Naturally, I got the reactions I thought would come.

“Oh mah word!”

“By Mothers light!”

“…”

“Holy Father!”

Wow, the only one to remain silent was Luna. Of course, she’s still got her jaw on the floor. Ooh, look at that! I made Applejack pass out! Achievement Earned, The Shocker!

“Well, that’s about it. This, this is my full form, in all it’s demonic, shielding terror.” Oh if only I could put a picture of it in my journal! “Now, I can also… Umm, could someone wake up Applejack?”

“Wha- Didn’t that… How are you… But… What happened to your heart?!?” Luna seems… Upset.

“Unnecessary. My Hollow body doesn’t need it. My arteries take care of pumping my blood. Also,” I shifted into Kitsune form, “I can do this.” By now Celestia had woken both the guard and Applejack.

“Yer… Didn’ that hurt?”

“Uh, yeah. I just tore open my chest and dissolved my heart.”

“Buh…” Applejack seemed rather impressed. War story time!

“Still, back in Magus Boot, we had to crawl under barbed wire, carry out training matches, and, even in our sleep, we were always subjected to the spell ‘Agony’. This is nothing. Any of you ever felt the Agony spell in full effect?” One guard raised his front hoof. “Care to describe it?”

“It was like I was on fire, constantly. The Changelings had moved in a little while I was patrolling the border of the Badlands.”

“Huh, you guys got it, but that’s a weak version.”

“WHAT?!?” Okay, now Celestia seems disturbed. Hell, even Luna is turning green.

“Yup. Our version, and yes, we tested this, back in the Dark Days, is like being on fire, in the heart of a sun no less, being frozen to absolute zero, having every bone in your body broken, every muscle torn, every ligament fried, while being struck by lightning, and having been doused in Sulfuric Acid, and being kicked in the nuts by a mule wearing spiked, serrated, red hot horseshoes. Very few can handle it, most would die of a heart attack first. Nowadays, we test them, and if it would kill them, recruits are enchanted so it won’t. Once we can pretty much ignore it, training really kicks in.”

“You… went through that? For how long?” Luna was actually tearing up.

“Um, don’t cry, please. I went through it up until I died, so about five, ten years. Really, it’s okay, I would have died if not for that conditioning, and I can ignore it.”

“That…” Luna rushed up and hugged me, closely followed by Applejack, and Celestia. “Why? Why would they do that to children?”

“Children? I joined at nineteen.” And now I’m being crushed with hugs. Nice way to go.

“Nineteen? By the Light! You weren’t even out of high school!” Celestia, Luna, hell, every pony in the room is crying, even the guards… Who just decided to join in the hug… Pointy armour!

“Ow, watch the armour guys.” I hugged as many as I could. Wait, why’s everything pink? “Pinkie, I can’t see.”

“It’s just so sa-a-ad!”

“Come on, let go and stop crying. Those were, for the most part, the best years of my life after Mom died.”

Reluctantly, they all let go. “I didn’t mean to make you all sad. I’m sorry. But it really is okay. I signed up for it.”

“Your people allow children to sign up?” Luna, once again, was on the verge of tears.

“No. We reach adulthood, biologically, at about fifteen, and are adults from a legal standpoint at eighteen. After Sol died, my ‘Father’” I spat out, “I signed up. He always said I was too weak to join, so I proved him wrong. I was, as it turned out, the single most powerful Necromancer on my world.”

“You’re a Necromancer?!?” Celestia, even Luna seemed appalled. The guards eyes hardened, but they didn’t raise their weapons. I reached up, and even as they all tensed, pulled my mask off, revealing my human form, but with Kitsune characteristics added.

“I was wondering what would happen. Yes, I come from two houses of Necromantic Nobles. Necromancy is literally in my blood. I went through the Rite of Passage at seven. I had to go out into the Winter Wastes, survive on my own, without provisions, kill fourteen predators, and resurrect them to do my bidding. I was out there for two full years. Boot was nothing compared to what my ‘Father’ did to me. See the scar across my right eye? I was ten, and spoke out of turn. Sol took a whip to me.” I was practically seething at this point. “Anyway, I eventually branched out past Necromancy. I take it Necromancy has negative connotations here?”

“Yes. Grogar used it. Tell me, why shouldn’t we kill you now?” Celestia seemed rather angry, though Luna seemed cold, she wasn’t glaring at me.

“Necromancy deals with death, and the control of dead tissues, this is true. But, what is the real use of Necromancy? To help. To heal. I perform last rites, commune with spirits, calm them and help them move on, take the illnesses of others into my self, so they may heal. I keep their soul in the body long enough for one to be healed, I study death, I study the soul, but more over, I free the mind and soul. I teach others to meditate, so that their soul and mind can leave the body, and return to it safely. I remove curses, and I place them, if asked, so that the cursed may benefit.”

“And just how can a curse be beneficial?” Celestia asked, eyeing me warily.

“Immortality. Good Fortune, Wisdom and knowledge boundless. These three curses are powerful, ancient, and if applied properly, beneficial. Improperly, they can break you. Good Fortune is a curse to those around you. Used mainly on spies, it can be the downfall of entire nations.”

“I… see.” Celestia seemed to ponder this.

“So, ask your questions. I’ve got all day.” I sat down on the bed, hoping this wouldn’t take too long.

Author's Note

So, new chapter.

Yes, it's short. Part three should be longer. I kinda just wanted to let y'all know I'm still alive and kicking. This chapter still doesn't feel right, but, twenty rewrites later, this was the best version.