Equestria Noir Case 24 "Eternity's Cry"

by Jacoboby1

Rating: teen
Tags: Original Character, Tragedy, Adventure, Prince Blueblood, Crossover, Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Zecora, Alternate Universe, Other, Romance
Length: 24473

Twilight ascends to become an Alicorn, Private and her having a falling out. Twilight is determined to see through it for the good of Equestria. Private discovers a plot to put miasma in Twilight. But before he can stop it, he's sent to the futu

Following the events of Magical Mystery Cure, Private sees his beloved become an alicorn before his very eyes. Private however is against Twilight becoming a princess. Twilight is determined to see it through to become what Equestria needs. A fight ensues threatening to tear the pair apart forever. During the ceremony, a mysterious spell is cast on Twilight, causing the alicorn to fall into a deep slumber. Private confronts the very familiar saboteur, but a mysterious portal sends Private years into the future. There, Twilight is now the sole Princess of Equestria, but she is no longer the benevolent seeker of knowledge that Private remembers her by. Instead she is now a cruel Princess ruling the land with an iron hoof. The worst part? She doesn't remember her friends or Private at all. Private is determined to return to his own time, and stop Twilight from conducting the ceremony in the first place. But will he be able to escape from the empire that Twilight has forged?

(Part 1 of Equestria Noir's Season Finale)

Published 2013-06-22 18:50:02 UTC
Last updated 2013-07-01 20:51:25 UTC

Chapter 1 "Coronation Interrupted"

Equestria Noir

Case 24

“Eternity’s Cry”

By Jacoboby1 and Shattered Illusions

Cover by Skullman846

Dedicated to: The Crew at DHX for giving us a great series and to the fans for sticking with me the whole way through.

Chapter 1

“Coronation interrupted”

Twilight…had wings…

As she stood in front of me that’s all that I could take in. Twilight, bookworm lovable dork Twilight, was a princess.

I just stood there as Celestia and the others left for the night. It was just me and Twilight there in the middle of the darkened road of Ponyville. I didn’t know what to think. I didn’t know how to feel. I just felt a strange anger… Like, somepony had taken away Twilight and replaced her.

“Private?” Twilight said finally, looking at me with concerned violet eyes. “Just say something, please.”

I finally found words again and asked, “When were you going to tell me?”

“It just sort of happened, Private,” she said. “I was planning on telling you when you got home. But, I didn’t think you would be right here after I changed.”

I looked down for a minute then finally said “Is it permanent?”

“What?” Twilight asked, looking at me aghast “Private, of course it’s permanent!”

“Don’t just say that like it’s a good thing!” I yelled, I don’t know what was wrong with me. I just couldn’t accept it. I just couldn’t. “Do you realize what becoming a Princess means? You’re leaving behind your friends, family, me above all for a crown and a pair of wings!”

“What are you talking about?” she asked angrily. “Just because I sprouted a pair of wings doesn’t mean I’m going to leave you, or my friends and family!”

“But Twilight! You’ll be immortal!” I yelled at her.

“Not yet! Celestia said that there’s a special ritual that makes me immortal! That she’ll do it after the coronation!” She fired back. How can she be so casual about this?

“Twilight don’t you realize what you’re saying?” I yelled at her “You can’t become immortal! I won’t-“

“Allow it?” Twilight asked, her voice having an edge that caught me off guard.

“Twi…”

“You know, I wanted to keep denying it because I love you,” she said, looking away “When I’m with you Private I felt I can do anything. But you know what, maybe you don't like it that way!”

“Excuse me?” I cried.

“For the first time in my life I did something truly great! I’ve become the first unicorn to ascend in centuries! I wrote my own magic for Celestia’s sake! Not once did you congratulate me on that, and I know exactly why! Because you want me as a fainting violet!”

“Now hold on!” I yelled at her.

“No you hold on, Private! For once in your life you listen to me!” she yelled. “All our time together I’ve been running behind you. Now I suddenly do something great and you’re against it? Sorry, but I don’t need my coltfriend’s approval for anything! You just want me to be dependent on you! That’s arrogance if I ever saw it!”

“It’s not arrogance if I’m right!” I yelled at her “When you first worked with me me you were throwing up at a crime scene!”

“Don’t try and deny it!” Twilight yelled “You believe I should be some fainting violet needing you for aid, every time I turn around! I'm NOT. I've NEVER been! I LOVE you, and care about you, and WANT to be with you, that's something totally different! I THOUGHT we were partners!"

“But, Twi…”

“Equestria needs another princess there’s no doubt about that” Twilight argued “If becoming immortal is what Equestria needs then I will go through with it!”

Her words cut through me like a knife. She… how could she?

“FINE!” I yelled “Go to your fancy castle and become a princess! Go have your immortal life! I hope you like it!” I turned around “Because it’ll be without me!” I then stomped off into the dark, not looking back at her.

___________________________________________________________

Perspective:???

It is nearly done, my master.

Twilight Sparkle has ascended?

Indeed, she will be instrumental in my plan.

Your daughter failed once. I hope you will not repeat the mistake.

The crown will make sure she will come to learn, and the Alicorns will return.

You will have your race back, and your people will worship a new god.

Yes, my master, it will be done…

________________________________________________________

Perspective: Rainbow Dash

I flew in through our window into our suite at Canterlot Castle. Rarity, AJ, Flutters, and Pinkie Pie were all there. I shook my head. “I tried to talk to him, but Private just utterly refuses to talk to Twilight. This is just beyond weird.”

AJ nodded. “Ah agree, Sugercube. Usually those two are like peas in a pod, now they won’t even look at one another.”

“I tried talking to Twilight,” Rarity said, looking down “but she keeps distracting herself with the coronation and refuses to talk about her beloved.”

“That’s so sad” Fluttershy said, “I always imagined Private and Twilight would get married someday. But, I had no idea all it took was one fight to break them apart like that.”

“It’s this whole thing with Twilight becoming an Alicorn,” AJ said. “Ah mean, what’re we supposed to do now? She can’t stay in Ponyville forever, she’s gonna have to come here for princessing.”

Pinkie, for once, was silent through it all.

“Hey, we can’t think about that” I spoke up “Both Private and Twilight are our friends, we can’t let split them apart.”

“Your loyalty to both is admirable Rainbow” Rarity said “But, at the end of the day what happens if they do split?”

I lowered my head and landed on the ground “I, hadn’t thought about that. All of this is just messed up! Those two are like the power couple! We shouldn’t even be thinking about them splitting up!”

“But ya gotta admit, Rainbow, it is a big possibility, and we gotta think about just what side we take when all of this goes to heck,” AJ said glumly.

“Stop talking like that!” Pinkie cried, causing us all to look at her. “I can’t believe this! Twilight and Private are both our friends! We’re sitting here wondering what’ll happen when they split when we all know they shouldn’t! Private and Twilight love each other very very very much! We as their friends should support that!”

We all got quiet for a minute, then Flutters spoke up “She’s right, we can’t let them split up. It’s wrong of us to even think about it.”

“Fluttershy darling I appreciate your optimism,” Rarity said, looking at Fluttershy with a concerned expression. “However, I doubt there is anything we can say to either of them. This is a problem they have to resolve as lovers.”

“Ah just hope nopony gets hurt in the process,” AJ said. “Ah was real hopin' that they would stay together. When they first came into mah home to help with Big Mac, they just seemed to click, ya know?”

“Which makes it our duty as friends to get those two back together. We’ll talk to Twilight after the coronation,” I said with grim determination.

Everypony else nodded. We were going to make this work, one way or another.

_______________________________________________________________

Perspective: Voidera

I stood in the stain glass hall with Tia beside me. She used her magic to construct a new window dedicated to Twilight Sparkle’s ascension. She looked over at me and said, “I don’t know if I could feel more proud of her.”

I smiled and looked at her window “She embodies Izanami in her veins. Izanami always wished to one day be a princess. Now her descendent has fulfilled that dream.”

Celestia then lowered her head and said sadly, “But, you and I both know what happens next.”

“You had heard about the lovers spat her and Private had,” I said, looking down myself. “I had hoped it would go over better.”

“It’s a hard thing to accept, for both parties,” she said, walking over and nuzzling me gently. “No matter what though, we will do what we can to stop what’s coming.”

“Tia, if I may have a moment alone?” I said, looking at her violet eyes with my own red ones.

“You wish to pray?” Tia asked knowingly.

“If that’s alright,” I said. “I just, wish for some comfort in our decision.”

“I will give you as much time as you need, but be ready for the coronation,” she said, and kissed me on the cheek. “I do so enjoy seeing you in a tuxedo.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever understand modern fashion,” I said with a laugh. “Your dress looked ridiculous.”

She rolled her eyes. “The nobles insisted I wear a traditional gown. Sadly they have no concept of tackiness. I’ll see you soon, my love.” She then turned to walk away, leaving me alone.

I walked forward and sat in the center of the room and closed my eyes. I put my hooves together and my horn glowed brightly. I then said, “Faust, grant those in this kingdom protection for what’s to come.”

Voidera, it has been a while since you have walked this earth.

“Forgive me, I have not been diligent.”

Do not fret, child of Dragons. I understand your plight and am simply glad you remembered me.

“Faust, must it be done? It would be easier if I or Tia simply told Pri-“

Prometheus’ descendent must face this. He must learn as he did all those months ago.

“But,”

I know you worry for him, he is your student after all. But, you know from personal experiences that the best lessons are taught when one experiences them first hoof.

“Forgive me for doubting you.”

Many do, I did not expect you to do otherwise.

“It must be done? There is nothing I can do?”

“Just get in that tuxedo and look impressive. Trust in your student and your beloved, for I have seen all that can happen. This is for the best.”

_____________________________________________________

Perspective: Private

I walked in the halls of Canterlot castle. The coronation was going to happen soon. I didn’t dress up for it, simply coming in my trench coat and fedora. I couldn’t sleep last night. I kept dreaming about everything that Twilight said.

How could she just be so casual about the change? Like it was nothing to become immortal? Did she even think for a minute how I would feel?

How could she just leave me behind?

I felt hurt from the argument. When Tailspin asked me this morning how everything went. I just sort of grunted and went about breakfast barely eating. I sat down in the hall and reached into my coat to pull out the black box containing the ring I planned to give Twilight.

But, after last night would she still even consider it? Wanting to be with a unicorn like me?

No of course not, because apparently I’m an arrogant stuck up jerk.

Maybe, maybe she wasn’t the right one. I just deluded myself into believing that I could find love again. I deluded myself into believing that a mare as wonderful as Twilight would be within my reach. What was I going to say to dad? To Cadence and Shining Armor? To Tailspin…

I slipped the box back into my coat and sighed. I’d try to apologize to Twilight once it was all over. Maybe we could still be friends?

_____________________________________________________

I went to the ceremony hall and moved into the crowd of ponies on either side of the walkway up. I saw Celestia, Cadence, and Luna standing up front. I made eye contact with Cadence, but I got a disappointed look from her. I flattened my ears in shame from her expression.

I hated to imagine what Shining must be feeling right now.

I then overheard some of the ponies talking amongst themselves.

“Did you hear that this mare was Celestia’s student?”

“To think one so young could accomplish so much.”

“I must admit though, I never expected one from such a common family to bring forth a princess.”

It began it seems. Nobles were already scheming of how to gain favor from Twilight. But, hey it wasn’t my problem anymore. She didn’t want me.

I felt hollow inside, like a part of me was ripped out and everypony started worshiping that part. I felt the ring in my trench coat the whole time. Twilight was a princess now, she was going to be immortal. She wasn’t going to remain with me.

I closed my eyes and then opened them again as the doors opened. I watched Twilight, clad in a beautiful dress walk down the walkway. I barely heard the cheers around me as I simply looked at her. I felt an immeasurable guilt in my heart.

Our eyes met briefly, those beautiful violet eyes I loved. But, then we looked away from one another. I wanted to run up there and apologize to her right in front of the crowd. But, I’d only get in the way more. She’d find some way to chastise me about interrupting her ceremony.

I looked down as she made her way up to the front of the room. I saw Spike holding a crown in his claws, smiling at Twilight. Didn’t he know what she was doing? Then again, it was Spike. Yet another person I’d have to face after this.

Still, something was wrong. I felt a strange cold air…

I looked at the crown, and watched as it was placed on Twilight's head. Then before my very eyes a blue mist came out of the crown. MIASMA!!!

Everypony in the room gasped in horror as the mist entered Twilight. Her friends yelled as Twilight fell over. I was about to run up there myself, when I saw somepony acting suspiciously. He was clad in a black cloak and he was running away from the crowd. He had to be involved somehow!

Just hold on Twilight, I'll come back soon!

I ran after him and followed him into the hall. The pony was tall, I could tell by the legs his coat was, grey? I leapt after him and he turned and fired a bolt of green and violet lined magic at me. It hit me, yet I didn’t feel as much pain as I would from a normal magic bolt. It couldn’t be Sombra, he was destroyed! He was also smaller…

I then yelled, “Stop! Whoever you are!”

I chased him through the halls until I came to the stained glass room. The windows depicted several different events in Equestria’s history. Right now, I was focusing on this bastard.

I pulled out Blackbird and aimed. “I will shoot if you don’t stop!” I yelled.

He stopped at that, and turned to look at me. Slowly he lifted his hood…no way!

“Adamus?” I yelled.

My grandfather was there, looking at me with a look of scorn. He had the same eyes as Sombra and a sinister grin on his face. “You always were an impudent child, Preventus.”

“You have no right to call me by that name!” I yelled.

“As arrogant as your mother,” he said with a sneer. “Neither of you could ever learn your place.”

“What did you do to that crown?” I yelled “I know you had something to do with it!”

“I simply obeyed the will of my master,” Adamus said. “He promised to restore my family name should I aid him. All he asked was that I swap dear Princess Twilight’s crown with a better one.”

“You bastard!” I yelled. “You absolutely delight in ruining my life don’t you? First mom! Then Tailspin! Now this!”

“You were a mistake,” Adamus said coldly. “A bastard child created when that chicken seduced my son. Now, I plan to fix that mistake.” His horn glowed the same dark magic that Sombra wielded.

He aimed at me, I braced for what was coming. The bolt hit me full in the chest and I was knocked backwards. Suddenly a portal appeared behind me. I briefly wondered where it had come from as I fell through…

__________________________________________________________

Another variation, dear brother.

One could ask, how much would this variation change the constant?

Lives, lived, will live.

Deaths, died, will die.

Past, Present, Future,

All to aid.

In the coming of a better age.

But the question is, for who?

_______________________________________________________________

I groaned as I slowly opened my eyes. I was still in Canterlot castle alright. However, things were different.

The walls no longer depicted the elements of harmony, Spike saving the Crystal Empire, the royal wedding. Instead, it simply showed Twilight with a rather cold expression.

Who changed the interior design around here?

Adamus! I looked around for my grandfather, I was alone. I remember, falling through some kind of portal. Who made it? More importantly, where am I?

“Stay where you are!” I heard an authoritative voice call.

I turned and saw a pair of unicorn guards in violet armor glaring at me. I cried, “Officers, there was a stallion here! A unicorn that tried to take Twilight’s crown!”

They looked at each other and said, “Are you unwell? Why would a unicorn steal her majesty’s crown?”

“It was right in the middle of the ceremony,” I yelled. “There was the mist that came out of the crown! It-“

“A very unusual story,” one said, “but sadly, it’s not flying. We can see your firearm, sir.”

How? It was inside my trench coat.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen such an ineffective assassin,” the other said to his friend. “He seems not to know about the eyes of truth.”

I then looked at their chests, I saw they had symbols on them not dissimilar from the one of the Eye of Truth, the family heirloom I gave back to the zebra. They said they could see through my trench coat with it?

“Come with us,” the first one ordered. “Her majesty will deal with you.”

“Celestia knows me!” I said, as they came up to grab my forelegs in their magic.

“We don’t know who this Celestia is, but obviously this is some feeble attempt to appease yourself,” the other said as I was dragged by him. “Do not struggle assassin.” He used his magic to open my trench coat and retrieved Blackbird. “It will make it easier on all parties involved.”

_______________________________________________________

I was unceremoniously dragged and thrown into some kind of throne room. I groaned as I tried to get up off the floor. I felt the magic of one of the guards shove me down though. Keeping me practically prostrate on the floor.

“Your highness,” one said, “We found this unicorn in the stained glass hallway. He was armed with this.”

I heard a very familiar voice say, “Thank you, Magnus. I will hold onto this for now.”

Wait, I know that voice…

“What shall we do with him, your Highness?” The other guard said.

“Check his DNA, Thane. I wish to know who he is,” the voice said again.

I felt my foreleg get yanked to my side and winced as I felt something injected into it. Maybe they were taking blood sample of some kind?

I then heard magic being performed by Thane and he said, “A hybrid M'lady, but his DNA doesn’t seem to match any of our databanks.”

“A hybrid? How did he escape from the camp?” the voice demanded.

“I don’t know, M'lady!” Magnus said.

“Inform Captain Blueblood there may be a breach in security. I wish to know exactly how this unicorn came to enter my castle.”

What the hell was she talking about? Did Blueblood have a brother or something who was in the guard? And what did she mean by her castle?

I had enough and stood up forcefully, knocking the two guards aside. “Listen here, la-“ I stopped as I looked on who was on the throne.

There was Twilight, but she was as big as Celestia. She was clad in similar regalia and shoes with her cutie mark was depicted on them. Her mane was longer too, coming down to her side. She looked amazing, almost like a goddess…

“Why do you stare unicorn?” she asked coldly. I never knew Twilight to speak like that.

“Twilight!” I yelled in joy “It’s me, Private!”

She just raised an eyebrow.

“Preventus Phelps Eye?” I tried again. “Detective?”

She looked at me for a long time. Then down, and then up again as she said,

“I don’t know you…”

Chapter 2 "You built up your Heaven"

Chapter 2

“You built your Heaven”

I stared at Twilight as she sat on the throne, looking at me with cold eyes. I couldn't believe what she said. She didn’t know me? How was that even?

“Twi, I know you’re mad,” I said, looking at her, “but, how can you not know me?”

“Simple,” she replied, “I don’t know you. We’ve never met before, and if you continue this insanity I will make sure you cannot speak again.”

“Is this some kind of prank, Twilight?” I asked. “Rainbow has come up with far better pranks than this.”

She suddenly stood and spread her wings wide. “It is you who are insisting on this habit called pranking! I know not of this Rainbow or you!”

“Okay, I know you’re mad at me,” I said, shaking my head, “but how can you not know Rainbow Dash?”

“I have never met the pony you speak of!” She suddenly glared at one of her guards and ordered, “Get Captain Blueblood in here, now!”

The guard turned to comply with the order. I then looked at her and asked, “Okay, where’s Shining Armor? I’m sure he'll vouch for me.”

“Must you insist on continuing this jest?” Twilight said, looking at me. “I don’t know a Shining Armor either.”

“He’s your own brother, Twilight!” I yelled.

“I have no family, hybrid” she replied, looking at me as if I'd grown a second head. “I was raised here, in Canterlot, my whole life.”

This can’t be happening. How could she not know? How could she just forget about her own brother? This doesn’t make any sen-

“Your highness, I have returned!” I heard a posh voice speak behind me.

I turned to see… oh you can’t be serious!

Blueblood! Prince stuck up, no good, dirty, rotten, filly napping, Blueblood was clad in Shining’s armor! How the hell did this happen?

“You seem to have failed your job captain,” Twilight said, glaring at Blueblood. “This Hybrid has gotten past the defenses that you said were absolutely fool proof.”

He looked at me for a minute and said, “I know not how this filthy commoner got past my defenses. Magnus said he was in the stained glass chamber?”

“Just what are you doing here, Blueblood!” I yelled. “You should be in prison!”

Blueblood sniffed and glared at me, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“You seem to have forgotten me! I was the one who stopped you in your plot to kidnap Sweetie Belle to get back at Rarity! How a pampered pup like you got to be captain of the guard is beyond me!” I yelled.

He glared at me and replied coldly, “This fool spits false accusations of things I never did, your Highness. Permission to execute.”

“Stay your sword, Blueblood,” Twilight said. I sighed in relief that somepony was willing to listen. “This pony is obviously not in the right mindset,” she continued dashing my hope.

“Perhaps he is one of Applejack’s rebels sent here to distract us before a real attack,” Thane suggested.

“This is all insane!” I looked earnestly at Twilight “You do know me! You know Applejack! Rainbow! Rarity! Fluttershy! Pinkie Pie, for hoof’s sake! I know everything about you Twilight! You used to knit when you were younger! You had a doll named Smarty Pants! I even know how you love Alder Pony!”

Twilight shook her head furiously and a bolt of magic hit me in the chest from Blueblood’s horn. He glared at me and snarled, “You are upsetting her Highness with your lies.”

“I know her,” I said, growling low as I stood on my hooves.

“Take him away!” Twilight cried. “Get him out of my sight!”

I wasn’t about to get locked away without answers. I noticed that Thane had Blackbird. I used my magic to quick draw it and fired at his leg. Thane let out a cry of pain as I turned tail to run. Twilight couldn’t focus her magic in time for me to escape out the door and around the corner. I heard an alarm go off as I ran.

Just what was going on? Twilight didn’t remember me or our friends? Blueblood was captain of the guard? What bastard thought that was a good idea? This is messed up!

I had to find the others! Celestia! Luna! Anypony would be great!

I never thought in all my years as a crime fighter I would end up as a criminal. I rounded a corner and saw more guards. They fired magic bolts at me which I dodged. Spotting a window I levitated a nearby vase and threw it at the windowpane, shattering the glass. I looked down and saw I was just below a balcony. How was I supposed to get down?

I looked back and saw the guards had caught up with me. They both fired at me and I leapt from the window to avoid the bolts. I looked down as I passed the balcony. I swore loudly as I watched the Canterlot buildings slowly getting closer. The city looked more crowded than normal. Many of the buildings were different as well.

But that wasn’t the point, the fact of the matter is I was getting uncomfortably close to the ground. This time Rainbow wasn’t there to sa-

I closed my eyes and braced myself as I crashed through the glass ceiling of a mansion. At the last minute I put an aura of magic around myself. As I hit the ground, my aura broke. It took the brunt of the blast but I still felt the pain as I rolled into a wall. I put a hoof to my side and prodded it gently, wincing. I must’ve cracked a rib from the fall. That fall dampening spell that Twilight showed me ages ago really came in handy here.

“My goodness! Darling, are you alright?” I heard a familiar voice ask.

I looked up and saw with wide eyes that Rarity was standing in front of me. She looked older though, in her thirties by the looks of her. Although with Rarity there’s a margin of error thanks to her natural looks.

But she could’ve looked like a hideous troll and I still would be glad to see her. “Rarity!” I exclaimed with a smile.

“Yes, I am Lady Rarity,” she said, returning my smile but then looking concerned. “Darling, you took a terrible fall there. What were you thinking?”

I wasn’t about to tell her exactly why I ended up in her room. She wouldn’t believe me. I leaned against the wall and said, “I fell from the terrace above.”

“The palace?” Rarity asked, raising an eyebrow. Then she shook her head. “Never mind that, you are injured.”

Rarity spent the next five minutes patching me up, putting bandages on me and using a pair of tweezers to get some shards of glass out of my coat. Luckily I wasn’t hurt too seriously. Rarity set me on a couch and said, “I should call the hospital. The Doctors there are far more fluent then I in this field.”

“You’re a lifesaver Rarity” I said, leaning on a pillow. “You are definitely deserving of the Element of Generosity.”

Rarity raised an eyebrow, then giggled. “I doubt I would be hero material, let alone the owner of a mythical device.”

“Mythical?” I asked, sitting up as best I could. “Rarity, don’t you remember how we and the others fought Discord?”

“I’m sure I wouldn’t forget a stallion as young and handsome as you are, darling,” she said with a smile. Then she gave a concerned look. “Did you hit your head?”

I put a hoof on my face and groaned. “I just wanna wake up from this nightmare. Where’s Spike?” I asked, looking at her.

“Spike?” Rarity said, “Was he one of our ‘friends’?”

I looked at Rarity dumfounded and exclaimed, “You can’t be serious!”

“You’re not making sense,” Rarity said, shaking her head. “I don’t know a Spike.”

“How could you forget about him!” I yelled “He’s a dragon who was in love with you! You were in love with him as well!”

Rarity shook her head “I seriously doubt I would ever fall for a dragon. Such an idea is ludicrous. Besides, it would make my husband quite angry if you go spouting out such things.”

“Husband?” I asked, my jaw dropping.

“Blueblood, yes,” she said, my jaw further dropping at how casually she said it. You have got to be kidding me!

“Blueblood? Whiny prince Blueblood is your husband?” I said, dumbfounded.

“Yes, although I do not know how he became a prince. He certainly isn’t related to her majesty. Nonetheless, we married seven years ago.”

Seven years? I wonder…

“What else happened seven years ago?” I asked, looking at her.

Rarity put a hoof to her chin and replied, “Lots of things. I closed up my shop in Ponyville and decided to come here to Canterlot. I knew I wasn’t going to get any good business there. After all, who would want to buy fashion from a farming village?”

“Rarity, it’s your home” I said, utterly devastated at how casual and carefree she’s taking this. She closed Carousel Boutique? It was her pride and joy, how could she just close it and move here?”

“After that I met Blueblood and he seemed to have genuinely changed from when I met him at the Gala. I can’t quite remember how I got lucky enough to venture there, but we soon married within a couple of months.”

I then thought for a moment. Seven years, was when she closed up her shop. I still can’t believe she fell for Blueballs. How could she just forsake Spike like that? I then decided to test this. “Does the name, Rainbow Dash, ring any bells?”

Rarity, slowly shook her head. “I’m afraid not, darling. Was she a friend of yours?”

Neither Rarity nor Twilight remembered her? Just what the hay happened seven years ago?

“You’re asking an awful lot of questions,” Rarity said. “Judging by your attire, you must be some kind of investigator.”

“Yes, Rarity!” I said, smiling as she got something right. “You know me! My cousin is your apprentice! I sometimes watched your little sister who has a crush on him.”

Rarity smiled and giggled. “I had not seen Sweetie in a long while, but I don’t remember her having a crush on any colt. Nor do I remember having an apprentice either.”

She doesn’t even remember Cross?

Just what the hay is going on here?

I slumped against the couch and said, “I’m sorry for wasting your time, Rarity.”

She shook her head and replied. “Don't worry, dear. I’m sure you’ll find your friends eventually. Or whatever you're looking for.”

“Thanks for patching me up,” I said, getting up off the couch and heading for the door.

“But darling, your injuries,” Rarity said, walking up beside me.

“I’ll be fine, Rarity. I’ll just walk it off,” I said. Then I felt Rarity’s hoof on my shoulder. She turned me and I stared into her blue eyes for a minute.

A slow, all too familiar smile came to her face. “You know, darling, you’re quite the handsome stallion.”

I shook my head and said, “We’ve been over this before.”

She blinked and asked, “Whatever do you mean, darling? I just met you. She then gave that sultry smile again. “Perhaps we can get to know one another better…”

RUN!!!

I broke out of Rarity’s embrace and ran. “K thanks, bye!” I ran outside of the house and down the street, not looking back.

_____________________________________________________________

There was once a book I had to read in college called 984. In it, Equestria had gotten taken over by a totalitarian dictatorship. Everywhere were posters of “Big Sister is watching you” in the cities and the government ran everything. It was banned from some colleges for being anti-monarchal or whatever.

I definitely got that vibe from his place. All around there were nobles chatting and going about their daily lives. Children ran past my feet and off to play. I couldn’t help but notice, almost no pegasi or earth ponies were among the crowd. I broke through the crowd a bit and looked on the walls. So many propaganda posters were there, one showing Twilight standing over…Applejack?

The caption read Put down the voice of the inferior.

What a cruel message.

“Come on!” I heard a colt cry as he ran past with his friends “The fair’s about to start!” I watched them run towards Canterlot’s center. A fair’s in town? Well, best place to hide in plain sight I’ll bet. Maybe I’ll just find a roller coaster or something to ride all day and make my escape when the sun goes down?

I walked through the crowd and overheard a noble couple talking to one another. “I just wish those earth pony brutes would learn their place. They’ve been causing terrible damage all around Equestria.”

Her husband shook his head “It’s that damn Applejack. She’s the one riling them all up. Pegasi are getting all riled up too.”

Applejack is the head of some sort of rebellion? Just how bad are things here? I looked around and saw that everypony here was all smiles. Blissfully denying any sort of trouble as they headed for the fair.

I arrived at the gate and ponies began moving through the turnstiles. I saw they were all paying with violet coins. Did Twilight abolish bits or something? I didn’t have any money li-

I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked to see a small unicorn colt with a messenger bag. He said, “I was told to give this to a guy in a grey trench coat, sir.”

“For me?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. I picked up the letter he gave me and opened it.

Dear Private Eye,

Whatever you do, do not pick #47.

Lutece

I don’t know anypony named Lutece. What an odd name. I slipped the letter into my trench coat and looked at the kid. “You run off now. I’m afraid I can’t pay a tip.”

“It’s alright, sir, not many can these days,” the colt said with a sigh. “Ever since earth ponies stopped workin' the mines nopony can really pay for nothin'.”

“Some kind of protest?” I asked.

He nodded. “Nasty business, it’s that pony Applejack’s fault. First she got the farmer’s to stop workin', then the miners. Soon nopony will be able to have anything if it keeps up.”

I gave the kid a long look and said, “It’s probably not just their fault. Think about it.”

I left the colt and turned around. There stood a pair of ponies who looked nearly identical. There was a stallion and a mare, both blond with tannish coats. They were clad in clothing that I remembered seeing my great grandparents wear in old photographs. The stallion also had a board on him, one side said heads, the other tails. I noticed the heads had a lot more tallies under it. The stallion spoke first, “Heads?”

The mare spoke in turn, “or tails?”

I noticed almost nopony was noticing them. Most of them just walked on by as if they weren’t there. I shook my head. “Come on, I’m kind of in a hur-“

The stallion suddenly used his magic to toss a violet coin at me. I caught it in my hoof and he said again, “Heads?”

His partner said, “Or tails?”

I eyed the coin; it depicted Twilight on one side, and a picture of Canterlot castle on the other. I noticed the mare had a tray in front of her. I shrugged and called, “Heads.”

I flipped the coin and it landed on its side. It stood perfectly on its side in the tray. The Stallion looked at his partner and said with a grin, “Well, that’s interesting.”

“A variable in constant,” the mare said with a sly smile, “and you said it was folly.”

“Only because I try to have constants,” he replied with a smirk.

“Lives, lived, will live, dear brother, but some don’t always get to live,” she said, as the pair started to walk off.

What an odd pair. I noticed that the Stallion tossed the coin at me. He looked back and said, “A tip, for an interesting result.”

I looked at the coin. Then I looked back up again and the pair was gone. What? Just who were they?

The sign on the front of the fair said that one coin was required for a ticket. Well, may as well see what the party was about. I paid the ticket to a very eager sales pony up front. He let me in through the turnstile.

I can only hope I can find somepony who knows what’s going on.

______________________________________________________

I entered the fair to find it abuzz with activity. Many different ponies were playing all sorts of games, eating junk food, and riding rather primitive looking rides. I leaned against a booth and took it all in.

There was not a single earth pony or pegasus among these ponies. There had to have been at least a couple that lived around here. There had to be.

I then heard singing coming from nearby. I walked over and saw a large crowd of ponies standing in front of a stage, again they were all unicorns. A unicorn was standing on the stage, leading the singing. He had to have been in his forties, clad in a suit and top hat. Wait, I know him. Roland!

The bastard that tried to kill Phantom back in Trottingham? Who Fancypants cut across the eye? What was he doing free?

“The seventh annual raffle has begun!” he cried, the crowd cheering around him.

“Mister! Mister!” I heard a mare call. I turned and saw a pretty young unicorn hold a basket in front of me. It contained a set of baseballs, they all had numbers on them. “Pick one, sir!”

“Sorry, I don’t have any money,” I said honestly.

“Don’t worry it’s free on raffle day,” she said, holding her basket up before m.e

I reached in and looked at my pick. “47?” I said out loud.

“Could be a lucky number,” she said with a smile and went about passing more of the baseballs out.

I eyed the baseball for a minute as Roland continued. He cried, “Bring me the bowl!” I watched as a young unicorn mare took the stage. “Now, this one needs no magic to look absolutely gorgeous, am I right?” The mare giggled as she held out the basket.

I’m so glad Moongale never married this bastard. I would’ve killed him myself. But how was he free? For that matter, why was Blueblood still around?

Roland used his basket to pick a slip of paper from the bowl. “And the lucky number is… number 47!” he cried to the crowd.

The mare from before called out, “He has it! The guy in the trench coat and hat is the winner!”

Uh oh…

I looked at my baseball and then up at the crowd. Everypony was cheering “First throw! First throw!”

What was I going to throw it at? Some kind of target?

I watched as the curtain on the stage rose and I gasped at what I saw…

There, tied to a pole, were Fluttershy and Big Mac! They were bridled cruely to it and had harnesses on their heads. Big Mac struggled and pulled at his bridle but he couldn’t get free. No…

Fluttershy was just as bad, her wings looked broken and her eyes flooded with tears. They couldn’t speak…

That bastard did this to Fluttershy and they are celebrating it?

Roland looked at me and said, “Well, aren’t you going to throw it? Or do you like your coffee earthy these days?” He laughed as Fluttershy and Big Mac struggled to get free.

There is no way in hell he’s getting away with this…

I gave him a look and tossed the ball in the air. “Actually, I think I wanna throw it at something else,” I said, seething inside.

“And what might that be?” he asked, with a laugh. “We have more of them if you really need it. We wouldn’t want more hybrids coming around and tainting pony lines, now would we?”

“Funny, you just made my decision for me, you bastard!” I then threw the baseball with all my might and hit him in the face. The crowd gasped as he fell to the ground. I stood on the stage, looking down at Roland, snarling, “Be thankful I didn’t use bullets.”

“There’s only one reason why a unicorn would protect them,” Roland cried. “You’d have to be a hybrid yourself!”

“A hybrid!” the crowd cried, panicked. I ignored them and used my magic to cut Fluttershy and Big Mac loose.

Big Mac removed the bridle. “Thank ya kindly, Ah don’t know who ya are, but thank ya”

“Get out of here and thank me later!” I pulled out Blackbird and fired into the air. “I’ll hold them off!”

Big Mac took Fluttershy on his back and took off. I watched them go as pair of guards grabbed me. I struggled in their grips as one came up with a sword. “Better put this one down, not sure how a hybrid escaped, but we’ll make sure nopony makes a habit of it.”

“You bastards!” I yelled “How can you agree to this! They didn’t do anything wrong!”

“They tried to mix the tribes, a crime that cannot be tolerated,” the guard answered simply. “It’d be best if that chicken bitch had decided to stick with the other chickens!”

He didn’t… That bastard did not…

Yes he did…

My horn glowed, a violet lined green color and the stallion’s eyes grew wide. “What the hay! What happened to his eyes?”

My horn fired a blast of green magic that sent him flying. I then used my magic to knock aside the other guards. I glared down at the leader and said, “Never insult Fluttershy like that again. I’ll strangle you next time.”

Then I turned and ran, not sure exactly what came over me.

Chapter 3 "On the back of Hell"

Chapter 3

“On the back of Hell”

I ran as fast as I could through the unfamiliar streets of Canterlot. Knowing that it was seven years in the future was a good enough explanation for my lack of direction. I entered an alleyway and hid behind a dumpster as a group of guards ran past.

I sighed in relief and paused to collect myself. Just what the hay was going on here? Big Mac didn’t remember me? He wouldn’t even be speaking to Fluttershy if I hadn’t hooked them up. Hopefully they got away alright though.

I peeked out of the alleyway and overheard a pair of guards talking to one another. “Damn Hybrid, causing trouble at the raffle,” one of the guards complained.

“How’d he get out of the Ponyville Ruins?” the other asked. “Isn’t that where the Hybrids are supposed to be sent?”

“Supposed to, sure,” his friend said, shaking his head. “Maybe Applejack busted him out to save her brother?”

“Can you remember a time when the Apples were such contributing ponies?” the second guard asked. “I mean, I kind of remember giving one of their apples to my colt.”

“Nopony gets apples these days,” the first guard grumbled with a shake of his head. “Not since Ponyville got wiped out seven years ago. The funny thing is, I can’t remember what happened to it.”

So, it seems everypony here has memory problems. This doesn’t make any sense, they know Ponyville was destroyed, but they don’t remember how? Wait, Ponyville was destroyed?

Maybe Rarity didn’t need much incentive to close her shop. I was still wondering how she got to marrying Blueballs. I’m guessing that’s where I needed to head next. If I was going to find any answers, they'd be in Po-

“Psst,” I heard a voice say behind whisper.

I turned, my eyes opening wide with shock; there was Applejack. She too looked around seven years older. Her blond mane hung loose down her side, and it looked it hadn’t been brushed in weeks. She still had her Stetson hat on her head, but there were some holes in it now… Judging from my past experiences I'd say they were most likely bullet holes.

“Will ya quit starin' and get movin'?” she commanded, gesturing to an open pony hole.

I blinked and nodded, Applejack may be my one chance to find answers around here. I followed her down the pony hole and we ended up in the sewers. Applejack didn’t say anything as she lead me through the maze that was Canterlot’s sewers. I finally decided to ask, “Aj, where are we going?”

She stopped, looked back at me and replied, “Lower terrace, hideout, hush up.”

I kept my mouth shut the whole way through. AJ came to a tunnel that was all boarded up and pulled a lose board off. She then crawled under the boards and I followed suit. She replaced the board and we walked a little further until we arrived at another pony hole.

She climbed up to it and removed the cover. I followed her and, I think I know where the earth ponies all went.

The lower terrace back home had been a site for shopkeepers and trades ponies. Now though, it looked like a slum. Half of the buildings were crumbled and boarded up. Pretty much all of the inhabitants were earth ponies or pegasi. Not a single unicorn was among the many that lined the streets.

Mothers tried to quiet crying children, both of them looked skinny and weak. I was reminded of the Snowlands. I got several looks from passersby. They didn’t look very happy about a unicorn being here. I couldn’t believe this was really happening.

AJ led me to a small building, knocked on the door once, paused, and then twice more. An eye slit opened to reveal a pair of blue eyes and a yellow muzzle. “Password?” the mystery stallion asked.

AJ nodded and replied, “Red and Black”

The eye slit closed and the door opened to reveal Caramel. His brown mane was matted and he had a scar above his right eye. I remembered him, he was a teenager who'd worked on AJ’s farm from time to time. He'd never been the most effective farmhand, but it was still great to see another familiar face.

“What’s a unicorn doing here?” Caramel demanded angrily.

“Easy, Caramel,” AJ said firmly. “He’s the one who caused the ruckus over at the raffle. He saved mah brother and sister in law.”

Sister in law? Fluttershy and Big Mac were married? YES! At least something was right in this crazy place.

“Alright, but if he causes trouble for us it’s on you,” Caramel said, holding the door open.

The inside was a bar, ponies everywhere were looking at me with mixed expressions. AJ then turned and glared at me. “Alright, ya got some explaining' to do! How in the hay did you escape from the Ponyville Ruins?”

“Applejack, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m the one who needs answers!” I said, my voice echoing the frustration I was feeling.

“It’s you!” a soft voice cried.

I turned and saw Fluttershy running towards me. She hugged me tightly and said, “Oh, thank you so much for saving us!”

I smiled and held Fluttershy for a minute replying, “Hey, what are friends for?”

“Friends?” Fluttershy asked, letting go of me and giving me an odd look. “I’ve never met you before, and, well…” She went back to shrinking violet mode as Big Mac stepped forward. His sister glared at him.

Big Mac sighed and said, “Ah know what yer gonna say.”

“Ya just had tah get married, didn’t ya?” Applejack yelled. “Ya knew what was going to happen! Ah can’t believe ya threw away our safety for a mare!”

“Applejack, how can you say that?” I cried in turn “Fluttershy is your friend! You should be happy for them!”

“Why would Ah be happy over mah brother nearly getting himself killed because he decided tah get married to a pegasus,” Applejack growled back.

“This is all messed up!” I cried. “You know her! You know that Big Mac has loved Fluttershy for ages! She’s your friend! So is Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight, for Celestia’s sake!”

Everypony in the room suddenly got quiet. Applejack slowly narrowed her eyes. “How do ya know those names?”

“Because I’m your friend too!” I exploded. My mind was pleading for somepony to make some sense. “I was the one who hooked up Big Mac and Fluttershy, and I hooked you up with Applesnack!”

AJ slowly looked down, and then over at another earth pony. “Show em,” she said quietly.

He nodded and came back with a huge box of old newspapers. I looked at the dates, they were all from seven years ago. I picked up the first one and read the headline.

Swarm Defeated, but at What Cost?

Yesterday marks the end of a terrible tragedy that began just one week ago in Canterlot. Led by a mysterious Alicorn, named Lunard, and Queen Chrysalis, the changeling swarm launched a second invasion during the coronation of Twilight Sparkle. The invasion began just as Twilight Sparkle put on the crown, causing her to fall into a deep coma.

Even with the Element of Magic out of commission the remaining Elements fought back heroically, but at grave personal cost. Rainbow Dash, champion flyer, and candidate for the Wonderbolts, perished in the ensuing battle.

The Changeling swarm left a trail of destruction in their wake as they driven from Canterlot into the surrounding countryside. Many brave soldiers and citizens of Equestria lost their lives in the dark days that followed as the swarm swept through the kingdom, demolishing entire villages and towns.

Finally, just when all hope seemed lost, the Crystal Empire reinforcements arrived. Led by Princess Cadence and Shining Armor, the reinforcements caught up with the invading swarm in a small town called Ponyville. Sadly, while trying to protect a group of foals trapped in their schoolhouse, Shining Armor perished as well. His brave efforts will forever be remembered.

Princesses Celestia, Luna, Cadence and Lord Voidera all fought valiantly in the final battle. Fueled by her desire to avenge her lost love, Princess Cadence managed to kill Queen Chrysalis. Once their Queen was dead the remaining swarm was overrun and destroyed, but at what cost?

While we can all breath a sigh of relief to see the fighting come to an end, but it comes at a very heavy price to the citizens of Equestria. Princess Celestia and Luna were forced to use up most of their power to destroy the changeling horde and stop Lunard. Lord Voidera also lost his life, sacrificing himself in order to save the princesses.

As of today, both princesses are in comas recovering from the battle. A memorial service will be held, in Canterlot next Sunday, for all the brave ponies that lost their lives defending our great country.

I stopped reading, just stopped because I couldn’t take it. Rainbow was dead, Shining was dead, and Voidera as well…

I looked over at Applejack, pain etched on my face as I begged, “Tell me you remember this.”

Slowly, she shook her head. “Ah’m sorry, ah don’t remember any of it. We found dem newspapers a while ago. Ah don’t remember a Rainbow Dash, or Shining Armor. Let alone that there used to be more than one Princess.”

“One’s bad enough,” Caramel grumbled.

“AJ, how can you just forget this?” I yelled “Your home, your farm and your family! All taken away because of this! How can you or anypony else just forget it all?”

“That’s the thing, nopony can remember it. Ah did a little experiment a while back. Hey, Applebloom!” she called.

Applebloom came out and my jaw nearly dropped. She had grown into a teenager. Her scarlet mane hung loose down her back, and her trademark bow was tied around her tail. Her body was about to enter full marehood soon. Boy, if only Tyran can see what he had to look forward too.

Applebloom looked at me, and a faint blush came to her cheeks. “Sis, um, who’s this?” she asked.

“This ere’s the fella who helped Big Mac,” Applejack replied with a smile. “Show em that diary you made.”

She stared at me with her yellow eyes and turned to run off. I couldn't help but smile a little. It seems even if she didn’t remember me, her crush grew on it’s own. I wondered how Sweetie and Scootaloo turned out. Then there was Tailspin. I closed my eyes and wished with all my might that he was okay.

Aj's sister returned with a small diary and hoofed it over to me. “Ah don’t remember why ah wrote all this, but Applejack said it’d be good to keep round. Ya think it could be helpful, mister?” she asked hopefully.

“Maybe,” I said with a smile, which caused the teenaged filly to blush. Applejack gave her a smirk and then turned to me.

The first thing I saw when I opened then opened the book was picture after picture of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. I kept turning the pages, there were little captions on the sides of the photographs. They all read, “Who are they?”

I slowly looked up at Applebloom and asked, “Do you, know a Sweetie Belle or Scootaloo?”

Applebloom slowly shook her head. “Ah kinda know a Sweetie Belle, she goes tah a fancy school up in Manehattan with mah cousin, Babs. Ah don’t know a Scootaloo though, sorry.”

This wasn’t happening. This all just wrong…

“Are ya okay, sir?” Applebloom asked concerned. “Ya look terrible.”

“I've had a very bad day,” I said, shaking my head. “I just wish I could wake up from this nightmare.”

“Well, ya can rest up tonight, but we’ll need ya bright and early tomorrow,” Applejack spoke up.

“For what?” I asked, looking at Applejack.

“Yer helping us with the revolution,” Applejack declared matter of factly.

“Now wait, hold on!” I said, putting the diary back into Applebloom’s hooves. “I don't recall signing up for any revolution!”

“Ya don’t have much of a choice,” AJ said, turning back to me. “The minute you decided tah throw that baseball at the announcer was the minute you joined this side. Mah fellow earth ponies and pegasi suffer under those unicorns. Constantly having tah work all hours with no pay just so they can keep their posh lives!”

“You were friends with a unicorn!” I yelled “Three of them were elements!”

“Now that may be true in the papers, but in cold hard reality, Princess Twilight’s been forcing ponies tah slave away. She lets the unicorns oppress us and treat us like garbage! Tomorrow, we’re going to make them listen to us for a change!”

The other members of the group cheered and yelled in approval. I can’t believe this. I looked up at Applejack and said flatly, “You’re wrong”

“Say what now?” Applejack asked, glaring at me.

“Starting a riot will only get ponies hurt,” I said, seeing right through her plan. “I will take no part in it.”

“What’re ya gonna do then?” Applejack asked. “Ya can’t go back tah Canterlot, you’ll be hunted down like a criminal. If ya get behind us, every hybrid in Equestria will be-“

“I’m not going against Twilight,” I yelled.

Everypony was quiet for a minute. A stunned silence lingered in the air. Applejack slowly spoke, “The way ya said that, sounds like you’ve known her all yer life.”

“She’s my friend,” I said flatly. “She wouldn't want this.”

“Only because it doesn't benefits the nobility!” Caramel yelled.

“She has no friends!” I heard a pegasus yell. “Just cronies!”

“Maybe ya ain’t a hybrid at all,” Applejack said accusingly. “Maybe yer just a spy sent by her to topple the revolution!”

“Applejack, wait!” Applebloom cried, getting between us. “Stop!”

“Bloom! Get outta the way!” her sister hollered.

“Ah don’t know why,” Bloom said, looking down, “but, ah think he’s telling the truth. Sides, didn’t you say we shouldn’t involve anypony that don’t wanna get involved?”

Applejack slowly sighed, and the looked at me. “Ah’m only doin' this cause ah owe ya fer mah brother, and cause my sister seems to trust you. When all hell breaks loose though, ya’d better make sure yer standin' on the right side.”

With that, she went away to speak to her fellow revolutionaries. Applebloom looked at me, her face bright red as she said, “Ah believe ya. Sometimes ah get dreams that don’t make much sense. Was Ah friends with these two?”

I smiled and said, “The very best.”

“Ah hope ah can meet 'em again someday,” she said with a smile. “They look like a lot of fun.” She then noticed me getting ready to leave. “Where ya goin'?”

“To Ponyville,” I replied honestly.

Applebloom ran in front of me. “That there’s a death sentence! Hybrids are sent there when they’re discovered! Nopony’s ever comes back from there!”

“I need answers, Applebloom,” I said firmly “I’m sorry, but I can’t take part in what your sister is planning.”

The teenaged filly looked down for a minute. “Ah didn’t agree with her much neither. Ah just think, maybe if the Princess had friends she wouldn’t be so mean.”

I put a hoof on her head, smiled and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll figure this out, I usually do.”

“Say, mister?” she said, looking at me. “Ah don’t think Ah got yer name in all that.”

“Eye,” I said with a nod, “Private Eye.”

“Private, huh?” she said, smiling. “That’s cool, yer like a detective.”

“I am a detective,” I replied. “Which is why I’m planning to solve the mystery of what is going on here.”

She then looked at me with half lidded eyes and said. “Ah hope ah meet a stallion like ya someday.”

“If all goes well, Bloom, you’ll marry a nice Stallion named Tyran," I said with a smile.

“Tyran?” she asked, looking at me. “That’s a weird name.”

Don’t tell me she doesn’t remember Tyran…

Just, all of this, how did this all go to hell? Was it just Rainbow and Shining’s death, or was something far more sinister ahoof?

________________________________________________________

The train rolled into a stop at Ponyville station. A pair of guards came up to the car and one said, “I hate coming to this place, just gives me the freakiest feelings.”

“You know our orders,” the other replied. “Let's just drop off the corpses and let Freaky Pinkie have at them.”

“What do you think she does with them?” the first one asked. “Like, does she skin them and make dresses out of them?”

“Dude, don’t even joke about it, that's gross,” the second said. “Maybe she tosses them to the witch who lives in the Everfree Forest.”

“She does sing about an evil enchantress sometimes.” He then pulled a lever and the car door opened, revealing a wagon filled with corpses. They latched onto it with their harnesses, pulled it off the car, and began pulling it down the path.

I peeked out from under one of the corpses and looked around. There was a stone wall surrounding Ponyville. A large gate stood in front of it and I could see guards posted on the battlements.

I can’t believe this. I heard a train was going to Ponyville carrying corpses. So I figured, what better way to sneak into the Ponyville’s ruins. Unfortunately, I had to contend with the stench of death all around me as I had to bury myself to hide from the guards. It was cold, uncomfortable, and honestly unnerving, but it kept them from seeing or smelling me.

I watched as we passed through the gate into town. I noticed there were no guards inside Ponyville. The buildings looked broken and decayed. A battle took place here and nopony ever picked up the pieces. There was an eerie quiet that just wasn’t natural in Ponyville.

The guards stopped in the town center and left the wagon there. They went back to the gate and exited. Once I was sure they were gone I pushed myself up out of the corpses. I gently climbed out of the wagon and down onto the ground. The only guards were posted at the massive wall in front.

The town was largely deserted, minus the corpses in the wagon. I looked at them and shook my head sadly. Most of them were just kids…

Just, what kind of horrible monsters would think this is right…

I then heard hoofsteps approaching; so I hid behind the wagon and slowly drew out Blackbird. I was desperately hoping it wasn’t a guard. Then I heard the voice. It was a dry, and tired, but all too familiar, voice.

“More little ones. They never learn,” the voice mumbled.

I slowly looked around the wagon, and there was Pinkie Pie.

I hardly recognized her, however. Her mane was flat and her coat matted. She didn’t look like she'd bathed recently, and her eyes had big dark circles under them. She was clad in rags that barely protected her from the rather chilly air. She was unbelievably skinny, something very unnatural for Pinkie to be.

She looked at the corpses and continued mumbling to herself, “More for Zecora, more to bury, more dead and forgotten…”

“Pinkie?” I asked, stepping out from my hiding spot.

Suddenly she backed away from me, speaking something incoherent in a pitiful manner. She backed into a nearby ruined house wall and cowered in front of me.

“Pinkie, wait it’s me,” I said, gently as I could. “Private, you probably don't remember me.”

Her blue eyes slowly looked at me. “No, Private left, left all of us, and made us sad…” she muttered.

“Left?” I said, shaking my head. “Pinkie I’m right here.”

“Didn’t save us. Lied, said we’d be friends forever. All secrets and lies, secrets and lies.” She chanted her eyes taking on a crazy glint.

“Pinkie,” I said, nervously backing away as she walked towards me.

“Liars! Just like when Twilight abandoned Pinkie. Like when Fluttershy and Applejack ignored Pinkie. Like when Rarity…left, just like Private.” Her grin had turned into the stuff of nightmares.

“Pinkie, you’re not thinking straight!” I cried, in a panic. I was very much unnerved by her expression. But wait, Pinkie knows me! I chalked it up to Pinkie being Pinkie, but, what if she does remember who I am? She’d be the first pony recently to do so.

On the other hoof, in this case, that may not be a good thing.

“Now Private won’t leave Pinkie. Stay with me, forever…” I then noticed she'd pulled a knife from inside her rags.

Pinkie was going to kill me? This is…

“Pinkie, stop!” I cried, raising my hooves. “You don’t know what you are doing!”

“Be my friend forever!” she screamed, charging at me with the knife. I braced myself to disarm her…

Then a stream of smoke came out of nowhere. It hit Pinkie and she swayed, falling to the ground. I turned and saw a brown cloaked figure standing there. The figure lowered the hood to reveal…”Zecora!” I shouted in recognition.

Zecora didn’t look much different from when I'd seen her last. She did have significantly more gray stripes though. It could be a sign of age in a zebra. She slowly smiled and said, “It is good to see you my friend. I seem to have saved you from your end.”

“Zecora, you remember me!” I exclaimed, happily.

“Yes, I do. I see you remember too,” she said with a nod.

“What exactly is going on here?” I asked, looking at Pinkie. “How did Pinkie end up like this?”

Zecora’s face turned grave. She raised her hood again and replied, “Follow me, there's somepony you need to see…”

Chapter 4 "Among the Dead"

Chapter 4

“Among the Dead”

Night fell as Zecora led me through the Everfree Forest in almost total silence. The forest seemed much more unnatural than usual. I felt a strange unnerving feeling as we walked. I finally asked, “Zecora, where are we going?”

“To the Princess of the night,” she said, still facing forward. “She will help you to set things right.”

“Luna is okay!” I said, happy that she made it out alive.

Zecora’s expression was just grim as we made it to her hut. I’ve only been to the hut a couple of times, but somehow it looked creepier than usual. Zecora opened the door and gestured with her head for me to enter.

I walked in and saw a sorry sight. There, lying on the bed with blankets covering her, was Luna…

She did not look well, her midnight blue coat was matted and her mane didn’t blow like it usually does. Instead, it fell flat around her head, giving her a more natural, but still sickly, appearance. Her wings also looked like they lost a great deal of feathers. When she opened her teal eyes she smiled weakly at me. “Private, it is good to see you again, yet you haven’t aged a day.”

“Luna!” I ran to her and sat beside her. I felt a deep pain in my heart from seeing the Princess of the Night in such a state. “What happened to you? Where’s Celestia? What th-“ She cut me off by setting a hoof on my lips.

“Do not fret, my friend,” she said, her voice tired. “You look about as worse as I do. You must have had a terrible ordeal.”

I just stared at her as she set her hoof back down on her chest. Zecora walked over and set some odd colored potion in front of Luna, the princess drank it slowly out of the bowl.

“Luna, what happened to you?” I asked again.

“She had fought against evil,” Zecora said, looking at me “But, the battle had taken most of her strength and will.”

“Will she ever get better?” I asked.

Slowly, Zecora shook her head “My powers of healing are great, but not even I can set these wounds straight. The potion will only ease the pain. For her body and mind has suffered irreparable strain.”

I felt like crying, honestly crying over the state of Luna. Was this just my feelings? Or was Nocturne in as much pain as I was and we were both feeling it.

“Private,” Luna said, slowly taking my hoof. “Thank you, for being here in this dark time.”

“Luna, what happened to your sister?” I asked slowly.

Luna closed her eyes, tears falling from them. “She has passed, she used far too much power stopping Lunard. She, oh Private…” She cried even more, coughing as she did.

I then felt a weight on my neck. I looked down and saw Tenacity was there. I looked to my right and saw Nocturne was sitting there. The large grey unicorn stallion was looking down at Luna with such sorrow. She looked to him, a look of shock on her face.

“Nocturne?” she asked, putting a hoof to her lips.

“Tis I, Luna,” Nocturne said, smiling at her. “I’m right here for you.”

“Nocturne, please forgive me," she said, openly weeping now. “I, didn’t know, the miasma, but that is no excuse for what happened.”

“Shh,” Nocturne walked to her, the cord of light connecting him and I. I looked at Zecora, the zebra was simply smiling. Could she see Nocturne too?

“It’s alright now, Luna,” he said gently. “I hope you can forgive me. for turning from you after you became Nightmare.” A guilty expression came to his face. “I should’ve tried harder to help you, to understand your pain.”

“Do not let the guilt lay upon yourself, my ancient love,” she said, reaching for him from the bed. Her hoof passed through Nocturne. I could see the tears welling up in Nocturne’s eyes. Here he was, so close to the mare he loved, and he couldn’t even hold her.

“In my immortal life, I never had to face true death,” Luna said, looking at me. “Still, I am happy to be among friends now that the time has come.”

“No Luna!” I yelled, tears welling up in my eyes “I already lost too many friends! You can’t die too!”

“Friend,” Luna said, smiling weakly. “It has been too long since I’ve been called that. I’m happy that you consider me such, descendent of Nocturne. Thank you.”

“Luna,” I said, tears streaming down my face. “Don’t die, please…”

“Before I go Private, I have one last gift.” Her horn touched mine and I felt as if I got a crash course in a matter of seconds.

“What, did you do?” I asked.

“Granted you a memory spell. It's the same one I used on you when first we met. It will aid you after I have passed.”

“Luna, wait, please don’t die…”

She reached up a hoof to wipe away my own tears. “It will be fine, Private. I will be with my sister and family again soon…”

“Preventus.”

“What?” Luna asked.

“My name, my real name, is Preventus,” I said slowly. “You may call me that.”

She smiled slowly and replied, “Preventus, such a unique name. May you find happiness somewhere in this dark world…” She looked up at Nocturne.

The Stallion, slowly raised his hoof. “Come with me, the chains will never bind you, all your grief, at last, at last behind you. Beings above, look down on her in mercy.”

Luna closed her eyes and I watched her spirit leave her body and take Nocturne’s hoof. She smiled and looked to the sky. “Forgive me all my trespasses, and take me to your glory…”

I felt the tears well up in my eyes as Luna was lifted to the sky floating up through the ceiling. I looked down at her cold lifeless body, Luna had died smiling. I looked at Nocturne, the pain in his yellow eyes was evident.

Then everything went to black…

____________________________________________________

Nocturne sat with his back turned to me in the black place. I looked on the once intimidating warrior as he sobbed. So much pain was in this ancient warrior’s heart, as was in mine.

He slowly turned to me and said, “We’ve never had a chance to speak like this.”

“No, I guess not,” I replied, looking away.

“Private, make me a promise” he said, continuing to stare at me.

“Nocturne…” I said, finally looking back at him.

“Never let her die again, never again!” he cried. “Find a way to fix this! Make me the promise that if you can, you will never let her die again! Luna doesn’t deserve it…”

I looked at the warrior and said, “Nocturne, I swear on my life, I will protect Luna as my friend forever. If I find a way to go back, I will never let you feel this pain again!”

“Thank you,” he said, slowly smiling. “You, are truly my descendent, others in our line have great grief within them. Hopefully, you will allow us all to rest one day, when the fighting is truly over.”

A light enveloped Nocturne and he vanished from my sight. I looked down, how… how could she?

How could Twilight allow this?

A strange aura slowly covered my body. I clenched my teeth in anger at all of this. I roughly shook my head, regaining control, and the aura faded. Just, all of this, so much pain and suffering. Twilight should’ve been here. She should’ve tried to help Luna!

She should’ve done something!

_______________________________________________________

I opened my eyes to see Zecora putting Luna in the back of a wagon. The body of the princess was wrapped in cloth and laying peacefully. I looked at Zecora and asked, “Where are you taking her?”

Zecora looked at me and replied sagely, “You do not wish to go, for your pain will only grow.”

“I deserve to see her buried!” I yelled “She was my friend! She died in front of me! Why couldn’t anypony save her?”

“She died without pain,” Zecora said somberly. “That is all one could hope to gain. None remember her except you and I. Do not mourn her, Private Eye.”

“Why can’t anypony remember anything!” I yelled, bucking a nearby tree in disgust.

Zecora’s normal rhythmic voice turned, normal sounding almost. “It's because of her grief. Twilight Sparkle was so filled with grief over the death of her friend and brother after waking from her coma,” she began explaining.

“You didn’t rhyme,” I said in shock.

Zecora looked down. “We are passed the time for rhyme. Twilight Sparkle then cast a spell on herself and everypony in the world. It was a powerful memory spell that only the most powerful of unicorns can perform, but being a young Alicorn allowed her to perform it without any trouble. The spell erased her memories of those who had passed, erasing her grief and guilt over the situation. She believed that if she erased her memories of her friends she would be able to rule without feeling grief. She soon erased all memories of her friends and family. Including you.”

“Me?” I shook my head and said, “But I didn’t die! I was sent here! That’s why I haven’t aged!”

“Twilight didn’t know that,” she said flatly. She then continued, “The spell had a devious side effect. It affected everypony in the world. Every time one died, the memories of that being were erased. They would not feel pain, nor suffer grief over the death.”

"That's just cowardly," I yelled. “You can’t just forget the ponies you love! You can’t just erase them because you’re afraid of pain!”

Zecora’s eyed me somberly and I calmed down. She then went on, “Eventually, the nobles began to influence Twilight Sparkle. They made her enact laws against hybrids and anypony not a unicorn. Twilight only believed in the good of Equestria, without friendship there was nothing to temper her mind.”

Twilight…

“I was saved from the spell when Luna found me, she used the memory spell she gave you to unlock my memories,” she explained. “Now I will honor her by laying her to rest with the others.”

“Others?”

“Do not follow me,” she ordered.

“I have to know,” I argued stubbornly.

“It will only cause you great pain, perhaps even madness like Pinkie.”

“I am not afraid!”

“…come then.”

________________________________________________________

Gravestones… thousands of them.

They were strewn everywhere in the clearing before me. I just stood there, taking in the sight of so many dead. Zecora stood behind me, her expression neutral. She must’ve seen this sight so many times.

“How many?” I asked, just looking out at the sea of graves.

“Too many for even I to count,” Zecora admitted. “Nor would I want to count them.”

I walked forward, vaguely hearing Zecora’s voice calling for me but I paid her no mind. I walked up to the first grave before me and wiped away some of the dirt…

Scootaloo Themera Loftwing

No! Another grave… and another.

Tyranus Thatcher

Sour Grapes

More names…

Cross Adamus Eye

No, not my cousin. Not Cross, you can’t be serious! Why’d he have to die?

“He perished during the changeling invasion,” Zecora said, her voice comforting. “He died trying to protect Sweetie Belle, from what I heard.”

I came to another grave stone, I felt a cold feeling of dread as I looked at the name. No, no Celestia for the love of all things that is good, no!

No just, why? Not her, no…

Ditzy Doo

I looked at the grave beside her and saw another name.

Dinky Doo

Dinky, little Dinky. Why? She didn’t deserve this. Wait, her father was a unicorn. Had they killed her for that, or did she die in the invasion?

I then came to another gravestone and stopped dead in my tracks. I fell on my haunches, bowed my head and openly wept. No, please no, not him. Anypony but him. I could handle the loss of anypony else, but not him… not…

Tailspin Eye

“Private,” Zecora said, putting a hoof on my shoulder. “You should not stay here.”

“You can bury Luna,” I said, my voice sounding hollow “I just want to be with him.”

I didn’t see Zecora’s face but I heard her walk away. I put a hoof on my little brother’s name. Tailspin, I failed you. I’m your big brother, I should’ve been there for you. I should’ve protected you. No, my baby brother. Come back, please. I need you…

I can’t stand to lose you, my best friend. My little brother and my reason for living. Tailspin, say something. Tell me how you want to be a writer when you grow up. Tell me all about school. Tell me that you love me.

My little brother was gone. Tailspin, my little brother, just gone… Twilight, she did this! She allowed this to happen, and she should be punished. The whole world should be punished! He didn’t do anything wrong! He didn’t have to die! He was just a kid! It wasn’t his fault he couldn’t walk or fly! Why’d he have to die? He was a good kid, kind and sweet! He never would hurt anypony!

I never got to say goodbye, and it’s all Twilight’s fault!

I turned and heard rustling in the bushes. I saw Blueblood, clad in Shining Armor’s uniform with about half a dozen guards with him. He sniffed and said, “What a filthy forest, her majesty has a lot of nerve to send us to this place in search of a stinking commoner.”

“Captain look!” one cried, pointing to me. “That’s him, I recognize him from the square!”

I slowly turned around to face them. They seemed to ignore the fact they were standing in a graveyard, how fitting…

“Hybrid! By the laws of Equestria you are under arrest for being the sire of blood traitors and attacking a noble!” Blueblood ordered. “Now stand down and surrender at once!”

I smirked and replied, not even recognizing my own voice, “No thanks, Blueballs.”

“What did you just call me?” he cried. “You are standing against seven members of the royal guard and you dare to insult me!”

“Oh I dare, Blueballs. I dare very much so. I know who you really are, nothing more than a coward who hides behind others, using them as shields. I’m in a very bad mood today. I highly suggest you leave before I take a spear and shove it up your pampered ass.”

“Forget her majesty’s orders! Kill him now!” he cried pointing at me with his hoof. The guards walked towards me, using their magic to draw swords and spears.

Half of them had spears, the other’s had swords. They all had more combat training then I have. They didn’t have as much of a reason to as fight I did though. The rage at what had been done to my loved ones welled up inside me. I was going to mop the floor with them.

I dodged a spear as it was thrust at me. Grabbing it, I pulled the owner into my hoof and punched his light’s out. Another guard tried to swing at me with a sword, but I blocked it with the spear. I used my magic to hit him in the chest, and send him flying. When was my magic this strong? Don’t care; time to take care of these bastards!

I raised the fallen soldier’s sword with my magic and blocked two sword wielders as they thrust at me. I then twirled the spear in my hooves and swept it under them. They crashed to the ground, their legs giving way under them. I turned and bucked them both into a nearby tree. Nocturne’s strength? No, something more was guiding my fight. I vaguely wondered who I was channeling?

I dodged a spear thrust and the guard tried firing a spell off at me. I held up my hoof and a shield came up. How was I this good? I didn’t see Eclipse fighting beside me, and he was the magic expert among my ancestors. I dropped to the ground and pulled out Blackbird. I shot the guard in the leg and he down he fell. In a rage I charged at him, turned, then bucked him right in the face.

He fell back and I looked down. I saw my cord of light was connecting me to a strange unicorn stallion.

He was about my age by the looks of him, his mane was long and black, he was clad in a similar outfit to Sombra’s, sans crown. His coat was grey like mine and his eyes were a verdant blue. He looked almost like he could’ve been royalty at one time. Yet I haven’t heard of a different unicorn king in ages…

I ducked as Blueblood came at me with a rapier sword. I dodged and weaved my way around him. He growled, “Pathetic commoner! I will tolerate your tricks no longer!”

I knocked the blade from his magic with both of my newly acquired blades. I then glared at him and said, "You will pay the highest price for what has happened here."

“You think a hybrid can match me?” he yelled, his horn glowing and he fired a beam of magic at me. My own horn glowed silver and I met his magic. Our beams clashed and I felt a rush enter me. I looked to my side and saw the unicorn again. He looked at me, smiled, and his eyes slowly turned to those of green and purple lined magic, like Sombra’s.

I felt magic course through me, I never felt this powerful before! I grinned as my magic changed to match my newfound friend. The magic soon overtook Blueblood and he got hit by the full force of both our magics.

Strange, no chanting…

I ignored that and ran up to Blueblood. I then slammed my hoof into his face and my telekinesis lifted him into the air by his neck. I held up my hoof and grinned as he squirmed in pain. He deserved every bit of pain for taking part in this. One little squeeze, that is all it would take…

"DADDY, NO!"

My magic broke and I saw Blueblood fall to the ground unconscious. The unicorn from before soon faded. Who was he? What happened exactly?

I felt a great fatigue on myself, as if I used a lot of magic quickly. But, how was that possible? I shouldn’t even have been capable of half the spells I'd just shot out. Also, who was that unicorn? He felt, almost scarily familiar, like I was looking into my own soul.

Why did he look so much like Sombra and I? Was he my ancestor? If so, why did he wield the some frequency of magic Sombra has? I felt exhausted, worn down to my very bones. I will rest now, just rest. Then tomorrow...

I will set things right, one way or another.

Chapter 5 "Tenacity"

Chapter 5

“Tenacity”

I opened my eyes and blinked as the sun entered them. I was still in the graveyard, the guards were all unconscious around me. What did I do? I just, remember being pissed as hell and then everything just seemed to blur together.

That unicorn though, why did he look so much like Sombra and I? I felt, strange when I thought about him. It was like I was looking at a mirror but I can’t explain why. He didn’t exactly match my appearance, but he did seem to be an ancestor. He had to be, otherwise Tenacity wouldn’t have called him.

At least I think that's how it worked. There was so much about my Element I didn’t know. For all I knew he could’ve just been some obscure character in history. I got to my hooves breathing heavily. stillI felt so drained, like I used a lot of magic in a short amount of time.

Slowly pictures of what happened started to come back to me. Like a dream after you’ve been awake for a while, only it seemed like a nightmare. How was I able to do that? Any of that, it should’ve been impossible for a half unicorn like me.

But, right now I had a mission, I had to stop Twilight somehow. She needed to be dealt with. All of this is her fault, every death, every memory lost, all her fault!

I shook my head and refocused. I had to get back to Canterlot. I had to confront Twilight about this. But, how was I going to get there? The guards would probably be sending reinforcements to find me. I can’t go back out the gate, the guards there would catch me before I could hijack a train.

Why couldn’t one of my ancestors have the ability to fly?

I then heard a familiar sound, a whooshing sound that was most welcome. I turned and saw the Tardis coming into existence and landing a little bit away. I ran to the door before it could open. When it did, the Doctor poked his head out and said, “Private, fancy running into you here.”

“Doctor!” I yelled in surprise. “It’s great to see you!”

“Good to see you too, it's been a while since our last adventure,” he said with a smile.

“A while?” Oh yeah, time differences and what not. I shook my head and pleaded, “This is important! You have to get me to Canterlot now!”

“I suppose I could give you a lift,” the Doctor said with a shrug. “Just give me a few minutes to recalibrate her and we’ll be ready to go!” He went back into the Tardis and I smiled.

I turned around and saw Zecora was standing there. She didn’t seemed phased by the sight of the Tardis. I looked down, then back up again. “Has Luna been buried?”

She nodded and said, “I know what you are thinking of doing, but you must not seek revenge”

“Why not?” I yelled at her. “Twilight caused all this! She deserves to pay for it!”

She frowned and simply said, “Perhaps, you don’t remember everything. Memory is the key, Private Eye.”

I shook my head and asked, “What do you mean by th-“ I looked up again and saw that Zecora was gone. Man, that’s creepy.

The Doctor poked his head out again and said, “We’re all ready to go.”

I slowly turned and walked into the Tardis. What did she mean, memory is the key?

___________________________________________________________

I opened the door of the Tardis to find the Canterlot in total chaos. The Tardis landed not far away from the Castle and I had a good view of the upper terrace below. That’s where all the nobility and rich ponies of Canterlot were housed. The buildings were on fire. I could hear gunfire and magic bursts and I saw small explosions raining down everywhere.

It was worse than Hammergrad, because this was a place I knew. This was Twilight’s home, Luna and Celestia’s home. It was getting destroyed because neither side would listen to one another. Neither would help one another.

Twilight, is this what you envisioned when you took that damn crown!

I turned around and saw the Doctor walking back into the Tardis. “Doctor, wait!” I yelled. “I may need your help!”

He just looked back for a moment, and then shut the door behind him. I ran to the Tardis door and slammed my hoof on it. “What the hay? Let me in this stupid thing!”

“I’m sorry, Private, I can’t help you,” the Doctor said, his voice muffled from behind the door. “I know what you want to do to Twilight, and I cannot condone it.”

“She needs to pay for what she did!” I yelled. “Everypony needs to pay!”

“I can’t, I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” Suddenly I saw the light on top of the Tardis flash and it began vanishing. I tried slamming my hooves against the door but soon I passed through it and fell to the grass.

“Damn!” I yelled. “Fine! You can go ahead and leave me too! I don’t care!” I shook my head. “Just like everypony else…”

“Please, let me in!” I turned at the sound of a familiar voice. I hid behind a small building and looked at the palace gates. There was Rarity, a large pile of suitcases behind her, talking to the guards. “I am the wife of Captain Blueblood! I demand to be given sanctuary from these savages!”

“I’m sorry, Lady Rarity, but Princess Twilight has said nopony is to enter the castle without prior permission,” one guard said, not sounding the least bit sympathetic.

“My home was bombed by those brutes!” Rarity shouted “I need to go somewhere safe until my husband arrives!”

“We have not heard word of Captain Blueblood since his departure for Ponyville yesterday,” the other guard said. “If we hear word, we will let you know.”

Rarity huffed and turned around. I had about enough of this! She passed by where I was hiding and I grabbed her with my hooves. I covered her mouth as she struggled and pulled her behind the building. I kept her mouth covered as recognition entered her eyes. “Be quiet, and I’ll tell you what happened”

Rarity looked at me for a long moment, a look of defiance in her eyes.

“No screaming, no yelling, and certainly no whining or complaining, and I know the difference,” I said with a firm look.

Her eyes went wide for a moment, and then she slowly nodded. I let her go as she glared at me. “You had better have good reason for grabbing a lady so inappropriately,” she huffed.

“Rarity, there’s something you need to know about Blueblood,” I said, looking away from her.

“Do you know where he is?” Rarity asked, her eyes glowing. “Do you know where my handsome Prince cha-“

“I can see the bruise, Rarity,” I said, pointing to a spot on her face. “I know that’s make up covering it.”

Rarity put a hoof on her cheek and said, “I just fell.”

“Rarity, I’m a detective, I’ve heard that lie a dozen times in my life,” I said firmly. “Blueblood gave you that, not any rebel.”

“We, um, simply had a misunderstanding,” she said, trying to deny it. “Our lives are perfect, happy even, it’s just those earth ponies wh-“

“Quit blaming them!” I yelled at her, I noticed her wince at that. “The truth is, there is no way a mare like you could love a selfish ass like Blueblood.”

“How dare you slander my husband,” she yelled. “What gives you the right to say such things about a handsome a-“

“Rarity, he tried to kill me.”

“What?” Rarity said, shock evident in her voice. “You must be mistaken, Blueblood only ever hunted criminals of the state. He would never harm an innocent stallion.”

“More lies,” I said, shaking my head. “You don’t know it, I’m guessing it was because you weren’t at the fair. There was this raffle and I was supposed to throw a baseball at a couple consisting of a pegasus and an earth pony.”

“Such a marriage is illegal and for good reason,” Rarity sniffed. “It taints the blood of unicorns an-“

“My mother was a pegasus,” I interrupted her. “I threw the baseball at the announcer when he insulted them. They were friends of mine and I couldn’t stand it.”

Rarity’s looked dumbsruck “Why would unicorns and the other tribes be friends? They are such brutes, such uncouth ruffians.”

“I can see the brain washing has gotten to you, Rarity. You want to know the truth?” I asked.

“You’re the one spouting lies!” She shook her head “Slandering my husband! Lying about him trying to kill you! Saving hybrids! It’s true that Hybrids are liars and scum of t-“

I took her face in my hooves, and my horn began to glow. She looked at me fearfully for a minute and asked, “Wha, what are you doing?”

“Making you remember,” I said, and then my glowing horn touched hers.

I began to see pictures, Rarity’s birth, her school days trying to dissuade Dustmane’s love. Her first play session with Sweetie Belle, her first fight with Applejack. I then saw her meeting Twilight, and then becoming an Element of harmony. Then I saw her and Applejack making up during that slumber party years ago. Then I saw her making the dresses for the gala, and then her being mistreated by Blueblood. I saw her making up with Sweetie Belle after the Sisterhooves Social.

I saw her with Spike, from working with him, to her defending him in the dragon lands. Then I saw her confessing how she felt to Spike, and the kiss that followed. I then, saw a terrible sight, Spike was on the ground, a bloodied corpse with a Changeling standing over him. I saw Rarity crying over his dead body…

I pulled away my horn, thankful that Luna’s memory spell worked. I looked at Rarity, her eyes were a well of tears. She put a hoof to her cheek, and then said slowly, “Spikey Wikey…”

“Blueblood took advantage of the fact you couldn’t remember his plot against you,” I said, and then it dawned on me. “I guess because you couldn’t remember me, you didn’t remember the case. Neither did the courts, so he got out. Then he used his charm to win you over again. You were forced into a loveless relationship simply because Blueblood wanted you as a prize.”

“The only being who truly loved me is gone, and I forgot him. My Spikey Wikey…” she said, looking down, her tears staining the grass.

I gently moved her into a ruined house and set her down on a coach. As she began crying into a ripped cushion I said, “Stay here, I’ll find a way to stop all this.”

“Private,” she said, looking at me. “Never, ever forget, what we all had.”

I smiled and gently used an Anesthetic spell to put her to sleep. Hopefully nopony would find her in all the chaos. I closed the door behind me and barricaded it with some fallen debris. This would discourage any looters from finding her.

I then saw a group of ponies down the street. They were lead by Applejack, I noticed she was wearing salvaged armor with red linings that looked spray painted on. Honestly it was a good look, but I don’t think aesthetics is what she was hoping for.

If she gets to the castle first, I may never get at Twilight! I had to stop her before she gets inside! Applejack came up to the front gate, the two guards readied their horns to fire at her. A pair of pegasi swooped down, tackling them before they could. I was impressed by the level of dedication Applejack created in others.

“Alright!” she said, turning to her soldiers following her. “The rest of the troops will join us in assaulting this place! We’ll show Princess Twilight that she can’t ignore us a-“

“Applejack that’s enough!” I said, Applejack turned to find me standing in front of the gate.

She frowned and said, “You again? So, ya think tah cause trouble fer us too?”

“Applejack, you can’t do this,” I said, firmly “Those guards have families and ponies that care about them just as much as all of you!”

“They forced us to become little more than slaves and treated us like garbage!” Applejack yelled, the ponies behind her agreeing. “Why should we give two rotten apples what they think?”

“Because you’d be hurting a close friend” I said, closing my grey eyes, my horn glowing.

“He’s using magic! Stop him!” Caramel yelled.

I turned and bucked the earth pony about to stop me. I ran up to Applejack, and tackled her to the ground. She struggled under me. “Get off ya darn freak! Ah ain’t got time fer yer ga-“

I put my glowing horn to her head before she could say anymore.

I saw Applejack being born, her mother Lilyblossom singing to her. I saw two graves, marked with the names of Applejack’s parents. I saw Applejack holding a baby Applebloom, the filly crying for a mother long gone. I saw her leaving for Manehattan and then the trip home to discover her true calling. I saw her meeting Twilight, and shaking her hoof vigorously.

I saw her become an Element of Harmony alongside her friends. Then I saw her racing Rainbow Dash, and watching the pegasus perform tricks of daring. I saw her and Applebloom playing together. I saw her meeting me for the first time. Then her hugging Big Mac as he was released from prison. I saw her at my birthday party, making treats for everypony.

Then, I saw her standing over Rainbow’s lifeless body. The pegasus had a long cut on her chest, her wings broken beyond repair and her eyes lifeless. Applejack was holding her friend tenderly as she cried. In reality, Applejack blinked her green eyes, and then tears began streaming down her face. “Nah, no not Rainbow. Wha, what am I doin?”

“Your orders Applejack!” Caramel cried “We’ll kick his ass before-“

“Let em go,” Applejack said, getting up as I moved off her. “It’s, over now”

“But we have a chance to end all of it, to avenge everypony for what the nobles did!” an earth pony cried.

“Are we no better than they are?” Applejack asked, looking around “This fella here, saved mah brother and Fluttershy even though we all forgot how much we owe him.”

“Forget him!” Caramel cried zealously. “We’re stopping all the unicorns right now!” He and the others were about to run towards the palace gates.

No! Twilight is mine!

I ran past them, my horn glowing brightly again. I felt a strange instinct enter my body, I ran up to the gate, and slammed my hooves on the ground. They stopped in their tracks as sparks of electricity came off the ground.

Soon columns of dark crystal sealed the entrance in front of me. It kept glowing as the magic flowed through me like a river. Soon the entire castle was sealed inside a dome of dark sparking crystal. Sombra had this magic… how did I use it?

Well, it’ll keep anypony else from interfering…

Vengeance would be mine…

_____________________________________________________

I walked the halls of Canterlot castle. Any guard that got in my way was thrown aside by my magic. I felt powerful, stronger than ever! I was going to fix everything! I was going to make Twilight pay for what she did! I was going to make them all suffer!

The pair of guards from before tried to tackle me before I reached the throne room door. My horn glowed green and violet lined as I shot them both in the chest with powerful bolts of magic. They both crashed into the wall next to the door. I casually walked by, and opened the door to the throne room.

Twilight stood there, tall and beautiful on her throne. She looked at me with cold eyes and said, “So, you are responsible for the barrier. I should’ve figured you were some dark magic user!”

“I don’t have time for your prattling, you and I have a score to settle,” I growled, my voice not my own. “It’s because of you my brother is dead! It’s because of you this whole world is so messed up! Have you nothing to say for yourself?”

“I’m tired of all the lies Applejack dishes out against me.” She flew down to face me “I’m also sick of you, constantly spewing out nonsense! I know what you are! You’re a hybrid! A mistake in the system that was made for the good of all Equestria! The tribes should be kept separate so each can be used to the full of their abilities!”

“Is that your excuse to justify murder!” I yelled. “You’re no better than Glimmer! I should put you down right now!”

She laughed and said coldly, “You think you can defeat me? You’re nothing more than a mongrel! You have not even a hundredth of the power I wield!” Her horn glowed and a bolt of lightning shot from it.

I leapt out of the way and fired my own bolt of green magic at her. It hit her in the side and she grunted, and then fired at me again. I held up my hooves and a barrier formed. I looked to my right, there he was again. The royal unicorn was glaring at Twilight as the cord of light connected us. His eyes glowed green as well.

I’m thankful for the aid! Now to bring her down! I yelled and fired with all my might at her, but she flew out of the way, summoning a group of floating violet orbs. She threw them all at me, one missed, another knocked me back when it landed close to me. The last one…

It looked like it was going to be a direct hit, but at the last second it curved and hit the wall behind me.

I refocused and fired once again. I hit Twilight in the chest and she backed off. I kept firing and firing at her! This was for Tailspin! Scootaloo! Tyran! Cross!! Dinky!!

“That’s for everypony you murdered!” I screamed at her as she stood again.

“Who do you think you are?” she yelled back. “Attacking my guards, causing a revolution, and disrupting my perfect orderly system!”

“You can’t build heaven on the back of corpses, Twilight!” I growled at her. “Now, I’ll send you straight to that hell…” My horn glowed brightly.

“Bring it,” she said, her own horn glowing.

Our horns glowed brightly, hers a deep violet and mine an unnatural green. I concentrated all my power into this one blast. I fired, Twilight went in the air and fired as well, our magics were about to meet each other. I was going to end her… make her suffer for ever-

MOMMY! DADDY! STOOOP IT!!

Suddenly a third beam of magic, a bright magenta, shot between our magics and stopped them from colliding. The force however, caused an explosion that sent both Twilight and I flying back. I crashed into a pillar and fell to the floor. Unconsciousness quickly washed over me.

I looked and saw another cord. I looked up to see who it was attached to. I saw a filly, a teenager, brown mane, lavender coat, violet eyes…

Twinkle?

_____________________________________________________________

I groaned as I opened my eyes for a second time. I was in the blackness again. I looked up and was horrified by what I saw. There was the grey unicorn from before, only he was much taller and terrifying. His eyes were pupiless and green. His teeth were razor sharp like Nightmare Moon’s and an aura of darkness seemed to swirl around him.

“Insufferable fool,” he said, his voice a snarl. As a matter of fact, it sounded just like I did whenever I used that… what did Twilight call it? Dark Magic?

“You constantly interfere! Why do you insist on changing him? ” the beast yelled.

Wait, was he talking to me?

I turned around, there was Twinkle, she was about the same age as Applebloom was. Every other time she was a filly. Is it because she needed to be more grown up to stop Twilight and I?

She glared at the monster and said,“I refuse to let you take over, Prometheus!”

“Do not think you will be able to keep him from falling forever. One day the power will completely envelop him, and he will fall,” The beast said, glaring at her in turn.

“Over my dead body!” she cried, her horn glowing as brightly as the sun. The beam she fired looked like something out of Raiden’s anime. The beam just knocked the beast up into the air sending him far away and out of sight forever.

I turned to Twinkle as she huffed. She looked just as beautiful as her mother. She then turned to me, I was about to hug her when she slapped me across the face.

“Ow!” I yelled “What did you hit me for?”

“For attacking mom like that!” she yelled. “I can’t believe you would do something so stupid!”

“Your mother has done a lot of bad things, Twinkle,” I said slowly. “I, don’t even know if she should be you-“

“Don’t give me that garbage, Dad!” she yelled. “I know for a fact you still love her! I can’t believe you could just ignore your feelings for her like that!”

“What was I supposed to do?” I retaliated. “Just sit by and let this world go to waste! The Doctor wouldn’t even send me back in time! She made it pretty clear she didn’t want me around back in the present! I’m fixin-“

“You’re making things worse,” she said, and I noticed her tears falling down. “I had to grow up to stop you. You two shouldn’t be fighting like this, you love each other. This isn’t the future that was supposed to happen!”

“What are you talking about?” I said, trying to comprehend what she was saying.

“You, were supposed…” She started crying. “You talked about that day all the time. You would tell the story about how you and mom fell in love when sissy and I would go to bed.”

“Sissy?” I asked, my jaw dropping “You have siblings?”

“I won’t have them if you give up on her like this!” she said, and then she reached behind her and before my eyes she held a framed photograph. “This, is the future you should fight for daddy…”

I took the photograph from her hooves. There were five ponies in the picture…

The first one to the top left was, me?

I was older though, and I didn’t have my trench coat and hat. Instead I wore what looked like a form of royal attire. Almost like Shining Armor’s formal attire, except mine was black and white as opposed to red and gold.

I then looked to the mare on the right side. Twilight she looked to have… aged?

Her violet mane wasn’t as shiny or luscious as her current counterpart. She looked older as well, more mature like a grown mare should. Her mane was tied back in a formal bun for the occasion; I can’t ever explain why I like it like that. She was clad in a similar dress to the one she wore at the coronation. Less pink and more purple by the looks of it.

I looked down at our hooves and took in the sights of three foals. In the center I immediately recognized Twinkle. She looked about seven and was clad in what had to be the cutest pink dress ever. She smiled happily at the picture and I felt warmth in my heart.

To Twinkle’s left was another unicorn filly. She looked a bit different, her coat was black as night, her mane was long and violet and held in place by a green hairband. Her teal eyes were enlarged by a pair of glasses and she wore a cute teal dress to match her eyes. Did, we adopt her? I don’t know any of my relatives that look like her or Twilight’s for that matter.

To Twinkle’s right was a grey unicorn colt who looked about five. He shared Twilight’s violet mane and my grey eyes. He was rather small and skinny but smiled at the camera as well. Was he, I had a son!

I, we... would’ve had a son…

I looked up at Twinkle and said, “Twinkle I, I didn’t know.”

“Daddy,” she said, that familiar pleading voice from Appaloosa entered her. “Please, don’t give up, not on her…not on us.”

She began to fade along with the picture. I leapt for her and passed right through her. I fell to the ground, sobbing, feeling very sorry for myself. No, why is this happening…why me?

“Private Phelps Eye,” a feminine voice said.

I slowly turned towards the source, but it was shining so bright it blinded me for a minute. Suddenly I was no longer surrounded by black, but by white. Everything was white all around me. I walked forward, wondering what was going on now.

I stopped as a light descended from above and landed before me. The light glowed brightly; I had to shield my eyes from the light. It felt, warm and holy…

“Do not be afraid, look on me, child of magic,” her gentle voice said.

I looked and beheld an Alicorn I’ve never seen before. She was pure white, her coat almost blending into the background. Her mane was long and red, almost in a helmet shape on her head, it cascaded down her neck and past her shoulders. Her eyes were a verdant blue, showing gentleness but also wisdom and comfort…

“Who,” I said, trying to think of something to say, “or what, are you?”

“I, Private, have been called many things among many worlds. Taken many forms and shapes so that the beings there would understand. But here, I am simply known, as Faust,” she said, smiling gently.

Chapter 6 "Love Remembers All"

Chapter 6

“Love Remembers All”

I stared at Faust as she stood before me. She gave off an aura of goodness and warmth that dwarfed Celestia’s aura. I felt warm and comfortable when she was there, like I was meeting an old friend. I can’t explain it at all, but, I felt like I knew her.

She smiled slowly, and lifted a hoof. “Do not stand there gaping, come to me child of magic.”

I blinked and stepped forward. I eventually came up to her, I only came about to her chest. She smiled down at me and said. “You’ve grown well, Preventus.”

“How do you know me?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

“Simple, I made you,” she replied, as if I asked what the weather was.

I gave her a skeptical look and asked, “You, made me?”

“Yes, I did,” she said, still smiling brightly at me. “Everything about you. From your coat, to your horn, to even the tiniest quirks. I took from both of your parents and made you a new being in your mother’s womb. It was by my magic that you received your cutie mark at age six. It was my reward for you discovering your true destiny as a detective.”

“You have to admit this is all so hard to swallow," I said, shaking my head. “You’re saying you’re a… god?”

“In a sense, yes,” she answered. “I created this world thousands of years ago. I made the trees, the animals, and your kind to inhabit it.”

“This is, all so impossible,” I said, shaking my head.

“Anything is possible, Preventus,” she said, nodding firmly. “The knowledge is just out of reach or you simply can’t understand it yet.”

“You seriously expect me to believe you created the world?” I asked warily.

“I would like you to believe that. But, it is your choice whether you believe in me or not. Whichever you decided, proving my existence is not why I am here, child of magic.”

“Why do you keep calling me child of magic?” I asked.

She frowned slowly and said, “You have been taught in school about the Alicorn Kingdoms?”

“Yeah, Alicorns once covered the whole of Equestria,” I said, drawing on the memories of Twilight’s many lectures on the subject. “A great cataclysm destroyed them fifteen hundred years ago. Only a few dozen remain today, but what does that have to do with your name for me?”

“Have you ever wondered why there are three races of ponies?” she asked.

“Um, variety in unity?” I guessed.

“Closer than you would believe, Private Eye,” she said with a nod. “The Alicorns believed themselves to be the perfect and the sole ruling race on the planet. They believed themselves superior to all the other races. They tried to destroy the dragons, griffons, and several other races just to expand their empires.”

I took all this in, wondering when I was going to go back and face Twilight.

“Discord, a being created by the Alicorns after a terrible accident with alchemy, tried to persuade me to destroy them. Instead, I told him I would cast a curse on the Alicorns. I’m sure my follower Voidera told you of the results.”

“The three races were born that year,” I said with a nod. “But why? Why choose that route? You could’ve easily destroyed them and started anew.”

She closed her blue eyes and replied, “I am not heartless. I had hoped they would show mercy to the young ones. That they would understand it was for their own good, but they refused to listen to my warnings. They only heard what they wanted to hear. Only desired what they wanted out of the world. They cared not for the innocence of the young, only seeing them as obstacles to be destroyed. In truth, though, the three races were created for one reason, harmony.”

“Harmony?”

“All three races rely on one another to survive. Earth ponies tend to the earth, pegasi, the sky, and unicorns for magic. By working together all three races would see past hubris and learn to rely on one another for strength. I believe Celestia called it, “the magic of friendship” very fitting.”

“Look, this was a very nice history lesson,” I said, turning around, “but I need to get back to Twilight and stop this”

“DO NOT TURN FROM ME!” I heard her voice call, it was like Luna’s Royal Canterlot Voice only spoken twice as loud. I fell on my face at the force of it. “YOU THINK YOU ARE BLAMELESS HERE, PRIVATE EYE!”

I turned back to her, saw her blue eyes gazing at me. I glared back. “Who are you to tell me how to live my life? You think yourself a god! Well fine, that won’t stop Twilight from dest-“

“You blame her still?” she asked, shaking her head. “I thought you had learned…”

“What do you want from me!” I yelled. “Just say what you want and let me be!”

She held up a hoof and replied calmly, “I just want you to come and pray.”

“Pray? Seriously?” I asked, in absolute disbelief.

“Yes, and once you have, I will let you return. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. I always loved that,” she said with a big smile making the motions as she recited the familiar oath.

“Fine,” I said, walking up to her as she held her hoof out. I slowly took it, closed my eyes and said, “Um, dear Faust, I guess, I want you to, feed the hungry, help Applejack stop her rebellion. I also want you to help Rarity to recover from the trauma she will have. Above all, watch over the orphans that will come from this. Amen?”

She smiled as I opened my eyes, “That was good.”

“Really?” I said, raising an eyebrow.

“If you were running for Miss Equestria,” she said snidely.

I frowned and asked, “Am I done here?”

“No, you are not,” she said, a firmness in her voice. “I want to know, Private Eye, what is it that you want?”

“What I want?” I said, shaking my head “What do you wanna know that for? I already did your stupid prayer.”

“That was hardly a prayer,” she said, shaking her head “A prayer is more than a simple list of things for me to do. I’m not some unreachable deity. I can hear every word you say and care about you. So tell me, Private Eye, what is it you want?”

I looked down and then back up. “For Tail- No, he’s gone…”

“You knew that already,” she said, nodding. “What is it you really want? The one thing you would sacrifice everything for. The one thing you risked life and limb to protect! The one thing you wanted to make part of your life forever… the one pony.”

It dawned on me like the rising sun. The one thing I wanted, the one thing I needed. The one thing above anything else I treasured. The one pony I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. The pony who'd helped me face the darkness inside myself and my past. The pony who cared for me above anypony else…

Twilight…

“Twilight,” I said, feeling a tear come down my cheek. “I, I want Twilight…”

She smiled sympathetically and laid a wing on my shoulder. “Yes, that is what you want above everything else. You want her to accept you back?”

“No, I just want her to be happy,” I said, slowly looking down. “She, is immortal, she’d, she’d just forget about me. She wouldn’t want me anymore.”

“That explains your behavior when she ascended,” Faust said. “You were simply scared. You grew to care for the fact she looked to you for everything. But that was a double edged sword. Twilight is not a shrinking violet, but a blooming flower just hoping to be appreciated.”

“I love her, I still do,” I said, feeling more tears stream down my face. “All those things I said, I hurt her. I couldn’t stop myself! I hurt the mare I loved!” I shook my head. “No, that changes nothing! She still had Tailspin kil-“

“You are the reason,” she said firmly.

“What? What are you talking about?” I yelled at her. “She’s the one who erased everyone’s memories! She’s the one who ordered hybrids slain! She-“

“Was overcome with grief by your passing,” she interrupted, returning my glare.

“Mine…” I said slowly.

“You remember when you had to choose between catching Glimmer or saving Dinky? Well, this time you chose to catch Adamus.”

I looked up at her.

“You chose to follow him, while Twilight was unconscious and in pain. You could’ve helped her overcome the miasma, yet you chose to follow your duty. That is what cost you. I had set up a portal there, hoping you would not go. This future, was meant to show you what folly your decision would’ve been. You are the cause for all this. You gave up on Twilight because she didn’t fit your ideal.”

I felt the weight of her words come down on my shoulders. She was right, every word…

“You needed an excuse to put the blame on somepony else. So, you chose to use Tailspin’s death as an excuse to fight back against Twilight. To fight against the idea of her becoming more than you.”

She was right…

“But, Private, ponies change. Twilight was always destined to become an Alicorn. She loves you, Private Eye, of that there’s no doubt. However, you must accept her for all that she is. Wings or not, deep down inside she is still the Twilight you love.”

“I, was afraid,” I admitted, looking at her. “I was afraid Twilight would forget about me. That after she became immortal, I would die and leave her alone, or that she would pick another over me. I would have been useless to her. I hate being useless to anypony, because…”

“You’re afraid they would leave you, as your mother did,” she said, looking at me gently. “You are a lonely soul, Private Eye, who is afraid to fill his heart because somepony might poke a hole in it. I am telling you right now, Twilight will never leave you, all you have to do is tell her why you were afraid.”

I looked down and asked, “How, do you know so much about me?”

“Because I made you,” she again replied. “I wasn’t lying about that.”

“Why me?” I asked, still looking down. “Why does it have to be me?”

“Would you rather it have been another?”

“I’m nothing, compared to Twilight,” I admitted. “Compared to anypony, I’m nothing special. If it wasn’t for the element, I’d be nopony special at all.”

She suddenly hugged me tenderly. For a minute, I thought I was with mom again. She said gently, “You, Private Eye, are beautifully and wonderfully made. As are all of my creations. You are all unique and special in your own way. I know, because I made you all that way. Every pony, from the tallest to the smallest, is special in my eyes. I believe, that you are the one deserving of Twilight. I know, because I made you both and know that you are meant for one another.”

“How do I go back?” I said, looking at her as she let me go. “Can you send me?”

“I could, but I think Twilight of this era would be a far better choice.”

“You want me to convince her?” I asked, in absolute disbelief “In case you hadn’t noticed, she doesn’t even remember who I am!”

“Yet, she didn’t hurt you when she had the chance,” she pointed out with a smile.

She’s right. That last attack, Twilight is about as good a sharpshooter with magic as I am with guns. She would never miss a target like me, no matter what the circumstances. However, during the entire fight, she never hit me.

“Convince her. She has a spell called Starswirl’s Grand Reversal, a spell that will rewind the flow of time to a certain point in history. It can send an individual back with the memories of the future. She's learned it but never used it because of the risks. You must convince her of who you are, and have her send you back.”

“Then, when I go back?”

“You must promise me that you will change your decision. To stay and help Twilight rather than hunt down your grandfather. For she needs you, Private. She has always needed you. It’s time you accepted her for all she is.”

I looked down, then back up and said, “Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”

Suddenly, a bright light caused Faust to disappear. I heard her say something one last time.

Hope lies in the Palace of Old.

_________________________________________________________

I groaned as I opened my grey eyes. This was starting to become an unhealthy habit, me getting knocked unconscious. I know Doctor Stable is not going to be happy with me if I get back home.

I climbed to my hooves and saw Twilight was standing there, glaring at me. “How did you learn to perform magic like that!?” she demanded. “No hybrid should be capable of something like this!”

I closed my eyes and said, “The fight is over Twilight.”

“You insolent cur!” she growled. “You think you can order me around? I am the Princess of Equestria! You are nothing more than a gnat compared to me!” Her horn glowed brightly.

I stood my ground, and waited as she fired her spell at me. The magic bolt zoomed towards me, and I braced myself for the hit. Only, it never came. I watched as the bolt curved away and into the wall behind me. “I don’t have to order you, Twilight. I know for a fact, you won’t hurt me.”

“What!” she cried, incredulously. “This is impossible! What trick are you using this time!” She fired another spell at me, again it curved out of the way. No matter what spell she threw at me, it always curved harmlessly out of the way.

I walked forward, undeterred by her spells. “Because Twilight, you know me, even if you can’t remember me. You know who I am, and what we are.”

“I’ve never met you before in my life!” she screamed, firing more spells that just missed. “This is impossible! No spell can do something like this! I’ve read every tome! Studied every theory! This is impossible!”

“Not, if you don’t want to hurt me,” I said, looking at her. “You know me, deep down in your heart; you remember me and know who I am.”

“No, forget my heart!” she yelled, her eyes narrowing to slits. They looked just like Nightmare Moon’s! She yelled, “The heart is weak! Prone to mistakes and miscalculations! Logic should rule! The mind is king!”

“No Twilight, you taught me otherwise…” My horn glowed. “Now, I will make you remember that!” I yelled and charged at her. She fired as many spells as she could at me, but all of them missed. I tackled her, knocking both of us to the floor. I pressed my horn to hers and activated the memory spell. Twilight’s eyes grew wide as memories came flooding back…

____________________________________________________________

Good afternoon, my name is Twilight Sparkle.

Well, howdy doo, Miss Twilight. A pleasure to make your acquaintance! Ah’m Applejack, we here at Sweet Apple Acres sure do like making new friends!

Friends? Actualliiiy, I, uh…

So, what can Ah do ya for?

________________________________________________________

Oof! Hehe, uh, excuse me heheh.

Mmm…

Let me help you!

*Swoosh*

Oops, I guess I overdid it, um… How bout this? My very own patented Rainbow Dry!

*Whoosh*

Now, now, don’t thank me, you’re quite welcome…

Ge.. Bah hahahaha!!!!

Let me guess? You’re Rainbow Dash?

The one and only, why ya heard of me?

_______________________________________________________

Good Afternoon.

Just a moment please, I am in the zone as it were. Ah yes, sparkle always does the trick, does it not? Why Rarity you are a talent. Now, how can I help yo- whoahhh!!! Oh my stars, darling! Whatever happened to your coiffure?

Oh, you mean my mane? Well, it's a long story. I'm just here to check on the decorations, and then I'll be out of your hair.

Out of my hair? What about your hair?

______________________________________________________

What kind of welcome party would this be if it were quiet? I mean, duh, bo-ring. You see, I saw you when you first got here, remember? You were all, hello, and I was all, *gasp*, remember? You see I never saw you before, and if I never saw you before that means you're new, 'cause I know every pony, and I mean every pony in Ponyville, and if you're new, then it meant you haven't met anyone yet, and if you haven't met anyone yet, you must not have any friends, and if you don't have any friends then you must be lonely, and that made me so sad, and I had an idea, and that's why I went *gasp*, 'I'll just throw a great big ginormous super-duper spectacular welcome party and invite everyone in Ponyville'. See? And now you have lots and lots of friends!

__________________________________________________________

“Thank Celestia you’ve made it! I was afraid you wouldn’t come!”

For a second I was tongue tied staring at this mare of simple beauty. I shook my head to fix that and nodded at the mare before me. “Yes that’s me, Detective Private Eye, happy to be of service.” I tipped my hat to her as she descended the steps from her room. I’ll admit that I did that less out of politeness and more so she wouldn’t catch me gaping at her like a dragon would a diamond.

____________________________________________________

I lifted my head from where it was in her mane and looked at her with my grey eyes. “Truth is Twilight, I realized something the moment I fired you that one time…”

“Private, I know you missed me…”

I put a hoof on her lips to shush her. “Truth is, I realized that I…” The words were so simple…yet so hard and beautiful to say. “I love you…”

Twilight’s eyes became wide as I said those three words to her. I never had the guts to say those words to her before. Now that I did I desperately waited for her response. Her approval was all I desired and wanted now… nothing else.
Her eyes looked down at the ground. Her body shook a little and I heard a sob. I grew worried at this... had I said something wrong? She raised her violet eyes to me., and I noticed they had tears in them. I feared the worse. “Twilight I…”

She put a hoof to my mouth then shook her head. She then just reached a hoof around me and pulled me into a loving kiss. I stared at her as she blinked away tears. She stopped kissing me for a moment and said softly, “Private, I love you too.” She wiped away more tears. “I just never thought a stallion I loved would say something like that…”
__________________________________________________________

“How long was I out?”

“Twilight, it ain’t pretty.”

“Where’s Private?”

“Gone, Sugarcube, along with Rainbow and lots of folks…”

“No, Private wouldn’t. He…he promised he’d never leave me!”

“Twilight, please calm down.”

“No! You know what! It was inevitable anyway! Why make friends? They only leave you one way or another! Nopony could stop that jerk from hurting so many! My friend is gone! My brother, and my mentor dead! Everything I loved was torn asunder!”

“Twilight, wait, stop! Private will come back! He said he would!”

“I, I just want to forget Private, and all of this, forever…”
______________________________________________________

Tears welled up in both of our eyes as my spell finished it’s work. She looked at me for a long moment and said, “I, remember, Private…”

“Twilight!” I said, holding her tightly. I felt her hug me back just as tight.

“Private, I’m so sorry!” she said, crying on my shoulder. “I, I was just so overcome with grief. I wanted to forget everything! I just, you left me…”

“I’m so sorry, Twilight,” I said, crying myself. “I, I've made a terrible mistake. I shouldn’t have been against you becoming a princess. I should’ve been right by your side. I’m so sorry.”

We looked at each other for a moment. Twilight reached a hoof and wiped away tears from my eyes. Just the way she used to.

“I just wanted to run away from the pain. I didn’t want to do this. I thought if I locked my heart away then I would never feel pain again. I can see now how I destroyed everything by making that decision.”

“It’s not your fault entirely,” I said guiltily. “I should’ve been there, I should’ve stopped the ceremony before you would fall. I should’ve followed my heart and ran to your side. Instead, I went and turned my back on you. I was afraid, Twilight...”

“What were you afraid of?” she asked, looking at me pleadingly “Why did you not want me to become a princess! Tell me why, Private!”

…”I was going to propose,” I admitted finally.

“What?” Twilight said, her eyes wide in shock.

“When I found out about you becoming an Alicorn I was afraid you wouldn’t want me. That you would turn your back on me once I grew old and wrinkled. I’m no Alicorn, nor will I ever be, I can’t live forever, Twilight. But I was too proud to admit I was afraid. That’s why I got angry…”

“You, were going to propose… to me?” she said, trying to comprehend what I said. “Private, you wanted to marry me?”

“Yes!” I said, looking at her. “I love you more then life itself! I kept coming up with stupid ways of trying to propose to you! I should’ve just done it right after you saved me from the fire! I knew there and then I wanted you by my side forever! I need you Twilight!”

Tears began flowing from her eyes, and she slowly walked to me.

“But you can reverse it, all of this, you remember the spell Starswirl’s Grand Reversal? It’ll send me back to fix everything!” I said happily “The future will change! Everypony will be happy!”

She smiled and then suddenly her eyes became slits. She screamed in pain as another voice entered her own. “NO! Do not give in! He is a liar! He abandoned you! They all did!”

The miasma! It was still in Twilight!

“Let me go!” Twilight demanded “I want to help him!”

“He only cares for himself, like every pony in existence!” The other voice said through my marefriend. I knew that was the miasma talking “He’ll still leave you alone! Even if the future changes! Your friends will still leave you! Friendship is useless and only leads to heartache! Only leads to pain! All you need is us, we will never betray you…”

“You get the hell out of her!” I cried my horn glowing once again. I struggled and felt a sharp pain in my horn. Twilight jerked as if she was in an exorcism. “Friendship isn’t useless! It holds a power greater than even time itself, for it will always exist!”

I heard a chanting coming, more powerful than before, I looked around, there were my fellow elements in spirit looking at Twilight. They all nodded at me, I felt the cords of light reach out to each of them. Time to send the miasma packing!

Twilight jerked as the blue mist left her. The mist swirled into a face. “NOOOOOOOOOO!” it cried, as light glowed from each of our elements.

I raised my hooves and a bright sphere of light formed between them. I then threw it at the miasma and shouted, “No longer will you taint her! I will make sure you never touch her again!” The sphere scored a direct hit on the miasma.

The being screeched in pain then suddenly vanished before my eyes. I fell back down to earth and saw Faust standing behind Twilight. A smile was on the strange maker’s face and she gestured to Twilight, who fell over.

I ran to her as all the apparitions disappeared. I lifted her head gently in my hooves. She smiled up at me and said, “I always admired your element. Tenacity, what a powerful name.”

“I’m nothing compared to you, Twilight” I said with a smile. “You were always the strong one really. I was just the broken mess that somehow managed to fix everypony’s problems but my own.”

She smiled and her horn glowed. “I’m using the last of my magic on the Grand Reversal. It will rewind time, and you will remember all of this. I’m sorry that you somehow ended up in this horrible future.”

“Don’t blame yourself, you dork,” I said, kissing her on the horn. “You just got a little crazy, happens all the time with you.”

“You always knew how to keep me sane,” she said, and then reached a hoof to touch my cheek. “I know you will change the future for the better, Private. You always made me feel I could do anything.”

“You did the same,” I admitted. “I just didn’t say it as often. You showed me so much, made me so much more than I was. I love you for that…”

She then pulled me into a deep and tender kiss. Despite her being seven years older I still felt love for Twilight. The sparks were there as the kiss became deeper. I knew, this was the last we would share until I changed things. I wanted to savor it.

Twilight’s horn was almost blindingly bright now. She broke our kiss and said simply, “Yes, Private.”

“What?”

“Yes, I would have married you,” she said, smiling. “I will always want to marry you. I would have waited years until you were ready. For my love will never waver, and my hope for our future will never blot out. I love you, Preventus…”

“I love you too, Twilight” I said, tears streaming down. “I promise, I will care for you always. Wings or not! Crown or not! You are Twilight Annemarie Sparkle! The cutest, dorkiest, most overactive, sweetest, smartest, and most talented mare in all of Equestria!”

With that, she touched my horn, and I fell back into unconsciousness…

Epilogue

Case 24

Epilogue

I felt like I was falling, falling in an endless white plane with hundreds of clocks going in reverse around me. I couldn’t explain why, but I felt happy. I managed to tell Twilight how I truly felt. Sure, it was the future Twilight that came about because I’m an idiot. But, still, it felt great to finally let it out.

I looked to my right, and saw the twins from the carnival, dancing together on a clock. The stallion said, “I told you he’d make it.”

“No you didn’t,” the mare disagreed. “You said he’d possibly make it, I never doubted him at any time.”

I yelled to them, “Hey! Who are you two?”

They stopped dancing and looked at me. “Just Travelers,” the stallion replied.

“Seeking new worlds,” the mare continued.

They began alternating one another.

“Ways to live,”

“ways things will live,”

“and ways things have lived.”

“Still always hoping,”

“that one day,”

“everything will have lived in harmony.”

“For Faust believes it,”

“and so do we.”

They smiled and walked off into the white. What an odd pair, I hope they find whatever it is they are looking for. I closed my eyes as I fell, smiling blissfully to myself. I had done it! I had been sent back! I had managed to find a way home!

I couldn’t have done it without Twilight. That’s what this adventure has taught me, no matter how strong I get, I can’t face life alone. Not without her.

Faust, can you hear me? I promise to do my best! I will never leave her, never forsake her! Even if she doesn’t return my love I will always be there for her, because, darn it, I love her!

I opened my eyes, and gazed into blue ones. Faust was falling with me. She smiled tenderly and said, “That, Private Phelps Eye, is a prayer.”

She spread her wings and caught a wind, flying up into the empty sky above. I turned and flew directly down as the clocks kept moving faster around me. Hold on, Twilight, I’m coming!

A flash of light revealed itself and enveloped me in it’s warm embrace.

____________________________________________________

I opened my grey eyes, I was standing where I was during the ceremony. Ponies around me were talking and cheering as Twilight was being led up to the front where her fellow princesses were.

I was back home! It worked! Twilight, you are a genius!

I then looked as Twilight stepped up and Spike came with the crown. He lifted it and prepared to put it on her head. If that crown gets on Twilight’s head the miasma will enter her. I had to stop it!

I pushed my way through the crowd and yelled, “Stop that crown!!”

Everypony in the room looked at me as I pulled out Blackbird. I aimed it and fired at Twilight’s crown. It made a direct hit and was knocked out of Spike’s claws. The crown flew several feet and clanked against the wall.

I ran up to the front, a stunned crowd around me. I looked on at Twilight, she was just as beautiful as when I last saw her. Clad in her dress, her new wings tucked at her sides, her mane styled and her hoof about to sl-

Slap!

Oh right, she’s still pissed at me.

“Preventus Phelps Eye, what are you doing?” she yelled. “It’s not enough that you have to act arrogantly about this, but to disrupt the coronation because of your petty need to be worshiped! That’s a new low, even for you!”

“Twilight, you don’t understand!” I cried, rubbing my cheek where she slapped me. “That crown is tainted!”

“Look you don’t need to insult the crown!” Twilight said, still not getting it.

“Private Eye, explain yourself!” Princess Celestia demanded sternly.

“Your Highness, I have reason to believe miasma was put in that crown!” I said, urgently.

Luna turned visibly pale at the mention of the stuff that corrupted her the first time. Celestia, however, kept her stern look. “This had better not be just an excuse to stop the ceremony.”

“We don’t have time,” I yelled. I used my magic to grab a nearby guard’s sword. I lifted it up in my hooves and slammed it down on the crown, shattering it to pieces in one blow. Everypony around me gasped at my display.

At first, nothing happened. Did I do something wrong? But, the miasma was definitely in the crown, wasn't it?

Suddenly a loud screech sounded all around me. The blue mist poured out of the crown, taking the form of a face contorted in pain. Everypony in the room looked upon it in fear.

“No way!” Rainbow cried, leaping to my side, “Not this stuff again!”

“Who would think to use such horrid methods?” Rarity asked, joining us.

“And on Twilight’s specially day too!” Pinkie said, sticking her tongue out at the mist.

“Ah’m not gonna let that thing get in Twilight!” Applejack cried, joining us.

“Nopony hurts our friend while we are around!” Fluttershy said, delving into her assertive side.

The miasma looked on us in shock. I smirked and asked, “Did you think I wouldn’t sense you? That you could hide from me?”

The miasma tried to dive into Twilight, who stood frozen in a state of shock. I galloped towards her trying to get in between them. Before I could reach her Voidera stepped in miasma's path, his horn glowing blood red. The blue mist stopped short at the sight of the furious Dracorn.

“You who thinks to use this young one for evil, shall never see the light of day ever again!" he cried, his eyes glowing an even brighter red. I am Voidera, destroyer of Miasma, and servant of Faust! Now begone!” His horn fired a red beam. It hit the miasma and seemed to melt it.

It was surreal, the miasma cried in pain as Voidera’s magic began shrinking it. I kept myself in front of Twilight just in case any bit of it would try and escape. Voidera can destroy Miasma? He said he was a servant of Faust too… just what is he?

The miasma eventually vanished and all was quiet. I turned to Twilight, she looked at me, still reeling from the shock. I smiled and walked to her, pulling her into a hug.

“Private, you knew it was in there?” she asked finally.

“Took me a bit, but I figured it out,” I replied, glad I didn’t have to tell her the exact circumstances. I looked into her eyes and said, “Twilight, I just want to say, I’m sorry.”

She stared at me in shock. “You said you’re sorry?”

“I should never have been against this, Twilight,” I admitted. “I should’ve been right there by your side through all this. I’m so sorry. Will you forgive me for being an idiot?”

She looked at me for a long time, and then pulled me into a kiss. For a minute I was just happy to be with her again. She broke it and said, “As long, as you'll still be my idiot.”

Suddenly I heard something crack. I turned and looked up to see a portal opening. Suddenly something flew out, cloaked in a shadowy aura. I looked at Celestia, and saw her eyes widen in shock, Luna’s as well.

I looked back to the mysterious aura. It slowly dissipated revealing an Alicorn male. He was tall, and muscular, with a blue coat that resembled Luna’s. His cold blue eyes gazed upon the shocked inhabitants of the hall with a chilling stare. He was clad from neck down in dark blue armor, with crescent moons adorning some parts of it. On his back was a sword that was about as big as me with an azure colored blade.

He looked to Celestia and said, in a regal voice, “Celestia, you’ve grown well”

“Father…” Celestia said.

Father? This guy was Celestia’s dad!

He looked to me, a look of scorn on his face. “I see you've allowed one tainted so close to one so pure. Foolish as always, my daughter.”

“Speak your piece, Lunard!” Voidera growled.

“Ah, if it isn’t my ex-student, Voidera,” Lunard said, looking down at the Dracorn disdainfully. “It seems you still can’t control your beastial side.”

Voidera bared his teeth like a wolf ready to pounce.

“Somehow I know you’re the one who ordered the miasma be put in Twilight’s crown!” I yelled. “Just who are you, and what do you want?”

He looked at me for a long time and said, “I will fulfill the wish of the mongrel for all to know my name. I am King Lunardium Nocturnonus Equestria! Former King of the Alicorns, and ruler of this world, until it was taken from me by all of you mongrels!” He pointed at us and cried, “You are all a regress, a taint on the Alicorn name! Your ancestors should’ve drowned years ago! They are responsible for the Alicorns falling! I will set things right. I will destroy this pathetic excuse for a kingdom, and return the Alicorns to their former glory. I will start by erasing Prometheus’ line from the world, and ending his taint forever…” he cried, pointing at me.

I knew, right then and there, I was in for the fight of my life…

To be continued…