Ace:

It was quite awkward waiting for the train to arrive. I already made a fool of myself in front of this gorgeous mare, and she was avoiding my stare. So I wasn’t sure if she was interested or anything for that matter. I was never good with girls, if I had to count I would say I had maybe three girlfriends in my youth. So I wasn’t a player in any aspect of the course of dating, but I was avid on making girls laugh. When I saw her looking at me, I gave her a warm smile. She seemed to bow her head and offered me a small smile back. “So you live in Ponyville? What’s it like there, if you don’t mind me asking.”

“Oh, it’s great. Small and quiet I suppose.” She said with a low breath. I felt like she was trying to hide from me, or maybe from being seen with me. We were the only two at the train station, so the air was able to fill quickly with an awkward feeling. “I’m sure you feel awkward by now. I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to leave.” This took me by surprise, my head quickly shot in her direction, she was looking away from me. “Everyone does sooner or later.”

“That’s just rude.” I said bluntly, her head slowly turned toward me with a look of confusion. The look I gave her, showed I was not kidding about what I said. “Why would anypony ever just walk away? Considering you said it the way you did, I would guess it happens to you allot. Well I’ll tell you this right now Fluttershy, I’m not going anywhere. And it’s not just the fact that I have nowhere else to go. I just made it awkward again.” I said as my ear folded to my head.

“You’re silly.” Fluttershy said with a giggle. I broke the tension I was feeling as I started to chuckle. For a moment we were actually looking at one another. I smiled at her and actually got a real smile back. “So…ah…why are you moving to Ponyville?”

“Oh, well I’m a mechanic. My employer is sending me to Ponyville to be the leading engineer there. Stupid really, I may be great with tools and mechanics, but I’m a terrible leader.” I said bowing my head in frustration. I hated my boss, which who was also my father. Stupid bastard, probably sending me away so he can be with that stupid floozy. “Ever since mom died, my dad has never been the same. Honestly, I’m kind of glad I’m leaving.”

“My mom died too.” She said sounding utterly depressed. I looked at her, and she looked ill, deathly ill. “But I didn’t know her, I was just a new born.”

“I’m very sorry Fluttershy.” I said, but it did nothing to ease her mind. She still looked ill, and the condition seemed to be getting worse. Now I was feeling uncomfortable.

“I was alone for the longest time, I had no one. I still have no one to call my family.” She said, it felt like a large dark cloud was covering the air. This was defiantly a serious subject for her.

“Don’t you have friends?” This seemed to break the hold of disappear that was covering her. Fluttershy looked at me looking more like herself, but I still felt a huge chill spread through my spine. Something was eating away at her, and I could tell she wasn’t just going to let anyone know. If I had to guess, I would say not even her best friend knows about this.

“My friends are…they are like my family.” The despair I was feeling from her faded away completely. She looked at me with a big smile. “I’ll introduce you to them.”

“I’d be happy to meet them.” I smiled back feeling sheepish. Something was quite off about Fluttershy, but it wasn’t my place to pry on it. “Oh finally…our train is here.”

“You okay?” She asked looking at me as I lost my nerve as the huge mechanical monstrosity rolled into the station and soon stopped.

“Yeah I’m fine.” I said trying to hide my cowardness. I was really good at hiding my feelings, but not when it came to this. The ride was horrible, every bump and rattle made me jump. Fluttershy was trying not to watch me, but I was making it hard for her not to stare.

“Are you alright?” She asked for like the fourth time. I would have rolled my eyes if I didn’t feel like I was being thrown in every direction. “Ace, you don’t look so good.”

“I’m fine!” I said thinking I was hiding my freak out, but I actually wasn’t.

Fluttershy:

I watched Ace feeling sorry for him. I knew more than anyone what it felt like to be in a place you were not comfortable in. But for me that was most places. This boy was odd, he seemed to have confidence at times, and then lose it easily. I want quite sure how to act around him, I didn’t have much experience in boys. They were like a total mystery to me, I can honestly say I have never had a special somepony. Not even in the slightest. I was too afraid of guys, and they were turned off by my shyness. The only stallion I can say I’m used to be around is Big Mac and Ashura, well kind of Ash. He still kind of scares me at times.

But I’m getting use to those eyes of his, gah there just haunting. I looked at Ace again and he seemed to be even worse off than before as he rolled down a hill. “Oh Celestia! Please for the love of all things good tell me we are there.” He said freaking out a little. Is that what I look like?

“Sorry Ace, we have another hour to go.” I said feeling sheepish, I had to be the one to tell him that his nightmare wasn’t over yet. This certainly hasn’t been a normal day. First I could have sworn somepony called for me, and now meeting Ace.

“Please tell me this isn’t where I die!” Ace bellowed in fright as we went through a tunnel. Through the rest of the train ride, I did my best to keep Ace calm. But it was proving to be rather difficult. I remembered back to when I was too afraid to confront that dragon Celestia wanted us to move because of his smoky snoring. I was a large burden on my friends. But they helped me up the mountain, and in return I was able to get the dragon to move. This moment reminded me of that situation, how friends are always there to protect one another. Ace wouldn’t have one friend in Ponyville.

“You okay?” I asked when he started to pace around the cabin. It was lucky we were alone, it saved him the embarrassment and he had allot of room to freak out. I wasn’t sure what to do, I was never put in this kind of situation before.

Twilight Sparkle:

The days have been quite rough if I have to say. Being a princess was almost the least of my worries with Siders and Ashura acting different. I mean he is driving me crazy. Although maybe I’m over thinking this at the moment. Mostly because today he seemed okay, he had to go to Canterlot for something. Honestly nothing has ever seemed right after the whole deal with Rainbow Dash and her Sider.

“I don’t know what to think Spike.” I asked my trusted assistant and closest friend. He doesn’t know a thing about Siders. So it was difficult to talk to him about it, Ash wants to keep them a secret. I actually agree with the idiot. But it made talking to my closest friends about my problems harder to work around. How do I tell other than Rainbow Dash, who has the great attention span of a tooth pick. Although I got to say, she seems different still. But that is soon changing, quickly too.

“Think? Well I’m not sure what to think about you not knowing what to think.” Spike said as he looked at me confused. There are something’s that Spike says that takes us both for a loop. “Wait, what are you thinking about thinking of trying to think about?”

“What in the hay did you just say?” I asked looking at him confused, he returned a look of confusion back. “You don’t know what you just said.”

“It didn’t come out how I wanted Twilight. So what bugging you?” I looked back at the book I was reading. It was one I had read many times, actually it was one that Ash gave me. I let out a large sigh, and looked back at Spike.

“I’m worried about Ashura.” He rolled his eyes at me. “What I can’t be worried about my boyfriend?”

“I didn’t say that, but I’m sure Ash is fine. He just needs space, at least that’s my guess and, I’m going to stick with that.” Spike left the room after that. Leaving me still at the same state of mind I was in before, with no help and no reason. Although, maybe Spike was right. It is possible he just needs some space, everypony needs space at certain times. Yeah I think Spike is right, he just needs some space.

“Twilight!” I heard Ashura call for me as he entered the Library. I went walking toward the entrance room, it’s been a while since he’s called for me when he got back home. I was going to greet him and leave him so he can get the space he needs, easy as 1, 2, and 3.

“Welcome back.” I said with a smile. He offered me back a half smile, the ones he always give.

“How was your day?” He asked as his helmet was lifted from his head with his magic. I looked at him with confusion, but he didn’t notice it right away. “What, something on my face?”

“No it’s not that, I’m just happy to see you home.” He smiled at me with a real full smile that time.

“It’s good to be back, the worst part is the long trip up there.” He said walking up to me, he seemed odd. He is acting different from before, I could hardly get a word out of him. “You okay hun, you have a peculiar look on your face.”

I shook my head and replied, “Yeah I’m fine, just tired I guess.” He half smiled at me and closed the distance between us. He kissed me and I returned it, it’s been a while since he kissed me as well. Something seemed different in him, ever since what happened with Rainbow and her Sider. Ash seemed like he was hiding something, and I couldn’t get him to talk. If there was one thing about Ashura, if you got him going he wouldn’t shut up, and he was stubborn.

“You need to take it easy on the reading hun. Have some fun once in a while, did you go out at all today?” He asked looking at me, already knowing the answer.

“I was falling behind in my studies.” I rebuttled.

“Twilight, you have read all these books many times. You just ordered some new ones. In the meantime, go and have fun with your friends.” He said getting closer to me, yeah I don’t think he needs space anymore. I kind of welcomed him getting closer to me, it was good to have my Ashura back.

“I know Ash.” I said hugging the idiot.

“Hey Twilight, I’m sorry.” He said tightening the hug. It took me off guard, but he wasn’t hurting me. I just wasn’t expecting it. “I know I’ve been acting weird ever since Rainbow and Moon took out Rainbow’s Sider. I was just sucked back into a place I wish I didn’t know.”

“It’s okay Ashura, it is.” His grip lessened, he pulled back and looked at me with tears in his eyes. I’ve only seen him cry once, this was big to him.

Princess Luna:

She is having terrors and doesn’t even realize it. Something is wrong, very wrong. A boy has entered her dreams, a faint shadow is all he is now. But unfortunately for Fluttershy he isn’t enough to wake her from this nightmare. This power is nothing I have ever felt, I cannot help in anyway. I could not enter her dreams to help her, even if I could, I have no way of helping her. Fluttershy is alone in this for now, I hope this will not last long. If it persists I must go to her in this plane.

“Problems mistress?” My assistant asked me, I turned and looked at her. Her piercing yellow eyes looking at me with concern. Darken Daisy was the best of the best of the night kingdom. A simple recruit and she has proved herself to become my assistant within a few months.

“Yes, quite large problems. I feel allot of things are going to plunge into an unknown darkness. Especially surrounding my sister’s pupil. As well as her friends.” I looked at the clear moon that shown proudly in the dark sky. I have worked so hard to keep Equestria in balance, but this evil. It’s something I feel that should have never existed. “That Fluttershy is going to know great tragedy.”

“What of the other?” She was referring to the one who called himself ZXex. That stallion reminded me of someone, but I can’t place it. When I turned and looked my assistant ZXex was standing behind her.

“Talking about me? That is quite rude you know princess.” He said startling Bellna and soon after pushing himself into my courters.

“So is intruding into a place you are not welcome.” Bellna said raising her voice. She was loyal and hard headed, I gave her a look to stand down. She did with a frustrated sigh.

“ZXex was it? I would like you to work with me on this. Why are the girls in trouble?” I asked meaning Twilight and her friends.

“Because of Ashura, now mind you, it’s not his fault. There’s just a darkness that lingers, and it’s powerful.” He said looking out the window of my room. “We are quite high, homey.”

“Enough with the sarcasim boy. Ashura is a guard of the castle, is he not?” I didn’t have to ask, I was knew the stallion. ZXex nodded at me confirming the information. “Why does this Darkness follow him?”

“Because he created it.” Now this was interesting, a being of his nature creating something like this. This darkness was beyond the darkness I knew when I was Nightmare Moon. This was pure evil, yet it seemed tamed, like it was following rules down to the letter. “He isn’t normal Luna.”

“Why says you of such a thing?” I asked confused why he would say he isn’t normal. Twilight Sparkle was no normal mare, and that is because she is a princess. Talents where one thing, and princess hood was given from trials one had to face through life. What did this Ashura do to achieve his place?

“Ashura is clouded in Darkness, it’s something he cannot control. He is a writer and an artist, yet he is so much more. He lacks so much, yet he hold much more. Ashura is no god, he is nothing along that line. He is a creator, he created this so called Darkness you feel. He also created me.” Now this was getting interesting, sounds like Ashura was holding a great deal than what he leads on.

“How can he create such things?” I asked intrigued by the information he was holding.

“Because he isn’t real.”

“Do not fool with me boy, I will not be made fun of.” I said enraged by his foolish words.

“I do not lie, and do not insult me with your insolence. I am allot of things, but I do not lie.” He said, I guess I was wrong. But how can that be? How can a being not be real when he exists?

“I am sorry, please explain.” I said sucking down my pride.

“Like I said, he’s a writer. But Ashura isn’t important in all this, what is important is Fluttershy. She is in danger, and her and Ace are the only ones that can do anything about it. Your own person in the best weapon, she needs to know what you know Luna.” His words made little sense to my mind. The entire situation seemed unreal.

“So what does this mean?”

“It means the Siders in your world are getting restless, they are trying to take out the elements of harmony.” He said looking menacingly at me. His green eyes looked tired, like he was waiting for something to happen.

“What are Siders?” He scoffed and turned away.

“Don’t worry about them, just do what I said and everything should be fine.” He said looking out the window again.

“Should?” I asked unsure of ZXex.

“Ya know, I like the height. That little survival voice in your head telling you to step back, sounds like its saying jump. But in fact its saying don’t jump. Maybe we should listen to ourselves a little more.” He said before he jumped out the window, glass shattering as he descended. I ran to the window looking down and seeing his body lay on the ground where he had landed. Stupid idiot committing suicide like that.

“Princess?” Bellna asked, I looked at her with sorrow. Turning my head back I saw ZXex lift himself off the ground.

“Damn what a rush! Hope that scared the shit out of you!” He said before trotting off.

“I don’t believe what I just saw.” I said bewildered.

“What is it Princess?” Bellna asked unsure of the situation, probably as much as I was.

“He walked away?” My Assistant gave me a suspicious look.

“What in all hell is going on?” I had no idea, but I had my role to play. Looks like we are tangling with something far more dangerous than we thought. For once, neither I nor my sister have the answers.

Author's Note

Dammit I hate being busy! Alright people here you go! Hope ya'll like it, please tell me how I'm doing and leave a comment. It really does help me out, knowing what I'm doing right is half the battle and knowing how I can improve can help me get an edge in the battle. So please don't be shy and leave a comment, if you really have nothing to say but like what I have so far, then I encourage you to hit that like button. It really helps me out and lets more people see my work. I'm here to be a better writer, and to write pony stories. I work really hard on my work, and I love it when people read my work, especially if they like it :3

Thank you and have a great day!

~Ash