, correct?" 

Icarus shied a little but said, "Yes sir." and saluted.

"Oh, you don't have to do that. It's just me. Good ol' Rock Well." He patted Icarus on the back and shoved his helmet on his head.

"Hay, Volt!" Icarus said using his thoughts which the spell allowed. "Maybe if I can't find a good place for you to hide, you can dress up as that guy."

"Not a bad idea." I said.

Icarus looked around for a couple of hours, avoiding everyone he could which he was very successful with. Nobody bothered him. They had the place pretty tight. Icarus could hardly find any odd marks but he told me that the changelings were going to attack the cameras so we won't have to worry about being caught while we get the money, just getting in there.

Icarus grabbed a clipboard and carried it into the vault. He opened it up and walked in. "44-19-27-2. Write that down. That's the combination of the vault. Just in case." he said.

"44-19-27-2," I repeated. "Got it!"

Icarus walked in with his pencil and clipboard and marked spaces he was required to check. "Hay! Who are you?" a voice shouted at him.

My heart nearly stopped. I was scared but Icarus turned to face the guard. "Lt. Sharp Wind. I'm just making sure everything is in check." he said.

"Sharp Wind? I thought you called in sick today. I'm doing your job today."  My heart was racing and sweat rolled of my forehead . "Hold on," the guard said. "Glister."

I was confused. What did he mean by Glister? "What?" Icarus asked.

"I said, Glister!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Glister!"

"What are you talking about!?"

The guard looked shocked and backed up. He said something under his breath and ran out of the vault. "Guards! Guards! Intruder!" Icarus started frantically looking for a place to hid. He was too late, though. 

"Hay! Stop him!" Multiple guards came running in with their spears. Icarus got out of his disguise and quickly attacked the guards. He shot and dodged and attacked but the guards were one step ahead of him.

"Get out of there!" I said trying to be quiet so I don't grab attention.

"What do you think I trying to do!?" he said.

Icarus was doing good for a while but he turned his head and saw someone tackle him to the ground. "Nice hit, Bull!" someone shouted at the guy who tackled Icarus. He got up and held his spear in Icarus's face and smiled.

"I guess all that Glisters isn't Gold." he said. He raised his spear and lowered it. The spell ended. I didn't see the guard, Bull. I didn't hear Icarus. Just a brick wall I was looking at. 

I sat there, motionless, quiet, scared, alone. For hours, I sat there until my back hurt and still I stayed. The only things that played in my head was Icarus is dead! You hear me?! Dead! HA! HA! HA! Look what just happened. HA! HA! HA! Bye bye! See you in Hell! 

I was slow waking up. I stretched and yawned and shook my head but I still had trouble getting up. I looked at my knapsack. It had a lot of gold in it. Gold. Glister. Glistering Gold. Gold Glisters. Shiny, shiny glistering gold. All that glisters is not quite gold, is it? Is it not? Why is it glistering? Because it's gold? But what else glisters if it isn't gold? Silver? Copper? Tin? Aluminum? They glister, right? That seems right. Gold can glister, but so can silver or copper or tin or aluminum. But what if you don't think it's gold but it is? Then what?

I found myself going back to the dragon's lair returning all the glistering, shiny, lying, evil, sinful, demonic, bastard, sorrowful, greedy, shiny, glistering, glistering gold. Everyone wondered why I had given the evil gold back to the dragon. I don't know, But then, even after Icarus died, I still wanted that shiny, glistering gold, didn't I? And two ponies died because of it. Greedy, greedy, greedy, evil, glistering gold.
> 20: The Story
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 I had unofficially collected my head. Glisten. See? I can think clearly for the gli- the most part. And while I kind of have my head. I wondered why this didn't happen when Icarus died in real life. Rarity on the other hoof seemed a bit distressed. She kept rubbing her side, feeling the stitches and most likely was thankful the whole thing was over. I heard her say that she could still kind of feel the pain, other then that, she seemed almost too fit to keep going for someone who had just experienced being awake for eight hours and having their guts torn out by an amateur doctor. I told her about the time we all thought she was dead for a couple seconds but it turned out that she was alright. She just smiled and asked if that actually happened.

I would keep an eye on Rarity every once in a while. Just to make sure she was alright. But I would also stay by Twilight as the ghost's request reverberated in my mind. I would look up and see Rainbow Dash doing flips and tricks saying she wasn't trying to impress anyone but she obviously was. Other then that, there wasn't much to do. Well... actually there is never anything to do except talk and follow Astheno. I was hoping this silly thing would end soon, but we still have to get two more elements. Hopefully, we'll get one today. 

The weather was overcast in a sheep deprived meadow when Pinkie Pie whined. "I wanna do something! Anything!"

I rolled my eyes. "Why don't we play that road game again?" I suggested.

"But we've played that game so many times! I know! Let's play Candy Land!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. "Who has it?"

"Pinkie Pie, I don't think anyone brought that." Twilight said.

"Yeah, and even if we did, I would not play it." I said.

Neon, being confused as he always is about pop culture, said this, "Where is this Candy Land you're talking about? And more importantly, how can you bring it with you?"

Pinkie Pie stopped dead in her tracks and very slowly, pivoted around to face Neon. "You- you don't know what...Candy Land is?!"

"Oh yes. He was brought to life by a cult of magic natives and has been living in the woods his whole life, running from them. I'm sure he knows quite well what Candy Land is." I said sarcastically. In fact, so sarcastically it might have brought the great Discord to his knees.

"It's okay! I'll go get it!" Pinkie Pie said. And Pinkie Pie ran away.

"Hay! Where are you going!?" Rainbow Dash shouted.

For about five seconds she was completely out of sight and she came back. "Hay Volt."

"Uh-yeah...?"

"Let's play a quick round! Please?" Pinkie begged.

"I'm sorry, what?" Pinkie Pie put a brightly colored box on the ground and it said, Candy Land... should I even say more? I've already seen her defy the laws of physics and now, she can teleport. Of course, how could I have not figured that.

"This-this sorcery," Neon said in awe. "It's-it's overwhelming!" Everyone else stared at the Candy Land box. If Pinkie Pie could do this, I wonder how many times this could have been useful.

"Please Volt! I've never played this with you before!" Pinkie pleaded.

I looked around at everybody. "Look, not now. Maybe later. Let's go."

We started to leave when Pinkie Pie circled around the game box and sat down in front of it. I was lucky I looked back because if not we probably would have left her there. "What you doing?" I asked.

"I'm not going anywhere until you sit down and play." Pinkie said stubbornly.

"Are you kidding me right now?" I asked.

Pinkie sat there in with her Candy Land box in front of her and not moving. "Volt," Twilight said with a hoof on her face. "Just play with her."

"No way! With the attitude she has now. I don't think-"

" Play with her!" everyone shouted at me in unison. Even Fluttershy shouted at me which was surprising. I reluctantly plopped myself down in front of Pinkie Pie as she happily opened the box. 

"What color do you want to be?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"How about red? Like fire?" a voice echoed. A little flame came up out of the ground. "Or would that be orange? "

The fire quickly grew and was soon scorching the grass of the meadow and was heading towards the woods we had just gotten out of. "Alright, what do we do know?" I asked watching the fire destroy the meadow. The fire was rising as well as the heat. Sweat rolled off my head.

"Over here!" Twilight shouted. Everyone gathered around her and she made a purple force field around us. Except me. I banged on the shield.

"Hay! What the hell Twi?! I shouted. She didn't move. In fact everything stopped moving, even the fire. I looked around for answers. Nothing, until someone came walking out of the motionless flames. Her blood red fur and, well, everything abut her made me realize who it was.

"Hello Volt." Malice said.

"Malice? What are you doing here?" I asked.

Malice shook her head. "This doesn't look good at all. Being left to die. Burn to death. What a shame."

I knew what she was doing. "I know what you're doing." I said.

She smiled evilly. "Oh really? And what might that be?"

"I've read too many books before I needed reading glasses. You're trying to make me hate my friends so we split up and you win. It's to obvious." I said.

"Oh, no. That's not what I had in mind. That is a good idea, though. I want to tell you a story." she said.

"Alright, hold it right there!" I said annoyed. "Why does it seem like everyone is after me?"

Malice raised an eyebrow. "Explain."

"Well, first, I'm struck by lightning, second,  I have to watch as my friends are mentally and physically tortured, third, I have to do a favor for that ghost of yours, and now you're stopping time just to tell me a story."

Malice looked only more confused. "Ghost? What ghost?"

"He's referring to me."

As if things couldn't get worse, the ghost showed up. "Speak of the devil." I said.

"I know, right." the faceless ghost said. "Sorry about the fire by the way."

"Wait," I said. "You did this?"

The ghost nodded. "Just setting your friend up." he pointed to the motionless Fluttershy looking horrified at the fire destroying the meadow and the forest. "I'll be in the woods over there." I looked over at the wooded area we just came from. Why there? We already got out of there? Maybe Astheno might know more about this.

"So, you're the one causing turbulence in their little quest?" Malice asked the ghost.

"Hell yeah! And if it weren't for this guy- well..." he said with a foreleg around my shoulders.

"What do you mean if it weren't for me?" 

"And you're the reason these guys are here in the first place?" the ghost said, completely disregarding my question as usual.

"How did you guess?" Malice said. "So I guess this makes us enemies then."

"I guess it does." the ghost said. "Well, I'll leave you two for now. No funny business, now." and, if you hadn't figured by now, he disappeared.

"Now, this story of yours?" I asked. Malice smiled at me with her sharp teeth.

"It's not all my fault you're here, you know." she said. I raised my eyebrow. She continued. "I grew up in an orphanage. Never adopted. And when-"

Just like me. How? "Like me." I said.

"Like you? Must be a coincidence. Anyway, Years later, when I left, Princess Celestia saw me and believed that I would one day be able to rule Equestria. I did what she told me and soon, she gave me the gift of flight and- well- partial immortality. Don't you find it odd that you are going on a deadly quest for a rather incompetent, maybe even corrupt ruler?" Malice said.

I guess what she said did make sense. If Princess Celestia couldn't figure out that a name like Malice would, maybe, possibly, most likely, probably make her a complete psychopath, maybe she wasn't fit for her position. "So maybe Celestia is nowhere near a good ruler, but I don't think you would fit the bill either." I said.

"Yes, while that might be so, doesn't this kind of put a damper on your whole quest? What if she wasn't specific enough? What if you're missing something? I certainly am not stopping you. I'm already in control of almost all Equestria. By the time you come back, what if I control the world? But you do what you want. Like I said, I'm not stopping you."

What if she was right? I haven't seen the impact Malice has had on Equestria, but I've heard of it. Chances are, when we get back she will be the insane tyrant of the world. Even if we beat Malice, what if the world is destroyed beyond repair? "Well-" Before I could say anything, fire flashed in my face and nearly ignited me. Time in I thought.

I turned to bang of the force field Twilight left me out of. "Hay! I'm kind of not in the mood for dying right now! Open up!"

Twilight jerked her head and looked at me. She gasped and I had to roll in because the fire was closing in on me fast.... okay, not really, I just felt like rolling in. Problem? "So what do we do? Just wait it out? Because I think that will be long." Rainbow Dash said.

"Why didn't I expect ya to say that?" Applejack said. 

Flutershy looked horrified as she watched the forest in the background burn to ashes. I remembered how the ghost said on how this was him burning the place down, setting up Fluttershy. "Hay Twilight?" Neon said.

"Yeah?" she said.

"Open this thing up. I can deal with this." Neon disappeared for a second and condensed into his water form.

"Yeah! Let him go Twilight!" Fluttershy said. Twilight stood there for a moment. Thinking about it.

"Be quick about it." she said. The force field opened a little bit and Neon slipped out.

We sat around while Twilight looked for a spell to get rid of the fire. Though it did take a while. About, I'd say 45 minuets until she found something useful. "Alright, this might work. Hold on." She opened the force field up and her horn started to glow a light purple and magic sprang out. Soon, the fire started to warp and shrink. 

The vast fields of dead grass were- well, vast, and completely void of life. Astheno landed on Fluttershy's shoulder. Fluttershy smiled weakly at her but for the most part, she looked at the meadow and the woods. "You know where to go, Astheno. right?" I asked.

Astheno flew up and started heading for the dilapidated woods.
> 21: Would You Kindly...
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Neon caught up with us before we walked into the woods. He was covered in ashes and dead grass that he was using his plasma form to burn away. "Uh, where are you guys going? We're going backwards." he said.

"No, for real? I thought we were going into space." I said. Now I'll admit, it might have been a bit harsh but I was a little, I guess disappointed in Celestia in the way she just let Malice walk away with immortality. Or at least partial immortality.

"What's with you? Was it the fact the Twilight left you outside by accident?" Neon asked.

"No, it's- nothing. It's nothing." was all I said. I wasn't going to tell an epic of what happened between me and Malice, not now.

We walked deeper into the woods. It was almost getting to the point that I was thinking Astheno lost her head and was taking us home. I wonder what difference it would make? Would it make a difference at all? And thinking about Celestia's inability to realize who Malice was, would it be an improvement with her being gone? And speaking of that, what the fuck am I saying?! Of course not! I'm sure if Malice is in charge she'll rape our colts- or fillies. I'm not entirely sure I know what side of that she's on. Maybe both? Anyway, where was I? Oh, yeah! She'll kill everyone and those she doesn't kill will be enslaved and she'll blow up entire cities when she's board and need a couple cheep kicks.

So anyway. We walked through the now dead woods, yadda, yadda, yadda nothing happened for a little while and all that stuff. And then we all heard this huge freaking roar and guess what? "Dragon!" Twilight shouted. Any louder and I would have a ruptured ear drum. Then the dragon held up it's fist and who else was in it, but, well I'm sure you know who by know. And of course, we got trapped in the damn force field, again.

"Hello, as you can see I kind of got into a little trouble with this here dragon." the ghost said. Oh! And if you were wondering, it was the same dragon of who's young he killed. Go figure. "If only a certain some-pony could help me." he said waving another necklace in the air. It had a little butterfly on it so this was Fluttershy's element. "Oh, this isn't my handkerchief." the ghost said.

"Well, serves you right!" Fluttershy said. "Any-pony would want to kill a stallion who murders children."

"Oo, harsh," the ghost said in reply. "And by the way, I'm already dead. Oh! I also started that fire too. So there's that." I was waiting for him to say that.

"You-you WHAT!?" Fluttershy roared furiously. I could have just said Roared, but that would be an understatement. I think the ground shook when she said that.

"Yeah, and in summary. You have to kind of, sort of, save me from this beast. And if you don't, well, you surely won't get your element so you can save the world."

"Well, I'll inform you that I am not at all tempted to help you. After what you did!" Fluttershy said cruelly. Twilight looked a little scared by the statement.

"Fluttershy! What are you talking about?" Twilight shouted. Now maybe it's just me, but if I were Fluttershy, I would not have said something as stupid as that. Right away, I thought of something that just might get her to do something. It was a negative statement like most of whatever comes out of my mouth.

"Well, I guess Fluttershy doesn't deserve the element of kindness if she's going to be mean, right?" And not surprisingly, it didn't work. Everyone scolded me and I don't think Fluttershy was even listening to me.

"That's the best you have?" Rainbow Dash asked me.

"Well hay, what did you expect me to say?" I asked.

"Oh, no!" the ghost said with horribly bad acting, "I think the dragon is going to eat me!" the dragon stared at the ghost confused. He kicked the dragon and it roared and opened it's mouth. "You wouldn't want the dragon to eat this would you?" he asked.

Fluttershy looked at the ground for a second and saw a dead- well, I couldn't tell what it was because it was all black in ashes. I think she started crying. Wait, brilliant! I got it! Something I could say that might actually be useful! I said it as quickly as possible. "Alright, I know the last thing I said was fairly stupid. But if you don't do this, think of all the animals Malice will kill. I guarantee it's more than this jerk will do in a- well, not a lifetime- you understand!"

Fluttershy looked back at me. Her eyes turn king from anger to sympathy. I hope I got something right. Fluttershy opened her wings and flew up to the dragon. The ghost seemed to be looking at me. "That's it." he said.

"Hi, uh- dragon. Look I know you really don't like this guy, but, no matter how much I dislike him. You need to let him go. Now I can understand that you're really mad at this guy, especially because he killed your babies. But I can make sure he'll change. Even if I have to die to do it, I will. I've never held a grudge before and I really don't want to start now. Remember when me and my friend helped bury your children?"

Neon grew a little smile. I remember the first time they said I was a friend. I was confused that day.

"But you have to listen to me. The ghost in you hands right now has something I need. Something I need to save the world. If I don't get it, You're children will just have died in vain."

The dragon paused for a moment and roared. It dropped the ghost. As much as I would have loved to see him hit the ground, he floated down to his feet. The dragon opened it's wings and flew away. Fluttershy flew to the ground next to the ghost. "I do believe I owe you this." The ghost handed Fluttershy the element.

"Thank you." she said. The force field around me and the others went down.

"Well, I guess it is time for me to go once again. One more element! Look how far we've gotten every-pony!" and he disappeared.

We walked out of the woods and slept in the meadow where Twilight made that force field where the only live grass stood for miles. I didn't have any dreams though. Last night was creepy though because all I heard was someone whispering It's him. I woke up shaking. 
> 22: The Magic of Friendship
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 "I win!" Pinkie Pie shouted in my face.

For about a hour, I was playing Candy Land with Pinkie Pie and I just decided to let her win so we could we finish this damn adventure. I was glad we had finished this stupid game. Pinkie Pie wouldn't let me live down the fact that I hadn't played it with her and she undoubtedly used the same strategy to get me to play. "Good for you." I said, frustrated. "Shall we move on now?"

"Sure!" Pinkie said happily.

The farther we walked the closer we were led to a mountain range. It was mostly rocky terrain but you would pass by some trees once in a while. The scenery looked cold with the gray colored mountains and the sky, overcast once again. I kept asking everyone if it was cold or if it was just me. It was just me.

"So Astheno, where are we going now?" Twilight asked. I gave her a weird look.

"I'm not too sure that Astheno will be able to speak to you. Ya know, considering the fact that she's a bird." I said.

"Hay, I'm sorry, but I don't see you talking to any-pony!" Twilight barked. Rainbow smiled mischievously.

"What I'm guessing is that Twilight is nervous." she said.

"No, really?" I asked. "Come on. We should all be happy damn it! We're almost done with this bullshit!" everyone was quiet again after my statement. 

"Well, that is certainly something to consider." Rarity said.

"See!" I said, my voice echoing through the valley. "At least someone is getting it!" Astheno landed on my face and just stared at me. I was going to ask what she was doing until Twilight cut into my thoughts.

"Over here!" she shouted. And she started running and turned a corner. It took a moment for my small brain to process that she hadn't ran through a wall. The perspective I had was just so perfect I couldn't see where the turn was. I followed the rest into the dead end. "Oh..." Twilight said.

It was a dead end. Well, kind of at least. there were a bunch of caves and the sight was, no doubt, pony-made. There were three stories of evenly spaced caverns and two bridges above us, both on different stories. They were those rope bridges that everyone seems to have a fear about. Not me though, I've been on those things way to many times. "So," Applejack said, "Where do we start?"

I looked at Astheno who was now on my head, but she just sat there and did nothing. Just look for it. Now, that sounded like the ghost. And sure enough, he walked out of the wall. For real this time. "Twilight," he said. "I remember when you were just a student."

"What?" she asked, stepping back. "What are you talking about?" The ghost didn't answer. He just told us to look. And so, we did. We scattered all over the place looking for the right cave. That right there made me realize that everyone else really wanted to go. It took us about ten minuets when Pinkie Pie found it. It was on the first floor, the entrance all the way to the right. Go figure.

"It took you a lot longer than it should," the ghost said. "What happened to organization, Twilight?" Twilight turned to look at us.

"We just want to get out of here." she said.

"Don't we all?" I said.

"As long as I'm not killed." Neon said.

"Really?" I asked as I turned to him. He just shrugged and we forgot about it.

"So what do I do?" Twilight asked. The ghost stepped to the side to reveal the final element. It was just sitting on the ground against the wall.

"Get the element," he said. "I will warn you though, it'll be a little hard."

Twilight looked at the element just sitting on the ground. She hesitated, and took a step forward. The force field surrounded us. Twilight took another step. Then, she collapsed. "Twilight!" we all said in partial unison.

"Give her a minuet." the ghost said. 

Twilight was shaking and grunting, "It's- it's too- heavy!" she said.

I felt useless as Twilight struggled to walk. "Use your magic!" Fluttershy said. Twilight was trying. She was pushing and grunting and gritting her teeth. "I- I can't." she said, slowly taking another step forward. She was drenched in sweat and her face redder than the sun. Well, actually, the sun is yellow-ish. Either way you get the point.

It had been about 15 minuets and Twilight has moved roughly 15 steps. Not much progress. And all I could do was watch. The ghost appeared next to me. "Have you ever touched the shield?" he asked.

"I'm sorry?" I said, pretending I didn't hear him since the question was awry.

"I said, have you ever touched the shield?" he repeated.

"No, I haven't. Why?" 

"Touch it." he said. I stared at it as it blocked my way. I slowly lifted my hoof. I moved it closer, closer, closer still. 

"What?" I didn't feel anything. In fact, my hoof went right through it! I moved closer to it. I had walked through it. "You mean I could have just walked through it the entire time?!" I asked the ghost.

"Well, no," he said. "But you can now, right?" Me and the others stared at him like he was insane which he probably was. Rainbow Dash tried to push trough the shield too, but it would just retract against her. I went to help Twilight but was immediately smacked into the ground. It must have been the pressure. There was no other solution. The pressure was so intense I could hardly stand much less walk. 

Sweat was rolling down as I tried to get to Twilight who had stopped moving. I was able to get under her shoulder (which wasn't much of surprise since that's a little shorter than me.) and helped her up. All of the sudden, The pressure seemed to lift. Not by a significant amount, but enough that we could kind of stand. We trudged to the element of whatever it was. Oh, magic it was. So yeah, I picked it up.

I struggled to put it on Twilight's head an smiled weakly. "Now you look like a princess." Twilight smiled too and we turned around. And just as things were starting to look good for once, my stupid ass stumbled an fell. The pressure on us intensified and almost crushed me like a bug.

I think I get it now. So I guess the magic being portrayed here is friendship. When we aren't helping each other out, things get harder. But if we work together the whole thing is that much easier. How damn cliché. Twilight put a hoof on my shoulder and we were able to stand up a little bit as the pressure lifted once again. We were so close. And a boulder, about the size of my head. (or Pinkie's rear. Don't tell her I said that.) crashed into the ground.

I pushed Twilight to her friends which saved her. As for me, well, all I got were rocks crashing down on top of me. The whole place was dark. And that was about it for me. I closed my eyes. If I go to sleep, maybe death won't be as bad...
> 23: The Rock Comes Tumbling Down
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Tomorrow. Tomorrow was the day. The wedding. Hell, I don't even remember who's getting married. I don't care either. They're probably going to die tomorrow anyway. Wouldn't you find it a little creepy if you found out someone knew when you're going to die before you did? One will die today, I don't even know how many tomorrow. Maybe everyone. Maybe the guard. Maybe me. No, no. Not me. I'm going to live.

I was awake the whole night. I found a knife in the trash I was surrounded in. A little rust, but that was easily taken care of. I was sitting there, sharpening the knife. Getting the rust off. Rock Well. I need to kill Rock Well. He has that armor that can hide me. I'll be covered from head to hoof. I had been watching him ever since the day Icarus died. I knew the route he took to and from the palace. It's simple, his days are days were numbered.

Rock Well was strutting back and forth, shouting orders or something. I couldn't hear what he was saying, but I could hear his Sireish brogue. Not too heavy, but easily noticeable. Nothing I couldn't do. I practiced a little while I had the time and privacy It sounded like he had a little cold when I did it, but it was close enough. He pointed his hoof into the crowd he was in front of and someone came out. Rock Well was showing him close combat. Shining Armor. He was the one getting married. Shining Armor walked up to Rock Well after he finished his demonstration and patted him on the back. Rock Well smiled and walked away to another group of training guards.

"Shoot me in the leg." I said to some random hoodlum in the streets. It was dusk around now on a small street with no one on it except me and this futureless scumbag. I knew he had a gun. I could see it.

"Yo, dude? You alright?" he asked.

"It would give me great pleasure if you shot me in the leg."

The kid backed up giving me a stare. One I didn't like either. "Dude. I think you need help. Somthin' wrong with you?"

He wasn't listening to me. Rock Well was going to be here any moment now. Dear Celestia, I think I can hear him coming. I was running out of time. But, I had a knife. And I was less than a step in front of him. I pulled out my knife, pushed this loser against a wall. "Listen to me you lowlife prick! You shoot me in the leg and run away! That's all you have to do. Do it or I'll slit your throat and leave you by the side of the road!"

"Oh Celestia! Okay, okay. I'll do it bro! Alright? Will that make you happy?"

A small smile stretched across my face. "Whenever you are ready." I said, backing up. "Just pull the trigger and run away." He used his magic to slowly draw his gun. He was wasting my time, trying my patience. "What the hell are you waiting for?!" I shouted.

An explosion ripped through the silence like an ax. "Holy shit!" the worthless piece of trash said.

"Now, run!" I told him. He ran off. He was scared. Good. Someone came running down the street. White fur. Brown mane. Silver shield and spear as a brand. Sireish brogue. Rock Well. It had to be him. I looked down at my bleeding leg and a small smile came over my face. I didn't even realize the pain until Rock Well bent over me.

"Are you alright? What happened?" he said.

"What do you think!? I got shot by some jackass!" I yelled at him.

"Who? Where did he go?" Rock Well asked.

"I don't know! I didn't see where he went!" I lied.

Rock Well picked me up."Where do you live?" he asked.

"Here, on the street." I said.

"Figures. Every-pony is after the homeless. I'll take you to my house. You might want to hold on."

Perfect. He was doing it. Just what he was expected to do. He ran fast. Maybe not as fast as Lightweight once was, not even close. His house. It was decent. At least it wasn't an apartment. Then I would have to be extra quiet. "Hello Ro- who the hell is that?!" a mare screamed. I was guessing it was his wife. She looked at a little colt, around five. "I mean, who the heck is that." she corrected. The colt snickered.

"Get me something to pull this thing out and something for him to bite down on. He got shot."

The wife told the colt to go to his room and she got a metal spoon and tweezers. For some reason, it didn't hurt as much as it should have. But I had to exaggerate because he could find out. I was lucky to have my knapsack around my shoulder, where the knife was. They patched me up, fed me and showed me some kind of homeless shelter or something.

Rock Well was leading me to the shelter when he spawned an odd question. "Have you ever had to kill someone?" Was he on to me? Did he know what I was up to?

"No, not really." I said awkwardly.

"Well, I did. I'm a solider. That's my job. Yes, it's unnerving, but you tend to get over it. If some-pony ever had to kill me, I would forgive them. Even if they just did it to do it. I would forgive them because they are ponies without a place, without an element."  I looked at him. He was smiling at me and I smiled awkwardly back.

It was 1:30 now and I was in front of Rock Well's house. I stood there, just looking at it. I picked the lock and tip-hoofed inside, my knife in my mouth. The plan was, I go in, chances are, Rock Well is awake, so if he is awake I'll just slit his throat, clean up, hide the body and get the armor. If anyone else is awake, just take care of them, hide the bodies and so on and so forth.

Rock Well was writing something on the kitchen table. Whatever he was writing, his back was turned to me. Rock Well was writing a letter, in fact he had just finished it. It was to his wife. An apology letter saying that he had to leave before she woke up so I guessed that they would talk or something before he left. I pulled my knife. So quickly, so quietly, I slid it across his neck.

As he died, I held a hoof over his mouth so he couldn't say anything. "I need your armor. I have to do this." I lied him on the ground. He was motionless. My first kill. But I had no time to think about it now, I needed to clean up the blood. That took two minuets. I shoved Rock Well in a garbage bag and put on the armor. I was lucky not to run into a guard. I found a little area of just grass. It was somewhat remote from the city. The city was small too so I used that to my advantage. I had taken a shovel from some loser's garage and used that to bury Rock Well. 

I had to get to the palace by 3:00. It was around 2:00 now. I quickly got away from Rock Well's new grave. I turned to look at it one last time from afar. "Hello, I'm Rock Well." I said in his accent.

I could see nothing now. Just black. Then I saw the ghost. All he said was. "You had to do it. You're lost. I forgive you."

I sat up. It was still dark, but not as dark as, well, what ever that was. Then I realized something.No no, no. What? I wasn't having those dreams for just any reason, was I? The ghost walked up to me. "Have any good dreams?" he asked.

I stood up."You! You're- you're Rock Well?" the ghost didn't answer for a second, and then he went all foggy. When the fog lifted, it was a stallion. He had white fur, brown mane, silver shield and spear as a brand, and you could still see through him, but not as much. He winked at me.

"You got it." Rock Well said.
> 24: I Spill the Beans
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 I still can't get over it, though. It was Rock Well. I had killed him and now he's helping me. I had lost my faith in everything. Not that faith is necessary, of course. I thought the world was too far in the crap-hole. I thought that to meet a forgiving pony you would have to kill. And I did! And I got forgiveness from someone I had killed. Chances are, I killed the last existing pony capable of forgiveness. All those dreams I was having. Reminding me of what I did. And all at the end, being told that I'm Forgiven? 

"You know now. Oh, but the truth doesn't die between us." Rock Well said. "You want out?"

I looked at him like he was insane. In the respect, of course that he wanted to help me. "That wouldn't be too bad." I said, trying to keep my cool. It was Rock Well! It was him the whole time!

"Alright then," he said. "Stand up and grab my hoof." I slowly got up, still looking at Rock Well. His hoof was held out like he wanted to shake my hoof. Mine! I grabbed his hoof and he pulled me toward him. "Now you listen to me," He started off. "I would do anything to save my home country. The fate of it lies in your hoofs. We are going to stop Malice. We are going to save Equestria. Do you understand?"

"Yes." I said in a shaky voice.

"Good," Rock Well smirked. "But first, Let's get you out of here."

"How are we going to do that?" I asked.

Rock Well faced me to the wall of fallen stones and put two hoofs on my back. "Like this." He pushed me into the wall. In a manner of seconds, I found myself on the ground. The sun was rising and some of the rays were hitting me in the eyes which basically felt like hell. And there was Twilight. We were face to face and she was asleep. She had traces of dried tears on her face and a blanket over her.

I don't quite know why, but I just started laughing. Could it have been the awkward position I was in with Twilight. We were literally a hair's length away from each other. But like I said, I have no idea.

Twilight's eyes started to open slowly and suddenly flung open when she realized I was right in front of her. "V-Vol- What?!" A smile slowly started to grow. And you know what, all of the sudden, I felt as if I really do have a point in life. A smile holds a lot of things, doesn't it?

"As if things couldn't get anymore insane." I said.

Twilight's eyes started to water up. In two seconds flat, Twilight was crushing me a hug far beyond what I expected her to be capable of. "You're- you're Alive?" she whispered.

"I guess so." I said.

" You're alive?" she repeated.

"Oh, rub it in." Rock Well said as he walked out of the whatever was left of the cave. 

Twilight's face turned completely pale. "Rock Well? I thought. . ."

"What's the matter, Twi? Looks like you've seen a ghost." Rock Well said jokingly. "Go wake your friends. We need to have a talk."

Twilight stared at us. I honestly thought that she was having the weirdest day. She saw two ghosts. Twilight got up and ran to the camp where everyone was still sleeping and I heard her say happily, "Wake up! Wake up! Hurry! Follow me."

I could hear Rarity complaining with the abrupt awaking. Twilight was acting like a little filly now. How ironic for such a practical pony. She came running back to us as the rest shambled their way over whining and complaining except for Neon who doesn't require sleep. When they saw me they came to a complete halt and they woke up immediately. "Well, this must be quite a way to wake up, huh?" I said.

I was attacked with hugs and cheers and joy. I saw Rock Well with a crooked smile and a little laugh at the back of his throat. But during all these hugs and happiness, I wondered to myself, Why? "We thought you were dead!" Rarity said. It almost sounded ironic.

"Didn't we all?" I said.

Rock Well was able to get everyone's attention surprisingly. "If I could just take a few minuets of your time that would be appreciated." he said. Everyone stopped crowding me and looked at Rock Well. "Now, I am Major Rock Well." Rainbow Dash shot a quick wink at me. I almost forgot that I told Rainbow Dash already. "And, If you haven't already figured it out, I am also the ghost who introduced the ordeals to you."

When Rock said that, boy, all smiles were gone! Just gone. Without a trace. Twilight especially was shocked.  Fluttershy was stomping up to Rock Well. "We are going to have a serious talk."

Rock Well was unencumbered by Fluttershy. "Indeed, we are." he said. She sidestepped away from Fluttershy and looked back at us. "Now, Before there break out any riots, I would like to say that everything you have experienced because of me have been almost completely non-existent."

Everyone looked at each other confused. "What?" Pinkie asked with her head cocked to the side.

"Well, for instance. Rainbow Dash, that stallion you watched die never even existed. Applejack, you weren't even talking to you're family! Just a bunch of decoys. The party was real, though. Fluttershy, the dragons have been fully revived like nothing ever happened. Rarity, Well, I guess it doesn't really matter if it was real or not, right?"

Rarity shrugged. "I- I guess not."

"Anyway. Twilight..." Rock Well let Twilight's name flow slowly out his mouth. "You can't fake true friendship. Never in a million years. That's the magic of it."

Twilight looked at me and smiled. "I guess you can't." she said.

"Hay! What about me?" Pinkie asked, raising her hoof. Rock Well smiled.

"You made a stranger in mourning smile a great deal. He's out there somewhere. Half the fun is finding out where." he said. Pinkie Pie looked to the ground and blushed a little.

"Yeah! And maybe I can help you." I said. "I've been all over the place. I'm sure I can find that casino." Pinkie Pie blushed a little harder.

"So anyway." Rock Well went on. "This whole thing with me was just one big test. For this guy." He put an are around me and shook me a bit. And, not too shockingly, everyone looked at me. I just stood there like an idiot and said nothing. "He showed that he really does have a heart. He showed he was caring, defensive, humble, and honest." he looked at Rainbow Dash when he said honest.

"Well, that's- interesting." I said. What? I didn't know what else to say!

"But..." Rock Well said. "You aren't off the hook yet, my friend."

"What now?" I asked.

"You've proven you could be honest to one. Can you be honest with the rest?" Rock Well's smile was mischievous.

I knew it. I should have known that I would have to do this sometime now. I'll be the first to say- Celestia damn it. I stood there with sweat inching down and hitting the ground in slow motion. Who knows, maybe after this I'll be on the ground, too. Six feet under it to be specific. My hoof rubbed against the dirt until it was deep enough to notice.

It had been around five minuets, still nothing important said. "You're not exactly getting any younger. Just to point that out." Rock Well said into my ear.

I quivered when he said that. "No mean to be rude, darling, but we do have somewhere to be and this isn't really helping."

Reminding me of time consumption wasn't exactly helping. It is something I should consider, though. "Well-"

I said one word and everyone stepped forward. Eyes staring, backs stiff. All except for Rainbow Dash who already knew everything. I looked at Twilight. No! Bad idea! If I look at Twilight I'll just feel more guilty. Look at Rainbow Dash you idiot, Look at Rainbow Dash! 

She was nodding her head and mouthing the words, "It's okay. It's okay." 

It was then that I realized there really wasn't any way out of this. The world is basically dissolving and here I am bitching to myself about my own problems. I might as well make myself look noble and say it now so others don't die by my hoof. "Well, the truth is that- and there's no easy way to say this- but I'm-"

"Gay!?" Pinkie shouted. "I always wanted a gay friend! I can't believe it!" Pinkie crushed me in another one of her infamous hugs. "I love you just the way you are, Volt!"

"What?! That's not what I was going to say. No! Not even close to that!" I said, trying to get Pinkie Pie off of me.

"Oh..." Pinkie Pie got off me and awkwardly backed up. "Sorry..." she said. I seemed to have disappointed her. But anyway, back to everything else.

"So the truth is that I'm a- well- a murderer..." Everyone looked at me blankly, making things more uncomfortable than it should. I kept going. "And Twilight, I'm sorry to say this..." Twilight started to look worried when I brought her into the conversation. "But Bull and Rock Well- they weren't killed by changelings. They were- well, I'm sure you could find out what actually happened."

Twilight stepped back. Horror was quite noticeable on her face. "That day at the wedding? That was me in Rock Well's armor." I said

Twilight stood there looking at the ground. Hardly breathing. "And I trusted you..." she said.

Hooooo boy, here we go. I decided to cut Twilight off there. "You know what?" I said. "Why even bother going through the hassle? I'll just leave now. You'll never see me again." 

I pushed trough everyone, got my knapsack from the camp and got Astheno. She was mine anyway, right? I wasn't going to deal with this bitch. Not with all I've done. I was about to turn the corner and put an end to this life and bring the old me back when Rainbow called my name. "Volt! Don't go!" she shouted.

I turned around, but Twilight was right behind her. Holding her back. "Rainbow Dash, no!" Twilight said.

"But he's changed! I know it! I know it!"

"We can't trust him any more!"

"He told me! Twilight! He told me!"

"Yeah? Well guess what, he told me too! Stop being so foolish!"

"No! Before this!"

Twilight stopped and looked at Rainbow Dash. "What? He did?" Twilight looked at me.

"Yeah!" Rainbow lapsed. "You wanna know why? Because he felt bad for me after my test! And he trusted me! And I'll tell you that you will never, never find a murderer who could do that!"

The two stood there staring at each other. Well what do you know. Rainbow Dash was standing up for me. I smiled at the thought. Rock Well walked up to Twilight and patted her on the shoulder and said something in her ear. Twilight looked like she had trouble resisting what he said. Whatever it was. She stomped on the ground and walked away.

Rock Well motioned for me to come over and so I did. "I took care of it for now." he said.

"Well, no kidding." I replied.

"Don't go pushing your luck now." he said. "Give her a few minuets, she'll lose some steam and you'll be on your way."

Rainbow Dash snuck up behind us. "I don't know." She said. "I've never seen her like this before." 

"Well, I guess the worst thing I could do is talk to her. So I think I'll stay here."

The rest of the day we were split up. It was me and Astheno on one side, everyone on the other and Rainbow Dash constantly checking on us. I don't really know where Rock Well went after the whole thing with me, Twilight and Rainbow Dash.  Twilight would constantly look back at me. Why? I don't know. Maybe she did lose some steam. Just not her tenaciousness.
> 25: On the Downtown Train
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The night went by all too quick. I was awake the whole time, sharpening the knife. Why? Maybe because they didn't trust me. They might turn against me. I was preparing. I was ready. I was scraping the knife against a stone I found when Twilight came up behind me. "Volt...?"

I turned around and shoved the knife in the ground. Right in that guard's chest. "May I do something for you? Or are you just going to scold at me. Hell heath no fury like a mare scorned." I said.

"That's not it.' Twilight said. "This is important."

"Then what?" I asked.

Twilight looked around a little before she said something. "I'm aware about your past. The past is behind us and now is now. The question is have you really changed. Like Rainbow Dash said?"

In looked out in the distance for a little while. "Have I?" I asked.

"I don't know. That's why I'm asking you."

"You know. Anyone could just say yes in a position like this. I'm not anyone. And the truth is- I don't know. I have no evidence  I've changed, no evidence I haven't."

Twilight rubbed her hoof along the ground. "I can't argue with that. Can we at least trust you?"

I pulled the knife out of the ground and brushed the dirt off. "I have no reason not to. Why would I even want to kill you anyway? You hospitalized me, supported me, showed me something I thought I would never see again... the list goes on for miles. In the list of ponies I care for, you were the first out of all your friends to make it on there. Hell, I'm not even on it. Consider yourself lucky." I said.

Twilight smiled and brushed her hair back. "Really?' she asked.

I smiled too. "Yeah. Let it be told."

"Look, Volt? When this is over and you go off and do whatever you do, just make sure no pony- I mean- no one gets killed. Promise?" 

I looked up at Twilight. Looks like she was finally warming up to me. And in more ways than one. To be frank, I actually blushed a little. "I cross my filth engulfed heart and hope to die the most painful, horrible death conceivable. Whatever it may be."

The smile on Twilight's face grew brighter and she held out a hoof to help me off the ground. "That sounds good enough to me." She said.

Twilight pulled me up when Rock Well snuck up behind us. "Have you two made up?" he asked. I nodded.  Rock Well rubbed his hoofs together. Alright then, Let's get going to Canterlot."

Canterlot was exactly where we were going. There was a town nearby. We didn't have much time for sight seeing, we just ran right for the train. It wasn't even within our concern to buy tickets because chances are, they weren't going where we were. I ran up to the front of the locomotive saying I had a plan. Which I did. "May I help you, sir? The conductor asked. He was young, around his late-twenties. He was waif and, as usual, taller than me. His yellow fur complemented his construct.

"Listen to me," I said. "I need to get to Canterlot Station as quickly as possible. Can you do that?"

The conductor gave one of those are-you-insane faces. "Canterlot? That place is long gone. Look, if we don't get out of here, so will us." he said.

"And nothing will change your mind?" I asked. The conductor shook his head. "Well then, let's see to that." I pulled out my knife and put it to his neck. "Now?" I asked.

"Uh- uh- of course! I-I'll just get all the passengers off and we'll get going!" he stuttered out. He quickly picked up the radio and said in the calmest voice he could do. "Hello every-pony. This is the conductor speaking. I advise that all passengers to Fort Trotterdale to exit the train immediately. We are having some- uh- problems." And he put the radio down.

I smirked and said. "That just goes to show you how an inanimate object could do all the thinking for you."

I went to make sure that everyone had gotten off and when they did, we started moving. Of course we did our best to ignore the hundreds of ponies screaming and yelling at us to stop but it soon faded in the distance. I wondered if this would get them killed somehow. I guess it doesn't really matter, though. Not to me at least. "How long will it be?" Twilight asked nervously.

"Not long enough." I said.

The train rolled through steadily to our death. I turned my head and saw that someone was still on the train. His broad appearance made me sure it was a male. He had gray fur and was standing in between the cars. He glanced at me for a second before turning and entering the car opposite of me. "Hold on one second." I said and left the car.

Once I got into the other car, no one was there. Maybe he moved on to the next one. I reached to open the next door. "You little prick." someone said next to me.

I held my position for a few seconds. I took in what he said. "Well, I don't appreciate you calling me little. I certainly don't appreciate you calling me a prick, either." I said.

It must have been the guy. Funny, I could have sworn no one was in here a second ago. He was looking at a newspaper so his face was covered. "I don't really appreciate what you did either." His eyes looked up at me. The paper still covered his face, though, "But I guess now is more important."

"Who are you?" I asked. I looked at the newspaper he was reading. Strange, it's six months old. Wait. I looked at the headline.


Canterlot Attacked!
One guard dead, another MIA!


I asked again. "Who are you?"

He was silent for a little while and finally said. "I think Rock Well is a fool." he said.

This guy must know something. I can guess you already know what. But if you don't for some reason- screw you. Use context clues, dumb ass. Anyway I was getting pissed that he wouldn't answer my question. I moved forward. As I got towards him, he said. "No bull on that."

I slapped the paper and it the ground. And that was it. The seat was completely empty. No evidence that anyone was sitting in there. I stared at it trying to look for answers, fruitlessly. I looked at the paper on the ground. There were pictures of Bull and Rock Well.


Sgt. "Bull" Ray Shine: Dead, Commander Rock Well: Missing 


I stared at the pictures for a good long while. I looked at Rock Well's picture. He was with his family, everyone smiling and having a good time. Bull's picture on the other hoof, was just a straight face. It was one of those pictures where the eyes are always following you and no matter what you do, It keeps staring at you. That same expression for the rest of your life.

I couldn't look at it anymore. It would surly drive me to insanity. I walked outside and tossed the paper off the side of the train. A page got stuck on one of the windows so I went back in the car to get it off. It was the same page. Rock Well was with his family. And Bull... He looked different. His face, more stern, his eyes. His eyes... They looked- evil, furious, hateful, spiteful. And they watched me. Why the hell were they watching me?! Dear Celestia, they watch with hate and pleasure as you suffer, slowly, slowly, Slowly Damn it!

"Volt? Volt! Volt! What are you doing?" My face stung and Rainbow Dash stepped back.

"What the hell, Dash!?" I shouted.

"What the hell me? What the hell you!"

It was when I looked around when I noticed something was wrong. The windows were broken, the seats were torn and burnt. I glanced at the newspaper. It was burning and Bull's picture was gone. "Alright, let's get back to the other car," Twilight said. "We should be close."

Rarity put a hoof on my shoulder and led me to the door. "I'll take him." Rock Well said behind us.

I turned around and there he was. "You tend to do that a lot. Why?" I asked.

Rock Well just smiled. "I'll take him. You go on now." he said. He waived Rarity out the door and it was just me and him. "What was that about?" Rock Well asked.

I don't know. I don't even know what happened nor do I remember it. All I said was, "Why are you helping me?"

Rock Well chuckled to himself. "Because you need it. You all do." He walked past me and opened the door, but before he left, he said something I don't think I'll ever forget. "He's just jealous because he doesn't know how to forgive. Wouldn't you be, too?" Rock Well walked out the door and disappeared.

Uh... Hello? the conductor said over the loudspeaker. Of course, the one thing I didn't break. Uh, well, every-pony? Welcome to- to Canterlot Station...

The train screeched to a stop and the doors swung open. When I saw the city, I realized that this was going to be an adventure of it's own.
> 26: Malice in the Palace
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Well, the bad thing is the entire place was in complete ruins. Dried blood stained the ground and broken glass and other building parts covered the streets. On the bright side, it wasn't raining. "I have a feeling this place was a lot nicer before I got here." Neon said.

"Really? I never would have guessed." I said sarcastically

Twilight really looked the most upset. I mean, not that I'm surprised. "I just hope everyone made it out." Twilight mused.

"I'm certain they did, darling." Rarity said. She didn't sound to sure of herself, though.

I stepped in a puddle of, as you might have guessed by now, mud. Why? Because the blood would be all dry by now. Most of it at least. "Hay Neon, could I see that water form of yours for a second?" I said. 

We walked down on Main street. I could imagine ponies swaying to the smokey beat in the little club on the corner. I imagined myself staring at a very pleasant looking mare. Her smile was shy but inviting. I smiled at the thought. It was shattered when Twilight said, "Here we are."

The palace in it's silly and dismantled glory stood there like a beacon of sure death and bad memories. We walked to the gates when we were brought to a halt. "This is as far as you- Princess Twilight?" one of the guards said in awe. They were wearing a different uniform then what I remember. The armor was now black and red. It looked pretty cool.

"Yes, We need entrance into the palace."

The other guard shook his head. "I do hope you don't expect it to be that easy." he said.

"Nope," someone said behind us. "I expect it to be this easy." Rock Well stood there in his armor. How did he get that?

The guards stepped back in shock. "R-Rock Well?!" one said. The two stood there, dumbfounded.

"Now, I will escort them in and that will be it." Rock Well said.

The guards looked at each other and one finally stepped forward. "I understand you want to enter the palace, but as far as things go within the new order, you're not a guard and therefore, ineligible for entrance. Please, leave now." 

"You can't even make an exception?" Rock Well asked.

The guard shook his head. "If we do, we'll be killed for sure. I'm sorry." 

Rock Well, nudged me on the shoulder. "Get that knife out. We'll need it." he whispered. "Well, that's too bad. But I guess I'm the one whose going to be sorry in the end."

The guards looked at each other. Rock Well stepped up to the guard on the left who pointed his spear at him. "I already said, no entrance!" he said. Rock Well took a step forward. "I don't want to do this!" the guard shouted. The other guard turned and pointed his spear at Rock Well, too. Rock Well turned his head and winked at me. Fun time I thought.

I pushed through Rainbow Dash who almost hit the ground and jumped in the air with my knife in my hoof. The guard in I was after, opposite Rock Well, turned to me but it was too late. I slapped the spear into the air and pushed the guard against the wall, holding him against it.

The other guard turned to me but Rock Well teleported in front of him. He didn't hesitate to impale Rock Well, or at least try to. Rock Well is dead; a ghost, therefore, the spear passed right through him. Rock Well stepped into the guard. He started to shake vigorously and then he just died. Rock Well stepped out of the body. "Well?" he said.

We looked at each other for a second. The truth was, I just couldn't kill him. I got an idea, though. I slid the knife across his neck, lightly, and he fell to the ground. I knelt down and said. "You're not going to die. I didn't puncture your wind pipes. Just get something to cover that up. Understand?"

The guard nodded slowly, but he still stared at me with a look of horror. Just like Bull... I saw a towel or rag or something about maybe one hundred feet away and I pointed at it. "That'll work." I said. And he scrambled over to it. I got up and everyone was looking at me. 

"I guess you changed after all." Twilight said.

"I guess so..." I mused.

"Alright, now we need a plan and that's what I'm going to make." Rock Well said. He slapped a helmet on his head which surprised me. He was a ghost, how was he able to ware things that are not -well- intended for ghosts? And so I asked.

"I can do many things you wouldn't expect." was all he said.

We walked into the palace and to be honest, I like what Malice had done with the place. Truly. The statues were a little self-centered but everything else looked nice. There was black and red and purple all over. Wow... this is what happens when you're stuck with a bunch of fillies.  Neon looked at a huge water fountain. He smiled for some reason. I asked Rarity what she thought about the place. "A little too much black. But other than that, it's very nice."

So as me and Rarity were awe inspired by the atmosphere of the palace, another guard stopped us. "Who are they?" he asked.

Rock Well stepped up. "I found them wandering around the outskirts of town. I'm-"

"Hold on," the guard said, cutting off Rock Well. He looked at Twilight for a good long while and smiled. "Princess Malice has been expecting you."

Well shit. If it was going to be this easy... "Wait," Applejack said. "She what?"

"Hold on." Rarity stepped in. "If that's true, why were the guards trying to stop us?" 

"Huh? Oh, they must have missed the meeting. Oh well, they were going to die today anyway. Now follow me." The guard walked up in front of Rock Well. "You're presence is no longer needed, Commander. Rest in peace."

Rock Well and the rest of us were very surprised. But he turned to us and said. "I'll be back if anything comes up." And he vanished. The armor clattered on the floor. "I always looked up to him." The guard mused. "This way now."

I found it weird that Malice was expecting us. I mean, of course she was expecting us to show up one way or another, but why were we being escorted? Something was up. So, yeah. The guard took us to the throne room and he knocked on the door. "What?" someone called out behind the door sounding annoyed.

"Guests, your majesty."

The room- or- rooms were silent for a minuet. "Bring them in." The voice said.

The guard opened the doors and there she was. Malice was sitting in her throne using her magic to manipulate a glass of white wine. She took one last sip and smiled devilishly at us. "Welcome." she said. The doors closed behind us so it was just us and her in the room. "I trust your little quest is going swimmingly." she said.

I exchanged looks with everyone. I didn't get it. "Is this a lady-like way of accepting defeat or something?" I asked Malice.

Malice threw the glass of wine away and the glass crashed on the floor. "Do you expect to defeat me here?" she asked.

I looked around. As I was, I felt like something was missing. I'm not sure what, though. I looked back at Malice. "I suppose." I said.

Malice threw her forelegs in the air. "Well I guess it is, then. You do have the elements, do you?" she asked.

I did a count just make sure. We had them all. Still had a feeling something was missing. "Yes..." I said slowly.

Malice hopped out of her throne and shook her head. "This went by too quick. Why couldn't you have taken more time? What is it now? November the 11th?" The 11th1!? Shit, my birthday is in one week. Let's see if I die before it.

"Hold on. Something's up! What is it!?" Rainbow Dash said.

Malice rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on! What could be more powerful than the Elements of Harmony?" Malice asked.

I shrugged because hell, I didn't know. I looked at everyone else. If I were them, I would just use the damn things before Malice changed her mind. "Well, we might as well. We might not get this chance again." I said.

Twilight looked at her friends. Malice started to yawn. "We're all waiting here." Malice said.

"Alright!" Twilight said, annoyed. "Hold it!" Twilight was thinking hard. I didn't know why they had to think about this. But I also don't know why Malice was giving in like this. "Fine. Let's do this." Twilight finally said.

"Finally." Malice said, rolling her eyes. Twilight closed her eyes. When she opened them they almost gave me a heart attack. They were completely white! Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy's eyes did the exact same thing.  Pretty creepy. Anyway, They started to float up into the air and for some reason, a rainbow ring just looped around them. 

Wind started to blow vigorously through and the room was engulfed by a purple-ish light. Malice just stood there. She was- smirking!? Why? What- why was she doing that?! Something's wrong. Crap! Something is very wrong! Before I had a chance to think to react, A huge rainbow thing shot a Malice like a projectile. "Shit, shit, shit, Shit!" I said to myself. Malice flinched at the last second as the projectile smashed into her. The impact blew me back a couple feet and the ground was still shaking when I hit it. 

The dust cleared slowly. I looked back at Applejack and Twilight and the rest. "W- what happened." I said with a scratchy voice. Twilight had a look of pure triumph on her face. I looked back. What was Malice was now a mere statue. She was looking into the distance, saluting. Her face was stern. I wonder why she took that pose.

"That's it." Twilight said. "We won."

I rubbed my face slowly. Finished at last. Thank Celesti- "That looks good." Malice was stroking her chin and looking at the statue. "Very nice, indeed. I'll get some guards to put it in the garden. Right behind the line of graves. Yes! That would look good!"

... ... ... ... WHAT?! Malice looked back at me. "Oh, I should take care of that. Guards!" 

Guards came rushing through the door. They grabbed me and threw me right next to Applejack. "On your knees!" One of the guards said. They pointed their spears at us.  Malice came up to us.

"You bitch!" I said. "You lied!" 

Malice shook her head "Oh, no, no, no. I don't lie. I told you that you would need the elements to defeat me. I didn't tell you exactly [ihow to use them. I never said you would defeat me in here. You did. I don't lie, Volt. Remember that." 

The door flung open. And who else came rushing in then Rock Well himself. In the... what exactly is he made of? Mist, maybe? "Finally! Something goes right!" I said.

"Ah yes. Rock Well. Not exactly a pleasure to see you. But you're here." Malice said

"Now, this might as well be a stalemate. I can't kill you, and I think we all know you can't kill a ghost." Rock Well said.

Malice smiled mischievously. "But while that is true, I can certainly stop you, can't I?" She used her magic to surround Rock Well. He struggled to get out, but try as he might, nothing happened. A guard handed her a small box. Malice threw the box and Rock Well was instantly sucked in.

"Well, we're screwed." I said.

Malice looked to me. "Alright, kill them. And please, some-pony take that statue and put it in the garden. Behind the open graves." She said.

Two guards went to lift the statue. One of the guards pointed their spear at me. I looked at my friends for the last time. Friends... huh. I guess I surprised myself to the fact I was able to get friends. Friends that wouldn't leave me until the very end. I smiled at Applejack. "We were close, huh?" I asked her.

A small tear rolled down Applejack's cheek. "Yeah. Too close."

I believe I was the only one who actually started to cry. I looked quickly to see if anyone else was crying. Nope? Just me? Alright. I don't blame myself, though. I got to think a little bit, these last few seconds. Had I lived a full life? I honestly say I'm not too sure. 

Why aren't I dead yet? I looked up at the guard. He wasn't paying attention to me. He was paying attention to none of us actually. The guards were looking at the ground. "What's going on?" on of the guards asked in general.

There was this huge puddle of water on the ground. It was moving around a lot. More than a puddle usually would. I looked back at everyone else. I got that feeling like something was missing again. Wait a minuet. I counted. Six? There was Twilight and Rainbow Dash and Applejack and Rarity and... hold on. 

A bird flew on one of the guard's noses. "Astheno?" I said. Astheno stared at the guard. That guard just backed up and walked out the door just so casually. Like nothing important was going on. Malice screamed at him to get back. He didn't come back. 

The puddle on the ground shrunk and launched itself into a guard's mouth like a water snake. Only thing. I realized it wasn't a water snake. The guard was choking and hitting his chest until he hit the ground. The snake slithered out his mouth and went to the next. Then the next until they all hit the ground. It disappeared for a seconded and soon, a bright, blue light started to form in the room. "Neon..." I said.

"What is that?" Malice said in shock. 

"Lady," Neon said to Malice. "I'm just about everything." Neon quickly changed back into his water form and swept us out of the room in a giant wave. Where did he get all the water? I finally remembered. The fountain. "The box!" Twilight exclaimed. 

The box that Rock Well was in was swept along with us. Right out the window. So now we're falling at insane speeds and about to hit hard ground. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy went to grab whoever they could. Rainbow Dash caught Pinkie Pie. Fluttershy had me. Probably because I was the lightest and smallest. Twilight used her magic to catch the rest. Neon was flying on his own beside me in his plasma form. "I knew I was missing something." I said. Astheno landed on my nose, too. Freeloader.

And the last thing I would have expected, we had gotten away from Malice.
> 27: Applejack Gets an Idea That May or May Not Turn The Tables On Malice With The Help Of Some Kind Of Dragon Thing
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

We were walking back to Pineville, cold, hungry, in need of consoling and feeling dumb. How could the Elements of Harmony not have worked? We went all this way for absolutely nothing. Although, she did say there was still a way to defeat her. But just l are we going to find out? Sorry to say this o' loyal reader if you've gotten this far, but we are ninety-nine and three quarters screwed. At least. "What now?" I asked stupidly, hoping for a answer that isn't us having to give up and leave Equestria.

"I don't know, Volt." Twilight said with her head hanging low. "I guess all we can do is just give up, leave Equestria." Just fucking splendid. 

I was just in absolute rage mode. Of course, I couldn't display that in front of everyone. I found a little rock. A little gray, stupid looking rock. What an ass, that rock. Just sitting there not giving a shit about anything except being stupid and insignificant by all means necessary. I picked it's stupid ass up and threw it as far as I could. Where? How should I know? "So that's it then?" Rainbow Dash said. "We just give up." 

Twilight shrugged her shoulders. "There's nothing more we can do, Dash." she said.

"Twilight!" Rainbow snapped. We all stopped and stared at her. "I've seen you do amazing things! I've seen you triumph over Nightmare Moon! Discord! That changeling princess I can't remember the name of! Sombra! Don't you remember that?"

Twilight looked at the dirt and the wind slowly blew it away. "You want to know why we were able to do that?" Twilight asked. "We knew what to do. Nightmare Moon? Discord? Chrysalis? We needed the elements. Those of which obviously didn't work with Malice. We had the answer for them. Not Malice, though. And I can't think of any other way to stop her."

The confidence in Rainbow Dash just drained. All other emotions just left within a second. Throughout all my days of being a wanderer, walking obliviously through Equestria, I've never seen anything go away faster than that. That right there just showed that there was no hope. It made me wonder how Malice had even gotten the elements. Did she just steal them from somewhere?

Every step drew us closer to Ponyville. I still hated that name. I remember how I first got there. I wonder where Maverick is right now. I hope he's alright. But with all this commotion going on, something bad would certainly happen to a Zebra. No doubt. That thought reminded me of something Malice said. She said that one of the reasons she started this thing was the state the world was in. All these bad things going on. I remembered how I punched her in the face and how it did absolutely nothing. When I punched her, it seemed so unreal. 

I was thinking deeper and deeper about what the whole thing was with Malice when I tripped over something and almost got killed. Applejack picked me up and I looked at what I tripped on. A root. Just a big, black with a little green, root. "Here we are." Fluttershy said.

All I saw was a huge jumble of black roots all over the place. I thought I could see a few buildings, but that was it. "This looks familiar." Rarity said.

I looked at Twilight. She- well- she looked like she was just about ready to slaughter a bunch of ponies, cook them, beat the shit out of them and force feed them to little foals five years and lower. I quietly moved my knapsack away from Twilight. Just in case she remembered I still had a knife. You know what? I don't really recall cleaning that thing. Aw man, I forgot. Now I'm going to have to clean the damn thing and the knapsack.

Twilight's hoof was driven deeply into the ground and her teeth were gritted so tightly they might break. Her horn light brightly and out of nowhere comes this-this thing. It looked like a dragon of some kind but it had a lion hand and a bird's arm or something. He was watching something in black and white and he was eating a cake. Black Forrest cake. "I'll be completely honest with you, I did nothing wrong." he said. Something about this guy told me that he was a one hundred percent, unadulterated, jerk.

"Lie!" Twilight shouted. 

The dragon-thing looked at his cake. "Well, I don't recall myself lying." he said, throwing the cake he had away. He finally looked up to see the roots covering the town "Now, what a wonderful thing you've done with the place." he said joyfully.

"Shut up, Discord." Twilight hissed through her teeth.

Discord turned to Twilight looking surprised. "Well, I don't think I've ever seen this side of you before." He snapped his fingers and the TV and the cake went away. Then he locked eyes with me. "Why, who is this?" he asked. He teleported right into my face with a smile on his face. "Have you finally opened up to some-pony, Twilight?"

Twilight's face flared and she dug her hoof deeper into the ground. "I am not in the mood to be fucked with." she said.

Discord took his eyes off me and planted them right on Twilight. "You are not a happy camper, are you?" he asked. "Let old uncle Discord fix that!" he said. He snapped his fingers again and balloons fell from the sky, confetti shot out of nowhere and Discord had a party hat on and one of those little things where it's all wound up and when you blow into it, it unfolds and makes this sound that makes you want to shove the thing down his throat and watch as he chokes on it.

Pinkie Pie was amused but not Twilight. Defiantly not Twilight. She slapped the annoying thing out of Discord's mouth and ripped the hat off his head. "Don't go that way." she said.

Discord teleported next to me and put his mouth near my ear. "Wow. She is touchy tonight, isn't she?" he asked.

"Well, after everything she's been through today, you better listen to her. And pay close attention." I suggested.

"Really?" he asked.

"She'll cut you up like leftover pork roast." I said.

"Good point." he said. He teleported back over to Twilight. "Alright. No tricks up my sleeves. I promise." He started brushing off his arms and toys and novelty pranks peppered the floor. He went to shake Twilight's hoof but suddenly pulled back. "Oh, almost forgot..." He pulled a joy buzzer off his hand and threw it behind him. His hand shot right back out and awaited a hoof shake.

Twilight reluctantly shook his hand. No tricks, no pranks, all good. Everyone lives for now. "Now, what seems to be the problem, dear?" Discord asked.

Twilight pointed to the town while keeping an eye on Discord. "I want you to clean that up. Right now!" she barked.

Discord looked back at the town covered in roots to the point where you could hardly see anything and smiled again. "But Twilight. One cannot simply take down such a masterpiece! I think it's-"

"I don't care what you think!" Twilight shouted. "Fix it!"

Discord frowned and looked down. "Oh... so I guess my opinion doesn't count. It seems my mother was lying to me after all. Oh, look what you did. Now I feel insignificant. Now I might have to go back to bulimia again." He snapped his fingers and his arms were full of marzipan and gelato and fried chicken and pretty much every food that was destined to kill you within 2.5 seconds. "Well, never start to late I suppose." He started shoving a hamburger down his throat as Fluttershy looked away.

Twilight slapped herself across the face and groaned loudly. "Alright, look. I'm sorry. I'm just very, very angry." Twilight said.

Discord turned back with a smug look on his face. "Well I understand. I guess that would have to do." He snapped his fingers and the food turned into cats with bat wings and hedgehog faces. "So you want me to clean up the town, correct?' he asked.

Twilight nodded slowly. "Yes, if you could just do that. I'll leave you alone."

Discord put a hand on his beard and stroked it. "Hmmm... I don't feel like it." he said casually.

Twilight went from somewhat tranquil to wanting to rape and kill someone. And not in that specific order either. "You- don't feel like it?" she asked. She was shaking vigorously and breathing heavily. "Well, I don't know about you, but I don't feel like letting you keep you dignity. I don't feel like letting you live!"

Discord rolled his eyes. "Okay, let me rephrase," he cleared his throat. "I don't feel like cleaning up because I didn't do it nor can I do anything about it."

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean you can't?" she asked.

Discord put a hand on his face and let it slowly fall off. "Dear Celestia, it never stops!" he said to himself. "You should remember! You already dealt with this. Just remember!"

They did it before? What was he talking about? I looked back at the rest. Applejack's face lit up brightly. "Twilight!' she said excitedly. "I get it now!"

Twilight walked up to Applejack. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"We need to put these back on the Tree of Harmony! I can't believe I didn't remember until now! Malice obviously took the elements off the tree! Causing' everythin in the world to become dark and insane, makin' Malice stronger and stronger to the point where she has enough power to take over Equestria! She had to have somethin' to do with everything bad that's been goin' on! Think of the emphasis on slavery, crime, poverty. It's been growing!"

Twilight tapped herself on the head. "Of course! Without the Elements of Harmony on the tree, Malice became more powerful which gave her the power to manipulate the world the way she wanted it to go while making herself even stronger!"

Discord smiled warmly. "Well, well, well. I guess you were able to figure it all out in the end." He snuck over to me. "What's your name? I don't believe I've heard it." he asked.

I guess the guy wasn't the absolute best guy to hang with, but he's alright. I guess. "Volt. No need to worry about wearing it out because chances are it already is." And we shook.

"We should hang out some time. Do manly things. Like hoofball, or the ladies! If you catch my drift." Discord said, elbowing me.

I smiled and laughed at the clearly inappropriate joke. "Well, I'm all for doing the ladies, but I've never played hoofball. Probably because I don't have the balls." I looked awkwardly around as everyone ignored me.

Discord chuckled at my joke. "I have a good feeling that we are going to get along famously!" Discord looked in the distance and saw Neon. Discord certainly seemed interested in talking to him. "And I say, who is that?"

Neon was hiding behind Fluttershy. Something told me he didn't like Discord. Now that he was in his sights, there was no way he could get out of this. Discord instantly teleported next to Neon. "You seem quite interesting. I have a feeling we'll be good friends, too! We'll go on adventures and oh, so many things. I wonder, what is your name?

"Uh..." Neon seemed pretty intimidated by Discord. "N-Neon..."

"Oh, no need to be afraid of me, Neon. I'm not the bully I used to be."

Discord was just warming up to Neon when Fluttershy stepped in. "Hi Discord. Um, I'm sorry, but we probably need to go now. We have very important business to attend to."

Discord sighed. "Oh well. If that's the way it is, I'll leave you. But we should hang out sometime, you two. Adventures and ladies galore!" 

Discord left and it was just the rest of us. Applejack and Twilight feeling smart and the rest of us feeling a little dumb after having tried to understand fully what they were talking about. But I had the base of it. Take the Elements of Harmony to the Tree of Harmony and the rest... bliss.
> 28: Ashes, ashes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 The walk through the Everfree Forest was certainly an interesting experience. 

"Is that a wolf or a tree?!" I shouted being chased by either a wolf or a tree.

"It's a Timber Wolf! It's both!" Twilight said trying to keep the wolf from eating me.

"Are you kidding me?!"

Yeah- you can certainly say it was interesting. I'm glad I'm alive. Or am I? I don't know, I'm still kind of indifferent about the whole thing. I've have my moments on both sides of the spectrum. One more than the other. I'm sure you know what side I'm talking about.

So anyway, we dealt with a lot. But the only thing that was driving us closer to the tree was the fact that this is just so close to ending. That's all I want, really. Just finish this and I'll be on my own way. I'll travel the world again. Maybe I'll stop by Ponyville once or twice a year. They have grown some sentimental value on me. But what if I settled in...? No, I can't. It's not time yet. And how am I going to build a stable life in the town anyway? That, I don't know. "So where exactly is this tree? I hope you know where you're going." I said feeling a little worried.

"Don't worry, I know where to go," Twilight said. "I've been there before. You'll know when we're there."  I felt as if we were just walking obliviously through a fairly dangerous forest with wooden wolves and plants that are about fifteen times larger than you that breath some kind of toxic gas and has a very... suggestive look. 

In the meantime, I asked Neon a question. "Hay Neon? I was wondering, why you were trying to hid from that dragon thing. Discord. What was going on?"

Neon didn't answer for a little bit, then spoke up. "That's what the cult used to worship. I don't know why he didn't know who I was, though."

I shrugged. "Well, he has taken a liking of you. He didn't seem like he wanted to kill you." Neon didn't answer to that whatsoever. I just dropped the whole thing.

I was wondering what the tree would look like. Would it look like some kind of generic tree? Or not? I wanted to ask someone but I also wanted to see it for my self. It might not look like a regular tree considering the fact that it grew actual, rock hard gems. But hay! Fricking magic! You never really know what it does. 

Sooner than I expected, we were walking straight for some old, broken down castle. Now, I could tell that it was old, but who's idea was it to put the thing in the middle of the woods? Seriously, first of all, who would want to go there if hey knew they could get eaten whole when you're fifteen feet away from it. Makes no sense.  Maybe that's why they moved it.

Applejack flung her hoof out and stopped me from moving any further. "Be quiet." She said.

I looked around and it didn't take me long. And the truth was, it made happy and upset at the same time. The entire place was crawling with guards, Malice's guards to be specific. But now we knew we were at the right place. This place was packed! There were about twenty guards on the bridge leading to the broken down castle and the ravine was just full of them.

"That's where the Tree of Harmony is." Twilight said pointing to the ravine. 

"One quick question," Rainbow Dash said. "How do you expect us to get in there?"

Twilight stroked her chin, thinking. I thought for myself, too. As I was in thought, who else but Astheno pecked me on the head. "Ah! What the hell?" I asked, keeping my voice low. "You know, we need more positive reinforcement for you! You can't just waltz around, injuring ponies!" 

She wouldn't stop. She pecked again, and again, and again. Why? Was she trying to help. I would like it if she could be more specific. "What?! What do you want me to do?!" I asked, vexed.

Astheno landed on my hoof and pecked it. Now I was pretty damn pissed. Obviously, I wasn't getting it. And so, Astheno stopped with the beak rape. She turned around and looked at the sky. As you would have guessed, I did too. We sat there, staring at the sky for about three minuets. Nothing. 

I was going to go on and think about something else, but just before I looked away, A huge lightning bolt cracked in the sky. It took me a moment to figure it out, of course, but I think I got it. My weird-ass power! How could I for get? "You want me to use lightning?" I asked Astheno.

She chirped and hopped in a very bird-like way. This obviously meant yes. I guess it made sense. Metal is a conductor so it would be easy to kill the guards in the single strike. But, how would I be able to do it? All I can make is a little buzz and a few sparks. Nothing too impressive. And besides, there were just ponies being put against their will to do something they, otherwise, would never do.

But, I had to do it. If I didn't, they would find us and kill us. I have to just kill them. Come on! What ever happened to that killer instinct you had? I gave that! It's gone. I'll live a thousand years and never kill an innocent soul again. But you were fearless! Every-pony was afraid of you! Now look at you! Do it! But, they did nothing. I don't care! If you don't do something, they will! There's no other choice! It's a dog-eat-dog world! Kill or be killed. It'll always be that way!

I was inching closer to the ravine, still fighting the voices in my head. The bushes and trees marked at far as I could go. I could see a good portion of the ravine. I saw six guards in front of this huge crystal looking thing with outcroppings- no, branches. That must be it. The Tree of Harmony. "Volt! What are you doing?" Twilight had snuck up behind me.

I didn't reply. I just kept my head low while still watching the guards. I waved Twilight away. I needed to concentrate. Hard. Twilight wouldn't go away, though. "Twilight," I said. 

"Yeah?" she asked.

"I need you to back up. Understand?"

Twilight looked at me for a second. Just looking at me. And she backed up. I kept my eyes on one guard. He was standing on the bridge with a glazed look in his eyes. Let's see if he can keep that look. I slowly raised my foreleg and aimed it at him. Thinking of the lightning, thinking of him dying. Hoping I could do something with this. Buzz. Of course. But I thought for a moment. I looked at my hoof and made the little buzz again. Brilliant!

I shot out of the bushes and tackled the guard to the ground. I got my hoof to make those sparks and buzzing noise again. TAZER! The guard shook violently. Another guard came running up to me. I just shoved him off the bridge. He probably died. I can't worry about that though. I reached into my knapsack and pulled out... a dictionary? Damn, I meant to get the knife but I pulled out the wrong thing. No time to switch, though. I was being swarmed by guards.

I lifted the dictionary and slapped a guard straight in the face. I turned quickly and hit another. The rest of the guards were surrounded by a purple light. Twilight pushed them as far away as possible. 

The guards within the ravine came up. Twilight used her magic to pick some of them up. They swung their hoofs and ranted. She wasn't going to let go, though. Rainbow Dash swung in and kicked a guard right in the face. Applejack found some vines and made it into a lasso. She landed it on one guard and pulled hard, hitting another. Pinkie Pie came out of nowhere and started bouncing on the guards' heads, laughing and having a good time. Rarity got some twigs and was poking some guy in the eyes with them. Neon in his ice form, punching the crap out of this one guy. And Fluttershy- well I don't know how she did it, but she got a Timber Wolf and he was mauling everyone he could find. At least it's on our side now. 

I followed everyone down a flight of stairs that was built into the walls. Huh, convenient! So anyway, it was the eight of us (or nine, if you feel like adding Astheno.) against the six of them. They looked determined. I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"Here," Rock Well whispered. "Put this on. Scare 'em dead." He disappeared. I was holding Rock Well's old helmet. I looked at it for a moment. I remember when I first wore it. I turned back to the guards. "Remember this?" I asked. I slowly put the helmet on my head. It fit perfectly,  just like the last time. They were shuddering in fear. "Rock Well's helmet..." one of them said.

I took a step closer. "That's right! And if I could kill Rock Well..." The guards stepped back, shivering. "Twilight, put 'em to sleep." I said.

Twilight's magic surrounded them and they closed their eyes and fell to the ground. I took off the helmet. I was going to look for Rock Well, but not now. Now, we win. Now, we-

"So, you got this far, didn't you?" Malice said. She threw us against the wall and held us there. And to think we actually had a chance. "Looks like it's all over for you." She said. She swaggered over to us with a look of satisfaction on her face. "I guess it was good you escaped me the first time. Now I can kill you all myself." 

Malice went digging through my knapsack. "Hay!" I shouted. "Get your crap covered hoofs out of my bag."

Malice stopped and slowly pulled out my knife. "Well, this is one lethal weapon you have in your purse. I think I might use it." She said. Was that really supposed to be an insult? "It's funny, really. You're the only one out of a pack of females that has a purse."

Oh... I see what she did there. Which raised a question. I looked back at everyone on the wall. Why was I the only one? "Yep, I love you too, Malice." Neon said, sarcastically, knowing that he had been completely disregarded.

We all turned to look at Neon, very slowly. Malice's magic even lost a little bit of strength. Hold up. Neon said I love you and Malice grew a little weaker...! Ho-ly shit... I got it... I freaking got it! I turned to Applejack and she turned to me. "Applejack, before we die, I just want you to know that you are the strongest pony I think I've ever met." The strength of the magic got a little weaker. 

"Uh... wow! Really?" she asked.

"Of course. You have a wonderful personality. You're iron willed but easy on the eyes. You're tenacious, but you put others before you. You're sweet but you got a little sass in you." I slipped further down the wall.

"Rainbow Dash! Hell! I doubt there is not a pony out there who is as talented at flying as you! Saying that you're faster than a bullet would be an outright understatement."

"Rarity! I don't care much for dresses, but when I see the ones you make, well, they look so go I would wear them! And believe me when I say I'm no drag queen." Rarity gave me a weird look for saying that. Not that I wasn't expecting it.

"The lovable Fluttershy. I remember just how well you dealt with that bear! I was beat up and bleeding on the floor because of him. But all you had to do was stare at the thing! Fell right over!"

"Pinkie Pie! I just love how Random you are!" I could feel myself slipping off. It's strange how this is working, though. Who the hell is writing this crap!? Oh, screw it. "I mean, Discord himself would only be able to wish to be like you!"  Pinkie Pie looked radiant when I said that.

"Twilight..." We looked at each other in silence. I smiled at her and she returned. "Where do I start with you? You were the one who invited me into you're home when Applejack couldn't. You didn't fully accept who I was but you didn't show it. You showed me friendship, happiness. You showed me that, while the world is a horrible place, that there are still a few good things. You- all of you, I don't think I'll meet anyone even close to you guys." The light that surrounded us started to flicker. A tear ran down Twilight's face as she smiled brightly.

"How cute..." Malice said. "But I'm not letting you go." She was shaking and sweating and everything like that. The magic was only loosening until I found myself on my own four hoofs. Malice tried again to throw me on the wall but her magic just kept fizzling.

"Go," I told the guys. "Take care of things. I got this."They all rushed to the tree and Neon followed just because. I stood in front of a weak, scared looking Malice. "Well, I don't know where to start, really." I suddenly remembered something I should have earlier. A promise I made to Malice. The last thing she would hear. "About a month ago I made a promise. I said that I would remind you of something before you died."

Malice smiled that evil way she always did. "I recall." she said. "Might as well just get it over with."

I smiled, almost like she did. "Well then," I turned back to see The Elements of Harmony and they placed themselves carefully on the tree. I turned back. "I'd like to say, and I'd like you to remember," Light flashed harshly behind me. "I've lied a lot in my time, but I will not lie when I say this," I leaned up to Malice's ear. "My name, dear friend from the fire of hell, is Volt..."

Malice stood up slowly and looked at me, still smiling. Her eyes were just pure destruction in those last seconds. Her smile, widening. It all combusted. Malice backed up, being engulfed by the fire. She was so silent as she stood in it. The fire was slithering it's way up her body. Then, she just turned to ashes. A pile of ashes.

I stared at it. Watching as it did nothing except sit there. I could still feel the heat rising. Astheno landed on my shoulder and I smiled at her. Then, for no reason, I just fell down. I laid there just laughing to myself. I didn't know what else to do. Twilight stood over me. Then Rarity, and so on. We were done. And a I wanted to do was lie down and just laugh. "Need help gettin' up?" Applejack asked. 

"You know what?" I said. "I'd like that." I gripped onto Applejack's hoof and she pulled me off the ground. I looked at the pile of ashes. The wind started blow it all away. The ashes swirled in the air as the moon started to shy behind the clouds.

"What's this?" Rarity picked up something off the ground. It was Malice's amulet. Gold, silver and obsidian. 

"What should we do with it?" Fluttershy asked.

Twilight put a hoof on her chin while inspecting the amulet. We'll give it to Princess Celestia, when we get a chance." she said.

We stood there as quiet as possible, looking at the amulet. Watching it gleam in the moonlight as Rarity tilted it from side to side. Now we won. "Soooooooooooooooooo, what now?" Pinkie Pie asked.

We all chuckled when she said that. It was a good question though. "Well, how about we all just take this night and just not do anything." I said.

"Nonsense." Twilight said. "We have Ponyville for a night. Let's have a little slumber party." Twilight suggested.

I was about to say that a slumber party wasn't the best idea considering the fact that, well, I'm a male and they're females. But Pinkie Pie got a little exited. "That sounds like the best idea ever!" she said.

They headed off, on their way home. Where do I go? I'm not too sure. I looked at the tree. No tree I've ever seen, I'll tell you that. The elements hung on their own branch with the exception of one being in the middle for some reason. Wind blew slowly past me with a leaf drifting along the gust. 

I pulled Rock Well's helmet out again and just looked at it. Gold with silver and a little blue in it. What would I do with it, now? I had an idea. I walked up to the tree. It was an interesting looking tree. I looked at the helmet one last time. I felt a branch on the tree. It seemed to be able to hold something. That's where I hung the helmet. It stayed on there pretty well. It looked like It was going to stay on there for a while. "Volt!" Applejack called out. "Ya comin' er what?"

I turned around to them. They were waiting for me at the top of the steps and I went there. I turned back at the tree. Yup, nothing's knocking that thing off. I followed everyone through the forest again. We were not disturbed on the walk back... bliss.
> 29: The Famous Final Scene 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The eighteenth, November. A depressing day in my eyes, but things do tend to change every now and then. I, myself still wasn't too fond of this day, but maybe with someone to care about it.... Now, like I said, it's not my exact birthday but it's as close as we're ever going to get.

I left early that day. Took a stroll around town, not much. I looked around at the faces that had finally returned to Ponyville. Some cared to take notice of me. Give thanks for everything and all that But they didn't surround me to the point I just wanted to snap their necks, unlike when they all came back. Hugging and kissing me like I was some kind of God or something like that. I don't know. But now they would once in a while come up and shake my hoof or whatever. That was good enough.

I was passing by Fluttershy's house with no real intent go inside. I did, however, pass by that one spot. A flat piece of land that looked so familiar. Because it was. I remember standing here about a month ago, cigar in my mouth and cherishing the atmosphere and all that. Then along came a brown bear. I saw Brown Bear about to kill me. That's where it all really started, for me at least. My life might not be the same again. I honestly just hope I don't have to do anything like that again. The sun was high and the birds were doing bird things as they often tend to do. Just like that one time. The leaves on the trees were red and yellow and brown and all that stuff. 

Rarity came running up around the bend shouting my name.  "Volt! I really need you're help! Quick, follow me!"

She was speaking at 45 miles a minuet. I tried to slow her down but she wouldn't listen. She just led me to Twilight's house where the problem must have been arising. The strange thing was that why did she come for me? I obviously wasn't in any close proximity to Twilight's house and for that manner, anything, and if she had the time to look all over kingdom come for me then the problem must not really matter that much. So what was going on? Only two ways to find out. I go in and see what's wrong or I just give up and leave and I'll be told later after being reminded that I am, in fact, a jackass. Oh screw it, I'll just go.

Rarity ran inside Twilight's house, but of course, she couldn't have done it without slamming the door on my face. I laid on the ground as I felt my face throbbing and checking to see if I got any splinters in which when it was found was taken care of. I slowly got up and opened the door. The entire room was pitch black.

I heard a popping sound that might have came from upstairs and then some flicking. I stepped further into Twilight's house where it was void of almost all light. I heard whispering, a lot of it. "Who's there?" I asked. I took another step in. Someone ran up the stairs. I stopped to listen as hoof-steps scattered around the top floor. "You know, I just saved this damned country so I would like to point out that I could simply shove you back up you're mother's-"

The lights blared on and everyone sprang out of nowhere, I think Pinkie fell from the ceiling. "Surprise!" everyone shouted.


"What the hell?!" I shouted, flying backwards onto the floor again. Now, I wouldn't have said what I did if I knew that there were ponies here under the age of thirteen. Pinkie Pie jumped on top of me and stared at me directly in the face with the biggest smile I've ever seen.

"Happy birthday!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, almost rupturing my eardrums. Wait, how did they know? It's not like I ever told anyone nor had the audacity to do so.

"H- how did you know?" I asked.

Twilight walked up to me. "What are you talking about? You left a note on the counter."

I did? "I did?" I asked.

Twilight looked confused. "Yeah, It's still there if you want to see it." I got up off the ground and headed towards the kitchen. There was a little yellow Post-It note on the counter and I picked it up and read it.


Dear Twilight,
I'm going out for a bit. BTW, It's my Birthday. Just don't make too much of a big deal of it. K?
-V 
 

"Happy birthday you son of a bitch." Rock Well said behind me, smiling.

I turned around to face him. "You did this, didn't you?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Well hay, some-pony has to do it." 

"You're insane." I said.

Rock Well looked out the window as the light shone through him. His smile slowly shrunk. "I've come to tell ya something important." he mused. "I have to be quick about this before ponies start to think you've gone insane."

I didn't know what he was talking about. I could see him. I knew other ponies could see him "What do you mean?" I asked.

Rock Well looked to the ground. "I'm moving on. I just came here to say good bye." He looked back up to me, his eyes looking tired and old. "No pony else can see me. That's why I want to make this quick." 

I almost didn't want to believe him. Why? I don't know, really. I was the guy who killed him, I wasn't expecting any of this to happen. I said something that me from six months ago would never think to say. "Will I see you again?"

Rock Well was quiet. He stood there, observing the kitchen. "I'm not to sure. I need to go now." Rock Well opened up the window and looked out one last time. "Did you learn anything through this?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Was I supposed to?" I asked.

Rock Well shrugged again. "How about this." He was still looking out the window. A smile grew back. "Things in life aren't always what you would expect. They seem to be so obvious but you soon learn it wasn't like that at all. Basically, just look at the bigger picture and learn from your mistakes. Make sense?"

I thought about it and realized he was right. We thought that beating Malice was so easy that we didn't really think it wouldn't be something so complex. "Yeah. I get it."

Rock Well started to smile again. "Good. My deed is finally done." Rock Well was getting harder and harder to see. He never looked back at me, though. But I'll always remember his face those last seconds I saw him. Relaxed, looking accomplished and determined. I lifted my right hoof and saluted.

"What are you doing?" Twilight asked.

I turned to face her and I smiled. "You know what, Twi. I think I learned something today. A lesson I'll never forget."

Twilight looked surprised. "Really? Well, in that case, let me show you something. In the meantime, come on out! Everybody is waiting for you."

I walked out of the kitchen and Twilight ran upstairs. I wondered why Twilight always had to put emphasis on the body in anybody or something like that. I hung out for a little while and talked to a few ponies. Remember that little filly from Appaloosa? Well apparently, her and her friends were begging me to join their little club due to my deprivation of a cutie-mark. After about five minuets of them begging and me getting clearance from both Applejack and Rarity, I finally accepted to join the Cutie-Mark Crusaders. All I need to do is not screw up.

When the presents came around, things got... interesting.

Rarity's gift was one of the last. It was a wide box so it must have been some kind of clothing. It was when I opened the box things got weird. "Wow... It's- it's a pink dress?"

Everyone just started laughing at Rarity's little joke. Especially Rarity. "You said yourself, Volt. You liked my dresses. You wanted to wear them." she said half-jokingly.

Oh! But there was more in there. She also gave me make up to pretty up my little face. And something at the bottom. It was another dress alright. But not exactly the type you would wear in public. "Is-is- is this a lingerie!?" Rarity was laughing even harder. Of course it was just another adult joke just like everything is. I was just wondering if I was keeping these. Rarity stopped laughing and gave me my real present. It was a picture frame. It looked nice. The edges was kind of a pearly color.

Twilight's gift was a little more practical. She handed me a purple book. It was no doubt it was her own considering the fact that it had her brand all over it. I flipped through the pages. All the words it had were in hoof-writing. Not all of the pages were filled either. I looked up at Twilight. "What's this?" I asked.

"You said you learned a lesson. Why don't you put it down in here. This is where we put in all the lessons we've learned over time. I'd love to see you write in it." she said.

Well, chances are, I won't remember it unless it put it down somewhere. Twilight gave me a quill and I wrote what I had learned. The truth was, I did learn form my mistakes. I learned that things aren't as predictable as you would really expect. I can't even believe it took me this long to finally figure that all out. Something so obvious. 

Now I know for sure that I won't forget this.
> 30: The Letter
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was now or never I thought to myself. I put down the quill to re-read the letter. Here is what it said:

To whom it may concern,


I remember when I had first heard your voices. As I lied there in the hospital bed nearly covered in bandages, you guys were there. I'll never forget that. I didn't even know you, yet you decided it was best to come and see me. All my life, I had been on my own. No one to call a friend let alone a father or mother. But you guys felt like family. My prejudices had once again been proven wrong. Go figure. But while I don't write this for sentimentality, I write this for thanks, forgiveness, and as a final farewell. 
The adventure we had endeavored was certainly a period of bonding and friendship, but I have found no reason, no actual chance to stay here in Ponyville. I know it's not really much, but I am leaving twelve bits. I am leaving that here for all of you as a thanks for all you have done for me. Actions I would never forget.
As I said before, I also ask for your forgiveness. I've never seen anyone quite as forgiving as you guys. So I ask for forgiveness as you try to understand that my staying here would simply be the wrong choice. I would not have the capability of supporting myself and, frankly, I still feel things need to be done. One day, I might be able to revisit you all. But for now, I take my leave. Time has a tendency to catch up to us. I know that, so as you read this I hope you know too. I hope you don't take your time for granted. It's too important for that.  


-Volt

I put down the letter one last time. All I had was the candle light in the darkness that flickered as even the lightest of winds passed through. I looked back at the twelve bits on the desk. It was all I had. But was going to leave it for them. I hadn't used it for a while anyway. Maybe I'll get more sometime.

Astheno hopped onto the desk and looked up at me. I smiled at her. I couldn't help, she was just too cute. "We got to get going soon." I said. It didn't sound right, though.

Did I say it wrong? I don't think so. Then why did it sound wrong? I picked up the note and read it again. Everything was a go. I just had to get up and walk out the door. But for some reason, it didn't seem that easy. What if I could stay?

But how would I get a job? Where would I live. I want to say I'll cross that bridge when I come to it but will I be prepared for that bridge when I do come to it? But maybe, just maybe, I could do something with twelve bits. Maybe I could stay. But do I want to?

I picked up the note and smiled. "Might as well try." I said to myself. I crushed the note until it was a little insignificant ball of paper and ink. I turned in my seat and saw that there was a trashcan about five feet away from me. I decided to have a little fun. "Hay, Astheno? Ten bits says I'll make this shot."

Astheno looked at the trashcan for a moment while I bunched the ten bits into a pile. Astheno hopped over and pulled out two more bits, one in each talon, and put them in the pile. I couldn't help but laugh at that. Of course I had to be quiet about it so I don't wake Twilight. "Alright. Let's see now."

I took a few seconds to aim the ball at the trashcan. I finally took my shot. It didn't go exactly where I wanted it to go. But I didn't matter, I had made the shot anyway. 

I picked up the twelve bits on the desk and dropped them back in my knapsack. After that, I got up and trotted downstairs, quietly. I fell on the crunch and fell asleep.
> 31: Sleep Easy
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As if a slumber party and a surprise birthday party wasn't enough. We had been invited to a ball in Canterlot. The palace was fixed up pretty quickly, mostly because unicorns could do anything under five minuets. I guess I had to go since it was basically about us. Rarity was able to make a tuxedo for me when I was half expecting a dress. I'm just glad I got what I got. Oh, and by way, yeah, I had to keep the dresses Rarity gave me. I gave Twilight the makeup though. In fact she used it for this occasion.

But anyway, my tuxedo was a nice, dark shade of grey so it didn't blend in with my black-as-night fur. I was looking in the mirror adjusting my tie when Rarity came up. "How is it?' she asked.

"It looks nice. I'm very impressed. I prefer this a lot more than a dress." I said.

Rarity giggled. "Now I'll never let you forget it."

Great. I finished with my tie and turned to Rarity. "Well, how do I look. Good enough?"

Rarity looked closely at me. She put a hoof on her chin and looked closely at my shoulder. "Is that- cake?" she asked. I looked at my shoulder and there was a little brown crumb. I looked back at the plate of brownies. Pinkie Pie had helped Rarity make the batch and Sweetie Bell, Rarity's little sister, stole one for me since I was in the club now. I half expected her to get her cutie-mark for that. Wait, did I say cutie-mark? I meant... oh nevermind. If you can't beat 'em... I'm still saying someone, though. Because like I said, not everyone is a pony. "I remember when I first saw you in that hospital bed..." Rarity mused.

I felt a wave of awkwardness over me. "Oh, you do, huh?" I asked.

"Yes very well. You looked so beat up and a little uncomfortable. I could certainly tell that when Pinkie Pie came up and spoke to you. And, well to admit it. I sort of had a crush on you."

My eyes widened and I shot back. "Whoa! What?!" I asked.

Rarity laughed. "Yes, yes. I mean, if you could fight a bear, you must be strong. Right?"

"Well, it was more like I was almost killed by it and was wrapped in bandages and rescued by females. So..." 

"Well, yeah." She said. "But we're friends now. And to be honest, I don't think I'm quite ready yet."

Wow, friend -zoned. "Well, I guess same here." I said. Rarity hugged me. Well, I wasn't! I had never dated anyone so obviously I wouldn't know what to do and- "Oh crap! We're going to miss the train!" I shouted.

"What? Oh dear! Where's Derpy?"

"Derpy?" I asked. Right then, there was a knock at the door. Rarity threw the door open to a grey fur pony with asymmetrical eyes like I've never seen before. I guess Maiden was right. Make a silly face and it gets stuck that way.

"Hi Rarity." Derpy said.

Rarity was rushing out the door and pulling me alongside her but she stopped for just a moment. "Hi Derpy. Listen we need to go now. I'm sorry for the commotion. Oh, and there's twenty bits on the table for pizza. Okay bye."

Just before I was dragged away I saw Sweetie Bell. She was sitting on the floor. She winked at me and gave a very mischievous smile. Oh crap. She saw that!? "You keep your mouth shut you little-"

"Come on, Volt! We need to go!"

We hurried along to the train station and made it just on time. The rest were all standing around looking both kinds of anxious. Me and Rarity were lucky we didn't get on the train, though. "What are you guys rushing for?" Fluttershy asked. "You're ten minuets early."

Me and Rarity looked at each other, exchanging confused looks. "Ten minuets? But Twilight, you said twelve o' clock." I said.

Twilight snorted a laugh. "I said I was going to be at the station at twelve. The train comes at twelve ten." Twilight's dragon friend was sitting on top of her. Talking to Pinkie Pie about something in which I wasn't paying any attention to.

Rarity dug her hoof in her face and sighed. I just brushed a little of the brownie off my shirt that Rarity didn't see that I just found. I checked one more time, just in case. Alright I got- oh wait. Okay, now I got it.  As we waited, we all just kind of stood there in silence. Thinking to ourselves. Imagining the outcome. Well- I was at least. I wondered what everyone else was thinking. 

I was actually quite surprised that Applejack and Rainbow Dash were wearing dresses. They didn't seem the type. But hay, the looked alright. And no, I do not plan on trying their dresses out. The train finally pulled in after ten minuets of mostly silence. I checked my pocket for my ticket. Had it. I brought my twelve bits too for some reason. I wasn't going to need it. 

We all stepped onto the train and the conductor was taking the tickets. I stepped up to him and smiled. "Hello sir! May I..." A young stallion, late-twenties, thin, taller than me and yellow fur which complemented the way he looked. I remember him. And he remembered me. "Uh. T-ticket?" He asked, very nervously.

I just kept smiling at him. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my ticket, with a little something else. "Here you go." I said. I gave him the ticket along with twelve bits. He looked down, surprised. "For your help." I said and walked away dignified. I don't know why, though. I had given him the last of my bits. You know what? Let him keep it.

None of us were expecting it. But we had a car all of our own. The seats were all warm and fluffy and there was a little cart of appetizers and some fancy looking guy with no other importance then to bend over and massage your hoofs. Now I know what it's like to be pampered. I don't really care for it, though. I'm really more of an outdoorsy kind of guy. But this is fine. Spike and Astheno were hogging all the food for themselves and Neon just inspected them. Probably wondering what food tasted like. Or maybe what taste tasted like. But I didn't mind. I wasn't hungry. 

The train stopped and when we all got out. We were escorted to the palace. The silly looking palace was looking silly as usual. And when I walked in the place was fixed! I really liked the way Malice did it but they just had to fix it. We were soon met by the princesses. Celestia, Luna and Cadence. And Shining Armor and Blueblood were there, too. But everyone forgets who they are. I bowed and so did everyone else when we saw them. Rarity saw Blueblood and gave him the utmost nastiest look I've ever seen her make. They must have some type of history. Blueblood just backed up awkwardly. I didn't ask any questions. Just watched things happen.

The rest of the day was basically the same way. Ponies walked up to me and shook my hoof and went on to the next pony to shake hoofs with. Some would strike up conversations and others wouldn't look me in the eye. I walked into a guard and almost had a heart attack. He had a scar across his neck. "Remember me?" he asked in a strict voice.

I remembered him. The guard who's throat I slit, but not enough to kill him? Yeah, him. He winked at me and just walked away. That was weird. At least I know he's not after me. So later, we had to go up as Celestia ands Luna spoke on and on about our heroic gesture and their gratitude and all that stuff that takes a hour and a half to finish. At the end we were given money for some reason. But hay, three hundred bits ain't too bad, you got to admit. The rest of the party was very anti-climactic so you wouldn't want to hear about all that. I liked it, though.  

When the whole thing started to play down and ponies were leaving, Celestia asked us personally to stay a little while longer. When everybody left, or at least we thought everyone left since the place is so freaking big it's easy to miss someone, Princess Celestia led us to her throne room and locked the door behind us. She took a deep breath and finally started to speak. "There is something I feel I should admit to you all." she said. "It has to do with Malice."

Wait. I think I might know this story. "When I was young, in the prime of my rule, I met a young filly." she started off. I shifted uncomfortably. "Her name was Charm. She was very gifted in magic and I wanted her to become my apprentice." She started to pace back and forth. "She had passed all of the tests I had given her except one. The last one. She spent months trying to figure it out. And she did it. Or so I thought." Ooooo, so dramatic. Much scare. "She used an illusion spell and I was- I was stupid enough to not see past it. I gave her what I had given Twilight. But it turned out, Charm never existed. It was Malice all along." Huh, I don't remember Malice saying anything about illusion spells much less pretending to be someone else.

Twilight's eyes widened in complete shock. "Wh- what happened next?" she asked.

"She got away." Celestia said. "I never saw her again. I didn't act fast enough to revoke the spell and gave her exactly what she wanted. When I saw her a month ago, I almost didn't want to believe she came back. And after all these years, I simply couldn't remove the spell anymore. She had become one with it."

I guess you could say that everyone was shocked but me. I was already told. But now the truth was out in the open. I looked around at everyone. Twilight was walking up to Celestia. For some reason, I felt that Twilight was going to just slap her across the face. I know how much that whole quest pissed her off in the end, but that didn't happen. Twilight hugged Celestia. "Every-pony makes mistakes, Princess." Celestia seemed to approve of this and held Twilight a little tighter.

Everyone else went up to do the same thing. Me and Neon just watched and smiled at this group hug I never would have imagined to see. I went to turn to Rock Well to see what he thought of this. He wasn't there, though. I turned to look at Neon. "So..." I said.

Neon shrugged. "What?" he asked.

"I don't know." I said. I certainly wasn't planning on hugging a princess. It made me wonder how they could even do that without getting interrogated by some guards or whatever. Well, I guess Twilight basically helps with that matter, so yeah.

Once we were dismissed, I was about to walk out the door when I realized something.  Maverick. "Hold up you guys." I told them. I walked back up to Celestia. "I think I should bring up a matter that needs some tending to." I said.

Celestia looked at and smiled warmly. "Yes?" she asked.

I thought very carefully about what I was going to say. "Slavery, I think we should do something about it." I started off.

Celestia's smile shrunk. "Say why."

"Well, Malice said that one of the things that helped her gain power was the whole slavery thing. I just thought that maybe, to prevent someone like her from coming, it should be abolished." I awaited her reaction.

The princess sighed. "I've been doing my best to take care of that. Scarcity of jobs is what is keeping me from getting rid of slavery. But maybe your insight might support the issue. I'll see what I could do."

When I was finished and walked away, Twilight came up to me. "That was a good thing to do. I think Celestia will be able to change a few minds with that."

I smiled. "I hope"

On the way home, it was nothing but talk. We talked about random things that came to our minds for some reason. Me, Spike and Applejack were in a rough match of Go Fish. Spike has quite a poker face, I'll tell you that. Applejack's on the other hoof, well, it can be troubling to be so honest all the time. So thanks to Applejack's horrible skill at card games, I won. I actually won somehow! What did I win? Absolutely nothing! The game was fun, though. Intense.

Me, Twilight and Spike were walking home in the dark, but we used Neon's light to see the way there. When we got the Library, Twilight asked an interesting question. "Where are you going, Neon?" 

Neon shrugged and gave an interesting answer. "I don't know. Maybe I can find a lake or something. I might live in one of those."

"You're going to live in a lake?" I asked. It was certainly odd that someone would live in a like.

Neon just gave me a are-you-kidding-me look. He disappeared and reappeared in his liquid form. "Yeah. I am."

Oh, that made sense. He could turn into water and go in a lake and- yes, yes indeed. Heh. "That's cool." Spike said, marveled.  

So anyway, since Neon had himself figured out, me and Twilight said goodnight and walked inside. Spike went right to bed and I pulled off my tux and threw myself on the couch. "Night, Twi." I said, falling asleep.

That didn't last, though. "Volt?" Twilight said. "What's this?" Twilight was looking at a crumpled up piece of paper illuminated by a purple light. Wait...

"Crap!" I nearly shouted as I fell off the couch. I ran up to Twilight and snatched the paper out of her possession. "Oh, That?" I said with my mouth full of paper and ink. Didn't taste good. "Ish noshing. Jus paper. Noshing important." I spat it out. I couldn't take the taste anymore. 

Twilight swung a hoof around my shoulders and held me tight. "I'm glad you're staying." she said. I wanted to, I almost, nearly, did, I did hug Twilight back. "If you need anything," she said. "I'll be here. I'll be right here.'

We both yawned when we let go of each other. "We should probably go to bed now." I said.

Twilight smiled at me. "Goodnight." And she headed upstairs. I watched her as the darkness of the top floor engulfed her. And listened as she walked herself to bed.

I threw myself back on the couch. Astheno landed on my nose and looked down at me. I smiled at her. "Goodnight." I said to her.

She flew off to perch herself on a bookshelf to go to sleep. I could feel myself sinking onto the couch. You know how when you had a really long day and you finally lie down and your muscles feel like they're melting and it feels so good and relieving? That's what I'm talking about. I haven't felt that ever since the quest. Now that I feel it now, it's almost too good to be true. I was slowly dosing off to a long sleep and everything just lost it's meaning. When I wake up it'll be a different day. Different things and different places. And I wasn't going anywhere tomorrow. But do you know what the best part of this sleep was? No bad dreams. For once in over a month, I was finally able to sleep easy.


The End