> Worlds collide
>  by shadowshild612
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> James
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Light slowly crept its way through the thick heavy cumulonimbus clouds as a gentle light rain fell like teardrops slowly sliding down the face of a windowsill.  A young man with blond hair stared out of the window with a sad frown, gently fiddling with a Jade and Emerald pendant around his neck. The pendant was small with golden carvings and runes wrapped around a small Jade and Emerald jewel that were fused together into a yin yang symbol with the gold wrapped around it like an atom, a small smile forming on his lips as he thought about the young girl… no. The young dragoness that gave it to him.

Eighteen years ago. 

James sat with a small smile as he watched the sky, a crisp winter breeze blew through his snowy home in Alaska. Small flakes of snow falling gently to the ground as snow clouds roamed over the tundra like lions on the Savannah. 

"James! It's time for dinner! Go get your father!" A woman's voice echoed from the house a good distance away.

"Yes mom!" James called back, rushing into the woods where his father worked to trap game, and where he in particular loved to explore. While he ran, jumped, and swung through the forest with a wide smile on his face, James noticed a glowing light coming from a cave.

The young adventurous boy rushed into the cave with a smile, thinking it was his dad. However, after three steps into the cave a patch of dark ice forced him to lose his balance and fall down the cave becoming surrounded in the bright light. 

After a few moments of waiting for his head to stop spinning he started to hear a voice. “Hello? Are you alright?”

"My head hurts… and why does it feel so warm?" He asked in confusion, slowly sitting up as he rubbed his head. 

When he looked at his hand he saw blurry red splotches before hearing a gasp. When he looked up he saw a purple blur in front of him as his eyes couldn't focus. “Oh my gosh! You are bleeding!”

"I-i am?" He asked, slowly reaching his hand up to his face. 

He felt a firm grip on his hand, it was both soft but also scally. “Come with me, you can stand, right? My big sister Twilight will be able to help you.”

"U-um..  ok… but my mom says I'm not supposed to go with strangers… so my name's James." He said with a soft smile as he slowly stood up. 

The purple blur let out a soft giggle. “She sounds like a smart mare, my name is Barb.” She then helped James onto his feet.

"Mare?" He thought to himself in confusion, as Barb slowly helped him walk. "Barb huh? That's… a unique and cute name." 

Barb was quiet for a moment before shyly asking. “Y-you think so?” 

"Um, yeah? It's not like any name I've heard before." James said with a small smile, trying to wipe away the blood from his face. 

Barb blushed bright red and shook her head. “You must be dizzy from blood loss!” She started pulling him.

"Huh? What are you talking about!" He asked, in surprise as Barb pulled him faster. 

“Let’s just get you to my sister.” Barb said as they left the cave and the bright sun blinded James.

"Gah! My eyes, where are we!?" He asked in shock, tripping a little as Barb pulled him along. 

“We are just outside Canterlot.” She said while pulling him towards tall white and gold blurs.

"Canterlot?" He asked confused, tripping and falling on his face. "Ow…" 

“Oh I’m sorry.” She helped him up.

"It's alright." James said, rubbing his face more as a regal voice called out. 

"Barbara, what are you doing?" It asked. 

“You highness! I found this…guy in a cave and he is bleeding.” Barb said to a tall white blur.

"Oh my, are you alright young one?" The voice asked, as James' eyes slowly began to clear up. 

"Y-yeah ma'am, d-did Barb just call you your highness?" He asked in confusion, rubbing his eyes. 

“Yes, I am Princess Celestia.” The voice said as James suddenly started to float in the air. “Allow me to take you to my infirmary.”

"W-whoa! What's going on!?" James asked in shock, his eyes slowly focusing to see a tall white pony with a horn and wings staring at him with a gentle smile. "Uhhh…." 

“You can relax, I have a hold of you with my magic.” The white pony said with a gentle smile as she started walking.

"Magic!?" James asked in shock, his eyes rolling into the back of his head as he passed out. 

A small purple dragon walked up to princess Celestia. “Oh no, is he alright?”

Celestia smiled a little. "I'm sure he's fine Barbra, but how about you tell me what you were doing in a cave?" 

Barb blushed lightly and tapped her claws together. “I was looking for some gems.”

Celestia smiled softly as she gently laid James down on a bed in the medical wing. "And where did he come from?" 

“I don’t know, I saw a flash of light and when I went to check it out I found him on the ground bleeding.” Barb said with a small shrug.

"I see… would you be ok with me using a spell to read your memory to make things easier?" Celestia asked Barb with a gentle smile. 

She nodded her head. “Of course, I trust you always Princess, but shouldn’t Twilight be here too?”

"Twilight is studying and you know how she is." Celestia said with a giggle as her horn began glowing and gently set it to barbs forehead. As she watched Barb’s memories she saw the strange being introduce itself as ‘James’ and complement Barb's name.

Celestia grinned slightly at Barb with a giggle. "He likes your name huh?" 

Barb blushed bright red. “It had to be from blood loss.” 

"Barb, from what I've seen he hasn't lost enough for that. Besides, just because he likes your name doesn't mean anything." She said with a gentle smile. 

Barb continued to blush and looked away. “Ok.”

Celestia giggled a little bit more as James groaned as slowly began Opening his eyes. "Mom? I just had the weirdest dream…" 

Celestia smiled a bit while staying out of his sight for now. “Oh? What was the dream about?”

"I fell down a cave and met a talking horse…" He said rubbing his head

“A what?” Celestia asked, shocked to be called such a thing as Barb gasped and covered her mouth.

"A horse, it could talk and had a horn and wings." James said again, rubbing at his eyes and blinking them slowly. 

Celestia was confused and a bit upset. “That isn’t a very nice thing to call somepony young colt.” 

James made a confused look as he blinked his eyes more, looking at Celestia in shock as his mouth dropped open. "You're real… I must be dreaming." 

“No you are not dreaming, and where did you learn such vulgar language?” Celestia asked with a small frown.

James just blinked at her in confusion, before glancing around for a moment and raising an eyebrow at her. "Vulgar language?" 

“You called me a whorse.” Celestia said with her frown growing.

James looked even more confused. "But… you are? You're a horse, you have hooves and trot around." 

Celestia blinked a bit. “O-oh you mean…I am sorry I misunderstood what you meant.” She blushed lightly at her mistake.

James tilted his head in confusion as Barb walked over. "What do you mean Princess?" 

Celestia coughed into a hoof. “That is…uh…not something young ones need to know about.” 

James blinked again and shook his head a bit, before turning his head and staring at Barb for a long time in shock. 

Barb blushed and hid behind Celestia. “Stay still and let me take care of that cut.” Celestia said with a soft smile as her horn started to glow.

James blinked a bit as he stared at Celestia in worry. "Um… two things, first off it won't hurt will it? And second… is that a dragon!?" He asked in excitement before looking at Barb again. 

“In that order, it shouldn't as I am casting a healing spell, and yes she is a dragon.” Celestia said with a soft giggle then placed her horn on his forehead head the cut was and it began to heal.

James still simply stared at Barb in awe. "This is so cool! I've always wanted to meet a real dragon! Can you breathe fire? How strong are you? Do you eat people-" 

Barb blushed a bit more as James started asking her questions. “I…I can breathe fire, I am not that strong, and I would never eat somepony!”

James blinked a bit before smiling. "Wait you're the one that found me right? I recognize your voice… um… Barb right?" 

She nodded shyly before hiding behind Celestia’s hind leg. “Y-yeah that's me.”

James looked confused at her reaction. "Why are you hiding? I just wanted to say thanks for helping me." 

Celestia smiled softly and stepped to the side. “I believe Barbara is a bit shy after your little compliment about her name.”

James blinked for a moment. "About it being cute? Sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." 

Barb blushed more and looked down shyly. “I…I am not uncomfortable, just not used to ponies complimenting my name, or anything about me really.”

"Ponies? I'm not a pony." James said, blinking in confusion. 

“I can see that, but that is what everypony says.” Barb said with a brighter blush.

Celestia giggled a bit. “Would you mind telling us what you are?”

"Um, human?" James said as if it was obvious. 

“A human?” Celestia asked in surprise and tapped her chin in thought. “I see…well do you know how you got here?”

James frowned slightly and shook his head. "No, I was looking for my dad when I saw a light in a cave. I thought it was him so I went to look and… I slipped, next thing I know Barb was trying to wake me up." 

“Strange, there was a flash of light before I found you too.” Barb said, also confused.

Celestia hummed a bit, tapping her chin more. "I see… there is an old legend of a portal opening up occasionally from another world, one of ice and snow."

"Ice and snow? That sounds like my home! Alaska!" James said with a smile.

“Alaska? It must be very far.” Barb said before she did a double take and looked at Celestia. “I’m sorry princess, but did you say another world?!”

Celestia giggled with a nod. "Yes, another world where ponies are mere animals from what I remember. Do you not remember the old legends I once told you?" 

“The story of the humans?” Barb asked.

Celestia nodded with a smile as James looked confused. "There's a story about us?" 

“Yeah, it was said that a human once came to our world and saved the world from a great evil!” Barb said with a lot of excitement before she blushed and down at the ground.

James smiled a little. "Really? That's cool!" 

“Yes, while it sounds cool, the story has some dark implications.” Celestia said with a small frown.

"What do you mean?" James asked with a frown.

“The story said that the great evil may return one day.” Celestia said with a frown as she looked out a window. “It was just a legend even when I was a filly.”

James' eyes widened in shock. "What does that mean?" 

“Most of the legend has been lost due to time.” Celestia said with a sigh.

James looked down a bit and nodded slowly, before wiping some sweat off his forehead. "It's so hot here…" he said, unzipping his large black and red coat, letting the two ponies see a black shirt with a red spider symbol on its front. "Um… when can I go home?" He asked them with a slight frown. 

“We will have to look for the doorway to your world, but there is no guarantee the portal will be open.” Celestia said sadly.

James' eyes widened in shock, his breath slowly quickening. "W-what? N-no…" 

Barb saw this and slowly came closer and placed a hand on his knee. “H-hey you could probably stay in the castle till the princess can find you a way home.”

James teared up as he shook a little. "B-but that could take a long time… m-my mom, my dad…" 

Barb frowned a bit as she gently rubbed his knee. “I am sure the princess will work hard to find the door…do um…do you want to meet my sister maybe?” She asked, trying to cheer him up.

James rubbed his eyes a little, looking at her with a small sniffle. "Y-your sister? Twilight right?" 

Barb nodded her head. “She is a bit of a bookworm but she is nice…most of the time.”

"M-most of the time?" James asked worriedly. 

Celestia giggled a bit as she helped James off the bed. “Twilight is my personal student and she tends to…obsess with her studying. Perhaps you can try and become her friend.”

"Studying? S-she isn't a mad scientist is she?" James asked worriedly, hugging his coat to his chest. 

Barb giggled and covered her mouth. “Don’t call her that but sometimes she has to know how something works.”

James nodded slowly as Celestia smiled gently. "Come with me, I'll show you the way. And Barb, don't let Twilight study him." 

“Yes ma’am, can I say it is an order from you?” Barb asked as they started to follow her.

"Of course." Celestia said with a gentle smile, as James shook more.

"St-study me?" He asked fearfully. 

Barb patted his back. “She would just try to find out what you can do and what kind of magic you have.”

James blinked a bit as he looked Barb in the eye. "Magic? Humans don't have magic." 

“You don’t?” Barb asked, confused. “But everypony has magic.”

"Humans don't, we only have fake magic." He said with a sad look. 

“Hmm, interesting.” Celestia said softly as she looked James over.

James blushed a bit at the attention, moving behind Barbra to hide slightly. Barb blushed slightly but put an arm around James. “It's ok, the princess is very kind, she won’t hurt you.”

James blushed more as Barb put her arm around him. "O-ok… i-i've never been away from home before… I'm… scared." 

“Do not worry, you have my word, I will find a way for you to return.” Celestia said to him with a gentle smile.

James nodded slowly as they continued to walk, a few ponies giving James confused and slightly disgusted looks making him shrink in on himself. Barb instinctively got closer and made soft growls at the ones who glared at James.

Celestia blinked a bit as she glanced back at the two, smiling softly as they walked up a tall tower. James stared at the ground with a frown as he began humming a tune while a maid walked past them, glancing at James in disgust. "What a horrific creature." She mumbled, making James freeze up a bit. 

Barb hissed a bit. “You don’t look so pretty yourself, I mean that mane style with your coat color? Not to mention your overuse of makeup, who are you trying to impress?”

The mare gasped in shock as Celestia smiled gently, putting her wings around Barb and James as the three walked into the room in the tall tower. Barb crossed her arms and huffed some flames. “The nerve of that mare, saying so mean about somepony she doesn't even know!”

Celestia walked forward a bit while looking around with a nod. "Indeed, ponies can be very rude to things they don't know. Especially the nobles." She said as James knelt down and hugged his legs to himself. 

Barb saw this and walked back to him. “Hey don’t worry, Twilight is nothing like that mare.”

James sobbed a bit as he hugged his legs to himself more. "I-im a freak here…" 

“No you’re not!” Barb said as she gently shook him. “You are my friend.”

"Uh-huh?" He asked, looking at her with a teary and confused look. "B-but we just met…" 

“So?” Barb asked with a light blush. “You seem nice and I don’t see why we can't be friends.”

He stared at her for a moment before whipping his eyes a little and resting his head on his knees. "T-thanks…" 

She smiled and rubbed his back. “It's what friends are for.”

James sighed a bit as he looked away a little. "What… What if it's years before I can get home? They'll think I'm dead…" 

“If it comes to that, I would be willing to come with you to explain.” Celestia said with a gentle smile as she wrapped a wing around his back.

James sighed a bit as he looked up at her with a frown. "That isn't a good idea… There's not much to do where I live, so I go to the library all the time. And all the books say the same thing. The leaders of my world will see you as an alien and attack without a second thought…" 

Celestia frowned sadly. “I see…it seems humans have changed quite a lot.”

James hung his head as he sighed a bit, nodding slowly. "Yeah, that's why I prefer to read comics…" 

"Comics!?" Barb asked happily, before blushing red in embarrassment again and looking down. 

“Yeah, I always read comics whenever I get a new one.” James said with a small smile. “I know most girls don't like comics but they are cool.”

Barbara blushed a bit as she kicked her foot shyly, while Celestia giggled. "Barb loves comics." She said as a young pony with a purple coat and mane walked in with a book in her face. 

“She does?” James asked in surprise before he was bumped into by the purple pony.

"Huh?" The pony asked, moving the book as she stared at James in shock. "What in the world is this thing!?" 

“Twilight! He isn’t a thing, he is my friend!” Barb said as she held James’ hand.

Twilight blinked in surprise as Celestia giggled, while James looked at the hand Barbra was holding with a small blush. "Twilight, this is James. A human." 

“A human? I am sorry princess but that is ridiculous, humans are just an old mare’s tail.” Twilight said as she set the book down.

James frowned and looked down a little, hanging his head slightly. "Twilight! You're upsetting him!" Barb said angrily, still holding James hand. 

“How do we know he is a human? He could be something else saying he is human.” Twilight said.

James teared up and whimpered a bit as Barb glared at Twilight. "Twilight, you're making him cry!" 

"Twilight, James here explained in detail the same phenomenon as from the human story." Celestia said before smiling. "Every detail was the same, even some things that the story doesn't say." 

“R-really?” She gasped as she looked at Celestria. “I am sorry I didn’t believe you princess.”

Celestia smiled gently as she nuzzled Twilight's cheek, as James sadly walked over to a corner and sat down. "It is alright my faithful student, I would like you to take care of him. I need to try and figure out a way to send him home." 

“Me? But…I am just a filly!” Twilight said and looked back at her book. “Plus I have so much to study.”

"Just look after him, he needs company right now." Celestia said with a smile. "He's lost and away from his family…" 

Barb frowned a bit as she looked at James, sitting in the corner sadly. Twilight sighed and lowered her head. “Yes princess, anything else?”

"Yes, do not pry or study him too much. Not until he is ready to open up." Celestia said, looking at James as he sat silently crying and humming a tune. 

Barb was sitting next to him and rubbing his back as Twilight nodded. “Ok Princess, I will do my best.”

Celestia smiled softly and nuzzled the filly again, before she and Twilight slowly walked over to Barb and James. "James, this is Twilight." 

"Hi…" James said softly as he stared at the ground still, unable to comprehend what was fully going on. 

Twilight nervously rubbed her leg. “Um…do you like books?”

James glanced up at her and nodded a little bit. "Y-yeah, I like adventure books." 

“Adventure books? Hmm.” Twilight looked around her library. “Barb, do we have any of those?”

Barb smiled a little and nodded, getting up and running over to a section of the library. "Yeah, over here with your daring doo collection." 

"Daring doo?" James whispered in confusion. 

“It is a nice series, even though there's only two books in it so far.” Twilight said as she used her magic to lift the books over and out of Barb’s claws. “Here you go.”

James blinked a bit as he looked at the large books in front of him. "What's wrong?" Celestia asked, confused. 

"Um… My teacher says I only have a third grade reading level despite being in fifth grade. I can't really understand some of these words…" he said looking at the massive texts of writing. "Do you have any comic books?" 

“I have ton…I mean…I have some.” Barb said with a soft blush.

"How many is some?" James asked with a small smile. "I have a whole closet full." 

Barb lightly kicked the floor. “Um…I could show you if you promise not to male fun of me.”

"Why would I make fun of you?" James asked confusedly as he stood up. 

“I don’t know…” She said shyly before she started walking. “Follow me.”

James followed her with a small smile as Twilight looked confused. "I… don't understand." 

“Twilight, I believe Barb has a crush on mister James.” Celestia whispered with a giggle.

"What!?" Twilight yelled in shock. "But they just met!" 

“From what I saw it is just a fillyhood crush, let her have some fun Twilight. After all, he is the first colt to complement her name.” Celestia said with a soft smile.

Twilight still looked confused as she watched Barb and James walk away. "But… do we even know how old he is?" 

“We don’t…but I believe he is a child.” Celestia said as she nuzzled Twilight.

Twilight sighed a bit and frowned. "I still want to be sure…" she mumbled. 

“I know Twilight, would you feel better if I asked Cadence to come help you watch him?” Celestia asked as she stood up fully.

"Cadence!? Yes, yes, yes!" Twilight said, bouncing up and down with a smile. 

Celestia giggled a bit and used a wing to stop Twilight’s hopping. “Calm down, Twilight.”

Twilight blushed and hung her head slightly. "Y-yeah your majesty." 

Barb and James walked back over with a handful of comic books each, while James smiled widely at Barb. "I'm so jealous! You have thirty mint condition comics!! I only have two! Those are gonna be worth a lot of money in the future!" 

Barb was blushing and shyly looked down. “Thank you, but I don’t think I would sell them.”

James smiled wider. "Of course not! Everyone that collects stuff knows it's the sentimental value that means the most!" 

Barb smiled a bit more. “That is true, I hope you like my comics.”

"I'm sure I will, they seem almost just like the ones from back home. Just pony themed, like Spider mare, that's similar to Spider man from my world, he got bitten by a radioactive spider!" James said, but he and Barb finished the last line together with smiles.

“And after her aunt’s death she dedicated her life to using her great power to uphold her great responsibility!” Barb said with a smile.

"Yeah! But for Spiderman, it was his uncle. Though personally my favorite version is Miles Morales, he has this cool ability to turn invisible-" James said before Barb interrupted him. 

“And has venom shocks?! He sounds just like Marble Muncher!” Barb said with excitement.

James smiled widely as his cheeks turned a little pink, nodding with enthusiasm. "What about green lantern?" 

“Hmm what does her powers do?” Barb asked.

James grinned. "He uses a ring forged out of pure willpower that lets him fly, breathe in space-" 

"And make hard light constructs!?" Barb asked with a broad smile as her eyes sparkled. "That's just like Radiance! But her color is pink!" 

“That sounds like the Star Sapphires, they're basically the same thing as a green lantern but they are pink and powered by love.” James said with a chuckle.

Barb blushed slightly at that. "l-love…? U-um, what about Filly second? Running really fast like so fast she leaves a streak of color behind her."

“Sounds like the Flash or Quicksilver.” James said while tapping his chin. “Does she have lightning around her when she goes really fast?”

Barb nodded a little as she kicked the ground slightly, her arms behind her back making her look beyond cute. James blushed lightly after noticing how cute Barb is, then he looked away. “O-oh th-then she sounds like a Flash, maybe she can tap into the speed force.” His eyes suddenly widened as he gasped.

"What's wrong?" Barb, Twilight, and Celestia asked. 

“The speed force!” James said with joy. “If this world exists, that means other worlds exist as well! The speed force is connected to every world! If we can tap into it I can get home!”

Barb looked down a little at the ground, kicking it again as Twilight tapped her chin. "how would we do that?" 

“It's simple we…we…” James' smile fell as he started losing hope. “We would have to run so fast we break the sound, light, and time barriers.”

Barb frowned a bit before she gently put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, it'll be ok, I'm sure the princess can get you home."

“Ok.” He said weakly as he sat down and looked at the comics. “Sorry for being bothersome.”

Barb frowned and walked over sitting with him. "You're not a bother." She said with a gentle smile, making James blush a bit again. "Can I read the comics with you?" 

“S-sure, these are your comics after all.” He said shyly.

Barb smiled shyly as well as the two started to read together, making Celestia smile as she and Twilight walked away. “I will send a message to Cadence before heading down to the caves to investigate where young James entered our world to see if I can find the door.”

Twilight nodded slowly as she glanced at Ken and Barb as they read together. "Barbs… growing up so fast…" 

Celestia smiled a bit teasingly. “Well all foals have to grow and leave the nest someday, all mothers go through this feeling.”

Twilight blinked a bit and blushed slightly. "I'm not her mom…" 

Celestia giggled more. “Are you sure? You seem to be going to the momma bird blues.”

Twilight huffed. "She's like a little sister to me…"

Celestia rubbed Twilight’s head. “I know Twilight, I am just teasing.”

Twilight nodded a little as she glanced at Barb and James again, noticing the two had fallen asleep on each other's heads. “Please hurry princess, I…don’t think it is a good idea to keep James around too long.” Twilight said softly.

"What do you mean?" Celestia asked with a sad frown. 

Twilight walked over to her books. “He is going to leave eventually, he should go before Barb gets too attached and he breaks her heart.”

Celestia looked down slightly and nodded slowly. "You're right… but I don't believe it would only be her heart broken." She said looking back at James and Barbara. 

“Maybe…” Twilight said as she sat down and started reading.

Celestia sighed a bit as she summoned a piece of paper, and began writing on it before it vanished in a puff of smoke. "Cadence will be here soon." 

A few days later Barb and James have gotten closer, sharing their love of comic books and harmless pranks, though they did end up getting pranked by Princess Celestia herself at one point. Today is a special day as it is Barb’s hatching day.

"What am I gonna do…" James muttered to himself as he walked around thinking about Barb's birthday, as Celestia walked by. 

“Is something wrong James?” Celestia asked as she turned to face him.

"Huh? Oh, I um. I was hoping to get something for Barb for her birthday, but I don't have any money and I just learned it's her birthday!" James said with a whine. 

She smiled warmly. “That is very sweet of you, I am sure she would be happy with just you being there.” She then looked side to side very suspiciously making sure that they are alone before she leaned in and whispered. “But if you really want to give her a gift I could give you some bits and a guard to keep you safe so you can get her something.”

"Wait really?!" He asked in surprise.

She nodded with a wink. “Yes, I was meaning to give you a bit of an allowance to help you get some things to make you feel more comfortable until I can find a way back for you.”

"T-thank you ma'am!" James said, bowing. 

Celestia smiled softly. “You don’t have to thank me, I am sorry I haven't been able to find the portal home yet.”

Zack frowned a little as he looked down. "I-its alright, I understand you're busy. But it is partly a good thing I get to hang out with Barb more…" he said with a smile, before blushing slightly. "A-and Twilight of course!" 

Celestia giggled a little. “Of course, follow me and I shall get you the bits and a guard.”

James blushed more and followed her, standing outside of a doorway with a guard as Celestia passed the guard a piece of paper. "Take this and young James here, and help him get whatever he needs." 

“Yes ma’am!” The guard said with a salute.

"Thank you, oh and captain. It's for Barb." Celestia said with a giggle as she trotted away. 

The guard’s eyes widened slightly. “Barb?”

James blushed a bit as he looked down. "James wants to get her something for her birthday!" Celestia called back before turning a corner. 

The guard looked at James. “You know Barb? wait…James…you are the human I have heard about!”

"Y-you've heard of me?" James asked, confused.

“Yeah, my sisters talk about you a lot, mostly Barb though.” He said before rubbing his leg. “So where are we going?”

"B-barb and Twilight are your sisters!?" James asked in shock as he hung his head shyly. "T-the comic bookstore sir…." 

“Alright, follow me, and yes they are my sisters, my name is Shining Armor.” He said as they started walking.

"I-it's nice to meet you sir." James said nervously as he followed the stallion. 

“You can relax James, unless you plan on dating my sister Twilight, I won’t hurt you.” Shining said with a chuckle.

James blushed a bit but looked confused. "Huh? U-um… why didn't you include Barb in that? N-not that I'd try to date her! I just find it strange…" 

Shining frowned a bit and looked down. “I…am not sure, I guess I see Twilight as my baby sister but Barb…she has always been more like…um…I don’t know how to word it.”

James frowned a little as the two walked, while ponies stared at James in disgust. The human whimpered a bit, hugging himself as the two turned a corner and bumped into a pony. "Oh, what in Celestia's name is this? Sir, you should really consider your pets better." The pony said to Shining Armor as James whimpered more, tearing up. 

“Sir, this is not a pet, he is a guest of the princess and will be shown respect.” Shining armor said while stomping a hoof. 

"This thing? A guest of the princess? How revolting." The pony stuck up his nose with a snort, as James hung his head and slowly began walking past the pony. "See? It doesn't even argue back, it knows it's a freak! Just like that dragon." 

James' eyes widened as he slowly turned around to the pony, glaring at him causing him to flinch at the look. "Say that again, and I'll rip your mane out."  

“This thing just threatened me! I demand you put it in the dungeons where it belongs!” The pony said but Shining stepped towards the pony. 

“No, you need to apologize and leave.” Shining said with a frown. “Not only did you insult a guest of the princess, but you also insulted my little adopted sister.”

"Fine I will apologize to this creature, but that dragon is still a freak of na-" The pony began, before suddenly a splash of muddy water hit his coat. 

"Oops." James said, crossing his arms angrily standing in a puddle. "My bad."

“Why you excellent little-!” His horn started to glow.

James backed up a little as Shining Armor stepped between the Pony and James. "If you continue I shall arrest you, you are attempting to assault the guest of the princess."

“That brat just ruined my suit!” The pony shouted.

"And it was an accident, or are you so foalish you will attack a child?" Shining questions as James smirked from behind him. 

The pony growled and glared at James. “I will make sure you pay for my suit!” He said before stomping off.

Shining Armor turned to James who looked down a little, before the stallion smiled and ruffled his head. "Nice job kid, you defended Barb." 

James shyly looked away. “I…I don’t know what you mean.”

Shining Armor smiled a little as they entered the comic book shop. "Sure, now pick out the gift." 

James blushed slightly and slowly walked over to the glass castle, pointing to a rare untouched first printed copy of the power ponies. "T-that one…" 

Shining let out a whistle. “Buck, are you getting a gift or a marriage proposal?” He said slightly teasing and slightly jealous that his gift for Barb won't be as good.

"W-what!? N-no!" James blushed red, as he fiddled with his fingers. "S-she said she wanted it when we came here the other day… and she was worried someone else would get it first…" 

“I am just messing with you, just be careful you don’t go overboard. Fillys will get the wrong idea and think you want to date them.” Shining said with a chuckle. 

James blushed more as he kicked his foot a little. "N-no…" he mumbled as the shop owner walked in. 

“Hello sir, we are here to buy that.” Shining said while pointing at the comic.

"Are you sure? That comic, while being the last one in existence, is very expensive." The owner said as James kicked his foot. 

"H-how expensive?" He asked worriedly. 

The owner looked down at James. “Over a thousand bits.”

Shining Armor smiled a little as he walked over, passing the owner the piece of paper. "This is from Princess Celestia herself, to pay for anything he picks." 

The owner’s eyes widened. “O-oh wow..um…would you like anything else?”

James' eyes widened as he looked around a bit more before he paused, staring at a rare and exclusive figurine of Marble Muncher. "That's the Rarest figurine I have, it came with that comic you're buying. There were only ever two made." The store owner said. 

James was quiet for a moment before asking Shining. “Can I afford that too?”

Shining Armor smiled a bit and nodded as the store owner shook his head in surprise. "The princess is really giving a lot for a few souvenirs." 

James kicked the ground shyly. "T-they aren't souvenirs, they're for a friend's birthday…" 

“Must be one heck of a friend.” The owner said as he started to get the figure and comic.

"They're for Barb." Shining Armor said with a smile, making James blush. 

“A cute little dragoness?” The owner asked with a raised eyebrow.

James blushed a bit more as Shining Armor chuckled. "My adopted baby sister, yes that's her." 

“Good for her finding a coltfriend.” The owner said after boxing everything up.

James blushed red as he stuttered. "W-what? W-we're just friends!" 

The owner smirked and set the boxes down. “Listen colt, you don’t go spending thousands of bits on a filly unless you really like her.”

James blushed redder and kicked at the ground. "I-i don't live here… anywhere near her and when I go home I'll probably never see her again…" He said looking sad. "I… just want to make her birthday as special as I can…"

Both stallions look sadly at James. “Well, with as big of a comic fan that she is, she will love these.”

James blushed and took the bag as Shining Armor paid for them. "T-thank you…"

“Not a problem, I hope to see you again kid.” The owner said with a smile.

James smiled softly as he and Shining Armor left, heading back to the castle. “You are a good friend, I am glad Barb met you.”

James smiled a little as he looked down. "I'm grateful to have met her… I miss my mom and dad but… there's no other kids my age back home… it's been nice spending time with someone around my age…" 

“There isn't anyone?” Shining asked, confused.

James' smile fell slightly as he shook his head gently. "No… I live in a small town and I'm home schooled… I'm the only kid…" 

“Oh man, I am sorry to hear that.” Shining said before rubbing James’ back.

James shrugged a little with a small smile. "It's ok… I'm used to it, but I will miss Barb…" He said softly as they walked into the castle. 

Shining hummed and was deep in thought as he followed James. "James!" Barb's voice called as she ran over with a wide smile, followed by Twilight and Celestia. "Where have you been!" 

James quickly put the present behind his back with a small smile. "Just exploring with your brother." 

Shining was looking distracted as he almost walked right into Celestia. "Everything alright, captain?" Celestia asked, giggling as he bumped into her. 

He stumbled back a bit before he stood at attention and saluted. “Princess! I am sorry I didn’t mean to bump into you.”

"It's alright, are you ok?" Celestia asked with a smile, noticing the bag in James' hands behind his back. "And I see everything went well?" 

“Yes ma’am everything went well, and…I am ok ma’am.” Shining said weakly.

Barbara giggled a little at Shining Armor's actions before looking at James. "Do you um… want to come to dinner with us? Our parents always take us out on my hatching day." 

James blushed lightly before slowly nodding. “I…I would love to.”

Barbara blushed and smiled widely. "Yay!"

“I will need to get cleaned up first though.” James said shyly.

"That is fine, their parents won't be here for a few minutes." Celestia smiled gently at him. 

“Ok, um I guess I will head to my room.” James said as he started to skirt around Barb, keeping his back out of her sight. 

Barb raised an eyebrow at his actions, while trying to peek around him. "What are you hiding?" 

“Nothing!” He shouted before turning and running down the hallway.

Barb pouted and crossed her arms. "What's he hiding?" 

Celestia giggled a bit. “I am sure he is just worried about spoiling any surprises he may have.”

"S-surprises?" She asked surprised with a blush.

Shining coughed into a hoof. “I am sure when James learned today was your hatching day he got you a gift. Probably something small.”

Barb looked down a little as she kicked her foot. "H-he didn't have to do that…" 

“Is he not your friend/coltfriend?” Shining and Celestia asked at the same time, one encouraging and one teasing.

Barb's face turned bright red. "Y-yeah he's my friend."

Celestia giggled and continued to walk. “Sure he is Barb.”

Barb pouted a bit more as James came back with a large bag in his hand, as he nervously pulled at the brim of his shirt. “I…I’m back, did I miss anything?”

"Just my brother and Celestia calling you Barb's colt friend." Twilight said, her muzzle still in a book.

James’ face turned a bright red. “Wh-what?” He squeaked out.

Celestia giggled a little as another pink Alicorn pony walked up. "Hello, what's going on?" 

“The princess and my brother are teasing James.” Twilight said before her ear twitched and she looked up from her book and gasped. “Cadence!”

"Hello Twilight." Cadence smiled, nuzzling the filly with a smile. "What are they teasing him about?" 

“T-they keep calling me Barb's colt friend…" James said very shyly.

Cadence giggled softly. "That's so adorable!" 

Barb blushed just as red as James. “No it isn’t! We are just friends! Why do adults have to make things weird!?”

James covered his face with his hands. "I feel like when my mom shows people my baby pictures…" 

"I know right!?" Barb asked in exasperation, just as two ponies trotted up the steps. 

“What was that about baby pictures?” The gray mare of the two ponies asked with a smile.

"Mom, dad!" Twilight, Shining Armor, and Barb said as they all hugged the two. 

James smiled softly as he watched the family, turning his head slightly to look in the direction of the spot he was when he got there. Celestia placed a wing over him with a soft smile. “Are you ok?”

James sighed a little and nodded, not noticing everything watching him. "Yeah, it's just… I wonder if my parents even notice I'm gone… my dad is always in the woods and my mom isn't that thoughtful…" 

Everyone frowned and Barb walked up to him and hugged him. “It's ok, w-why not stay here?”

James blushed a bit and glanced at her for a moment, before looking away sadly. "I-if I did that… my newborn sister would be all alone…" 

Barb’s eyes widened. “You have a sister?”

Everyone watched the two more with small smiles as Shining Armor had a look of respect for James' decision. "Y-yeah… Emily, she was just born last month. and I promised my dad I'd always look out for her."

“I see…well I hope you get to see her again.” Barb said softly.

James nodded a bit before smiling at her. "Anyway come on it's your birthday right? It's not a time to be sad!" 

The stallion with a blue coat and mane smiled a little. "He's right, let's get going!" 

Present day.

James blinked a bit as he was pulled out of his trip down memory lane, looking up at the sky as the rain slowly turned into snow. A bolt of lightning surging across the sky in the direction of the woods he had once found that magical portal, the portal that led him to his first and only best friend. "Could it be?" He thought to himself, hope filling his heart before grabbing his coat and a long silver blade with a dragon shaped hilt and rushing out into the snow and ice.
> Barb
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Light snow fluttered around the castle of friends as winter set in for the year, small specks of white littered the ground as a tall purple dragoness with green frills walked to the steps of the castle. She smiled softly when she opened the door, her thick purple and black jacket wrapped around her body like a vice showing off her hourglass figure and slim curves. A white unicorn stallion walked out of one of the rooms and smiled warmly at her, tossing his purple mane back as he strutted over to her. "Barb darling, what were you doing out in this weather? You could have caught a dreadful cold!" 

“I was just…checking on an old friend.” She said softly with a small smile.

"Ah I see." Elusive nodded with a smile. "By the way, I went to your room to see if you were there and I found such a mess! I cleaned up some of the things for you, and even threw away an old ragged toy of Marbled muncher-" 

"You what!?" Barb yelled angrily, baring her teeth. "Did it have a comic book next to it wrapped in plastic next to my favorite necklace!" 

“Um…I think so..what is the big deal? I thought you outgrew-” Elusive started to say.

Barb rushed past Elusive, nearly knocking him over as she rushed to the trash. “What is the big deal? It is an old toy you never play with.” He said as he followed her.

Barb had tears in her eyes as she dug through the trash wildly. "That's not the point! I don't care about that! That Marbled muncher figuring is a one of a kind figuring worth thousands of bits, that my old…" she paused for a moment, holding the figuring close to her as Twilight saw the toy. "M-my old friend gave it to me before he left…" 

“Your old friend?” Elusive asked, confused.

Twilight smiled gently, as she walked over and rubbed Barb's back. "Her first friend… the first colt who ever showed her kindness and would speak and play with her… he was also her first colt friend." 

“Oh my.” Elusive said, covering his mouth. “And when you said he…went away…does that mean he is…”

"No!" Barb yelled looking at him. "A-At least I hope not… h-he…" 

Twilight smiled softly as she looked at Elusive. "He was a human, like the ones I told you about from canterlot high. But he had to go back to his world and…" 

“If he is in his own world why not take Barb through the mirror to look for him?” Elusive asked.

Twilight sighed a bit as she looked at Barb. "He was from a different human world, the one on the other side of the mirror… well… he didn't resemble them at all…" 

Barb sadly stood up and slowly walked to her room. Elusive sighed and shook his head. “I wish I had known.”

"It's ok, she just needs time." Twilight smiled sadly as Barb sat on her bed, thinking about her last day with James. 

18 years ago 

Twilight, Celestia, Shining Armor, Cadence, Night light, Twilight velvet, James and Barb all sat at a restaurant in canterlot smiling and chatting with each other. James was smiling softly as he ate some soup, while Shining Armor passed Barb his present from him. "Here you go Barb." 

Barb smiled as she opened the present and giggled as she pulled out the newest power ponies comic. “Thanks, Shining.”

Shining smiled a bit as he glanced at James. "I know we normally don't give out too many gifts because of your dragon greed, but James got you some stuff too." 

James blushed a bit as Barb looked at him. “You didn’t have to get me anything.” She said softly with a smile.

"I-i know… but I… wanted to give you something to remember me by when I go home…" James said shyly, passing her the bag with her presents in them. 

Barb looked at him sadly but smiled as she opened the bag. Her eyes widened in shock as she stared into the bag, her head slowly turning to look at James with tears in her eyes before she slowly pulled out the comic and figurine. "T-these are…" she helped a little. "These are the limited edition Marbled muncher figuring and the comics with it… these are worth thousands of bits!" 

James blushed and looked down. “I..um…I had some help paying for them.”

Barb teared up as she looked at the gifts, before suddenly hugging James tightly. "Thank you! This is the nicest thing anyone has given me!"

James blushed and hugged her back. “You are my friend, I want to make you happy.”

Celestia and Cadence giggled softly as Barb smiled and pulled away from the human with a blush. "Thank you so much James." She said, blushing more as she kissed his cheek. 

His face turned bright red as he froze. Everyone gasped a bit as Barb blushed more and looked down shyly. "Oh my…" Cadence said with a smile. "That's so cute!" 

Twilight Velvet grinned as she used her magic to lift up a camera and took a photo.

Barb blushed more and covered her face as James shyly looked away. "Mom!" Barb yelled. 

Twilight Velvet giggled and smirked. “This is going in the scrapbook.”

Barb groaned a bit as James smiled a little, secretly holding Barb's hand under the table. "This is so cute!" Cadence said with a giggle. 

“Indeed, though I do hope Barb’s new coltfriend treats her right.” Her father said with a teasing smirk.

James and Barb blushed a bit more as James looked down and slowly let go of Barb's hand. "W-we aren't an item… we can't be…" 

Barb looked at James sadly. “I…I wish we could be.”

James blushed redder as his eyes widened, as he looked at her before looking down. "I-i do too… b-but I have to go home…" 

“I know.” She said sadly. 

Twilight smiled a little. "Hey, at least you two will have the time to be together while Celestia finds it." 

“Yes, and when James is ready he can return home.” Celestia said with a smile.

James' eyes widened in shock as he slowly looked at Celestia. "Y-you found the portal?" 

Celestia flinched back a little. “Um…yes.”

James' eyes filled with tears. "W-why didn't you tell me?" 

“You…you seemed to be enjoying your time here and…” Celestia started weakly.

"And what!?" James asked. "What about my family!?" 

Celestia sighed and closed her eyes. “We need you here if that great evil returns.”

James stared at her in shock and hurt, tears filling his eyes. "I-is that the only reason you've been so nice to me…? I'm eleven! How do you expect me to fight!" 

“I don’t know, I thought maybe you would grow to be very powerful or something, the stories aren’t clear.” Celestia said with a sigh. “I wish I hadn't found that portal.”

"Y-you were just using me!?" James asked as tears fell down his face. 

“No! I just wanted you to grow attached to somepony here so you would want to defend us.” Celestia said.

James and Barb both looked at her in shock. "You were using us both!?" 

“No! If I was using you I would have forced hou two together, but your connection is natural.” Celestia told them as she stood up. “We will need James one day, and if he goes home there is no guarantee he will be able to return.”

James frowned and looked away. "I wanna go home." 

Barb had tears in her eyes but put a hand on his shoulder. “B-before you go there is something I need to give you.”

James looked at her for a moment and nodded slowly. "i-im sorry to ruin your birthday." 

“You didn’t.” She said before frowning at Celestia.

Celestia hung her head slightly as James sighed a bit, looking away. "If I am able to return I will…" he said softly.

Barb rubbed his shoulder. “Ok… before you go I want to give you my gift.” 

James nodded a little but smiled softly at her. "I'll… I'll wait until after your birthday dinner is done." 

Barb nodded and looked down at her food. “Thanks.”

James smiled softly as he looked at Celestia. "Um… what are the chances of me coming back?" 

“We don’t know.” Celestia said with a sigh. “If you go home, you may never return.”

James looked down a little as Barb teared up, rubbing her eyes a little. "Barb… I promise I'll find a way to come back one day." He said to her with a gentle smile. 

“Thank you.” She holds his hand.

James smiled softly as Cadence giggled a little. "So are you two officially a couple now?" 

James blushed more as he looked at Barb. "U-um… i-i've never had a girlfriend before…" 

Barb looked at him with a blush of her own. “And I never had a coltfriend before.”

James scratched his head childishly. "What's the difference between us being friends and more? Wouldn't we still just do the stuff we usually do together?" 

Cadence giggled with a soft smile. “Yes and no. love is…complicated to explain, but by being filly and coltfriends you two are saying to each other, you don’t want anypony but each other. You want to see them happy no matter what, and of course later when you are ready, you can get married and have foals.”

Barb and James looked at each other for a moment before moving away from each other quickly. "Ew!" They both yelled, making the others laugh. 

Cadence smiled softly. “You two may feel that way now, but you both care for each other a lot.” Her horn lit with magic and strings appeared, each coming from a pony and connected to others. “These are your connections, the brighter and thicker the string the stronger that connection is.” She pointed at the strings flowing from Twilight's parents to each other, then at the strings coming from James, most were thin and dim but one was bright and connected with Barb.

James and Barb blushed brighter as they glanced at each other shyly. "O-oh…" James said with a slight smile looking nervous. "U-um… i-im ok with it if Barb is…" 

Barb blushed and fidgeted in her seat. “I…I would be ok with being together as long as we don’t have to worry about having kids.”

James blushed and nodded slowly. "O-ok, but… h-how would we do that… the relationship… from different worlds." 

“I don’t know.” Barb said as she looked down.

James frowned a bit and nodded slowly before smiling a little. "At least we can enjoy our time together… while we can." 

“Yeah.” She said softly. “What do you want to do before…before you go home?”

James looked down a little before smiling at her. "The same things we've been doing the whole time, I just want to be with you." 

“Aww.” Everyone said before Twilight Velvet took another picture.

James and Barb blushed more as Barb pouted. "Mooom!" 

Twilight Velvet smiled and giggled. “Just getting a picture of my daughter and her first coltfriend.”

Barb blushed redder and covered her face as James smiled softly, holding her hand as Velvet took another picture. "S-she's just happy." James said with a smile. 

“I know, I just don’t understand why she is focused on me when Shining and Cadence are right there!” Barb said, making both the named ponies' eyes widen.

"Barb!" The two shouted as Velvet and Night Light's eyes widened. 

"You're dating!?" The two asked as James smirked a little. 

“Wait n-no um I mean we…uh..” Shining started to say.

James snickered a bit as he and Barb sat together, smiling softly at each other as James held her hand under the table. “I can't believe my baby boy has been hiding the fact that he has a fillyfriend!” Twilight Velvet said overdramatically.

"Mom!" Shining Armor said, covering his face. 

James and Barb laughed as James glanced at Barb for a moment, before looking at Celestia. "U-um… princess? D-do you know how long the portal will… stay open?" 

“I do not, I am sorry, but I can have a guard stand guard of it to let us know when it starts to close.” She said softly.

"T-that isn't the problem really…" James said, looking down a little. "I-i thought it might be neat if… I showed Barb my world a little bit…"

“Y-you can’t.” Celestia said weakly.

Barb looked down a little. "W-why? I… I'd like to see it…" 

“The moment somepony passes through the portal it will close.” Celestia said with a frown. “If you go with him…you’d be stuck in his world till the portal opens again.”

Barb's eyes widened as she looked down sadly. "O-oh…" 

James frowned a bit as well and rubbed Barb's hand gently. "Alright… thank you for your honesty…"

“I have never lied to you.” Celestia said softly.

James looked down to the side a bit, but nodded slowly. "I-i know… i-im sorry…" 

Barb got up. “I will be right back.” she walked off.

James looked at the direction she went wand raised an eyebrow, before looking at the table shyly and awkwardly. “Don't worry, she will be back.” Cadence said with a smile.

"I-i know… it's just um… awkward now." James said looking at the table more. 

“Why?” Twilight asked, confused.

James glanced at them, flinching a little as they were all staring at him. "Y-you're all staring at me… a-and for the last few days the only one I've actually talked to is Barb… Twilight has always had her nose in a book and… I uh…just met the rest of you aside from Celestia…" 

Twilight velvet and Twilight's father smile sadly at James. “It is fine, we are not mean.”

James' eyes widened. "I-i didn't mean that! I-i just…" he said, poking his fingers together. "I-i don't know what to say…" 

“Why don’t you tell us about yourself dear.” Twilight Velvet suggested.

James rubbed his arm a little. "T-there isn't much to say… i-i like reading comic books… exploring the forest around my home… cooking with my mom before she and my dad started arguing all the time… o-oh! I'm learning how to sword fight." 

“You are learning how to use a sword?” Shining asked. 

James nodded a little and rubbed the back of his neck. "My dads side of the family were once knights in an ancient order… or something. He said everyone learns it…" 

“An ancient order?” Celestia asked with a small frown.

“That is cool! Maybe we can spar before you go home.” Shining said with a smile.

James blushed a bit as he looked down. "I-im just a beginner… a-and yes my dad told me it was once our family's job to protect the innocent people of our town from things that they couldn't stop themselves." 

“Hmm, do you know the name of the order?” Celestia asked.

“That's fine, I will go easy on you.” Shining said with a smile.

James smiled a little as he looked down at his feet. "Um… I think it was called the… Dragons circle or something."

Celestia’s eyes narrowed as she was deep in thought. “Hmm.”

“I bet Barb would like to hear that name.” Shining said with a smile.

James blushed a bit more as he smiled a little, frowning again as he sighed softly. "I-i should go home as soon as I can… i-it'll be bad if my dad or someone came looking for me…" 

“I don’t understand, if the portal has opened twice before this, that means there must be a pattern and we can find when the next time the portal opens if it closed.” Twilight said.

"Not necessarily Twily, it could only open a few times every few thousand years." Shining Armor said with a smile, as Celestia gasped softly and glanced at James. 

James’ eyes were wide with fear and sadness. “Th-thousand?”

"What's wrong?" Twilight velvet asked with a frown. "How long does your species normally live for?" She asked as Celestia stared at James. 

“I don’t know but I never heard of anyone over eighty.” James said with tears in his eyes.

"Oh… dear." Twilight velvet said sadly. "You seem to be able to live the same amount of time as most ponies…" 

"So he'd… probably never see Barb again." Night Light said sadly as Celestia looked off to the side a little. 

James looked down as he started to cry. “Why? Why do I have to choose between my family and my first friend?”

Cadence frowned a bit as she trotted over and gently wrapped a wing around him. "Life is hard, but it's the hardest decisions that make it worth wild." 

James continued to cry. “But I don’t want to hurt Barb or my family.” 

Everyone looked at him sadly as Cadence rubbed his back gently. "It'll be ok, just… have hope." 

“I guess so.” James said weakly.

Cadence frowned slightly and gently nuzzled him as Barb came back. “What's going on?” Barb asked, a bit upset seeing Cadence nuzzling James.

"Your coltfriend is having a little meltdown." Shining Armor said with a small smile. 

Barb walked over and hugged James before letting out a soft hiss at everyone. “What did you all say?”

Everyone blinked in surprise at her reaction as James shook his head. "I-its ok, i-i was crying because I have to choose between you and my family…" 

Barb rubbed his back. “It's ok, I won’t ask you to choose.”

James nodded a little. "I-i know… I just wish we could keep the portal open all the time or make it like a one way mirror or something, so we could see each other and talk and… everything." 

“I know me too.” Barb said sadly.

Everyone frowned sadly at the two sadly as Celestia paid for dinner. "How about we get going so you two can spend more time together." 

“Ok.” James said as he held Barb’s hand.

Barb blushed red and smiled a little, shyly kicking her foot. “Come on Barb, we don”t want to just sit here and shyly look at your coltfriend.” Cadence said as everyone got up.

"A-alright." Barb said as the two started to walk with everyone while holding hands. 

"What a revolting sight." A pony said sneering at Barb and James. 

Barb’s eyes widened and she looked at who said that, but James hugged her. 

"I know right?" James asked, making Barb's eyes widened in shock and pain. "I mean look at that hairdo, who did it for you? A tornado? It looks better on the end of a wort hog."

The mare gasped and put a hoof to her chest. “What!?”

"Oh I'm sorry, did I stutter?" James asked with a glare at her, keeping Barb behind him. "Your hair looks like a warthog's backside! Maybe instead of being so insecure about yourself you have to bully others, try going to a hair salon to get that mess to look decent!" 

“You insolent little brat I am going to-” She started to say before Celestia clears her throat.

"What exactly? You started this, or can you not handle a taste of your own medicine?" Celestia asked with a smile. 

“Y-your highness, I uh…” The mare starts to back up.

"You insulted this colt and his filly friend, and he was defending her. I believe you owe them an apology." Celestia said as Barb blushed while behind James' back. 

“B-but it is unnatural!” She said while pointing at them.

"What is?" James asked with a frown. "The fact that two people like each other? Get your head out of your butt!"

“You need to watch your tongue brat!” The mare said.

"How about you take your own advice!" James said angrily. "I bet you're just jealous seeing us happy since no one wants to be with you!" 

The mare gasped again. “You little mongrel, I don’t know what you are but you can be sure I will make sure you never set hoof in this city again!”

The adult ponies and Barb all smiled a little at James, before Celestia stepped forward. "He is a visiting dignitary. So I would appreciate it if you showed him some respect." 

The mare’s eyes widened in shock. “This…this thing is with you your highness?” 

James glared at the mare a bit as Celestia giggled. "Yes, in fact he has been in my and my students' care since he got here. He is like family." 

The mare stared at Celestia for a moment before she turned to James. “I…apologize…for my rude behavior.”

James growled a bit more at the mare angrily as Barb held his hand, making him grumbled. "Fine… arguing with a child. How pathetic." 

The mare frowned and turned to leave. “I believe I shall go.”

James frowned more as Barb hugged his arm and smiled at him. "T-thank you for protecting me…" 

“You truly have the makings of a noble knight.” Cadence said with a giggle.

James blushed red and looked away shyly as Everyone giggled/laughed. "Come on love birds, let's get going." Night light said with a small smile. 

“Yes, we want you two to have as much fun as you can.” Celestia said as the group moved on.

James and Barb frowned a little again, glancing at each other as Barb leaned her head on his arm. 

Twilight Velvet moved in front of them and took another picture. “Perfect!”

The two blushed more as James slowly wrapped an arm around Barbs back. Barb blushed more and looked down shyly. “You are so nice James.”

James blushed redder as Velvet took another picture, before gasping. "You two should go to the grand galloping gala together tomorrow!" 

“But…my home…the portal…” James said before looking at Barb. “I want to make Barb happy but..”

Barb smiled softly as she looked at him. "If going home makes you happy… it's ok…" 

"Awe." Cadence smiled with a giggle. 

James looked down, deep in thought before he looked at Celestia. “If…if I stay for this…gala thing…can you promise me I will be able to go home?”

Celestia smiled softly. "A guard will let us know if the portal begins to close, and if it does you will know."

James looked between everyone then looked at Barb. “I’ll stay.”

Barb looked at him with a blush as she smiled tearily. "R-really?" 

“Just for the gala thingy…what's a gala?” James asked.

"A dance." Celestia said with a gentle smile. "I hold it every year, where ponies from all over come to socialize." 

“O-oh.” James said with wide eyes.

"Are… are you ok?" Babe asked. 

"Y-yeah… I… um… I do know how to dance because of my mom but I've… never danced with someone else…" He said nervously. 

Cadence smiled and walked up to him. “I can give you a bit of practice before the big dance if you’d like.”

Barb pouted slightly and crossed her arms as James blushed a bit. "I-i don't mean to be mean or rude but um… how would that transition? I mean… your quadrupedal and we're both Anthropomorphic." He said gesturing to himself and Barb. 

Cadence giggled a bit. “I have seen two legged species dance before, and I can do this.” Cadence’s horn began to glow before a projection of James appeared in front of him, although it lacked any features it was his exact body shape.

James blinked a bit. "So I'll be dancing with myself?"

“More or less, it is like a puppet I can control.” Cadence said with a smile.

James nodded slowly as Barb looked worried. "Are you ok Barb?" Twilight Velvet asked with a smile. "Would you like me to help you learn how to dance?" 

Barb blushed lightly and nodded shyly.

Velvet giggled and nuzzled Barb. "Of course, we don't have a lot of time. So we should get started." 

Barb nodded her head before whispering into her ear.

Velvet giggled softly and nodded with a smile. "Of course, Shining go with James as well to get a suit." 

"A… suit?" James asked, confused. 

“Of course, the gala is a fancy party, suits and dresses are required.” Shining said with a smirk. “I have heard of a good shop we can go to, but we’ll have to leave now.”

James blinked a bit and paled. "Oh… oh no… the last time my mom had me in a suit she nearly killed me because I couldn't breathe…." 

"Don't worry son, that won't happen here." Night light said with a smile as Twilight read her book. 

“Yeah, the pony I heard of does amazing work.” Shining said before he looked at Cadence. “Sorry but I need to take him now if he wants his suit on time.”

Cadence nodded as Shining lifted James onto his back. "I'm starting to regret this… wouldn't a simple picnic be a better first date?" James asked before Shining Armor dashed away. 

Shining chuckled and smirked. “You saying you don’t want to make Barb’s first date special?”

James blushed redder and covered his face. "This is all moving so fast for me… b-but I do want to make Barb happy." 

“Then we will get you a suit and you can enjoy the dance with her.” Shining said before he looked back at James. “Just watch where you put your hooves.”

James raised an eyebrow in confusion. "My what?" 

“Your…uh…claws?” Shining guessed with a small shrug.

James blinked again in confusion as he looked at his hands. "You mean my hands? I don't understand what you're talking about, my mom told me when you dance with a girl to put one hand on her waist and the other like… on the side of her torso or something." 

“I guess that is fine, just don’t go any lower buster.” Shining said with his big brother voice.

James just looked at him confusedly. "I still don't get it…" 

“Hmm, I guess you are too young for that then.” He muttered to himself.

"I'm eleven… what exactly am I too young for?" James asked, confused. 

“Nothing.” Shining said with a chuckle.

"Why are adults weird?" James asked with a frown as the two reached a clothing shop.

“Hey, I may be older but I’m not an adult yet.” Shining said with a roll of his eyes before opening the door,

"You have a job and you're weird, to me you're an adult." James said, looking around the shop. 

Shining chuckled a bit. “I suppose by that logic I am.” He walked up and rang a bell.

"Just a moment." A gentle voice called from the back, while James looked around the shop a little. He noticed dresses and suits of all colors, shapes and sizes while taking note of a small white unicorn with a purple mane and tail that was looking at all the clothes in awe. 

“It's me, I have a rush job for you, Sharp Fit.” Shining siad with a smile.

"Shining Armor? I'll be right out." The voice said as James noticed the white unicorn staring at him.

James looked away, trying to hide but as he was on top of Shining’s back, there wasn’t much he could do to hide.

"Excuse me." The little Unicorn said trotting up to the two. "But… I was just wondering who designed your clothes?" 

James looked at the young unicorn. “Um…I don’t know, my mom bought them.”

"Oh, I've never seen anything like them. Apologize for simply walking up to you, my name is Elusive." The unicorn said with a smile. 

“M-my name is James.” James said shyly.

"Pleasure to meet you, if I may, what are you?" Elusive asked as a mare with a dark green mane and black coat walked out of the back. 

“I am a human.” James said while looking at Elusive.

"A human? Like from the old ponies tale?" Elusive asked in surprise. 

"Elusive dear, leave the poor colt alone. Now Shining, what can I do for you?" The mare asked with a smile. 

“This guy needs a suit for tomorrow night.” Shining said with a smile. “Think you can handle it?”

"Tomorrow night? Wait, isn't tomorrow night the gala!?" Elusive asked in shock. "Oh I am so envious! I've always wished to go!" 

"Elusive, what have I said about butting into other lives?" The mare asked. 

"O-oh, apologies aunty." Elusive said, hanging his head a little. 

“It…it’s ok, I don’t get to talk to others my own age often.” James said shyly.

"You don't?" Elusive asked, arching an eyebrow. 

"The two of you can chat while I take his measurements." Sharp fit said with a gentle smile as she slowly levitated James onto a pedestal. 

“This still feels weird.” James said as he was lifted then he shyly looked at everyone.

"Oh I'm sorry dear, now what colors would you like the suit to be?" Shart fit asked with a smile, taking his measurements. 

"U-um… p-purple and… g-green… they're my two favorite colors…" James said nervously. 

“Purple and green?” Elusive asked in shock. “Well…that is a…bold choice.”

Shining Armor grinned a bit. "Oh I bet it's because his filly friend is also purple and green." 

"N-no!" James said blushing. "T-those have always been my favorite colors… i-i have a jacket back home that's purple with green lines that have black borders…" 

“I see, well I will do my best for you young sir.” Sharp Fit said with a smile.

James blushed more and nodded, shyly looking at the ground. "T-thank you…" 

Elusive walked closer. “Where did you come from?”

"U-um… Princess Celestia said another world… a portal opened and I fell through…" James said, kicking his foot. 

“Another world?” Elusive asked before he got stars in his eyes. “Just imagine all the different fashion styles.”

James looked down a little as he shrugged. "I-i wouldn't know, m-my home town is secluded in the Arctic. We don't get a whole lot of 'new' stuff. And I'm the only kid there…" 

“Still, there must be so many new fashions to see, oh please tell me I can visit this world!” Elusive said as he was dancing on his hooves.

"Sorry, no. Celestia said the portal will close again once someone goes through." Shining Armor said, with a slight frown causing James to look down. 

“Oh…” Elusive said as he lowered his head. “I am sorry to hear that.”

James nodded slowly as he sighed. "I-i'm probably gonna be leaving the day after tomorrow…i-i…" 

Elusive tapped his chin. “I see, well…how about a gift to remember this world?” He said as his horn lit.

"Huh?" James asked in confusion. 

Elusive pulled a gem out of his bag and floated it over to James. “This is a rare memory stone. Hold it close and it will preserve an important moment in your life as a photograph in the crystal itself.”

James slowly took the crystal and stared at it in awe, before looking at Elusive for a moment. "W-why would you give me such a rare gift? We just met."

Elusive smiled and tossed his hair. “Well dear, I want you to remember your time in this world.”

James looked down at the gem in his hands as tears started to well up in his eyes. "T-thank you…" 

Elusive lifted a leg nervously. “Did I do something wrong?”

Shining Armor looked at James with a worried expression as the human tried to while away his tears. "N-no… e-everyone here is so nice… i-its nothing like back home… since I'm the only kid there… i-i've tried talking to the adults. B-but they just look at me weird and the older kids pick on me…" 

“That isn't right.” Elusive said while stomping a hoof. “Everypony deserves compassion in their life, especially in their foalhood.”

Shining Armor nodded with a frown.  "He's right, why would you go back to such a life?" 

James stared at the ground as tears fell from his eyes. "M-my sister… I can't let her go through that like I did… she's gonna need me…" 

“A true gentlecolt.” Elusive said with a soft smile.

Shining sighed a bit and smiled softly, before wrapping a hoof around James shoulders. "Well, if you ever do return one day. You'll always have a home here… and I'm sure my sister would be happy to see you again." 

“Which one? The pretty one or the one with her face in books all the time?” James asked with a small smile.

Shining Armor grinned a little. "So Barb is Pretty huh?" 

James blushed bright red. “M-maybe.”

The guard chuckled softly as Sharp Fit began working on the suit. "This will take a while. And I need to concentrate, everypony out." 

“But I am not a pony.” James said before Shining used his magic to lift James onto his back.

"You know what I meant." She said with a shake of her head.

James looked down at Elusive. “Um…are you busy? Maybe you want to hang out?”

Elusive smiled a little. "That would be fun, what should we do?"

“I don’t know, I haven’t been here before.” James said sheepishly.

"Well, how about we go see the fair?" Elusive suggested. 

“There is a fair in town?” James asked.

Elusive nodded with a small smile. "Yes, I saw it on my way here."

“Cool, can Barb come?” James asked Shining.

Shining chuckled a little. "I'm sure she'd love to, but she is learning to dance right now." 

“Oh…ok, I guess we can go then.” James said, a bit sad Barb isn’t coming too.

Elusive raised an eyebrow. "Is Barb the name of your filly friend?" 

James blushed and fidgeted. “M-maybe.”

Elusive giggled softly before clearing his throat and trotting down the road. "Come along dears, it's this way." 

Shining raised an eyebrow but followed Elusive. “So are you a local or are you visiting somepony in town?” Shining asked Elusive.

"Yes, my aunt Sharp Fit." Elusive said with a small smile. 

"Didn't he say that in the shop?" James asked as Elusive giggled softly again. 

"O-oh, I wasn't paying attention…" Shining Armor said with a blush. 

James chuckled and relaxed a bit. “It’s ok, everyone has a brain fart from time to time.”

"Brain fart?" Shining Armor asked in confusion. 

“When you say or do something silly by accident or forget something.” James said with a shrug. “I heard it alot at home.”

"Interesting term." Elusive said with a slow nod. 

“I think it's a little funny but-” James shrugged as he looked ahead. “-I don’t use it often.”

"Why not dear?" Elusive asked with a small smile. 

James shrugged a bit. “I mean, I don’t really have a chance to say it often and when I do the adults usually scold me or ignore me, even though they use it on me all the time.”

Elusive frowned a little. "If… if the portal could stay open longer, why not get your sister and live here? From what it sounds like dear, that place is horrid." 

James sighed and looked down sadly. “I would if I could, but princess Celestia said once I pass through it, it will close.”

Elusive and Shining Armor sighed a bit. "We get it, maybe Celestia could use magic to hold it open for longer?" Shining Armor suggested as they grew closer to the fair. 

“Maybe, but would anyone be able to help raise my sister? I don’t know how to take care of a baby.” James said sadly.

Elusive and Shining Armor frowned slightly. "My parents might be able to help, they'd probably love to help try and raise another baby." 

“Well…I can try, but getting her away from my parents won’t be easy…unless they have me watch her while they go out hunting.” James said while scratching his head.

"It's… better than nothing right? And if you do stay you'd be able to stay with Barb." Shining Armor said with a small smirk. 

“That is true.” James said with a smile. 

"Oh look there it is." Elusive said with a smile, pointing to the fair. 

James looked ahead and smiled. “Wow, so many ponies.”

"Yes this is quite popular. I heard a rumor that the flight school is hosting a field trip here." Elusive said with a smile. 

“Flight school?” James asked as he looked at Elusive.

"Yes, for the pegasi ponies." Elusive said with a smile, pointing to two fillies. One was yellow with a pink mane and the other a cyan blue and a Rainbow mane, as they slowly flew through the fair. "See?" 

“Whoa, I saw a few but never saw them fly before.” James said as he watched the ponies. “I thought their wings would be too small to fly.”

"What's that supposed to mean!?" The Rainbow haired pony asked angrily, flying over to him. "I heard that remark! You think Pagusai are weak!?" 

James yelped and fell off of Shining’s back. “Ow.” He rubbed the back of his head. “N-no miss…I…I just thought pegasi wings are too small for your bodies for flight, at least that is how it would work back home.” 

"Back home? What the buck are you-" She started to say, before the other filly flew over. 

"R-rainbow! Language!" She said softly. 

James shied away from the angry filly. “I…I am a human from another world.”

"Another world?" The shy filly asked quietly. 

"A human?! Like from the fairy tail?!" The Rainbow pony asked in shock. 

James nodded slowly. “Y-yeah I guess so, I don’t know the legends myself but I am a human.”

"That's awesome!" The Rainbow said with a grin. "The fairy tales said humans can do all kinds of awesome stuff! What can you do!?" 

James flinched as the rainbow filly shouted. “Um…I can use a sword, some basic hand to hand, I can dance…um…I have some basic tracking skills.”

"A sword!? That's so cool!" The filly said excitedly as a guard pony walked over. 

"What's going on over here? You're disturbing the peace!" He said gruffly. 

“Huh?” James asked as he stood up. 

"Captain!" Shining Armor said saluting. 

"Deputy, now young filly, I've already spoken to you about your loudness. I'm going to have to take you in." The guard said as James looked surprised. 

"Over her being a little loud? Do you not hear how loud those ponies are?" He asked, indicating a couple of unicorns that were even louder than their group. 

“This isn’t any of your business…sir.” The guard said to James, pausing on me for a moment. “So back up and let me handle this loud delinquent.”

"U-um… C-captain…" Shining Armor started to say. 

"Delinquent!? I'm just excited! You're just like this because I'm a pegasus!" The Rainbow pony yelled. 

“Is that a thing? Testing others differently because of their body parts?” James asked with a confused frown.

"Like you wouldn't believe." Elusive said with a mumble, as the captain drew the sword from his side, catching James' attention at how feebly he was holding it in his magic. 

"You're coming with me." The captain said about to grab the rainbow pony.  

James rushed into action, grabbing Shining’s sword and smacked the captain’s blade away. “Stay back! She didn’t do anything wrong.”

Everyone's eyes widened in shock as the captain stared at James, a cruel smirk forming on his face. "You wish to duel huh? Very well, if you win I'll let her go. If I win, you're never allowed back in canterlot." 

James’ eyes widened as he thought of Barb, then he looked at the two pegasus ponies. “Fine…” He said slowly as he looked back at the captain.

"Captain! Challenging a minor to a duel is against regulations! And it is illegal!" Shining Armor yelled in shock as ponies backed away from the sword welders. 

"This… thing is the one that started it. Now I shall show him his place." The captain said, smirking at James before he swing his sword clumsily. 

James easily blocked and deflected the captain’s blade. “I didn’t start it, I stepped in when you were being a racist to these two innocent fillies.” 

The captain's eyes widened in surprise as he tried to swing his sword again, however James easily ducked under the swing, using the pommel of his sword to hit the captain's nose. “Gah! You little bastard!” 

“Whoa, the human has skills.” Rainbow said.

"Indeed…" Elusive said watching with growing interest as James blocked another swing of the sword. 

"Aren't you a captain? Why are you fighting like an amateur!" James asked, deflecting another strike and suddenly spinning on his heel to kick the Captain in the chest. "I'm still a beginner according to my father, and I'm kicking your butt!" 

The captain growled and charged his sword with magic, electricity sparking around the blade. “I will show you amateur!” 

“Sir, that spell is for killing monsters, not sparring matches!” Shining shouted as he lifted a hoof to help.

"Quiet deputy!" The captain said with an angry growl, glaring at James who quickly got into a new fighting stance. 

"Um… what's the spell do exactly?" James asked Shining Armor while keeping an eye on the captain. 

“It shocks anything the blade touches with a lethal amount of electricity!” Shining said, his horn lighting up, ready to cast a shield spell.

James blinked for a moment before he grinned as the captain charged at him, however just before Shining Armor was going to cast the spell James lept into the air. In a single fell swoop, James threw his blade straight down into the ground against the Captains, causing the electricity to surge through one blade to the other and into the ground harmlessly while James kicked the Captain so hard he flew back and landed on the ground in a heap. 

“Holy Celestia! That was bucking awesome!” Rainbow said before her friend started to scold her.

"Rainbow Dash! Language!" The filly said, as Elusive stared at James with a light blush on his face. 

"Holy…, you said you were a beginner!" Shining Armor said in shock and James landed, fumbled a bit before he grabbed both swords from the ground.

"Uh… I am?" James said, confused. 

“That…that is a super advanced move! I think only the princess could pull it off!” Shining said in shock.

James looked bewildered at him as the captain stared at James in fear and shock as well. "Huh? My dad taught me that move when I was seven." 

“When you were…holy Celestia…kid, if you are this skilled as a child, I fear how good you’d be as an adult.” Shining said with a small frown.
 
James looked completely confused, as the Captain snarled a bit. "You win, return my blade." James tossed the sword to the captains feet and passed Shining Armor his sword as every pony around cheered and applauded. 

James blushed and looked at the ground shyly. “I…I didn’t do much, please no cheering.”

Elusive smiled as his blush deepened. “Breave, strong, and modest? He seems like the perfect colt.” He said softly to himself before his eyes widened and he put a hoof to his cheek. “O-oh dear, am I…” 

"That was so cool!" Rainbow said with a grin. "How'd you do all that!?" 

"O-oh, I um… I used the jumping motion to avoid the attack and used the momentum to force the blade into the other one. That caused the second blade into the ground where the electricity would harmlessly go into the dirt since it isn't conductive. While at the same time I used the momentum from the throw to add more power to my kick, I kicked him in the center of his chest because that was where he had his center of gravity, allowing me to knock him into the dirt." James explained with a smile, making Elusive blush even more at his intelligence. 

“Yeah yeah you are a bucking genius at combat, just get out of here with your two feather brained fillies.” The captain said, making a lot of the crowd gasp.

The little yellow pony began to whimper and tear up as Rainbow Dash as her friend called her turned best red in anger, with her feathers ruffling. "I take it that was a very bad insult." James said with a frown. 

“One of the worst for pegasus ponies.” Shining Armor said with a frown, then he whispered to James. “If I arrest him, will you help me take him down if he fights?”

"You know his name right?" James asked Shining Armor, getting a confused nod. "Good then let's just report him to Princess Celestia directly." 

"Ha! You think the princess will listen to a freak like you?" The captain asked, shaking his head with a devilish grin. "Besides it takes weeks if not months to get an audience with the princess. You think she'd take your word over mine?" 

"I mean, ever since I got here she's been taking care of me." James said with a slight shrug. "So talking with her won't be an issue." 

“He is right, he is a personal guest of the princess.” Shining said as he stepped forward. “So you can either surrender now or wait until I tell the princess everything.”

The captain's eyes widened in shock. "This thing is a personal guest of the princess!?" 

“Yes HE is, now stand down captain.” Shining said with a frown.

The captain glared at them with a snarl, before looking at the ground and letting Shining Armor arrest him. "This isn't over…" the captain mumbled, as Shining Armor took him away. 

"I'll meet you back at the shop in a half hour." Shining said to James as he walked away with the captain. 

James watched him go and hugged himself. “O-ok…I…I guess I will wait here.”

“Buck that! Let’s hang out!” Rainbow said as she bit James’ shirt and pulled him further into the fair.

"Rainbow! Don't just force somepony to follow you!" The yellow filly said following them, with Elusive right behind them.

“Oo ome on uttershy, ee is cool with it.” Rainbow said with her mouth full of shirt, as she walked pulling James along.

James blushed a bit. "U-um, I'm not ok with this… i-i don't even know you."

"See! Rainbow Dash put him down right now!" The yellow filly yelled. 

Rainbow pouted and let go of James’ shirt. “Aw come on, I just wanted to help you have fun after you stood up for us. What, you don’t want to hang out with fillies or something?”

"I-it's not that…" James said shyly as he looked at the ground. "I-im not used to others actually… wanting to hang out with me…back home usually they just yell at me and tell me to go away…" 

The yellow pony gasped softly and covered her mouth. “Not cool!” Rainbow said with a shake of her head. “You are awesome! Er…not as awesome as me of course.”

James blushed a bit and scratched his cheek a little, looking down at the ground as he kicked his foot. "T-thank you… but like I said I'm still a beginner compared to my dad…" 

“If you are a beginner then an expert must be super awesome!” Rainbow said with a grin.

The little yellow pegasus nodded softly as she smiled kindly at James. "I-i agree, and t-thank you for helping us…" 

James blushed lightly and looked away from them. “I…I was trained to protect others, I couldn’t just stand by while he got you two in trouble for no reason.”

"My, you are quite the colt. Fillies must flock to you." Elusive said with a grin and a slight blush. 

“Well…I don’t know, like I said back home I have no one my age to be around, and here I met…someone so nice…” James said and started to blush.

The two fillies gasped a little, one smirking while the other giggled. "Someone's got a filly friend." 

James blushed more and looked down shyly before nodding. “I…um…yes.”

"Then it's even better timing you're here." Rainbow said with a grin. "You can win her a prize!"

“A…prize?” James asked, confused. 

"Yeah, from the game booths." Rainbow said with a smile, pointing to the different games. 

James looked around and his mouth opened in awe. “Wow, so many games, I have only seen them in movies and tv shows.”

"Movies and Tee vee shows? What are those?" The yellow filly asked confused. 

“You don’t have those here?” James asked before rubbing his chin. “Well, I don’t know how it works but basically a ton of moving pictures are shown really fast to make it look like the image is moving.” 

"That sounds dumb." Rainbow said as she flew over to a game. 

James sighed and slowly followed her. “How do you play this one?”

"You just gotta make the ball go into the hole." The carnie said, gesturing to a single hole behind a few moving parts. 

James looked at the game. “Can I play?” 

"Of course, three bits." The carny said with a smile. 

“Bits?” James asked before his eyes widened. “Oh…right I already used my money.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes before putting down a hoof full of bits. “Here, but I want them paid back with interest.”  

James blinked a bit as he took a ball, looking at the hole and the moving pieces before throwing it. The ball bounced around a bit, and off of the moving and rotating pieces until it slowly rolled and landed in the hole. 

“We…we have a winner?” The carny said, not believing what he saw. “You don’t have magic do ya colt?”

"Um… no sir. My species doesn't have magic at all." James said looking confused. 

The carny looked at Elusive with narrowed eyes before sighing. “Alright colt, you win a prize, now you can choose anything from the first shelf or forfeit that prize for a chance at winning something from the second shelf.” 

"D-do I have to pay again?" James asked worriedly, looking at the giant teddy bear on the second shelf he wanted to get for Barb.

“Nope, just have to give up the first shelf prize.” The carny said with a smirk.

James looked worried for a moment, before sighing softly and looking at the big bear and then back at the game. He nodded his head to the carnie after a moment of seemingly staring at the game, but smiled softly as he spoke. "I'd like to try to win that large bear there please." He said pointing at the bear.

“Ah, to win that you need to win three games in a row.” The carny siad with a smirk.

James took a second ball and looked at the game, noticing how the hole was now slightly moving as well. His eyes darted over the game before tossing the ball into the center at the hole, causing it to bounce out and around the booth a bit. Everyone watched in confusion as the ball bounced around more as the carny focused on Elusive, the ball bounced around more before accidentally hitting a hidden button and making the game pause. The ball bounced high into the air before falling back onto the counter a few times, and back into the game. It bounced roughly six times before landing dead in the hole, surprising everyone. 

“Wow! That was cool!” Rainbow said with a grin. 

“Congratulations dear.” Elusive said with a smile to James, making the carny look at the game.

"What the?" The carny asked himself as he scratched his head, but looked at James for a second. "Congratulations kid, you can pick out something from the second Self or throw again for that big bear you wanted." 

“I really want that bear.” James said with a small smile.

"Alright, last throw." The carny said with a smile. 

James took the ball and looked at the game again, not noticing Barb and Twilight Velvet walking past and spotting him. "James?" Barb asked quietly as he threw the ball, replicating the exact same thing it did the last time. Except this time the ball bounced out of the game entirely and began bouncing around the whole area, eventually hitting a sign and launching back into the game and getting jammed in the hole right as a hatch was about to close over it.

The carny stared at the game in shock. “Here, take the bear and leave.” He took the bear down and gave it to James without looking.

James smiled a bit as he took the bear that was bigger than him, as Rainbow and Fluttershy were clapping and cheering for him. Barb frowned a bit as her eyes teared up at seeing them being so nice to him, grabbing at her chest before Elusive smiled at James. "I'm sure your filly friend will love it." 

“I know, and it is her birthday too, I know I already gave her a gift but…I am probably leaving tomorrow so I want to make her as happy as possible.” James said with a smile, struggling to keep the bear up.

Twilight velvet smiled softly and whispered in Barb's ear. "Barb sweetie, he won that bear for you." 

Barb gasped softly as her ear fins perked. “He did? S-should I go talk to him or wait till the dance?” She asked nervously.

"You're going to wait a whole day to talk to your coltfriend?" Velvet asked with a gentle smile. "Go on, you're allowed to be with him." 

Barb smiled before she walked up to James and tapped his back, getting the attention of everyone in James’ group.

"A dragon!?" The filly asked fearfully as James turned around, his smile widening as he hugged Barb.

"Barb! What are you doing here?" He asked her. 

Barb blushed and hugged him back. “I was coming back from…um…getting something, when I saw you and your…new friends?” 

"Oh, right. Barb, meet Rainbow Dash Elusive and… um…" James started to say before looking at the yellow pony. 

"F-fluttershy…" The filly said timidly and quietly. 

"And Fluttershy." James said with a smile. 

Barb looked at them before slowly holding her claw out while hugging James tighter. “N-nice to meet you.”

"You as well dear, your coltfriend is quite the colt." Elusive said with a smile, shaking her claw. "He was able to defeat a guard captain in a duel."

Barb’s eyes widened before she looked at James. “You fought a guard captain!?”

"Buck yeah he did!" Rainbow said with excitement. "And he WON! The captain even used a spell on his sword to electrocute it and James used his sword to drive the captain into the dirt and kicked him into the dirt!" 

James blushed as he rubbed the back of his neck, shyly looking down. Barb gasped and covered her mouth. “You did that?” She asked James.

James nodded slowly. "I-i was raised to keep the innocent safe, a-and the guard was harassing Fluttershy and Rainbow…" 

Barb’s eyes widened before she hugged James harder. “You brave idiot.”

James smiled a little and hugged her back. "S-sorry."

Rainbow made gagging sounds. “Come on, do you have to be all…lovey dovey?”

Elusive giggled a little bit. "What's wrong dear? Jealous?" 

Barb and James looked at them as Rainbow blushed a bit. "No!" 

“Sh-she is a tomcolt.” Fluttershy said shyly, hiding behind a lot of her hair.

"What does that have to do with anything? One of my old friends is a tomcolt and has a coltfriend." Elusive said with a smirk. 

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Yes well, I just don’t like the lovey dovey stuff.” Rainbow said while looking away.

"A-anyway. B-barb, this is for you." James said offering the dragoness the giant teddy bear. 

Barb’s eyes widened as she hugged the bear. “Oh my gosh it is adorable!”

James smiled softly as Elusive sighed gently. "Against all odds he won it for you, you're quite the lucky filly." Elusive said with a grin. 

Barb blushed and hid behind the bear. “Th-thanks, but James is one of a kind.”

"Literally, I've never seen anything like em." Another voice said as an orange colt with a yellow mane walked over. "Howdy, mah family is selling apples here and ah saw that fight. It was cool." 

James rubbed his arm. “Th-thanks I guess, sorry I don’t have any money on me.”

The colt waved it off. "Ah ain't here ta try and get y'all ta buy any, actually mah ma and pa wanted me to give ya this." She said, slowly taking an apple fruit basket off her back. "We all saw the fight and they heard ya were winning that bear fer yer filly friend. They said there ain't a lot of good colts like ya around anymore and wanted ta do something nice fer ya." 

James blushed at the complement as he took the basket. “Th-thanks, but I didn’t do much.”

"Are you kidding!?" Rainbow asked in surprise. "You were awesome!" 

Barb frowned at Rainbow while hugging James’ arm. “Yes he is, he even got me a super rare comic along with the figure to go with it.”

James blushed more as Elusive chuckled a little more. "Looks like someone is the jealous type."

Barb blushed and looked away. “I am not.”

"Yeah right." Rainbow said with a grin. "You're all over him."

James put a hand on Barb’s back. “She is just fine the way she is.”

Barb blushed and smiled at him, hugging the bear more as a pink colt bounced around. "Hiya! Anypony know where I can find joe doughnuts?" 

“I believe it is down that road dear.” Elusive said while pointing down a road. “But why would you want to go there when there are so many fine dining establishments?” He asked the pink colt. 

"I'm looking for my parents, we said we'd meet there." The colt said with a wide smile. 

“Oh, I see.” Elusive said while nodding.

“Do you need some help getting there?” James asked.

The colt looked at James and smiled. "I appreciate that, but I should be ok." 

“Ok, I hope you find your family.” James said with a small smile.

"Thanks! That was a cool fight by the way! Someone should give you a medal!" The pony said, bouncing up and down excitedly. 

James smiles weakly. “I don’t need a medal.”

"Maybe not, but it'd be cool!" The pony said, bouncing around. "I'm Berry Pie!" 

“James.” James said as he held a hand out. “Nice to meet you.”

"You too!" Berry said with a smile shaking his hand wildly. 

“Whoa!” James said as he was shook. 

"James!" Barb said worriedly as Berry let go of his hand. 

"Sorry, I get over excited." Berry Pie said with a laugh. 

“I-it’s o-ok.” James said, still shaking from the handshake.

"Are you ok?" Barb asked worriedly. 

“Yeah, I am fine.” James said as he stopped shaking.

"Well I gotta go, see you all later!" Berry said, bouncing away. 

“Bye.” James waved as the colt left. “He seemed nice.”

"Yeah, I've never seen him before." Rainbow said with a shrug. 

“Of course you haven’t, you and I live in cloudsdale.” Fluttershy said softly.

"That's a good point." Rainbow said with a shrug. 

“What's cloudsdale?” James asked Rainbow and Fluttershy.

"The city Pegasus ponies live in." Rainbow said with a grin. 

“Cool, but also a little sad.” James said.

"Sad?" Elusive asked with a raised eyebrow. 

“Yeah, a city of just pegasi? Seems sad because no other ponies can go to it.” James said.

"Well, it is made of clouds. So if another pony tried to step on it they'd fall through." Rainbow said with a grin. 

James blinked at her. “Clouds? H-how is that possible?”

Rainbow grinned a bit. "Pegusai can make stuff out of clouds, we can also walk on them. It has something to do with our magic." 

“Really? What do clouds feel like?” James asked.

"Kinda like-" 

The present.

Barb snapped out of her daydreaming by the sound of thunder erupting through the city, so loud it shook the castle as a bolt of magically lightning surged across the sky in the direction of the portal to James' human world. "C-could he be back!?" 















































Continue
> Together again
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Barb rushed back downstairs and past her friends, not noticing the others had arrived as she quickly grabbed her jacket and rushed out the door. Six ponies rushed after her in confusion, each one looking at each other while they ran. "Where in tarnation does she think she's going?" Applejack asked. 

“I don’t know, she has been acting really weird today.” Twilight said.

“This may be my fault, I threw away something important of hers without knowing.” Elusive said.

"Good going dude." Rainbow said with a frown. "So what she's running away? Also, Twi do you know what that bolt of lightning was about?" 

“I didn’t know!” Elusive said as they ran.

“I don’t think she is running away, and I don't know, that lightning bolt seems familiar though.” Twilight said.

Barb stopped in her tracks as they reached a mountain close to Ponyville and Canterlot, a tall pointed peak stood over everything like a sentinel guarding a palace. Another bolt of magical lightning striking the top, and surging through the entire mountain. A shadowy figure watching the dragoness from the treeline, its yellow eyes glowing with anger as the energy around the mountain began to swirl and surge into a vortex. 

“Please…” Barb said softly as she hugged herself. “Please be him.”

"Barb! What are you doing?!" Twilight asked, the group catching up to her as the shadowy figure grinned darkly. 

Barb turned to look at her sister. “I am going to find him Twi, you can help or go home.”

"Him?" Everyone asked in confusion, as Twilight looked at the vortex of magic as it flashed and fully formed a portal. The mare's eyes widened in surprise and wonder, before she quickly looked at Barb.

"Barb! You don't even know if he lives in the same place! You don't even know if this portal leads to that place!" Twilight worried for her sister, as the shadowy figure slowly crept up behind them. 

“I don’t care! This is the closest I have been to seeing him again.” Barb said with tears in her eyes. “I want to see-” A loud boom covered her voice for a moment. “-again!”

Everyone shook their head to clear the ringing from their ears, as a dark pulse of energy sped past them and knocked into Barb. The force sent her flying backwards at rapid speeds, while the shadowy figure formed into the shape of a bipedal creature. 

“What the hay is that!?” Rainbow shouted and pointed at the figure.

The darkness around the being faded to reveal a creature with a long silver blade on its back, a black cloak and clothes covering its armored body. "It doesn't matter what I am, but what does matter is that I won't let the bloodline of the dragoness that sealed me survive." He said blasting Barb again. 

“Barb!” Everyone shouted as Twilight tried to make a magic shield around her sister.

The creature removed it's hood, revealing a tan being with black hair and golden eyes before it lifted its appendage. In a burst of darkness Twilight's shield broke, sending Barb herdaling closer to the portal. 

“Barb!” Twilight yelled before she looked at Rainbow. “Go get the princesses!”

Rainbow flew off as fast as she could, while the dark creature smirked at Barb. "Your ancestor sealed me away for twenty thousand years, my family is gone because of her. You will pay for her crimes!" He yelled, raising his hands into the air as he laughed meniechaly. "Now the other humans will destroy you!" He yelled, sending a way of darkness at Barb, forcing her to the portal as it washed over her. 

“Leave my sister alone!” Twilight yelled and fired a beam of magic at his back.

The human created a dark shield around himself as he smirked at Twilight. "You're next, now sit down like a good pony and wait your turn!" He shouted, launching a wave of dark lightning at her while at the same time he blasted Barb again just as she looked at him. Her eyes widened in shock as she was forced through the portal, light engulfing her as she fell. 

Twilight tried to run out of the way and put up a magic shield, the dark magic bounced off the shield as the creature grinned. "It's too late, she's gone!" 

“You monster! She didn’t do anything to you!” Twilight said as she flew into the air.

The creature laughed darkly. "Her ancestors did and now my revenge is complete!" 

James rushed through the forest, jumping over and under logs and rocks as he quickly made his way to a certain cave. "Please… please…" He mumbled, stopping dead in his tracks at the sight before him. A familiar dragoness was sitting on the ground while staring at the wall, blood slowly dripping down her head as James slowly approached her. "B-barb?" 

Her eyes slowly opened. “J-James?” She asked weakly.

"Barb!" He yelled, rushing over and holding her head in his arms. "Y-you're here! Why are you here!?" 

“Storm…monster…attack.” Barb said before she passed out.

James panicked at her as he looked at where the portal was, before he quickly and effortlessly picked her up and rushed to his house. James quickly laid her down on his bed and covered her up with a blanket, just as quickly wrapping her head with a bandage before slowly just staring at her in surprise. 

“James…” She mumbled in her sleep.

James slowly sat next to her and held her hand, smiling softly at her as he simply sat with her. Barb whimpered before tossing and turning. “Please…don’t go…I...I…lov…”

James' eyes widened as he blushed, smiling softly while he thought back to their last day together. 

18 years ago.

James and Barb both got up early the day of the gala, each one quickly rushing to see each other. James was stopped by Shining who was smirking. “You ready for tonight champ?”

James blushed and nodded slowly. "Y-yeah… i-im nervous though…" 

Shining chuckled and stepped to the side. “I came to bring you to get your suit.”

"O-oh right, I forgot about it yesterday…" James said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. 

“Yeah, when I came back to the fair you were having so much fun you almost slept through Cadence’s dance lessons when you got back to the castle.” Shining said before he turned to the side. “Want me to use magic or lean down?”

"Um… magic is fine. I've gotten used to It." James said with a small smile. "Also, could you ask your sister Twilight not to study me when I'm sleeping? I found one of her notes when I woke up." 

Shining sighed and shook his head before lifting James onto his back. “Sorry about her, she is very…inquisitive.”

"It's ok, but my dad always says curiosity killed the cat… whatever that means." James said with a shrug.

“We have a similar saying, ‘Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.’ I think it is an old unicorn saying from before the tribes united.” Shining said as he walked through the halls.

"What's that mean?" James asked, confused.

“I believe it means that while curiosity may harm you, the satisfaction of finding knowledge or the truth is worth it. So be curious, strive to find the truth and gain knowledge.” Shining said with a soft smile. 

"Huh, neat." James said as they walked down the street of canterlot, passing by a familiar pink colt. "Berry Pie?" 

The pink colt looked at James and waved with a big smile. “Hi James, how are you!”

"I'm good, how-" James started to say, before noticing Berry Pie's dirty coat. "Did you sleep outside last night? Weren't you able to find your parents?" 

The colt’s smile fell just a bit before coming back. “Don’t be silly, of course I found them, I just…wanted to camp out last night.” 

James frowned a bit as he glanced at Shining Armor for a moment, before looking at Berry again. "You know if you need our help we'll help you." 

The pink colt shook his head. “You are probably busy with something super duper important.”

"All we're doing is picking up something from a shop, the dance itself isn't until later." James said with a smile, jumping off of Shining Armor's back. 

“O-oh um…w-well…if you aren’t busy I guess we can hang out…me and my family are playing a game of hide and seek.” The pink colt said with a forced smile.

James and Shining Armor both looked at him with frowns. "What are their names? Maybe we can help you find them." Shining Armor said stepping forward. 

“My dad is Igneous Rock Pie, my mom is Cloudy Quartz, my sisters are Marble Pie, Limestone Pie, and Maud Pie.”  The colt said, trying to hide his sadness.

James nodded a little as Shining Armor stepped forward. "Igneous and Cloudy? I know those names, they sell rocks to the sculptures here in canterlot." 

The colt’s ears perked. “Does that mean you know where they are? Er I mean do you know where they are hiding?”

Shining Armor smiled a little and nodded. "I know where they could be, come with us." He said trotting away as James and Berry followed him. 

“So Berry, what do you do for fun?” James asked as they walked.

"I love throwing parties for everyone!" Berry said with a wide smile, bouncing along with James. 

“Parties? That sounds nice of you, but what else do you do?” James asked as they had to walk around some guards that were out on patrol.

"Well… mostly just work on the rock farm with the rest of my family." Berry said, lowering his head a little. "I love them all, but I'm no different to them we don't really… play or anything." 

“Rock farm? How do you farm rocks?” James asked, very confused.

Berry looked at him for a moment before chuckling. "You know I'm not sure, basically we just dig them out of the ground and roll them into piles." 

“That sounds…interesting.” James said slowly before his eyes widened. “Oh! It is like mining!” 

"Mining?" Berry asked, confused. 

“Mining is when you dig out special material out of the ground to sell or use to make other products. Like iron, coal, silver, gold, even crystals.” James explained before he blushed after showing his nerd side.

"Oh, we do some stuff like that. But mostly rocks, though we do break them open to get some Jem's out of them." Berry said with a smile. 

“Cool, I love geodes.” James said with a smile.

"Ge-odes?" Berry asked, confused. 

“Uh…the rocks with gems inside them.” James explained.

"Oh." Berry Pie said, as the three of them approached a sculpture shop. A group of ponies with all different shades of gray coats stood around and were talking to another pony with a blue coat and an apron. 

“Are those your family?” James asked. 

"Mama! Papa!" Berry yelled rushing over to his family and hugging his mother tightly. James smiled warmly as he watched them.

"Berry there you are." The foals mother said, wrapping her hoof around him. 

"Boy, be more careful the next time you bounce off." His father said. 

James stepped up to Shining. “ We should go.” 

"James!" Berry yelled, running over and hugging him. "Thank you both for helping me!" 

James smiled weakly and patted Berry’s back. “We just did the right thing.”

Berry smiled and went back to his family, as Shining Armor grinned at James. "You're a good colt, Barb picked a keeper."

James blushed bright red. “I just did what was right, anyone would have done it.”

"Not everyone." Shining Armor said with a smile. "Most colts around here are just snoody brats." 

“Really?” James asked as he was lifted onto Shining’s back again.

"Yes, and most of them bully Barbara because of what she is." Shining Armor said with a sad sigh. 

“That is…sad and messed up, their parents should teach them better.” James said with a frown.

"They're just as bad." Shining Armor said as they began approaching the clothing shop. 

James frowned and crossed his arms. “Then they need to be punished.”

"Unfortunately it's not against the law." Shining Armor said sadly. 

James crossed his arms. “It should be.” 

Shining Armor chuckled softly as they entered the clothing shop. "You know  with your skills as a swordsman and your smarts, I forget you're still a kid. Once you grow up a bit. You'll be a force to be reckoned with." 

James blushed and looked down. “I don’t want to be scary.”

"There's a difference between being scary to be mean, and being scary to protect others." Shining Armor said with a smile just as Sharp fit walked out of the back. 

“There is?” James asked, confused.

"Yes, one is to be mean while the other is to show others not to mess with you." Shining Armor said with a smile, as he looked at Sharp Fit. "Hello miss, Fit. We're here for James' tux." 

“Ah just in time.” She said with a smile. “Follow me for the final fitting.” She said before walking over to another curtain.

James and Shining Armor followed her as she removed the curtain, revealing a slim black and purple tux with slim green outlines of dragons all along it. “Ok dear, take those clothes off and try on the suit.” Sharp Fit said with a smile.

James blushed a bit and removed his clothes slowly, before slowly and carefully putting the tux on. "Oh wow, this is nice…"

“Thank you, it was a bit tricky given your body shape but I think I did well.” Sharp Fit said with a smile. “Go on, try to move around.”

James nodded and slowly began walking around, and even doing some practice dance moves. Shining chuckled and looked at Sharp Fit. “Another perfect suit Sharp, how do you do it?”

"Practice dear." Sharp Fit said with a smile. "Oh, I have to ask. Did my nephew meet anypony last night at the fair? He came back all giddy and flushed red."

“Hmm, well we did meet these two pegasus fillies.” Shining said while tapping his chin.

"Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash." James said with a smile as he looked down at the suit. "They were nice."

Elusive walked through the door as the three talked, pausing when he saw James' in the purple and black suit with green dragon symbols, a blush forming on his face. “Ah perfect timing, Elusive be a dear and get my mane styling supplies.” Sharp Fit said to her nephew.

"Y-yeah aunty." Elusive said as he slowly walked into the back. 

James tilted his head. “Mane styling?” 

"Of course, don't you wish for your mane to look nice for the galla?" Sharp fit asked with a smile, using her magic to levitate his hair a little. 

James looked up. “My hair? well…I guess so.”

"You want to look nice for your filly friend right?" Sharp asked with a smile just as Elusive walked out the back. 

“Yes I do.” James said with a nod and blush.

Elusive frowned slightly as he gave his aunt her mane styling kit. "Here you go aunty." 

“Thank you dear.” She said and began to work on James’ hair. “I heard you met two nice fillies last night.”

"Huh? Oh yes, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. They were… decent." Elusive said with a small smile. "We also met two colts, Applejack and Berry pie."

“Oh?” She said with a smile. “That's nice.”

"Yeah, Rainbow let me borrow some bits so I could get Barb a gift. But she said I owed her it plus interest… What is interest?" James asked in confusion. 

Shining chuckled and smirked. “It means the longer you take to pay her back the more you owe her.” 

James blinked a bit as he rubbed the back of his head. "Well… that's not good. If I ever come back I'll owe her a lot." 

Shining started to laugh. “Oh yeah.”

Elusive giggled softly as his aunt continued her work on James' hair. "I wonder if I can collect gold somehow back home…" James mumbled. 

“I am sure you won’t owe her much next time you see her.” Sharp said with a smile.

"He's not from here. He got here because of magic, and once that portal closes it'll be years the next time he comes back… if at all." Shining Armor said with a small frown. 

“Ah then don’t worry, she will probably forget about it.” Sharp said with a giggle.

"Maybe, but I won't." James said with a frown. 

Sharp giggled and smiled. “Well, aren't you an honest gentlecolt.”

Elusive sighed softly as his blush increased, stealing a glance at James who rubbed the back of his head with a smile. "W-well… it's the right thing to do…" 

“No touching your mane.” Sharp said as she used magic to move James’ hand down.

James blushed a bit as Elusive smiled softly. "My aunt is very… passionate about her work." 

“Of course dear, if you aren't passionate about your work then you're in the wrong line of work.” She said with a giggle.

Elusive smiled as he looked at his aunt. "I want to be just like you one day aunty." 

“I am sure if you follow your heart you will be.” She said with a smile at him.

James smiled a little. "I bet you'll be just as good if not better than your aunt." 

Elusive blushed more and looked away shyly. “Thank you.”

James smiled a little more. "Don't mention it." 

Sharp looked between James and Elusive before she smirked softly to herself. “There, your mane is down, Elusive dear, what do you think?”

Elusive looked at James again as his blushed deepened a little. "I-it looks nice…" 

“Thanks.” James said with a bright smile.

Sharp Fit smiled a bit as she gently nudged her nephew with a giggle. "Does the suit feel comfortable? Not too tight in any… areas?" 

“No, it feels great!” James said and he even jumped in the suit. “You are amazing!”

Sharp fit smiled brightly. "I'm glad you like it, that'll be six thousand bits." 

James’ eyes widened as he froze. “H-huh?”

Sharp fit giggled softly as she smiled. "I'm just joking dear, consider it a thank you gift for helping my nephew find someone he likes." 

“B-but the paper Shining gave you…wasn’t that the payment?” James asked, confused.

"Ah yes, I actually spent it on this." Sharp Fit it said, levitating a box over to James. "It's a rare gem and necklace, I think your filly friend would like it to remember your date." 

“Oh!” James opened it to look inside. “Is it a memory stone? Elusive game me one.”

"He did, did he?" Sharp fit asked with a giggle as she glanced at her still blushing nephew. "But yes, it is a memory stone. But more than that, there's an old legend that says if two memory stones claim the same moment in time as a memory, the bond between the two who share it will last forever and always connect them." 

James’ eyes widened as he blushed lightly. “Wow, that is…cool.”

Sharp Fit giggled a bit and smiled. "Make sure it's a night you and your filly friend will always remember." 

James smiled a bit and nodded. “Yeah, I will do my best.”

Shining Armor smiled softly, and gently bumped James. "Make sure she has fun ok?" 

“Of course.” James said with a nod.

Shining nodded with a smile. "Good colt, now you may want to change back so you don't get your suit dirty." 

“Oh right!” James started to change back.

Elusive blushed red as James changed, looking away quickly. “Done, what should we do now?” James asked before his stomach growled loudly.

Sharp Fit smiled a little. "Why don't you and Elusive go get something to eat?" 

James looked to Shining. “Is that ok?”

"Of course, go have fun with your friend." Shining Armor said with a smile. 

James nodded and walked over to Elusive. “Where should we go?”

Elusive looked down a bit. "I-i know if a good place…" 

“Ok.” James said with a soft smile. “Lead the way.”

Elusive nodded a little as he stiffly started walking out the door with James following him. "Well then, seems like there's a love triangle brewing." Sharp fit said with a gentle giggle. 

“What do you mean?” Shining asked.

"Oh nothing." Sharp Fit said with a giggle. .

Shining shrugged and took the suit in the package. “Alright, well I should get going and help Cadence get ready.”

"Will James know how to get back?" Sharp Fit asked with a slight frown. 

“Hmm, maybe not. Does Elusive know the way to the castle?” Shining asked.

"Yes, he's helped me make a few deliveries." Sharp Fit said with a small smile. 

“Then would you mind having Elusive bring him back to the castle?” Shining asked with a soft smile.

"Of course dear." Sharp Fit said with a smile. 

“Thanks, I better go!” Shining said as he headed off.

Sharp Fit giggled a little as she trotted into the back. "Oh Elusive, don't get your heart broken dear." 

James and Elusive walked down the road as ponies slowly walked around them. "So, what kind of place are we going to?" 

“It is a lovely restaurant with lots of options for food.” Elusive said shyly.

"Really? Any um… meat?" James asked with a worried frown. 

“M-Meat?” Elusive asked, confused and frightened.

"Yeah, my species needs meat and veggies to survive." James said kicking at the ground a little. 

“I…I see.” Elusive said settling down a little. “W-well I think they do serve m-meat there.”

"Oh, good." James said with a smile. "I've been too nervous eating around my… my… um. Barb, to eat meat…" he said nervously. 

“I see, well we can get you something.” Elusive said as they continued to walk.

"T-thank you, and I'm sorry if you'll be uncomfortable." James said with a small smile. 

“I-it’s alright, I will just…not look.” Elusive said, his face turning slightly green.

James looked down sadly. "S-sorry…" 

“It isn‘t your fault you need…that.” Elusive said gently.

James kicked a small rock. "But it makes everyone so uncomfortable…" 

“Well…that's because we are herbivores.” Elusive said before he looked down sadly. ‘I am ruining this date.’

James looked at Elusive, noticing his sad face and smiling a little. "I know, which is why I won't eat it while I'm here." 

“Huh?” Elusive looked up at him. “B-but you said you need it.”

James smiled sadly at him. "I do, but I'll be ok until I get home." 

“I..if you are sure.” Elusive said sadly.

James chuckled a bit and smiled at Elusive. "Don't worry about it, now what do you like to do when you're not working with your aunt?" 

“Oh um…well mostly look for gems to add to suits and dresses I work on.” Elusive said with a light blush.

"Gems huh?" James asked with a smile. "You must have one heck of a steady hoof, it's hard to incorporate gems into outfits back home." 

“Well magic helps dear.” Elusive said with a smile, relaxing a bit.

"Can I ask you something personal?" James asked dieth a smile as the two walked into the restaurant Elusive had been talking about. 

“Of course dear.” Elusive said to him before looking up at the stallion in front of them. “Hello sir, table for two please.”

"Of course." The stallion said with a smile, leading them to a booth. 

"Um, why do you call me dear?" James asked, raising an eyebrow. "I haven't heard you calling anyone else that, besides your aunt." 

Elusive blushed a bit. “Oh I didn’t know you didn’t like it, I am kind of copying my aunt so I get in the habit of saying it for my customers.”

James blushed a little. "I-i didn't say I didn't like it. I was just confused." 

“Oh!” Elusive said as his ears perked and they arrived at their table. “Thank goodness.”

James rubbed the back of his head. "So um… what's good here?" 

They were given two menus and Elusive smiled a bit awkwardly. “Well…they have these wonderful rose salads.”

"Rose salads?" James asked, confused. 

“Yes, they are delicious, they have the best roses on the salad.” Elusive said with a smile.

"Oh, um. My species doesn't and um… can't eat roses. We use them as gifts for those we…love." James said, rubbing the back of his head as he looked at the menu. 

Elusive’s eyes widened and he blushed softly. “O-oh I see, sorry. Um..” He looked at the menu. “I think they have a cheese sandwich that is popular.”

James looked at the menu some More before smiling. "I think I'll have a grilled cheese sandwich and a toss salad with blue cheese." 

“That sounds lovely.” Elusive said with a smile.

"Are you going to get the rose salad?" James asked, smiling at Elusive. 

“I think so, if that's ok with you.” Elusive said while shyly peeking over his menu.

"Why wouldn't it be?" James asked, confused, tilting his head in confusion. 

“N-no reason.” He said and hid behind the menu again.

James raised an eyebrow again as he shrugged, taking a sip of his water as Elusive tried to calm down. "I-i just met him, why am I so flustered!?" 

“This place is really fancy, are you sure it's ok we are here?” James asked after looking around at the other tables.

"O-oh, yes dear. My aunt and I have open tabs…" Elusive said with a gentle smile. 

“Tabs?” James asked, looking at Elusive with confusion.

Elusive blushed a little. "W-we come here a lot so we have tabs open to pay back later…"

“Oh, sounds neat.” James said with a nod of understanding.

Elusive smiled shyly as he looked at the waiter. "bonjour nous sommes prêts à commander"(hello we are ready to order.)

"Que puis-je vous servir?" The waiter asked with a smile. (What can I serve you?)

"un sandwich au fromage grillé, avec a toss Salade au fromage bleu." Elusive smiled. "et un, pomme d'arrosoir salade." (a grilled cheese sandwich, with a blue cheese toss salad.)

"venir tout droit." The waiter said walking away as James looked at Elusive in confusion. (Coming right up.)

"You can speak French?" He asked. 

“Don’t you mean Prench?” Elusive asked back.

James shook his head with a small laugh. "Back home we call it French because it's from France. I guess our worlds are more similar than we thought." 

“Maybe.” Elusive said with a soft smile.

"So where did you learn it?" James asked with a gentle smile. 

“My aunt taught me, she said it is the language of high society and romance.” Elusive said with a smile.

James chuckled a bit. "My mom taught me some french for the same reason." 

“Oh?” Elusive asked before smiling softly and said. "Combien savez-vous?" (How much do you know?" 

James grinned a bit. "c'est une deuxième langue pour moi." (It's a second language to me.) 

Elusive giggled a bit. "C'est impréservé, j'apprends encore." (That is impreserve, I am still learning.)

James smiled a bit and shook his head. "vous le parlez parfaitement, continuez d'essayer." (You speak it flawlessly, just keep trying.)

Elusive blushed and looked down shyly. "Merci James, tu es vraiment adorable." (Thank you James, you really are sweet.)

James smiled a little with an embarrassed blush. "c'est toi qui paye le déjeuner, je devrais te remercier." (you're the one paying for lunch, i should be thanking you.)

Elusive looked away shyly. "J'essaie juste de rendre cela mémorable." (I am just trying to make this memorable.)

James chuckled a bit. "Well trust me, I'm never going to forget my time here. This world is… amazing." 

Elusive nodded his head. “That is a good thing.”

James smiled a little as the food arrived. "Profitez de votre rendez-vous."(enjoy your date.) The waiter said, walking away as James' eyes widened in surprise. 

Elusive blushed but looked at the water as he left. "Merci Monsieur." (Thank you sir.)

James looked at Elusive in surprise still before looking down. "D-date? I-i have a girlfriend though…" 

Elusive looked at James with wide eyes. “Y-you do?” 

"Barb… my filly friend remember?" James asked with a slight blush. 

“R-right…her…” Elusive looked down at the table. “I am sorry…”

James looked down with a red face. "i-it's ok… I-i wasn't expecting… well… you to like me like that. I mean we just met and everything." 

“N-no it’s my fault…I should have said something…” Elusive said as he poked at his food. “Do…do you just want to pack up the food and go?”

James looked at his food before glancing at Elusive's sad look, making him sigh softly. "No… let's eat while it's fresh, cold grilled cheese is disgusting." 

Elusive’s ears perked. “You don’t?” He slowly looked up at James.

James smiled a little and took a bite of his sandwich, shaking his head. "Like I said… it's better to eat it while it's fresh." 

Elusive giggled softly. “That is true I suppose.” 

James glanced at Elusive and smiled a little. "This is good… it was a good idea to come here."

“Thank you, I alway love the food here.” Elusive said as he looked between his food and James.

James smiled as he took an enthusiastic bite of his salad. "I can see why!" 

Elusive giggled and blushed. “Dear, please don’t eat so much so fast, this isn’t a hayburger.”

"I can't help it, it's good!" James said with a wide smile. 

“Yes well…” Elusive siad with a blush as he looked around. “We are getting some stares.”

James blinked and looked around at the ponies glancing at the two as a few giggled softly at him. "So? I don't care." James said, continuing to eat happily. 

Elusive blushed some more and lowered his head. “I guess it doesn’t matter…much.”

Elusive's ears twitched slightly as he heard a soft voice whispering nearby. "How cute, it's nice to see a young couple so comfortable with each other they don't care about how others think." 

Elusive blushed brighter. “What are you going to do when you go home?”

James blinked a bit and slowed down his eating, leaning back in his chair as he swallowed his food. "I… I don't know…" 

“D-do you think we will see each other again?” Elusive asked him gently.

James smiled a little. "I know we will… I don't know how, but I do."

Elusive smiled a bit. “Well I know I will be looking forward to it.”

James smiled a little and nodded slowly. "Me too, I'm going to miss everyone." 

Elusive fiddled with his mane a bit. “M-maybe we could come with you?”

James shook his head sadly as he looked down. "No… my world is not a good place. You're all safer here…" 

“Safer? D-does that mean you’ll be in danger?” Elusive asked as he dropped his fork.

"No… I'm human." James said sadly. 

“Huh? What does that have to do with us being in danger?” Elusive asked.

James stared at his plate a little as he sighed. "From what I know the only animals that can talk back home are humans… you'd probably be put in a cage and used as a sideshow attraction…" 

Elusive’s eyes widened. “What? Why? We are people not animals.” 

"I know that, but most humans would see you as freaks or freak out that you can talk…" James said sadly. 

Elusive frowned sadly. “I see…I guess other humans aren’t as nice as you.”

James shook his head sadly, playing with his food. "N-no they aren't." 

“That is sad, there should be more like you.” Elusive said before eating a rose.

James smiled softly as he glanced at Elusive. "And I think there should be more ponies like you in canterlot. Instead of all those snobs I've run into." 

Elusive blushed softly. “Canterlot isn’t that bad.”

James sighed softly. "Everyone I've run into, aside from you, your aunt, Twilight's family and Barb has been like that… they all look at me as if I'm some monster… even now when they think I'm not looking." He said, as Elusive noticing a bunch of ponies staring at James in fear. 

Elusive frowned at the ponies. “They just don’t know you, and how sweet you are.”

"That doesn't stop them…" James said before smiling at Elusive. "But that's why I like hanging out with you, you're nice and don't judge me." 

Elusive blushed a bit. “Of course I don’t judge you, it would be rude to do so.”

James smiled more as he finished his food. "Thank you for the meal." 

“You’re welcome dear.” Elusive said before he finished his food.

"So… should we head back?" James asked Elusive with a sad smile. 

“Sure, you still have a dance to get ready for.” Elusive said with a gentle smile.

James smiled a little as the two began walking out of the building as the human glanced at Elusive for a second. "Um… so… y-you like me?"

Elusive blushed and his ears folded back. “Well…if I am honest…yes.”

James blushed more as he looked down at the ground. "I-im sorry, y-you must have had a hard time when me and Barb were together yesterday…" 

“I…well I didn’t put it together actually, but that's ok, I don’t mind being your second.” Elusive said with a soft smile.

James raised an eyebrow at what he said. "S-second?" 

“Yes, Barb would be your head mare while I am the second…if…if you like me that way anyway.” Elusive said with a blush.

James blinked a bit as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Head mare? I… don't understand, and I… I um… I… do like you…but I'm not sure…if…" 

Elusive looked down at the ground. “I understand, if you do decide to form a herd just remember me ok?”

"What is a… herd?" James asked, blushing red for a moment as he glanced at Elusive's face. 

Elusive looked at James in shock. “You don’t know what a herd is?”

James shook his head a bit as the two walked, the human noticing how Elusive's hair bounced and moved elegantly in the wind. “A herd is a relationship between multiple ponies, normally one stallion and many mares, but there have been other mixes of the genders.” Elusive said with a soft blush.

James blushed a bit at how cute Elusive looked to him, before looking away and nodding slowly. "I-i see…" 

Elusive looked ahead, still blushing as they walked. “It is a common thing here in Equestria, d-do humans not do that?”

"I-i don't know… I've never been in a relationship before." He said blushing more. 

“Oh.” Elusive said, shyly looking at the ground.

"B-but I mean…" James said, blushing more. "When I come back… we'll be here and not in my world so…" 

Elusive smiled softly. “It's ok James, just promise to remember me.”

James chuckled a bit and glanced at Elusive, smiling sweetly at him. "Of course, I'll never forget you." 

Elusive blushed and looked away shyly. “Thank you James.”

James smiled softly as he looked up at the castle for a moment. "Will… will you be able to get back on your own?" 

“Nuh?” Elusive followed James’ sight and saw the castle. “O-oh um…yes I can find my way home. But can you find your way to the castle?” He asked James after looking back at him.

James looked at him with a slight blush and nodded slowly. "I-i think so." 

Elusive slowly leaned closer. “O-ok, um…before you go do you think…maybe…” 

James' eyes widened in surprise as he gulped a bit. "I-i…" 

"James!" A voice called, while a young dragoness ran over and hugged him. "Where have you been all day?" 

Elusive’s eyes widened as he leaned back and looked away with a bright red face. "H-hey Barb! I-i was just hanging out with Elusive." James said with a bright blush and a small smile as he stole a glance at the unicorn. 

Elusive nodded weakly. “Y-yes, J-james was just about to go back to the castle too.” He said while avoiding eye contact.

"Oh! Perfect! We have to get ready!" Barb said with a blush and a smile at James. 

James smiled and nodded, looking Barbara in the eyes with a blush. Elusive smiled sadly and started walking away from them as some tears filled his eyes. ‘It is better that he is happy.’

"Hey Elusive!" James yelled following the unicorn with a small smile. "Thanks for today… It was fun." 

Elusive blushed and smiled at James. “You are welcome, it was fun for me too.”

James smiled softly with a nod, glancing back at Barbra for a second as she looked around before quickly leaning over and making it look like he was whispering in Elusive's ear. "I mean it and… i-it'll talk to Barbra about the herd thing." He whispered to Elusive, quickly giving him a peck on the cheek before going back over to Barbra. 

Elusive blushed and froze up after getting kissed. Barbara glanced at James and Elusive for a moment, before wrapping her arms around James' left arm. "What was that about?" She asked him with a slight frown. 

“J-just saying goodbye.” James said with a sheepish smile. "U-um, Barb. Do you know what a herd is?" 

Barb looked at James. “Yes, I have heard of them, why?”

James blushed slightly. "U-um… E-elusive likes me apparently… and said something about it…" 

Barb’s eyes widened before her pupils turned to slits. “He what?”

James' eyes widened in fear as he gulped a bit. "I-i told him I'd have to talk to you first…"

She closed her eyes and hugged his arm tighter. “Let’s head back to the castle.”

James frowned a little before gently resting his head on her head. "You'll always be my number one." 

Barb hugged his arm. “Thank you.”

James smiled softly, kissing her head as the two walked. Barb blushed and looked down as they walked. James smiled softly as they continued to walk back to the castle, running into Celestia. 

“Ah James, Barb, it's good to see you.” Celestia said with a smile.

"H-hello Princess." James said with a smile, as Barb kept holding James' arm. 

“Are you two looking forward to tonight?” Celestia asked with a sweet smile.

"I am." James said with a bright smile, while Barb looked down. 

"I-i was…" She said softly. 

“Why, what's wrong?” Celestia asked with confusion clear on her face.

Barb pouted a little as James blushed. "Someone else likes James and wants to form a herd…" 

“Oh my, you two are a bit young to be thinking about that.” Celestia said with a giggle.

Barb pouted more as James smiled a little. "I know, I already told him I had to talk to Barb about it."

“I see, well I hope things work out between you all.” Celestia said with a soft smile.

James blushed a bit more as Barb pouted and hugged James' arm more. "I don't wanna share!"

Celestia giggled and rubbed Barb’s head. “I know dear, but you don’t have to.”

Barb nodded a little as James smiled more. "We should get ready." 

“Yes, I am on my way to my personal stylist.” Celestia said with a smile.

Barb's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh no! I need to get home and get dressed!" She yelled rushing away. 

James watched her run away. “Does she really need that much work? Maybe a dress would be enough.”

Celestia giggled softly. "James, you have a lot to learn about girls." 

James looked at Celestia. “I do?”

Celestia nodded with a smile. "Yes, but for now go on and get ready." 

“Ok, bye.” James said before running to his room.

Present day. 

James looked at Barb as she rolled over in her sleep, grabbing into his arm. The young man smiled softly as he gently laid down with her, wrapping a single arm around her. 

“Mmm…James?” Barb asked as she started to wake up.

James smiled softly as he watched her opening her eyes wider. "Long time no see." He said softly. 

“James!” Barb shouted and sat up to hug him.

James quickly stopped her, smiling softly as he held her closer to himself. "Careful, your head was banged up pretty bad." 

“Oh James, I am so glad to see you again!” She hugged him tightly.

"So am I, I've missed you so much." James said, holding her as close as he could. "You said a storm monster attacked you, what happened?"

Barb shook her head as tears filled her eyes. “No, the storm came and I knew you’d be back, then a monster showed up and threw me through the portal!”

James' eyes suddenly turned into slits, as he snarled a little. "What!?" 

“James?” Barb asked with a hand on his chest. 

James looked at her in confusion, his eyes slowly morphing back to rounded pupils. "Yeah?" 

“Are you ok? Your eyes…” Barb said while looking at him with worry.

James blinked a bit before sighing and smiling softly at her. "A lot has happened… turns out while I was in Equestria before… I came back with something… magical." 

“You have magic?” Barb asked, shocked at the news.

James smiled softly and nodded a little. "Yeah, every time it happens and acts up my eyes become slits and whenever someone or something that I care about is in danger I… go crazy."

Barb gasped and grabbed James’ arm. “Equestria needs your help please, there has to be a way back.”

James raised an eyebrow. "My help? What can I do?" 

“Please you were always so strong and skilled, my home and friends are in danger.” Barb said as she hugged him.

James blushed red as Barbara's chest pushed against his, making him gulp slightly and nodding slowly. "A-alright, I planned on moving to Equestria anyway…" 

Barb gasped and looked up at him. “You were?! How? When?” 

James blushed and smiled. "When the portal opened again, I was going to jump through…" 

Barb hugged him tightly. “Oh James, I missed you so much, I wish you had came through before that thing could have thrown me through.”

James hugged her tightly back. "Me too, I'm sorry…" 

“Did you find a way to force the portal open on this side?” Barb asked hopefully.

James slowly shook his head with a frown. "No… I haven't." 

“B-but Twilight and the others were left alone with that monster…” Barb said as she started to cry.

James gently held her against his chest. "It'll be ok, they have Celestia and your brother to help, plus Cadence."

Barb cried into his chest as she hugged him. “My friends and family…”

"It'll be ok." He whispered softly to her. "Twilight is super smart and good with magic, I'm sure she'll open the portal again." 

“How?” Barb asked as she looked up at him, tears still in her eyes.

James smiled a little as he kissed her forehead. "I don't know, but I'm sure she will. In the meantime I can show you my world." 

Barb looked around the room they were in. “O-ok…I am sorry for crying so much.”

James shook his head with a gentle and reassuring smile. "It's ok, go ahead and cry if you need to." 

She shook her head. “I don’t want to cry…I want to know more about you, what happened after…after you left?”

James sighed a bit. "A lot… not a lot of good…"

Barb frowned and looked down. “Oh…you don’t have to talk about it.”

James smiled sadly at her, before sitting up and leaning against the headboard. "I was disowned…" 

“What!? Why? You are amazing!” Barb said in shock.

James frowned and looked off to the side. "I'd rather not talk about it…" 

“Oh…ok.” Barb said but she placed her hand on his. “What do you want to talk about?”

James looked at her and smiled softly. "You, how have you been? How's your family and… do… you um… have a boyfriend?" 

Barb smiled softly before she squeezed his hand. “I am ok, I am a bit upset at Rarity but…she meant well…Twilight is a princess now…and of course I have a boyfriend.” She kissed his cheek. “You.”

James blushed red as he looked at her with a surprised look. "W-we're still…?" 

“I waited for you.” Barb said with a smile.

James blushed red and smiled, slowly kissing her cheek. "And I've waited for you…" 

Barb smiled brightly. “I'm so glad we are together again.”

James smiled and nodded. "So am I, I've missed you so much."

Barb blushed as she checked under her shirt before pulling up a necklace with a gem on it. “Do you still have it?”

James smiled as he slowly pulled out his own necklace. "Of course, I never take it off." 

Barb smiled and kissed James on the lips. “Thank you, there were times I could have sworn I felt you hugging me.”

James blushed a bit and smiled as he looked at her and nodded. "There were times when I would imagine hugging you." 

Barb looked around the room. “We should get ready for when the portal opens again.”

James pulled her into a hug while laying down with a smile. "We can just relax for now, I doubt it'll open again so soon."

“But…” Barb started before she placed her head on his chest.

James smiled a little before lifting her head and kissing her. "Don't worry, everything in here is staying here. Everything I want to take with me is hidden in the cave where the portal forms." 

Barb blushed and nuzzled him. “Ok…um…do you have any spare clothes?”

"Oh, of course." James said, getting up and looking through his closet as Barb noticed a picture of a young beautiful girl with James.

Barb started to frown as she picked up the picture. “James…who is this?”

"Hmm?" James asked, pulling out a large sweater with a green dragon on it out of the closet. "oh, that…" he paused for a moment looking at the picture as a sad look covered his face. "That's my sister." 

Barb’s face softened. “Your sister?”

James looked away for a moment and nodded slowly, passing her the sweater. "Yeah…" 

Barb took the sweater and looked at it. “Th-thanks…um…are you ok?”

James looked away for a moment before sighing. "Yeah, it's… why I was disowned. I'll tell you later." 

“Ok.” Barb said as she reached over and grabbed his hand. “What should we do now?”

James took a deep breath as he smiled at her. "I'll make dinner, you can take a shower if you want. That dress is dirty." 

Barb blushed and looked at her dress. “S-sorry.”

"For what? You can't control it. If you want I can wash it for you when you're in the shower." James said with a small smile. 

Barb blushed and looked down. “But…then I would just have this sweater…and nothing else.”

James smiled and undid the sweater, holding it up in front of her. "It looks like it'll cover everything, bit you can borrow a pair of my pants as well."

Barb was still blushing. “O-ok but…um underwear?”

James blushed a bit as well before smiling a little. "I-i don't have any um… B-bras obviously. But you can borrow a pair of my b-boxers…" 

Barb blushed more and fidgested. “O-ok.”

James smiled a little as he reached down and grabbed a towel and a pair of purple and black boxers while giving Barb a good look at his butt. 

Barb bit her lip as she couldn't help but stare, James knelt down as he grabbed a large pair of pants noticing Barb staring at his butt from a mirror. "Sorry if my pants are a bit… snug." He said, wiggling his butt a little as he reached for something else. 

Barb blushed bright red and looked away. “I…I don’t know what you're talking about.”

James pulled out another pair of pants and looked at her pretending to be confused. "Huh?" 

Barb is still blushing. “Wh-where is the bathroom?”

James smiled a little as he gave her the clothes and towel, gently gesturing to a door to their left before whispering in her ear. "Since you just stared at my ass, you can't complain if I look at yours." 

Barb blushed harder and eeped before running into the bathroom. James chuckled as Barb glanced back at him a little, noticing he wasn't watching her butt like she had his. She hid in the bathroom before taking her clothes off and turning on the shower. 

James knocked on the door gently. "Do you want me to wash your clothes?" 

“Y-yes.” Barb said before opening the door just enough to pass the clothes to him. “Don’t laugh at me later…” 

"Why would I do tha-" He asked, pausing as his face turned bright red when Barb opened the door a little too far letting him see her chest slightly. 

Barb didn't notice and turned around to close the door, accidentally letting James see her butt before the door closed. “Just promise!”

James blushed red and nodded slowly. "P-promise…" he said, slowly putting her clothes in the washer and noticing the pair of white underwear with adorable little kittens on them. There also seemed to be a wet spot on the panties.

James blushed red as he stared at them, quickly shoving them into the washing machine before turning it on. "Holy crap… What am I doing!? We just got back together and met up after eighteen years! This is crazy!" He thought as he sat down in a reclining chair, falling asleep while he waited for Barb. 

Barb came out shortly after he fell asleep wearing the clothes he gave her, her head spines folded down like hair. She let him sleep as she walked around the house, exploring it and trying to understand a few things that are unfamiliar to her.

Barb's eyes widened as she looked at the large flat screen TV, pushing a button as a loud movie came on. "Huh? Barb?" James asked, rubbing his eyes. 

Barb gasped and looked at James. “I didn’t break it!”

James got up and stretched a little, his shirt raising as Barb saw his fit body. "Don't worry, it's just the TV. This remote controls it to change the channels and volume." He said turning the volume down a bit as he went into the kitchen. 

Barb followed him. “TV?” 

"Yeah, short for television. It's entertainment. There's hundreds of different shows to watch, most with different plots and stuff." James said, pulling out some burgers and french fries. 

Barb sniffed the air and got closer. “Are those haynurgers? They smell strange.”

"They're hamburgers. These are made of meat." James explained with a small smile. "Humans are the only things that can talk here, so we tend to eat other animals and such… though I haven't had a hamburger in… five or six years." 

“Ham-burgers? So…they are made from pig?” Barb asked, looking at the meat.

James looked at her for a moment, a look of confusion on his face. "Huh, ya know the name is misleading… they're made from beef and cows… why do we call them hamburgers?" He asked himself in confusion. 

“Cow?!” Barb gasped and backed away. “Cows can talk back in Equestria, I don’t know if I could live with myself if I ate cow.”

"Cows can talk in Equestria?" James asked, confused. 

“Yes!” Barb almost shouted. “There is a group that lives on Applejack’s farm.”

"Applejack? Orange stallion with a yellow mane?" James asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“Yeah, you know him?” Barb asked, surprised.

"I met him once while in canterlot, he was with his family the day I fought that rogue guard captain that was bullying two pegusi fillies." James said, throwing away the hamburger and pulling out some chicken. "Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy I think." 

Barb blinked in surprise. “Wow…that is three…add Twilight and that is four of the elements.” She said to herself.

"Elements?" James asked, confused while he opened the chicken. "Chickens can't talk in Equestria right? Also they weren't the only ponies I met that day, there was Berry Pie and…. Elusive…" he said, the last part softly to himself. 

“Wow…you know almost all the elements of harmony,” Barb said before she shook her head. “No, chickens can’t talk.”

"Ok, what are the elements of harmony?" James asked, beginning to fry up the chicken breasts. 

“Twilight’s friends, they use magic artifacts called the elements of harmony in order to defend Equestria from evil. First they beat Celestia’s sister and turn her good again, then they fought a goddess of chaos, then a changeling invasion, an evil unicorn that tried to take over an old empire, and then a magic stealing centaur.” Barb told him about her sister’s adventures.

James stared at her in surprise, blinking a few times as he flipped the chicken over. "Wow, they're amazing." 

Barb crossed her arms. “Maybe…but they always leave me behind.”

James looked at her in surprise and shock again. "What? Why!?" 

“Yeah whenever there is some big adventure I am left behind to watch the library.” Barb said with a cute pout.

"Well then I'll make sure you have a great adventure before going home." James said with a smile. 

Barb blushed softly. “You will?”

James nodded with a smile, adding some spices and other things to the chicken before letting it simmer. "Of course."

“You are amazing!” Barb said as she hugged him tighter, but then she blushed and backed up, covering her chest.

James blushed a bit as well and smiled softly, gently pulling her into a gentle and loving kiss. Barb’s eyes widened before she closed them and kissed back, placing her hands on his shoulders.

James held her for a long moment, as the two stayed in their embrace before pulling away with blushes. "W-wow…" 

“That was…” Barb started to say, with her face bright red and out of breath.

"Perfect." James said with a blush as he held her more. 

Barb was lost staring into his eyes before she smelled something burning. “James the food!”

"Shit!" James yelled quickly flipping the food and turning the heat onto low. 

Barb blushed and rubbed her arm. “Was kissing me really that distracting?”Barb blushed and rubbed her arm. “Was kissing me really that distracting?”

James smiled softly as he looked at her, slowly pulling her over and kissing her again. "Yes, but in a very good way. I've never felt anything like it, it felt like I…"

"Found something I didn't know was missing." Barb said with a blush.

“Exactly.” James said with a smile before he chuckled and played with her head spines. “Your head spines kinda act like hair when they are wet.”

Barb blushed and fidgeted with her sweater. "O-oh um, i-i can dry them if you want me to…" 

“No, I think it's cute.” James said before kissing her forehead. “Want to set the table?”

Barb blushed red and nodded slowly. "O-ok… where are your plates and silverware?" She asked, looking around a little. "Oh my gosh, it's like we're married!" 

“In that cupboard and that drawer.” James said, pointing them out before turning back to the chicken.

Barb smiled softly as she slowly got the plates out, and began putting them on the table as James put a pot of water on the stove. "Do you like spaghetti?" 

“I love it.” Barb said with a smile. “Especially with a sprinkling of gems.”

"Gems?" James asked, looking at her. "They're less abundant here and a little more expensive, but I think I have a few you can have for dessert if you want." 

Barb's eyes widened. “If they are so expensive I wouldn’t feel right eating them.”

James smiled a little, kissing her again. "Hey it's ok, I won't have any need for them in Equestria anyway… but there is one I actually want to give to you. As a gift, not a snack." 

“A gift?” Barb asked with a blush. James nodded with a smile as he put the noodles in the water. 

“You don’t have to give me anything.” Barb said as she rubbed his arm.

James smiled and looked at her. "Yes I do, it's my job to spoil you"

Barb blushed and held a hand between her chest, over her heart. “James…” She looked away shyly.

James smiled and pulled her into a hug again, before kissing her. 

Barb kissed back and smiled. “Faust, I missed you.”

"I've missed you too." He said with a smile kissing her again deeper. 

Barb blushed and moaned softly into the kiss as she kissed back and rubbed James’ back. The two deepened their connection as their necklaces began to glow slightly, a wave of energy surging over James as he slowly reached down and picked Barbara up into his arms without breaking the kiss. 

“Eep!” Barb gasped and giggled as she was picked up. “James!”

James smiled a little as he set her on the counter, slowly kissing her neck as he rubbed her arm gently. "Yes?" 

She blushed and looked away shyly. “You are so forward, I like it but…I’m shy.”

James blushed as he looked at her, kissing her neck again once before he pulled away with a small smile. "Sorry, I don't know what came over me…"

“I…I didn't dislike it.” Barb said shyly with a bright red face. “I-if you want…w-we could um…make out more and m-maybe more?”

James blushed as he stared at Barb, gulping a bit before he slowly kissed her again. "H-how far?" 

Barb shyly looked down and her tail wiggled around nervously. “I…I don’t know, I will say when to stop I guess.”

James blushed a bit as their eyes met, both of their necklaces glowing as a small strand of light connected them. The two young love birds slowly moved closer and kissed again, gently wrapping their arms around each other as they shared a single thought. "He/she is my mate." 

The two pulled away from each other as they stared in each other's eyes, neither one making an attempt to move as they panted and smiled lovingly at each other. "Barb… I've missed you so much." He said softly, kissing her cheek. 

“I missed you so much too.” Barb said before she shyly took his hands. “And I know what colts like…so…I hope I am big enough.” She slid his hands under her sweater and gasped softly as she placed his hands on her breasts.

James blushed bright red as he gently felt her breast a little. "W-wow… they're amazing… b-but isn't this a little… fast?"

Barb moaned as he rubbed her breasts. “I…maybe…d-do you not want to…” She asked shyly.

James gulped a bit as he looked at her, biting his lip as he played with her breasts a bit more before slowly pulling his hands away and going back to cooking. "I-it isn't that I don't want to… I'm a guy after all… b-but I'm trying so hard not to just… rip those clothes off you and make you mine. We just got back together and it would be… too fast…" 

Barb looked down as she fidgeted. “Um…I…I wouldn’t mind…m-maybe after we eat we could go to the bedroom and…see how far I am willing to go?”

James blushed more as he glanced at her, noticing the growing dampness on her pants gulping a little before he drained the water of the noodles and mixed everything together. Barb blushed redder as she saw the massive bulge James had, making her wiggle her hips a bit while he put the food on the table. 

She beeped in surprise when he came back over to her and kept her pinned to the counter he sat her on, their pelvises pinned together as he kissed her again deeper. She moaned and kissed back, hugging his back.

James pulled away from the kiss, kissing her neck as he picked her up. He nibbled her neck slightly sitting down with her on his lap, letting her feel his excitement as he whispered in her ear. "Barb… I'm not sure if I can hold back… I want to make you mine." 

Barb blushed bright red but started rubbing herself on his bulge. “I…I want to be yours.” she whispered back.

James looked at her with a deep blush, kissing her deeply again as their necklaces surged with magic. James fingernails slowly grew longer as he picked her up and walked to the bedroom, leaving their freshly cooked dinner on the table as he threw her on the bed and removed his shirt. "Mate." He said in a low, almost primal voice as he slowly crawled overtop of her. 

Barb blushed and shyly took her sweater off and smiled at him. “Come get me James.” James smiled as his left hand slowly and gently played with her breast and nipple, as he kissed her neck sensationally. His right hand moved behind her back, as he pulled her closer to him. "J-james…" Barb moaned softly, blushing as she smiled and whispered in his ear. "Make me yours, make sure every male knows who I belong to~"

“As you wish.” James said before he laid her down and got over her, kissing his way down her chest and belly till he got to the pants, then he slowly pulled them off.

Barb blushed with a moan as she smiled shyly while her legs slowly moved apart for James to see everything. Her drenched crotch twitched and winked at him as her green insides beckoned him, her scent made his mind go blank for a moment as she bit her knuckle and slowly began rubbing her clit in front of his face. "J-james…" she moaned softly, enticing him even more as, in his eyes, she was an absolute angel. 

James lowered his head between her legs and started to lick her flower. Barb moaned out as a single leg draped over his back, her tail slowly moving around to rub against his crotch. "I-i love you James." She said, moaning louder.

“I love you more.” He said between licks then he sucked on her clit.

Barb eeped and moaned loudly, smiling at him before she moved away slowly. "James…" she said softly, laying down on his back slowly wiggling her hips in front of his face as she bent over with her legs on each side of him. "How about I have some fun too~" she said as she slowly removed his pants. 

James reached up and grabbed her ass, squeezing it. “That sounds good but I want some dragon honey.” He said before diving his face back into her slit.

Barb moaned out loudly, smiling as she slowly pulled his member out of his pants. She smiled widely as she took in the scent of it, her tongue slowly wrapping around every inch of it while she played with his orbs and knot before taking him into her mouth. "I didn't expect humans to have a knot." She thought to herself as she bobbed her head. 

James moaned into her slit before he went back to eating her out while massaging her ass cheeks. Barb moaned a bit as her tail wagged a bit, as she wiggled her hips on his face while taking him deeper into her mouth. 

James moaned and thrusted softly as he slipped his tongue inside her. Barb moaned and smiled as she pulled off his member, panting against it as she licked the entire length and width of it. She wiggled her hips more before taking him completely into her mouth with a deep throaty moan making James gasp and moan loudly into her honey pot while he rubbed her clit while licking her. "J-james… I'm close…" She moaned out, after taking her mouth off him briefly. 

“Me too! I need to cum!” He said with a moan as he thrusted harder and he pinched her clit while covering her slit with his mouth.

Barb moaned and smiled a little, sending her tongue into his tip as she suddenly forced him to cum violently as his seed shot out of her nose with a loud moan from him. The vibrations shook through Barb's body as she screamed around his member, her juices flooding his mouth as their bodies shook violently together. 

They both moaned loudly and after Barb and James were finished with their climaxes she rolled off him and panted. “Faust, that was amazing.”

James gulped down her juices and smiled a little, nodding as he looked at her. "Y-yeah… d-do you want to… keep going?" 

“I…I would love to but I am so tired.” She yawned and rolled over to face him and cuddled him.

James smiled as he covered them both up, holding her to him. "W-we'll have to reheat dinner…" 

Barb blushed a bit and kissed him. "Ok, sorry if I don't eat too much… I did just have a big snack." 

James blushed and chuckled. “Sorry, I uh…couldn’t help it.”

Barb blushed and looked at him with a smile. "I… liked it…" 

James chuckled a bit and rubbed her cheek. “That's good, I would be pretty embarrassed if you didn’t.”

Barb smiled and leaned on him, her hand slowly moving down his leg. "Oh trust me. I've been dreaming of meeting you again and well… this since I first went through puberty." 

James blushed and rubbed her shoulder. “Same, I have had a few dreams about something like this.”

Barb smiled a little as she leaned up and kissed him, wrapping an arm over his chest. "We… may both need showers now." 

He chuckled and smiled. “Ladies first.”

Barb blushed and smiled softly as she got up, wiggling her butt a little. "James, after what we just did… I think we can share a shower."

James smiled as he stared at her ass. “Are you sure? What if…things get heated again?”

Barb blushed a bit as she looked away, kicking at the floor a little. "W-well… there's no one else I trust or… like more so… I'm ok with it if you are, but it would be good practice too, not lose control."

James got up and walked up to her, rubbed her hips before kissing her. “Ok.”

Barb blushed and smiled a little, her tail brushing against him a little as she walked past. James smirked as he followed and slapped her ass. “Maybe after we shower and eat I can show you around my house some more.”

Barb eeped and blushed a bit, glancing at him while she bit her finger. "Alright, or maybe I could get a… closer look at your bed~" 

James chuckled and pulled her closer as they walked. “Sure.”

Barb blushed and smiled a little, her hand slowly moving to his crotch a little before her eyes widened. "J-james… where'd your knot go?" 

“Knot?” James asked, confused. “I don’t have a knot.”

Barb looked at him in surprise. "Y-you did when I… I h-had it in my mouth." 

“What?” James asked, now even more confused. “Humans don’t have knots.”

Barb blinked in confusion before she glanced down at his body a bit. "M-maybe… is it your magic?" 

“My magic?” James asked before he hummed. “Maybe…let’s worry about it later, you still like my human dong don’t you?” He asked teasingly.

Barb blushed and smiled teasingly at him, walking past him as she shook her ass a little. "I don't know, I haven't actually felt it in me aside from my mouth…" 

James smirked and followed her. “Keep teasing me and you well.” 

Barb blushed red as she looked back at him with a small smile. "W-well… w-we haven't technically… mated fully yet." 

He kissed her and opened the bathroom door. “As much as I would love to, I think we should wait to go that far.”

Barb blushed and nodded a little, before kissing him passionately on the lips, her tongue forcing its way into his mouth. He moaned and grabbed her ass as they made out and walked into the bathroom. His member hardened and rubbed her thighs as he turned the water on and rubbed her hips. “God, you are so damn sexy, I know we should go slow but it's like…I can’t resist you.”

Barbara blushed and smiled a little as she turned around, rubbing her butt against him a little. "S-sorry, I think it's because of me. Ever since I met you I've never felt… well… the urge to mate. B-but now that we're together again, it feels like… I just…. I want you to take me!" 

James moaned and grabbed her hips, gently thrusting against her. “D-don’t you want to wait? Maybe till we get married to …go all the way?” 

Barb blushed deeper while she slowly turned her head to look at him, her hand slowly moving to his cheek. "Y-you want to g-get married?" 

James blushed bright red. “Well…I mean maybe one day…if you’d like.”

Barb smiled and kissed him deeply, holding him as they made out. She pulled away a little, as she smiled up at him and into his eyes. "I-i'd love to marry you one day, b-but dragons and ponies um… have seasons. And the next season is soon, stallions haven't tried anything before because… I've never gone into heat…" she said with a deep blush. "B-but if I do… they'll all try to claim me." 

James’ eyes widened before they turned into slits as he growled, almost like a dragon. “What!? No one is good enough for you!” He pulled her closer.

Barb blushed redder and smiled as she kissed his lips gently. "N-no one but you." She said softly as she turned around in the shower, and bent over slightly. "S-so… claim me as yours… b-but if you want to wait… i-i do have another hole…" 

He looked at her ass before he rubbed it. “Would others leave you alone if I used the other hole?” He asked before his hands slid down and rubbed her slit and asshole.

Barb took in a shaking breath as her body shook a little at his touch. "Y-yeah… b-basically you're… m-marking me…" She said looking back at him with a deep blush. "A-as your property… the scent will drive off other males during the heat season." 

James got closer and pushed Barb under the warm water as he rubbed his cock on her slit. “But what do you want? I still have enough self control to know your wants matter.”

Barb blushed red as she looked back at him, slowly moving her tail so he could see both her holes while she lifted her leg a little. "I-i want to be yours… I always have. My instincts have been screaming for me to let you make me yours since I woke up… do whatever you want to me…" 

He moaned softly before kissing her as he lined himself up and slid his cock into her pussy. Barb gasped softly as she wrapped her arm around his back, moaning softly as he stopped at the wall inside her. "J-james…" 

“I…think I hit your hymen.” James said as he strongled to not give into the pleasure. 

Barb smiled softly as she looked at him, kissing him deeply before she pushed him into her completely. 

Chapter end
> New home, new powers.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight paced the floor of her castle, worry plastered all over her face while her entire family, Celestia, Luna, and friends sat around her discussing what had transpired. "What was that dark… thing?" Rarity asked with a frown. 

“I don’t know, all it said was that Barb’s family sealed it away long ago.” Twilight said with a sigh.

Celestia frowned as she stood up, walking slowly over to the window. "I believe… It was the dragon's circle's head magic user. An evil human being who wanted to purge our world of all life…" 

“What!?” Everyone shouted at once.

Celestia sighed softly as she looked back at them. "The humans attacked our world hundreds of thousands of years ago… after a great war only one remained, the most powerful magic user, Merlin…" she said, slowly sitting down. "The humans believed all sentient life aside from humans was wrong and wished to purge it… after the war, a dragon and human who stood with us were able to seal him away…. Those were Barb's ancestors." 

“So…humans are mostly evil?” Rainbow asked before she was elbowed by Applejack.

“Shh, ah want to know more about this Merlin fella, and what we need ta do ta whoop his flank.” Applejack said with a frown on his face.

Celestia sighed as she lifted her head a little. "There's not much more to say, but his magic should be weakened since he was sealed away for so long." 

“We need to do something.” Rainbow said as she flapped her wings. “Let's go to the tree of Harmony and get the elements so we can hunt this guy down.”

Celestia sighed a little bit. "Unfortunately, the elements of harmony don't work on him. He has the ability to alter any form of magic and use it for himself." 

“That…that shouldn't be possible!” Twilight shouted as she slammed her hooves on the ground.

Celestia frowned a bit as she sighed softly. "Unfortunately, it is…. Human magic can almost do anything from what I've seen. The only way Barb's ancestor was able to beat him was with the help of her human partner who fought Merlin until he was too weak to resist the sealing spell."

“We need to find Barb and get her back then.” Twilight said as she started to leave the room but Luna levitated her.

“We need a plan young Twilight.” Luna said as she moved Twilight back to the thrones.

Twilight sighed a bit and tapped her chin, thinking about the situation. "It's been a few days since Barb's been missing… if we use something she loves and can tap into the essence it holds of her… we may be able to force the portal open." 

“Like what?” Rainbow asked as she crossed her hooves.

Rarity hummed and rubbed her chin. “What about that figure I threw out?”

Twilight's eyes widened. "That's perfect! That and her bear! Her first colt friend gave them to her and she's always cherished them!" 

“I’ll go get them!” Rainbow said before she flew out of the room.

Celestia looked at Twilight with a small smile. "So Barb still holds a flame for him huh?" 

"A flame? Try an inferno." Twilight said with a small giggle. 

“Who was this mystery colt?” Applejack asked with a raised eyebrow. “I ain’t seen her with no colt her whole time here in Ponyville, whoever he is he must be somethin.”

Twilight smiled a little sheepishly. "Well it was back when we lived in canterlot, we met an… unusual colt. He was really different to everyone else around us and well… for a dragon in canterlot it was hard to make friends but he treated her with the respect and friendship she needed and wanted." 

“Aww, isn’t that sweet.” Rarity said with a soft smile. “I do hope she gets to see him again.”

Celestia smiled a little as she giggled softly. "I think she's probably with him right now, at least I hope so. He is human after all." 

Twilight’s friends gasped. “He is a human!?” Applejack shouted as his hooves cracked the floor. “How do we know we can trust him?”

Celestia giggled softly. "Oh trust me, we can trust him. While he was here he and Barb were inseparable, they even had their very first date at the grand galloping gala. He wouldn't do anything to upset her." 

“Wait…they went to the grand galloping gala?” Rarity asked as her eyebrows furrowed and thought.

Twilight nodded with a small smile and a giggle. "Barb was so nervous, she was freaking out the whole day." 

Rarity bit her lip. “What is the colt’s name?”

Celestia smiled a little as Rainbow flew in with the figurine and a large bear. "His name is James."

Rarity’s eyes widened as she put a hoof to her lips and whispered to herself. “James?”

"Hey! I met him!" Berry said with a bright smile. "He helped me find my family when I was lost in Canterlot!" 

“You did?” Twilight asked.

“M-me and R-Rainbow met him too.” Fluttershy said shyly.

Twilight looked at Fluttershy in surprise as well as Celestia, as Rainbow nodded. "Oh yeah, I remember that day. That dude fought a rogue guard captain who was messing with us and won! It was so awesome!... Hey, he owes me a LOT of bits!" 

"Ah met him too!" Applejack said in surprise. "Mah parents gave him a basket of Apples fer defending y'all two." 

“Fascinating, he has met each of us but Rarity…do you think he is somehow connected to us in a fundamental way?” Twilight said while rubbing her chin.

"Maybe, but I do remember that he was apparently the charmer without meaning to." Celestia said with a giggle as Twilight's magic flowed over the two toys. "Apparently a young colt asked to form a herd with Barb and James." 

“A colt?” Fluttershy asked before her eyes widened. “O-oh my.”

"Whoa Nelly, ah wonder if it was that fancy colt he was with." Applejack said with a chuckle. 

“Who knows, let’s just find Barb already! We have an evil human to stop.” Rainbow said while smacking her hooves together.

Twilight nodded as her horn began to glow, the two toys radiating with her magic. "We're coming, Barb." 

With James and Barb.

"Fuck I'm cumming!" James moaned out, panting softly as he held Barb close to him, smiling softly as he kissed her. "D-damn…y-you're insatiable…" 

Barb giggled and kissed him. “Whose fault is that mister big, strong, and thick?~” She teased as she wiggled off his cock and kissed him back.

James moaned a bit as she got off him, glancing down at her slightly extended belly. "U-um… you're on the pill right?" 

“Pill?” Barb asked, confused.

James' eyes widened a bit. "Y-you know… birth control? To keep you from getting pregnant?" 

“I…haven’t really had to before now, I never went into heat before.” Barb said, a bit worried.

James stared at her a bit, his head slowly turning down to look at her bloated belly before he gently set a hand on it. A small smile crossed his face as he gently rubbed her stomach, making Barb giggle a little at the touch and his response. "That's ok, we'll get through it together." 

“It should be ok, I don’t think I went into heat…though I haven’t before so I don’t know the difference between being in heat and being very horny feels like.” Barb told him before she kissed him.

James blushed a bit and nodded with a small smile. "Alright, what should we do now?" 

“I don’t know, what do humans do after they have sex?” Barb asked as she rubbed his chest.

James blushed a bit as he smiled at her, kissing her deeply as he held her for a moment and making her giggle stupidly. "How about we explore around the woods?" 

“Ok, but let me take another shower, you made me all sticky.” Barb said with a giggle.

James smirked a bit at her. "Don't act like you didn't have anything to do with it, miss stroking my meat first thing in the morning." 

Barb giggled and stuck her long tongue out of her mouth. “Guilty.”

James smirked a bit and grabbed her, kissing her as deep as he could while forcing his tongue into her mouth. 

She moaned and rubbed his back as she made out with him. “Mmmm.~”

James smiled as he slowly laid her back, his hand and fingers gently teasing her nipples and clit. Barb moaned and closed her eyes. “You are such a tease.”

James smiled a little as he pinched her nipple a little. "Oh?"

Barb gasped and moaned. “Naughty boy!” She said with a grin before she kissed him and pushed her long tongue down his throat while grinding against him.

James moaned as he rubbed her against her clit rougher, pulling away from the kiss with a small smirk. "Ok let's take a shower." He said, standing up and sitting her on the bed. 

Barb pouted but followed him. “Fine, but you are eating me out.” She said with a sway in her hips.

James smiled a little at her, swaying her hips before he smacked it. "With pleasure." 

Barb gasped and giggled then her tail wrapped around his arm and she pulled him into the bathroom. “Let's get clean.”

James smirked a bit before picking her up suddenly and moving her so her legs were on his shoulders and around his head as they walked into the shower. Barb gasped and giggled as she was carried.

"Oh you enjoy being carried huh?" James asked from her crotch, his eyes slowly shifting into slits as he smirked. "My little princess." 

Barb blushed and held onto his head. “C-caredul, you’re tickling me."

"Oh?" James asked with a smirk, licking her deeper. 

She gasped and moaned as she gripped his head tighter. James moaned into her lips as his hand reached up and played with her nipples, pinning her to the wall as he turned on the water. 

She moaned and humped his face. “Fuck James!”

James smirked as he lowered her a bit, holding her in his arms as he pulled her nipples while he rubbed himself on her pussy. "You wanted me to claim you, and I did. So… cum for your 'master'." He said in a dominating tone as she gasped and blushed at his boldness. 

Barb gasped and moaned lewdly as she cum on his cock. “Oooh fuck!”

He chuckled softly and kissed her nose gently. "You did good, but now… you're not allowed to cum." He said rubbing himself on her faster. "If you do, no playtime for a week!" 

“What!? That is so mean.” She said before she moaned.

James chuckled a bit as he rubbed faster on her clit. "Then you'd better not cum, don't forget. You already came once, if you do again then I'd be spoiling you. And I can't spoil you too much now can I?" 

Barb whined as she closed her eyes. “B-but I’m so sensitive right now!”

James chuckled again as he pulled and rubbed her breasts. "You can't hide it from me." He whispered in her ear as he roughly rubbed her slit with a hand. "you're loving this." 

She moaned and whimpered in pleasure, she wiggled in his grip. “P-please I don’t care what happens fuck me please!”

James smirks a bit as he cums all over her pussy, gently setting her on the ground. "Nope. Maybe tomorrow." He said, washing up. 

“S-so mean.” Barb said while panting and leaning on the wall under the water.

James smiled a little at her, kissing her lovingly on the lips. "Don't worry, you didn't cum… so if you're good I'll give you something… special tonight." 

Barb blushed and rolled her eyes. “Meanie.” She kissed him back. “Just help me get clean so we can go on that walk.”

"Yes dear." James said with a smile, picking up the shower head as the water washed over her. 

"I… I felt something weird…" Barb said after a moment. "When you were eating me out… i-i thought I felt Twilight's aura…" 

James frowned a little. “Could the portal be open?”

"I… I don't know…" Barb said with a small frown. 

“Let’s get dressed and pack up the clothes I got you, then we will check the portal.” James said before he kissed Barb’s cheek.

Barb blushed and smiled with a nod. "Alright."

James helped wash her body, only teasing her lightly this time before they got out and dried off. “Want me to grab anything while you get dressed?”

Barb tapped her chin a bit, before smiling. "Could you make me egg in a basket!?" 

James looked at her confused before he blushed and his eyes widened. “W-wait are you…?”

Barb raised an eyebrow at him as her stomach growled. "I'm hungry, we haven't had breakfast yet… do you not know what Egg in a basket is?"

James blushed and let out a breath. “Oh egg in a basket..I thought you asked for an egg basket for um…your potential egg.” 

Barb blushed a bit as she rubbed her still extended stomach. "W-well, even if I am… with an egg. It won't come out for a while." 

“O-oh.” James said before he too looked at her belly and lightly poked it. “Um…this may be a bit weird but…do you have to lay eggs even if they aren’t fertilized or do they just not form until they're fertilized?”

"A-as far as I know they don't form until they're fertilized." Barb said with a deep blush. 

“Oh so…you don’t know how big they get.” James said, still poking her belly gently.

Barb giggled a little as she gently moved his hand so it was rubbing her stomach. "I have seen pregnant dragonesses before, they look about the same as a mare. But we can practice if you want, once you make breakfast." 

James blushed and looked away. “I’ll go make you food.”

Barb smiled a little with a giggle as James quickly walked away, a strange feeling coming over her as she continued to rub her stomach while wondering what it was she felt in the shower. 

In Equestria.

Twilight's face was beat red as she stared in shock at the table in front of her, her friends and family all looking to one another as her mother gently nudged the purple Alicorn. "Twilight? What's wrong? What did you sense?" 

“Nothing!” Twilight squeaked before her wings covered her face. "Er… I mean I found her.”

"You did? Is she ok?" Night light asked with a worried frown. 

“Y-yes…she is o-ok, b-but um…let’s just say she isn’t a little hatchling anymore.” Twilight said, still hiding her face.

"What do you mean?" Twilight velvet asked in confusion, tilting her head to the side. "She's in the human world from what we've heard, what could she be doing that…" she said, pausing for a moment before a slow blush formed on her face. "S-she found James didn't she?"

Twilight nodded her head with a small whimper. “Y-yes.”

Twilight velets eyes widened as the others looked confused, before Celestia giggled softly. "It would seem Barb may have entered her first heat as soon as she met up with James." 

All the mares started to blush. “You mean that human took advantage of Barb?” Rainbow asked with a growl.

"N-not necessarily…" Twilight said with a red face as she moved her wings. "H-humans don't… have a heat season so… he may have thought she was just… w-well…" 

"Horny!" Berry said with a shameless smile. 

“Berry…please.” Rarity said with a small groan. “But still…is Barb safe?”

Twilight nodded softly, a slight concerned and confused look. "Yes, she's… happier than I've seen her in years. But… I sensed another draconic presence as well." 

“Another dragon is there?” Applejack asked.

Twilight sighed a bit as she leaned back, rubbing her head a little. "I don't know, but I think I can open the portal using these toys…" 

"If I may. If Barb and James are… intimate right now. It may not be the best time." Celestia said with a gentle smile. 

"Buck that! We don't know if Barb is in heat or not, so we gotta save her from that human taking advantage of her any more! What if he gets her pregnant!" Rainbow yelled. 

Rarity frowned as she felt an ache in her heart. “While I don’t think Barb would let herself be taken advantage of, we should get her before she gets pregnant.”

The mares in the room all nodded together as Celestia giggled a little. "Very well, the best spot would be to open the portal where it was before." 

“Then let’s go!” Rainbow said as she flew out a window.

Rarity got up and trotted out the door almost as fast, leaving the others to follow behind her. As the group reached the spot, Twilight held up the two toys letting her magic surge through them. In a flash of light, the two toys burst into flames and spiraled together forming a condensed ball of magic that shot forward creating a crack of light between the two worlds and letting the group see the other side to a cave with a snowy field on the outside. 

“Ooo, Barb is not gonna like that her toys were destroyed.” Berry said.

Twilight frowned a bit as she sighed. "I… didn't expect them to be destroyed…" 

"Look!" Rarity said, pointing through the portal as a human with short brown hair walked past carrying a bag of clothes. 

“Is that him Twi?” Rainbow asked as she knocked her front hooves together. “Is that the punk that took advantage of Barb?”

"I-i don't know… he was eleven years old the last time I saw him." Twilight said, as another figure ran up to the human. 

"Meanie! You walked away!" The figure said with a familiar voice as the man chuckled. 

"Sorry Barb, but you were having so much fun looking at the sky and everything I didn't want to disturb you." The human said with a smile, sitting on a rock. "Which is why I came over here."

“Barb!” Everyone shouted.

Barb giggled softly not hearing them as she leaned over and kissed the human on the lips. "Thanks, your world is really beautiful. I wish I could explore it more." 

“She can’t hear us?” Applejack asked before Rainbow flew through the portal. 

“Get away from her!” She shouted.

"What the?" The human asked in confusion, looking at Rainbow in shock and surprise. "Rainbow Da-?" He started to say before she tackled him. 

"James!" Barb yelled in horror. 

“How dare you do that to her!” Rainbow shouted as she whaled on him. 

Applejack jumped through the portal next and grabbed Rainbow's tail and pulled her back. “Whoa, calm down RD!”

Rainbow growled more as she kept whaling on James, before she was suddenly sent backwards a warm liquid running down her face. Rainbow looked back to see Barb standing over James protectively as she snarled, her spines raised with her teeth bared and her claws digging into the ground with her eyes slitted and filled with a primal rage. "Get. Away. From. My. Mate!" 

“B-barb? It's us, your friends!” Rainbow said before she reached up and felt her forehead.

"Rainbow!" Twilight yelled rushing over and gasping, seeing the deep claw marks on her friend's forehead. "Barb! Why would you attack Rainbow!" 

"She attacked my mate." Barb said in a low growl as James sat up slowly, rubbing his head. 

"Yeah, what the hell Rainbow! If this is about those bits I owe you I have gold bars to give you!" James yelled, blood oozing from his nose. 

“I attacked you for raping Barb!” Rainbow shouted with a glare. “Taking advantage of her heat!”

James and barb's eyes widened one in shock the other in confusion. "You said you were in heat!" James said looking at Barb. 

"I'm not!" Barb said glaring at Rainbow Dash. "Who the buck told you I was in heat!" 

“Twilight! When she found you and found a way to open the portal.” Rainbow said which made Twilight’s face turn bright red.

James and Barb's eyes widened as they blushed, glancing at each other for a moment. "W-we… we weren't um… doing that…" James said, rubbing the back of his neck. "We were um… uh…" 

Barb puffed out her chest a little, smiling with pride. "We were in the shower and he was eating me out." 

Everyone blushed and James groaned. “Not helping Barb…they think I took advantage of you.”

Barb giggled a little as she gently rubbed James face, smiling lovingly at him. "I know, but I can have some pride in finding the love of my life again." She said, making James blush and hold the hand she put on his cheek. 

“B-but your heat…he took advantage.” Rainbow said weakly.

"Oh my Bucking Celestia Rainbow Dash! I'm not in heat!" Barb yelled before blushing and fiddling with her fingers. "O-or at least I wasn't when we first… did it…" 

"Wait, you could have gone into heat!?" James asked her, shocked. 

“She could find out by going home and having a magic scan done.” Applejack said before he looked back at the portal. “We should get through before Twilight’s spell stops working.”

Everyone glanced at Barb and James, assuming James would be staying before he got up and cracked his neck. The human walked over to a rock near the portal and pushed it aside, revealing a book bag with a briefcase as he pulled it all out. "Are you sure James?" Barb asked him, walking up to him and holding his hand.

"Yeah… I have nothing left here. And… I have you in Equestria." James said, smiling lovingly at Barb, unknowingly causing Rarity's heart to ache.

Barb smiled and jumped into his arms with a giggle. “Then take me home.” she said while still in his arms.

James blushed a bit while smiling at her. "You're just showing off In Front of everyone now aren't you?" 

“Yes.” Barb said with a giggle before she kissed him. 

James blushed and kissed her back as Celestia giggled a little. "Looks like they've hit their honeymoon faze as it were." 

“But she is just a baby.” Twilight Velvet said as she cried.

"Velvet, honey. Barb is only five years younger than Twilight. She's a grown dragoness who can make her own choices." Night light said with a gentle smile, wrapping a hoof around his wife. 

“B-but she is my baby girl!” Twilight Velvet said before she cried into Night Light’s shoulder.

Barb blushed red as she looked at her adopted parents. "Mooom!" 

Twilight Velvet lifted her head and started to cry harder. “My baby girl is growing up!”

Barb groaned and covered her face as everyone chuckled at the display, causing the dragoness to hide her face in the crook of James' neck. "Keep going! She's so cute!" James said with a smile. 

"Noooo you're supposed to be on my side!" Babe cried out. 

Twilight walked up to them and looked James and Barb over. “Did you hurt my sister?”

James frowned a bit as he looked at Twilight. "Seriously? Rainbow attacked me, and you all are accusing me of assaulting and hurting Barb… did I really come off as such a scumbag last time?" James asked shrinking in on himself a little. 

“No, but…I connected with Barb when you two were…being intimate.” Twilight said with a red face.

The two blushed red as James chuckled a little bit. "O-oh… t-that… um… well… w-what exactly did you feel or sense?" 

"It wasn't anything bad Twilight." Barb said with a gentle smile. "He just likes teasing me a little too much."

Fluttershy walked up to Barb and took one of her hands, looking into her eyes. “Did he put his seed inside you?”

Barb blushed red as she nodded slowly. "Y-yes… i-i wanted him to mark me as his before my first heat so no one else would try…" 

Fluttershy looked deep into Barb’s eyes before closing hers and sighing. “She did it willingly, girls, but she should still be checked by a doctor.”

Twilight nodded a little as James sighed in relief, as Barb glared at Rainbow Dash. "You owe him an apology!" 

Rainbow crossed her hooves. “I won’t apologize for protecting a friend.”

Barb growled low at her, snarling as her teeth became bared. "Rainbow, you hurt him for nothing!" 

Rainbow didn’t back down. “He hasn’t seen hou in years and the first thing he does is fuck you! That isn’t a coltfriend.” Fluttershy pulled Rainbow's tail. “Ow!”

“Rainbow, language.” Fluttershy softly said.

"Just for the record…" James said with a blush as Barb held his arm. "It wasn't my idea…" 

“I don’t care!” Rainbow said as she glared at James.

James shrank back as Barb growled angrily, snarling at Rainbow as she stomped over to her making everyone look at her worriedly. "Apologize, now." 

“Why should I? He is taking you away from us!” Rainbow shouted back. “He will probably keep you locked up in his house just to cook, clean, and fu-” 

Barb growled more as she slashed at Rainbow with her claws, just missing her as James grabbed her arm. "Whoa! Barb, calm down it's ok!" James said in surprise. 

“Look at what he has done to you! Attacking your friends.” Rainbow said as she got up and backed away.

"What?!" Barb yelled. "He just stopped me!" 

James glanced at Rainbow with a slight frown, getting her attention before he gently pulled Barb over to him. "L-listen, just drop it ok? I'm not mad." James said softly to her. 

Applejack walked up to them. “Barb ya have to drop it, Rainbow is the way she is…for reasons.” 

Barb growled a bit as James made her look at him. "Hey, it's ok. Just calm down ok? She was just doing what she thought was right." 

Twilight walked up to Barb next. “Barb, we really should get you checked out, then we need to talk about…the man that threw you through the portal.”

James' head snapped to look at Twilight, his eyes shifting into slits slightly for as Rainbow noticed. “Can’t it wait Twi?” Barb said weakly as she leaned on James.

Twilight frowned a bit but shook her head. "No… we'll explain when we get back." 

"Alright, but… give me a moment ok?" James asked with a slight frown. "I… need to say goodbye to some people…" 

“The portal won’t stay open for much longer.” Twilight looked at the ashes that were Barb’s toys. “The items used are already ash.”

James looked down a little with a sad look as Barb frowned at him. "Are they far away?" She asked. 

"No… actually they're just around the corner…" James said, looking away a little. 

“Then we will both go.” Barb grabbed his hand. “I won’t leave your side.”

James frowned slightly as he nodded slowly. "I'm going to!" Rainbow said with a glare at James. 

“No ya aint!” Applejack said to her. “Ya are going to the hospital.” 

"I'll be fine!" Rainbow said glaring at James still. "Barb's the one that needs to go to the hospital!" 

“Come on Rainbow, let’s go.” Applejack said grabbing Rainbow’s tail and pulled her away.

"I said no!" Rainbow said, stubbornly trying to keep herself in place. 

"She can come, it won't take long…. You can all come if you want." James said softly. 

“I can’t, I have to keep the portal open.” Twilight said.

“Ah ain’t letting RD ruin something for ya.” Applejack said as he pulled Rainbow away.

“I need to go do something.” Berry said before he rushed away.

“C-could I join you?” Rarity asked softly.

James looked at Rarity for a moment but nodded softly as he looked at Fluttershy and the others. "Don't worry about us, do what you've got to do." Twilight velvet said, smiling softly. 

"Come on." James said softly, walking out of the cave with Barb and Rarity. 

"Let me go, Applejack!" Rainbow yelled, tugging at her tail. 

“No! Ya are making a flank of yerself Dash! I know you had some bad experiences but not every colt is the same!” Applejack said through his gritted teeth around her tail.

"How do we know he's not manipulating her! It's been years since any of us last saw him, who knows what he's like!" Rainbow yelled, yanking her tail free and flying off. 

Applejack ran after her. “Do ya trust Barn or not!? Because right now you're saying you don't trust her!”

"There's a big difference between trusting your friend and letting them make a mistake!" Rainbow said, landing near a clearing where James, Rarity, and Barb were. "Besides, I didn't say I would just attack him. I'm just making sure he doesn't-" 

"James, what is this place?" Barb asked her human, looking around the clearing as everyone noticed two wooden crosses. 

“Barb…I’d like you to meet my mother and sister.” James said softly while looking at the crosses.

The four equestrian eyes widened as they all looked at the crosses from their locations, as Barb stared at the crosses. "Y-your mom and s-sister?" 

"Yeah… two years after I came back from Equestria." James said, taking a deep shaky breath as his lungs filled with the cold air. "Three men broke into our house when my dad was gone, and raped and killed them both." 

All the ponies gasped and covered their mouths while Barb teared up and hugged James. James took another shaky breath as he and Barb stepped closer to the crosses, slowly reaching out; he uncovered the ground of the snow and sat on his knees with his head hanging low. "H-hi mom… hi Jennifer… i-i… I'm going away. And I…" his voice cracked a little. "I don't know if I'm coming back… i-i just…" tears began falling from his eyes, as he took another breath. "I wanted you to meet Barb… the girl I told you both about when I went missing for a few days." 

Barb looked at the graves. “I…um…hello ma’ams, I promise to keep your son and brother safe, and love him with all my heart.”

James smiled softly as he sobbed a little. "I miss you two so much… I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you…" 

Barb held his hand tightly. “I am sure they know how much you love them.”

James nodded a little as Rarity rubbed his back gently. "Does he seem like he's trying to hurt her?" Applejack asked Rainbow Dash. 

Rainbow looked away with a frown. “M-maybe not…”

James runned his eyes as he stood up, reaching into his pocket and offering Barb a jade ring. "I-i got this for my sister for her birthday… it would have been the day after… it happened… I want you to have it." 

Barb gasped and covered her mouth. “A-are you sure?”

James nodded softly with a smile. "Yes, Consider it… a promise ring." 

Applejack leaned over to Rarity and whispered. “What’s a promise ring?” As Barb nodded and held out her hand.

James smiled softly and set the ring on Barb's hand, as Rarity had some tears in her eyes. "I-it's a ring to prove that he's serious about their relationship… he's promising to always protect her and… to one day marry her." 

“Aww ain’t that sweet, I bet ya had a colt like that eh Rarity?” Applejack said while elbowing his friend.

Rarity frowned slightly as she looked at James directly for a moment, who seemed to glance at her for a moment and made her blush a little. "Y-yeah… i-i sure do…" 

“Ah am sure ya will, ya just gotta stop being so uptight.” Applejack said with a chuckle.

Night Light came through the portal and yelled. “The portal is becoming unstable!”

The group looked back at the cave, each one rushing towards the portal with Applejack, James, Rainbow, and Barb in the front as Rarity tripped and fell. James paused for a moment as no one else noticed Rarity falling, in an instant he rushed back and picked her up bridal style and rushed as fast as he could to the portal. 

The two jumped through the portal just as it closed, skidding against the ground as James laid on his back with Rarity on his stomach. "T-that wasn't fun." 

Rarity had a bright red face as she used her legs and tail to cover herself. “P-put me down!”

James slowly moved so she was standing right up, before he laid on his back again and panted heavily, as Barb came over. "Are you two ok!?"

Rarity blushed as she moved away from him, her tail tucked between her legs. “Y-yeah I am fine, just had to run quickly to get her through.” James said while panting.

Barb sighed a bit but smiled softly at James. "Welcome back to Equestria."

James smiled up at her. “I feel so welcomed, though all I need is you.” He pulled her into a kiss.

Rarity frowned slightly as James and Barb kissed, as the human stood up and looked around a little. "I'm… finally back…" 

“Indeed.” Celestia said as she stepped up to him. “You have grown quite a lot since the last time we have seen each other.”

James looked at her before smiling softly with a chuckle. "Yeah well, that kinda happens when you get older." 

“Does it? I haven’t noticed in my thousand years.” Celestia said with a teasing smile and brushed a hoof through her mane.

“Sister…you are being vain and prideful again, thy are not a young filly anymore.” Luna said with a small smirk.

James' sweat dropped a little with a chuckle. "I don't think stagnating like that is a good thing." 

Celestia giggled softly. "Perhaps not, but after you left I must admit I was a bit worried. Have you been eating well and sleeping properly?" She asked, walking around him in a motherly sense. 

Barb got closer to him and frowned at Celestia but didn’t hiss or growl at her. James chuckled softly with his eyes closed with a nervous smile, as a single sweat drop fell down his face. "Yes ma'am, I've been eating and sleeping well. I've mostly been a vegetarian, and only eating fish and chicken when I need to."

“Is that because of us?” Barb asked.

James blushed a little. "Partly, but the main reason is it's simply healthier for me." 

Barb hugged his arm. “Ok, as long as you are happy.”

James smiled a little. "I am, now. Shouldn't you go to the hospital with your friends? I need to figure out where I'm gonna be staying." 

“With me.” Barb said, hugging his arm tighter.

“Ahem.” Twilight cleared her throat.

James smiled slightly as Barb frowned at Twilight. "Barb, I'm happy you want to be around me so much. But I promise I'm not going anywhere, and despite what… happened. We're not ready to be living together, we just got back together." 

Twilight sighed in relief. “I can help find you a house, or pay for one to be made.” 

James smiled a little as he picked up his briefcase and clicked the latches, opening it to reveal a three by six diameter full from top to bottom with gold bars. "Can I use this?" 

Twilight looked at the gold. “Hmm, I would have to weigh them but it might be enough to get a small house.”

James blinked a bit. "Whoa, the economy here is a lot different than back home. Back home this would buy me at least a small mansion." 

Celestia said before she used her magic to pick up the gold bars and hummed, before her eyes widened at the weight size on the back. "J-james? A-are all of these… a kilogram?" 

"Yes, why?" James asked confusedly, raising an eyebrow as all the pony's mouths dropped open. 

Celestia slowly looked at James for a moment. "J-james… while gold is much more common here… it isn't typically forged into such… heavy bars. A single bar like this is worth… at least twenty thousand bits alone." 

Barb’s eyes glowed softly for a moment before she hugged James’ arm tightly. “So he is rich?”

James blinked a bit and blushed as Barb hugged his arm. "Yes Barb." Celestia said with a nod. "in fact… if this gold is well… purer than what we have here because of its rarity back in his world. He could potentially get… triple the price."

"Triple!?" All the ponies asked in shock, as James gulped a bit. 

Barb’s eyes glazed over as she shivered a bit, her draconic instincts kicking in. “W-wow, he…he..” She said before looking at James with lustful eyes. “He is so lucky.”

James' eyes widened again as he tried to move away, only for Barb to hold onto him more. "B-barb, come on I know you have your draconic instincts and all but-" James started to say as he looked into her eyes, his own pupils shifting to slits like Barb's as they stared at each other. "B-but… i-i…" 

Celestia and Luna used their magic to pull the two apart. “As much as we enjoy seeing new lovers, we do not wish to watch thy ‘getting it on’ in front of us.” Luna said in an annoyed tone. 

James held his head tightly as he dropped the gold, causing twilight to use her magic to catch it as he groaned. "Oh, god that's a lot more painful than back home!" He said as Barb contied to try and get close to him. 

"I think we know why they acted the way they did to each other." Cadence said with a small giggle. "They must have imprinted on each other when they were younger, but I didn't know humans has magic?"

“They normally don’t, but here they do.” Celestia said with a sigh. “Or at least that was my theory. When he was here last time he didn’t show any signs of magic, even though the stories said humans were very powerful. So I had thought maybe humans had lost their magic, but seeing him now…I think when he came to Equestria as a child some magic was absorbed into it giving him magic, and now that he is back it is fully activated.”

James groaned and rubbed his head more, opening one eye to see Barb still looking at him lustfully. "U-um… is she always gonna be like that now?" 

“Nay, she will calm down after a cold shower, but first the hospital, we must see if thy has planted thu seed in young Barb.” Luna said as she started to walk off, still holding Barb in her magic.

James groaned again as he facepalmed a little. "Did she have to say it like that?" He asked before looking in the direction Luna went. "Also, who was that?"

“That would be my sister, Luna.” Celestia said as she and the rest of the group started to walk, James still held in Celestia’s magic, along with the gold.

"You have a sister?" James asked in confusion, as he crossed his arms a bit. "Also, I can walk. My magic seems to only activate whenever Barb looks me in the eyes… I'm gonna have to work on that." 

“I know you can walk but I want to carry you, so you can either float in my magic or ride my back.” Celestia said with a soft smirk.

James blushed a bit and sighed, looking around the town as Berry chuckled a little. "She seems to treat him like he's her family." He whispered to Rarity. 

Rarity flinched a bit and looked at him. “When did you get back?”

"Just now, I was setting up James Welcome to Ponyville party. What did I miss?" Berry asked with a smile. 

Rarity sighed, a bit jealous. “Barb and James being very romantic and…lustful.”

"And apparently James is one of the richest fellers in town now." Applejack said, as the group approached the hospital. 

"Please let me down!" James said with an annoyed tone. 

“Ok.” Celestia said before putting James on her back like a foal. 

"Oh my fucking God." James said, rubbing his eyes. 

This got a few giggles and laughs from the mares and stallions. “Don’t worry none James, she is just treating ya like a foal in public.” Applejack said in a teasing way.

"I don't care about that, Barb might be finding out she's pregnant! I want to be by her side, I can only imagine how she might be freaking out right now." James said with a sigh.

Everyone looked at James, then over to Barb who was just a few feet ahead of him.

"I mean literally right by her side. If any of the mares here were going to find out if they were pregnant, wouldn't you want the potential father and your partner to hold your hooves and such?" James asked, rubbing his eyes more. 

“Well yes, and we will let you two be closer once we are there but for now you two need to cool off.” Twilight Velvet said to James with a soft smile.

"Hey I'm not the one that spoke out loud about how much money I'm gonna have in front of a dragon." James said, playfully gesturing to Celestia as he got off her back and continued walking beside her. 

Celestia blushed softly. “Yes well…I was just shocked.” 

Night light chuckled a bit. "Oh you're a keeper if you're not afraid to talk to the princess like that, there are times when Barb can be…" 

All the mares, even his wife, looked at Night Light with a look that said ‘choose your next words carefully’. 

Night light looked at them all and frowned. "You all know how Barb is when she gets pissed, he'll need balls of steel to deal with her." Some of the mares nodded their heads and mumbled agreements. 

"Oof, add in pregnancy and he's gonna be in for a ride." Applejack said with a small laugh. 

James' sweat dropped a little, as he glanced at Barb who was trying to turn around in Luna's magic. "Is she really that bad?" 

“Only if she is having a bad day.” Twilight said before looking at Barb. “But…she has never had her heat before, or had to lay an egg. I am worried about her.”

James frowned worriedly as he glanced over at Barb, his eyes forming slits again as Berry looked at him. "Oooo, neat trick!" 

“How are you doing that?” Twilight asked as she looked at James’ eyes.

James looked at her with a confused look, his eyes still slitted as the color began to change from drown to gold. "Doing what?" 

“Your eyes are dragon like.” Twilight said as she stared at them.

James raised an eyebrow, as they all heard a low growl from ahead of them before they turned to see Barb growling a little with her frills on end. “Barb? Please calm down, I am right behind you.” James said before running up to her and holding one of her hands,

Barb nodded slowly as she sent a small glare at Twilight, as she pulled James into the hospital with her. “Barb please calm down, they are just worried about you.” 

"She was staring into your eyes…" Barb said with a snarl. 

“She is studying my eyes, remember she is a bookworm, I bet she hasn’t even looked at a colt in any other way than to study them.” James said with a small smirk.

Barb blushed slightly in embarrassment as she looked down. "P-probably." 

James rubbed her hand. “Besides, I don’t have eyes for any other girl but you.”

Barb blushed as Rarity frowned a bit, tears in her eyes. James kissed Barb’s cheek. “Now please stay calm and let the doctors do their tests, ok?”

Barb nodded a little as she sighed a bit, walking into the hospital with everyone as James stayed outside and stopping Rarity from going in. "We'll be right back, I just need to ask this mare something." 

Barb looked at James for a moment before slowly nodding and headed inside. Rarity looked at James with worry and slight hope in her chest. 

James walked over to a bench and sat down, gesturing for Rarity to come over. "Come here please."

She looked at the hospital and James a few times before sighing and walking over to him, then she sat down on the bench. “Y-you wanted to talk with me?”

"Yeah… mainly because it's been a long time." James said with a small smile. "How are you doing, Elusive?" 

Rarity’s eyes widened before she sighed and looked away. “I…I haven’t used that name in a long time.”

James smiled a little at Rarity. "What name do you go by now?" 

“I go by Rarity…please don’t say anything about Elusive to the others…they don’t know.” Rarity said while looking at the ground and squeezing her hind legs shut.

James nodded a little. "I didn't plan on it… honestly I probably wouldn't have recognized you… if it wasn't for my magic." 

“You magic?” Rarity asked, confused before she blushed and used her forelegs to cover her lower half. “You don’t have x-ray vision do you?”

"No, it happened when I first saw Barb too…" James said, smiling softly at Rarity. "Without any warning I just… knew who you two were." 

“Oh…” Rarity relaxed and looked back at the ground. “I am guessing this is all strange to you…being back in Equestria I mean.”

James took in a breath. "No, it feels like I… came home." He paused for a moment. "Elu- Rarity, I'm sorry about me and Barb being all… lovey dovey. I don't know if you remember what happened last time we saw each other but… I will still ask Barb about it." 

Rarity blushed and fidgeted a bit. “Y-you don’t have to apologize, and you don’t have to ask her…you probably don’t want a …what I am…in your relationship.”

James smiled softly at her. "A great pony who when I first met them was a wonderful friend and showed me a good time? Why wouldn't I want that?" 

Rarity blushed and looked away from him. “I…you know…even though I look like a mare I…haven’t fully transitioned yet…”

"So?" James asked with a gentle smile. "I don't care, but with everything…  it might take a while." 

“Yeah…I understand, just…don’t risk your happiness for me.” She said softly.

James smiled a little at her, patting her leg softly as he got up. "Well, hey. How about you help me look for a house once everything is done?" 

“I think I can do that.” Rarity said with a nod as she stood up.

James smiled a little at her. "Hey, sorry if i assumed anything… about you still having feelings for me and all…" 

“It…it is alright darling.” Rarity said, putting on a fake smile.

James smiled sadly at her as he walked inside. Once inside they saw Barb being taken into a room down the hall. “Oh James, just in time, they are taking Barb to be scanned.” Twilight said then she hummed. “We should have you get a full physical done, we have no idea how human bodies work…what if you get sick?”

James blushed a bit, as he rubbed the back of his head. "I've… never actually gotten sick before…" 

“But you are in a completely new environment, possibly with new diseases. Who knows what reaction our environment will have on your body.” Twilight argued.

James nodded slowly. "A-alright…" 

“Good, nurse!” Twilight called and a cream colored unicorn mare came over.

“Yes dear?” She asked with a soft smile, only glancing at James for a moment.

"We'd like you to study this person." Twilight gestured to James, who was looking at the door Barb went through. "He's new and if he gets sick he'll need medical attention." 

“I understand, please come with me…sir?” The nurse asked him, noticing how distracted he was.

James nodded slowly as he followed her, his eyes still on the door Barb entered. “Sir, are you alright?” The mare asked as she led him to another room.

"I… am worried." He said softly, sitting down in the room. "My… well… girlfriend, Is seeing if she's pregnant right now or not." 

“I see.” The mare nodded then she smiled. “If you promise to come back after, you can go be with her.”

James' eyes widened before he smiled and nodded. "Thank you!" He said getting up and going over to the room Barb was in, before knocking. 

“Who is it?” An unfamiliar feminine voice asked.

"U-um…" James said, nervously. "M-my name is James. My girlfriend Barb is in there right?" 

“James!? Please come in! I need you.” Barb called out.

James' eyes shifted to slits as he tried to open the locked door. "Sir, please. This is a serious -" the unfamiliar voice said, before he suddenly kicked the door open with a growl. 

“Sir! I must ask you to leave! This is a private matter!” A unicorn mare said as she glared at James.

Barb got up and quickly went over to James, holding onto his arm as she whimpered softly. "What did you do to my mate?" James asked in a low growl. 

“Nothing,” The mare said with a groan. “She won’t stay still so I can scan her, she is acting like a foal.”

James blinked a bit before he looked at Barb. "Hey, it's ok. I'm here. She needs to scan you ok?" 

Barb whimpered. “B-but what if…she sees something?”

James gently whispers in her ear. "Then we'll get through it together ok, I'm always going to be by your side." 

Barb nodded slowly as she hugged James tightly. James smiled softly and wrapped his arms around Barb, nodding to the Mare. "Go ahead." 

The mare nodded and used her magic on Barb’s lower abdomen to scan it. “Hmm.”

Barb looked at her worriedly as James patted her arm. "Remember, whatever happens we'll be together." 

“Well good news is she isn’t pregnant, bad news is she is in heat.” The mare said and looked between the two.Barb and James sighed in relief, before the mare looked between them. "However, if there's anything… left inside of you. You could still end up pregnant, I suggest washing thoroughly, and using protection from now on."

Barb blushed and placed a hand on her belly. “I haven’t had to…um clean that stuff out before, h-how do I?”

"Well, for that I need to know how deep he got." The mare said, causing Barb to blush and point to just above her belly button. 

“Oh dear…um does your shower have a hose?” The mare asked sheepishly.

Barb shook her head slowly as James smiled sheepishly. "Mine did… but I can't get back to where I lived. I can buy a house with one though, how long do we have?" 

“If the water can be aimed straight up, a few inches. You want to keep it as deep as you can without causing pain, if you want there is a medical tool we can use for now, but your…um…coltfriend? Will have to wait outside, hospital rules.”

Barb whimpered and held onto James arm tighter. "N-no… I want him here. He'll need to know how to use the tool if I can't do it myself…" 

James glanced at Barb for a moment, before looking at the doctor again. "I'm sorry, but if she doesn't want me to go I'm not leaving." 

The mare sighed and rubbed her face. “This is a highly personal procedure and is against the hospital's policies to have any stallion in the room when it's done.”

James sighed softly and kissed Barb on the lips gently. "I'll be right outside the door ok? And if anything happens I'll kick the door down again." 

“O-ok.” Barb said slowly.

James frowned a little before smiling and going over to the door for a second, the two women in the room watching as he waved someone over. After a moment, Twilight Velvet walked in with a worried and confused look. "What's going on?" 

"The doctor needs to show Barb something and guys can't be in the room." James said with a small smile. "But Barb obviously doesn't want to be alone." 

“I see, so do you have good news or bad news for me dear?” Twilight Velvet asked with a small smile.

Barb rubbed her arm a little. "I… I'm not pregnant… but I am in heat and…" 

"She needs to clean everything out at home to make sure she doesn't get pregnant." The doctor said, smiling a little at velvet. 

“I’ll help with that, it can’t be that bad.” Twilight Velvet said with a motherly smile.

The doctor smiled a little. "She needs a special tool for removing it… however. That still doesn't guarantee she won't end up pregnant with how deep he was." The doctor said as Barb put her hand just above her belly button again with a deep blush. 

“O-oh my…Barb you are grounded.” Twilight Velvet said with a blush.

Barb pouted a little as she crossed her arms. "I'm not a baby mom!" 

James chuckled softly before closing the door and standing outside, while Twilight Velvet sighed and sniffed a little. "Don't remind me!" 

“Empty nest syndrome?” James asked her, through the door. 

She sighed and sat next to the door as the doctor started doing her job. "Yes… Twilight and Shining are both grown adults and my son has a daughter… now my youngest daughter may have a baby of her own…" 

“Well…you could always adopt another or…make one.” James suggested with a light blush.

Twilight velvet giggled a little. "Sweetie, me and my husband are too old for that… make sure you make Barb happy. She's missed you every day since you parted." 

“I missed her too…” James said softly before he smiled a bit. “You could spoil Shining’s daughter.”

Twilight velvet giggled softly. "Dear, that's any grandparent…" 

"Oh dear…" The doctor said, moving away from Barb. "It… seems I may have made a mistake." 

James fought his instinct to rush in. “What's wrong?” 

The doctor frowned a bit as she moved away from Barb as Twilight Velvet walked over worriedly. "You may want to come in." The doctor said to the door, in almost an instant James rushed in and stood next to Barb, holding her hand as she stared at the doctor in fear. 

"What's w-wrong?" She asked, fearfully. 

The doctor slowly removed her glasses and sighed, looking right at James and Barb. "There is a… good chance you're pregnant. I failed to take into account the timing of your heat and when the two of you mated." 

Barb’s eyes widened. “I…I’m pregnant?”

James and Twilight Velvet could both see her shaking in fear as the human gently squeezed her hand. "There is no guarantee." The doctor said, "Even during heat there's no guarantee,just a higher chance. And… I don't know how… well… I don't know how it'll work because of the species difference." 

“D-do we know anything about how…how many children dragons have?” Twilight Velvet asked.

The doctor shook her head slowly. "I don't, you'd have to ask another dragon."

"Another dragon?" James asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "Where are we supposed to find one?" 

"We could ask Smolder or Ember!" Barb said quickly, standing up. "They're my friends! They should know!" 

“Where do they live?” James asked.

"In the Dragon lands." Barb said with a happy smile, before it turned dark. "So long as Garble isn't there." 

James' eyes and instincts instantly shifted to that of a dragon, the simple mention of another male making him growl. "And who is Garble?" 

“A jerk.” Barb said as she crossed her arms. “When I went on the migration I ran into him and his friends, I tried to fit in but...they were all guys…at first they just did guy things, being rough and gross but then they started getting touchy…” Barb looked down. “I told them to stop and Garble made them but that was just so he had me to himself…if Twilight, Rainbow and Rarity weren’t there…I don’t like to think about it.”

James' eyes glowed golden while he growled more, energy surging from his necklace as his body shifted and became more dragon-like. Parts of his skin began to become scaly as his teeth and claws grew longer. "what!?" 

The ponies backed away from him as Barb stared at her hands. “Y-yeah, he took me out to the woods and…” She was quiet for a bit. “...anyway, Twilight and the others scared him off and I went home. I didn’t see another dragon till the dragon lord called every teenage dragon for a contest to see who the next Dragon Lord would be.”

James growled angrily, his necklace sparking more as his spine began to bump up. "B-barb… I think you should stop…" Velvet said, worriedly. 

“Huh?” She looked at her mother. “Why?”

James growled a bit more as Velvet gestured to him. "Barb, look at your colt!" 

Barb looked at James and gasped, blushing bright red as she looked him over. Her tail wagged slowly and spread her scent.

James growled a bit as his eyes fell on her, slowly walking over to her before he kissed her deeply. Barb moaned softly and rubbed his chest. "We need to separate them!" The doctor said, as her magic wrapped around Barb and started pulling her away from James. 

He growled as Barb was pulled away. “James!” Barb called out as she reached out for him, and Velvet ran out the room calling for the princesses.

James grabbed onto Barb and pulled her back to him, easily pulling her out of the Doctor's magic. "Mine!" 

The doctor rubbed her head after her magic was disrupted, then she looked at James. “Mister James, you need to get a hold of yourself, you are in danger.”

James growled softly as he held onto Barb, who's tail wiggled happily in his arms as Celestia and Luna came in. "What the…" Celestia said, looking worriedly at James. 

"We need to snap him out of this sister." Luna said with a frown. "Whatever magic he has is taking over!" 

Chapter end.