The New Steed

by Void Heart

Rating: teen
Tags: Human, Sad, Dark
Length: 56956

An alien, and mysterious creature has appeared suddenly in Ponyville. He claims to be harmless, but there is something dark, and foreboding about him

An alien, and mysterious creature has appeared suddenly in Ponyville. He claims to be harmless, but there is something dark, and foreboding about him. Even as the Ponies of the small town take in this stranger, Princess Celestia, and Princess Luna feel the need to investigate, and do whatever it takes to protect their loyal, and beloved subjects.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2013-09-03 13:16:09 UTC

Odd Friends

      Applejack, and Samael stood there in the kitchen of Sugar Cube Corner. Both of them watching in silence as Pinkie Pie bounced with great height, and energy from one part of the room to the next. This was the last stop on Applejack's tour of her home town, and she mentioned something along the lines of this being the last place to visit, not because it she was saving the best for the last, but because she knew it would end the whole experience with something memorable.

   "And then, you run all the way over here!" Pinkie said as she dashed several times around the counter to grab a bowl of ingredients that could have been gotten through just a few steps. "Then you take this, and you mix it with this, then you take this, and mix it with this. You take those, put them over here, but don't mix it with these. But you do want to mix this in, just not right now." Samael couldn't help but smile as he watched the frantic Pony try to demonstrate her culinary skills. Though he had to admit, even with his vast understanding of how this, and many other universes worked. He wasn't quite sure how to take in the vast amounts of chaotic information that was being thrown at him. "And finally," Pinkie continued as she held up the bowl which was now over flowing with a massive pile of mixed ingredients. "You put them all in the oven for just under fifteen minutes, or an hour, or an hour and fifteen minutes. I'm not sure really, just as long as they smell good."

   Samael clapped his gloved hands together several times in a slow, but loud succession. "Truly amazing Pinkie Pie," he said as he stopped clapping, and placed his hands to his side. "I must say that I have bared witness to the creation of many things; both fantastic, and horrible in their design. I can assure you however, that I have never seen such a thing as a pink Pony creating baked goods."

   This made Applejack give out a small chuckle, being slightly nervous at Samael's choice of words. "Well yeah," the orange mare said as she cleared her throat. "Pinkie here is kinda our one pony welcome wagon. And she is one of the best cooks round these parts anyway."

   "Oooooo that reminds me!" Pinkie shouted as she turned into a blur  to move herself from where she was standing, to right where Samael was in just a quick instant. "You're new here. So that means that I get to throw you a 'Welcome to Ponyville' welcome party! It will be so fun, everypony will be there, and there will be cake, and streamers, and balloons, and cake, and music, and dancing, and cake."

   Pinkie kept on listing the grand amount of events that were going to transpire at Samael's welcoming party. This caused Samael to look from the rambling pink Pony, to Applejack, who in turn looked up at him. "She does have a knack for going on. Doesn't she?" Samael said, causing Applejack to just give a quick lopsided, and forced grin. "Well no matter," he continued as he turned his attention back to Pinkie who was still talking, though he wasn't sure if it was still about the party. "It is a skill that will get her out of more than one bad situation in her lifetime." Those last few words made Applejack's eyebrow raise as high as it could. It just seemed like an odd thing to say.

   "And cake!" Pinkie finally finished as she stood up on her hind legs, while throwing her front ones up into the air. She was also at this point very much out of breath, and started drawing in large gasps of air into her open smiling mouth.

   "An event that would be remembered through out the ages Pinkie Pie," Samael said as he gave the mare a quick bow with his head, and a short smile. "I will have to decline however. You see, I do not plan to be here in this place for very long. I would not want to you to go through all the trouble of preparing such a celebration, only to not have the guest of honor show up."

   "Awwww," Pinkie pouted as her over stretched smile turned into a dismal frown, while her ears fell forward, and flat against her head. "But, but, but we just have to have a welcome party. You're the first Human to ever come to Ponyville."

   This made Samael's face contort into one that had a sense of like he had heard something that completely disagreed with him, while at the same time, he looked around the room, almost as if he was searching for the words he wanted to say somewhere hidden on the shelves. "Hrm, well let's not waste the whole 'first Human in Ponyville' party on me then." he said as he brought his index finger, and thumb to his chin in thought. "Cause I assure you, the meaning of it would be wasted on me. And besides, there are truly very few creatures that actually celebrate me coming to visit them."

   "Well okay," Pinkie said with a sigh. Then, her eyes lit up, and her ears popped back to a strong upright position. "Oh hey! Can we have a 'Samael was here, but then had to leave. So we are throwing a welcome slash goodbye party?' "

   "A goodbye party eh?" Samael said as he once again got a look of thought on his frail, and pale face. "Well, many Denizens do often celebrate when I leave, or cannot be found. Very well, that kind of party you can have."

   "Woo hoo!" Pinkie exclaimed as she bounced high into the air. "I'm going to get started on it right now!" With that, she turned back into her pink blur, zipping around the room. When she came to a stop, she was once again at the counter, with a large collection of new ingredients that she quickly tossed into a bowl, and started mixing.

   "Well," Applejack said as she let out a sigh that almost sounded like one of exhaustion, even though she had not done anything but stand there this whole time. "I think that wraps up the official tour of Ponyville properly. Come on Samael, Pinkie will be busy for a bit."

   "Oh?" Samael said as he looked to the blonde mare, then back to the Pink one who looked so engrossed in her new task, that he thought she may have completely forgotten they were there. "Very well then," he added as he turned on his heels, and followed Applejack, who was already heading out the door.

*****

      Applejack stepped out into the yard of Pinkie's home, where she let out a long sigh as she looked around her, and saw many Ponies staring at her, and the alien creature who was walking up behind her. She hadn't really noticed before, but she imagined this large group of Ponies had been following them around the whole time, watching, and waiting for anything interesting to happen. She couldn't really blame them, more often than not, whenever a newcomer came to town, something very bad happened.

   "Well that was very entertaining." Samael said as he stopped right next to Applejack, placing his hands in his pockets, and lifting himself up onto his toes, then back down again.

  "You know. I have to be honest with you Samael," Applejack said while turning her body, and looking up at him. This made him look down to her, while at the same time reaching up with his index finger to push up his glasses. He didn't say anything however, he just stood there, waiting for her next words. "Now I don't want you taking no offense of anything of the sort. It's just, I don't know. You make me kinda nervous. I don't know why really."

   Samael let out a small laugh as he placed his hand back into his coat pocket. "Oh, I think I can explain that. to a certain degree at least."

   "How so?" the mare asked with a raised eyebrow.

   "It's just instinct really. You were born with an absolute sense of self preservation. It is something that is in the back of your mind at all times, making you act accordingly to different situations whenever they present themselves. It has been this way since you were a small child." He paused there for a moment, as he reached up with his hand, and gave a pair of spying ponies a quick friendly wave, causing them to let out gasps of shock, and duck away behind a building. "You shouldn't feel bad about it though," he continued. "It shows a sign of wisdom, and proper raising to be nervous around me."

   "Now you see. It just makes it worse when you go and start saying weird things like that!" Applejack said with an angry sigh. It didn't help matters that Samael let out a sudden laugh at her little out burst. She decided to calm herself however, before explaining her motives. "Look, it's just that this town is small. We're just kindly Pony folk. But for some odd reason, things keep happening here. I mean like, all the time! Now Twilight is off training to become a Princess, leaving me here to have to deal with anything that might happen." One more sigh came from her flustered muzzle. "I just want to make sure you ain't going to go around causing trouble."

   "Hrm I see," Samael said after taking in all the little mare had to say. He then put a long warming smile on his face as he looked down at her. "You can rest assured that I have no intention of causing trouble, harm, or dismay to any one creature here."

   "Really?" Applejack asked, now feeling a little better just because of the smile he was giving her.

   "Why yes indeed," he said while placing a hand up to his chest. "It is not in my nature to deliberately cause harm to another living thing. Though I think some would argue that fact." This made him get an odd grimace on his lips before moving on. "No, It is my purpose, and more overly my duty to simply ensure a proper transition from one place to the next. I mean no malcontent when I do so."

   "Umm, well alright then," Applejack said with a glare of pure confusion. She really had no idea what he just said, or what he meant by it. She could only hope that was him using his odd way of speaking to tell her he wasn't going to become some great threat that she, and her friends would have to deal with, without the last piece of the Elements of Harmony. There was a long pause between the two after that, and she decided to break it, by letting him know that she had to leave. "Well alright Sug," she said placing a new chipper tone in her voice. "Guess I should mosey on back to the farm. You going to be alright here by yourself?"

   "Hmm?" Samael said in a way as if he had stopped paying attention to her. "Oh yes, yes. Please, do not let me trouble you any longer. I think I will, mosey as well." This made him laugh to himself as he placed a local word into his own vocabulary. "Yes, I think to mosey would be just fine."

   "Okay then," the Earth Pony said as she turned around, while still keeping an eye on him. "You let me know if you run into any trouble, or need anything at all." He didn't say anything to her, he just nodded, and smiled as she furthered herself from him. She had to force herself to turn her head away from him, and look to what was in front of her. She didn't know why, but it seemed the more distance she put between her and him, the more steady, and relieved she became. Then with a hard swallow, she thrust herself forward, putting her body in a dead run. She didn't know why she had to run away, she just wanted this pressing feeling of doom to leave her, and she felt getting as far away from Samael as she could, would be the best way to do it.

*****

      Darting from tree to tree, and from bush to bush, the four fillies dashed. Ever since his arrival in their small town, the Cutie Mark Crusaders had been using all their great spying skills to keep an ever watchful eye on the new stranger. They thought their skills were great at any rate, disregarding the several times they had been spotted by many other Ponies. It did not detour them however, they were determined to keep track on Equestria's newest visitor, and find out whatever information he had to offer through the art of shadowing, and surveillance.

   "Oww!" Scootaloo shouted as she stopped inside a bush, but did not say she was, and was poked in the side by Sweetie Belle's horn.

   "Sorry," Sweetie Belle said apologetically, coupled with an embarrassed smile.

   "Would ya'll be quiet!" Apple Bloom scolded in a whispered yell. She then returned to her unbreakable attention to the one that called himself Samael. It was this little filly that had the most interest invested in their clandestine efforts, as it was her sister that had been giving the visitor the tour of the town. Applejack, and Samael had parted ways now, she watched her sister run off towards the outskirts of town, and in a way she felt relieved that if her sister were to be in any danger, she would be out of range of it by now.

   "Guys," Dinky said as she pulled up the rear of the small group of spies. "Really hate to break up the fun and all, but I think I should head home."

   "No way!" Scootaloo scoffed as she reached over, and grabbed a hold of the tiny little unicorn, then yanked her close into the rest of the group. "You're a Crusader now. And as such, we stick together! Through thick and thin; life and death!"

   "Think the death part is over doing it there Scootaloo," Sweetie Belle said as she rolled her eyes before turning her head to peek out of the bush along with Apple Bloom. This made Scootaloo just give a small hoof flick in the white unicorn's direction, as she as well rolled her eyes.

   "Pfft! Whatever, besides, you don't want to go home now. This is a very important deep cover covert operation, and there is a high chance we could get our cutie marks for being awesome spies!" Scootaloo's eyes lit up for a second, as she let the fantasy of being a dark, and mysterious secret agent pony flood her mind.

   "Well that's fine and all I suppose," Dinky said in a small quiet voice. "But don't you think it would be safe to say that if only one of us got a spying cutie mark, the other's wouldn't? I mean, there's not a lot of Ponies that get the same cutie mark, at the exact same time. The odds of that happening are pretty much impossible."

   "Uhh," Scootaloo stammered as she, and Sweetie Belle exchanged a confused look with one another. Scootaloo then got a proud, and distinguished look on her face, as she held her head up, and placed her hoof to her chest. "Well you see, the science behind this is all very sound. Now if you take in-"

   "He's moving again!" Apple Bloom interrupted as she took off from the rather open faced bush the four had been using as a blind. This made Scootaloo get a discouraged look over her muzzle as she took hold of Dinky, and pulled her along with both Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom.

   "What's he doing?" Sweetie Belle asked as the quartet had to abandon their nature based environment, for a more urban one; placing themselves behind a far, and away building as Samael had now strolled into the main plaza.

   "He's going into the Quills and Sofa store," Apple Bloom informed in a low, and serious tone.

   "Why would he go in there?" Sweetie Belle said, as she placed her hoof up to her chin in a moment of deep thought.

   "To get a sofa?" Scootaloo said with a raised eyebrow, and a sarcastic tone.

   "Or a quill?" Dinky added, trying not to laugh at the sudden lack of intelligence the unicorn had just shown.

   "Actually," Samael said as he bent down to join the four fillies in their deep observational huddle. "I was just wondering why a store would specialize in only two items of such an odd combination." All four of the fillies went completely wide eyed, and tossed themselves back first up against the building they had been hiding behind. Then each one of them opened their mouths as if they were preparing to let out ear piercing screams. However, Samael quickly held his index finger up to his lips, and made a quick 'shh' sound, which made all four of the girls to snap their jaws back together. "I do believe to let out a panicked scream would only cause trouble for all of us," Samael said as he gave a friendly smile. "We don't want that now do we?"

      Samael stood up slowly, then placed his hands to the small of his back, while starting a slow pace back and forth. "Let's see here," he said as he reached up and adjusted his glasses. "Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo." He then paused for a moment as he reached the fourth of the group. This also made the other three turn their heads in unison to look at Dinky, and wonder why he was giving her such an odd stare. "And Dinky Hooves. Hrm, well that won't do at all will it?"

   "What do you mean that won't do?" Dinky said as she fell from the wall, down to all four hooves. This small example of bravery on her part made the others follow suit as they all formed a small semi circle around Samael.

   "Well names are a particular thing I have to deal with. There is a lot of power in ones name. I mean you have Apple Bloom here, that name is all well, and good. Sweetie Belle has a certain charm to it."

   "Aww, thank you," the little unicorn said as she turned her head down, and to the side, while keeping her eyes on him in a small blush.

   "Scootaloo is kinda silly really if you think about it. It sounds like such a nonsensical word."

   "H-hey!" the purple maned Pegasus shouted as her eyes narrowed, while her fore head furrowed, and her small wings became a blurred fluster.

   "However," Samael continued while paying no regard to the other Ponies reactions. "Dinky seems to lack a kinda of presence to it I think. Perhaps I could call you something else? Something that holds an air of gravity, and mystery to it." As he finished speaking, he turned around, while walking several steps, and muttering to himself several times, before coming back to where he was standing, and looking to the small gold eyed unicorn, who had just a odd blank stare on her face. "Ah, I know. How about I call you, D?"

   "D?" Dinky repeated, getting a look that resembled disappointment at the grand build up, to such a lack luster result.

   "Yes, I think D will do just fine." Samael said in a voice that made them think he was rather pleased with himself at the decision he had just made.

   "But you didn't do anything. You're just using the first letter in my actual name." Dinky argued as she was becoming more, and more disappointed. She thought for sure since he was from a completely different race, and from a totally different world. He would at least be able to give her a cool alien name. She really hoped the rest of his kind didn't just use the first letter in their names to identify one another.

   "Well most of the time, the simplest answer is often the correct one. And I do believe calling you D will make things much easier for all those involved in the future."

   "Umm, okay I guess," Dinky said as she contorted one side of her mouth upwards. "Just as long as I get to give you a nickname as well. That way it is fair."

   "Very well," Samael said as he smiled down at her. "I do have many names to go by. I suppose one more couldn't hurt anything. What is it you would like to call me?" As soon as he asked the question, the four girls all looked at one another, then rushed towards one another to form a tight knit huddle. This made Samael cross his arms, and let out a small chuckle as he could hear very well what the fillies were saying in their loud whispers in an effort to speak over one another. It was amusing to see one of them lower their head, only for another one to look up quickly, and make sure he wasn't trying to get in on the private conversation they were having. It was only about a minute before the group returned to the half circle they were in before, as Dinky stepped forwards, acting as the Crusaders representative.

   "Sammy," she said in a determined voice. After saying the name they had all decided on, she looked to the other three, who in turn gave her a reassuring nod, and then looked to one another to do the same.

   "Sammy huh?" Samael said with a tone that made him appear unsure of the decision that was made. He looked down to the ground, yet kept his eyes on the fillies as they all stared up at him with looks of unblinking anticipation for the approval, or disapproval of their combined efforts. He then gave a smile, and a quick nod of his head. "Very well then, let it be known that I shall be called Sammy by the four of you." This made the Crusaders all give a loud sigh of relief in unison as they all got a deep sense of accomplishment.

   "Okay Sammy," Dinky said putting a lot of volume into his new name as she spoke it. "Now you get to tell us how you did that trick. You know, since we are all friends now, giving each other nicknames and all."

   "Oh? And what trick would that be?" Samael asked as he knelt down to one knee, so he didn't have to bend his neck so much while talking to the tiny equines.

   "You know, the teleport you did," Dinky reminded him as if it was something that he had forgotten. "You were in the store, then you were out here with us. Teleporting is a powerful magic spell. I have only seen Princess Twilight Sparkle, and Princess Celestia do it."

   "Yeah, and I don't think you ever said Humans could do magic." Sweetie Belle said, as she was as well interested in how something without a horn could perform advanced magic.

   "He's not a Human," Dinky cut in with a straight lipped expression. "He said he only looks like one." This made Samael smile wide as he looked to the light purple unicorn.

   "Ah, I did say that didn't I?" he said with a warm tone. "That is very astute of you to remember D. I didn't think you could have heard me from where you were standing when I first arrived."

   "Yeah well, I guess I have good hearing is all. Now come on, show us how you did that spell!" This made all the girls get an excited look on their little muzzles.

   "Yeah, show us, come on!" all of them said along with other pleas, and demands for Samael's magic secrets to be revealed.

   Samael pushed up his glasses again, then sat himself completely on the ground, so at this point he was at eye level with the energetic Ponies. "Magic huh?" he said to himself as he adjusted his seating position. "Well, I do not think it would be fair to call it magic really. I do not think I can perform any spells at all."

   "But you just did it!" Dinky said with an angry voice, as if she thought Sammy was trying to get out of telling them how he did it.

   "Well it is true that according to your perception on how things work that I moved from one place to another in the blink of an eye. Though I think it is a little more complicated than that," he paused for a moment to take in the looks of wonderment that were being given to him. It had been an almost forgettable amount of time since he was able to just sit and talk to a Denizen like this, let alone four small children. "Now, what you would call teleporting; to where a magic user would take themselves out of one place, and appear in another. This is all just following a simple set of rules on how things in the Universe must flow. One has to be somewhere, before one can be anywhere else, not doing so would skip steps, and the results would more than likely be unpleasant."

   "Yeah, but you said you didn't use magic to teleport." Sweetie Belle said as she tried to wrap her head around the odd gibberish that was being thrown at her.

   "I don't think he did," Dinky said, as her gaze went down to the ground, her eyes moving back and forth while many different scenarios were being passed to the front of her mind, while others took a back seat in after thought. This made the three other fillies give her an odd look. Though the most interest was coming from Samael as he as well just looked at her, a subtle grin starting to form over his lips. "He said he can't do spells, but he moved from one place to another. But he also said things in the Universe have to move a certain way, rules have to be obeyed, or bad things happen. So maybe," she stopped there, as her train of thought was taking her to places she had never thought of before.

   "So maybe what?" Sweetie Belle asked with a longing to hear what her new comrade's theory was, and how she was able to deduce something so quickly in her head.

   "Well, maybe it wasn't that he moved from the store to here. That would be impossible since he can't do magic. But since he can't do magic, and he did teleport, it would break the Universe's rules. So I guess since he appeared behind us, it is because that's where he always was to begin with." As soon as she had said those words, all three of the other Crusaders jaws dropped at the same time, and their eyes became as wide as possible.

   "Wow, that's umm, that's some pretty heavy stuff there Dinky, I mean D." Sweetie Belle said in a rasp as she tried to comprehend the logic behind what had just been told to her.

   "Outstanding," Samael said as he clapped his gloved hands together.

   "Oww, my head hurts," Apple Bloom sighed out as she raised her hoof up to rub her temple.

   "Yeah," Scootaloo added. "I think I went cross eyed there for a second." Dinky couldn't help but smile at the reactions of approval, and shock she was getting. She didn't know if the answer she had just given was the correct one, but to her it just felt right to say, and none of those around her seemed to disagree. She did find it kinda funny that the Pegasus, and the Earth Pony were the ones that seemed to be the most affected by the serious magic talk. She knew from experience that her mom often said she would get a headache if she heard to much about magic at any given time. She was just about to ask Samael if what she said was indeed true, but just then, the familiar chime of the clock tower rang out. This caused her to jog over to the edge of the building, and look up at the time. When she saw how much time she had spent here in town, she got a quick panicked look on her muzzle.

   "Oh no! Is that the time? I have to get home or I am going to be late." After saying this, she was prepared to start a mad run home.

   "Well wait up Dinky," Apple Bloom said as she trotted up next to her. "We'll walk you home, it's no problem."

   "D!" Samael shouted as he stood up to his feet, and brushed himself off. This caused all of the girls to stop, and look at the visitor. "I am very fascinated on what you just said. Perhaps we could talk more on how you think magic works?"

   All the girls looked towards Dinky, who all of the sudden felt kinda embarrassed to be the center of attention. "Well sure I guess. You could come by me, and my mom's house sometime if you wanted."

   "I think that will be just fine," Samael responded, giving a small bow with his head. "Until then."

   "Okay Sammy, bye!" Dinky shouted as she took off in a hard run down the street. The shouts were then mimicked, by the other fillies as they too followed their new friend towards her home.

*****

      Samael walked along a small path that led out of town. He kept a constant friendly smile on his face as he passed Ponies that were in his path. Though very rarely was he given one in return, and several times did oncoming travelers completely leave the path all together to avoid getting close to him. There before him he saw a small flower park, that had a bench in it, so he decided to sit down for a few moments, and take in all that had happened up until this point.

   All things considered, he believed the situation at hand was going rather well. No massive out bursts of panic had swept over the land as he being the only one of his kind appeared before the population of this small town. It made him feel as if he had made the right move in choosing to take his new companion from this place, instead of the unlimited number of others he could have chosen from. While these Ponies were skittish by nature, he found it reassuring that most of the ones that had seen him, or interacted with him accepted him as just another Denizen of this Universe, and while the basic instinctual knowledge of what he was permeated in the back of their minds. Most of them were able to brush it off as mere anxiety, and nothing more. He thought he was going to have a few nice quiet moments to himself. However, he suddenly heard the sound of someone clearing their throat, and the rustling of a news paper being adjusted.

   This made him turn his head, to find that he had been joined on the bench by a white Earth Pony, who had a medium length brown mane, and tail, with light blue eyes that were scanning the print on the paper. "Really?" Samael sighed out as he gave an annoyed chuckle, while at the same time sinking into the bench in a slump, and crossing his arms together.

   "Hmm. Looks like The Broncos are going to be going to the Hoofball playoffs this year," The First One said in a passing voice, in a way as if he was trying to start up a conversation. He then got a sad grimace as he continued reading. "The Colts aren't doing so well though. That's to bad."

   "Why are you here?" Samael asked in a heavy voice as he reached up, and rubbed the bridge of his nose, before pushing his glasses back up. This caused The First One to look up while folding the paper down. He then looked towards Samael, then turned his head back, and forth; scanning the area around him.

   "Well it is a lovely day. Just thought I would come out here, read my paper, enjoy the smell of the flowers. You know, just taking in all the little joys of life. Say would you like to make a small wager on if the Broncos go to the Hoofbowl this year. I have five bits that say they do."

   "You just couldn't stand not checking up on me I see," Samael laughed out as he did humor inThe First One's blending technique, and he already knew what was going to be said before the conversation had even begun.

   "Checking up on you? Nah, I haven't needed to do that for some time." The First One then made a quick sniff through his nose, before looking back down on at his paper to start reading again. It was only a second though before he looked back up, and folded the paper up completely, placing it on the bench. "Although, it is rather funny how if I just sit here on this bench. Any Pony that walks by will think nothing more of it. I'm just a stallion reading his paper. You on the other hoof, well at least three Ponies have avoided walking anywhere near this bench in fear of what might be done to them by the strange alien invader."

   "It's fine," Samael snorted out, not really wanting to get into an argument over why he chose to appear as a Human to these creatures.

   "Is it?" The First One asked with a raised eyebrow. "Because last I checked. Humans haven't existed on this world in. Oh let me think, oh yeah, never."

   "You know very well the point I am making by looking this way." Samael was trying very hard to not sound completely annoyed at the lecture he was being given. As if The First One had anything new to teach him. He never had anything to teach him in the first place. Since before there was anything to be remembered the two had existed at each other's sides. Yet time, and circumstances always made it appear as if The First One was to be given thanks, and praises for anything that was ever done. Samael couldn't help but think it had given his partner a rather large ego. "So let me guess. You are going to be tagging along behind me? You know you can't hide from me no matter what you appear as, you never could."

   "Nope." The First One said as he slid down off the bench onto all fours. "It's not me you have to be worried about. Some of the local divinities might be kinda upset you just decided to show up out of no where though." This made Samael let out a small scoff at the mention of the ruling class here on this world.

   "You will forgive me if I don't fall to my trembling knees at the thought of a few localized Godlings." Samael chuckled a little after saying that, he always got a kick out of the word 'God' and how it was used, or exploited by the countless Denizens of this, and many other Universes.

   "Alright," The First One started as he started to walk off towards the path. "Just don't say I didn't warn you or anything." With that, The First One turned his head, and started to leave the area, moving back towards Ponyville. This made Samael raise his hands up, then let them fall back down to his legs in a clap. He then let out a laugh as he saw his long time companion actually walk away, when it would have just been easier to remove himself from existence. With one more amusing laugh, Samael lifted himself off the bench, deciding to follow his friends example, and just continue to walk down the path, to see where it led.

Truth

      Miss Cheerilee was talking in the small school room full of young Ponies, though Dinky couldn't hear a word she was saying. So many thoughts were racing through her head now. She wanted to know what Samael actually was, she wanted to know why she could suddenly know everyponies name without asking. It wasn't even just Ponies anymore, she could now look at plants, trees, insects, and animals. She knew all of their names, and while at first it was very scary to her, she now found herself interested in how this information was coming to her.

   "Dinky?" Cheerilee asked again, this time with a louder voice to make sure that she got the filly's attention. This attempt was just as unsuccessful as the last however, as the small light purple Unicorn was still staring out the window. The deep red mare couldn't help but get a small smile on her face as she heard several of the children giggling to themselves. She did have to maintain her status as the teacher though, so she leaned over to her desk where she took a book in her mouth. She then walked slowly over to the fillies desk, where she suddenly dropped the book to the floor; making a loud bang as it hit.

   "Twenty seven!" Dinky shouted as she almost jumped out of her chair as the loud sound made her eyes expand to their largest size. This reaction made all the other Ponies in the room now laugh out loud as Cheerilee slowly shook her head with a small grin.

   "Your answer might be correct Dinky," Cheerilee said as she walked back up to the head of the class. "Unfortunately we are not doing math, we are on history."

   "I'm sorry Miss Cheerilee," Dinky said with a quiet mope while sinking down into her chair in an attempt to hide herself as much as possible from the embarrassment.

   "That's alright sweetie. Just try to keep your attention straight." Even though she knew she was being scolded for slacking off in class; Dinky didn't mind so much if it was Cheerilee doing it. She always thought the teaching Pony had the nicest voice, even if she was mad. "Now as I was saying," Cheerilee continued as she turned back to the chalk board. She was just about to start speaking again, but the end of the day bell rang, causing all the small fillies and colts to turn into a chaotic cloud of joyous yells and laughs as they all bolted for the door.

   "Come on Dinky!" Apple Bloom yelled as she, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo all picked up their things and started heading for the door. "We have a great new plan to get our cutie marks."

   "Yeah!" Scootaloo exclaimed as she lept into the air while her small wings became an orange blur. "It involves us, a cave, and three pounds of firecrackers!"

   All three of the girls suddenly came together, and they tapped their hooves into one another. "Cutie Mark Crusaders mining operation, woo!" all three of them yelled as they bolted out the door. Dinky let out a long chuckle as her three new friends vanished outside. She really wasn't sure that causing explosions inside a cave was the safest thing in the world to do, but she just figured they would all get distracted, and find something else to do. With that thought in mind, she quickly finished gathering her things, and headed for the door.

*****

      As soon as Dinky's hoof hit the ground, she knew something was wrong. The landscape around her was completely different now. It had become a rolling visage of tall gold and brown mountains. Soft fine dirt covered the expanding rocky area, one that was littered with an assortment of small to mid sized sharp looking bushes. All of this accented by a orange setting sun, that was just now coming to rest in the distant horizon. This experience was startling, but not foreign to her now. She knew exactly what had happened, and she let out a small annoyed sigh as her head fell to look at the ground. "Oh come on Sammy!" she shouted out into the scene before her.

   "Follow me," Samael said as he walked past the young mare. His stride was slow, but deliberate in it's path. There was a kind of dryness in his voice that the young filly had not heard before, and it made her get a sudden shiver over her whole body as she realized that just those two words made him seem very serious, and really kind of scary. The sensation she felt was gone just as quickly as it had arrived, and she did as she was told, by bringing herself in time with his steps.

   "Why are we here Sammy?" Dinky asked after only a few long silent steps.

   "The truth," the tall slender man said as he came to a sudden stop. An act that almost made the tiny Pony bump into his long legs in the process. For a moment the pair stood there, Samael just staring off into the distance as if he was waiting for an unknown event to take place. That's when Dinky heard something from behind a small dirt hill. Her attention directed itself to the strange sounds, and what came over the mound made her take in a deep gasp, and even place herself behind Samael's legs.

   A Dragon; massive in it's size and weight came walking with a slow limp. It's scales were a tarnished dull red. His eyes were a vibrant yellow, and she could easily see the long black slits that were it's pupils. even though the gargantuan reptile looked in their direction several times; it took no notice of them, and she could start making out more detail of his body. It's wings were tattered and frayed. It's tail were missing several spikes that would have normally formed a long crest down the appendage. It's breathing now was taxed as it finally came to the top of the hill, then laid itself down. Dinky could not help but get a look of concern on her face now. For she knew this Dragon's name. His name was Bellarek, he was very old, and he was dying.

   "Come along D," Samael said as he started walking towards the gigantic creature that had by now placed himself in a long stretched prone position in the dirt.

   "What?" Dinky shouted in a silent voice. "Are you crazy? That's a Dragon! Do you have any idea how dangerous those things are?"

   "Oh yes. They are quite dangerous indeed," Samael said with a chuckle in his tone. "They are one of the most dangerous creatures on this world, and many others for that matter." He then looked down to the wide eyed filly, and gave her a quick smile. "But to you, and me? He is no more dangerous than a spec of dust would be to the Sun. And besides, he is going to need your help."

   "M-my help? How am I going to help something like that? His smallest scale is like ten times bigger than me!" She waited for Samael to give her some kind of answer, but all he did was let out a laugh as he turned to face her. Some thing was very different now however, for he wasn't looking down at her, he was looking up, and he had become very small.

   "Is it now? Oh I don't know, you appear to be size appropriate it seems," As soon as he said this, he vanished in a blink of an eye. Dinky tried to protest by holding out one of her hooves, but her hoof was gone now. There in its place was a glimmering white scaled claw, with golden nails so bright and polished, they seemed to have a glow all their own. This made her once more take in a panicked, and horrified gasp of air, that to her ears turned into a loud roar. She began to spin on her newly found claws, only to see that her whole shape had changed. She was pure white, every scale on her body appeared to be a flat smooth pearl that shined with hues of purples and blues. She even had a long elegant set of wings that matched her new color scheme, and flowed about as she spun around like a great dress made of gold and sunlight.

   "Is that you?" Bellarek said with a strained voice as he looked over at the long slender framed Dragoness that danced before him. "Please come closer Great Mother. My eyes are fading, and I wish to see you so you may hear my deeds."

   "Who me?" Dinky asked in a small innocent voice as she stopped moving, taking notice that she had been seen by the ancient winged creature. One that now did not look so large, he was actually much smaller than she was now, and even very sad, not the terrifying monster she had perceived before. She did however do as she was asked, as she started to walk towards the heavy breathing Dragon, who now had a deep smile on his long muzzle. "You know who I am?" she asked as she came to with in just a few yards of him.

   "Of course I do," Bellarek chuckled out, followed by a painful sounding cough. "Every Dragon since the day they are hatched knows you. You are the Great Mother. From you, all Dragon kind was born, and to you, all Dragon kind will return."

   "Umm, yeah. My name's Dinky Hooves. And I am pretty sure this is a very, very mean joke my soon to be ex-friend," she shouted these last words as her long neck swung from side to side to see if she could catch Samael hiding somewhere. "Is playing on me."

   "Hmph," Bellarek huffed out as he slowly blinked his eyes. "In all the stories and legends I have been told through out my life. I do not remember you being described as a jokester," he laughed a little after saying this, and Dinky could see it pained him to do so. "I wish I had a way to amend the stories. So others that will follow me will be better prepared." A very violent coughing fit over took the Dragon now, so much so that Dinky couldn't help but feel sorry for him, and she rushed over to place one of her claws on his head. "Thank you Mother," Bellarek said as his coughing subsided. "Now. Will you hear my deeds?"

   "Y-yes, of course. You can tell me anything you want." Dinky did not understand what it was this Dragon truly wanted. She did know however that these were more than likely going to be the last words he would ever speak, and she could at least hear them, not knowing what good it would do.

   "Thank you Great Mother," Bellarek said as he settled himself deeper into the ground. "I will not lie to you Mother. My like was long, and I have regrets held with in it. I may have had a few more females in my time than I should have. I said many things I did not mean. But I did have many children, they grew strong, they had children of their own, and I saw my legacy grow. My lair was sturdy, and the horde that it contained rivaled that of some of the greatest Dragon Lords. Of these things, I know I am happy." For a few moments, the massive Dragon stopped speaking as he let out a rather content sounding sigh. "So now tell me Great Mother. Have I appeased you? May I go with you now to the Lair Eternal? Where the hordes, and the sky are everlasting."

   "I," Dinky started, only coming to a pause as she looked down at the aged lizard beneath her. She couldn't stop a pair of tears that had formed in her eyes from rolling down her scaled cheeks. They were tears of sadness for this creature she had been taught to fear her whole life, but more than that, they were also tears of rage. She wanted to know why Samael had done this to her, she wanted to know what she had done to him to have to witness something so cruel. Whatever the reason was, she knew she could not leave this Dragon named Bellarek here with no answer. "I, I think that would be very nice. You know, for you to come to the Lair Eternal with me." After saying this, Dinky placed her claw on Bellarek's head, and slowly stroked her nails through the dull and matted hair that flowed from the top scales.

   "Thank you Great Mother," Bellarek said with a whimper in his rough, and raspy voice. "It does my old heart good to know that I have made you proud." His words began to trail away after that, so much so that Dinky could no longer understand what he was saying. Soon after that, the old Dragon simply laid there, taking in deep breaths that seemed to be forcing him to use every part of his will to collect. Then soon after that, he took in no breath at all.

   "Bellarek?" Dinky asked as she gently shook his head in her claw. The shaking became a little harder, as her own breaths became shallow, and heavy. "Hey Bellarek?" she shouted, her voice becoming a roar as she called out his name. With a panicked grab, she brought his head into a cradle, and shook it even more violently than before. "Come on Bellarek. You have to wake up okay? I'm not this Great Mother! You have to wait for her to show up okay? You have to tell her all those things, not me! I'm just a Pony, you have to wait for her!" The realization of her situation finally set in, this old Dragon had just passed away. She could do nothing now but sit down and start to cry. She had never seen anything die before, she had only heard stories of what happens when elderly Ponies finally pass on. She could only feel a great heart ache in her chest now, and this was for a Dragon that she had never even met until just a few minutes ago. The thought of having to watch one of her friends or family die like this filled her head, and she knew it was something she feared now more than anything.

   "Well," Samael started as he came walking up to the still weeping Dinky, and the recently deceased Dragon. "Not exactly how I would normally do it. But you did just fine for your first time out I think." As soon as Dinky heard him speak, she felt an uncontrollable rage flow through her like a dam that broke to release an angry river. Her head snapped down, and towards the smirking man, followed by a low menacing growl. Her claw became a balled up fist, and she swung wildly towards him. The result of her sudden out burst was turning Samael into a high speed projectile. He easily flew through the air, reaching a distance of several hundred yards before crashing down onto the ground, then skidding to a stop.

   Dinky immediately realized what she had done, and brought her claws up to her mouth in a wide eyed gasp as she saw the man turn into a rag doll, and soar through the air. Before he even hit the ground, Dinky was in hot pursuit. She ran as fast as she could, even taking several great bounds to cover as much distance as possible. "Oh no!" she cried out as she finally reached his motionless body that was now laying face down in the dirt. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, please be okay."

   "It's not nice to hit people D," Samael said with a shaken voice that was now muffled by speaking directly into the ground. Without so much of a groan of pain however, he easily picked himself up off the ground, then let out a sigh as he began brushing himself off. "I think that is enough lessons in the field for today." He then made a fast gesture towards Dinky, and just as quickly as she had become the massive Dragoness, she was now back to her normal self, looking up at Samael with a deep saddened look in her eyes, and on her muzzle.

   "Why did you do that Sammy?" Dinky asked with a hint of anger in her voice. "Why did you bring me here to watch that poor Dragon die?

   "I told you D. He needed your help," Samael responded as he finished dusting himself off, and walked over to a small rock, where he sat himself down.

   "My help? He didn't need my help. He needed a doctor! He didn't need me lying to him, telling him that I was something I wasn't. I'm not this Great Mother he wanted to see." Dinky once again could not hold back a few tears that forced themselves out of her large gold eyes. She was about to continue her yelling, but Samael was quick to intervene.

   "Ah ha!" he said with a large grin, and an uplifted finger. "That is where you are wrong little D. You in fact did not lie to him. You were very much this Great Mother he spoke of."

   "I, I am?" Dinky said with a confused twist of her head.

   "Well, normally I am. But I decided this would be a fine opportunity to let you get a small glimpse at the bigger picture of things."

   "So you're a giant girl Dragon?" Dinky asked. A question that made Samael let out a sudden burst of laughter, as he clapped his gloved hands together.

   "Sometimes I am, yes. Sometimes I am a massive boat that brings departed spirits to their final destination. Sometimes I am a shadowy cloaked figure that hides, waiting to jump out and snatch up souls when they least expect it. The truth of the matter is: I am not any one thing really. I am nothing more than the concept of people's personal, and cultural beliefs."

   "Argh!" Dinky shouted in frustration as she spun around, while stamping her hoof to the ground. "Stop talking like that Sammy! Just tell me what you are, just tell me what this is about!"

   "That's fair I suppose. I guess I have been leading you on for a time now." Samael raised himself up off the rock he had been sitting on, and walked over to the filly. "This is all about destiny D. That's why I came here to your world. Your kind understands destiny better than most of the Denizens of all the Universes combined. It is implanted in you on an almost instinctual level." He then kneeled down, so he could get as much to eye level with the tiny filly as he could. "I was the second thing to be birthed in all of creation. I will be the last thing to go when all Universes finally reach the end of their ever expanding life spans. And you, much like myself, are Death."

   Dinky suddenly felt cold, as if something had come and literally ripped all the heat from her body. She couldn't swallow, she couldn't breathe. She wanted so much to run away, but her body wouldn't respond. She even wanted to reach out and punch him again, she wanted to do anything to get the information out of her head that she was just given. "Death?" she whispered as she looked deep into Samael's now very cold looking, doll like eyes. "I, I, I, I'm n-n-not Death. I don't even have my cutie mark yet. I don't know what I am. But I know I'm not Death." After this, she let out a nervous laugh. She didn't know why she did it, it just seemed a way to dissolve the fear that was gripping ferociously at her heart now.

   "What you know, and what is truth are two completely different things my little pony friend," Samael said as he rose to his feet. "You are just another faucet of what I am. It was this way long before you were born, long before your kind took in its first breath. It will be this way long after your race has slipped away into the ether, and faded from memories."

   "No!" Dinky screamed as she finally found the strength to turn around on her hooves. She blasted off as fast as she could, not knowing where she was running, just as long as it was away from him. She didn't dare look behind her, she didn't want to see if he was following her, she didn't want to see if he had become some horrid, and indescribable monster that was just a hoof step away from her. The only thing she wanted was to go home, she wanted to see her mother, now more than anything.

*****

      In a sudden flash, Dinky found herself no longer running through the unfamiliar landscape she was before. Now her hooves beat heavily against her own yard, her house getting closer, and closer with each step. Her tears of fear and anger were quickly replaced by a overwhelming sense of relief as she came galloping up onto her porch, where she almost slammed herself through to get inside. Once there, she came to an abrupt halt, she only had to survey the room for a short second before she saw her mother there in the front room, who at first had a welcoming smile, but quickly twisted into a look of concern as she saw the tear soaked cheeks of her child. "Mommy!" Dinky cried as she ran across the room, and threw her self into her mother's warm coat.

   "Dinky! What's wrong?" Derpy asked as she gently closed her front legs around her foal in a tight embrace. Dinky didn't say anything in response to her mother's question. She just squeezed herself as hard as she could, almost pushing Derpy down in the process. The cross eyed Pegasus could only speculate what had Dinky so upset. All the normal situations came to mind. Somepony was mean to her, they called her small, or a blank flank. Or even worse, somepony had brought up the fact that she once again delivered mail to the wrong house. For just a few minutes, Derpy let Dinky nuzzle herself into the soft coat on her chest, before finally pulling away while still holding her whimpering child in her hooves. "Come on Cutie. tell me what happened. Was somepony mean to you?"

   "No," Dinky said with a hard sniff, while wiping away some of the tears that dampened her face. "It's nothing like that. I just got some really bad news I guess. It kinda upset me, cause it was scary too."

   "Well I tell you what," Derpy began as she came down to all fours, then walked into the kitchen. "You tell me all about it, and I will make us a nice dinner." After saying this, Derpy started rustling through the pots, pans, and other cooking utensils that were stashed away in the various cabinets of their kitchen. She even decided to try to make Dinky smile by coming up with a large salad bowl on top of her head, making it appear as a lop sided helmet. The joke did not gain the reaction she had hoped for, as Dinky just stood there looking at her with a raised eyebrow. This caused her to quickly pull the bowl off her head, and continue gathering all the things she needed.

   "Umm, Mommy? Can I ask you about something?" Dinky said as she stepped up to the counter of the island in the middle of the kitchen.

   "Well sure!" Dinky answered in a bright, and cheerful tone. "You can ask me about anything," She then paused for a second, and looked up towards the ceiling with a look on her face as if she had forgotten something important. "Except math, I'm not good with math. Don't ask me about history either. Or geometry, or math."

   "I kinda want to know about, death." As soon as Dinky said this, Derpy jumped, and dropped several plates to the ground, making a large clattering noise as they hit.

   "D-death! Oh Dinky, why would you want to know about something like that?" Derpy asked as she hit the ground, picking up the now cracked, and chipped plates. "Let's talk about, umm, let's see here. Oh I know, let's talk about rainbows!"

   "Come on Mommy. I really need to know about this." The two mares exchanged a silent glare at one another for a few moments. Though it was Derpy that eventually surrendered.

   "Okay I guess," the mother mare sighed out as her face became a more saddened one. "What do you want to know about it?" This really wasn't something Derpy was prepared for. She wished that her little filly would ask her about anything else. Like boys, where do babies come from, why is the sky blue; any other question would be better than having to explain to a child why things die.

   "Why? Why do Ponies, or anything really have to die? Why can't we all just keep going forever and ever?" Dinky sat there for what seemed like hours as she looked at her mother, who at this point had one of the most uncomfortable looks on her face that she had ever seen. Still she waited patiently; waiting for her mother to give her some insight on the predicament she was in.

   "That would be nice huh?" Derpy said in a quiet, and sad voice. "If everypony could just live forever. We could all just live together, watch all our children, grand children, great grand children all grow up forever." Derpy could actually feel her brain start to hurt. She wanted so badly to find some way out of this conversation, something to distract them from the things she had to say. Then something came to her, something that put a small sliver of a smile on her lips. It wouldn't be the best way to end it, but it would end it. "But really, everypony has to die at some point."

   "But why?" Dinky shouted as she pounded her hoof down to the counter top.

   "Well Honey. If everypony lived forever, then the whole wide world would get completely filled up with Ponies. There wouldn't be enough houses to go around. All the food would eventually run out. And pretty soon, everypony would be cold, starved, and just very unhappy. Besides, if you think about it, no pony ever really dies.

   "They, they don't?" Dinky asked, as her eyes widened, and her voice became a little more chipper with the hope that her mother had somehow discovered the secret to immortality.

   "Well, I mean, our bodies may stop working and all that. But as long as you have lots of family and friends, ones that will remember you when you are gone. If you have that, then no, you can never truly die." Dinky stood there in silence as she took in her mother's words. She thought back on the experience she had with Bellarek, and how proud he sounded when he mentioned his own family. Even though he was gone now, his children, and their children all knew who he was. They would always remember him, all the things he had said and done through out his life. This made her feel just a little bit better, and it coming from her own mother was comforting enough. It was just the fact that according to what Samael had told her, she was going to be the one that had to take the lives of those whose time had come up.

   "Mommy?" the purple filly said in a solemn tone as she slid from the counter to all fours, and walked over to push herself up against her mother's grey coat.

   "Mmm hmm?" Derpy responded as she unfolded one of her wings, and wrapped it around her child's body.

   "I'll always remember you. Whatever happens, I just want you to know that." While it was odd to hear for whatever reason, Derpy just smiled, and sighed as she pulled her foal a bit closer.

   "Thank you Dinky. It is nice to know I will always be remembered." The two shared a long silent embrace after that. Then Derpy gave her child a small kiss on the top of her head, before going back to her work on making dinner.

   "Mommy?" Dinky asked as she replaced herself back at the counter top of the island.

   "Yes dear?" Derpy responded, not looking away from her busy work.

   "What's the square root of nine million, seven hundred and forty five thousand, two hundred and twenty two?" Derpy completely froze as she heard the inconceivably large number get thrown at her from out of no where. Her eyes went completely crossed from one another; one looking down, while the other turned all the way up. She could even feel the corner of her mouth twitch as her brain tried desperately to calculate the equation. She then heard the stifled giggles of Dinky behind her, and she knew she was being the subject of a mean joke.

   "Sweetie, don't do that to Mommy. All the smoke from my ears will make Ponies think there is a fire in here!" The two shared a long laugh at Derpy's last remark. They then exchanged a set of smiles, as Derpy went back to making their meal, and Dinky stood there and watched her.

*****

       A large iron cauldron flew across the room as Pestilence let out a loud growl of anger, and frustration. "Intolerable little vermin!" he shouted at the guards that now scampered to get clear of the flying metal object. "When I say a container of the purest metal. I do not mean for you to bring me some poorly crafted common use item that was made by some amateur blacksmith with a mental deficiency!"

   "Yes sir, sorry sir," the guards in question said as they backed away quickly from the irate stallion. The pair made a hasty retreat out of the room, and scuttled away to try once again to complete the task they had been given.

   "Having a bad temper is one thing," Celestia said as she stepped forward, using her magic to place the still rolling cauldron up right. "I will not have you mistreating my subjects Pestilence."

   "Do not toss your insignificant little threats at me Celestia," Pestilence said with a low growl as he looked over the table of items he had the guards, and even Celestia herself collect for him. "Do you think this is some low grade magic I am creating here hmm? Do you think all these items are for a kind of potion? Or perhaps a fun little alchemy?"

   "I don't know what you are making Pestilence. You have yet to inform me of its purpose." Celestia herself started to look over the odd assortment of items that this mysterious, and angry stallion had asked for. Some were common place, while others took some time to collect. She knew that if she herself were not an Alicorn with thousands of years experience to call upon. Some of these items could never been obtained at all.

   "That's right!" Pestilence snorted as he used his own levitation magic to bring some other items in an organized fashion. "You don't know. And that's because this is not some mundane Pony magic that you and your kind hold so dear to. This is a kind of creation that will forever be out of your realm of comprehension."

   "It appears to be simple enough," the Sun Goddess said as she looked up and down the table before her.

   "Yes well, I am sure there is many a thing that appears simple to you," the marble patterned stallion said with a malicious chuckle.

   "Why do you act in such a way?" Celestia sighed out. She had become more than annoyed at this point with this rude visitor. The only reason she had tolerated it up to this point is because he had told her he knew a way to banish the unwanted spirit that had been roaming around her lands. Though now she was becoming more, and more untrusting of him.

   "It is no concern of yours Alicorn. Now why don't you go play with your Sun, until I need you." Once again, Pestilence chuckled to himself, though he did not see the piercing glare that Celestia was giving him now.

   "That will be quite enough out of you!" Celestia shouted as she stamped her hoof to the ground. This making Pestilence slowly turn his head to give the tall white mare a menacing look of his own. "Oh do not look at me like that!" Celestia said as she strengthened her resolve to confront the ill mannered stallion. "Yes, you are powerful, I can see that. You can use magic without a horn, you come from a place I do not understand. Well if we are so stupid to understand your magic, then why don't you just go out there and collect all the ingredients yourself? And then deal with Death personally!"

   Something happened then that took Celestia a little off guard when she saw it, Pestilence actually smiled at her. "Very brave Princess, very brave indeed," Pestilence said with a small laugh. "Very well, I will tell you why I cannot do this by myself. You see, I cannot directly cast this spell. No, it will take the combined effort of you, and your fellow Alicorns to do that."

   "Why? Why can you make it, but not be able to cast it?" Celestia asked with a look of wonder.

   "Because those are the rules of the game, and we will leave it at that." Pestilence's face then became very stern as he began to speak again. "There is one more component I will need before I can start constructing the spell."

   "And what would that be?" Celestia asked.

   "Life," Pestilence answered as a cruel, and twisted grin came to his muzzle. "You see, to banish Death, you have to sacrifice life. It has to be willingly given, without regret, or remorse of the decision."

   This made Celestia take several steps backwards as the horror of what had to be done came crashing into her ears. Slowly she shook her head back and forth, as both fear, and anger came welling up inside her. "You must be mad," she said through clenched teeth. "I will never do such a thing. Not one creature would I ask, Pony or otherwise to make such a sacrifice." This made Pestilence throw his head back, then emit a howling laughter. A kind of shrieking outburst that even made Celestia cringe from the sound of it. She could only imagine what it was doing to any other Pony that was unfortunate enough to hear it.

   "How very obnoxiously noble of you my dear Princess," Pestilence said as he brought the laughter to a dull chortle. "No I am afraid you do not understand. You see while you could sacrifice the lives of the mortals that live here on this world. Though I might say that after it was all said and done, you would not have very many subjects to rule over. No, the life that must be given must come from a more splendid source. Plucked from a soul with an overflowing supply," he paused at those words, as he looked over to the still glaring princess. "An immortal. Yes, that is what we need."

   "An immortal?" Celestia repeated as the seriousness of what he was asking came to light. "You mean me?"

   "Indeed I do Princess. It seems you Alicorns have just enough immortality to power such a spell as this." Pestilence then turned around completely, to where he was facing Celestia almost nose to nose. "So what say you great Sun Goddess? Will you give willingly the one thing that will stop Death itself from claiming its prize right from under your hooves?"

   With little thought, Celestia held her head up high, straightening her posture, and even letting her wings unfold from her side. "Yes, I will, without a doubt."

   "Excellent!" Pestilence exclaimed as he returned back to the table. "It is settled then. And once all the components have been gathered, we will begin the ritual that will bring Death to its knees. And there, it will know the cost of its betrayal!" Once more the sickly looking stallion threw his head back, and let out another soul wrenching cackle as several of the items on the table came up into the air, and started swirling around him. All Celestia could do now was just hang her head down low, as she turned to leave the room, while a single silvery tear started to roll down her cheek.

Perceptions

      Forlorn and broken, the Alicorn princess of the Sun shuffled her self down the long corridor. She paid little to no attention to the other Ponies that were there; each one going about their daily lives. She wasn't even sure if any of them gave her more than a look of respect, or a simple head bow. They had all become accustomed to her presence now. As far as any of them were concerned, things were going just as they always had. She was there now, just as she had always been, and she knew none of them thought for a single moment that this one time in the hallway might be the last time they would ever see their ruler alive and well.

   Yes, she had decided to give her own life to protect the lives of others. She didn't know why the spirit of Death had come to her world. She didn't know if it's intentions were simple, complex, malicious or benevolent. The only thing that she did know: it came here uninvited, with out warrant or introduction. It was galavanting around her lands as if it owned the place, speaking to whatever Pony it saw fit, with not one consideration towards the consequences of how things must balance out. She could not, and would not allow such trespasses to go unanswered, and if she had to destroy herself to make that point, then that is what she would do.

   "Sorry, did you say something?" the golden clad guard Pony asked who was now walking right next to the Alicorn. This one sentence made Celestia stop dead in her tracks, while at the same time letting her eyes flash open. She couldn't remember him being there before. She wondered if she had asked for an escort, and just didn't remember doing so. What ever the case was, there he was; a normal sized Earth Pony, wearing the traditional royal guards armor, looking up at her with a small twist of wonder on his face.

   "E-excuse me?" Celestia asked still trying to figure out where it was he had come from, and where it was that he had joined her side.

   "It sounded like you said something Princess," the guard answered back in a friendly voice, and a small head bow. "I was just wondering if you were addressing me? Or if you were talking to yourself."

   "Oh, no. It's nothing like that. I, umm, I just. I'm sorry, who are you again?" she asked, as of now the question of who he was, and where he came from seemed to override even her current situation.

   The armored Earth Pony once again bowed his head, though a little deeper now than before. "First Place, Princess."

   "First Place?" the Alicorn echoed, trying to place the name, his face, anything really that would let her know where she had seen him before. "And you have been here with me the whole time?"

   "Yes Princess," First Place said with a smile. "Ever since you left our new guest in that room." This made them both look back towards the direction from where Celestia had just come from. "Quite the character if I may say so," First Place added as he looked back towards Celestia. "Not sure what to think of him myself. Though, he kinda seems hurt to me."

   Celestia's head was still very much reeling at this Pony before her. She didn't know if it was just him, or if the academy trainers were actually teaching the Guards to be so informal with their rulers. It wasn't that she minded really, she just wasn't used to random guards striking up conversations with her. "First Place?" she asked, making him nod towards her in acknowledgement. "Just how much of what went on in there did you hear exactly?"

   "Pretty much all of it," First Place said with a small laugh, one that Celestia did not share. This made First Place quickly stop, and let out a quick throat clearing. "I do have to ask Princess. Do you actually plan to go through with it? I mean, the whole spell thing."

   Celestia felt almost ashamed now that she knew another Pony knew what her plans were. As she thought back on it now, she realized just how quickly she had agreed to the sacrificing of her own self to just rid her world of something that would more than likely just come back after she was gone. She thought then that perhaps Luna would make the same sacrifice to repeat the spell, then Cadance, and even Twilight Sparkle. She wondered if all the Alicorns would make the same sacrifice to try to stop Death, something that couldn't be stopped. "Yes," she blurted out, then let her head hang down towards the ground. "I don't know. Maybe, perhaps? I have already agreed to it. It just isn't as simple as yes, or no."

   "Well, I'm no Alicorn, or Unicorn for that matter," First Place said as he illustrated his point by reaching up, and tapping the front of his helmet with his hoof. "But from just what I heard. It kinda seems like the spell needs an immortal life to function. As far as I know, immortal means forever. Who's to say where all that forever comes from?" The two looked at each other for a brief moment. Then Celestia's eyes grew wide as her wings popped up from her side.

   "I have to go!" she shouted as she took off as fast as she could down the hallway. She then suddenly stopped as the thought of her being rude passed through her mind. She was sure the guard had no intention of giving her the idea that came to her because of their conversation. She could not just leave him there however, as she wanted to thank him for showing her another path. "First Place! Thank y-" she called out as she spun around on her hooves to face where he should have been standing. Nothing, no pony was there, just an empty hallway, the helpful guard pony had vanished just as quickly as he had appeared. For a few moments the baffled Alicorn let her eyes scan from side to side. Looking for a way for him to have vanished so quickly. There were many doors in these halls, she wondered if he had bound into one when she turned away. It was something she would have to dwell on later, as for now, she had to find the other Alicorns.

*****

      Dinky sat in the dirt of her home's back yard. Even though this is where her body was, her mind was a million miles away. Over, and over again she replayed the events that happened to her earlier. She couldn't get them out of her head, no matter what she tried to think of, no matter what else she thought of, everything that had happened, and everything that Samael had told her came rushing back into her mind. That's when she picked up a stick; holding it in the bend of her ankle. She placed the narrow end into the ground before her, and started to scribble. 'I am Death,' was the phrase that read out in the ground's dirt. The small purple filly just stared at the words for a long moment, then quickly smashed her tiny hoof into the ground, and moved it violently back and forth to erase the words she had drawn. With a sharp sigh, she then tossed the stick back to the ground, and lowered herself completely to her stomach, where she buried her face into her hooves.

   "Hey there D," Samael said with a soft voice as he came walking up behind the little sulking filly. This appearing act was now something that Dinky had become completely desensitized to at this point, as she didn't even raise her head to take notice of him.

   "Leave me alone Samael," Dinky sighed into her hooves, still not looking up to acknowledge that he was there.

   "No Sammy huh?" Samael said with a smirk on his face. "Well I guess I am in trouble now."

   "Trouble?" Dinky echoed in a mocking tone as she now yanked her head from her hooves, glaring at him with as a mean of a look that she could muster. "Trouble?" she repeated while jumping up onto her hooves. "You're in more than just trouble Sammy! I want you to leave. I want you to get out of here, and never talk to me, or any of my friends again!"

   "I could, yes. That still wouldn't change the fact of the matter however." He then adjusted the glasses on his face, before looking over to her, and giving a twisted smile. "You are who you are. Me being, or not being here will never change that."

   "I don't want to kill Ponies! I don't want to kill anything! You can't make me!" The little enraged filly screamed as she stuck her muzzle as close to Samael's face as she could in an effort to make her point extremely clear. Though much to her surprise, Samael just let out a loud laugh, while clapping his hands together.

   "Well of course you don't!" he said while still laughing openly. "Do you actually think I would choose a Denizen that would want to go out and take the lives of living creatures willingly?" Dinky didn't have anything to say to this. She just let out a mild scoff, before turning around and placing her back to him before sitting herself back down on her haunches. Samael stopped laughing after this, and there was a short silence between the two as he looked down, and saw the remnants of what she had written in the dirt. "D, do you know why we know everything's names?"

   "I don't care," Dinky mumbled as she looked from side to side with just her eyes. taking notice that she could still in fact know everything's names as soon as she looked at it.

   "Oh I think you do," Samael chuckled while raising up to his feet, and brushing himself off before putting his hands into his pockets. "I also think you know as well. I think you figured it out almost as soon as I let the power to do so take blossom inside you. So why don't you tell me?" This made Dinky turn only her head over her shoulder to look at up him as he asked. "Tell me why Death would need to know the names of the souls it takes."

   "To know who's turn it is to die I suppose," Dinky answered as she returned her head back to it's forward position.

   "Oh now you're just being stubborn," Samael said with a smile. "Come on, tell me. It might make you feel better to actually hear the words. Instead of letting your mind corrupt them with other thoughts you are having."

   "I dunno, I guess it's about umm, not being lonely I guess." After saying this, Dinky looked up into the sky, and for whatever reason, let a small smile come over her tiny face. "I mean, if I were old, and, dying, I guess. I think it would make it a lot easier, and me a lot happier if some pony, any pony really was there with me. Some pony that knew who I was, and knew my name. Even if I had never seen that Pony before in my life."

   "A friend." Samael added with a quiet voice. Speaking almost to himself, as he looked up towards the same point in the sky that Dinky was gazing to. "Someone who is there with you in the final moments of everything you know. Someone to guide you to the places beyond this one."

   What Samael said right there made Dinky's ears twitch, and even perk up a little as she spun her head back around to look at him. "That's it, isn't?" she asked as she raised up to all fours, and turned around to completely face him. Samael just looked down towards her, the smile fading from his thin lips. "This whole time. I thought it was about me, about all the Ponies and creatures I would have to help you kill. But that's not it at all. It's all about you. You need a friend there with you."

   "That Dragon today," Samael started before looking back up to the sky. "He was one of the easy ones. He knew his time had come. He was content with the life he had led. He was even happy to see his own version of death come to him, his Great Mother, the one that would usher him from this world to the next. It is not always this way." He paused for a moment as he let out a sigh. "Most are angry, some are disbelieving, then others. Others are so sad that they can become something horrible if the proper measures aren't taken. But all of them, no matter what state they are in, must be taken care of. It is nice to have someone there with you at the end of the day."

   "I know," Dinky said as she stepped in a little closer to the saddened looking figure, who right now didn't look as imposing as he normally did to her. "But Sammy, I am just a little kid. Fillies like me aren't supposed to be wondering about whether or not they should become Death or not. I should be thinking about kids stuff you know. Paying attention in school, dealing with other kids my age, trying to learn all about the world." These last words made Samael get another smile on his face.

   "Learn all about the world huh?" He repeated as the smile grew larger. "D, have you thought about at all why I appeared here as this?" He made a quick gesture by looking down at himself, while at the same time moving his hands and arms in an up and down motion at his own body. Dinky just shook her head from side to side, then waited for him to continue.

   "You see," Samael started while lowering himself down to one knee so that he didn't have to bend his neck to such an acute angle to look the little Unicorn in the eyes. "I appeared like this to prove a point really. What I look like now is called a Human. And they, much like the Ponies here live on a world that is not all that different from this one. The planet they live on is warmed by a Sun, much like yours is." He stopped for a moment to look up at the very sun he was referring to. "Now that is just one world. One world that exists in an ocean of stars that stretches out as far as the mind can conceive. When ever you look up into the night sky, you see an uncountable number of stars. Some of them have worlds just like this one, and the Human world. Some of them have civilizations and populations that strive, multiply, live and die. And those are just the ones you can see. This one Universe is full of countless worlds. Some are normal, while others are almost to grand to imagine. Then when you think that you have seen everything, another whole Universe is brought to light, full of sights and wonders that you never even had the courage to dream of." After giving his little speech, Samael looked towards the young Pony, who now had a gleaming look of wonder in her widened eyes. "Now, why learn about just one world. When you can learn about them all?"

   "A-all of them?" Dinky asked with a child like voice that even made Samael tilt his head to the side, and stifle a laugh that was brought on by the over whelming adorableness that she was showing. "And we, I mean I would have to help all those, umm, Denizens accept their fate, and move on?"

   "Yes, we would have to do that," Samael said, putting a large emphasis on the 'we'  as he reached over to give the little Pony a quick stroke on the head. "Some won't be easy, others will be joyous. Some times you will be looked upon with an unbridled fear that could suck the very life out of any that looked on your image. While others will raise you up, and revere you as a creation of something far more divine than themselves. But no matter what the case, I will be there for you, as you will be there for me. It has been this way since the beginning, it will be this way until the very end. So travel with me Dinky Hooves. Become Death itself, and witness the wonders and horrors through out creation that even the most powerful of Denizens only dream about."

   Time seemed to stop to Dinky as she took in all this new information. She also realized another reason on why he took this form, one that maybe even he did not know of, or did not tell her. If it would have been just a simple Pony that walked up to her, and told her these things; showed her these things. She would have thought it might have been a bad Unicorn, or a powerful Changeling. She would have been constantly suspect of everything he would have told her. Now though, she believed every word he said, and to add on top of that, she wanted it as well. She wanted so much to see all the things he had described to her. To visit all those worlds, to see all those different creatures living on them. She thought of flying like a Pegasus through the Universe he had described, seeing entire systems of stars and worlds rise and fall while all the while time seemed to pass her by.

   Even now the aspect of becoming Death had a slight romantic feel to it. She could make sure that she was the most friendliest, and lovable death that all those creatures could ever imagine. She would become the friend that they never knew they had. She would make sure all of them that had to die would feel warm and loved, even the angry ones. That's when she looked up to Samael, and gave a small nod of her head. "Okay," she said giving him a smile, as he returned one in kind, while slowly bowing his head towards her.

*****

      There at the table of assorted items Pestilence stood. He stared at each piece of the spell, making sure every detail was nothing short of perfection, for what he was planing to do, while it had been attempted, it had never succeeded. A dark snicker came over him though, causing his teeth to show themselves as he thought of how this plan would all come to fruition very soon. He just needed one more thing; one more final ingredient that would make this particular slice of magic all but unstoppable. That's when his attention was drawn from the table, to the door behind him, as he heard the steps of the Princess; come to give him the final component of his masterpiece.

   "Ah, Princess," Pestilence said as he heard the door open. "Just in time, I was just thinking about you. Have you come to fulfill your end of the bargain?"

   "That I have Pestilence," Celestia said as she stepped proudly into the room, her wings held high, along with her long neck, while her head housed a stone like glare from her eyes.

   "As have I," Luna said as she too came stepping into the room, taking her place right by her sister's side.

   "Me too," Cadance added coming in along side Luna. All the while wearing a narrowed eyed stare towards the frail looking stallion.

   "A-and me," Twilight Sparkle said with a small waver in her voice. Though the look of pure determination on her muzzle would not suggest an ounce of fear.

   "Oh? What is this now?" Pestilence asked with a devious grin that came unnaturally to his lips. He looked from Alicorn, to Alicorn, trying hard not to laugh as each of them gave him a fierce stare. "Ah I see. She told you did she? Have you all come to try to prevent her from giving herself to the magic I have prepared? Or will one of you be taking her place? It really matters not to me. Just as long as the deed is done." After saying this, the marble patterned stallion let out a sudden laugh, making all but one of the Alicorns recoil from the wretched sound of it.

   "Be silent you cackling cur!" Luna shouted as her wings popped open, and outside a loud thunder crack could be heard. While her demand, and display of power did indeed bring Pestilence's laughing to a halt. The look on his muzzle showed all to well that he was neither impressed, or entertained by the Godling's sudden show of gumption. "How dare you try to coax my sister into such a heinous act," Luna continued, not once showing any care for the stallion's look of annoyance.

   "Oh I am afraid I did not coax our dear Princess into anything little Moon thing." Pestilence said with a sinister tone as he took a step towards the dark coated mare. "I am simply doing what has to be done. I told her what was needed, she understood it, and agreed to aid me in the affair. No amount of your pathetic muscle flexing will change that."

   "That's where you are wrong!" Twilight shouted as she stepped up along side Luna. "The Princess told us all about how you want her to give her immortal life to you to power the spell."

   "Did she now?" Pestilence chuckled as he stepped towards Twilight. "And what of it little Alicorn hmm? It is the only solution to your lands problem. It is the only way to remove Death, and stop his plans to abduct one of your very own for his own devices. She is going to give her life, there is nothing you can do about it!"

   "Wrong again," Cadance said with a mocking giggle. "Now I may have been just a Pegasus before becoming an Alicorn. But I have been keeping up on my studies. Your spell needs an immortals life? Fine, then Princess Celestia will give you some, but not all. I will add some of my own to it."

   "Mine will join as well," Luna said with a snide grin.

   "I will add as much as I can too," Twilight added, all the while looking over at Celestia with a deep reassuring smile.

   "You see Pestilence," Celestia said as she stepped in front of the other three Alicorns. "We are not just simple Princesses, going about our royal, and political day to day duties. We are family, and through the love that families share with each other. Anything is possible. Even something like giving life, to stop death."

   "Oh please stop before I become ill," Pestilence said as he rolled his cold eyes at the quartet of Ponies that stood united against him. "You know, let me give you some inside information about family my dear Princesses. It seems nice; warm and enveloping. You will think that with it you could take on the Universe itself. But then, just when you think that all is well," He then smashed his hoof to the ground, causing a massive rumble to over take the room. A quake that was strong enough to power through all the Alicorn's balance, making them quiver, and stumble to regain their footing. "It all comes down on your head. Those who you thought loved you, or at least were your friends turn their backs on you. They tell you that you are no longer needed, or wanted. And they run off to find another that is more suited to the tasks you have done since the beginning of time!"

   All four of the Princesses looked back and forth to one another before returning their gazes to the stallion who now was taking in deep breaths to recover from his outburst. "Fine," Pestilence said with a calm tone. "It matters very little to me how the spell is powered, just as long as it is." With that, he looked over towards the table, and a small plain looking flask came hovering towards him. "The process is simple really. Just focus your life's energy to this container. The enchantments I have placed on it will do the rest." Once more the mare all looked from one to the other. Each one now showing the slightest amount of nervousness one would expect after being told to willingly give away one's own life. "The quicker it is done. The faster we can part company." Pestilence said, trying to add a bit of incentive to expediate the process.

   Celestia gave each of her comrades a quick nod with her head, reassuring them that everything would be fine. She then looked towards the flash that still hung motionless in the air. Her horn began to glow a bright yellow, as she slowly lowered her head, and closer her eyes. A striking beam emitted suddenly from the pointed spiral atop her head, followed by several flashing pulses as the beam made solid contact with the flask. Luna was next to join as she copied her sister's actions. She let her own horn begin to channel her life force, to join Celestia's. Cadance and Twilight were next to join the adding of life to the container. Each one letting just a bit of their eternal selves flow into, and fuse with their elder Alicorn brethren. Only after a few seconds of this, all of the Goddesses had to suddenly pull themselves away as the flask suddenly started to glow a bright white.

   "How very wonderful," Pestilence said as he brought the flask over to slowly spin in front of his face. He then looked towards the four Princesses, who by now had to place themselves on the ground due to the overwhelming exhaustion of the act they had just performed. "Congratulations my dears," he said as a malicious, and twisted grin came to his muzzle. "All of you have just given me the ability to do what cannot be done. I am going to kill Death." Pestilence then threw his head back, as a dark whinny emitted from his throat, and out of his outstretched mouth.

*****

       "Keep that horn glowing Sweetie Belle," Apple Bloom said as she hopped from one rock to the next. "I don't want to get lost in here."

   "I told you we should have brought some lanterns," Scootaloo whined out as she jumped as well from one side of the cave's room to the next.

   "We don't need no lanterns. We have a Unicorn," Apple Bloom argued back. "Besides, it's kinda hard to pack lanterns when your saddle bags are full of explosives." The Unicorn, and Pegasus looked at one another with concern as they saw Apple Bloom's face contort into a wicked grin while looking at the bulging sacks that rested on her side.

   "Where exactly was it you got all that stuff from?" Sweetie Belle asked as the trio of fillies continued deeper into the cave's dark depths.

   "Applejack, and Big Mac use this stuff all the time to remove stumps from old trees they had to knock down. Don't worry girls. I have seen them use it a hundred times." Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo just shrugged to one another, then hastened their steps to catch up with Apple Bloom.

   For another good thirty minutes the Cutie Mark Crusaders pushed further, and deeper into the subterranean cavern. telling stories of school and home life, exchanging childish jokes, all the while giggling and talking about future projects were this one to fail. It wasn't long after that, did the fillies come across something that made them all stop, and get starry eyed at what they saw. "Well will you look at that," Apple Bloom said as she ran up to the shimmering gold vein that ran along the wall. "I told ya'll there would be gold in here!" Both Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo let out large gasps as the little Unicorn's horn illuminated more of the precious ore as she got closer to it. "Why, there's so much of it in here. It's just falling from the walls!" Apple Bloom chirped out as she placed her saddle bags on the ground.

   "Yeah!" Sweetie Belle squeaked out with a crack in her voice. "I bet there's so much of it in here. We will be able to buy our own town!"

   "Crusader City," Scootaloo mused. "A place where all the blank flanks of Equestria can come to find their special talents inside a giant state of the art training course." The little orange Pegasus then placed her hoof up to her chin, and went into a series of thoughts. "Hmm, Mayor Scootaloo. I think I like the sound of that."

   "Pfft, whatever!" Sweetie Belle taunted as she poked her friend in the side. "You can be mayor of trash pick up." This made both Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom get a good laugh at Scootaloo's expense. Who just rolled her eyes at the two.

   "Alrighty," Apple Bloom said as she finished placing the long line of explosives along the bottom of the floor. even stuffing some inside a few large cracks on the wall for good measure. "I think that should do the trick just nicely."

   "Umm, wow," Scootaloo said as she swallowed hard while looking at the large collection of bright red sticks that lined the floor and wall. "That's a lot more than I thought there would be. You sure we need this much?"

   "Nah, it's fine," Apple Bloom said in a reassuring voice. "Applejack only uses like a half of these to blow up a stump. But since this is rock, and rock is way harder than wood. I figured we would need all we could get!"

   "Sounds right to me," Sweetie Belle commented as she shook her head up and down.

   "Alright girls. Now when I light this, we all have to run behind that there wall over yonder. We really don't want to be here when this stuff goes. Oh and cover your ears, this is going to be really, really, really loud." After saying this, Apple Bloom reached into her saddle bag, and pulled out a single match. One that she looked at like it was the last one in all of Equestria.

   "Got it!" the other two said in tandem. Each of them looking at the match Apple Bloom held with the same amount of wonder.

   "One," Apple Bloom started as she lowered the match down to the ground. "Two," she said as she quickly ran the head of the match across the rough rocks of the floor. "Three, run!" She shouted as she struck the head, causing it to spark to life as she threw it to the ground, where it landed right on the long fuse that in turn became a dancing sparkler as it raced towards the explosives. All three of them now bounded away with giggles towards the protective wall that Apple Bloom had pointed out earlier. Quickly they dashed behind it, then each of them poked their heads out from their barrier to watch the fuse get closer and closer to its mark. Then just as it hit the rest of the fuses that connected all the sticks together, the three fillies darted back behind the wall, huddled up together while placing their hooves over their ears.

   The resulting explosion was one that shook the very foundations of the cave itself. Every stick of dynomite went off all in concert of one another. The wall that they were placed upon was completely obliterated, turning it into a violent storm of rubble, gravel, and dust. Shards of razor sharp rock flew through the air at break neck speeds. They collided, smashed, and bounced off the surrounding walls to either shatter into more pieces, or penetrate, and cause even more of the cavern to turn to debris. It was only moments after this did the very ceiling itself start to give way. Massive plates of stone and boulders let loose, and fell to the ground where they crashed into one another, and rolled around in random directions. It was there in the midst of the continuing chaos where three unheard screams of fright, and horror came out, as the Crusaders held onto each other for dear life as what would seem the entire world came crashing down around them.

   Hours seemed to have passed now as Apple Bloom once again paced in a circle around the perimeter of the much smaller room now. She had done this many times before, each time looking to find some kind of crack, something that would suggest they could get out of this enclosed space. "H-how's Scootaloo?" Apple Bloom asked as she came up to Sweetie Belle, who was just running her hoof over Scootaloo's mane as the little Pegasus lay there unconscious, but breathing."

   "I don't know," Sweetie Belle said in a soft whimper. "She won't wake up. I have tried to get her to, but she won't wake up." Apple Bloom just lowered her head as she once again started to pace around the room.

   "Arrgh!" Apple Bloom cried out as she got into a bucking stance, and kicked at the collection of stone boulders that covered the once wide mouth of the room that would have let them out. "I am so stupid!" she shouted again as she kicked once more, doing nothing but bouncing off the solid stones. "What was I thinking? We are all stuck down here, and it's all my fault!"

   "It's all our faults," Sweetie Belle said as she looked down at her shallow breathing friend. "I mean, it just wasn't your idea. All of us decided to come down here."

   "I know it's just-" Just as Apple Bloom was speaking. A low rumble ran through the cave, causing more light rubble to fall from the walls, but even worse, the ceiling.

   "Apple Bloom!" Sweetie Belle cried out as she held a hoof out towards the little yellow Earth Pony. Apple Bloom quickly dashed over to the Unicorn, who suddenly wrapped her front legs around her body, and started to openly weep into her chest.

   "I don't want to be in here anymore!" Sweetie Belle cried as she pushed herself harder into Apple Bloom's body. I want to go home! Do you think they are going to find us? Are they going to get us out of here?"

   "I dunno Sweetie," Apple Bloom whispered into Sweetie Belle's ear as she looked at the collapsed walls around her, then winced as another low rumble ran through the room, causing more stone to fall to the floor. "I just don't know."

Price of Balance

         In an unknown part of the world, sitting atop a rarely seen, and never explored mountain peak; Dinky, and Samael sat. The wind was freezing, the air thin as an early winter ice. To any other creature, Pony or other wise it would have meant the end if they were to have made it this far into the vast reaches of this arctic desert. However, the small little filly stood there with her lanky friend. Her eyes as wide as they could be as she took in the sights that not even the bravest of Ponies had seen yet. "This is amazing Sammy!" Dinky said with a small bounce, and a giggle in her voice. Samael just let out a small chuckle of his own. Though it was more towards the fact that the little Pony was more interested in taking in the sights, than actually noticing that she felt no cold, no pain on, or in her body.

   "Well I am glad you like it D," he said as he joined her to look over the cliff that offered a view of a sea of clouds far below them due to their height. "I thought you might enjoy just a small glimpse of what was to come in our travels. Some of the wonders you will take in."

   "Ooo! Are we on some far away alien world?" Dinky asked as the gloss in her eyes seemed to dance like stars at the prospect of it.

   "Nah," Samael responded, trying not to smile at the look of disappointment that she tried to hide. "We are still on your world. Just a part of it that has yet to be seen by a single set of eyes. This place is new, untamed, and completely feral."

   "So we are the first ones here ever?" Dinky asked as she darted away from the ledge of the cliff, and bounded onto a large flat boulder.

   "Indeed we are," Samael answered as he watched her bounce around.

   "Then I will call this place Mount Dinky! And I claim it in the name of Equestria!" She stood up on her hind legs as she made this declaration, while at the same time throwing her front legs up into the air above her head to add a bit more drama to the effect.

   "Very good," Samael said as he clapped his hands together. The two then shared a laugh, as they both took a seat, and remained silent for a few moments before Dinky decided to break it.

   "Sammy?" the little Unicorn asked causing him to look over at her in response. "If you are here now, I mean, if you are here with me. How are, you know, all the Denizens still, umm."

   "Dying?" Samael said, finishing her sentence for her. Although it was a habit he could not let form, as his new little Pony assistant would have to get used to such terms rather quickly. Dinky just nodded her head as she sat down on her haunches, and looked down at the snow covered ground. "Well think of it this way D," he began as he looked up into the cloudless blue and black sky. "When you want to walk, your mind sends a message to your one hoof; then another, then another. Pretty soon all kinds of muscles and joints are working with one another to make that one simple goal of walking come to pass. What I do," he paused for just a moment to correct himself. "What we do. It is not so different than that."

   "So you're just a hoof? With a mind telling you what to do? That's kinda creepy Sammy." The over simplification of what she said made Samael laugh, though in a way she was right.

   "I guess you could say that," he said as he looked over to her hooves, that were now doodling random patterns in the snow. "What I am now, it is just a limb, a part of the greater whole. One that expands across all the Universes; weaving through all of Creation."

   "Universes," Dinky mumbled to herself. Up until now she had barely began to know there was one constantly expanding universe to learn about. Now the concept of having to deal with multiple ones started to feel a little daunting. "How many are there?" she asked finally looking up from her snow art, to catch his eyes into hers. "Like two? Maybe five?"

   "Countless," Samael answered with a sly grin, and a slight chortle. The grin only expanded as he watched her head droop towards the ground again, as she let out a frustrated sigh. He couldn't help but compound the problem by adding more truths onto it. "And with in those Universes are an ever growing population of minds. Each one with its own thoughts, opinions, and beliefs. Each one of those thought processes giving birth to a new universe of its own; only to start the cycle over again."

   "Ah jeez Sammy!" Dinky cried out as she jumped down of the massive flat stone she had been sitting on, only to stomp her hoof to the ground while giving him a hard glare. This look did not have its intended effect as he just let out a loud laugh. "It's not funny!" the tiny mare scolded. "What are you trying to do, make my head explode?"

   "That is not my intention I promise," Samael said while still laughing at her sudden temper tantrum.

   "Well how do you expect me to handle all of this anyway?" Dinky asked in a demanding tone.

   "It is overwhelming I know. But rest assured that is why I have been dealing with the finer points of your abilities. The knowing everything's name, that is just a minor trick on the grand scale of things. In time your powers will start to blossom at a steady pace. Then soon, reaching yourself across all of Creation that is, was and yet to be will become nothing more than a mundane task that you can do with a just a thought. " After saying this, he paused for a moment while reaching up to push his glasses back into place. "It is a balancing act really. And that, is something of great importance."

   "A balance?" Dinky asked with a raised eyebrow, and a tilted head.

   "Yes, balance above all else," Samael said with a nod. "We will be called death. We will be called monsters. We will even be called angels, devils and Gods. But no matter the title, no matter the form we assume, it is all to do nothing more than maintain the balance that must be kept. This is the rule that must always be upheld, and never broken." The two once more shared a long silence, the only sound was the constant low howl of the chaotic winds that whipped and snapped across the mountain top. Samael was beginning to learn this was her build up, she used this silence to summon the courage to ask a tough question.

   "Mommy and I had a neighbour once," Dinky started with almost a whimper in her voice. "She was this nice mare that would give me candy all the time, even if Mommy said no. She was going to have a baby soon, her belly was all big and round, then one day the doctors came to her house, and rushed her to the hospital." Now the Unicorn was drawing once again in the snow, using her hoof as a stamp to make little heart shaped indentations. "Then a few days later she came back, but she didn't have a foal with her. I tried to come out and talk to her, but she looked really sad, and didn't want to talk back to me. I tried to ask Mommy where the foal was. She just told me it wasn't ready to come into the world just yet. The mare moved away a little bit after that."

   "They're not all going to be easy Dinky," Samael said with a serious tone of voice that Dinky had not yet heard him use. "As a matter of fact, some of them are going to be the hardest things you will ever do, and they never get any easier."

   "But they have to be done huh, for the balance? You had to take that nice mare's foal because of the balance?" Dinky looked back up at him now, a stream of unfreezing tears running down her small purple cheeks.

   "Yes, I did," Samael answered back as he met her saddened gaze with a remorseless stare. "It is paramount that the balance be upheld. Even if it seems cruel, terrible, and unfair." It was he now that stopped talking. His face turned to one that mimicked her own, showing a tinge of gloom as he slowly turned his head to look off into the distant horizon, like he was expecting something to come flying at him without warning.

   "We have to go, don't we?" Dinky said as she looked at the same spot Samael was fixed on.

   "No!" Samael snapped while quickly raising to his feet. He tried to quickly regain his composure; doing so by straightening his coat, then pushing up his glasses again. "I mean, no. I will handle this one, I want you to remain here, and think about what we have talked about today. I will be back for you soon."

   "It's a hard one huh?" Dinky asked as she raised up to all four hooves. Samael just nodded quickly at her question.

   "Yeah D, it's going to be a hard one," he said as he let out a sigh, then vanished right before her eyes. Leaving her there on that towering, frigid mountain top.

*****

      Derpy looked out her window with mild amusement, and confusion. It really wasn't the minor earth quake that just happened, though it was one of the first that she could remember ever being in. Her look of befuddlement was geared more towards the fact that even after the earth quake, many different ponies were running past her house as if it were the end of the world. Some were by themselves, others were in herds, some were even yelling by themselves at the herds. All in all she found the whole thing pretty silly. It wasn't as if this was the only earth quake to ever happen. The giggling grey mare then saw Miss Cheerilee start to run by, she waved a friendly hoof at her daughter's teacher, who in turn darted towards her front door in a mad rush.

   "Derpy!" Cheerilee yelled in a panicked voice as she banged her hoof against the mail mare's front door. "Derpy open the door please!" she shouted again, adding even more worry to her tone. Derpy couldn't imagine what the problem was, but she hurried to the door, and opened it with a smile.

   "Well hey there Cheerilee," Derpy said not once taking notice of the woeful gaze that had hardened itself on the school teacher's muzzle.

   "Dinky, where's Dinky?" Cheerilee cried as she reached up and took hold of Derpy, giving her a small shake.

   "I don't know really. She has been hanging out with her new friends after school here lately. Why, what's wrong? Why is everypony acting so weird? It was just a little shaking." Derpy now was starting to feed off of the anxiety Cheerilee was pumping out in droves. Something was wrong; something was horribly wrong, and every pony was aware of it except her. Cheerilee suddenly looked completely defeated. She let go of Derpy, and fell back onto her haunches where she just started to weep.

   "I heard them say where they were going. I-I didn't think anything of it. I didn't know they would try such a thing. I'm so sorry! I should have stopped them!" The wine colored mare just put her hooves up to  her over glossed green eyes, where copious amounts of tears ran freely. Derpy paid little to no mind to her now, all she did was slowly walk past her, all the while finally letting herself take notice of just how many ponies were flocking towards one general area. She felt her heart start to pound; her breath was hard to catch, and swallowing was even harder. She realized it wasn't an earth quake, something horrible had happened.

   In one powerful leap, Derpy took to the sky. She beat her wings as hard as she could, plowing herself through clouds, even having to dodge, and weave around several other slower Pegasi. From this vantage point, every thing was clear to see now, she could make out a mass collection of multi colored specks on the ground, all of them converging towards the one spot where the accident happened, an old mine just out side of town that had been abandoned years ago.

*****

      Another massive boulder took on the hue of many colors as several Unicorns all used their magic in a group effort to move the colossal piece of earth. Every pony that had gathered was doing their best to contribute as much of their strength into clearing some kind of path into the now fully blocked, and collapsed mine shaft. The Earth Ponies used as much of their brute force as they could to roll large chunks of stone away, while Unicorns strained as hard as they could to power through stubborn pieces that could not be grabbed a hold of with normal means. The Pegasi even did what they could by using the very wind itself to erode away loose patches to reveal new stones to be dealt with, and even caused the clouds to block out the sun to shield their fellow rescue workers from the rays of the sun.

   Derpy landed in the thick of the crowd, all the while looking around for somepony to get information from. Hardly anypony would stop to talk to her, most were in a dizzy to try to move as much rock as possible, others seemed to put on a suddenly saddened struck look as she asked for help. There was one pony in the crowd though that stood out, the Earth Pony called Pinkie Pie, who just stood still as she looked at the over filled cave mouth. "Pinkie Pie!" Derpy shouted as she bound up into the air to avoid having to weave herself through the randomness of the crowd. "Where's Dinky? Have you seen her?" she asked when she finally landed on the ground next to the pink mare who just shook her head back and forth.

   "No pony knows Derpy. Some of the kids at school said they saw her leave with them. We just know they are down there, some where." Pinkie's eyes immediately filled with tears as she looked back towards the mine. Derpy too looked towards the fallen opening, where she saw three mares; Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash, all working just a bit harder than the others it seemed.

   "Ah forget this!" Rainbow Dash huffed out in frustration as she pounded her filth covered hooves onto the one stone she was trying to move. "I can clear out this entire mess with one shot! Now stand back and watch this!" The blue mare then took off towards the clouds with lightning speed, complete with a long spectral trail behind her as she soared.

   "Dash no, wait!" Applejack cried out as she tried to grab a hold of Rainbow before she got to far away. The attempt proved pointless however, as Rainbow Dash's speed mixed with her determination proved far to quick to be stopped. Applejack's eyes widened with shock as she looked up, only to see the wild maned mare thrust herself down towards the ground with blinding, and reckless speed. Her intent all to apparent as she planned to drive herself into the debris, and blow out as much of it in the process. "Rarity, some pony, anypony! Stop her!" Applejack called out.

   "I have her!" Rarity said as she looked up, and put as much concentration as she could into her horn. Her magic started to glow, but it was for naught. The fantastic rate at which Rainbow Dash was descending towards the ground, coupled with Rarity's exhaustion could do little to stop Dash from smashing herself into the ground. All Applejack could do now was dive out of the way, while placing her hooves over her head in anticipation of the incoming carnage.

   Just then, right before Rainbow was about to come colliding into the ground, Derpy lept in a straight line towards the now yelling mare. The two smashed perfectly into each other, killing Rainbow Dash's power dive, and causing the two to spin out of control as they hit the ground with a hard thud, followed by several rolls. "What the hay Derpy?" Dash screamed as she jumped up to all fours, much quicker to recover from a brutal crash landing than the cross eyed mail mare.

   "Leave her be Rainbow Dash!" Applejack yelled as she, and several others came running up to the crash site. "If you would have hit the ground that hard. You would've brought the rest of whatever was left of them there tunnels down on the girls heads." This caused Rainbow Dash to look around and take notice of all the judging Ponies looking at her with anger filled eyes.

   "Jeez, you're right. I'm sorry guys. I just want to get to them as quickly as possible, you know?" That's when Dash looked over to Derpy who was being helped up to her hooves by several other ponies. "Thanks Derpy. Guess I owe you one huh?"

   "Let's get back to work," Rarity said, bringing all those in the crowd back to focus. All the Ponies just nodded at one another, each of them now jumping back into action, taking up the duties they were doing before Rainbow Dash tried her little stunt.

*****

      Another sigh joined the whipping winds of the mountain top as Dinky plopped down onto her stomach while her hooves went out in a spread eagle fashion. "I hope this isn't what this job is always going to be like," she mumbled to herself as she rolled over onto her back, and looked up into the sunless, and even moonless sky above her. She could see the stars so clearly here. It was like she was above the sun itself, she was in a place where its rays could not reach, and she could see as far as she wanted to into the night sky, and even beyond that. She wondered if she could watch the Moon rise from here as well, she wondered if she would be above it as well.

   She didn't want to wait for the Moon to rise however, she was bored enough with this place now as it was. With a tired grunt she rolled back onto her hooves, then slowly shuffled her way back to the cliff, where she looked over it to take in yet another view of the rolling waves of thick grey and white clouds that looked deep enough to swim in. She wished that she could move like Samael could. Just want to be somewhere, then she would be there. That's when she got a small twinkle in her eye, as her mouth twitched to show a forming smile. She didn't see why she couldn't do it like Samael could. More often than not he would refer to the job by saying 'us' or 'we.' to her that meant that he was including her into the case as well. Plus, she already did know everythings name's, and he did say her powers would start to grow too.

   The little filly stood up on her hind legs, then started to do jumping jacks. She bent down and touched her front hooves to her back ones, then started to do a couple of hip stretches. She wasn't sure if this was needed to perform a magicless teleport, but she assumed it couldn't hurt anything either to get limbered up a bit first anyway. She came back down on all fours, her eyes closing, and letting out a long, deep exhale. She let her mind go blank, save for one single thought. "Mommy," she whispered out as she let the one image of her mother take a foot hold in her mind. She wanted to be where she was, she wanted to be standing right next to her. The oddest sensation came over her suddenly, like somepony had turned off all the world with just a flick of a switch. The howling winds of the mountain was gone, the cold blasting snaps had disappeared. The only thing that was there for her now was pure silence, and the thought of her mother.

*****

      "What in the name of the Alicorns!" a stallion shouted out as he saw the small little purple filly just blink into existence right there beside Derpy. The out burst got the attention of many others, who all now had halted what they were doing to look over at the rather new, and unexpected arrival.

   "I did it!" Dinky exclaimed with a proud voice as she threw her hooves into the air.

   "Dinky?" Derpy asked as she turned her head to see her daughter in mid celebration.

   "Hi Mommy!" Dinky said as she wrapped her hooves around Derpy's neck. Though she took little notice on how tightly her mother returned the embrace, or the tears that had now started to form in her eyes. "Wait til I tell you where I have been. It's going to blow yo-" she had to stop there as she pulled away, and saw the expression on her mother's face. That's when she started to look around, and see the massive crowd that was there. It looked as if the whole town was here, and even a bit more. "What's everypony doing here Mommy? Is there a party going on? Why are you so sad?"

   "Oh Dinky, I am so happy you are alright!" Derpy cried as she took her child into another tight embrace. "Don't you ever scare me like that again."

   "Jeez Mommy I said I was fine. I was just with Sammy." That's when Dinky looked over her mother's shoulder, and saw the many other Ponies still working diligently at the mouth of the mine. She was about to ask, but Derpy was already one step ahead of her.

   "Dinky, there's been a terrible accident. Your little friends went into that mine there. We're not sure what happened." Derpy was going to keep on explaining, but Dinky quickly wiggled herself away, then ran towards the mine.

   "What?" Dinky said to herself as she remember that the three fillies did in fact tell her what they were going to do today. She was going to go with them, she was heading out the door, but that's when Samael took her to the mountain. A horror filled gasp pushed itself out of the little Unicorn, as her gold eyes widened to the utmost, filled with shock and terror as she remembered what Samael had said right before he left. He said this one was going to be a very hard one. She spun her head around, and looked at her mother, who looked just as confused as several other ponies. "Mommy!" she shouted, before running towards the mouth of the mine. "I have to go! I have to stop him!"

   "Dinky wait stop!" Derpy called out as she took to the air in an effort to stop her child from getting in the way of the rescue. "Stop who? Dinky!" Derpy was just about to catch her foal in her front hooves, but in just what seemed like a blink of an eye, Dinky had completely vanished without a trace.

*****

      The cavern had gone completely dark now. Sweetie Belle's magic had been all but drained in an effort to keep her friends in the light as long as possible. All was silent, save for the small shallow breaths of Apple Bloom, who now laid on her side in the darkness, trying as hard as she could to take in as much air as possible from the constantly depleting, and thin air of the closed off tomb. "S-Sweetie B-Belle?" the little filly asked in a tired whisper. There was no response, not from Sweetie Belle, just the constant taxed heaves from the small Earth Pony. "Oh, you m-must just be asleep. T-that's fine. You j-just rest up, for when they come and g-get us. They're just r-right outside. I-I know they are." Her words now were nothing more than fleeting gasps, barely audible, even to herself. Just verbal thoughts that she was muttering so that she would have some kind of company. "I-I think I'll c-close my eyes t-too. J-just for a little bit." With that, the little Earth Pony let her eyes slowly flutter close, as one more long exhale escaped from her mouth.

   "Apple Bloom," a voice said from with in the darkness. This caused Apple Bloom's eyes to slowly open to just slivers, and there in the darkness, she could have swore she saw just the smallest pin point of light. "Apple Bloom, it's time to go my little pony," the voice said again as the light became larger, brighter, and soon began to fill the whole cave with a warm glowing light of alabaster hues. The filly suddenly felt a wave of energy come over her that she thought had been completely wiped away in her attempt to stay awake as long as she could. Her eyes popped open as she felt the light wash over her; feeling as if it was picking her up. Her eyes adjusted, and she took in a deep gasp as a form started to show itself from with in the light's core.

   "P-Princess Celestia?" Apple Bloom exclaimed with a dry, and worn voice. The sense of dread, the feeling of abandonment flowed out of her as if a flood gate had been opened. It was indeed the great ruler of Equestria. Her form became more and more visible the closer she came.

   "That's right my dear," the Alicorn said as she finished materializing there before the stunned Earth Pony.

   "Have you come to save us? Have you come to get us out of here?" Apple Bloom asked with a over joyed tone. She was even happier as she saw Princess Celestia give her a long warming smile, and nod her head up and down.

   "Well, let's just say I am here to take you out of here, in a way." Celestia then lowered herself so that she was resting on her stomach, with her hooves and legs drawn underneath her. She then extended one of her wings to it's full length, as she motioned towards Apple Bloom with her head. "Come here child. Rest yourself with me for just a time." Apple Bloom swallowed hard, but did as she was told. She walked over slowly, then nestled herself into the Sun Pony's side, where she felt the large wing come to rest gently on her body, and pull her in even closer.

   "B-but what about Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo?" Apple Bloom asked as she looked out from underneath the long slender feathers of the Alicorn's wings. This made Celestia look over at the two stone still fillies, then give off a long smile.

   "Shh, watch," the white mare said as she made a small gesturing nod towards the two. It was slow at first, but Apple Bloom could first hear the slight moans of her friends start to be heard. This was followed by slight twitches, and then full on movements as both Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo raised their heads to look around.

   "Hey!" Scootaloo shouted as she came up to her hooves with energy that would suggest nothing had gone wrong. "What's going on here? Why are we still in this cave? What's Princess Celestia doing here?"

   "That's what I would like to know," Sweetie Belle added while she was rubbing one of her dull green eyes with her hoof.

   "Hey guys!" Apple Bloom said in a bright, and happy tone. "It's Princess Celestia. She's here to take us home!"

   "Y-you are?" Sweetie Belle asked with an ever growing smile.

   "Mmm hmm," Celestia responded as she once more lifted up her wing. "I am going to take you some place wonderful. And though I won't be able to come with you. I hear it is a glorious heaven filled with wonders untold that you will never get bored of. All you have to do, is come rest yourself right here with me, with your friend, and you will be there very soon."

   "But my Mom and Dad, and Rarity. They will be there right? I mean that's where we are going?" Sweetie Belle said as she slowly took timid steps towards the Alicorn's expanded wing, looking at her friend Apple Bloom who was wearing a long reassuring smile.

   "And Rainbow Dash too?" Scootaloo added while stepping in time with her little Unicorn friend.

   "I am sure they will be. If that's what you want," Celestia said to the two. She then gave a small flap of her wings, gesturing for the two, to come and join Apple Bloom.

   "Let's go girls," Apple Bloom said with a slight tinge of anxiety. "I am so tired of being here. I want to leave." This made Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo just look at each other, then give a small shrug as they picked up their speed, and happily trotted over to where Apple bloom was. The trio positioned themselves as close to one another as they could, even giving off small giggles as each of them rolled in different directions to stay off each other, but get in as close to the Princess's side.

   "That's right, there you go," Celestia said smiling down at the three, waiting for them to finally stop shuffling around, and get comfortable. "Now, just close your eyes, that's right. Now I want you to think of the most wonderful place in all the Universe, and even beyond it. Don't hold anything back, you just let your imaginations become untamed, let it run free." The entire time the Alicorn was giving instructions, her wing was ever so slowly descending down over the pair, becoming a long full blanket that enveloped the little fillies completely as their eyes remained closer, and smiles built of their most wondrous dreams filled every part of their being.

*****

      Rainbow Dash's back hooves came crashing once again into the solid rock that blocked her path. Up until this point, she had been successful at hiding the bone shaking pains that flowed into her body with each new strike, though now she had gone beyond the point of caring who saw her winch every time she delivered a new blow. So many Ponies were sitting on their haunches now, so many had given up due to exhaustion and the ever pressing feelings of hopelessness. Even Applejack, and Rarity had walked away from the mouth of the cave; each one of them trying to find comfort in close by relatives or friends. She was not going to join them, she would never join them; if it had to be her, and her alone that drove through to the center of this world, then that is what would happen.

   "Rainbow Dash," Applejack said as she came walking up to the still kicking blue mare. Dash paid her no mind, she just reared up once again to drive her legs as hard as she could into the unforgiving stone. "Dashie," the orange Earth Pony said again as a new set of tears started to fall from her large blood shot green eyes.

   "What?" Rainbow Dash screamed, pausing only for a moment to give her friend a cold dagger filled stare. Applejack tried to say something, but she couldn't find the words, as it was hard enough for her to even approach Dash, and try to tell her how long they had been at it. Dash just shook her head, and once again kicked at the stone boulder. "You can give up if you want to AJ. I'm not! I told her I would be her big sister. I told her I would take her under my wing. Big sisters like me don't leave their little sisters buried under tons of rock!" With a anger filled yell, the blue Pegasus raised up one more time, and put everything she had into her kick. This time though the stone barricade got the best of her, the shock of repetitive blows caused Rainbow's body to finally give way as her front legs crumpled from underneath her, making her tumble towards the ground.

   This was all Applejack needed to see. With a heavy sigh that brought even more tears to her eyes, she looked over at her big brother, who as well had just as many free flowing tears coming from his own eyes. "Big Mac, please," Applejack said in a shaking whimper. Big McIntosh just nodded in return, then started to make his way over to the fallen Pegasus who was now trying desperately to get back on her swollen, numb and broken hooves. It was with little effort did the massive red Earth Pony reach down and take hold of Dash. This did little more than throw Rainbow Dash into a tirade of hysteria as she began to thrash herself about in an effort to free herself from Big Mac's gentle, yet unbreakable hold.

   "Let me go!" Dash screamed at the top of her lungs while her body twisted and contorted in anyway she could to free herself. "We can't leave them down there like that. That's not where they're supposed to be!" Her tired body could do nothing against the stallions steel like grip as he slowly started to pull her away, and all she could do was start to reach for the very stone she was kicking at. This was all both Applejack, and Rarity could take as they both ran at the same time towards Big Mac and Rainbow. The only thing Applejack could think of was wrapping herself in a tight embrace around Rainbow Dash's body. Rarity was next to follow in the forlorn embrace, placing herself among the group so that she could add her own faded strength, and rolling tears to the lament.

   "I'm sorry Sugar," Applejack said, weeping openly, finally letting the reality of the situation come down on her like the weight of the same rocks that had buried her own sister.

   "Please Applejack!" Dash cried out as she began to try to escape less and less, and simply accept her friends compassion more and more. "Please don't let them stay down there! We have to get them out."

   "We will," Rarity said in a quiet whisper in Rainbow's ear. "I swear it. If it is the last thing I do, we will bring them out of there. We own them that much." After this, the three mares, and one stallion just leaned into each other, and let every ounce of sadness they had been trying to hold back come flowing forth like a geyser.

*****

      "Sammy, no!" Dinky shouted as she appeared inside the cavern. The visage of Celestia was gone, now what stood there above the three unconscious fillies was the form that Dinky had become the most accustomed to. Dinky heard what she thought was a groan come from Samael's direction, though after the form of Celestia had vanished, and the cave returned to pitch black, she had to illuminate her horn to see properly. What she saw was Samael standing there, just chuckling to himself.

   "Well, I am impressed D," he said as he turned around to face her. "I can see that you are taking to this new little destiny of yours rather well. I had no idea you would actually try to mimic the way I move. Well done indeed."

   "That isn't what this is about and you know it Sammy!" Dinky then moved quickly to put herself between the Crusaders, and Samael, wearing a hard look of conviction as she planted her hooves firmly into the cold stone floor, and glared up at him.

   "Dinky," Samael started as he knelt down on one knee, then tried to reach out and pat her on the head. The little filly was having none of it however, she leaned back on her hind legs, furthering herself from his touch.

   "No, you can't have them! It's not their time yet. They're just fillies!" Dinky cried out as the dim light from her horn flared up to illustrate her anger at him.

   "It is their time!" Samael said in a loud voice. Though not so much a yell, it was booming enough to make Dinky have to flinch. "This is the balance that we had just talked about. This is what it means to do what needs to be done to insure all the Universes with in all creation flows exactly how they are supposed to." Samael just let out a slight sigh. "This isn't the only tragedy happening D. Right now at this very moment there are men, women, children and yes, even fillies moving on because it is their time to go. It has to be this way."

   "I don't know any of them!" Dinky cried out. "I don't know any of these women or men. I don't know other fillies." She turned her head for just a moment to look down at the lifeless bodies of her three school mates. "But I do know them," she said with a small sad smile. "Sammy, so many Ponies have been mean to me and my Mommy, for really no reason at all. I always had to defend her and myself. These three came to my side when they didn't have to. They made me their friend when I didn't ask." That's when the smile faded, and the tears from her large golden eyes started to fall. "Oh please Sammy, don't take them! Not yet, not now. I know that everypony has to die eventually, but please, not like this, not down here."

   "I really do wish it was as simple as time to be given, or time to be taken away D. But you and I both know that's not how things work. These are lessons you will learn." He let out another sigh, and was about to perform a gesture that would remove her from his way. He was stopped however by a single phrase.

   "You don't know what it's like to lose somepony," Dinky said, feeling rather pleased how she made him freeze in place as he heard her say it. "Yeah, you may be Death, you're so super powerful. You've been around since the beginning. But you've never had loved ones, you've never had friends."

   "And that!" Samael actually shouted this time, somewhat losing his temper at the little Pony who challenged him so. He was quick to regain his composure however before speaking again. "That is where you are wrong little Dinky," he said while bringing his anger to a halt. "I have had a friend since the very start of this. He was chosen, much like yourself. We traveled together in every shape and form that could ever be imagined by mortal or god alike. But now his time has come, he has to move on, and I have to be the one that ushers him into that far away place where I cannot go, leaving me here with nothing more than his memories. That is why I chose you, you are his replacement."

   "Do you love your friend Sammy?" Dinky asked while leaning in closer to him, and giving him a long hard stare.

   "That I do." Samael answered with a smile.

   "Do you wish he didn't have to go?"

   "Of course."

   "Just like I wish my friends that I love didn't have to go." The two stared at each other for a long moment there in the darkness. "But unlike you. I am brave enough to try and stop this from happening." The look that suddenly washed over Samael's face at that second made Dinky feel a burning sense of remorse. He, for the very first time, looked very sad. Dinky took in a long gasp, then threw herself at the tall frail looking man, wrapping her hooves around his chest. "I'm sorry Sammy! You're my friend, and I love you too." Dinky started to concentrate everything she had on all the power Samael had given to her up until this point, even adding as much of her own as she could. "I know you have to keep the balance. But I know I can't let my friends go." Her whole body started to seem to glow now, the warm purple hue of her coat started to chase away every shadow that lurked on the walls, ceiling and floor. Soon the whole room was a blaze with her brilliant light.

   "D, what are you doing?" Samael asked in a panicked tone that even he was not familiar with himself using. At the same time wrapping his arms around the small pony as though he was trying to stop her from flying away.

   "I know that they will have to die eventually Sammy, but I don't want to lose them yet. I want them to live long lives, full of happiness, and sadness before they have to go to that place full of wonders. But I don't want you to lose your friend either. But the balance has to be maintained right?" She looked up at him with firey gold eyes, that shown a tragic happiness in them while wearing a smile that could have melted the coldest of hearts. "So I am going to go for them, okay."

   "What?" Samael shouted as he tightened his grip on her.

   "Don't worry Sammy. I think it makes sense. I mean, they are just three mortal fillies. I am one of the incarnations of Death right? So I think me taking all three of their places makes sense. And maybe even your friend won't have to go either. Everything will be fine. Just tell my Mommy I love her very much." That was about all Samael could take now. He let out a frustrated scream just as Dinky had become her brightest. He took hold of the tiny Unicorn's body in one arm, as he made a gesture towards the three other fillies on the stone floor before him, and in a sudden flicker of light, they were all gone.

*****

      The mood outside the mine was cold; almost surreal as not one Pony seemed to know any one thing to say to each other. Most had left now, returning to their homes to mourn in their own way. Though many of the parents that had fillies or colts, brothers and sisters all rushed faster than most to hold their dear ones as tight as possible. Others stayed behind however, they are not sure why they did, perhaps they decided that the ones that had lost the most needed some kind of support, silent or other wise. It was Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow Dash that remained the closest to the collapsed mine, staring with mixed looks of fear, malice, and sadness.

   "So many things we have done," Rarity said, breaking the silence between the three. This caused both Applejack, and Rainbow Dash to look over at the white Unicorn as she continued to speak. "We have defeated a living Goddess of darkness, we have been able to bring order to chaos. We were even able to bring hope to an entire empire, and help vanquish a soul most evil. All this we have done, but we couldn't even move a few simple stones to save our beloveds."

   "Some great heros we are huh?" Rainbow Dash added while looking down at her now bandaged, and splinted hooves and legs.

   "We did our best girls." Applejack said while trying to put on a stern face to cover the crippling torment she felt in her chest. "There ain't no Pony no where that could say other wise. And we are heros, and we have to keep on being heros. Heros are brave, when nopony else can be. Heros are strong, even when they are at their weakest. We have to keep on being strong, for those around us," she paused for a moment to look hard at the rock filled mouth of the mine, and to secretly choke back the new wave of tears that threatened to over take her once more. "And we have to be strong for the girls, I know they would have wanted us to be that at least." The three fell silent after that, each one starting to let the memories of their lost ones start to flood their minds, and each memory seemed to spawn a new tear that couldn't be stopped from rolling down each of their stained, and dirty cheeks.

   "Dinky!" Derpy cried out with a shout that could have probably been heard all the way in Manehatten.

   "Hi Mommy!" Dinky responded in kind as she burst forward, racing towards her mother. All those in attendance couldn't believe their eyes as the tiny purple filly that had once simply vanished into thin air, now pulled the same trick as she and her mother met in a spreading crowd, taking one another in a hard, tight embrace.

   "Oh Dinky, I was so worried. Where did you go?" Derpy asked as she rubbed her hooves through her daughter's mane, while at the same time showering the filly with kisses on her cheeks and head.

   "I'm sorry I scared you Mommy," Dinky said as she tried again and again to pull herself from her mother's relentless assault of affection. "It's just I had to talk to Sammy. And I had to help my friends." Dinky then turned her head, and looked past a gathering crowd that was starting to form, all of them wearing faces of absolute shock and disbelief. "See?" the little mare said as she pointed her hoof towards Samael, who was sitting on the ground with his legs outstretched. Though next to him was what the surrounding Ponies could not fathom, as they gazed with open mouths on Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.

   "My head hurts," Scootaloo said as she rubbed the top of her skull with her hoof.

   "You're lucky. My whole body hurts," Sweetie Belle commented as she laid down on her stomach.

   "I think even my mane has pain in it," Apple Bloom said, though her smile would suggest she was being more sympathetic with her friends.

   "S-S-Sweetie Belle?" Rarity said with a shaky voice as she saw her sister sitting there on the ground. Sweetie Belle heard her name, and looked to see her sister running at her in a mad dash. Applejack, and Rainbow Dash were in a close stride behind them. They did not have far to run however as all three of the Crusaders had lifted them selves up, and ran in a mad sprint to meet their respective siblings. Roars of cheers were heard all through Ponyville as news spread like an uncontrollable wild fire of the miracle that had just been performed. More and more Ponies rushed to the scene to witness the four mares all lifting their siblings, and offspring high into the air in celebration of their return, as now new tears of unbridled happiness replaced the ones of overwhelming sadness.

   Samael sat there for a time, and watched all the happy Ponies take joy in the seemingly impossible victory. He didn't mind that none of them came asking him how this had happened, it was better that they didn't as he really didn't want to explain. After a moment, he just let out a chuckle, then a quick sigh as he picked himself up off the ground, and brushed himself off before turning away from the crowd, and started walking away.

   "Hey!" Dinky called out as she came rushing up to Samael's side. He stopped as he turned to face her, all the while wearing a long smile. "Listen Sammy. I umm, I really want to thank you for what you did back there. I know you probably broke a few rules to let this happen."

   "Oh," Samael started as he placed his hands in his pockets, and let out a simple chuckle. "I wouldn't be a very good friend if I had let you go through with what you were trying. Besides, I am pretty sure it wouldn't have worked anyway. Exchanging one life for another? Well, let's just say that is a bit out of your league for now little Dinky Hooves."

   "So, what about the balance, and all that stuff?" Dinky asked with genuine curiosity in her voice. "I mean, what's going to happen with all that?" This made Samael let out another small chortle as he looked down towards the ground, kicking a stone away with his foot.

   "The balance has been kept D. You can be rest assured of that." Samael then made a shooing gesture with his gloved hand. "Now go, run along and enjoy your victory with your friends. You should be happy, you are probably the only creature in all of Creation that can boast to the fact that you have indeed, defeated Death." This made him laugh out right as he turned on his heels, and started walking away once more.

   "Sammy?" Dinky called out due to a large feeling of pressing concern that had just come down at her. She heard her name being called, it pulled her attention just enough to see her smiling mother beckoning for her to come and join her again. She was about to do just that, but she had to look back once more to see him, only to find that he had vanished from sight.

*****

      In the endless Void without end, the two figures sat in their respective places. Though now, a new feeling of pure rage filled it's limitless expanse. "Have you completely lost your mind?" The First One screamed as several pieces on the board before them burst into flame, then exploded into nothingness. The board itself seemed to reflect the turmoil of what Samael had just done. Its form twisted into shapes never seen before spurting out fountains of colors that had never once been seen by mortal or divine, new pieces blinked into existence, only to vanish away as if they were never there at all.

   "Don't be so dramatic," Samael said as his shapeless form placed a few new figures onto the board, an act that made the field calm down to an extent. Samael then placed a new piece onto the playing field, one that he, or even The First One himself had never used, or even seen. It was bigger than most, it's presence caused the board to warp, and distort as the base of the figure made contact with the board's surface. "It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Should be entertaining."

   "Dramatic? Interesting? Entertaining?" The First One repeated, paraphrasing the finer points of Samael's decision. "The balance, the rules, all of them broken now! And for what, a Pony?" All the voices of The First One's form collided, and spoke over each other in a chaotic blur.

   "A friend," Samael said in a calm tone as he moved the newest piece into position along some of the flaring colored lines on the board before the two. "And a good soul. I will thank you to try your best to support my decision in this matter. Oh, and do try to calm yourself, you are missing moves left and right here." The First One let out a long sigh, then several of his own pieces made moves on the board, resulting in either taking over some of Samael's pieces, or changing shape in accordance with the rules.

   "You will have my support, I guess I owe you that." It seemed then that The First One paused for a moment, almost as if he had to look for the words to say to his long time partner. "And it has been fun playing with you for all this time."

   "I could say the same thing about you, my dear fellow," Samael said as he took some more of his pieces, and placed them where ever it was they needed to be. "But we will see how this plays out. Yes, indeed we will."

The end of The End

      The celebration in Ponyville's town square was now in full swing. Pinkie Pie had gone all out in decorating, and placing up banners to commemorate the event that was now being called: 'The Miracle in the Mines.' All the ponies that were part of the rescue effort were there, now letting go of their fatigue and lament that had struck them earlier. Drinks from Sweet Apple Acres private cellars were being passed around freely, and laughter echoed from both near and far. There were however a few fillies that did not seem to be completely caught up in the festivities. Even though they were the guests of honor, the Cutie Mark Crusaders seemed a bit more down trodden, despite their close call.

   "I'm an idiot," Apple Bloom scoffed at herself. Her head hung low, looking down into the still liquid that filled her untouched drink.

   "How many times are you going to say that?" Sweetie Belle asked as she placed her own now empty mug to the table. She then waved at a pony who was carrying a drink platter on his back, signaling that she needed a refill.

   "As many times as it takes me to realize what a truly dumb idea that was I reckon," the little bow wearing filly responded.

   "Yeah well." Sweetie Belle interrupted herself as she took the mug of fresh cider that was sat in front of her, and she quickly took it up to take a large swig. "You can keep saying it all you want to. We all knew what you had with you. We all knew what you were going to do with it. It's in the past now, just let it go, and be happy we made it out alive."

   Apple Bloom was about to say something to counter her unicorn friend's point. Scootaloo was the one to speak however, and what she said made both of the others get a wide eyed grimace. "I, I don't think we did make it.," The Pegasus said, all the while looking up into the sky. She didn't notice the looks her friends wore, she wasn't sure she cared. "I could fly," she continued as she followed a few clouds across the sky with her gaze. "Where I was, I could fly. And I mean not just fly like a normal pegasus either. I was fast, way fast. I was the fastest in history." She took in a big sigh, then exhaled as her eyes started to gloss over just a small amount. "Rainbow Dash was there too. She was so proud of me," she then let out a giggle, though it was not one of happiness. "It's fading away now, but I think I remember her saying that she was glad I was an orphan. She was happy that I didn't have a mom. Cause if I did, then she wouldn't be able to raise me like a daughter." She then looked at her two stone silent partners, revealing that a single tear had managed to run down her cheek. "I was happy."

   Both Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom just sat there for a moment. Each of them were trying to comprehend what their forlorn little friend was trying to convey to them. In a way they knew what she was saying, in their own minds they could remember only clouded images of places that seemed to wonderful to explain in detail. However, neither of them for some odd reason thought it relevant to bring it up. "Didn't you two feel something? Anything at all?" Scootaloo asked in a quivering tone.

   "It was just a dream Scoot," Apple Bloom said as she finally took up the mug with the cider in it, and made a long pull from it.

   "Yeah. You took a pretty big bump on the noggin when the cavern came down. Bet it scrambled your brain up pretty good. It was just a dream, like Apple Bloom said." Even though Sweetie Belle was trying to lighten the mood to the best of her ability. It didn't seem to have quite the effect that she was hoping for.

   "It wasn't!" Scootaloo yelled as she slammed her hoof to the table. The out burst not only knocked her own mug over, but  made others shake in their places. It very much drew the attention of all those around them. It was Apple Bloom that was going to take the head of the conversation, and try her best to calm Scootaloo down. She did not get a chance however, as Pinkie Pie was quick to recognize a possible flaw in her perfect, and largest party to date, and was quick to intervene.

   "Hey, hey, hey!" the pink Earth Pony shouted as she dashed quickly to the table the three were sitting at, coming to an abrupt halt so fast that it caused a dust cloud to form behind her. "What's with all the frowning fillies? This is one of Ponyville's most super duper, ultra bombastic parties ever! And it's all in your guy's honor! So let's quit the frownin, and get to downin. Lot's of free cider that is!" She gave the trio a large wink, hoping that her somewhat amatuer play on words would get the smiles she was hoping for. Though much to her dismay, none of the fillies let their muzzles show a sign of cheer. Scootaloo even rolled her eyes, then pushed her chair away from the table with a sound of annoyance before trotting off. "Oh," Pinkie huffed as she watched Scootaloo walk away. "Guess I shouldn't have said bomb huh?"

*****

      Hiding in a dim shadow of a building, Dinky stood. She didn't know why she was trying to conceal herself from all the ponies that were dancing, singing, all in all having a good time. Perhaps it was more of her just wanting to be left alone for a while. Ever since she and Samael had saved the three fillies from the cave in, she had been accosted continuously by pony after pony on how he did it; or how she did it, the kind of magic she used. Add onto the fact that Samael had left just as soon as the girls were safe did not help matters either. She just figured it was another one of his odd lessons on how she would have to deal with situations by herself.

   She tried to move to him; like the way she had moved before off of that mountain top. It wasn't working now however, and no matter how much she tried, she couldn't get to him. She felt as if she could go any where she wanted to, even to places she had never seen, or heard of before. She just felt like with a simple thought she could be any where she wanted, but she really only wanted to be in one place, and that was with Samael. That's when she saw her three friends arguing over something at their table. She saw Pinkie Pie try to console them, and she saw Scootaloo race off away from them. She was about to step out of the shadows to try to find out what was wrong, but something quickly froze her in her tracks.

   "Hey D," Samael said as he stepped up beside his pony companion.

   "Sammy!" Dinky shouted as she turned around, letting her large golden eyes go wide with excitement, and joy. With a quick bound, Dinky raised herself up on her back hooves, while at the same time, wrapping her front legs around his waist in a tight embrace. It was a move that caught Samael off guard to be sure. However, he did return the gesture by gently placing both his gloved hands on the tiny fillies head and neck.

   "What brought this on?" he asked with a chuckle as he gave the top of her head a fast scratch.

   "Oh nothing. I just missed you is all." Dinky then stepped away from her friend by returning to all fours so she could look up at him. "I tried to come to you. You know, like I did in the cave? It's not working like it did then though."

   "Ah," Samael said with a laugh. "Well, that's because I was in a place you're not really ready to go to just yet. Not now anyway, but soon enough." This made Dinky contort her snout into a slight grimace at the thought of him not letting her go somewhere. After the mountain, and being able to move from there all the way to Ponyville, she was getting used to the idea of being able to go where ever she wanted. "So anyway," Samael said as he placed his hands in his pockets, all the while looking out into the town before them. "How's the party going?"

   "It's fine I suppose," Dinky answered, taking on a pseudo serious demeanor like he would carry sometimes. "Everypony is having a good time. They are all really happy about what happened today. Well, some of them are." This made Samael raise an eyebrow at her last comment.

   "Oh? There are Ponies that don't like what we did?" He asked with an odd looking, and twisted grin.

   "Well no, it's not that really. I mean," Dinky just sighed as she tried to explain, though she got the notion that he knew all to well what was going on. That's when she looked at the two remaining fillies at the table. "I thought they would be happier you know? Now they just look really sad for some reason. Why aren't they happy Sammy?"

   Samael just looked to where Dinky was focusing her gaze; seeing both Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle there at their table. He took one of his hands out of his pockets, and slowly rubbed his chin. "Ah I see. Well that's too bad. I was hoping they wouldn't remember."

   "Remember what?" Dinky asked with dipped eye ridges.

   "Well, it is an odd thing. You see, sometimes when a Denizen is about to go to, That Place. They are over whelmed with an uncontrollable sense of joy, love, peace. Just a way of properly moving them from where they used to exist, to where they are going to exist," he stopped for a moment to take in a small breath, then let out a large exhale." But sometimes, sometimes they are not ready to go, and they come back to exist here. Now this next part is rare, but I have seen it happen. Sometimes they will retain just a small amount of where they were. And when they realize that they aren't there any more, they can go into a depression I call: Paradise's Lament. Unfortunately the girls there are going through it now."

   "Aww," Dinky moaned out as her bottom lip jutted out from her jaw. "That's so sad Sammy. Will they get over it? Or have I like really messed up their lives?" This made Samael let out an amused laugh, and clap his hands together.

   "Don't worry D. They are in a bad place now. But just like a hazy dream, they will forget all about That Place. They'll be just fine, trust me." He gave the little Unicorn a quick wink, one that made her smile.

   "I do you know," Dinky said with a suddenly deliberate tone. "I trust you Sammy." The two exchanged a warm smile after that. Then a small silence before Dinky spoke up again. "So umm, That Place. have you seen it? What's it like?"

   "Have I seen it?" Samael repeated with a slight laugh. "No, no I have never seen That Place. Well, not yet anyway. It is something that is only reserved for those that have spent all the time they were allowed here to go to," he paused for a moment, as if a thought suddenly popped into his head. "That reminds me D," Before continuing, he knelt down to one knee, and even leaned over further so he could look the small filly directly in her massive eyes. "What we, what I did today. You have to promise me that from now on, no matter how hard it is, no matter how much you want to. You will never do what I did today, okay? The balance must be maintained, the price for breaking it." This made him pause again, only for a second. "It is just to high. And I never want to think of you having to be the one that pays it. Will you promise me this?"

   "Well sure Sammy!" Dinky quickly agreed with a long smile on her muzzle. As if she were doing nothing more but saying she would clean her room, or do some other menial house hold chore. "Besides. I won't have to worry about it to much. I mean, you'll be here with me to make sure I don't mess up." After hearing this, Samael had to do something that he thought he would never have to do; swallow hard. It was the kind of swallow one would have to make to choke down a sudden outburst of emotion, like the ones he was feeling now. He knew he should tell her, he knew she deserved to know what that price was he mentioned. However, he knew today had been rough on her, and very soon it was only going to get worse. So against his better judgement, he remained silent on the matter.

   "Hey!" he said with an overly cheerful tone. "That looks like a fun party going on out there. You want to maybe join in? Perhaps try to cheer your friends up a bit?" This made Dinky turn her head away from him, and look out into the town for a few moments. She then turned back around, wearing a big smile as she did, as she nodded her head up and down.

   "Sure!" she said as she turned quickly on her hooves to make her way out into the crowds. She came to a sudden halt while looking over her shoulder. "You're coming too right?" she asked with the slightest hint of concern.

   "Why of course," Samael said as he grinned down at her. "If I remember correctly. I am the one who saved those little ponies from certain doom. I think I deserve some credit!" This made Dinky just let out a small giggle as she rolled her eyes at his words. The two then strode out together into view of any pony that was looking their way. This number was rather large to both their surprise, as their arrival was greeted with cheers, and the stomping of dozens of hooves on the ground.

*****

      "So, without further adieu," Mayor Mane said as she looked to the side of the stage. She had been giving her grand speech for well over an hour now, and many of the Ponies that were still there had been annoyed to the point of forgetting what the point of the speech was to begin with. "I give you: The Miracle worker himself, Saviour of our little Cutie Mark Crusaders; Samael!" A thunderous sound of dozens of hooves came as all the town ponies heard Samael's name being called. even the vocal cheers became greater as they saw the tall, and lanky black clad man come walking up onto the stage. As he took his place, Samael simply raised his hand, a gesture that brought the crowd to a sudden silence.

   "Thank you," he started with a happy grin on his lips. He looked out into the sea of multicolored Ponies before him, and couldn't help but laugh a little to himself. It was the thought of all these creatures giving him thanks, cheering his name, and wanting to be in his presence. It was comical to him as he knew how and when each one of them would come to their ends, and he wondered that if he just stood up there on the stage and told them their fates if they would react the same. Never the less, he shook off the morbid comedy that was playing out in his mind, doing so by just making his smile bigger.

   "It's odd you know?" he started again. "I have been around for much, much longer than many of you could comprehend. And yet, very few times have I been celebrated, or even asked to come forward and address a crowd. I think that is why I ultimately chose this place," He paused for a moment to look over at Dinky, who was now standing with her mother, and even the three fillies he had rescued from before. "Doing what I do, making the decisions I have to make. It is good to have some one, or some Pony with you that has what this world has an abundance of," he paused again, looking out into the crowds as all of his listeners stood wide eyed, with open mouthed smiles, waiting for his answer. "Heart, you have heart. There are many other Denizens of Creation that act like you, move like you, even look like you. But none of them I can say have the hearts you do. And for a thing such as me. It is good to be reminded that hearts like yours exist; at least every once in a while. Thank you."

   The roaring sounds of hoof beats and cheers bellowed out once again from the ponies. Pinkie Pie through what ever means had the fore thought to place several bundles of balloons hidden away; ones that she now let loose. She even had several party cannons stashed to the side where as soon as the cheering began, the cannons exploded, placing many buckets of confetti into the air. Samael gave one more final wave to the crowd, then started to walk towards the side. Something came over him then; a feeling that made him stop dead in his tracks. It was a dark presence, a kind of foreboding that washed over him like a titanic tsunami. It made his face contort into one of both shock as he snapped his head towards the still cheering Ponies, looking for what it was that made him feel in such a way. Then a sound came from the back that confirmed all that he had felt.

   It started slow at first; a deep intentional cackle. One that easily blended in with the crowds hollering, and applause. It then began to pick up speed, and started to over power the continuous cheers. It was then many of the Ponies started to take notice of the insidious sound, their cheers starting to fade as an ominous feeling of lament weaved itself through the unsuspecting party goers. Soon enough, the tormenting laugh was now all that could be heard at. All those in attendance had completely stopped their celebrations, and looked to the back of the crowds to see what, or who could be making such a horrendous sound. What they saw made many of them turn around quickly, and dash backwards at the laughing stallion sitting there on his haunches, slowly clapping his hooves together.

   "Bravo! Bravo indeed," Pestilence laughed out as he gave his hooves one more clap before returning to all fours. "Such lovely, heartfelt words. The passion, the conviction!" He gave a sarcastic snort after saying this, stepping forward into the crowd that had now started to all back away, creating a clear path to the stage. "It almost made me physically ill." The sinister smile left his face as he spoke these last words, turning into a long frown to state his true displeasure at Samael's speech.

   "You?" Samael said, his face still very much showing the disbelief at what he was seeing.

   "Yes, me," Pestilence slowly responded as the smile returned once more telling Samael just how happy he was to have taken him by surprise.

   In a sudden blink of an eye, Samael had vanished completely from the stage, only to reappear just as quickly only a few feet away from where Pestilence was standing. This movement made many of the Ponies watching in slack jawed wonderment let out quick gasps at the show of power. It was however a trick that left Pestilence unimpressed, and unmoving. It was now Samael's turn to let out a small chuckle of his own as he placed his hands into his coat pockets. "Well, I am surprised. You must have expended quite a bit of energy to keep yourself hidden away like this from me for so long. Just how long have you been lurking around this world?"

   "Long enough to make a few friends," Pestilence said with a boisterous snicker. He then let a corner of his mouth curl up into a vicious looking half grin. Another series of gasps came flowing out from the crowd, as without warning; Celestia, Luna, Cadance and Twilight Sparkle were now standing several feet behind Pestilence. They were also accompanied by a long table, one that was filled with the many items Pestilence had collected.

   "Twilight?" Applejack shouted as she; Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and even Fluttershy came rushing to the scene.

      "Stay back girls!" Twilight commanded, causing all her friends to come to a sudden halt. Each of the elements of Harmony looked bewildered at one another. Each of them looking back to Twilight for some kind of explanation. "This, thing is not what he says he is. He is dangerous!" Twilight said as she pointed one of her hooves at Samael, while at the same time giving him a stern glare.

   "That's not true!" Dinky's voice rang out as she darted from behind several ponies from the crowd to come right up to Samael's side. she was followed quickly by Derpy who had tried her best to stop her daughter from getting involved, but Dinky's resolve proved to be to strong for her. "Sammy is the one who saved the girls from the cave in. He even helped my Mommy with mean Mister Nails." She looked up at Samael, who in turn was looking down at her. The two exchanged a sincere smile, though it was abruptly brought to an end as the warming moment was interrupted by Pestilence's nails on a chalk board like laugh.

   "Oh you truly must be joking," Pestilence said in between his vicious sounding whinnies. "This is what you plan to replace me with? This, this child thing?" Once more he tossed his head back, and let a wave of gut churning sounds come from his throat that made all those in attendance save for Samael recoil.

   "I didn't want to you know," Samael said in a soft voice, one that made Pestilence come to a quick silence. "I had chosen you to be my partner. One that I planed to keep with me forever, and beyond that." He paused for a moment, only to look at the face Pestilence was making. He sighed out as he could see that even in this form, the malice shown through so well. "It really is sad just how old you have become. You let it all go to your head, the knowledge, the power. It has turned you into a corrupted vision of what all the Denizens think me to be. I remember when your laugh didn't strike fear into the hearts of any living thing that heard it. I remember when you weren't so cruel. And I am sorry for letting you fall so far."

   "Enough!" Pestilence screamed at the top of his lungs causing many of the ponies to have to cover their ears from the sudden boom of sound that just assaulted them. "Don't you dare try to speak down to me! I am not corrupt, nor am I old. You are just soft! You have let yourself start to feel compassion, and remorse for the souls we have to take. You let their constant whines, pleas and tears sink into you like a disease. One that tainted what you truly were." Pestilence let out a low chuckle as his mouth twisted into a tooth bearing grin. "You're just an impotent spirit now. You stopped being Death a long time ago."

   A crowd wide gasp rang out as Pestilence revealed Samael's true nature to the gathered onlookers. Even the five mares behind him started to look at him in a new light. Applejack the most however, as she now began to realize, and understand the unexplainable feelings of dread she had to fight off from the first time they had met. "This true Sammy?" Applejack asked, stepping forward as a stone hard glare came over her face. "Are you what this here Pony says you to be?"

   "Oh indeed it is Applejack," Samael answered, not once removing his gaze from Pestilence. "I am that, I am Death itself. I have been such since the beginning of all things." He couldn't see them, but he could feel several of the ponies in the crowd start to shiver in place as they let the concept of what he was finally set into their minds. Some stronger ones even found the courage to slowly start to back away from the scene at hand. Using whatever willpower they could to grab onto loved ones and start to remove them from the gathering as well. Even Derpy tried to scoop up Dinky, but the little gold eyed filly was having none of it.

   "No!" Dinky shouted as she once again wrestled herself from Derpy's grip. "Okay look! It's true alright," she said moving to the middle of the still remaining ponies. "Sammy is what you would call Death I guess. But he has taught me so much in just a short time.. He doesn't want to hurt anypony, he never did. He was just doing what he was supposed to do so those of us still here could be happy. I know that sounds weird, but it's the truth." Dinky could see that she had their attentions. She could see that they were listening to her. There was just nothing else she could think of to say at that moment to really make them understand.

   "And besides," a voice came from behind the rest of the crowd, causing all to look in the direction the little voice came from to see; Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo come walking up towards Dinky. "I know we sure were in a pretty big mess down there in those caves," Apple Bloom continued as she gave Dinky a quick wink. "I don't rightly think we would be here now if it weren't Sammy helping us out and all."

   "Totally!" Scootaloo added in, placing her leg over Dinky's neck. "I mean it is pretty cool for some pony who barely knows any of us to go down into a dark dangerous cave to help out some stupid kids."

   "Risking life and limb to save the day!" Sweetie Belle sang out with a small crack in her voice, standing up on her hind legs, and throwing her front hooves over her head to accent her shout. The four fillies all gave each other a long smile before Dinky spoke up again.

   "So please everypony. Don't judge him because of what he is. I know my Mommy, and even many of the other Ponies I have looked up to," she said this while looking at the five Elements of Harmony, and the four Princesses still standing behind Pestilence. "Have taught me differently," she finished, looking over to Samael who gave her a simple nod.

      "You're right about one thing though," Samael said as he turned back around to look at Pestilence. " I am not who I used to be, not by a long shot. Maybe that's a good thing, maybe it's bad." His own smile turned from heart felt and warm, to cold and vindictive in a blink of an eye. "Maybe I have become just as old as you. Maybe, just maybe, it's time for both of us to see what lies beyond. To finally go, to That Place."

   This made Pestilence's eyes go wide as he snapped his head back towards the four Alicorns behind him. "Now, now, start casting it now!" he shouted making the Princesses jump in place before scrambling towards the table. Pestilence then tried to whip his head back to catch what Samael was planing on doing, but it was far to late for that. Before the sickly looking stallion could react, samael was standing just mere inches from him, all the while wearing a long gnarled grin. Samael's hand came forward, and grabbed a hold of Pestilence's head in a crushing grip. Pestilence cried out as he felt the icy fingers of his former friend dig into his skull with a strength that could only be obtained by something as ancient as Samael. Though Pestilence's own power proved strong enough to stop his head from being crushed like a melon right there, he was not anywhere near close enough in tune with those strengths to make Samael let go.

   Like a tornado playing with a single feather, Samael raised Pestilence high into the air while still keeping a solid grip on the stallion's head. Pestilence tried to do all he could to free himself from Death's unbreakable hold, but he found himself as helpless as a mouse in a steel trap. Samael then let out a single chuckle before driving Pestilence into the ground with as much might as he could without causing the planet shattering earthquake that would have occurred if he had put everything into it. However, it was enough to cause the ground to shake, and a large billow of dust and dirt to spew forth as Pestilence's limp body made contact with the ground.

   Many Ponies started to flee at the sudden out break of violence before them. Many went slack jawed at the Human's abundance of strength as they saw him pick up a full grown stallion effortlessly with one hand. It was something they were not meant to understand, nor should they. While in these forms, it looked as if it was a normal stallion fighting with a Human. In reality however, this was just two extensions of a greater force coming to a clash with one another. It was only those that looked on that could simply not comprehend the larger picture of the two entities thrusting themselves at one another at this moment. Their minds would be safer if they just allowed themselves to see the Human, the stallion, and nothing more than that.

   "Just another sign of you getting old my friend," Samael said with a laughing exhale. "They say the mind is the first thing to go, you start to forget things. This must be true, cause you obviously have forgotten just what I am, and who you are dealing with." Pestilence was about to say something against the words Samael had just spoken. He did not get the chance however as he felt Samael's foot make solid contact with his rib cage. He let out a pained gasp as he turned into a living rag doll, one that had now just achieved the power of flight. Samael, the Alicorns, even the town before him started to rush away in a blur as Pestilence realized that he was now soaring uncontrollably through the air. Being propelled by Samael's simple kick, and trying to forget about the massive amounts of pain that was coursing through his entire being now. He realized that Samael was trying to get him away from the town, and that was something he could not let happen.

   Another cry of pain came out as Pestilence finally hit the ground. More rock, and earth came with him as he finally skidded to a halt, leaving a pony sized scar in the terrain hundreds of yards long to show just how much force was behind him when he hit. He was quick to his hooves however, and tried to start a run that would bring him back to his starting location. He found himself incapable of moving, making him look back to see that Samael had moved to his back side, and now had a large handful of Pestilence's tail in his hand.

   "Going somewhere?" Samael asked with a long, and narrow smile. Once again Pestilence was about to say something, but all that came out was a panicked yelp as he felt himself being pulled backwards, and into the air. Samael threw Pestilence in a high arch over his head, only to bring him down to the ground with force equal to what he had used the first time he slammed him to the ground. This time however, he did not let go of him. Using the stallion's tail as a lever, Samael lifted him up into the same arching slam as before, driving him into the ground again on the opposite side. This continual punishment happened over and over again; Pestilence being brought high into the air over Samael's head, only to be driven back down in an explosion of dirt around them. Then Samael made the simple gesture of extending his arm fully, and letting go of Pestilence's tail.

   Pestilence once again found himself air born. Flying away from the last location of his current beating, and even being at such an angle to see Samael waving as the black clad man faded into the horizon. The speeding bullet that was Pestilence now found himself in a forest. He knew it was a forest from the first tree that he smashed through that offered no help in slowing him down. Another tree fell, then another, then several more, each one easily being taken down by his great speed. Even large boulders, and small to medium sized hills had to give way as he passed through them. Much to his relief, he finally came to a pain inducing thud into the ground again. He felt his consciousness starting to slip away, and he knew that was the last thing he wanted. If he slipped away now, Samael would have full reign over him. At least in this form, with what power he had, he could keep his opponent at bay.

   With a loud determined shout, Pestilence jumped up to his hooves again. This time however he looked quickly behind him to see if Samael was there to launch another surprise attack. He wasn't there though, and Pestilence knew all to well what that meant. Without looking the stallion lunged forth, extending his hoof outward in a blind punch in front of him. while he was correct on where Samael was going to be, the only thing his attack served was to give Samael something to grab onto. Pestilence screamed out as Samael took hold of his hoof, and tried to make a fist while crushing the pony's hoof in his palm. Out of sheer desperation, Pestilence kicked his back leg upwards. His hoof made solid contact right in between Samael's legs, landing squarely into his groin area.

   With a coughing exhale that wanted to be an actual shout, Samael had no choice but to release Pestilence's hoof as he doubled over in pain from being kicked in a place he was not very accustomed to feeling pain. This was all the opportunity that Pestilence needed to take advantage of the situation. With a flurry of wild blows, the lanky stallion turned his front hooves into a whirlwind of punches, kicks, and bashes that eventually overpowered Samael, driving him into the ground. He had to fight off the urge to gloat over his fallen mentor, as he knew all to well he was not down permanently. That's when Pestilence mustered all the power he could, and vanished into thin air as Samael let out a slow moan.

*****

      As soon as Princess Celestia saw Pestilence get kicked into the air, and Samael simply vanish in chase, she knew that she had to do something. With a determined glare in her eyes, she turned to her fellow princesses and gave a quick nod. "Come my Ponies. We are going to bring this to an end," she said as she went walking up to the table, her horn starting to glow as several of the objects were lifted from their resting positions. Following her older sisters example; Princess Luna did the same. This was in turn followed by Cadance, and Twilight Sparkle.

   "Wait!" The Alicorns heard as Dinky came running up to the group, followed quickly by Derpy, and even the other Elements of Harmony that ran up beside Twilight. Dinky was about to go into a long speech that she had planned out in her head on what to say to Celestia when she had arrived here. Now however, as the four great Ponies looked down on her, all she could do was just revert back to asking a question that would have come along with her age. "Umm, P-Princess? You aren't going to do anything to hurt Sammy are you?"

   "Hush child!" Luna snapped, making Dinky recoil away from the dark Princess. "These are not matters that concern you. The well being of that, menace will be seen soon enough." Luna was about to add her own magic to the spell being cast. However, Twilight could not ignore the silent glares she was getting from her five friends.

   "Luna, I'm sorry," Twilight said, making the Alicorn of the Moon give her an odd narrow eyed look. "But I know these Ponies. I know Derpy, and Dinky. I know that she is a good mom, and if Dinky is involved with this Sammy. We should listen to her." This made all of Twilight's friends give her a series of smiles. Even Applejack gave her a friendly nuzzle to show her approval.

   "I see," Princess Celestia said. Her eyes staring blankly at the table before her, and the assortment of knick knacks hovering in the air. She let out a long sigh, then let her magic fade as she gently placed each item back into the place it had started from before turning to look at the tiny wide eyed filly beneath her. "Very well. What is it you would like to say little pony?"

   "Well umm, I just. Oh wait!" Dinky quickly stopped talking, then bowed down in a very formal manner like she had seen many other Ponies do when in the presence of the Alicorn of the Sun. Dinky then opened one of her eyes, and looked over to her mother while at the same time giving a quick kick with her back hoof to her mom's flank to show that she wanted her to do the same.

   "Hmm? Oh!" Derpy shouted as she too bowed in the same fashion as her daughter was. Celestia tried not to smile, as she knew the situation at hand was one of dire importance. She just couldn't help herself in seeing the small Pony before her try to act accordingly to whatever royal law she may have heard of in passing. Then making her own mother do the same was something that the Sun Goddess could not ignore as absolute adorableness.

   "Yeah, so anyway," Dinky started while coming back to all fours. "I really don't know what to say except, you know, I'm sorry." This made all the Alicorns get confused looks on their muzzles, and even look to one another for some kind of an explanation.

   "Why are you apologizing?" Celestia asked with a raised eye ridge.

   "Well, I'm just sorry that you didn't meet Sammy the way I did. If you had, then maybe this wouldn't be going on. I am sorry you had to meet that mean sounding Pony first." The little filly looked down at the ground for a moment while at the same time kicking at the ground with her hoof. "I know it's not nice to call somepony mean if you don't know them. But it's just, Sammy never asked any of us to attack any pony before. And it just kinda seems like that's what this guy is asking you to do." This caused a long silence to wash over the group. Each Alicorn getting more, and more frustrated at the realization that they had been manipulated.

   "I, I think we have made a terrible mistake!" Cadance said, being the first to break the silence.

   "I think so too," Twilight added, stepping up to her sister in law's side. Celestia looked at the two younger princesses, taking note of the determination that was now all to present on their faces. She then turned to look at her sibling, Luna, who too had a look of deep contemplation in her eyes. Luna looked as if she was about to speak, though instead she just gave Celestia a long nod.

   "Very well," Celestia said bringing the some what silent debate to a close. "It seems that we have been unfortunate, and blinded enough to choose the wrong ally. It is a mistake I take full responsibility for, and one I plan to remedy!" Each of the Alicorns, and all the other Ponies in the group got a refreshed smile on their muzzles as they all felt now banded together for a single purpose.

      With a primal yell that shook the very ground, Pestilence appeared directly in front of the plotting group of Ponies. This unearthly sound startled them to be sure, but it wasn't enough to make them give away ground on the new found purpose of helping Samael remove this creature from their lands. "You useless, pathetic mortals!" Pestilence shouted as he saw the Alicorns not working on the spell that he had instructed them to cast while he was being beaten half to death by Samael. "How dare you defy me!"

   "We are not your puppets Pestilence!" Celestia yelled as her horn became a blinding flare of light, and her wings extended to their full length.

   "We are the true rulers of this land cur!" Luna said, stepping up to her sister's side with her horn and wings mimicking the Sun Alicorn's actions. Following quickly behind Luna, and taking their place at each of the Moon Goddess's side; Twilight, and Cadance, each of them showing the same amount of anger and determination.

   "Now villain!" Celestia shouted, rearing up on her back legs. "Begone!" With these words, all four of the Princesses horns came to life with mind bending powers that seemed to warp the very fabric of the air they touched. All the Ponies that could stand to keep their eyes open at the display were stuck in awe at the four fold explosion of god like power that birthed itself at Pestilence's location. The essence of the Sun; the Moon, the power of Love, and the unbridled potency of Magic all came together in a swirling amalgam of unstoppable force that tore the area it spawned in asunder with ease. The Princesses all at once let their attack spells come to a halt, each one letting out long huffs from the expenditure of strength.

   After the effects died down, the only thing left in its wake was barren earth, and a crater that would make one think a meteor had just crashed. A satisfied smile came over Celestia's lips as she looked over the scene, seeing that Pestilence was no where to be seen. She could have only hoped that their spells resulted in triumph, and that he was very much gone. This sense of hope was dashed quickly however, as the sound of that infectious, and insidious laugh started to fill the air around them.

   "Godling magic," Pestilence said as he reappeared just on the outer edge of the epicenter of the Alicorn's attack. "Do not make me laugh." He then gave out a quick snort at the expressions of surprise and fear that had now rolled onto each of the Princesses faces. The sickly looking stallion gave out a quick exhale, as if he was trying to blow a tiny insect out from his face. The result of this was each of the Alicorns being hit by an unfathomable straight wind. Each of them let out a shocked scream as they were tossed like weightless dolls backwards yards away from where they were standing. Hitting the ground with a pained grunt. Each Princess was quick back up to her hooves, taking up a strong defensive stance to prepare themselves for the next assault; one launched either by them, or their enemy.

   "Leave them alone!" Dinky cried out as she started running in a dead flash towards the smirking pony who just let a long, and very malicious grin creep over his muzzle. Dinky got right up underneath Pestilence, and with all her might, jumped up with her front leg fully extended. Her little attack had all the power that a filly her size would allow, and caught her target perfectly right in his chest. The effect she was hoping for however did not occur, as Pestilence just stood there, looking down at the little purple foal. Dinky suddenly felt herself being grabbed a hold of, and lifted off the ground to where she was brought eye to eye with the now cackling Pestilence.

   "How very adorable," he laughed out in Dinky's face. "And very stupid. Here little thing, allow me to show just a taste of the power you thought you were going to obtain." Right after his words were spoken, Dinky let out a cry of pain as she felt her whole body being squeezed by a giant unseen, and all surrounding force. Pestilence was all to much taking pleasure in the cries of the little filly that would be his replacement. However, his personal delight was brought to a quick halt as he heard an enraged growl come from the distance. He turned his head just in time to see a pure grey cock eyed pegasus come flying at him.

   Derpy used everything she had in her, and plowed herself into the offending pony, committing herself to a full blown head butt into Pestilence's skull. The sheer force of the mare's attack knocked Pestilence into a daze strong enough that his attention on Dinky was abruptly stopped, and she was dropped to the ground. Derpy not letting the pain of her barrage affect her placed each of her front hooves into each other, lifting them high over her head, then throwing herself into him once again. "Don't," she yelled as her hooves came into solid contact with his snout. "You," she yelled again, this time bringing her hooves up to catch him right under the chin. "Ever," she continued, this time letting her back leg swing wide to make contact directly into Pestilence's head. "Touch," she shouted as she lept high into the air, and came down onto the back of his neck, driving him to the ground. "Her," she now screamed while she landed, and drove her hoof directly into the side of his now prone head. "Again!" One last hoof pound did the defending mother deliver into the foul creature that just made her child cry out in agony.

   Derpy stood triumphant over the cruel stallion that dared attack her foal. Her face contorted with a rage that she had never felt before, and her chest heaving from the massive amount of energy she just unleashed. Her face then suddenly shifted to shock as she saw Pestilence's eyes pop open. He lifted only his head, then let out a roar that nothing on this world would have the vocabulary, or mental state to describe. Derpy knew all to well that this was her queue to leave, so she lept backwards, while turning just in time to scoop up Dinky in her hooves. It was then, Derpy suddenly felt her body become wracked with pain she had never had the displeasure of feeling. She let out a tear filled cry as she felt herself being thrown mercilessly to the ground, but never once letting go of Dinky as she rolled to a stop.

   "Get used to that sound you little spec of worthlessness!" Pestilence growled out in a voice that seemed to have hundreds of other tormented screams hidden within its under tones. "After I am done with all of you. It will be the only thing you know." A sinister dark glow started to appear around the stallion's body now, and all those watching in horror could start to feel every fear they had ever dreamed of start to rise to the surface of their being. All but The Elements of Harmony who forced themselves through their own drowning feelings of dread, and jumped with threatening whinnies in front of Dinky and Derpy. Pestilence just let out a laugh, and was about to unleash an attack that would have been the end of all of them. He had to stop however, as he saw a look of both surprise, and relief come to their muzzles. He knew all to well who was behind him now, and as quickly as he tried to defend himself, he felt Samael's arm come around his neck like a crushing steel press. He was quickly yanked upwards, to where he was forced to stand on his hind legs, as every last bit of air was crushed from his body.

      "Whatever chance of redemption you may have had. I swear to you it has all just been washed away," Samael said in a voice much like the one Pestilence had just used to threaten the Ponies before hand. "Now you suffer!" Samael placed his hand on Pestilence's back. It was a simple action to those not knowing what was about to occur, but the soundless scream that Pestilence tried to emit showed that it's effects were unknown, but devastating none the less. Samael then started to slowly pull his hand away; what followed was the start of a dark, and thrashing energy, one that seemed to make Pestilence preform the same actions, trying desperately to free himself from the fate he was about to be given. "Not since the earliest of times have I 'Reaped' a soul," Samael spoke as he pulled his hand further, and further away. "I will enjoy casting you into eternal torment. I will laugh as you writhe in agony for the rest of existence, and beyond that. Among all the tortured souls that dwell with you. Each will take comfort in knowing that they do not suffer as you. Your screams of hellish torture, and pleas for forgiveness and release will drown out all those along side you."

   Pestilence felt it, he felt himself being removed slowly from this plane that he had existed in for countless eons. His former friend, and mentor was personally pulling his soul out from the balance, and placing it in the one place where the most evil of things dwell when they have been dealt with. He knew he could not move, as while it looked as if Samael was just holding him in place with just one arm; he knew all to well that what stopped him from moving was a power even greater than all the knowledge, and ancient wisdoms he had accumulated through out his being. He would not let this come to pass; he could not. With one last expenditure of strength, he called out to the one object that could give him any chance of being saved.

   Suddenly, the small metal flask on the table came to life. It sprung into the air, and zipped towards Pestilence with blinding speed. As soon as the small, mundane looking object came into contact with Pestilences heaving chest, a massive white explosion occurred. Both Samael, and Pestilence were tossed from one another; each one hitting the ground with pained exhales. Pestilence knew he could not allow a moment of rest to take place after being given this second chance. He jumped to his hooves, and located Samael who was just as quickly coming up to his feet. The flask was risen up into the air again, then was brought to where Pestilence was standing.

   Samael looked at the flask, then to Pestilence, and he knew all to well what was contained in the everyday looking item. "Life," he mumbled to himself as he snapped his head towards the Alicorns who were looking on in both shock, and awe.

   "I'm, I'm sorry," Celestia said in a whimper. "We, I didn't know. Please forgive us." Her plea was as heart felt as she could make it, and she was some what pleased when Samael just gave her a quick smile while shaking his head.

   "I am the one who should be sorry Sun Goddess. When we first met, I acted a fool. Even in my eternal pompousness did I think I could bring such troubles here. You have my apologizes." His attention was now brought back to Pestilence, who was now fully regaining his faculties. "Well Pest," he said with a laugh at the old nickname, now being used as an insult. You gathered the items I see. Just what were you planning on doing with them?"

   "Destroy you!" Pestilence cried out with a cough. "This right here is all I need. The spell I was going to have those pathetic Godlings cast was just to assure that I obtained all your power once you were gone."

   "Well then," Samael said as he lifted his arms to his side as a gesture for Pestilence to release his magic. 'You have one shot Old Steed of mine. Do you think for one second you have what it takes to destroy Death itself?"

   "Oh, I think we have already made clear you are not Death anymore," Pestilence said with a cruel sudden laugh. His head turned, followed by his eyes that were set in a dead glare at Dinky. Once more he let out his ear shattering scream, as the top of the flask was torn away. With the magic of the flask released, a brilliant white beam of energy came rushing forth, its target was the small filly who just went wide eyed as the speeding bolt raced towards her with threats to crush everything she was.

   Samael clinched his teeth as hard as he could to not scream out in the Ponies faces as he appeared right in front of Dinky. His arms wrapped around her, and his coat draped over her tiny body to further extend his protection. For a moment, Dinky thought all was well, but all she had to do was look behind Samael to see the long silvery beam of energy impaled deeply into his back. The energy finished its purpose, driving itself completely into Samael's body. He winched out in pain as his being took in the attack, making his whole body shimmer in the same color for a moment, then fade away. After this, his strength left him, and he fell to his hands and knees with a loud grunt.

   "Sammy!" Dinky cried out, tears already forming in her eyes from seeing what he had just done for her. She jumped up to her back legs, and wrapped herself around him in a tight embrace. Placing her head on his shoulders, she could see behind him, and see Pestilence now starting a slow walk towards the pair.

   "Now, where were we?" Pestilence said with a low foreboding chuckle. "Oh yes, your long, slow, and very painful destruction!" This made Dinky just squeeze her eyes tight, as she tried to think of anything that she could do to stop this from happening.

*****

      "Open your eyes D." This was the voice that Dinky heard. A soft and smiling command that made her golden eyes pop open, then widen in astonishment at what she saw. She was in a place of an ever expanding nothingness. There were no lights, no sounds save for her own breathing. Yet, she could see perfectly, and with a growing smile, she saw Samael looking down at her.

   "Oh Sammy!" she cried out as she leaped into his body, wrapping her front hooves around his waist in a strong, and powerful embrace. "I, I didn't know what to do! You fell to the ground. Then that mean Pony started talking. What happened?" Samael just let out a quiet laugh as he gently stepped away from her, and pushed up his glasses with his fingers.

   "I think we have a friend of mine to thank for that," Samael said as he made a nodding gesture with his head. Dinky turned around quickly, and saw a man that looked somewhat like Samael . His face was thin it its features, but his skin was soft, and full of life. He had bright blue eyes, and a full head of almost white blonde hair that was long enough to reach down to the middle of his back; though it was pulled completely back in a smooth pony tail. His suit was completely identical to what Samael wore, but his colors were of absolute white, with just a few highlights of light grey.

   "Who, who are you?" the filly asked with a tone of wonder. "Are you are a Human?" This made the two laugh out, as Samael reached down, and patted her on the head.

   "Well, he looks like one. Like me, he has many names. Now I call him 'Sore Loser' a lot. But you should probably just call him The First One. At least for starters." Samael then looked to The First One, and gave him a smile. "You helped us. Thank you."

   "Well with you down there breaking every rule in the book. Pestilence is using ancient procedures that should never be viewed by any mortal thing ever. I thought; 'Well, I might as well throw my hat into the ring too.' "

   "Umm, Sammy," Dinky interrupted. "Where are we exactly?" This made Samael, and The First One exchange a look, and a smile with each other before Samael knelt done to one knee to look Dinky in the eyes.

   "This place? Well, it's the beginning, it's the end. It's everything, and nothing. It's here, it's there, it's everywhere. And it is all these things all at the same time. This is a very special place that exists in between every place else. It was here even before Him and I. It will be here long after we are all gone." He paused for only a moment, looking up to The First One who just gave a small nod. "Now in this place, something very special exists. Something that is only here, and no where else." With that, he made a gesture by extending his arm outwards to where a single pillar of light shown down on a simple looking, glowing board.

   "What's that?" Dinky asked as she felt herself compelled to walk over to the hovering board. Upon reaching it, she saw the lines of color flowing through the top, and the many pieces that were moving seemingly by their own accord.

   "A game," Samael said as he joined the Pony's side. "But this game is like no other. It looks simple at first, but when you start to play you will realize that the things that happen here will reflect in all aspects of everything that ever was, is, or even will be. And not just in this Universe, but in ones already gone, and even the ones not yet born." Dinky blinked several times as what Samael was telling her tried to sink into her mind.

   "That's umm, pretty intense Sammy," she said, thinking that was the only thing she could say to express her thoughts on the matter.

   "Now," Samael continued. "This game doesn't have a lot of rules. What you have to understand is that you are not the player. You are not controlling the pieces themselves. You are only reacting to the choices they make within their own existences, and personal perceptions. What the real neat thing is about this game is: you cannot ever break the rules. The pieces can never be controlled. But you can kinda bend the rules, just a little bit. In doing so, you will set about a series of events and consequences that may take billions of years to come to pass. Or instantly," he shrugged at this last part, speaking as if it was just something to be passed over.

   Samael then let out a rather sad sigh, while at the same time lowering to both his knees, and taking the side of Dinky's head into both his hands. "Now listen D. I really wanted to be here and teach you how to play. But certain circumstances will stop me from doing that. So just take this advice: it is all about the heart you have, and pure common sense. You have both of those in abundance." Dinky's eyes immediately started to well up, and then a strong stream of tears started to flow down both her cheeks.

   "You have to leave now huh?" she said in a wobbling voice. "It's because of what you did for me in the cave. And stopping that Pestilence from hitting me with that magic. You have to leave because of that."

   "The balance has to be maintained. At all costs, you have to remember that Dinky." He then gave her a long smile, and opened up his arms as an invite to receive one of her hugs. It was something she could not do fast enough. Throwing herself into his chest, her front legs wrapped around as tightly as they could on his back, while placing her head hard onto his shoulder.

   "I love you Sammy!" she cried out, not once trying to stop the ever flowing tears from cascading down her face, and onto his suit.

   "I love you too kid," Samael said with a small laugh as he wrapped his arms around the tiny fillies back, squeezing her tight into him. "Remember D, you are everything I am, but you are everything you are as well. Be better than me."

   "Sammy?" Dinky said as she felt herself fall down to all fours once more. She painfully opened her eyes to see that what she suspected was true, he was gone; vanished away. For a few short moments, she let her self start to weep silently. Long tears falling from her muzzle to drift away into the void she now dwelled in.

   "Dinky," The First One said in a soft tone, making the filly open her eyes to see him standing at one side of the board. He pointed an open palm to the other side of the board, suggesting that she take her place at the opposing side.

   "Call me D please," She said as she took in a deep inhale, walking over to the side of the board, getting ready to accept the responsibilities it would now impose on her.

   "Very well," The First One said. "Now D. Do you see?" The question he asked seemed very vague to her at first, but as she looked down at the board, she could suddenly start to feel an overflowing feeling of understanding. The board expanded in her mind. It became any thought she let come to the top of her being. Every action that was taking place anywhere in all of Creation was suddenly hers to comprehend, manipulate, and foresee as she saw fit.

   "This is a very, very special day D," The First One said as the board started to shift its form, and several new pieces appeared suddenly onto its surface. "This is something that even I did not know would happen. A brand new player has stepped up to the game. So, I would like to celebrate this momentous occasion, by letting you make the first move. Now this move is very special, as it can be anything you want."

   "Anything?" Dinky asked as her glossy eyes got a kind of happiness to them.

   "Well," The First One quickly said in a calm panic. Realizing that he should not have just told a child she could change all of Creation in anyway she wanted. "Let's just try to keep things in check shall we? But, I don't see why a few rules can be twisted, just for a little while." He then got a long smile, and extended his hand once more towards the board. "Your move."

   Dinky got a very serious look on her muzzle as her eyes narrowed. She looked down at the board, all the pieces waiting for her actions, and what they would alter within the Universes they controlled. The look then became much less serious as her eyes began to dart from side to side, and her tongue suddenly popped out of the side of her mouth to show her intense concentration. Her horn began to softly glow, and one of the pieces slid around the board, following one of the prismatic lines.

   "Oh?" The First One said, placing his hand up to his chin. "That's very risky, but interesting as well. I like it. Let's see how it plays out shall we?"

*****

      "Now, where were we?" Pestilence said with a low foreboding chuckle. "Oh yes, your long-" He suddenly had to stop dead in his tracks, as his threat came to an abrupt halt. His eyes raced all over the scene in front of him. His head became a swivel, looking all around him in a complete circle. "Where are they!" he screamed, his demand directed at the remaining ponies, as Dinky, and Samael were now no where to be seen. "Answer me!" he commanded, pointing his attention now to Princess Celestia who just lowered her head, pointing her horn at him.

   "Right here Pestilence!" Dinky shouted, appearing mere feet behind him. This made the stallion spin on his hooves, and look at the purple pony who was giving him a rather intense glare. At first he started to smile, but the gesture turned into a straight lipped look of understanding as he gave the little filly a good looking over.

   "I see," Pestilence said with a low somber tone. "Went to that place did he? Well, I am just sorry I didn't get to watch him fade away. I am sure it would have been exhilarating."

   "Dinky!" Derpy yelled, she forced herself into a limping run to try to get to her daughter. Her actions were blocked though. Applejack, and Pinkie Pie were quick to hold her back as a way so that she would not get into Pestilence's line of sight, and get hurt worse than she already was. "Dinky, get away, run!"

   "Child, heed your mother's pleas! Flee from this place. Let us deal with this foul devil!" Luna shouted as she too tried to persuade Dinky to seek a safe haven.

   "Oh Dinky is it?" Pestilence said with a snide half grin on his lips. "Are you Dinky? Are you going to run and hide, sit back and watch me crush everything you hold dear?"

   "Call me D," the little filly said with a smooth voice, using her own smile to mock the one Pestilence was showing her. "And I will have you know it doesn't stand for Dinky. At least not anymore. Honestly, now that I think about it, I don't think it ever did." This made her smile grow to a more pleasant one. She thought back to when Samael first called her D, and now, it really did seem he knew why he picked that one letter to address her by. "Oh and to answer your question. No, I do not think I will just watch you crush anything at all."

   "Really?" Pestilence said with a blood curdling laugh. "And I suppose you and all that new found power that should rightfully be mine is going to stop me?"

   "Yes," D said in such a way it made Pestilence stop laughing all together.

   "Well very well little D. After I dispose of you. I will take my place where I should have been since the beginning!"

   "Then come. Let me take you to your fate," D said rising up onto her back legs, and holding out her front legs as if to accept him in an embrace.

   "Don't act so sure you little wretch!" Pestilence said as he turned into a flash. He raced towards her with all intentions of completely annihilating her where she stood. Every Pony there could only watch in horror as they saw the tiny little filly just close her eyes, and wait for the speeding stallion to collide with her.

   "No!" Derpy cried out as she shook off Applejack and Pinkie Pie. She took to the air as fast as she could, racing desperately to get to her foal before that evil creature could. She was to late however, she skidded onto the ground and let out a tear filled cry as she saw Pestilence smash into her daughter. Then, in a mere blink of an eye, both were gone.

*****

      On the same mountain top where Samael First took Dinky; Pestilence, and D stood. The clenched toothed, and heaving stallion looked around to survey his surroundings. He did not recognize where he was, but he did not care either. For it was soon after did he realize that he could not move, save for his head. That's when he noticed that the little filly that he had just tried to run down, was latched securely against his chest. Her front legs were wrapped tightly up onto his shoulders, as her head was snuggled into his coat.

   "What, what do you think you are doing?" Pestilence said with a shaken, and confused tone. "Let me go this instant!"

   "Shhh," D whispered out, only pulling herself harder into the embrace she had him in. The two just stood there in silence for long minutes, the high mountain winds whipping through their manes and tails. Knocking up long clouds of snow that drifted away into the horizon. Pestilence had no idea what this was all about, he just was using this quiet time to try to muster enough energy to break free from the hold he was in. "I bet it was hard huh?" D said, finally breaking the silence.

   "What are you talking about?" Pestilence snapped out, truly wondering what it was she was getting on about.

   "You know, you and Sammy. It must have been hard having to go what you two went through. I bet you two had lots of fun adventures together." After saying this, the little unicorn looked up and gave him a long closed eyed smile.

   "You haven't a single clue what we went through together!" he snapped again. Though he noticed that his harsh voice no longer had the effect on her like it did before. All she did was just stare up at him blankly, letting her massive golden eyes let him know that she wanted to know more. "Fine!" he shouted, once more trying to get a rise out of her, but in some way yielding to her unspoken request. "Yes, many grand deeds did we do together. we traveled to places that even the most divine mind could not begin to comprehend. We learned every secret of every Universe, keeping them in our pockets like trinkets. Every Denizen, every creature, mortal or God was ours to know and manipulate as we saw fit!"

   "That sounds pretty intense. What happened next?" The child like charm in her voice was palpable to say the least. Though in a way, it seemed to be getting through to this opponent of hers.

   "What do you think happened? He became soft, weak! We had opportunities to rule anything that we saw. I tried to explain it to him, but he just wouldn't understand!"

   "You think it was Sammy that changed?" she asked with a slight head turn.

   "Of course it was!" he snapped, giving her an accusing glare before letting out a frustrated sigh. "He couldn't see how things in creation worked like I could. All he saw was the duty of what it was he was, and that cursed balance. Him and that First One were just so content on just going on day after day, life after life, eternity after eternity. Never once wanting to know what else there was out there. Never wanting to see what else might have been if just one small thing might have changed."

   "So it was them that changed?" She asked as her eye ridges dropped a little with a smirk forming on her muzzle.

   "Well it definitely wasn't me!" he laughed out. "I didn't change, I wasn't the one that just sat there for countless ages watching that dumb board go through its motions over, and over, and over again."

   "Sounds to me like you got bored," she said, and then realized what she said as she noticed Pestilence giving her a contorted look of annoyance. "No pun intended," she added with a smile.

   "What are you getting at child?" Pestilence asked in a much calmer tone than what she was used to hearing.

   "Well, I mean, it just sounds like you weren't very happy with what you were doing anymore. And you just kinda started seeing all the bad things in your life. You couldn't change them, not the way you wanted to. And that made you angry."

   "Oh I see now what you are doing," the stallion said, then let out an amused chuckle. "That is clever, you are trying to get me to pass over aren't you?" The laugh he was using slowly started to turn back into the nightmarish sounds that she was trying to avoid. She knew at that point she had to try as hard as she could to make him see just what it was he had become.

   "Were you ever like me?" she asked, making him slap his mouth shut with an abrupt silence. "I mean not like me, me, not a Pony. But were you ever just a-"

   "Mortal?" Pestilence finished, who now had a morbid curiosity on what she was driving at. "Yes, I was mortal once, there were only ever two entities like The First One, and The Second One."

   "That's kinda neat." she said with the largest smile she could put on her tiny muzzle. "What's your name?"

   "My name?" Pestilence repeated. He tried to think on the subject for a moment, but D blocked his train of thought.

   "Yeah you know, your name. What was your name before Sammy showed up? You know your name don't you?"

   "Of course I do!" He snapped down at her. "It has just been so long. I know I still know it." He hadn't noticed yet, but D had let him go now. She was standing on all of her hooves, and was just looking up at him with large unblinking eyes.

   "What race were you?" she asked, making the gears in his mind turn even faster now. "What was your mother's name? Who was your father? What was your world called? Friends, brothers, sisters? Were you a boy, a girl?" Once again, he did not take notice of the fact that with every question that she asked him, she took a step forward, while he took a step backwards. Soon, he found himself on the edge of a cliff, where he had no choice but to stop and fight for what little ground he had left.

   "I don't know!" he cried out. A sudden, forlorn and defeated look came over his muzzle now, as he just slumped down on to his haunches. "I don't know," he whispered to himself as he raised his front hooves off the ground, and looked at them with his cold, and sunken in eyes.

   "Hrm," D moaned out as one side of her mouth twisted upwards. "I'm not very old or anything. But I would kinda think it would be hard to tell if somepony else had changed, if I didn't know who I was to begin with." The pair once again sat in silence for a few long moments, and it was finally Pestilence that broke it by letting out a long sigh.

   "I, I want to know who I was again. I want to remember why it was The Second One picked me to be his companion. I think we were friends once, a long time ago. At least I think I was." D let a smile come over her face as she looked up into his deep eyes, and saw a single tear start to form. "Oh no," he continued as that one tear was pushed down to his cheek. "I don't think I would have done these things before. I think I have done something terribly wrong. Where's The Second One? Where's my friend? I need him here now."

   "Shh," D said in a comforting tone as she stood up once again, and leaned into Pestilence to give him another long hug. "He's gone now," she whispered. "He is far away, but if you want, I can let you go see him. I am sure you two will have lots to talk about. All you have to do, is let me tell you your name." After saying this to him, it did not take Pestilence long to give her a simple nod.

   "Please, tell me my name," he said as he lowered his head to strengthen the embrace they were now sharing. D clinched her front legs around him tighter, as she leaned up and placed her lips as close as she could to his ear. She mumbled a small word to him, one that made him just take in a long inhale, then smile at what he heard.

   A long cold wind blew over the mountain top, and D found herself standing on the cliff now, alone. "They're not all going to be easy," she said to herself as she looked into the far distance, watching the snow drifts from the ever expanding mountains mingle effortlessly into the clouds that formed a flowing sea of white and silver. "You were wrong about that Sammy," she whispered out to the mountains and clouds. She did let a smile grow on her muzzle however, as she came to realize something that Samael probably did not want to tell her. "None of them are going to be easy." A sharp wind blew over the mountain top again, though now no one was there to feel it, as D, had vanished away.

Epilogue: The New Steed

      In a long, expanding and endless void, two figures sat. The First One let out a sigh as his shapeless form tapped the piece he had been holding for what seemed like forever now onto the board's face. It appeared like he was going to finally place the piece down, but then quickly lifted it back up again, letting another long sigh come from his area. He then heard a voice being cleared, and he looked over at his opponent who was standing there patiently. She was a tall, elegant looking mare. Her coat was a fine light purple that even in this matterless place, seemed to shimmer with a light that could not be seen. Her mane and tail were long and flowing, simple wavy patterns coursing through out. Her most striking feature were those two oval shaped golden eyes that stared at him unrelentingly, though some of the thick locks of her mane had fallen to cover one up.

   "Want some advice?" D asked with a mocking giggle.

   "I am fine thank you," The First One said as he finally placed the piece down to the board. It quickly changed it's shape, causing several other pieces to form beside it, as the board's swirling lines of color brightened for a moment, then died down.

   "Oh? That was the move that you took so long to make?" D sighed out with a tone that would suggest she was disappointed.

   "And just what was wrong with it?" The First One demanded.

   "Hmm, nothing really. I just thought you were going to do something that was, you know, challenging." With that, her horn started to glow, and her piece swooped down to the board where it took hold to the face of it with a loud clank. The piece that The First One had just played suddenly changed its color, and many of the other pieces on his side simply turned to dust, and fell away. The board then came to life, changing its shape and colors as many new pieces presented themselves. "Heh," D taunted while leaning back a little to look over in The First One's direction.

   "It was to be expected," The First One said, trying very hard to hide the frustration of seeing all his planning, and strategy get wiped away so quickly.

   "Uh huh, I would say that to if I had lost like that," D laughed out. This made The First One chuckle briefly before making a quick move on the board.

   "You are harsh, cold, and merciless Mistress D," he said as she quickly countered his move with one of her own.

   "Hmm, perhaps you are just getting old," she said with a smile, but doing little to hide the serious tone.

   "Gunning for my job eh?" he asked, playing along with her sense of humor.

   "Perhaps," she answered, now letting out another giggle that betrayed her serious voice. "I do have some nice ideas that would make things run much smoother."

   "I am sure you do, I am sure you do indeed. But, you know, before you go and start turning all of Creation into your play thing. Perhaps you should learn to watch your defenses." One of The First One's pieces quickly raced itself across the board, placing itself next to D's pieces. Some of her pieces changed their shape dramatically, other's changed color. A couple even caught on fire, and were removed from the board entirely.

   "Hey!" the mare shouted as she leaned forward to look over what had just happened.

   "What?" The First One asked in a tone that would suggest he was being accused of something.

   "You cheated!"

   "I most certainly did not!"

   "Yes you did! You made the blue thingy race over and take out this red thingy that made that color line turn yellow. You can't do that unless you have four or more of the other purple thingys on your side!" The First One started to laugh at what she was doing, as it was a tactic she had used ever since she was a child. More often than not, she would make up rules, simplifying the board to a mere party game that had a very specific way to be played. It was something that he did not like to admit actually worked more than once, but he was quick to catch it this time.

   "Yeah well, deal with it missy," he sighed out. This made her take in a shocked gasp, her horn coming to life in a bright flare.

   "Well I never!" she scoffed as now several of her pieces grew in size, and surrounded the piece he had just placed. After her moved finished, the two couldn't help but share a laugh with each other at the playful competitive antics. Each made a few more moves in silence, before D stepped away from the board.

   "It's that time I guess?" The First One asked as she just started to walk away into the never ending darkness of the void around them.

   "Yeah," she said in response. "I'll be back later though."

   "Take your time," he said as he looked over, and watched her vanish away.

*****

      The gryphon doctor who sat at the bedside slowly stroked her beak. She then leaned back, and placed the stethoscope back in her traveling bag before placing her claw on the old pony's head that lay in the bed. The ancient looking mare gave her doctor a long smile, simply nodding at her, letting her know that it was all right to leave now.

   "Is great Grandma Derpy going to be okay Doctor?" a small light grey filly asked the gryphon as she gathered her things.

   "She is very old little one." The Doctor replied, looking over to the fillies parents who both had a steady flow of tears coming from their eyes.

   "Very old?" Derpy said in a strained voice. "I'm so old Princess Celestia has to call me ma'am." The old pegasus let out a single laugh, one that turned into a violent cough.

   "Hush now Grandma!" The mare standing next to the filly demanded with a sad smile. "You have to conserve your strength as much as you can."

   "Can't conserve what you don't have. Now can you?" This was supposed to be a joke on Derpy's part, but her attempt to lighten the mood just seemed to make the ones in her room get sadder. "Meh, you kids today don't know what's funny anyhow."

   "Do you need anything Mom?" An older looking stallion said as he walked up to the bedside, taking his mother's hoof into his own, and giving it a light squeeze.

   "You can take these no laughing stone faces down to the kitchen and teach them how to make some decent tea." Derpy said as she waved her other hoof that wasn't being held.

   "You sure?" the stallion asked, making Derpy just wave harder. With that, the elder son of Derpy gathered his daughter, her husband, and their filly. He then proceeded to hustle them out the door, each one giving one last look before they vanished into the hallway.

   "You too Doctor." Derpy said at the gryphon. "I'm tired of giving you my bits anyhow." The doctor just gave a smile and a quick laugh while swallowing down the emotional response she wanted to give. With a deep inhale, she nodded her head at her long time patient, then raced out the door before she completely lost the losing battle with the tears in her eyes.

   Derpy was alone now, her head rolled from side to side, looking at all the items that adorned her room's shelves and walls. Countless pictures, knick knacks and other things she had sentimental value for. It was a calendar on the wall that made her stop looking however. It showed the month that they were in, and on it, just two weeks prior, was a red circled date that marked her very last birthday. "Two hundred, and fifty two years," the pegasus said to herself.

   "That's a long time," D said, standing next to Derpy's bed. Hearing this voice just made Derpy close her eyes, and let a smile cross over her aged muzzle.

   "It is that my dear," the elder Pony said as she slowly rolled her head to look at the purple mare standing before her now. "Oh, look how beautiful you are Dinky. You've grown so much." D couldn't help but let out a small laugh at her mother's doting. "Did you see your brother?" Derpy asked as she reached up and started to stroke her daughter's face.

   "I saw him yes," D responded, pushing her face a little harder to her mother's touch. "I do not think I will be able to say hi though. Busy you know. Plus, he has kinda never met me."

   "Oh that don't mean nothing," Derpy scolded lightly. "Besides, I have told him all about you." Derpy then got a serious look on her wrinkled face. "Dinky, listen to me. Now I know why you are here, and I am glad you have come. But when I am gone, I want you to remember you still have family here. Don't you ever forget who you are, where you came from. I know that fellow from way back when called you D, and I know you like it and all, But your name is Dinky Hooves. Don't you ever forget that name."

   "I promise Mother," D said with a smile.

   "Good, now you come down here, and give your old mommy a hug," Derpy held up both her front legs, and motioned with her hooves for D to come closer. D was only to happy to oblige as she leaned down, and let her mother wrap her hooves around her neck.

   A sound of a cart could be heard being pushed down the hall. Derpy's son came into the door way maneuvering the cart so that it came into the room. "Okay so I brought you some of that honey you liked. Do you want sugar Mom?" The lack of an answer made him turn to look at his mother's bed, where he saw her laying as still as possible, her eyes were still open, but unmoving, and unblinking, as a long, and happy looking smile was stretched over her muzzle.

*****

       A group of three larger colts surrounded a much smaller one. The singled out one had a deep dirty brown coat, and a long black mane that accented his reddish eyes. "Come on Rocky!" the larger of the group said as he took a step forward. "Hand over the bits!"

   "I don't have any bits!" the one called Rocky said as he too stepped towards the bigger colt. "And even if I did. I sure wouldn't give them to you anyway! And don't call me Rocky, only my mom got to call me that."

   "Yeah well your mom isn't here is she?" one of the other colts said with a loud snicker.

   "Shut up!" Rocky cried out as he made a flinching move towards the one that just spoke.

   "Hey, what about this thing?" the last of the colts said as he reached over and snagged a small globe from Rocky's worn out looking saddle bag. "I bet this is worth some bits."

   "Hey give it back!" Rocky shouted as he tried to make a quick grab at his stolen possession. His attempt was blocked however, as the colt holding it tossed it over to his buddy, making Rocky change his direction to try once more to get the globe back. Once again the learning toy was tossed into the air to the larger of the three, who stood up on his hind legs, with the globe being held high over his head. Rocky tried his best to jump up and grab the globe, but his small stature made it very much impossible to do so. "I said give it back!" Rocky screamed as now instead of jumping, he thrust his front hoof deep into the bullies stomach.

   The larger colt let out a pained gasp as he doubled over, the globe however was let loose, and came crashing to the ground, shattering into several pieces as it hit. Rocky stopped paying attention to the three colts, and just looked at the still rolling pieces on the ground with a both saddened, and enraged look on his face. He then felt himself being pulled by his tail, as the larger of the three had recovered, and used his size and strength to put the smaller Earth Pony up against the wall.

   "You're going to pay for that!" The largest of the three said as he raised his hoof into the air with intentions of punching Rocky square in the jaw. Something made them stop however, and Rocky got a confused look on his face as he saw all three of the colts faces contort from ones of malice and anger, to ones of absolute, and unknowable fear.

   "Oh lookie, some tasty little Ponies to snack on," a low, and growling voice said. Rocky spun around to see what had made such a horrible threat to see that there was a large, long shadow now on the wall, one that did not belong to any of them. The shadow then started to remove itself from the wall, prying itself away as it started to become an oily, cloaked figure that moved in the most unnatural ways as it reached towards the group with long, broken, and gnarled claws.

   "Let's get out of here!" one of the colts screamed as he took off, knocking Rocky down to the ground as he sped by. The other two were quick behind their bolting friend, and soon, they were nothing more but frantically screaming colts running down the street, getting odd looks from every Pony that saw them.

   "Yeah you better run!" D called out as the shadow surrounding her dissipated into thin air. "It's alright though. I will see you later on tonight. I'll be the thing in your closet! Or under your bed, you won't know!" She made a quick silly face as her tongue quickly popped out from the side of her mouth while she made a quick 'heh' sound. "I love that gag," she said to herself, quickly spinning around on her hooves to look at the cowering colt. "Well hi there Rock Bed!" she sang out in a very whimsical, and friendly voice.

   "W-who a-are you?" Rock Bed asked as his mind was trying to determine how the mortifying shadow monster just turned into this stunningly beautiful mare before him. "You're n-n-not going to eat me are you? And how d-d-did you know my name?"

   "Eat you? Nah, I wouldn't do that, to greasy. And I know everyponys name. It's just a little trick I can do." she then looked down at the broken pieces of the globe, and got a frown on her muzzle. "Aww, your little thingy got broken."

   "It's fine," Rock Bed said as he pulled himself up off the ground. "It wasn't important anyway."

   "Well when it broke you didn't look to happy. Was it a gift?"

   "Yeah, it was from my mom. She gave it to me before." He gave a small shrug instead of finishing what he was going to say. "It doesn't matter. You can't bring back what's gone anyway." He just looked down at the broken pieces, and let out a sigh.

   "Well that's a very mature way to look at things I would say," D said as she walked over and sat down beside the young colt. "So umm, what was it anyway?"

   "It was just a globe of the known world. My mom got it for me for one of my birthdays." he said as he picked up one of the larger pieces and looked at the torn printing. "It's just, I like to learn about things. I want to someday know as much as I can about all the world around us, and even maybe worlds beyond this one. There is so much to learn out there. You have to get started young. At least, that's what my Mom, and even Princess Twilight said."

   "Well you are right about that," as D was talking, Rock Bed just got up, and started to walk away. "Hey! Where are you going?

   "Oh, thanks for helping me. I have to get back to the home soon. I will get into trouble if I am late," Rock Bed said as he gave D a quick smile then started to walk again.

   "Whoa whoa whoa," D said rapidly while running up in front of him. "I guess I didn't make as a large of an impression as I thought I did. See, I just don't show up for anypony that is in trouble. You see, you and I were destined to meet! You see, you like to learn about things, and I just love to teach things."

   "Y-you do?" Rock Bed said as a slow smile started to come over his lips.

   "You bet!" D sang out, reaching down to ruffle the top of his mane with her hoof. "As a matter of fact, here very soon, I am going to give you the opportunity to learn about, everything." She gave him a rather devious smile as her golden eyes seemed to light up as she spoke. He just looked up at her and gave a quick nod then joined her at her side and followed as the pair started to walk down the road together.

The

End

The Stranger

   In an ever expanding darkness two figures sat. It was a hollow place; it had no beginning, it had no end in sight. This place existed, but it did not. It was here, there, but nowhere all at the same time. The only sign of life was a towering beam of light without source; that shown down on the two figures. They were without shape, and form. They did not resemble any one particular thing, only constantly twisting shadows that barely let themselves be touched by the dim beam that illuminated a perfectly square board of unknown make, design and purpose. resting on this board was a collection of different sized colored pieces. every now and again, one of the figures would move a piece to a different position on the board. This in turn would make the other dark, shapeless form move another piece in kind. While it may appeared as just a game to the players at hand, it was all to apparent that the ramifications of their actions were to be taken as seriously as possible.

   "He is getting old you know?" the first figure said in a voice that rang out as if thousands of individuals had said the words in stereo. After saying this, it took one piece from the board, and placed it to the side; where it slowly disintegrated to dust, and blew away.

   "Yes," the second figure answered in a voice much akin to the first one's tone, as he made his move on the board. "I have been aware of the fact for some time now." A long silence fell between the two for quite some time, each one taking their turns at the game that was being played.

   "So, what do you plan to do about it?" the first one commented as he watched his opponent make a rather skillful maneuver on the board, causing several pieces to vanish, while more came to take their place.

   "Oh, the same thing I have done many times before I would imagine. Though it will be difficult to be sure." This made the second figure laugh as he spoke. "He has become very," he paused for a few moments as he made a single move on the board. "Cranky."

   A new silence came over the pair, as the board itself changed from a square shape, now to a long rectangle; changing the pieces, and patterns on it's surface all together. The two continued once more, taking turns moving the many pieces one by one. "Well, he was always that way, if I remember correctly," the First One said, making them both chuckle to themselves, and at each other.

   "He is quite the character. I have enjoyed his company over the time we have had." While saying this, the second figure let out a long sigh as the first one took a very serious advantage on the board.

   "You have found his replacement then?" the First One said with a voice that let it be known how pleased he was with himself at the sudden change of power on the field. The Second One didn't answer, though a long tapping noise could be heard through out the eternal expanse. The First One did all he could to hide his joy at the current state of the game. As very rarely would the Second One make such a mistake.

   "You see!" the Second One blurted out in a loud shout as he moved several pieces to, and fro on the board. "This is what happens when you get to comfortable with what you have. Mistakes are made, compromises have to be forged. Eventually you find yourself on the losing end of things.

   "You have been in worse situations before," the First One said as he made his move, still confident in the way things were moving. "You didn't answer my question," he asked again.

   "What question?" the Second One asked as he pulled a figure back across a glowing pattern on the board.

   "His replacement. You have found one?" Upon saying this, the board shifted it's shape once again, becoming a multicolored triangle with flowing color schemes, as new pieces came forth to the board, joining the ones that were already there.

   "Yes, yes," the Second One said as he moved just a single piece across the lines on the board. "Though this one is very unaware of the situation." The two didn't speak for some time, until the Second One's turn, where he cause several of the First One's pieces to vanish from play. "I think I should make the new one aware of how things are going to unfold, personally." After saying this, the First One made a sound that would suggest a nervous clearing of the throat; though he had no throat to clear.

   "That's a measure bordering on the drastic side. Wouldn't you agree?" the First One said as he made a series of counter moves to the Second One's actions.

   The Second One just let out a laugh that echoed throughout the endless void. An action that in it self made several of the pieces on the board change color, and even shape. "I don't think I would consider it drastic if I was the one that suggested it." He now took on a new strategy by placing his pieces in a solid defensive formation. "Besides, it would be good to get out I think. Always cooped up here seems to be taking it's toll on my focus. As you can see," he finished by taking one of his pieces, and placing it on the First One's side of the board. The First One did not say anything for a long a period of time, only making his moves as his turn came about. "Don't be so gloomy. It's not like you haven't gone to those places when it suited you," the Second One said with a laugh at his partner's childish silence.

   "That is completely different," the First one said, in a calm, but agitated tone. "Examples needed to be made. Certain Denizens had to made conscious of situations that required them to know of greater things at hand." While he tried to make his argument as valid as possible, the Second one just let out a rapid chortle.

   "Then I will use your point to make mine. I need to make my new one aware of situations that will ultimately affect the greater things at hand. Taking a personal approach to it seems only logical. Plus, It has been such a great time since I have been out, and about."

   "It isn't as simple as that," the First One argued. "The Denizens take my presence as a great thing, something to be remembered." He quickly made a fast move on the board, causing several pieces to fade away. "When you appear, they panic." That statement just made the Second One laugh again.

   "Well, that is not entirely my fault. Our duties put us at odds with those that view us in their own opinions. And I am not always viewed with fear, and panic, I will have you know." Then in a quick move, a single piece raced across the board, causing several of the First One's pieces to suddenly burst into flames, and blow away. "Besides, where I plan on going to get the new one. Well, let's just say they are accustomed to seeing strange things."

   A combination of what just happened on the game field, and the reveal of where the Second One would be going made the First One let out a long oddly amused sigh. "So you are going to that place then?"

   "Well," the Second One started as he quickly took hold of one of the First One's pieces, and crushed it. "Since I am looking for a new steed. It only seems to make since to go to a place where steeds are abundant." For a long passing of time the Second One looked down at the board. His pieces then made several sweeping motions across the glowing patterns of the board. Suddenly many of the First One's pieces were knocked away, while others became the same color of the Second One's pieces, where they all came back to rest on his side of the board, before the board itself took on a new configuration. "Yes," the Second One said as he heard a long sigh of disappointment, and irritation come from the First One's area. "Equestria."

*****

      The party was in full swing thanks to Pinkie Pie's expert planning. It was a young filly named Fall Leaves's cutecenera, and every pony in attendance was dancing, and having a good time. All except three other fillies, whose spirits were down quite a bit due to the fact that their recruitment drive had everything it needed; save for the recruit.

   "Man, this blows!" Scootaloo sighed out as she kicked a round yellow balloon that had rolled her way.

   "Agreed," was all that Sweetie Belle said in response while in turn punting the balloon that Scootaloo just hooved over her way.

   "Now come on ya'll," Apple Bloom said in a forced chipper tone, while stretching a long smile across her face. "Just because Fall got her cutie mark. It don't mean the end of the world or nothing. We should be happy for her!"

   "I never said I wasn't happy for her. It's just now, our plans for seeing if we can get our cutie marks by recruiting others into a club is completely shot!" Sweetie Belle said as she downed another cup of Pinkie's famous hay, and orange punch.

   This made Scootaloo sigh out again, "Don't you think it's kinda weird, and counter productive to try to get our cutie marks by getting Ponies to join a club that is all about not having your cutie mark?"

   "No," Apple Bloom answered. "I think it is weird that you know how to use 'counter productive,' in a sentence."

   "Pfft, whatever. Miss Cheerilee taught us about it in class. Plus, Rainbow Dash said using big words is totally awesome."

   "Yeah well, I think it's dumb," the little yellow Earth Pony huffed out as she closed her eyes in a pretentious manner, then stuck her tongue out at the Pegasus.

   This made Scootaloo get a large snarl on her muzzle as she shoved her face into Apple Bloom's. "Oh yeah? Well I think you're stupid!"

   "You're stupid!" Apple Bloom yelled, back. Putting her face as close to Scootaloo's as possible, matching her mean look, and even adding a small bare toothed growl.

   "You are!"

   "No, you are!"

   "Girls, girls!" Sweetie Belle interjected, wedging herself between the two, and pushing them apart with her hooves. "Look!" she said in a whispered tone of shock, and surprize. Suddenly, all three of the markless fillies forgot all about the altercation that was in the works, and they all dove in a flash under the table behind them. It was Scootaloo who was brave enough to lift the still flapping table cloth, so they could all glimpse what had gotten them so startled. What they saw was a diminutive little light purple unicorn, with a short blonde mane, tail and friendly round gold eyes.

   "Would any of ya'll mind telling me why we are acting more scared than a jack rabbit because of Dinky Hooves?" Apple Bloom commented as she rolled her eyes at the other two.

   "It's not because we're scared," Sweetie Belle answered in a defensive tone. "But look!" she said pointing once again at the tiny little Pony. "She doesn't have her cutie mark yet. We can still turn this recruitment drive around!" She then paused for a moment while placing her hoof up to her chin, as a thoughtful look came to her large green eyes. "I'm not sure why we ran under the table though."

   "Duh!" Scootaloo laughed out as she jumped out from under the table. "It's because you are both fraidy fillies. I totally wasn't scared." By this time the other Crusaders had gotten out from underneath the table, just in time to see their flightless friend strike a pose of poise, and courage.

   "Look! It's the Headless Horse!" Apple Bloom shouted while pointing at a blank wall.

   "Where?" Scootaloo screamed as she turned into an orange blur that placed itself back under the table.

   Both Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom let out long laughs of enjoyment as once again, Scootaloo poked her shaking head out from under the cloth. "Well, I'm going to go talk to her," Apple Bloom said as she started walking towards the little purple unicorn who was still standing just past the door way.

   Dinky was trying as hard as she could to not let all four of her knees knock together as she stood there, and surveyed the party scene. She didn't know why her mother had insisted on her coming to this place. She barely knew anypony here, and the ones she did recognize was just a matter of everypony knowing them. However, her mother did not want her spending all her time in the house while she was out delivering the mail, so here she was.

   "Why aren't you just the cutest thing!" a full grown mare said as she saw the miniscule filly while she walked by with her stallion friend in tow. "And just what is your name little cutie?" she asked as she leaned her head down closer, placing an adoring grin on her muzzle.

   As much as Dinky wanted to say something, she stood there frozen in place, while her mouth just fell open with not a word or sound coming from it.

   The two adults looked down, at the unicorn filly for a moment, then back to each other; then back down to Dinky once more. "What is the matter dear? Aww, are you shy?"

   "Her name's Dinky Hooves," Apple Bloom said as she, and Sweetie Belle arrived with in the group.

   "Oh I see," the mare said as she recoiled away from the small filly. "That's umm?" she said as her gaze went to her stallion.

   "Derpy's daughter. You know, the mail mare?" the stallion answered.

   "Yes!" the mare shouted, making all three fillies bring their heads back towards their shoulders due to the volume of her voice. "Well that's just precious. Are these two your little friends?"

   "Three!" Scootaloo bellowed as she suddenly appeared right next to Dinky, an act that made both Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle get long confused looks on their faces.

   "Well it's just so adorable I might just die!" The mare then reached out, and clasped Dinky's face in her hooves, and squeezed hard enough to squish the fillies cheeks forward on her face. "With your cute little faces!" she said in a rather obvious baby voice. This caused all three of the Crusaders to exchange a series of meaningful glances with one another, before Scootaloo quickly took hold of the panicked eyed purple filly, and attempted to yank her away from the offending mare's death lock.

   "Well, time to go," Apple Bloom said as she helped her friend liberate Dinky from a horrid fate.

   "Yeah, lots of kids stuff to do you know!" Sweetie Belle added as she took hold of the others as well, adding her strength to the pulling.

   "Very well!" the mare said as she let go of the filly, causing her, and the other three to fall backwards. "But since I have you here now Dinky. I would very much like to give you my address, so you can pass it along to your mother. It just seems she keeps putting my mail two doors down is all. Perhaps if she had my address with her, she could be just the tiniest bit more accurate."

   "Yeah right, like that'll happen." the stallion laughed to himself, followed by a pompous snort through his nose. This caused the mare to toss him a rather nasty look, while at the same time thrusting her front knee up into his ribs, causing him to go wide eyed, and let out a burst cough. She then slung her saddle bag forward, to where she could get her muzzle into it. She shuffled around for just a few moments, then came up holding a small business card in her mouth.

   "Here you are darling," the mare said while leaning down to hand Dinky the card. While the purple unicorn took the card out of courteousness, she couldn't help but let a wave of sadness come over her at the stallion's words about her mother. A seemingly small detail that was missed by the adult couple, but was all to clear by the three fillies in attendance. "Now you girls enjoy the party," she said with a cheerful tone, then her eyes turned to ice as she glared at her stallion. "Mister Rude here and I will let you play." She then reached up quickly, and snatched the stallion's ear in her mouth, and began dragging him away as he whined out in protest.

      "You alright?" Sweetie Belle asked as she, and the rest returned to their little corner they were at previously.

   "It's not her fault you know," Dinky mumbled as she spit out the card she was given, and watched it float down the ground. She thought for a moment to snatch it up again, and crumble it up, then throw it in the trash to make sure nopony else would find it. Then she remembered how on several occasions how her mom had told her to try to keep an eye on her temper, so she just let it lay there on the ground, taking comfort in the fact that it would probably get trampled through out the course of the day.

   "Not who's fault?" Apple Bloom asked with a cocked head, and raised eyebrow.

   "My mom's," the purple unicorn answered with a sigh. "She doesn't see very well, and she is kinda silly. But she was just born that way, and it doesn't mean she's stupid!" The three Crusaders glanced once more at each other, each of them feeling the anger that was building in the tiny Pony's voice.

   "Hey," Scootaloo said as she placed a hoof up on Dinky's shoulder. "Don't sweat it kid! Grown ups say dumb things all the time. They can't help it really, I mean, everypony except Rainbow Dash of course."

   This made Apple Bloom roll her eyes at yet another attempt to fit Rainbow Dash into a conversation by Scootaloo. "Well, besides all that," she quickly said before Scootaloo started to try and get Dinky to join her Rainbow Dash is Awesome fan club. "We're fillies. We don't even get any mail, so there's no way your mom could deliver anything wrong to us any way." After saying this, all three of the Crusaders gave the purple filly a grand smile, which in turn made her smile back at them.

   "Thanks guys," Dinky said in a small voice, though showing her gratitude through the large golden globes that were her eyes.

   "So," Sweetie Belle started, putting a business like tone in her voice. "Have you heard of the Cutie Mark Crusaders?" Dinky just slowly shook her head back, and forth, as she watched all three of the fillies look down on her, getting large grins in unison on their muzzles.

   "Well I think you are going to love it!" Apple Bloom cheered out. "We have a clubhouse!"

   "And capes!" Sweetie Belle added with an over joyous voice crack.

   "And free membership to the Rainbow Dash is Awesome club! She's my acting big sister you know? So you are totally in." This caused the other two to lose their smiles as Apple Bloom pushed Scootaloo away, and out of Dinky's line of sight.

   "Anyway," Apple Bloom grumbled while still looking in Scootaloo's direction. "All you need to be is a colt or filly without their cutie mark, and you are in!"

   "So what do you say hmm?" Scootaloo said with a sly grin as she slid in by Dinky's side, and placed her front leg across her back. "You want to join the biggest, most fastest growing club in all of Equestria?"

   "Well, I mean I guess so. It's not like I don't have anything." Just as Dinky was about to finish talking, she was suddenly cut off by the front door being slammed open, as the yellow pegasus know as Fluttershy came soaring in at a great speed, while at the same time letting out a long cry as she blew past all those in the crowd, and latched her shivering body completely to Pinkie Pie.

      "Woo! Random hugs!" Pinkie shouted as she wrapped all four of her legs around the wide eyed, and teeth chattering Fluttershy, making them both fall to the floor. All eyes were on the two now as Pinkie continued to mistake Fluttershy's terror for affection, and she gave her closed eyed, smiling nuzzles.

   "What in the name of Celestia's mane is going on out here?" Applejack bellowed out in a confused, and irritated voice as she came out from the kitchen, her face, and mane smudged with dough from making her families renowned apple pies for the party.

   "M-m-m-m-m-m-m-m," Fluttershy stuttered, completely unable to get the words out of her mouth as she clung to the still hugging Pink Earth Pony wrapped around her.

   Applejack approached the two, looking down at them with one lowered eyebrow. Her gaze then turned to all the other Ponies in the room, as they as well turned their heads to try and catch what had the pegasus completely off her rocker. It was then Applejack looked at the open door, and saw the only thing that could have caused Fluttershy's hysteria. "What in the hay is that?" the orange Earth Pony said, asking herself the question more than anything.

   "M-m-m-monster!" Fluttershy squeaked out as she buried her head into both her own mane, and Pinkie's neck. Applejack then went into a quick dash as she ran out the door, coming to a sudden halt just a few feet outside the house, followed by the complete party, as they all filed out, and gasped at what they saw. It wasn't just the party goers that were in a sudden state of shock, and awe. Many other Ponies, mare, stallion, colt and filly alike all were in a dead stop in their paths as they took in the sight of Ponyville's newest visitor.

    A very pale skinned creature was standing in front of Daisy's flower cart. He was tall, and skinny enough to appear frail at first glance. The top of his head sported black hair, cut short except for the few bangs that fell in front of his hairless face, and brushed lightly against a pair of thin lensed, small framed glasses. He stood on only two legs, and covering his entire body was a finely crafted suit, and tie that was all black as well, save for a long white silk scarf that hung untied from his shoulders. While many of the Ponies that were witnessing the appearance of this new strange creature, some of them even mumbling to one another, or completely fleeing the situation all together. The thing standing there paid absolutely no mind what so ever to the countless prying eyes. He even reached out with his black gloved hands, and gently picked up a white lily, took in a deep inhale as he held it up to his nose, and then let out a happy smiling sigh as he placed the flower in his lapel.

   "H-hey!" Applejack called out trying to stifle the odd sensation of fear in her belly. She quickly took in a deep breath, and stamped her hoof on the ground as a deep furrow came to her brow. "Who are you? What are you? What are you doing over there?" Her questions rang out over the courtyard that had by now become all to vacant, but all the new visitor did was raise a single finger into the air to suggest the Earth Pony should stop her shouting. He then leaned down, and took another long, and deep whiff of the flowers on the cart. Raising up from his small bent posture, he pushed up the glasses higher on his nose, then started walking towards the group of Ponies while straightening his waist length over coat.

   "Very sorry for interrupting you Applejack," he said as he stopped just a few feet from the gawking crowd of silent Ponies. "You see, it has been just such a long time, since I had actually smelled any thing so lovely. I just had to stop and take them in." Once more he pushed up his glasses as he looked at the still motionless crowd, and gave them all a long friendly grin. "Now, to answer your questions. Who I am, what I am; well those are difficult concepts, and can get rather complicated. So I will spare you the details. Now I can say as to what I look like; which would be a Human."

   "What's a Human?" Apple Bloom asked with an inquisitive tone as she pushed herself through the bunched up herd.

   "Can they do magic?" Sweetie Belle chimed in as she too emerged from the crowd.

   "Can they do cool stunts?" Scootaloo said while she was jumping up and down in the back of the crowd, being unable to join her friends in the front. This made the newcomer let out a loud laugh as he clapped his hands together from the amusement of the complete lack of fear from the young Ponies.

   "Get back in the house girls!" Applejack commanded in a stern voice. This caused all three of the fillies to let out a disappointed groan while they retreated backwards, being swallowed up by the herd. The Earth Pony then turned her vibrant green eyes back to the still smiling stranger. "Alright partner, you're a Human, that's fine, and all as we try to be kindly to all the folks that visit here. Still didn't catch your name though."

   "My name?" The stranger brought his covered hand up to his chin, and made several stroking motions. "Well I have many to choose from. It is rather hard to pick something that would be easy to remember, but still have the kind of presence one would hope for when they hear their name being spoken. Let's see, let's see." The creature that called himself a Human simply stood there for a while, seemingly completely lost in the quandary that had befallen him. Applejack couldn't help but feel some of the tension flee from the current situation, as many of those in her group, and from around town alike started to talk amongst themselves, and inch in closer. "Ah!" the Human shouted as he snapped his fingers, making several Ponies jump back from the sudden action. "Since I am appearing in this manner before you, it seem only appropriate that I call myself, Samael. Yes, that should do just fine."

   "Samael huh?" Applejack repeated. "Well that'll do okay I reckon." That's when something came to her suddenly, something that this Samael had said the very first time he spoke to her. "Say Samael. Have we met somewhere before? Cause I could have swore you said my name just a few moments before." This caused many of the other Ponies to look at one another, agreeing with the fact that he indeed said her name before any introductions were made.

   "Did I?" Samael said with a confused look on his pale face. He then nodded his head as he too remembered the event. "Well indeed I did. Well don't worry yourself about it. I just happen to know everyone's name." He stopped for a second, and looked around at the current population, then let out a quick laugh. "Oh do forgive me. Every Pony, as the case would be. Yes, it is just a simple trick I know. Nothing to fret about at all." After giving his explanation, Samael knelt down to one knee, so he could be more eye to eye with the brave Earth Pony. "Now as far as us meeting before? I am afraid not. You and I were not supposed to meet for a very long time. However, certain circumstances have brought me here."

   "Uh huh. And what circumstances might those be?" Applejack said with a sarcastic tone as she wasn't to terribly impressed at the use of magic, and the cryptic sayings he was using was coming off as more annoying than anything else. Though there was still this gut tightening feeling she had that he was being dead serious under the charming smile he wore.

   "Well the first thing is to apologize to little Fluttershy there," Samael chuckled as he raised back to his feet, and waded through the herd of Ponies, who were all to inclined to part a way for him to pass. "It seems I appeared right beside her. I was afraid I had sent the poor thing to an early grave from the look of shock on her face." By the time he had finished speaking, he had reached the shuddering pegasus, and the still very much hugging pink Earth Pony.

   "Hey there mister," Pinkie Pie blurted out, not paying one second of notice to the completely new creature standing before her. "We're hugging! Do you want a hug too? Ooo are you that monster that she has been talking about?"

   "That, Miss Pinkie Pie is completely a matter of opinion," Samael said as he chuckled at the lack of fear the little Pony had towards him, something he found very refreshing to be sure. Even still, he once more came down to his knee, and leaned in a little further. "Now Fluttershy," he began as he cleared his throat some. "I really do have to make amends for giving you such a startle back there. Do I have your forgiveness?"

   "S-s-sure," Fluttershy squeaked in an almost incoherent voice, as she shoved her face deeper into her mane.

   "I am sorry, I didn't quite catch that?" Samael commented as he raised his hand to his ear, and leaned down further. He gave off a smile as he knew he heard something akin to a word come from Fluttershy's general area, but the voice she was using was just so soft, he could not even begin to make it out.

   "She said she was sorry. Now come on back out here, fraid you have gone and made a bunch of Pony folk all nervous." His head turned slowly on his neck as he heard the bold command come from Applejack, who was quite obvious the leader of the group, and was more and more letting her initial shock of meeting him start to fade away.

   "Well, as you decree fair maiden. I will trouble this one no longer." With that, he raised to his feet, and started to walk back out of the house. Not before his eyes caught the sight of the four little fillies that were sitting all in a row in the room. As he passed them by, he gave a slight lopsided grin, and let out a short chuckle from his closed lips. Once more he found himself outside standing next to Applejack, and a few other Ponies that were feeding off her stalwart nature to confront any strange occurrence that befell them. Though all he did was slip his hands into his coat pockets, and look about the town before him as he lifted himself up on to his toes, then back down. "So, how about a tour?"

   "Uhh," Applejack stammered while looking to other Ponies in the area as they started to come closer still, some of them even opening their doors, and windows again. "Well sure. Wouldn't be very neighborly of us to not show some good 'ol fashioned Ponyville hospitality."

   "Outstanding," Samael said as he, and the orange Earth Pony started walking off towards the town square, where she quickly started giving him an almost rehearsed history of the town.

*****

      With a strong violent gasp, Princess Luna sprung up from her bed. Her breathing was hard, and rapid. Her deep black coat shimmered with sweat in the bright Sun's rays. She quickly looked around her room in a panic as she desperately tried to find the source of the dread that filled, and woke her up in the middle of the day. She could not remember having a nightmare, or any dream really for that matter. She just knew that there was something terrible in her land now, and strong enough to make her feel an actual fear swelling to great proportions in her heaving chest.

   The doors to the Moon Princess's room swung wide open as Luna dashed down the hallway in a fast trot. She was in such a hurry to get to the throne room that she did not even take the time to put on her crown, chest plate, or any other adornments she normally wore. All else became invisible to her as she tore head long to her destination. She completely disregarded all the other Ponies that filled the corridors, all of them making quick jumps to remove themselves from her path, while others gave quick bows, and acknowledgements as she sped by.

   The two unicorn guards that stood outside Princess Celestia's throne room barely had enough time to open the doors to the great hall as Princess Luna blew past them as if they weren't even there. "Tia!" Luna shouted as soon as she broke the threshold of the massive wooden doors. She was given no response. Just the sight of her elder sister standing by a large window. "Sister?" the Moon Goddess asked as she slowed her run to a small long step, and came up to her sister's side to see a shaking look of horror filling the Sun Princess's slender pink eyes.

   "Something is here Luna," Celestia said with a quiet whimper. "Something that isn't supposed to be here. Something that should have never come to this world, or any world." This only made Luna's anxiety even worse, in seeing how distraught her sister was. Never the less, she too turned to look out the window, having to squint her eyes slightly from the light of the Sun.

   "I know Tia, I felt it as well. It pulled me from a dead sleep." She shook her head a little as once more the feeling that came over her tried to return. "I don't ever remember feeling such a way."

   "Nor I little sister," Celestia responded while continuing to glare blankly out the window, towards the horizon. "However," she said as she pulled her eyes from the scene outside in an almost forceful manner. "You and I are old enough to deal with such things." With several quick steps, the Sun Goddess returned to her throne. "Guards!" she shouted, making several golden armor clad Ponies appear in an instant. "Find our fastest flyers, the Wonderbolts if need be. Tell them to find, and instruct Princess Cadance, and Princess Twilight Sparkle to come to Canterlot without delay!"

   "Yes your Highness!" the guards shouted in unison as they deeply bowed their heads, while backing out of the room at the same time.

   "Tia, I don't understand. Why bring the other Alicorns here? Are we in danger?" Luna asked as she came up the small steps of the throne, and sat by her sister's side.

   "I can't answer that Luna," Celestia said with a sigh while sinking lower into the tall, red cushions of her chair. "All I know is that I want all the Alicorns with me. When I go to Ponyville."

A Clash of Wills

      Celestia and Luna stood in silence as they both stared out the window of the main throne room of the castle. Though it was the Sun Goddess that was more stalwart in her stance than her younger sibling. Her eyes constantly scanning from one side of the horizon to the next. Her brow furrowed, and her deep pink eyes unblinking as if expecting a sudden attack from somewhere in her line of sight. She could feel it out there; that unknown presence that gave her such dread. She knew it had a form, she knew it was walking among her beloved subjects, and now, using a massive amount of her own divine magics, she knew where it was.

   "Excuse me Princess?" a golden armoured guard said in a respectful tone as he entered the chamber, and bowed his head. "They have arrived. Shall I show them in?" The slender white Alicorn did little more than just nod at the guard's request, as she continued to glare out the window. The armour clad guard then turned his head to unseen parties, and bowed his head as he spoke in a much louder voice. "Presenting Princess Cadance of the Crystal Empire. And Princess Twilight Sparkle of Ponyville."

   "Princess Celestia!" Twilight chimed out as she happily came trotting into the room. Her eyes were bright enough to light the darkest cavern as she saw her long time teacher. She wasn't so enamored however to not give Luna a warming smile, and deep head bow as well.

   "Hello there!" Cadance also said in a chipper, and soothing tone of voice.

   The sound of the two young Alicorns made Celestia get a long smile on her muzzle, as she leaned in towards her sister. "To be young again," she whispered quickly as she turned and started walking towards her throne. Luna couldn't help but grin as well as she too stepped in line with her sisters movements, and then joined her by her side. The two youngest Princesses stopped short of climbing the small stair case that led up to the tall golden throne. Each one of them now having a slight contortion of confusion as they noticed the solemn look on their peers faces. "Have you felt something, odd?" Celestia asked as she looked down at the two fledgling Alicorns.

   Twilight looked to Cadance, as Cadance did to her. The two then turned back to Celestia as they as well got a solemn look on their muzzles. "I had an odd dream," Twilight said, as a much more serious tone came to her voice.

   "I as well," Cadance added while looking down to the floor for a short moment. "I can't quite seem to remember it now. I am not sure there was anything wrong with it. Just a feeling; a presence I guess." The pink coated Princess looked up to Celestia with a concerned look. "Is this why you summoned us from the Crystal Empire so suddenly?"

   "It is," Luna said with a dry emotionless voice. "We believe we have been invaded. Or in a more worst case scenario, attacked."

   This made both Twilight, and Cadance take in a sharp gasp as their eyes widened to their full extent, and their irises dilated to mere pinpoints. "But, but who? Why? When?" Twilight rambled out. "Was it another evil Pony overlord? The Changelings?" This is when Celestia raised a single hoof into the air slightly, effectively bringing Twilight's questions to a halt.

   "None of those threats have presented themselves Twilight. Though I do believe a threat is here in our world." Celestia then placed her leg back down to the ground, and let out a sigh. "Up until now, all the obstacles I have given to you were ones I knew you could defeat as long as you relied on yourself, and the power of friendship in us all. However, this new one. I fear it is something that is that does not see the world in the same way you and I do."

   "Come now Princess," Cadance said with a look of worry promising to crack her voice. "You have never been one for suspense or drama. Do not keep us in the dark of what this invading force is."

   "We do not know what it is," Luna said before Celestia could open her mouth. "We do know it is not of this world. And we know that it will take all of us to confront it."

   "That settles it then!" Twilight called out with a sense of valor in her tone as she stamped her hoof to the ground. "I will head to Ponyville, and gather the Elements of Harmony right away."

   "No!" Celestia shouted before Twilight could even think about running off. "No," she repeated as she calmed herself. "I am afraid the Elements of Harmony will not do the job this time my dear student. And I think trying to involve them would only endanger the Ponies that wield them. We are only going to be the only ones able to see this force for what it is, and deal with it if we are able. You are right about one thing though."

   "What's that Princess?" Twilight asked with an almost childlike curiosity.

   "We are going to Ponyville." As she said this, Celestia came up out of her throne, and started walking towards the large doors that led to the halls beyond. Now with the three other Alicorn Princesses in a tight formation behind her as she walked.

*****

      The smell of something absolutely wonderful brought Dinky's eyes open with a snap. She loved that particular smell so well that the sensation of it would have brought her out of a long coma. She snagged the covers in her mouth, and with a quick flick of her neck, ripped them away as she rolled from her bed onto the floor. The inviting aroma was like an irresistible siren's song that forced her to heed it's call. She passed right by the bathroom, even though she had to go, and trotted happily into the kitchen where she saw her mother placing a few freshly washed dishes into some cabinets.

   "There she is!" Derpy said with a long loving smile after she had placed away the last of the dishes.

   "Morning Mommy," Dinky responded while wiping a bit of sleep from her eyes, and placing herself at the table.

   "Now," Derpy said as she walked over to the small island in the middle of the kitchen. "What would you like to have for breakfast?"

   This made Dinky get a half amused smirk on her lips as she jokingly rolled her eyes. "Come on Mommy. I know what you made already. I can smell them."

   "Oh well of course you can. I spent all morning making them, and I know you will just love them." The grey Pegasus then reached down into the preparation area of the island. "I made," she paused for a few seconds, then suddenly popped up with a tray. "Steamed carrots!" There was a long pause as Derpy stood there with a gaping open mouth grin, holding the tray of carrots as if it was the best thing in the world.

   "Mommy," Dinky sighed out as the look on her face went to completely unamused.

   "Oh right, right, this isn't for breakfast," Derpy said as she quickly placed the vegetables back under the counter. "How about. Boiled radishes?" Once again she placed a cross eyed open mouthed grin on her face as she held a bowl of steaming dark red radishes.

   "Mommy!" Dinky cried out as she pounded her hooves to the table, followed quickly by her face.

   "Okay, okay," Derpy laughed out as she placed the bowl of radishes up on the counter. "I actually made," she went silent as she disappeared under the island, then popped back up holding a new tray. "Muffins!"

   "Yay muffins!" Dinky shouted as her head came up from the table, and her front legs swooped over her head. Her eyes grew with joy as her mother took one of the massive sweet smelling blueberry muffins and sat it down in front of the almost drooling filly. Before the breakfast item was even a second in front of her, Dinky had snatched it up with both hooves, and taken a large bite.

         Before Dinky could even swallow her second bite, she looked over, and saw her mother's face contort into a twisted visage of terror, while at the same time her eyes went wide, and blank all at once. She then let out a blood chilling scream as she lept forward, grabbing up Dinky, then leaping again with acrobatic prowess the small filly was unaware her mother even possessed. The two landed behind the same kitchen island from before where Derpy had set up her early morning prank. Dinky herself was now in a large amount of shock as she looked over at her mother who was almost to the point of hyperventilating. She wanted to ask what was wrong, but the voice from inside the room let her know all to well what had just happened.

   "Yeah, that is about the reaction I am used to seeing when I show up," Samael said as he rose from the chair he was sitting in.

   Dinky's eyes rolled in a complete circle as she let out a long sigh that showed both her relief of this not being a dire situation, and her annoyance of her otherworldly friend doing his appearing act again. "Sammy!" the little filly shouted as she tore herself away from her mother's grasp, and jumped out from behind their hiding place. "You can't just keep doing that! If you want to visit some pony, then you have to knock on their door."

   "Knock on the door huh?" Samael said as he looked from the little purple Pony, to the front door. "How very entertaining. I think I will try it next time." He then chuckled to himself as he thought of how interesting it would be to actually have to be invited into someone's home before coming in.

   "Umm, excuse me." Derpy said as she came slowly from behind her barricade, visibly shaking as her nerves had become an actual wreck of themselves.

   "Ah! Hello Derpy. So good to see you," Samael said with a wide smile. The odd creature in her home with the happy voice made her feel more confused now than anything. She even looked to her daughter who now appeared to have foreknowledge of this thing, and was even on a first name basis with it. Dinky just looked at her and shook her head back and forth.

   "He knows everyponies name," Dinky said as she trotted from the kitchen to the small living area to join her guest. "What do you want Sammy?"

   Samael placed himself back down in the small furniture that only accommodated him due to the fact that he was so very skinny. "Ah yes. Well,  I happen to remember that I was very impressed by your ability to figure out how I can do things without the use of magic. At least on a very small scale in any case. I was wondering if you would like to have a small chat, just you and I. As I think there a few more things you can show me."

   "Oh no, I don't think that is a very good idea at all," Derpy said as she now mustered up the courage to completely remove herself from her hiding spot, and come and place herself by her foal's side. "Dinky has school in just a little while. Plus I don't know you."

   Samael got a very odd looking grin on his face after Derpy had refused him his request. "Oh on the contrary Derpy. You know me, you know me very well to be completely honest." After he said this, Derpy couldn't help but get a very cold shiver that ran down the length of her spine. She even took a few steps closer towards Dinky, and placed her wing slightly on her child's back.

   "You're being weird again Sammy," Dinky said shaking her head back and forth. She was about to say something else, but something outside caught her eye. "Ah seriously? You have got to be kidding me!" she said as she suddenly placed herself up against a wall, then ever so slowly peaked out the window.

      "What? Who is it?" Derpy asked in a panicked voice as the stress of the day was starting to get the best of her.

   "It's Mister Nails," Dinky responded in a whispered yell while placing her front hoof up to her muzzle to silence her mother. "Quick, hide!" she commanded in the same tone as before, as she and Derpy both ran back to the island that had proven to be a great hiding place so far.

   "Mister Sammy! Please get down," Derpy said towards the man who was still sitting in the chair in the living room. Samael got a rather large confounded look on his face as he looked from the two cowering Ponies. He then rose slowly from the chair, and walked over to where they were. He knelt down to one knee behind the island before a long smile came to his lips, and he started a slow chuckle.

   "Why are you laughing?" Dinky whisper yelled at him.

   "This is just superb," Samael said as his laughter started to deepen. "Since the beginning of everything I can remember. I do not think I have actually ever hidden from any one thing ever. How very exhilarating! I can see now why so many Denizens try to hide from me during their lives, this is just too fun."

   "What's he talking about?" Derpy asked, getting a sudden shush from her daughter. There was then a loud pounding at the door, causing all three of them to jerk their heads towards the sound.

   "Derpy!" Mister Nails said as he once again gave the door a forceful knock. "I know you're in there. Open up!"

   "Jeez," Dinky sighed out. "I didn't think he would show up this early."

   "I take it you don't want to converse with this Pony?" Samael asked as he slowly peaked over the counter's edge, then ducked back down with a childlike giggle.

   "No!" Derpy almost yelled out. "Mister Nails is my landlord. He always comes early for the bits I owe him at the end of the month so he can go to the gambling house. If I don't have them, he gets really mad, and scary!" After she said this, Derpy's eyes became glossed over, and she brought the tips of her hooves to chew on as the anxiety of all the things that had happened so far this day started to threaten to break her will.

   "I see I see," Samael said as he got a look of ponder on his face. "Well, I have never owed a Denizen bits before. However, if I did, I don't think demanding them early sounds very fair. Here, let me talk to him." The two mares thought about protesting, but it was to late. Samael had already stood up, and walked halfway to the door before they could say anything. "Oh and do me a favor," he said while stopping only slightly to give his request. "Whatever you do. Do not look over that counter until I say so. I am afraid your minds just aren't prepared for what you might see."

   "Derpy Hooves you open this door right now!" Mister Nails yelled as he once more bashed his hoof up against the door with such force as it even chipped away some of the already cracking paint. He was about to once more assault the door, it however suddenly swooped open. What Nails saw there in the doorway was no pony, what he saw there he was unable to describe. He could not see into the house, there was just an ever deepening darkness that seemed to have no end. Then all at once, he found he couldn't move, he couldn't speak, and he couldn't breathe. The dark emptiness from the house suddenly shot out towards him, and it seemed all the world itself was swallowed up by it. There was no light, no sound, nothing for him to stand on. He felt as if he were being burned alive, and frozen to death at the same time, but could not scream, or run away. Even though he could see, nor feel any walls, he felt as if they were closing in on him from all sides. A crushing sensation came down on him, he felt what little air he had left in him being jerked away by a gripping terror that seized a hold of his heart, and began squeezing as hard as it could.

   "I said, can I help you?" Samael asked as he stood there in the doorway. Nails opened his eyes, and quickly looked around him in a panic. Everything was as it was before, the world was bright and cheerful, and there was no evidence of what he just experienced had even happened.

   "Uhh, I uhh, I was just," Nails stammered as the feeling of pure dread started to subside. He then looked to the strange creature addressing him. He had heard that a new type of alien had arrived in Ponyville, though he didn't ever expect to see it. "I was umm, just hoping to have a word with Derpy." He swallowed hard, as the breath in his lungs started to return to him, and he found he could breathe now with out the strained effort.

   "This about the bits?" Samael asked as he leaned up against the door frame, crossing his arms.

   "Yes, well I was just wondering if she had this months rent ready," Nails said as he continued to try to compose himself.

   "Is it due?" Samael snapped.

   "Well, I mean no not yet, but I-"

   "Then I do not believe it is owed to you yet. As a matter of fact, I don't think you ever need to come knocking on this door until you are needed, or required to do so." Samael then stepped out of the door towards Nails, making the Pony almost leap backwards. "Now go away," Samael said with a twisted grin as he leaned down to place his face very close to Nails. "The place you saw just now was but a corridor that leads into a much larger collection of wonders. I severely doubt you would want to visit it." Samael then stood up, turned around and walked back into the house, shutting the door slowly behind him.

         "Now," Samael said as he walked back over to the two mares who were still hiding besides the counter. "I do believe you said D here had to go to school?" This made Derpy cautiously raise her head up from her hiding place. She then peaked ever so slightly out the window, to see her land lord slowly shuffle away with a very odd look on his face.

   "Wow Sammy!" Dinky exclaimed as she lept from her own hiding spot, over to the tall man's side. "That was great. No pony has ever been able to make Mister Nails go away like that. What did you say to him?"

   "Oh it really wasn't what was said. Just a small exchange of ideas." Samael looked down at the tail wagging and smiling filly, and returned the smile. "School right?" he repeated while looking from Dinky over to Derpy.

   "Yes, she has to go to school," Derpy said in a soft tone, still wondering what it was that had been done to the gruff and tough stallion to make him appear so very sad as he strolled down the street.

   "Excellent, I will take her then." Samael said looking back down to Dinky who gave him a large grin.

   "Umm, I am not so sure about that," Derpy protested as she quickly looked from the window to the slender black clad man.

   "Come on Mommy!" Dinky whined out with a small hoof stamp. "It's fine. Besides, who is going to do anything with Sammy here with me?" She quickly turned and ran down the hallway back to her room. "I'll get my stuff!"

   "Well, I guess it would be nice to maybe get to work a little early," Derpy said with a voice of thought. "Sometimes I get lost going there, and it would impress everypony if I got there on time, or even early."

   "Outstanding." Samael said as he walked over to the door, and waited for the little filly to return. "It all works out for the best then. You should always take pride in the victories you gain in life Derpy. They do not happen as much as you would think they do." After he said this, Derpy got a long puzzled look on her muzzle as she tried to wonder what he meant by that phrase, or why he even said it to begin with.

   "Okay! Let's go!" Dinky shouted as she came bouncing back into the room, with her school supplies stuffed all into a plain looking saddle bag. She ran over suddenly, and gave Derpy a big kiss on the cheek, then darted back over to Samael's side, who opened the door for her.

   "After you," he said with a smile, causing the tiny Pony to dash out the door. Before stepping out himself, he looked over to the cockeyed grey Pegasus, and simply bowed his head before stepping out the door himself.

*****

      The smile Dinky was wearing as she left her home was wiped clean away as a sudden feeling of shock came racing over her. She turned once, then turned again, completely and utterly confused at her new surroundings. What was supposed to be her front porch, was now a great courtyard. It was filled with high class Ponies of all castes, all of them walking along white marble streets going about their daily lives. Her jaw then dropped suddenly as she looked up, and saw the massive white castle that stretched up to the sky along the impossibly tall mountain side. "T-t-t-t-this is. This is, is, is."

   "Canterlot," Samael said as he stepped beside her, making the purple Unicorn jump sideways in surprise of his sudden arrival. "A very pretty place to be sure. Though I have seen structures much more grand."

   "Why are we in Canterlot?" Dinky screamed as her emotion shifted suddenly from shock and awe, to sheer anger. "I am supposed to be in school! Do you have any idea how long it takes to get from Canterlot to Ponyville? Argh, I am going to be late! Miss Cheerilee is going to be mad and give me a tardy!" Samael couldn't help but laugh as he watched the panicked little Pony start pacing back and forth.

   "D, it is quite alright. I assure you, you will not be late for school. Just think of this as a small detour, nothing more." Samael then walked past several Ponies, who oddly enough to Dinky did not even acknowledge he was there at all. Considering all the ruckus he caused when he first appeared in Ponyville, she figured the elites of Pony society would cause a much larger commotion. "Come here for a moment D," he asked as he gently beckoned her over to him with a wave of his hand.

   "Why are we here Sammy?" she asked as she heeded his call, and walked over to his side, still looking from Pony to Pony. She then noticed that not only did they not notice Samael standing there, they didn't notice her there either.

   "Well, I brought you here to show me something. Just a small magic trick, something I have been wondering about for a while." He then turned from side to side, looking at different Ponies as they walked by. He smiled quickly as a passing mare caught his eye, which made him point to her. "I would like you to tell me her name."

   "Her name?" Dinky repeated as she raised an eyebrow at Samael's request. She looked to where he was pointing, and saw the mare trotting happily down the road. "I, I don't know her name Sammy. I have never even been to Canterlot before!"

   "Ah but I think you do," Samael said with a sly grin. "As a matter of fact, I bet you could tell me every Ponies name here." He then knelt down to one knee, and made a sweeping motion with his arm. "Now go ahead, try."

   "You're to silly sometimes Sammy," Dinky chuckled out. Suddenly, as she looked at the collection of Ponies before her, a strange feeling came crashing into her. "Shore Line?" she said to herself as a tan coated stallion came walking past her. She knew his name, just as Samael said she would. Even as her head started swinging back and forth, looking at everypony she could, she knew their names. It didn't matter how many there were in a group, from one to two, to a dozen or more. every one of their names were her's to know, as if she had known them her whole life. "And that's Dandelion, and Cloud Shake, and Reef!" For only a moment, she started laughing to herself, but something felt very wrong.

   "Very good D," Samael said as he raised himself back up to his feet. "You are doing very well. Just as I suspected you would."

   "This, this isn't right," Dinky said as a sense of dread came to her. "Normally Ponies feel happy when they get their special talents." After saying this, she looked over towards her own flank, which was still very much blank. "And we are supposed to get our cutie marks!" The little filly's eyes started to slowly gloss over, as the feeling of fear in her began to multiply. "I don't like this Sammy! I'm scared, and I want to leave!" Quickly she fell to her stomach on the ground, and clinched her eyes shut as her front legs came wrapping themselves around her head, covering her eyes completely.

   "Shh," Samael said as he reached down and placed a gloved hand gently to her mane. Dinky could no longer here the bustle of the active streets of Canterlot. The only sound in her folded down ears now were the songs of a few birds, as well as the school bell she knew all to well chiming in the background. She slowly opened one of her golden eyes, while gently pulling one of her hooves away to observe the scene before her.

   "We're back?" she asked as she jumped up to all fours, the feeling of panic leaving her as she took in the familiar sights.

   "Indeed we are," Samael said as he smiled down at her. "Now you will have to forgive me for the sudden fright I gave you D. It was just a small test, one you passed I might add."

   "Why did you do that Sammy?" Dinky scalded as the feeling of anger started to come back. "And what test? Why do I need to be tested? Why did I know all those Ponies names?" This made Samael clap his hands together as he let out a quick laugh, one that only seemed to make the little filly's anger grow more.

   "Now, now. There is no need for such hostilities," he said with a chuckle. "I promise I will explain everything to you very soon. But for now however, you must run along to your class."

   "Class? After all that you just want me to go to class? I want you to explain now!" she demanded in the most stern of tones her small under developed voice could muster. It did not quite have the desired effect she wanted, only making her odd friend laugh a little bit more at her.

   "In time D," Samael said as he composed himself. "And you must trust me on this, Time is something you and I are going to have a lot of here in the near future. Besides, there are some rather important Ponies on their way to see me right now, and I mustn't be late to greet them." He then made a half made shooing motion with his hand. "Now off you go, don't be late."

   For reasons unknown, Dinky did as he commanded. With not one more word, she turned on her hooves and started to walk towards the still ringing bell. She almost had to use all of her will to come to a complete stop, she found it even more difficult to even turn her head back to where he was standing. "Sammy?" she said as her head finally listened to her, but there was no one there to answer her, just an empty scene, and not even foot prints in the ground of where he was. For a moment she wanted to run off in a random direction to try and seek him out. Though once more she felt compelled to go to where she was instructed to go. After a little more thought though, the little Unicorn gave a simple shrug of her shoulders, and started to run towards her school house.

*****

      A sudden blaze of magic and color filled the small grove just outside the small town of Ponyville. Celestia wanted to make sure that her teleportation spell did not cause mass panic to the Ponies that might be near by. So the thought to arrive just a mile or two away from it's borders would be the best thing to do. Her hooves hit the ground as her spell finished causing her to look around quickly from side to side to see if there were any on lookers. Being pulled by the spell's wake, her sister Luna was next to appear, touching down, and placing herself by her elder sibling. Princess Cadance was next, who was then followed by Twilight Sparkle.

   "Forgive me for asking Princess. But why did we teleport here again? I thought it would be nice for all of us to show up in our chariots," Twilight said as she came trotting up to her teacher's side. While Celestia knew all to well the situation was dire to say the least. The casual, and rather cute complaint of her newest Alicorn ally made a small smile come to her muzzle.

   "Oh! Getting used to being hauled around by cute Pegasus stallions eh Twilight?" Cadance teased as she playfully bumped twilight's side with her wing.

   "No, no! You have it all wrong!" Twilight protested with a bit of shock in her voice, as well as an unseen blush forming under her lavender coat. "It's just if there is a dangerous enemy about. They might become frightened to see all four Alicorn Princesses come riding in on their royal guard drawn chariots. I mean, I know I sure would."

   "It would be a good plan my student," Celestia said without looking at the youngest Princess as she spoke. "Though I do not think this enemy would be persuaded by such theatrics as a gaudy show of power."

   "And you would be right," Samael said as he stepped out from behind a tree; a tree that was much smaller, and skinnier than even himself. The sudden appearance, and the nonchalant words of the newest member of the conversation made all four of the Ponies leap to face the thing that was addressing them. Celestia was the first to step forwards, placing herself in front of the rest, as her sister came dashing to her side, both of them lowering their heads, and pointing their horns directly at the bipedal visitor. Samael simply raised his gloved hands, and placed a friendly smile on his thin lips. "Now now. There is no need to get all worked up."

   "W-what is that?" Candance asked as she went wide eyed while recoiling her head upwards.

   "What ever it looks like. Just know that is not what it is!" Luna shouted back at her shocked friend.

   "A Changeling?" Twilight gasped out, making her get into her own offensive stance. Already accepting the fact that this creature was one of those black exoskeleton wearing mimics that had caused her, and her friends so much grief in the past.

   "Changeling, 'it,' " Samael repeated with a snide snort through his nose. "These are words you use to describe an enemy, or a great threat. Be very aware, I am none of these things."

   "That is yet to be seen," Celestia said in a calm, yet very menacing tone. "Who, and what are you? And what are you doing here?" the great white Alicorn demanded, putting an accent on her words with a hard hoof stomp to the ground, and a sudden flare of magic from her horn.

   Samael just placed his hands in his coat pockets, and lifted himself up on to his toes, then back down again. "What am I doing here? Hmm, well without going into much detail, I guess I could say I am here to find an assistant of sorts. It seems that my old one has reached his limits, and needs to be retired. Now, as to who, and what I am," he paused for a moment as a long, almost devilish grin came to him. "Well you know that already. You knew that the second you saw me. These other Denizens they know, but they don't. But you, you know all to well. Don't you, Celestia?"

   "Get out of my world you wretched spirit!" Celestia shouted, making Cadance, Twilight, and even Luna give her an odd look from the sudden outburst. "I am not a violent mare. But if you think for one moment I will let you bring harm to even a single one of my subjects. I will-"

   "What?" Samael interrupted with a laugh. "What will you do little Godling? Strike me down with your powerful magic? Do not make idle threats Celestia, it is unbecoming of a person of your wisdom. I appeared here before you as a simple formality, nothing more, a way to be polite you might say." He then remembered something that Dinky said to him earlier, something that made his smile grow. "I knocked on the door."

   "How dare you speak to the Princess like that!" Twilight yelled as she now pulled on the courage Celestia was showing, and rushed up to her side with a snarling snout. This caused Celestia to try to protest her young student getting involved this early, but it was her sister that decided to escalate the situation.

   "Whatever door you knocked on. You were not welcomed in, and I think it is time you leave!" Luna shouted as her eyes turned a glowing pure white, and her horn ignited with the color of her magic. In a blurred burst, many dark glowing chains sprung forth from the Moon Goddess's horn, they swept towards Samael in a blinding rush. Samael did nothing to react to the Alicorn's aggression, only standing there as the magically conjured chains encased him in a mere second. Luna then raised up on her hind hooves, and jerked her head backwards, a motion that caused the chains to tighten the cocoon before ripping back through the air to her horn where they vanished.

   "You got him!" Cadance celebrated as she looked in awe at her peers magical prowess.

   "Yeah! Way to go Princess Luna! That showed him." Twilight added as she came up on her hind legs, while kicking her front ones back and forth.

   "Indeed," Samael said as he stood right beside Twilight, clapping his hands together to share in Cadance, and Twilight's joy. "That was most impressive Luna. I mean for a small little Godling such as yourself." This caused all four Alicorns to slowly turn their heads towards Samael, their faces contorted into dread as the complete ineffectiveness of Luna's powerful attack was taken in a pure jokingly manner. Twilight let out an ear shattering scream as she physically came up off the ground in fright. Moving with just a single wing flap to join her still at the ready mentor. "Now, as I was saying," he started to say, though Celestia at this point had lost her temper.

   "You cannot have any of my subjects!" The Sun Goddess cried out as her horn became a sparkling array of energy. She lifted herself up for only a moment, before stamping her hooves to the ground, as an actual heat inducing beam of unknown magical power erupted from her horn. The blast was so intense, that even the other Alicorns had to avert their eyes from the sudden blast of alabaster light. It screamed through the air, scorching the very ground beneath it. Samael once more just stood there, relaxed, and unmoved by the display of otherworldly magics. Though once the divine born bolt was about to strike him, he just lifted his hand, and the Goddess's power was halted in mid air. An act that made all the Princesses jaws drop from the complete lack of strain on his part to perform such a feat.

   "Now," Samael said once more, this time with a slight hint of irritation in his voice from being interrupted. "As I was saying. I knocked on the door, I let myself in. It may have been rude of me to do so, but I was hoping I would be treated as a guest. I can see now that will not be the case." With a small gesture of his hand, the magical attack that would have more than likely turned a mountain into a pile of rubble was whisked away like a small buzzing insect, making each of the Ponies gasp at the action. "I have no intention of causing your subjects harm my dear Princesses. Though if I did, there would be nothing you could do to circumvent it." With his middle finger, Samael pushed up the glasses that had slid down to his nose, as he took in a long inhale. "My turn," he said in a deep calm voice. Then just as soon as he finished speaking, he simply cocked his head to one side, and all four Alicorns were gone, as if they were never there to begin with.

*****

      Each Princess looked around the throne room where they all now stood with looks ranging from fright, to out right anger. Celestia herself even letting out a teeth clenching groan of frustration at her adversaries ability to dispatch not only her, but her three cohorts as well. She couldn't even feel the magic he used to place them all the way back here in Canterlot. There was no sound, no lights, not even a small build up that even she had to do to some extent. He just willed them to be here, and this is where they were. "Is everypony alright?" the white Alicorn asked as she turned around with a sigh, content at least in the knowledge that all of her friends were here with her.

   "I am well sister. If not just a bit put off," Luna said as she looked down to the ground while kicking at the stone flooring.

   "Me too," Cadance added as she blew her bangs out from her face, then slumped down onto her haunches in a defeated fashion.

   "Such power," Twilight mumbled out more to herself than anything. "Princess Celestia, please, you must tell me. What was that thing we just witnessed? How was he able to do the things he did?" Celestia let out an aggravated sigh as she did want to bring her two youngest Alicorns this deep into their status so quickly. She had seen both Twilight, and Cadance grow so much here in just a few years. Dealing with the Changeling Queen, King Sombra, even her own sister. She did not want them to know just yet however, that there were things out there far more powerful than they could even begin to imagine. "Princess," Twilight said with a soft voice. "Please, I must know."

   "Death," Celestia said with a whimpering tone. Causing both Twilight, and Cadance's color to almost melt off of their coats. "That was Death Twilight. It is a force I have never met, only told about in stories, and legend. I was always told that it could not intervene directly like it has today. I am guessing the stories are wrong now. But I do know this: whatever it is it wants here, there is nothing we can do about it now."

   "Well, I wouldn't be to sure about that." A sudden, and unrecognizable voice said from one side of the room.

   "By the Moon!" Luna shouted as she was the first to see where the voice was coming from. Her reaction caused the other Alicorns to spin on their hooves, and look to where Luna's wide eyed gaze was locked. What they all saw was a tall, very skinny yet muscular stallion. Who was sitting right in Celestia's throne. His mane and tail were a matted up solid black, while his coat was a dirty grey, with a random assortment of white speckles, making him look like a moving piece of marble. It was his eyes however that made each of them feel the most uneasy. A pair of sunk in sickly pale green irises that seemed to have a kind of dull illumination behind them.

   "Who are you?" Celestia demanded as she once more took a horn pointing offensive stance towards the intruder who was just lounging in her golden throne as if it were his own.

   "Who me?" the stallion said as he placed one of his cracked black hooves up to his chest. "I am the stallion that is going to help you get rid of your little reaper problem. My name is Pestilence. And as of right now my dear little Princesses, I am your very best friend." With that, the stallion threw his head back, and started to let out a long, malicious, and spine chilling laugh that echoed throughout each room and hall in the castle and beyond. Making all those that heard it start to quiver in despair as all their worst thoughts and fears came rushing to the forefronts of their minds.