From The Shadows

Chapters

DREAMS (revised)
TALKS (revised)
LESSONS (revised)
RANDOM MOMENTS (revised)
DEVELOPMENT (revised)
IN CANTERLOT (revised)
FOUNDATION OF LIBERTY (revised)
ROAD TO WAR (revised)
TROUBLE (revised)
PARANOIA (revised)
ALLIES (revised)
MEANWHILE (revised)
<Dear reader>

DREAMS (revised)

DREAMS

From The Shadows

by DeepThought

He is a shadow made of twisting, disturbing darkness; full of pain and confusion. Shaped like a bipedal being, he lacks any special features besides a pair of red-glowing eyes. Unable to remember who he is, deep hopelessness floods his heart. Wandering around a never-ending forest, he asks himself what purpose this serves. But he can't stop - as always, heading towards a place he knows he won't reach ever. From time to time he sees strange-looking creatures which he can't recognize. But that doesn't surprise him. Everything is somehow strange to him.

Some part of him is locked away, he is sure telling by the feeling of emptiness drowning any motivation left. Is it a punishment? Is someone playing around with his life for his own amusement? He just can't draw a reasonable conclusion, which leaves him in deep despair. The same procedure again and again - he knows that when the sun starts to shine, his existence will end soon, and at the rise of the moon he'll find himself in the forest again.

'If only these nightmares stop,' Valentino says to himself. He doesn't know what he dreams, since he seems to forget what they are about by the time he wakes up, with his whole body covered in sweat and breathing heavily.

'My life isn't that much fun. At least I need some good sleep.'

So he closes his eyes once again, knowing that he won't fall asleep soon.

'When did my existence start to be this terrible?'

He sees a slideshow of memories in front of his inner eye:

Starting with images of happy childhood days, hundreds of pictures. he was holding a book, writing or sketching in it, actually he preferred reading over the company of his friends. He always had such a closed and mindful personality, sucked in his mind's own world of endless possibilities. He liked the idea that extending it - the process of creation, made him something similar to a god.

However one day in his early teenage years an event changed everything. Before, protected by his parents, there was nothing that bothered him, but as both of them died in a terrible car crash, he had to face the world all by himself.

By dealing with violence at the orphanage every day, he became filled with hatred and fear about everyone around him. Paranoia began to rule his teenage self and perverted his imagination, turning it from a safe haven to an unbearable nightmare - he was isolated, inside and outside.

His usual egg-headed behavior grew to hyper-mindfulness. Everything was subject to his analysis, which made him lose the last bit of idealism, since he obsessively shred every observation and idea in mental pieces so small that he started to see the flaws everywhere.

All he wanted was to escape this hell, but his attempts failed badly - even throwing him deeper into his dark cloud of thoughts. Everything is so meaningless to him.

As early as possible, at the age of 16, he moved out of the orphanage with a feeling of relief - his parents left him a decent asset - and rented a small, cheap flat in the city he spent his whole life in, not willing to cut the last bound to happier times.

He planned on taking psychology classes in college when he finished high school to learn more about the demons he successfully sent to sleep, just showing up occasionally.

Sadly, with the end of his life's darkest chapter, also his talent for creativity died, leaving dozens of stories unfinished. His analytic tendencies made him unable to do anything without his biggest critic, himself, being around. The pure fear that one of his creations could start to torture him again caused him to resign.

Now, he is 17, nearly 18, close to finishing school; he is afraid of the idea that his 'illness' might break out again, soon. And this innermost feeling of pain and agony makes him worry all night.

When he finally falls asleep totally exhausted, Morpheus' tight embrace doesn't last long. He hates his alarm clock! Really!

But he knows that his whole existence depends on getting a good high school degree, since there isn't anybody in this world who would support him financially. Someday he'll run out of money and until then he needs to be prepared.

He gets up with a quiet grumble, close to throwing the clock at the room's wall. Every step brings him nearer to his bathroom.

Valentino showers and gets dressed looking at the mirror's reflection. Despite his inner disastrous situation he really looks good, his dark hair framing a somehow innocent-looking face with south-european features. His green eyes however seem to contain a gleaming fire, a will which is able to withstand the greatest challenges. He is quite athletic and able to defend himself, whenever it is necessary.

He leaves the flat with his schoolbag on his back heading towards the next bus stop. He doesn't have any friends, since he keeps to himself at school and rarely goes out.

So he waits there in a crowd of strangers, until the bus arrives. He pays and gets in taking the right place in the first row. The raven-haired knows that no-one will take the place beside him, because he is famous for his bad mood on Monday mornings.

When he gets out of the bus mild sunshine greets him, and for a moment he feels fine. But this emotion doesn't last long, getting wiped away by the noise of the school bell.

It's not that school is too challenging for him, no, but he is just terribly bored by the slow pace of his education.

After an usual day of school he gets home by foot, since he'd have to wait forty minutes for the bus and also likes the idea of saving money, while the distance between school and his flat is rather short, when he suddenly hears a woman's scream.

Alarmed and full of attention he searches for the scream's source between the buildings in this under-class quarter. No-one is on the streets anymore except a woman in her twenties, a fearful look on her face, and an obviously drunken man who grabs her arm tightly.

'What am I supposed to do? Help her? Run away?' he asks himself. Then he recognizes her.

'I've seen this woman before, she's a mother from my block,' he determines, remembering her moving a buggy around with a slight smile.

'If something happens to the mother, what will happen to the child?' an angry voice in his head asks, 'There is no meaning in your life, you just hate it, but they enjoy theirs. They have potential, love and therefore meaning in their existence. Even if you get hurt - what does that matter? The physical materials your body consists of, won't get lost, but will be recombined to something new, if you die. There's only change, never real destruction. What is the worth of your individual existence in an universal context, if even you hate it?'

He decides to act. With big steps he closes the gap, getting ready to fight. The man, a cruel looking being, notices Valentino's attempt to help the woman, who starts to gain hope again, as he can tell by her facial expression. When he is just a few feet away from the man, Valentino sees him taking a shiny object from his pocket.

The knife swishes just slightly above his head through the air since he can duck in the right moment. The beast is so diverted by the sudden fight, he loses the grip on the woman's arm.

"Run!" he shouts and she does so.

'At least I saved her...' he thinks when she disappears behind the next corner,'Now I have to deal with this per...’

The second he lost looking after the woman, making sure she'd be well, is his doom. Eyes full of rage meet his eyes as the knife moved by the man's full physical power is only inches away from his chest, then cold steel penetrates his skin and flesh.

He unleashes a scream of deep pain, suddenly his vision gets blurry. Drops of blood tint the pavement red. He touches the wound in disbelief.

Finally he breaks down and loses consciousness.

He is in the forest again, but this time something is different. He feels more solid, the shadows, his body is made of, condense to another form, not a bipedal, but a four-legged being with a horn and wings.

Surprised by the change he struggles with his new, real body, feeling more complete now,

'It is day... Why am I here? Why am I not in a human form?'

The fact he can't remember anything about himself doesn't change at all, but he isn't forced to move on as before.

'I'm free!'

Then a next thought comes to his mind, 'What will I do now?' Panic rushes him, 'I'm a physical being... How will I survive this endless forest?'

So he wanders around without a clue where he should go, until he finds a quiet, deep blue lake. The reflection of his body on the shiny surface reveals his new form:

He is a horse, or rather a pony, but unlike the ones he knows from earth. He has a somehow cartoony look. While his mane is crimson, with hooves, horn and eyes illuminating the surroundings in the unsteady color of flickering, nearly white fire, his fur and feathers are darker than the 'normal' black - they seem to suck up all light around him.

'I need a name for now. Maybe I should refer to myself as Fire Void, until I remember my real name. Better than nothing, really. Time to act! I have to find a way to get into my human form, since without hands I won't be able to survive in this forest for long,' he assumes.

'I look like a typical villain, but I guess that's not that bad if I have to face wild animals. They fear fire.'

That is when he hears the growling of wolves. Amber eyes stare at him from the dark.

'Speaking of the devil… Shall I flee or stand the ground? I have this horn on my head, maybe...'

As he realizes that this wolves aren't creatures off flesh and blood, but made of wood, he understands, he can't fight them effectively.

'First option.'

Never before he ran like this, willing to survive by any means. But every time he stumbles, and that happens often since he isn't used to his new body, the beasts come nearer.

This chase ends in front of a cliff. From all sides he is surrounded by growling wood wolves. Then he looks down, - he won't survive the fall.

Deeply concentrated he starts to think about all possibilities, summing up his results:

'I'm screwed.'

The alpha wolf starts the first attack, which the dark stallion blocks with his horn, but when the other five wolves join the fight, Fire gets covered with several bleeding cuts.

Then the alpha wolf, a much larger animal than its companions, pushing himself hard against Fire with a jump. He falls to the ground shielding his face with his right foreleg; the beast bites into it out of reflex.

The pain sends Fire nearly to unconsciousness, leaving only one thought:

'I want to LIVE!'

Suddenly a sphere of red and black color is emitted around his body, quickly expanding to the size of a whole city leaving every tree in its radius burned.

Before he finally loses consciousness, exhausted - near to death, he sees that his enemies are gone.

Later in the castle of Canterlot a shocked princess Celestia writes a letter to her student:

Dear princess Twilight Sparkle,

my most faithful student, as you very likely sensed, there was a great change of the magical field around Equestria this evening, which is a mystery to me.

At the same time the weather patrol reports about a huge explosion in the Everfree Forrest, blowing a hole in the vegetation the same size as Canterlot. Due to the fact that I'm occupied with important diplomatic businesses, I'd like to ask you, the new princess, to investigate this matter, since the reason for this detonation could be a threat to Equestria's security.

Princess Celestia.

"Spike, this is my first mission as a princess," Twilight says excitedly, "and I will do my best to confirm her trust. Let's go!"

Spike hands her her saddle bag and they leave their tree house together meeting the mane six at the entrance.

"Hey, girls"

"Hi, Twilight," they say in unison.

"Is everypony ready?" the lavender mare asks.

"Are you sure, honey, that this is a good idea?" Rarity says worried.

"As Equestria's new princess it is my duty to protect my subjects. Therefore I have to do this."

"Ok, even if we don't share your opinion, I'm sure we can't convince you to stay here. But you will need someone awesome, someone brave and strong to save you, my little egghead, if things go wrong. I will come with you and so will the other girls," Rainbow says with a tone of pride in her voice.

"Then it's settled."

Twilight smiles broadly.

Fire wakes up, realizing he is still a pony. Not impressed by this fact hours before, the black stallion now, barely able to move, begins to think about it.

'Amnesia, I guess that's the reason, I can't remember anything about my life as a human... But what if I can't change back. What if I stay a damn fairy tale creature? Perhaps I'm the only sapient being in this whole world! This is surely not earth!'

Remembering his actual status he asks himself, 'What will happen to me, if I can't help myself?'

The idea of laying there waiting for his death because of thirst or starvation, fighting for weeks to avoid the inevitable, makes him shake weakly.

Fire moves his body into an embryonic position, sobbing quietly, when he suddenly hears some voices talking in a language he can understand.

"We've been here for hours now, Twi. I'm so bored."

"I have to finish this last... Wow! I can't believe how high the concentration of magic is..."

Fire catches sight of a lavender mare.

'She's just like me.'

"Help," he screams as loud as he can, but obviously not loud enough.

'This is my only chance.'

With all the power left in his lungs he screams again, "HELP!"

This time his effort gets rewarded. Little tears of joy blur his vision.

"Twilight, did ya hear that?", an orange mare, dressed like a cowgirl, asks.

"Yes, I did. The sound came from the cliff up there."

The mane six trot to the said place, until they see a dark shape lying at the ground. Then they carefully come closer.

"Poor little thing..." Fluttershy says in deep concern about his well-being.

"A black stallion. His fur's color is incredible. A black as deep as I didn't see it before ever... And this eyes..." Twilight says, her friends nod.

Then the stallion slowly moves his body in another position, turning his head into their direction. Now his horn and wings are clearly visible.

"He's an alicorn," Twilight checks her instruments, "and he's the source of the anomaly."

He can't remember how he got there, but he is happy to lay in a soft hospital bed instead of the cold ground of the forest.

"He's awake!" an excited voice shouts out, "Come here!"

Six mares come into his field of sight - each of them in a different color.

"Hello, my name is princess Twilight Sparkle and these ponies are my friends Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie Pie, the Elements of Harmony. I'm an official representative of princess Celestia and I'd like to ask you, what your reason was, to blast away this huge tract of the Everfree Forest."

When she mentions a name, she points at the corresponding pony with her right hoof.

Then she adds, "And... since you are an alicorn, we wonder, how you are related to royalty..."

"I'm Fire… Void. I was chased by wooden wolves as somehow my horn emitted a strange power,"

he stops shortly, "Who is Celestia and what is an alicorn?" He feels dumb.

They breathe in sharply. The expressions on their faces reveal they are deeply surprised.

"Well, princess Celestia is the ruler of Equestria, the country you're staying in at the moment. She's the goddess of the sun, while princess Luna raises the moon."

'Great, a primitive, monastic civilization. Not good for my plans to be changed back into a human.'

"You are not that bright," the chuckling Rainbow interrupts Twilight.

'...'

Twilight looks dispraising at RD. Then she continues, "And an alicorn is a very rare pony type featuring the abilities of earth ponies, unicorns and pegasi."

'Wow, this is like a little girl's dream,' Fire thinks sarcastically.

"Is everbody a pony? How technical advanced is your society"

"Ya mean every-pony, right sugarcube?" the cowgirl pony says. 'Her name was Applejack, wasn't it?'

"There are also other sapient species on this planet, but Equestria is mainly made up of ponies. I'm not quite sure what you exactly mean with 'technical advanced', but we've made great progress in the field of magic."

'Magic? Are you kidding me?'

"So you mix potions, put curses on things and this stuff?" Fire asks.

"Curses are naive nonsense" Twilight says determined.

'Did she call *ME** naive?'*

"But you have to know what magic is. You're the most powerful magical being except princess Celestia and princess Luna telling by your intimidating aura."

'Seriously?' an annoyed voice asks in Fire's head.

"But we observed another strange phenomenon in the Everfree... There were bits of black matter - we thought they were burned pieces of wood first - spread all over the place. When we looked at them precisely, I could sense an incredible amount of magic coming from them... Even if it sounds unlikely, contradicting every physical and magical rule, I thought for a moment, that it was newly CREATED matter..." she says uncertainly.

"I can't remember anything, I was no pony before yesterday... but a human..."

Remembered of his unpleasant situation his face shows an expression of sadness.

'At least I don't have to starve to death... Maybe this princess knows more.'

In the meantime the girls formed a circle, he can only understand a few words of their talk, since they are whispering.

"... trust him?... maybe to exhausted to think clearly?... just mad?"

"It's not exactly polite to talk behind someon... somepony's back..." the black stallion says, leaving them in an awkward silence.

"Could you call this princess Celestia, please... Maybe she can help me with this important problem."

"I already did. She's actually in the Griffon Kingdom, but in a few hours she should be back here at Canterlot."

"Ok."

"WHATFOODDOYOULIKEFORYOURWELCOMETOEQUESTRIAPARTYCAUSEIDONTKNOWBUTTHEPARTYWILLBEGREATANDYOUWILLENJOYITMAYBESOMECUPCAKESORFTIEDHAYYOUHAVETOBEHUNGRY..." Fire doesn't listen anymore, astonished by the pink, maniac mare, jumping around and babbling at an incredible speed. He looks to Twilight, who mutters quiet words of apology for her friend.

'If this is the product of my own imagination, I have to be the star resident of any asylum...'

TALKS (revised)

TALKS

From The Shadows

by DeepThought

Dear princess Celestia,

finally I'm proud to announce, that we found the cause for the magical anomaly you reported on friday evening. Its source was a male alicorn, who was still at the place of the incident, deeply exhausted, when we arrived. His magical aura is the most unique I've ever sensed and the most powerful except yours and princess Luna's. He isn't awake, yet, but it is just a question of time until he wakes up, as the vital data collected by the instruments of Royal Canterlot Hospital tells us. We do not know at the moment why he blew up the Everfree Forest. Even if I'm usually not somepony who judges a book by its cover, his physical appearance intuitively suggests he is dangerous. Also the fact that he doesn't have a cutie mark - he has to be around my age - underlines how strange the situation is. It's like he didn't exist before.

Your faithful student,

Princess Twilight Sparkle.

P.S. Do you know anything about this stallion?"

"Dear princess Twilight Sparkle,

my most faithful student, I really take your concerns seriously, so I decided to come back from my visit to the Griffon Kingdom in a few hours. I don't know anything about this certain alicorn and I'd like to meet him myself, since this seems to be a very extraordinary case. Until I arrive, I wish to put this pony in a separate, guarded hospital wing.

There hasn't been a male alicorn for millennia and hardly anypony, who could rival my sister's or my magical ability.

Please take care, that the news of his arrival don't spread around, for the sake of Equestria's safety.

Princess Celestia."

'This might become a problem,' she thinks sending the letter.

After the mane six left him in his hospital room, unsure if they could trust him, Fire thinks about what he experienced.

'A world ruled by cartoon ponies... and I'm one of them. I'm no human anymore," he sighs, "Why am I here? Do the other ponies trust me? What will happen to me? The guards, supervising me, seem to be strong and my 'room' is on the sixth level...'

Then another thought flashes through his mind, 'This princess, she seems to be very popular... I don't believe she really ruled this country for thousand years, as Twilight told me. This whole goddess of the sun thing reminds me of ancient Egypt. The ruler claims to be connected to some sort of natural power, which legitimizes his rule. Maybe I can learn about it from the Equestrian history books later. I'm sure they are full of propaganda, but maybe there's a grain of truth in it.'

Bored to death, staring holes into the room's door, Fire sits up from his bed. His legs still prickle because of the unusual stress of the escape from the Timberwolves. The mane six have long left.

'Time to learn something about my new body... Huh, that sounded weird.'

Slowly he raises one hoof then the other one, feeling that he can't use his limbs now as intuitive as he did full of adrenaline, fleeing from his death, before. It is strange and unusual. He stands up, slightly shaking, and trots to the room's window.

He sees a well-designed garden some metres below his position, nicely decorated with flowers he don't know, covered in bright sunshine.

Behind sprinkling fountains stands an opulent building with several obviously royal symbols on it.

'Clearly absolutist architecture.'

Some gardeners are busy with cutting the hedges that limit the garden.

Fascinated by how talented they use the secateurs with their hooves he looks at his own.

'How are they even capable of this?'

He tries to grab a notice block from a near desk, wondering about the flexibility of his own hooves. It just comes naturally to him.

'What's next?'

Fire slowly goes to the room's door, not sure if this is a good idea. He opens it, two guards in golden armor eye him, obviously suspicious.

"You're not allowed to leave, sir. If you need anything, ask for it."

"Can you bring me some food, and an interesting book, maybe about Equestrian history or something entertaining. I'm terribly bored," he says honestly.

One of the guards grins slightly, it seems he isn't used to people stating their opinion bluntly. But when the other armored stallion, who is obviously older, gives him a reproving look, it fades in seconds.

"We'll do what we can, please get back in," he says.

"Thank you, sirs."

'There's no big difference between this place and a jail...'

Pieces of memory, totally random bits, come back to him:

The carpet on his room’s floor was soft underneath his cross-legged form. Happily, he played with his Legos - while he successfully tuned out the world around him. Brick by brick he built a white castle and filled it with the small figurines, imaging heroic fights and clever deceptions like in the fiction books he used to read, when his mother entered with an exhausted smile.

“Val, dinner’s ready.”

“Yes, mum,” he responded cheerfully, oblivious to his mother’s tiredness.

He jumped to his feet and hugged his mother who still stood in his room’s entrance, turning to leave. Finally, she was there! Back from work and ready to spent time with him!

“I love you, mum.”

“I love you, too, honey,” she said warmly.

And he feels the pain of loss, unsure why.

He waits, not sure how long exactly, until someone knocks the door.

Expecting the guards he says, "Just come in, please."

No guard enters the room, but two ponies, both of them with a horn and a pair of wings. The taller one has snow-white fur and a multi-colored mane, an aura of authority surrounds her. The smaller one isn't less impressive, her mane and coat are midnight-blue, she seems to be the more reserved. The symbols on their flanks are the same Fire has seen on the building in the garden, the guards' armor, even on the wall in his room.

'Are these ponies the princesses?'

"I'm princess Celestia and this is princess Luna," the taller pony says, "Who are you, my little pony?"

'They somehow differ from the ponies I've seen before. I can understand why their population respects them.'

"I'm Fire Void, your Majesty."

'I should avoid to offend the rulers of this country by violating the etiquette, since my fate lays in their hands... ehm.. hooves,' the black stallion thinks nervously.

"Princess Twilight Sparkle told us about the circumstances of your first meeting in the Everfree Forest and the little conversation you had today. We'd like to perform some tests on you, to determine your magical ability and to reveal your true form, since you told Twilight you hadn't been a pony before," Celestia says with a motherly smile.

"Do I have a real choice?"

"Well, you blew up a whole forest and killed many animals in there. Considering you a threat isn't that far-fetched, isn't it?" the dark-blue alicorn replies.

'I better follow their orders. I don't want to end in the dungeon.'

"Alright then, start your tests."

"Thank you, we really appreciate your cooperation," the goddess of the sun says with relief in her voice.

'Good cop - bad cop...'

Celestia points her horn at Fire, it slightly starts to glow in the color of the sunlight, while a stream of light in the same color heads in his direction.

'Is this what they call magic?' Fire asks himself, baffled, 'Did I really cast a spell in the forest? Was it the reason for the terrible exhaustion?'

Then the stream hits him. He feels his body moving in cramps on the floor, but there is no pain. Memories of the time in the forest flash before his inner eye, the magic seems to move something inside him, which he wasn't aware of.

Now his horn starts to shine in fire-red and deep-black, but suddenly Celestia stops, so does he.

"Enough for now."

'Interesting...'

"I have to talk to my sister privately. Please wait a moment, " Celestia says with a clearly concerned look.

'I don't have a choice, you know?' Fire thinks to himself, annoyed.

They leave for a moment, but after a few minutes they come back into the room leaving the coal-black alicorn wondering about their reaction.

"We've made an unexpected discovery," Celestia starts, "As Twilight probably told you, alicorns are connected to royalty, but that's just half the truth. Twilight for example is a princess, yes, but she's not immortal like my sister or me, and she doesn't feature our level of magical ability, either. She and Princess Cadence are 'just' unicorns with wings, our way of honoring some ponies for their great achievements for Equestria," she stops for a moment, "But you are different. You are just like us."

'Did she just tell me I was a god-like being? I don't believe there's anything that really is immortal, but I'm in a world full of talking ponies. Maybe the rules are a bit different here, if there are any rules of logic at all' he thinks, half amused and half skeptical.

"If you proof yourself worth our trust, I will see forward to work with you, and, of course only if you want to, help to prepare your return home - since your memories, or at least those which aren't hidden by the mist of oblivion, show me a foreign, distant world, I can tell you, you are not insane, and right about the fact that you were not a pony, nor in Equestrian before."

Her sister continues, "But if you are not willing to cooperate, we will make sure, that you won't be a threat to our subjects and banish you to a place where you can't harm anypony."

'A good example for the downsides of monarchy. They can do with my life what they want to. Nothing limits them.'

"I promise you I won't do anything like that," Fire tells them.

"We expected you'd tell us that. So we decided to send you to Ponyville, where Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends will make sure that you get proper magical education and physical training. They will keep an eye on you and report everything suspicious to us," the princess of the sun explains, while she thinks, 'I hope I won't regret this.'

LESSONS (revised)

LESSONS

From The Shadows

by DeepThought

Fire flies above Ponyville, transported in a pompous flying carriage pulled by two pegasi. Compared to what he has seen of Canterlot in his bird's eye perspective, Ponyville seems rather country-like.

Small, half-timbered houses line the streets, giving Ponyville a medieval look. In the center of the settlement is the marketplace with the town hall in its middle. There are little shops, which attract Fire's attention, because their shapes and colors are different from the other buildings.

'Everything is so peaceful.'

But if he looks in the direction of Equestria's capital, he still sees the palace, a reminder of the princesses' authority. Hard feelings overcome him then.

'It's just ridiculous how this place sticks to the edge of the mountain.'

When the chariot finally starts its decent, the black stallion gets nervous. Unsure of the coming events, he recollects himself before he gets out. He stands in front of a huge tree house. The sign standing right before it tells him it is a library.

'Wasn't I supposed to meet Twilight?' he asks himself.

Suddenly a bright flash appears just a few steps from his position. When he opens his eyes again, Twilight stands at its place.

'I really have to get used to this magic stuff,' he sighs, quite annoyed by his sheepish attitude.

"Princess Twilight Sparkle, a pleasure to meet you," he says with his most polite voice and a fake smile on his muzzle, bowing slightly.

"No need for formalities. It's just Twilight," she responds, a little bit blushing, "Nice to meet you, too."

"Where will I stay," Fire asks after a short period of awkward silence.

"I have a guest room, if you're ok with that."

She points in the direction of one of the tree house's windows.

"It's fine."

Again, silence fills the fresh, Equestrian air, only interrupted by the singing of a few birds.

"Umm... I can show you Ponyville, if you like," Twilight says nervously.

"Well, why not?" he responds as casual as possible, attempting to wash away the tensions, "I don't know anything about your lives and traditions. This is going to be interesting though."

'How much can I reveal safely? Is there any human behavior which puts them in disgust, I have to look out for? The parallels between the worlds, I've witnessed, are incredibly unlikely at all. There have to be differences I didn't spot yet.'

"Let's go then, Fire."

So they amble down the streets, while she explains him where he for example can get the best cupcakes, where the town hall is, where her friends live and so on. Fire notices that the other ponies they meet slightly bow to her when they pass.

"So, what's your task as a princess?" He asks, interrupting her monologue about how the pegasi control the weather.

"... We are symbols of Equestrian pride and unity. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna rule Equestria, raising the sun and the moon, Princess Cadence rules the Crystal Empire. Since I was just made a princess two months ago, I don't have been given a special task, yet, but to to teach you magic... What about your kings, queens or princesses on Earth? That was what you call your planet, right?"

"Well, most of them are dead," the black stallion tells her bluntly. He continues to explain, after looking at her face, which shows an appalled expression, "Or don't have any real power of ruling anymore. But there are still some countries, which are - in fact - governed that way, although they tend to be places full of suppression and intolerance."

"There has to be anarchy all over your world resulting in pain and death for millions of po... people, "she says with a worried expression, "It's folly to overthrow the wise rule of single ponies, who represent the power of order, since they bring unity and peace to their subjects."

'Is this a hint of arrogance in her voice or just blind trust in the authority of the princesses?' he wonders.

"Actually, pain and death were the consequences of monarchy and dictatorship, especially in the country I am from. Millions of people were killed because of their religion, under the most inhumane conditions one can imagine. Brought to death factories they had to work, until they were too exhausted to serve their exploiters anymore. It didn't matter how old or weak they were, they were slaughtered," he feels the flame of anger growing in his heart, his voice becomes louder, he sounds angry," Just because... Just because one idiot had those crazy ideas about the superiority of a special race and the fucking rest was corrupted by power. Imagine that happening to Equestria. To prevent history from repeating itself, we built a government, from the people for the people - and so did many other nations before and after struggling comparable 'problems'. Democracy was the key to peace and wealth and justice, the saving medicine from the world's bloody past."

Fire looks at Twilight again. He's sorry for his sudden emotional outburst, as he realizes how shocked she is. Her cheeks are slightly green, small tears accumulate in the corners of her eyes.

'Great! What about not offending the princesses and trying to understand possible cultural differences? This is how you gain someone's trust. By telling them why your species overthrew the political system they represent. Someone who decides on your fate. Oh wait, at least I remember where I am from now.'

"I'm sorry. I didn't intend to hurt your feelings," he says overwhelmed by Twilight's reaction, uncertain what to do next.

Then an angry voice comes from behind. Suddenly he's smacked down by the same cyan pegasus he met with Twilight at the castle.

"Nopony hurts my friends!"

Breathing heavily, Fire tries to get up, but he can't. Rainbow pins him to the ground.

'She's fairly strong.'

"Hey jerk, why did you make Twilight cry?"

"Would you get off my back, please?"

"I ask the questions!"

"I didn't mean to, please."

'Begging to a fairy tale character. This is grotesque.'

"It's ok. It's just that I was a bit overwhelmed," Twilight responds with a neutral look on her muzzle again, clearly upset.

The weight from Fire's back disappears so sudden, that the force he put into getting up lifts him a few feet into the sky. Then he stumbles and hits the ground again.

'Arrgh... Still not used to this body.'

Into his field of vision hovers RD, closing the gap between them she makes a noise of annoyance.

"If this happens again, you're in ten seconds flat. Nopony, nopony hurts my friends!"

She darts away, leaving the speechless Fire. After this he slowly stands up, taking Twilight's offered hoof.

'Fantastic! First day, first enemy! Let's try to smooth out the situation with Twilight at least.'

"We started this on the wrong hoof, I guess. Please forgive my inappropriate behavior," says Fire.

"If I cross a red line in the future, please tell me in advance..." she adds, "And maybe you'll get a part of this system sooner as you think. After all, it's Princess Celestia's plan to integrate you in our society as a member of the inner circle of royalty."

'If you can't fight them, join them?' Fire asks himself bewildered.

Twilight is caught into her own thoughts for a moment, "I really understand your concerns. Under Discord's rule ponykind experienced a period of tyranny. But since the royal sisters started to rule Equestria, over 1000 years ago, there haven't been a violent conflict on Equestrian soil," her face darkens a bit, "Well, except the nightmare moon incident. But think about it. Doesn't success prove us right?"

'There's a point in this argumentation.'

"Anyways, can we start the lessons about magic" says the alicorn stallion, trying to change the topic.

"Of course," she responds with a little smirk, which Fire returns.

The first lession is more than just frustrating. He doesn’t succeed in channeling his magic, and Twilight’s small, smart remarks don’t help, either. He feels like a complete idiot.

Suddenly he remembers fragments of his early school years:

He didn’t like school, but he didn’t hate it, either. Valentino was a very imagenitive child, easily bored by the strict limits of this classical kind of education - and therefore quickly distracted. His mind was open, hungry for knowledge, sometimes even obssesed with his ideas. But he was not exactly a socially talented person. Val had some friends, yes, but he lacked the empathic component to keep them for long. Shared ideas and interest brought them together, when they didn’t matter anymore the bonds died.

It’s no surprise he was often the target of bullying, his relatively eccentric and normally pacifistic attitude didn’t help, but it didn’t matter as long as he had the safe haven of his home to come back to.

Noticing his distracted state the lavender mare tells her black-furred companion, “Breath in and out. Feel the magic pulsing through your body.”

“Twilight, I don’t think this will work. ‘Willing things to be’ as you put it, sounds like a concept I believe to be impossible. There has to be a trick. How can I who isn’t used to using magic - I even have less experience than the common unicorn filly - learn to achieve this? How would you teach a foal?”

She puts her hoof to her chin, deep in thought, “Hmm... Probably I have an idea,” Twilight continues, “Unicorn parents sometimes help their foals by using their own magic to direct their flow. But it’s a rather intimate experience. As a professional I don’t have a problem with that. If that’s ok for you we can do it.”

Fire nods slowly.

“Ok, get ready. Try what I told you about focusing.”

Her horn glows dimmly with her magic - he concentrates on the unusal pulling sensation. Noticing power flowing through his body and hearing silent electric static the black stallion spots its source; a reservoir near the middle of his torso. After a few repetitions he is sure where to draw it from and tells his purple teacher:

“Ok, let me try it, Twilight.”

Again he breaths in deeply and focuses, so deeply that a vein on his forehead starts to become noticeable. Then, suddenly, his horn flickers weakly.

“YES!”

Later that day, when they go back to the library, the streets are much less crowded. Sun down is nearing. Even the moon is already visible. What worries Fire is that Rainbow Dash, the mare supposed to be in charge of his flying training, didn’t show up. Twilight, with the help of the timid pegasus Fluttershy, both not the best fliers, had to teach him the basics

‘I pissed her off, I guess. She really is loyal to her friends to a fanatic degree.’

“Do you think she will forgive me, Twilight?”

“Rainbow?”

“Yeah,” he responds.

“It will take some time, but yes.”

They enter the dark library.

“SURPRISE!”

The rest of the evening was spent one of Pinkie’s famous ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ parties, socializing. To his astonishment he got along with everpony incredibly well. Finally he had broken the ice.

A few weeks later:

They are in a small, wild garden, which is crossed by a muttering stream - Twilight told him that this peaceful and calm environment would help him focusing his concentration.

"You're a natural talent," Twilight says smiling brightly, with the excitement of a teacher watching her student succeed, "When we started a few weeks week ago, I thought I could teach you some basic levitation and force spells, like making a quill fly or opening a door, in this limited time, but the fact that you mastered even the teleportation spell really amazes me. That's more than most unicorns manage to learn in their entire life. I'm so proud of you. You even overcame the 'problems' with your body."

'I guess this worked out quite fine. After all, I'm sure now magic really exists, even if I don't know the theory behind it, yet.'

"Thank you, you're a great teacher," Fire blushes unnoticeably under his deep-black fur.

Fire breaks the embarrassed silence, "Maybe I'll show you some discoveries of my world, too, if I get the chance."

"That'd be great," she says, lost in thought, "You have to work on your magic task efficiency, though. If anypony else tried to cast those spells they'd have failed using your 'technique'. Just the raw amount of magical power you posses, only rivaled by a few beings in all of Equis, allows you to achieve your tasks so easily. But to reach your full potential you have to work hard, like anypony else. A good start would be more advanced magic, since it requires a precise use of power. We could, for example, try a growth spell on one of the sunflowers over there."

The lavender mare explains to Fire step by step what to do, and he listens patiently. Afterwards she shows to him how the spell is, actually, cast.

"You see, it's all about the focus," she explains to him, while the sunflower, before just a seedling, grows to twice of Fire's size.

Standing by her side the black stallion's horn begins to glow slightly, his gaze attached to another not yet fully grown plant.

"Now concentrate on how you want to change its shape."

A beam of both red and black colored magic heads towards the little sunflower and it slowly starts to become larger. Then a prickling sensation spreads in his horn, he feels connected to the plant's energy of life.

"Keep on, you're..." She gets disrupted by a loud bang and a rainbow-colored flash.

"RAINBOW DASH!" she screams out, "Stop distracting Fire!"

Still the prismatic Pegasus holds a grudge against the black stallion. He is her number one prank target.

Twilight's outburst reminds Fire of the fact he actually casts a spell. He looks back to the sunflower and notices it is surrounded by an orb of light.

'It feels different.'

Fire stops the flow of magic, unsure what happened. As the light around the plant slowly fades, both, Twilight and Fire, stand there bewildered and surprised.

"It is moving... It is moving," the lavender pony princess whispers in disbelief.

The now one metre tall plant stands on its former roots, it has bipedal features. It faces the ponies with shaking leaves.

"How did you do that?"

"I have no idea. I was hoping that you would know," the black alicorn responds.

"You did it again."

"What?"

"You broke the rules of magic. AGAIN! That doesn't make sense. First you created matter, now you made a plant alive like an animal."

RANDOM MOMENTS (revised)

RANDOM MOMENTS

From The Shadows

by DeepThought

After the defeat of the changeling army lingkind retreated, instantly leaving Equestria in fear and disorder.

Well, most of it.

At the time of the attack one changeling with a broken wing was separated from the other ones by coincidence. Left alone in the Everfree Forest near Canterlot, he didn't notice his fellows starting to invade the city. When they finally fleed he already got lost in the woods.

As a consequence he was disconnected from the changeling's collective mind. Otherwise unable to survive he started to decide individually, developing an own personality, consciously observing his surroundings. He managed to set up a camp, collected enough food and found a lake nearby. After he considered himself save he began to reflect about his situation which led him finally to thinking about a possible name for him - and he called himself 'Sole'.

Once his wing was healed, he traveled around until one day he detected the presence of other changelings far in the north.

Happily, he tried to reestablish a connection, but he noticed quickly that it wasn't the same experience anymore. He was rather an observer than a part of the community which was the essence of his life making him feel whole only a few months ago.

His short visit to the hive mind was not unseen. When he pitched up his camp that evening, he was captured by a small troop of changeling soldiers. He didn't resist and finally was taken to a hidden settling in the mountains.

After days in the dungeon he was interrogated by Chrysalis in the queen's throne room; later she suggested a deal:

Sole was allowed to live freely as long as he would stay near Ponyville and report on the situation. If he broke his promise, he'd be declared an outlaw. He’d suit his role as a spy very well, since he didn't required a constant link to the hive mind, unlike his brothers and sisters.

And because he was still loyal to his queen and didn't like the idea of spending his whole life in prison he accepted it.

He went back to Equestria and observed the 'Elements of Harmony' not seeing anything unusual happen, except Twilight becoming an alicorn, until one day in the summer:

Sole ambles around the town of Ponyville, eyeing his surroundings attentively. He's still in his favorite form, a small light-blue unicorn colt, the same appearance he used to cover up when he first arrived here, one year ago.

His home is a little, old farm house remotely from the town's center. Since he settled, he made some 'friends', who were close to the mane six and reported continuously through a magic mirror to his queen.

He heads home, as often thinking about how unsuccessful his mission here has been, 'I don't know if the queen will allow me to stay any longer. Every time I call her, she gets more upset. And making the queen upset isn't exactly what I, well anyling, wish for.'

The changeling turns at a corner, leaving the town behind, only wild nature at both sides of the path. A familiar voice's sound echoes his track, he stands still, curiously.

"How did you do that?"

"I hoped you know," answers a male voice.

Sole sneaks into the sound's direction, hiding in the woods, he spies two ponies in the clearing, one of them obviously the recently coronated princess and element of harmony, Twilight Sparkle. Her dark-coated companion is unknown to him.

Then a sudden realization strikes him, 'He's an alicorn... A male alicorn!'

Facing them from behind, he notices their gaze pointed at a small sunflower, well, what used to be a sunflower, now surprisingly alive and moving its leaves.

"You did it again."

"What?" says the black stallion.

"You broke the rules of magic. AGAIN! That doesn't make sense. First you created matter, now you made a plant alive like an animal."

'Interesting. This will save me from the queen's disfavor one more time,' he says to himself with a bright smile and a look of determination, 'Let's watch them a bit longer.'

The sunflower being still stands, where it appeared, obviously paralyzed by fear.

"What shall we do?" asks Twilight.

"Catch it?"

"Well, it's too important for the development of magic... We can't leave it here. So I guess you're right. Maybe I will send it to Celestia. She has the most advanced knowledge about the principles of magic," the lavender mare answers, nodding slightly.

The sunflowerling - that's what Fire decided to call it - is once again surrounded by an orb of light. Twilight closes the gap between her and the strange creature, observing it from another point of view.

Dear Princess Celestia,

this day something special happened. Not only the fact that Fire learned to use a very high level of magic by practicing much shorter than I expected, but also what he was able to do really astounds and confuses me. He turned a sunflower into an animal-like being as he was distracted at casting a growth spell on it. I've put the creature into Owlisius transport cage for further study and I'd like to send it to you, because you are the best magician in all of Equis.

Your faithful student,

Princess Twilight Sparkle.

As Twilight receives an answer - a light suddenly pops up before her, leaving a letter with Celestia's seal, for the first time Fire notices how natural the interior of the tree house looks.

'Did the shelves just grow out of the tree?' he sighs defeated, 'Well, fuck logic, again. It's magic~...'

A growl from his stomach ends this stream of thoughts immediately. He hasn't eaten anything since the early hours of morning, he realizes. Twilight looks up from the Princess’ response letter, clearly irritated by the sound. When she notices what its source is, she gives the black stallion an understanding smile.

“Probably I should have considered to offer you a proper meal, when we arrived. You must be really exhausted because of the number of spells you cast,” she adds, “And Celestia proposed to send us a chariot to carry the... umm... sunflowering - That’s what you called it, right?” he nods, ”...for further study to the castle. They really have the best equipment and the brightest minds of ponykind at the Royal Academy of Magic in Canterlot. When I lived there I had the honor to visit it two times. It's a gigantic building in the west of the city. It'd take anypony years to see all of it. The academy is full of wonder-like inventions and developments," she's says with poorly hidden excitement, deep stuck in memories.

"Would you like to try some fried hay for lunch?"

Surprised by the sudden change of topic Fire, imagining this place, stammers, "Yeah... of course... I'd like."

"Great!" she says not noticing the slight amount of confusion in his voice.

The food here never ceased to amaze Fire - it was the best he ever had and he was sure of it, although he couldn't remember much about his life as a human. Every frie tasted like a touch of heaven, the mild, but hearty aroma gave him an indescribable feeling of joy and satisfaction.

After his first bite he zoned out, starring with empty eyes at the meal, until he is disrupted by an annoyed voice.

"You can simply tell me, if you don't like it."

"..."

"Fire?"

"..."

"Fire?!"

"Umm, yes"

"Are you alright?" Twilight, the lavender chef, asks, now obviously concerned.

"Twilight. This. is. amazing," the black stallion says, emphasizing every word, pointing at the dish.

"Really? It's just normal food... as always"

"It's unbelievable. I don't know if my taste buds changed, but this experiences outclass everything from Earth."

"If you like THIS, you'll love the pastry from Sugarcube Corner."

'I have to pay Pinkie a visit. It's a shame I didn't try her food at the party.'

Fire browses through the library's index, searching for history books in the vast amount of information.

'Let's spend the afternoon with some reading. As long as I don't know, if I can go back to Earth anytime soon, I should learn as much as possible about my new home.'

Still enjoying his new skills he magically picks a book from the shelf, named 'The full history of Equestria', and turns its pages until he reaches the directory.

Scanning its contents, he decides to start with the chapter 'The first settlement', sits down on a nearby chair, sighing tiredly, and begins to read...

'Princess Luna is obviously a criminal. Thousands of ponies died under Nightmare Moon's rule, freezing and starving to death in months, well actually a day, of deadly darkness. She was banished to the moon for thousand years after a fight with her sister, just came back recently and tried to put Equestria in eternal night again, so Twilight and her friends had to fight her - and she's still a respected member of the royal family. That's ridiculous...'

His thoughts are disturbed by a knock at the door.

"I'm home, Twi!" A boyish voice exclaims.

'Who's that? The royal guards already have been here to take the 'thing' with them.'

Then the door swings open and reveals the voice's source. A bipedal, lizard-like being stares at the black alicorn stallion, and he stares back.

"Umm, hello. I'm Fire Void."

"I'm Spike."

Embarrassing silence.

"Yeah. So you know Twilight?" asks Fire.

"I actually live here. I was just at a camp for a few weeks."

"Oh, she didn't tell me."

"That sounds like her," he chuckles.

"..."

'Small talk is definitely not my strength.'

Both of them sigh in relief, when finally the said lavender mare comes from upstairs and embraces Spike in a tight hug.

"I missed you, Spike."

"I missed you, too."

After another short period of silence he shifts his gaze towards Fire and asks innocently - maybe a bit too innocent, notices the stallion with a grin - "Is this your coltfriend? Are you a couple, Twi?"

'Wow, he's a little devil.'

"NO! He's not! No, no, no!" she says, her cheeks' color turned to a deep pink. After exchanging a look with Fire, considering how impolite this actually sounded, she adds, "No offense."

"No offense taken," replies the obviously amused stallion, letting out a small laugh.

"This look! Hahahahahaha!" Spike says, struggling to breath, rolling on the floor.

"You're rude, guys," she says with a little giggle, realizing she was fooled.

'I'll probably like this guy.'

At this point Fire started to consider Twilight his friend. They shared many interests, she was smart and had a very unique sense of humor. Also he thought she was good-looking - at least as far as a pony could. And so they spent the whole evening together in a fantastic atmosphere, tightening the young bond of friendship, until the exhausted stallion, hardly managing to keep his eyes open, called it a night. Twilight leaded him to his room and watched him instantly fall asleep, snuggling comfortably into his blanket.

She smiled.

Later in the night, Twilight is woken by the sound of steps in the library. First not suspecting anything, she pays closer attention to the steps' rhythm.

Instead of the usual clip clap of pony feet or Spike's quiet steps, something, or someone stomps down there.

She gets up, alerted, and sneaks downstairs, looking at her feet to avoid to make any sound, and succeeds.

But when she finally looks up again, she is shocked. Facing a tall, red-eyed monster, standing only on two legs, adrenaline pumps through her body. It obviously noticed her presence.

A scream escapes her throat.

DEVELOPMENT (revised)

DEVELOPMENT

From The Shadows

by DeepThought

Twilight, trying to calm herself down, quickly casts a spell on the monster.

But when her magic fails to effect the invader, only resulting in a small lavender-colored puff, she starts to panic. Hyperventilating she stares into red orbs, the beast's eyes.

"Help!"

She looks upstairs, and hears to pairs of feet running down quickly. Fire darts in her line of sight, obviously surprised by the

sudden interruption of his sleep.

"What's wrong, Twilight?"

"Are you kidding me?" she shouts, pointing in the direction of the monster.

"Yeah, what's wrong with the front door?"

She turns her head, slightly confused, as she realizes that there isn't anything but the normal interior of her library in the soft shimmer of the moonlight. No dangerous, shadow-like being anywhere.

"But..."

The following days were relative eventless, Twilight, still confused by the night's happenings, searched for the species of the strange creature in all of her books, even the mythological ones. She couldn't find anything.

But she also couldn't shut the voice in her mind, which told her Fire knew something about this incident - alienated by the stiff response the black alicorn gave her when she asked him about this on the following day.

Fire met the mane six in those happy days several times, and warmed up with them. Even Rainbow Dash slowly stopped to behave hostile towards him. The only thing bothering him was that the feeling of being watched didn't vanish.

It's late in the afternoon, the sun friendly shines on Fire's coat.

After enjoying Pinkie Pie's surprise welcome party – well, after Twilight warned him about it a few days ago, it wasn't a 'real' surprise anymore, but he didn't show that – socializing with the other ponies, eating cake and playing party games, both of the alicorns trot home. A stream of thoughts crosses Fire's mind.

'This place is an utopia. Everyone, or better everypony, trusts each other, even me, an evil-looking outsider. The food is great, so is the climate. This world seems to be created to give the most possible joy to its inhabitants. Although everyone is different on the outside, they don't discriminate anyone. They love and tolerate. All the technical developments humankind made... their ultimate goal was happiness. They already had that for thousands of years. Well, at least they claim it.'

"Twilight?"

"Yes?"

"I really like living at your house and you're a great host, I like both of you, you and Spike, and I consider you my only friends here..."

'Here comes the but part,' thinks Twilight ironically.

"But I don't know, if I can ever go back to my world..."

'And even if I could I wouldn't know if I want to...' adds the black stallion quietly in his thoughts, since he remembered more and more from his former life as a human over the past few days.

"...and Celestia's last report on the work about uncovering the circumstances that brought me here didn't look promising, not a bit," she nods emphatically, "So I wanted to ask if I can move to an own place..."

"Of course, if there wouldn't be this tiny problem. There are actual no free flats our houses in Ponyville. And building a new would take us many months, maybe years."

"What?!"

'Oh yeah, this medieval world thing. It's not the first time the limitations of this world were this obvious, though.'

"In my world it took like a few days to build a basic house, much more durable than all I've seen here. Maybe it's time to introduce you to the scientific developments of mankind."

"Uhh," says an both curious and confused Twilight.

"Can I write a letter to Princess Celestia?"

Dear Princess Celestia,

the world I come from has made some unbelievable technological developments, technologies that could improve the common pony's life essentially. Not only that there were new products in Equestria, which would fill the hearts of your subjects with joy, but this would also give us the possibility to improve the quality and quantity of the already existing goods and services.

To accomplish this goal I need a credit, at least a few thousand bits, and your permission to build a first factory near Ponyville. Additional help through adjusting the Equestrian economic laws to this new means of production would be very welcomed.

I know you probably distrust me, and fear my alien knowledge, but see this as a test of my loyalty and good will to serve this country in any way possible.

Fire Void

'I hope this whole fill your subjects heart with joy stuff is enough for her to give me a chance.'

Dear Fire Void,

I've decided to give you the chance you asked me for. You'll get a credit of 10 Million bits and my permission to set up any producing facility you want, with this money.

To increase the chances of success, I will establish the 'Special Economic Zone of Equestria', which will be administrated by you (The map will tell you about about the hows, wheres and whens).

I asked Twilight to help you with the preparations, since she has a lucky hoof for organisation.

Don't disappoint me,

Princess Celestia.

'We really need this technology and his trust. Otherwise Equestria's future is everything but bright,' thinks a concerned alicorn princess, 'We need his help and he needs us, we can count on that. Under other conditions I definitely wouldn't say yes.'

Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle,

my most faithful student, I suggest you to read this in private.

I'm sure you know about our guest's request.

After some time reconsidering the facts, I came to the conclusion to grant Fire's request under the condition that you watch his attempts to bring the technological advances of his world to us, closely, and report to me about every detail. Also some help on this project would be very appreciated.

I also invite you and Fire to visit the Royal Academy of Magic. The incident with the sunflower requires further investigation.

Princess Celestia

'I didn't expected it to work out that well, suspicious well. Is this a sign of trust? Does she have hidden intentions? Reading between the lines won't help a bit. Telling by the observations of our first meeting, she's good at concealing her own emotions and plans. This stoic expression... She's a few-thousand-years-old alicorn princess, after all. She should have some experience with handling things diplomatically.'

The letter told him that he would receive the money in two weeks, but the days passed by quickly.

Long, interesting talks with Twilight and great food, a world full of unknown art and knowledge, the daily magical training sessions and his own experiments with his casting skills - millions of new things to understand and observe... and enjoy. Yes, he really enjoyed his life, since all of his dark thoughts seemed to be replaced by the heart-warming spirit of this world.

The black stallion made some new friends, also an already mentioned light blue stallion...

IN CANTERLOT (revised)

IN CANTERLOT (revised)

From The Shadows

by DeepThought

The last - and first - time Fire has seen Canterlot, was from a flying chariot, before held in the castle walls by the royal guards. Now, in the middle of the city's busy life, he's surprised by the great variety of both the buildings and it's inhabitants. While Ponyville seemed rather rural to the black alicorn stallion, but not less welcoming and open-minded, Canterlot is more the typical metropolis.

Astounished by the height of its buildings, remembering the fact that the ponies didn't posses any advanced machinery, he looks around and notices that, unlike the ponyvillians, some of the citizens of Canterlot actually wear clothes, emanating a snobbish scent of nobility.

Twilight trots beside him. They're heading towards a great building, ornamented with several symbols of the kingdom, at the borders of the city, the Royal Academy of Magic. From time to time they have to stop, addressed by some important-looking mares and stallions, who obviously know Twilight and are interested in her companion.

But since both alicorns are quite withdrawn introverts, sometimes socially awkward, even if Twilight's position involves being active in the public, the talks don't last long.

"So you want a tour through the city, when we're done visiting the facility?" Twilight asks, "I've grown up here."

"Seems interesting, a place full of culture and new things to explore. Maybe we can go to the castle, too. I could talk to the Princesses privately, from face to face."

"I'm not sure about the talking to the princess part, because they tend to be quite occupied with the daily business, but if you're interested in culture, I'll take you to the Royal Museum."

"Thank you, Twi."

In the distance, hardly to identify, moves a long, rectangular structure with a decent speed. If Fire didn't know better, he'd assume that it was a train, but he knows that the steam engine wasn't yet developed in Equestria.

So he asked Twilight, "What was that thing?"

"You mean the train? You told me you had those back at your home, didn't you?"

"So you DO have means of mass transportation?"

"Well, not exactly. These trains use vast amounts of magic to move, stored in some sort of crystal battery. But the amount of load such a vehicle can transport is very limited, and it takes ten experienced mages a whole day to charge these crystals. That's not the only disadvantage, though. The crystals are very rare and expensive, and since after decharging them a few times they tend to get useless, their price even rose over the past few years. So nowadays trains are just operated to travel to remote places, like Appleloosa, or to honor foreign guests, important citizens and participants of sport events. But there's still an intact railroad network connecting every major city in Equestria."

After a moment of thoughtful silence he replies, "That will proof itself very useful when we start the production at the facility's. After all we won't have to build infrastructure, which already is here."

The Royal Academy of Magic is now just a short hop from the position both of them are standing, admiring the huge building. An atmosphere of secrecy surrounds it, it seems to be a high-security area telling by the high concentration of security guards, eyeing everyone passing the street from the walls, and the vast amount of fortifications.

'Ponified version of Area 51, isn't it?'

As they close the gap to the iron security lock, a guard looks into their directon. He doesn't wear the typical Royal Guard uniform. Instead a more heavy-looking dark set of armor covers his body. His eyes light up, when he obviously recognizes Twilight.

"We've awaited your arrival, your Highness," he bows slightly and turns his attention to Fire, "And you are the special guest, Celestia mentioned in her letter?

"I guess," he says, giving the guard a small smile.

The gates open and reveal a long hallway. As they slowly walk past several security barriers, Twilight stops, "The last times I visited the level of security hasn't been this high. What happened?"

"After the changeling incident we had to raise the standards. If you two weren't such important guests, we'd have to probe your mind with a spell to make sure you don't have bad intentions. It's an unpleasant procedure, but it's the only way we can make sure the secrets..." he searches for the right words, a moment later he procedures emphasizing every word, "Well, stay secrets."

'The Big Brother would be proud of you,' thinks a lightly chuckling Fire.

They meet a grey unicorn mare called Theory Point, deep down in the building. The laboratory, the three of them – the guard left them at the entrance – enter now is full of strange-looking instruments, which emit unnatural noises, somehow annoying to Fire. The only source of light are torches at the walls, unsteady illuminating the room. In a corner stands a huge cage, inhabiting the creature all this fuss is about.

"We have to compare the magical signatures of you and the sunflowering to reassure this really was your work. Because if this proofs your claims true, we have to question everything we know about magic. We will try to reproduce the results in the lab then," says Theory calmly.

"Ok, I'm fine with that, but I'm unsure if I will be able to do this again. It was kind of an accident, though."

The procedure of taking Fire's magical fingerprint wasn't as complicated, as he imagined. He had to cast a steady flow of his red-black-glowing power on a device, which reminded him of a tesla coil. She hesitated for a second, asking if his magic always had been two-colored, which the stallion confirmed with a nod. Then the lab mare extracted a piece of one of the creature's withered leaves, obviously not taken violently. She put the leaf in an acid-like fluid and a wire of strange material leads a glow of magic to another coil.

"If the signatures are the same the magic should now be able to pass the comparator and reach the final crystal storage attached to it," she points her hoof at a device connected to both coils. A look of suprise forms in her face as she notices that only part of the magic, the black-colored, moves through the wires, while the red glow in the first coil remains.

"Uh, uh... Well... That's..." she stutters.

"So you tell me he possesses two forms of magic?!" says a disbelieving Twilight

"That's what it looks like. It'd be very helpful to direct the stored magic at one of this test targets," replies Theory Point calmly.

She pulls the storage from the device and connects it to some sort of antenna, which she puts on a stand pointed at a light-green surface. With her own blue magic she toggles a lever attached to the magic storage.

Directly a dark beam of magic is released at the target, instantly transforming to the same tone of black, the same light-absorbing color as Fire's coat. The target's texture changes. The before homogeneous surface starts to move like boiling water, still sticking to the wall, not yet effected by gravity. Then bits of the dark substance fall down, hardening in a nearly perfect round shape.

Both Twilight and Theory Point jaws drop open, curiously eyed by the black stallion.

'Are they still wondering? It's not like it was the first time something unexpected happened,' thinks Fire phlegmatically, 'We are dealing with **~*MAGIC*~*** after all.'*

After a few moments of silence Theory exclaims, "Heureka! It's a huge breakthrough! You were right with your assumptions, Princess Sparkle. This kind of magic hasn't been known to ponykind before. Magic that actually can create matter and manipulate it on the most essential way possible. Unbelievable..."

After adding further magical charge to the coils - Theory told them she would need to study it more deeply to come to a final conclusion – they were shown around by the guard, who had led them to the first lab.

The place was impressive at least. Uncountable amounts of of complex devices were stored in hundreds of labs, filled with mages working busy on projects Fire couldn't even imagine. But getting explained what for example a rainbow condenser, cloud boots and a water color changer were, he started to wonder about the actual practical application of this devices. It seemed to him like the brightest of all minds in Equestria were wasted on total nonsense.

As they left the facility the guard waved them goodbye and they entered the city again.

For a few minutes they wander around aimlessly, until Twilight speaks up.

"I guess you liked it?"

"Yes, it was fascinating," says Fire absentmindedly, "I thought about setting up an own research facility, funded by the profits of my enterprise. We really need some bright minds... Do you think, if I payed enough that some of the Academy's employees would work for me?"

"You really think about headhunting the royal mages?!" replies an unbelieving Twilight.

"That's how capitalism works," says Fire coolly.

Twilight snorts in disgust; "THAT'S LOW! You want to pay Royal employees with money given by Royalty to quit working for Royalty. You're the embodiment of ungratefulness.."

"Ok, this discussion doesn't get us anywhere," disrupts the black stallion her abruptly, trying to calm Twilight down, "If it's their free will to leave, it's ok. They're not their slaves. If they don't want to, I can't force them. It would be their own choice."

Realizing that Fire is right, she nods slightly and responds, "But I still don't like the idea. It seems immoral to me."

"Let's agree to disagree."

"Ok."

After a short moment of silence both alicorns smile.

Twilight led him to the Gallery of Canterlot, another monumental building, situated in the city's heart.

'Do this ponies have to compensate something? Is it their size? A Napoleon complex? I'm much taller than them, the same size as Celestia. If I was as small as them, would I feel the same?' thinks Fire smirking looking at the ridiculous amount of ornaments at the gallery's walls.

Twilight, used to the sudden, random changes in Fire's behavior, ignores it and trots into the direction of the building's entrance. After a another moment zoned out, Fire follows the lavender mare into the building. The ceilings in the building are high, the walls are painted in a perfect white.

They enter a small lobby illuminated by the midday sun shining through a large number of windows at the entrance's side of the room. Visiting the gallery is obviously free, realizes Fire, as they pass the doors to the main hall without any interruption.

Enjoying art by an artist called Ponycasso, both of them have a great time, until they reach a smaller room in the back of the building.Twilight enters first.

"It's a pleasure to meet to meet you, Princess... Being surrounded the whole day by dirty commoners is totally terrible," says a white-coated, blond-maned unicorn stallion, wearing one of these ridiculous pony tuxedos.

After entering the room the arrogant pony eyes Fire,"And who's this blank flank?"

'There we have Mr. Dumbass... I guess not everypony can be nice and kind,' Fire thinks snorting amused. Usually he is someone/somepony, who can keep his stoic composure under the uttermost circumstances, not affected by verbal attacks, as long as they don't violate one of his core believes.

"My name is Fire Void, Your Greatness," answers the black stallion ironically.

"You allow this peasant to speak to me like this..." accuses the unicorn Twilight, who rolls her eyes in response.

"This is Prince Blueblood, Fire," Twilight points her hoof at the said stallion.

Then realization strikes the white-furred unicorn, "He is the alien moster my auntie told me about." Looking in disgust at the said 'alien monster' he yells, "You don't belong here. YOU ARE WRONG!"

"A pleasure to meet you," jokes Fire – Blueblood is not amused, raising a 'fist'.

"Ok, everypony be nice and civil," warns Twilight, but telling from Blueblood's angry stare he ignores her.

'Getting in a fight with this 'Prince' wouldn't be exactly beneficial for my attempts to get along with Royalty, I guess.'

Fire replies, gesturing pacifying,"Maybe we started this on the wrong ho-......."

That's when he gets a hoof slammed into his face.

It didn't hurt as much as he'd have expected.

Fire grins lifting his hooves protectively, 'Well, that escalated quickly.'

"You hit me like a little foal..." his grin widens, while the angry look on Blueblood's face suggests, that his blood started boiling. An unbelieving Twilight watches the scene.

Blueblood tries to smack him again, but his hoof gets deflected by an red-glowing barrier around Fire. Then he releases an own stream of magic, bringing the shield down with a loud bang.

"Ok, you want to play seriously," the grin on Fire's face vanishes abruptly, his horn glows in a deadly twist of black and red, "You don't know who you're messing with, do you?"

But he obviously overestimated his own intimidating act; another orb of magic hits him, this time straight into his chest. Coughing Fire stumbles back.

'Wasn't I supposed to be an immortal alicorn creature?'

A third flash of Blueblood's strikes him and since he isn't prepared he falls down. He sees the horror in Twilight's face. She's still paralyzed.

A small scream of both anger and concern escapes her throat. Fire tries to stand up, but as he 'looks' down, he realizes there is no body anymore, just a black cloud.

"You killed him?!?" she yells.

"This worthless creature got what it deserved."

Channeling all his magic, now in real fury, Fire managed to form the cloud into something solid. It is the bipedal 'monster' Twilight has seen at night, but instead of the dark black color it now was a mix of fire-red and a nightmare-black, emitting noises like a thunderstorm.

Blueblood tries to run, shaking in fear, but the huge claw of the bipedal grabs him, shocking him with the electricity-like power of his magic. Blueblood instantly faints, twisting his eyes unnaturally.

"This explains much..." says Twilight absentmindedly, staring at the intimidating beast.

'This shape drains too much magic... Maybe that's why I have unconsciously chosen the alicorn form as I arrived... Like a soap bubble forms a sphere, because it is more 'durable' and long-living this way... The perfect adaption to the environment.. Probably it is my natural form in this world.'

He willingly transforms back, the first time.

"Fire, are you alright?" asks a worried Twilight.

"A bit exhausted, but surprisingly ok. What do you want to do with our 'friend'?" the black stallion points at Blueblood

"Maybe you'll get your talk with Celestia today..."

"I'm terrible sorry for the behavior of my nephew. Please forgive us. He wasn't authorized to act hostile towards you and he will be punished. You're a citizen of Equestria and therefore such an act of violence won't be tolerated," says a disapointed sun goddess.

"Thank you for taking this seriously, Your Highnesses," replies Fire, "You're not responsible for the misbehavior of Prince Blueblood, so you don't have to ask for forgiveness," his lips form a little smile, exchanging a look with Twilight.

"You'll spend the night at the dungeon, Blueblood. You went too far!" spits Luna

But being the arrogant brat he is, Blueblood doesn't even flinch, "I won't apologize to this alien beast... Look! He burnt my tail with his magic. He deserves punishment, not ME!!!"

General facehoofing.

'I guess I made another enemy today.'

'So I finally got an audience with Celestia.'

"You wanted to speak with me in private, Fire. What's bothering you?" she says with one of her trademark motherly smiles.

"I wanted to thank you.You've done much for me and my well-being."

Celestia wants to believe him, but she isn't sure if he is true to her. He is one of the few beings in Equestria, including Chrysalis, Luna and Discord, who's mind she couldn't read, without setting up any anti-spell.

"I'm interested in the good of your people. It was the right decision to trust me and I won't disappoint you."

'Enough flank kissing for today.'

FOUNDATION OF LIBERTY (revised)

FOUNDATION OF LIBERTY

From The Shadows

by DeepThought

Over the past few months the plant grew rapidly. It attracted the most ambitious, bravest and most skilled ponies from all of Equestria - businessponies and engineers, mathematicians and scientists. Starting with the production of steel and simple steam engines, they began to make nitrogen fertilizer, concrete and complex machinery, as the success with their first products became obvious. Just a few weeks after the start of the production Fire was in the position to pay back Celestia, freeing himself from her influence. They exported to the whole kingdom of Equestria, resulting in a huge price drop for the most essential goods. Searching for prosperity, the special economic Zone before just a mass of a vast number of production facilities attracted a huge number of ponies, settling down and founding a city. Although it had been tradition in Equestria for hundreds of years that the princesses appointed the mayors, Fire decided - with Celestia's approval - to let the citizens vote. Not much to Fire's surprise the ponies elected him, giving him the power to pass some laws, as for example declaring civil rights and establishing an independent court. And he named the city Liberty.

Polls in the Equestrian Daily, the first independent news paper in the kingdom, written and published in Liberty, showed that he was the most popular politician in the city's current government by far. His style of administration was described as "liberal", "future-oriented" and "very charitable".

According to the Economic ministry of Equestria the industrial output of the city accounts for nearly a half of Equestria's GDP now, with only around 50.000 inhabitants, just 4% percent of the country's total population. Work efficiency rose significantly. Also Fire's plan to make some former members of the the Royal Academy of Magic work for him and his company succeeded, since the gigantic amount of bits in the city's treasuries were a very efficient way of conviction.

A network of elementary schools, high schools, vocational school and the newly founded University of Liberty provide universal education to the work force in the spirit of enlightenment and renaissance. Newly discovered medical treatments improve their life's quality. Typical human sports as football, tennis or basketball were introduced to ponykind, along with the philosophy of Kant, Voltaire and Hume, Descartes, Popper, Adam Smith and many others, higher mathematics and the basics of chemistry – the fact that Fire as a human had been very interested in philosophy, art and science helped much with the development of the city's own cultural identity; his memory gap slowly vanished, leaving him wondering if all he experienced was some sort of coma-induced dream, a result of his heavy injury. It was all too good to be true.

The status of the city in the kingdom is comparable to the situation of Hong Kong in Communist China. Semi-independently the most decisions were left to their own democratic government, but they have to pay taxes to the central administration and obey if the princesses want to interfere. They were even allowed to establish own embassies in Zebraca, the Gryphon Kingdom and the Crystal Empire, starting to export their products to these civilizations, enhancing profitability.

Fire was unsure why Celestia granted him so much freedom, but he didn't complain. He assumed the improvement in her subject's daily life was the reason of her tolerance for their way of ruling the city. But the most surprising thing to him was that Celestia obviously planned to make him part of royalty in the near future, telling by Twilight's constant hints regarding such an event. She is her personal adviser after all. The whole situation remembered him of the story of Shining Armor, Cadence and how the Crystal Empire was given to them.

Sole, the colt he became friends with in his first days in Ponyville, got his first assistant, although he discovered the shocking truth about his true nature just a few days after his first visit to Canterlot:

After spending a night at a bar, called the 'Shacking Hoof', the black stallion decided to return to the library, his temporary home. But on the way he noticed his best friend, the light-blue stallion Sole, moving through the streets suspiciously – he obviously avoided any contact with other ponies. Fire followed him, muting his steps with his magic, to a small house at the city's borders. He didn't know exactly why he acted like a spy on one of his best friends, but a nagging voice in his head told him, that something about Sole was terrible off. Not only the fact that he carefully locked away all personal information, it seemed he even didn't exist before he came to Ponyville, no family, no friends, no background story, but also that he somehow didn't seem to fit in the pony society - his movements, his gestures, the sarcastic kind of witty humor, the sometimes cold, emotionless stare, all was so unpony.

Hiding, the surprised Fire watches his friend getting consumed by green flames and replaced by a bug-like creature.

'A changeling...' he realized.

Then the creature took off.

Unsure what to do, he spent the night thinking about the possible implications of this revelation. He recollected all knowledge he had about the changelings, which was a decent bit, since he tried to learn as much as possible about his new home. Normally changelings weren't seen outside their settlings alone and didn't have any consciousness, just like ants or bees stuck to their hive sharing some sort of collective intelligence, which was obviously not true for the stallion called 'Sole'.

He didn't mean any harm to him at all, he was a true and loyal friend. Yes, he could become a threat, but Fire was immortal. The worst thing possible to happen, was getting captured, maybe tortured, but that seemed unlikely. Many situations came to his mind he has been quite vulnerable in, and Sole never took any advantage of that, not capturing him and bringing him to their Queen.

He fell asleep. His slumber was relaxed and dreamless.

The next day he got up early, making sure not to wake up Twilight and/or Spike and went back to the home of his friend. A second he considered leaving a letter, explaining where he was and why. But this could get Sole in serious trouble, so he abandoned the thought quickly. He would be able to deal with him alone, if necessary.

He knocked at the door, preparing for the coming conversation.

Sole opens, surprise painted all over his face, as he sees Fire.

"You're obviously not Derpy bringing me the mail," he says chuckling.

"We have to talk, Sole. In private."

Sole raised his eyebrow, but didn't hesitate to invite him in, pointing at the inside of his house with his hoof. When they sat down at the small kitchen table, Fire cleared his throat, considering every word.

"I've seen you sneaking around Ponyville yesterday. I've seen what you really are," he states calmly.

The friendly smile on Sole's face vanishes, "Ok. Yes, you're right..." desperation is in his voice, "Are the guards already on the way to come for me? You have to believe me... I didn't want to lie to you, but I had no choice. You know about the Canterlot Incident... Since this day everypony hates us."

After a short period of silence he begins to sob quietly, tears streaming down his cheeks.

Fire puts a hoof on his shoulder, totally shocked by the emotional response of his normally stoic friend, "It's ok, really. I didn't suspect you to have any bad intentions... I judge people on who they are, not what they are," he stutters, "I really enjoy being your friend."

'And the benefits of keeping a friend, who could pretend to be me in critical situations, are quite high,' thinks Fire calculating.

"I really enjoy being your friend, too," he replied.

"I will do everything in my power to prevent you from getting spotted," a small smile covered the black stallion's face.

'That was easier than I believed it would be. Now he will help me to stay undercover,' and Sole smiled, too.

And they kept his true nature a secret and - even if both of them didn't notice it first – they started to develop a real and deep friendship, feeling bad for betraying each other's trust, not revealing their true motives.

In the new city Sole now lives in the house next to Fire's mansion, an opulent building situated in the settling's heart near the congress hall, acting as his closest adviser and personal guard.

ROAD TO WAR (revised)

ROAD TO WAR

From The Shadows

by DeepThought

Once upon a time there was a gryphon King, whose name was Rex. United by his predecessors - hundreds of years before - with shiny steel, his kind, the ancient tribes of Griphonia, were ruled by violence and fear. But soon their own land wasn't enough anymore for the proud kings of gryphonkind and so they turned their greedy eyes beyond their borders, bringing war and suppression to the innocent and wealth and power to their own.

They invaded the zebras’ land, brought discord to the diamond dogs, they fought down the minotaurs' mightiest armies and left their plundered cities burning to the ground. Claiming that the conquered masses were responsible for their nation’s suffering, the gryphon’s hate made life a hell for all the foreign creatures living in the empire. Not allowed to leave, they were kept in special camps as slaves, often starving and falling ill.

Still there was one place, even the bravest of the gryphons long didn't dear to attack. The country ruled by sun and moon was strong and powerful enough to scare any of their soldiers away. Long was peace between Equestria and the griphons, and the gryphon kings made sure to keep the information about the occupied territories and their former inhabitants away from the princesses’ ears.

But seeing how this kingdom struggled to defend itself from the changelings, from Discord and from Nightmare moon, Rex began to doubt the godly powers of its rulers, their armed stallions and the Elements of Harmony.

And as he saw Equestria’s wealth grow enviously with the help of the alien named Fire, he started to make plans for a possible invasion, coming to an agreement with his changeling allies, who sought for revenge for the humiliating defeat months ago.

After Chrysalis reads an official message from the gryphon ambassador in the land of changelings, her manic laughter echoes in the large throne room and a wave of cruel joy rushes through the hive mind.

The hall is made of ornamented onyx. Roman-like columns line the way to the huge throne formed of hardened, emerald-colored changeling liquid. On the ceiling are paintings of famous and glorified events of changeling history, most of them showing achievements of their queen.

She can’t believe it! Finally her plan succeeds. These stupid feather brains would be the instruments for her victory about the land of sun and moon. All worries about her hive’s future would be needless with the gigantic amount of love stored in the naive hearts of the Equestrian citizens.

All would be hers!

Quickly she ordered her armored forces to carry out the order number 36.

Doom awaits ponykind!

When Rex offered to establish an alliance between the changelings and the gryphons, shortly after Chrysalis was defeated by the love of Cadence and Shining Armor, the hive’s situation was terrible. Most changelings were injured and starving, since nearly all ‘harvesters’ in Equestria were uncovered by the abnormal magic radiating from Canterlot.

His offer made him the savior of lingkind. Allowing the changelings to feed from their prisoners of war in exchange for a intelligence services he helped them to recover quickly. Soon it became obvious they had a common enemy - Equestria.

Once again they prepared for war.

Three changelings, disguised as pegasus guards, head towards Canterlot Castle, disturbing the peace of the cool, quiet air of the night with the constant wing flaps. The city under their hoves sleeps, not suspecting anything. The busyness of the day is washed away.

Empty, lifeless eyes, filled with green fire, observe the planned point of destination - the castle’s garden, which they smoothly land in. Making sure there is nopony watching them they change their appearances, now a butler and two maids stand on the castle grounds. They trot to the garden’s exit.

Determinedly they wander through the large corridors at the first floor, not paying attention to the fantastic pieces of art, sculptures and paintings. Nopony minds them when they pass, just caring for their own business.

As they reach their target’s location, a huge, luxurious bedroom, one changeling, the butler, stays at the door, while the other two enter. Darkness surrounds them, but with their night vision they see the small figure lying on the canopy bed. Muting their steps with magic the ‘maids’ close the distance.

Back in a house at Canterlot’s borders a certain changeling queen, watching the event through the eyes of her minions, starts to laugh manically seeing that her children successfully attached the magic disruptor to the purple alicorn’s horn. It has been so easy...

Twilight wakes up in shock. Something feels totally wrong. Hectically she moves her gaze around the dark room. When she hears the silent breaths of two other beings she tries to light her surroundings with a spell - and fails.

‘What the buck?!’ she panics.

But instead of her own purple-colored magic the room is suddenly illuminated by a bilious green and a weird sensation spreads in her body.

Paralysis.

Seconds later unconsciousness.

Everything according to the plan!

In the new heart land of Equestria’s economy a black stallion, the city’s mayor, negotiates with his council about a new security law as his bodyguard in an elegant suit storms in. An excusing look on his face Fire turns from the audience to Sole.

“What’s going on?” whispers the alicorn.

“We have a serious problem. Please come with me. Otherwise I can not guarantee your safety.”

The sincerity in his voice immediately alerts Fire and he quickly tells the members of the council that he has to leave. Most of them nod sympathetically. They exit the room and Fire follows the galloping stallion downstairs into the house’s basement. They enter a room filled with hundreds of political records. Activating a hidden mechanism with the cliche book in a shelf, a door swings open. In the corridor to the safe room Sole finally begins to speak hastily.

“Ok, I hoped this would never happen, but I have to tell you a secret. Please don’t judge me, I’m really sorry about it,’ he stops a moment, taking a breath.

‘Gay, gay, gay. I knew it,’ Fire thinks, smirking sarcastically.

“I’ve been Chrysalis spy since I came to Ponyville. And I was ordered to help a commando unit to foalnap you, as they did with Twilight just minutes ago” he says with pleading eyes, “But I don't want to betray you. You are my best friend after all. And so I decided to take your form to distract them, while you make sure to lock the city and alert the army. War is coming.”

To Sole’s surprise Fire answers determinedly, “I trust you. And this is still right,” and he embraces his friend in an awkward hug.

‘I didn’t expect that I’d regret it that he exactly does what I wanted him to do when I spared his life.’

Thousands of gryphons cross the border to Equestria, marching in unison. The sound of clinking, shiny armor penetrates the peaceful night. They follow banners of red and white and black, their amber gazes fixed fanatically on the near lights of sleeping Vanhoofer.

As they enter the city guard’s line of sight, one of the griphons splits from the standing mass, closing the distance to the walls. His set of armor is golden instead of the dominating steel-colored pieces of his soldiers, which glimmer like waves in a full moon night.

“I demand to speak to the city’s leader,” he shouts, intimidating the clueless guard ponies on the fortifications.

Never in their lifetime they actually had to face an enemy force.

They in return whisper to each other as they notice the huge army behind the griphon general, paralyzed by fear.

"Didn't I make my point clear,"growls the gryphon leader, rage is burning in his eyes.

“We will call the governor,” a grey-furred pegasus guard finally speaks up.

“Our Majesty, Vanhoofer has surrendered, Princess Sparkle was captured in Canterlot Castle itself - we simply don’t know how, maybe there are even traitors in the Royal Guards - and Mayor Fire Void disappeared without any information about his current location. The army of the gryphon marches towards Los Pegasus, it is at least 15000 strong. Our ambassador in the gryphon kingdom doesn’t respond!” exclaims the terrified military adviser pony.

A few hours before:

He had practiced this special skill secretly, since he discovered he possessed it fighting Mr. Royal Jerk. Shapeshifting still took a large amount of magic to be performed, but he had managed it. Still the only colors his alter egos could have were shades of black and red, but obviously it was enough with the help of his friend to fool the changeling assassins.

His form becomes a dark cloud, before it solidifies in a single black orb, seeming to implode. Then, too quick to be seen, he morphs into a teenage dragon, twice the size of a normal pony. Sole, who watches his transformation in awe, shudders slightly intimidated by the much larger predator.

'Not exactly low-key, but definitely not me,' he grins revealing his sharp fangs.

“You’re quite a sight when you change,” laughs his friend awkwardly, “It’s time to leave.”

After he observes his friend, who ‘wore’ his alicorn form taking off in the quiet, dark sky, he steps out of the shadows. He knows where to go, but his current disguise drains much magic. Too much to simply teleport, like he normally does when he wants to go to Canterlot, in two or three trips with 15 minute breaks between.

'My own form would be too dangerous. Everyone could be a changeling if not proven otherwise,' he reasons annoyed, 'Better safe than sorry.'

So he heads for the night train, through the streets and alleys illuminated by recently installed electric lanterns. He even sees some of the lately introduced prototype cars as he passes the city's richer districts.

Luna nuzzles her sister reassuringly, “We’ve been through tougher times, Tia. I’m sure everything will turn out well.”

The usual calmness in the sun monarch’s face is replaced by anger and worry.

Then she booms in the Royal Canterlot Voice, much to everypony’s surprise, “HOW DO THEY DARE?! WE’VE TOLERATED THEIR BARBARIC WAYS! WE’VE EVEN ALLOWED THEM TO ENTER OUR LANDS AND THEY ONLY CAUSED TROUBLE! TARTARUS, WE’VE EVEN...”

But her tirade is disrupted by a loud bang, as the door to the throne hall swings open and a dangerous-looking creature storms in, causing all magic-sensing beings to flinch. It is followed by alarmed guards.

Fire grins manically, chuckling lightly, as the realization shows itself on Celestia’s face. Normally he is someone, or rather somepony, who doesn't make his appearances a huge show, but he enjoys every bit of this grotesque situation. If he told the guards who he was, he couldn’t be sure that no spies hid under their masquerade, after all he knew that changelings sucessfully infiltrated the castle, and probably this traitor would try to hinder the progress of his ‘work’.

“Your wonderful voice is heard all over Canterlot, my Highness,” he jokes, spears pointing to his throat, “What a shame I disrupted. Would you mind to tell your guards to stop threatening me?”

‘Yeah, acting like a jerk will win you their sympathy instantly. After all they could assume you’re somehow involved in all of this’

“Please do so!” answers a blushing Celestia.

“But...” a guard speaks up, but her suddenly recomposed self, bundled with a glare, intimidates him into silence.

‘Wow, I still underestimate centuries of training.‘

"Please, leave us alone," she tells her advisers, pointing in the door's direction.

Surprised by the shown familiarity with the intruder they obey reluctantly. When finally only the sun goddess and the dark lizard are left in the room, Celestia sighs and her expression changes to a small smile.

"This act is over, I guess," he transforms back into his alicorn form, returning the smile.

"At least you are safe..."

“How did your Highness know it was me?”

“Did you seriously expected me, a thousands-of-years-old immortal, not to notice such an unique magical aura?” she laughs lightly, “And just drop the formalities. We have more important issues to worry about, as you might know. How did you manage not getting caught? I thought you was captured as well as Twilight were.”

'Her sudden friendliness is irritating. I guess this is her stress personality.’'

"Long story short... I befriended a self-aware changeling who became my guard. He just warned me before worse happened, it seems he was some kind of double agent, until he decided to worship our friendship more than the loyality to his queen. He also informed me about Twilight’s situation. It seems this was planned for a long time."

Her expression was priceless.

"Indeed. The gryphons are marching towards Las Pegasus. It is unlikely that both factions decided to attack us separately,” she mutters.

"I already heard the rumors as I took the train to Canterlot. Do you have any plans how to defeat them?”

“The armies are still gathering.”

‘It’s good that at least Liberty is prepared. Our ‘inventions’ aren’t limited to civil technology, even if she doesn’t know it.’

“I’m concerned about Twilight,” she adds with a motherly tone.

“At the moment Sole, the mentioned changeling, tries to distract the changelings from catching me, but he is supposed to meet me here in Canterlot Castle after he is done and maybe collects some pieces of information from his kind. On the base of his advise we should plan further steps.“

Not so far away, said changeling cries in pain, shouting and hissing at his insectoid torturers.

TROUBLE (revised)

TROUBLE

From The Shadows

by DeepThought

When Sole takes off, he is aware that over the city several changeling spies are circling, awaiting his friend and master to reveal himself by stepping into the broad, illuminated streets of Liberty, the city of wonders. A cold breeze is blowing through his new set of feathered wings.

They practiced this maneuver before, since this is their backup plan A. Sole simply isn't skilled and interested enough to run that monster of a town Liberty became and so they decided to make him his double, whenever a risk for Fire arised - A task he accepted without hesitation. He can relate to his position, a being as unique as himself, both raised in a different cultural environment, both struggling to fit in, and a great, loyal friend. Someone who helped Sole to become who he is.

As he ascends he notices blue-glowing blurs in his wide pony peripheral vision, smirking he accelerates leaving the sea of light the settling behind provides. He enters the area above the Everfree Forest, his haunters still near. He can hear the typical buzzing of changeling wings.

‘That’s strange... Aren't they supposed to be in disguise?’

He realizes too late that the sound’s source is not behind, but in front of him. Suddenly Sole is dodged to the right, losing his orientation for a moment. A strong grip holds to his right wing and with fear he realizes that this is no conventional changeling, but a hoof-picked member of Chrysalis’ personal guards, an apex. They are stronger and faster than their brothers and sisters, and also much taller, nearly 2 times the size of a normal changeling. Their fangs are sharper, their carapace is thicker. Unlike the other their eyes glow in a sick orange, a result of a special treatment of their queen.

‘I’m so bucked!’ he panics

Flapping like an injured bird he tries to escape. Then a claw hits him in his face, again and again, and he spits blood, struggling to break free. They are still falling to the quickly nearing ground. He has to come up with a plan! Quickly!

His magic illuminates the surrounding area and a bolt heads into the monster’s direction - and misses. The apex chuckles in a dark polyphonic voice, a cacophony of insectoid sounds and a direct broadcast of the laughing queen via the hive mind...

Which abruptly stops when the Everfree saves Sole. His magic turns a tree into some kind of jumping sheet, connecting the twigs to a saving net, while his chaser falls through, hitting the soil with a loud thump, but his claws leave a very deep gash in his wings.

Sole groans in pain, loosing focus, before he gets remembered of the situation's danger by a sound coming from the ground. He turns his head and adjusts his gaze to the just barely visible shape below him - the apex still moves, obviously hurt, yes, but clearly alive.

‘Fight or fly? His injuries are much worse...’ he bends his wings, testing their flexibility, showing a grimace of agony, ‘Probably flying isn't the best idea, but it is still a choice. A painful choice, though.’

But he doesn't get the chance. When he turns his head back and slowly gets to his hooves, shaking, Sole notices a huge number of pairs of blue lights, changeling eyes, closing the gap to his position.

‘Well, that escalated quickly. And I didn't even say that it couldn't get any worse. I have to get rid of them in order to change to something unsuspicious.’

“Come at me, bro!” he shouts, gliding down to the forest, waving to the crowd.

After landing he struggles not to fall. The rogue changeling picks up speed, taking several sharp turns, as a terrifying roar behind him, in the distance, disturbs the unnatural silence of the forest. Hurrying he passes several trees until he gets to a clearing. The buzzing still chases him, but is less loud. A figure stands in the pale moonlight.

“I've waited for you,” says a familiar voice, “You’re surrounded by my children. Surrender now and no harm will come to you. If not, face the consequences.”

In the corners of his eyes he sees a front of black chitin.

‘What now? Play along?’

“Well, you got me. I assume you are Queen Chrysalis?”

“You are right. Step nearer, Mr. Void,” she commands.

‘Careful, Sole...’ he obeys, the soft ground of the forest muffles the hoves’ usual clip clop. He’s just a few steps away from the queen, trying to hide his injured, green-bleeding wings.

Chrysalis’ facial expression turns from an arrogant smile to a sour frown. Her eyes widen, she stares angrily and disgusted at Sole’s damaged form.

“Capture the traitor!” she exclaims, stressing every word.

Instantly the whole group charges at him.

A buzzing laugh echoes through the dark tunnels accompanied by muffled screams of pain. Then the deep underground complex is lighten up by a neon green beam. It reveals the tied figure of Sole on a rack surrounded by several bug ponies and a pissed Queen.

“SPEAK!”

“I will...” he sobs, “I will never betray my friends.”

“YOU OWE NOLING BUT YOUR QUEEN LOYALTY, COMMONER!”

The magical pressure on the roots of his wings increases, resulting in mind-numbing pain. Nearly loosing conscious, he cries out again.

“YOU WON’T DISOBEY” she booms.

Again her horn glows in a sickly green and slowly parts of his black chitin exoskeleton are ripped of, like a sticker from a surface, and blood oozes from his new wounds

“Please stop,” he begs, quietly sobbing. And finally at the sight of his maltreated body he passes out.

“YOU CAN’T ESCAPE ME.”

Another bolt of magic, sizzling electrically, shocks Sole and once again he is awake.

“Fire...” he whispers weakly, remembering a detail about one of that boring security meetings, his friend forced him to attend to.

‘I need your help.’

“We are going to introduce mind-probing spells to defend our homeland from the changeling threat,” explains the serious adviser pony.

The stallion, who was known as ‘Valentino’ what seems like an eternity ago to him now, nods slightly. He is not convinced about the new course of Equestrian security policy.

‘I hope this new desire for safety doesn’t turn into mania. Actions always have to be adequate.’

“...We have to do everything we are able to to ensure the safety of our...“

“This won’t happen in Liberty,” Fire disrupts him, calmly but determinedly, “We can’t invade the most personal spaces of our subjects, their own minds, just because a small number of enemies possibly hide between us. There have to be other means.”

“I don’t think it is your right to decide on this topic,” says Celestia coldly.

About to retort, a small sensation crawls up his spine. Instantly he knows something is wrong.

‘Sole is in danger. This might be a trap, but I have no choice. ’

“Probably the arrival of my friend was ‘delayed’, he stressed the last word, "Would you please lend# me a few squads of guards? Pegasi maybe? I’m sure this talk can wait for a few hours.”

She nods, blinking in surprise.

The tracking spell didn't work well, but it worked - several times Fire lost the signal, but as often he found it again. Flying about the nearby woods its strength increased, until he and the 12 guards strong group slowly descended in concentric circles.

'He wasn't supposed to be caught. The whole point about the operation was that we both survive a possible assassination attempt. Well, in my case not to be caught... His vital signs are weak.'

"Watch out, stallions, the Everfree is a very dangerous place, at least what's left of it," he chuckles when they finally set hoof on the ground. His companions seem reliable to him, but a bit inexperienced. Eyeing a rather big hole in the ground they give signs of understanding.

"Ok, once we enter we will form a group of eight and one of four ponies. One, the largest, will come with me. It's likely that this is a trap to capture me, therefore you have to be my ears and eyes, my sword and shield. Since we are dealing with changelings it is possible that they will try to infiltrate our group. That's why we’ll use a code word” he hesitates a moment, lost in thought, “...which is: 'sunbutt.'"

The soldiers who get the reference giggle lightly while the rest watch them dumbfounded.

“Anyway, the last squad will patrol the surface to report possible activity. I will cast a spell on those, so I can communicate with them, and give new orders depending on the situation.”

PARANOIA (revised)

PARANOIA (revised)

From The Shadows

by DeepThought

Since Fire’s arrival in Equestria one question spins in the sun monarch’s head and keeps her awake at her sister’s nights:

‘Is he worth my trust?’

She knows that this stallion brought incredible inventions to her country and greatly improved her ponies’ quality of life. Never before were metal, food, and all other vital resources as cheap as now. Never before were the sciences as developed, the healthcare as good...

'My little ponies are happy... But at what price?'

Celestia is highly irritated by the fact that he doesn’t spread his knowledge, but successfully keeps it to himself and his city, which puts him in a position of relatively great political power.

‘HIS city!’ she sighs.

Her spies reported just weeks before from Liberty that the citizens’ sense of loyalty shifted drastically to this alien. They adore him in a way like the religious praise their gods...

Yes, she planned to make him royalty some day, so he, as an alpha alicorn, would have a purpose in this country and strengthens its position. But she didn’t want to create a country within her country - this city becomes more and more independent, even developing some kind of its own sub-culture.

Certainly, she is disappointed of him. His explanation for this need of secrecy, when she confronted him, was that the so-called ‘industrialization’ of Equestria would lead to great social, economic, scientific and demographic changes that could destabilize the whole country, if not first tested on a smaller scale. But seeing Liberty's obvious success she doesn’t believe him.

Soon she will have to act! The recent confrontation was just one of many signs of their(his? who are they?) growing self-confidence. Although the sun goddess admires his care for his subjects, though, and personally likes him as somepony who is charismatic and thoughtful, he's also dark, unlike her ponies; anything but innocent.

A dangerous mix of traits.

‘And he is friends with a changeling. The SAME race that ponynapped my beloved student...’ she realized. Is he secretly scheming against her? Is he trying to trick her into making the wrong military decisions?

‘SO HE CAN FINALLY OVERTHROW ME?’

Under different circumstances she’d probably have let him continue, until she figures out what exactly he plans; but now, Equestria is attacked by its worst enemies, internal opposition leads to failure. She is, was and will be the perfect ruler for her subjects - the sun monarch is sure about this.

‘I know what is the best for my subjects. Everypony who questions that is a problem.’

‘...A problem to be solved,’ she adds.

She also believes that this new kind of government he introduced, democracy, is a risk for inner security. Celestia feels quite certain that he’d never purposely do something to harm her subjects... But what if somepony with bad intentions wins the elections in Liberty some day? This system has to be wiped from the face of this planet for the good of everypony.

She finally concludes, ‘I have to put him in his place and restore my power! This little conflict of ours is just the perfect reason to start.’

ALLIES (revised)

ALLIES (revised)

From The Shadows

by DeepThought

After casting all necessary spells on the small group of guards, Fire makes sure no one is watching them, before they enter the first cave. Darkness surrounds them and makes the invaders uncomfortable. Their breaths fasten.

Then the glow of Fire’s horn reveals its inside. Instantly the guards gasp. In the corners of the small stone cavern lay bones, skeletons of ponies. But also many half-rotten bodies cover the floor.

‘Somewhere the replaced persons have to be ‘stored’ after all,’ he reasons coldly, not flinching the slightest, even when the strong smell finally hits his sensitive nostrils. Worried he watches his companions, ‘Judging on the guard’s expressions they never were in an actual war. That’s troublesome. Especially considering Equestria’s current situation. Anyway, we wasted enough time...’

“Ok, everypony man, ehm, stallion up?”

‘Sounds weird.’

Hesitating, they turn in his direction, their morale obviously lowered. Some of them mutter something unintelligible, their ears flat on their heads. Their bodies tremble with fear.

‘Of course... They are about to piss their armor...’ Fire shakes his head in disbelief.

“It’s not like any moment we spend inactively my friend could die in this hell pit...” he snorts impatiently.

‘Also this might be a good opportunity to eliminate an enemy. This Chrysalis seems to be an troublemaker... On the other hand I don’t know HOW dependent her kind on their ruler is - I didn’t plan a genocide after all.'

‘Fortunately’, inpony screams, coming from the deep of the cave system, liberate the guards from their stupor. Still they seem slightly frightened, but they’re also determined to put an end to the creature’s pain.

‘What are they doing to you, my friend’ Fire asks himself worriedly, the tracking spell’s magic leading him into the darkness...

‘I’ll find you.’

His agony continues and slowly a small puddle of tears, saliva and green blood forms around his damaged form. Three times he passed out! Three times she forced him back to consciousness!

‘I don’t like to see my children suffering. But for the good of all us I have to...’ she rationalizes.

“KILL ME... Oh please... KILL ME!” he begs, sobbing.

‘How long can he endure this?' Chrysalis asks herself.

Another bolt hits him.

“Nothing to report, Mayor Void, Sir!” tells the leader of the outside waiting guards via magic ‘radio’, while his commander advances in the cave system, following the noises.

“Good, if you notice any changes inform me immediately. If you see the Queen alone stop her - if she has company observe them and wait for orders,” he whispers.

“Yes, Sir.”

They turn right at the next cross-way.

‘Not much more until we have to face them,’ tells the black stallion himself.

After a while of uneventful walking, the group enters a hallway that leads to what seems to be a huge cave. Then suddenly Fire signalizes his companions to stop, hushing their quiet, nervous talks. Casting a temporary sense-enhancing spell he can clearly detect several signs of life ahead of their path - even able to hear their hearts beating and the soft in and out of air, before it wears of again.

“Ok, everypony listen,” the alicorn says to the pegasi, “in the next cave wait our enemies. I don’t think they noticed us, yet, but I guess there are at least a dozen of them... We can’t risk to kill the changelings, nor their queen blindly, since the pony we want to free is a changeling too and a simple misunderstanding could mean his death. So the plan is...”

“Ok, this is pointless,” Chrysalis states calmly, while curiously watching the ‘interesting’ effects of hot metal on changeling carapace; it turns light blue before it falls of in small, fragile pieces. Her minions do their work well, but even despite the incredible amount of pain he has to be suffering the rogue changeling, surrounded by three more of his kind, including the queen and laying on a very uncomfortable stone plate, doesn’t reveal anything about the current position and plans of his friend.

‘He isn’t going to cooperate. I should prepare the mind probing sp...’

“FOR CELESTIA! FOR THE KINGDOM!” interrupts a loud voice her thoughts.

Several white-coated beings rush into the room, notices the queen through her peripheral vision. Then she ‘feels’ a potent magical presence enter.

‘Oh, buck you.’

‘Goodbye, advantage of surprise, by the way… Did they really have to shout out loud that crap?’

If not for the seriousness of the situation and the need to act quickly the annoyed Fire would stand there facehoofing. Resisting the urge to slap the guard’s commander at the back of his head, he follows the pegasi accelerating himself with swift wing motions, shielding his allies with his trademark red magic.

Next to an altar-like surface stands a changeling that - as indicated by the crown-like thing on its head, the neon green eyes and its different body structure - is the infamous Queen Chrysalis.

When he, finally, sees his friend’s motionless body laying in his own blood, a flame of anger consumes his heart.

‘IS HE DEAD? NO, THAT CAN’T BE!’

'That is Mayor Void? Why did noling tell me he was an ALPHA alicorn?' she nearly 'shouts' into the hive mind, 'He is nopony to mess around with.'

After overcoming the initial shock she quickly orders her guards to attack.

Disregarding the tortured changeling near her, she joins the fight.

'He doesn't have a value to us anymore. After all, Mr. Void definitely came here to prevent information from getting leaked. If the traitor gets killed, he succeeds. The idea of a friendship between a pony and a changeling is just ridiculous, very likely not more than a scheme to make my child loyal to this wicked creature.'

Suddenly Sole’s body is engulfed in a red, pulsating aura;

Fire sighs relieved, his friend is still alive - sadly, his condition is anything but stable.

As planned, a pegasus, the fastest of his eight companions, separates from the group of guards and darts towards the now marked changeling, the one he is supposed to save and not to kill.

Dodging his enemies aside, he succeeds, protected by several spells, the guard named Loyal Service grabs Sole and escapes back through the tunnels they came from.

‘Good. That was easier than expected. This could have turned into a hostage situation.’

The battle continues. Spears stab into carapace. Green balls of flame burn guards’ coats and flesh. Both sides have casualties.

The advantage of numbers is compensated by the ponies’ strength and ability to think for themselves, while the changelings’ power to change confuses the guards greatly. It is an even fight.

But two pairs of eyes, green and red, don’t stop to focus their counterpart, both determined to win. The two opponents circle each other, like hungry predators.

Then Fire leaps into the air and closes the gap between them. Now just a few feet separate them.

“Hello, your Majesty, a pleasure to meet you” mocks the black stallion.

“The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Void.” she responds sarcastically.

“I wondered if I can ask you, fair lady, for a dance?”

“Of course, I can’t reject such a handsome stallion…” she answers through gritted teeth.

Both charge their horns, and point it at at their opponent. Two streams of magic meet between them, red and green, and illuminate the room. It’s brighter than the day.

Slowly, but steadily, Fire overpowers her and the background magic shakes the ground underneath them, filling the air with static electricity.

“NO! You will never defeat me!” she shouts out.

‘Yeah, not the most used villain phrase ever,’ thinks the ex human, before his magic hits her.

The Queen’s smoldering form is repulsed and falls to her knees. Awaiting her end she closes her eyes.

‘Is this my end?’

Unnoticed by the fighting ponies and changelings an ancient creature, an ursa mayor, is woken by the commotion in the nearby caves. Furiously it searches for its source.

Her end doesn’t come, not yet. A deep growling stops the battle and a huge beast colored like the night sky enters the room.

The last three remaining changelings, heavily wounded and not longer bothered by the royal guards, jump to their queens side and form a protective half-circle.

But their attempts are in vain. The beast’s strong claws slashes them into tiny, bloody pieces, while the panic-fueled pegasi guards flee.

Once again the enervated queen closes her eyes.

More than surprised Fire observes the violent scene in the cave’s corner. Filled with determination he grasps Chrysalis with his magic and drags her away from the beast’s wide-opened jaw. An audible clang echoes through the room, as its jaw closes merely inches from her face.

The ursa turns around, blocking the cave’s exit. Even angrier than before it eyes the two quadruped beings, its prey.

Disguising them with his magic, Fire stumbles deeper into the cave system.

Then he runs, Chrysalis flying by his side. After turning randomly at several cross-ways, the beast slowly looses their trail. Resigning it goes back to sleep.

Some time later:

Trying to break the awkward silence while they wander the endless cave tunnels, Fire asks, “I can’t imagine you being just a war-loving, peace- and harmony-despising tyrant. You seem too rational, too interested in your subjects well-being. What are your motives?”

“You’re just another obedient pet of Celestia. Why would you care?” she says, her voice dripping venom.

‘Huh, this seems to be a personal thing.’

“Believe me or not, I don’t hate you. Why should I? Relying on love as a primary source of food definitely has disadvantages, first of all to be dependent... Actually, I think I can understand your position quite well.”

“I doubt that,” she retorts.

“I don’t trust her, either, Chrysalis,” he tells her genuinely, “The changeling you caught, Sole, even helped me spot some of her spies. You can’t imagine how surprised I was to discover it,” after a moment being deep in thoughts he adds, “I assume you already tried the diplomatic way to solve your kind’s food problems?”

“More than once,” snorts the changeling queen, “And more than once she refused. I’ve seen so many of my children starve over the last thousand years. I will crush her for that.”

They walk a while in silence.

“Is it true that she controls the sun?”

“It is, sadly.”

“When I heard it first, I believed it was some kind of scheme to fool her subjects into submission. Could anyone else guide its path?”

Surprised she answers, “Well, probably... unlikely as it is, “ she spits out, “It’s her destiny. Just look at her cutie mark.”

“That leaves you in a very unfavorable situation... “ Fire reasons, ”Did you put any thought into what would happen if you succeeded? Your kind needs the ponies - the ponies need the sun, same goes for your allies the griphons.”

Puzzled, Chrysalis stops and turns to the black stallion.

“Don’t let your anger cloud your judgement,” he comments, seeing the realization striking the queen.

‘Did I just overlook such an obvious flaw in my plans?’ she asks herself.

“Why do you help me?”

“Because the life of a changeling is as important to me as the life of a pony. You might not know, probably you do, but originally I wasn’t an alicorn; I was a human, not even from this world... I don’t have a reason to favor one race.” he continues, “Chrysalis, your end would mean the end of your kind, if I’m not mistaken?”

“Yes,“ she says, bewildered.

“That’s why I didn’t kill you, after you tortured my friend.”

“Oh!”

‘Let’s hope this works.’

“Well, I have a proposal for you...”

“Ok, Chrysalis, please correct me if I am mistaken. All of this was told me by Sole: Your kind feeds on love, which includes platonic love as well, but not lust alone. No other emotion can sustain you.”

She nods.

“Not all of your children, just a relatively small number stealing love is necessary to generate the required amount for your people’s survival - which Celestia refuses.”

The queen growls approvingly.

“Since the attack on Canterlot, the security measures were increased and your population is slowly starving to death, but enslaving ponies is no option, either. You can’t take love by force. You have to rely on your disguises. Overthrowing the sun princess alone wouldn’t be wise, because without someone who raises the sun the foundation of your food source could easily vanish. One could argue that she wouldn’t ever risk the lifes of her ponies, but ultimately she’d be the per... pony who decides, the pony who has the power. As long as she is here in this world she is a threat to your reign. But I have a plan.”

‘Utilize her hate.’

“Enlighten me.”

“As you might have noticed I am what is called an alpha alicorn, a being gifted with enormous magical powers. Celestia was able to raise the moon. And I assume Luna would be able to raise the sun if not the incident with the Elements had weakened her magic. It is likely that I - with the help of an experienced mage, you Chrysalis - could achieve the same.”

“But...” the queen objects.

The black stallion explains further, “I know that changeling magic is different, but actually, since just an overpowered telekinesis spell is needed, it is about teaching me how to focus the right amount of energy, which you could do. There are even ancient records about large, skilled groups of unicorns, who have maintained the orbit of the celestial bodies.”

“Yes,” she says thoughtfully.

He continues, “The price of my cooperation is the independence of Liberty from Equestrian rule, the freedom of all ponies inside Equestria’s borders - no slavery! - and your assistance with the liberation of all other races...” he adds, “And good treatment for Twilight. Once we succeed you ascend the throne as Celestia. Liberty secretly provides all the technological support you need to achieve our goal. We will stage a fake, fatal defeat of the changelings’s forces to hide the truth from the public and replace all important positions in the state with changeling doppelgängers. The princesses, all of them, will be kept, strapped of their magic, at secret places. We will destroy the griphon’s morale from inside, after they defeated most of the Equestrian armies, by systematic demagogy. Disguised changelings will incite riots. They will find out about and make public the honorless behavior of their leaders and therefore cause civil unrest. If that’s not enough we have Liberty’s superior weaponry. Also the other conquered nations could be of great help. And...”

Twilight doesn't believe her eyes when HE enters the magic-proof cell.

"Oh, Fire did they capture you, too?" She rushes to his side.

“No, Princess. He is our ally,” says Chrysalis sadistically, standing behind the green, magical force field which blocks the cell’s exit.

The lavender mare’s eyes widen, “That’s not true, right Fire?”

Averting his gaze he answers, “It is, and I have my reasons.”

‘I won’t fall for her mind games. This is Fire, yes, I’m 100% sure about it, but he could be brainwashed like my BBBFF!’ Twilight argues with herself.

With a few steps back she enlarges the distance between them; her horn flashes in her trademark purple, engulfing Fire’s body. The black pony feels a strange sensation.

‘It’s a shame that these cells only block magic from affecting anything outside of them. But I’m sure she would never harm me. It’s ok for the moment.’

After the feeling dies down, he notices Twilight staring at him, disbelievingly.

'WHY? Eyes like stone... This composed behavior. He's calm like the Princess, but without her motherly care - you can only see cold calculation,' she thinks.

"I'm disappointed of you. You are evil... You are a villain!"

"There's not only black and white, Twilight. The world is made of shades of grey. As alluring as it is I don't necessarily hate my enemies nor do I love my allies. I consider you my friend. I care for your well-being. That's why I'm here, that's why I make sure you don't get mistreated. Chrysalis might be my comrade and my goal is to overthrow Celestia, but not because I dislike her personally - she's simply too irrational, too focused on her own kind to be a really good leader, borderline racist... For example: Who in his right mind would allow a criminal that killed thousands of innocent ponies, griphons, minotaurs and several other species to come back without hesitation after she tried to overthrow him again? Who would allow Luna to come back?"

'I can't believe I had a crush on him...' she wails silently.

"She was reformed... The nightmare cor..."

Fire interrupts her, "That's foalish, Twilight. Things don't work like this. It's just propaganda, as is the so-called 'Power of Friendship'," he pauses for a moment, "Did you know that Celestia was aware of the disastrous situation in the Griphon Empire - uncounted sentient beings held as slaves - and she didn't act? I read the Royal Spies' records. Or that the changelings were starving to death and therefore forced to attack, despite their effort to achieve a diplomatic solution? You all practically live - at least that's what the laws say - on her soil. She owns everything. She can give it, she can take it. She can pardon and condemn just as she wishes and she does."

"No, but I'm sure..."

"Your princess might be immortal, but not infallible. No-one is. That includes me. Therefore power needs to be shared and controlled. Did you know she was spying on all of you, all citizens of Equestria, after the changeling incident?"

"No! BUT HOW DARE YOU INSULT THE PRINCESS! EVERYTHING SHE DOES HAS A REASON. SHE SIMPLY MOVES IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS WE CAN'T COMPREHEND. SHE'S THE KINDEST BEING I KNOW!" she bursts out.

"The way to hell is paved with good intentions. Don't put her on a pedestal."

And he leaves.

MEANWHILE (revised)

MEANWHILE (revised)

From The Shadows

by DeepThought

Sole is seriously injured when the guard drop him off at Canterlot hospital. Several doctors take care of the strange guest hectically by Celestia's orders as the sun princess eyes him suspiciously. Around the small group the medical equipment makes fast, beeping noises and flashes in alarming, red color. The room itself is an emergency room on the first floor near the entrance, and except a few things completely white. Sterilized by disinfectants, the air smells like hospital, slightly burning in the nostrils.

‘What a monster she is... Treating her own subjects, no her children, like her enemies... *I WAS RIGHT*. Opening Equestria’s borders to her kind would be a great mistake... Twilight, my student and my friend, what did you do to deserve this?'

Doctor Stable, the head physician, a brown unicorn with a patch cutie mark, tells his ruler, “His condition is critical. We don’t know much about changeling anatomy, but he lost much blood. I can’t guarantee anything.”

A mix of emotions shows itself on the princess’ face, ranging from contemplation to fury - the doc gulps nervously

Finally, she says, raising an eyebrow, “He keeps some very important information. Make sure he survives. The tiniest mistake will lead to your suspension.”

“But Princess...” the stallion blanching stallion mutters, "How would that be my fault?"

“NO, we can’t risk to lose this creature. I don’t like HIM, I don’t like HIS KIND. But it is important for Equestria.” she spits out, hysterically, “Take care that he lives.”

‘Next task: Taking care of our vassals, the Crystal Empire and Liberty provide support.'

Meanwhile...

Two armies stand on both sides of the valley, only a few miles from Las Pegasus, The first Army of Equestria and the Third Imperial Army. While the Equestrian army is smaller it also only consists of ponies - for the Griphon Empire fights a mix of several races, minotaurs, zebras, diamond dogs and of course the griphons themselves. Luna, the commander of Equestria’s golden forces, faces her opponent, the griphon general.

Banners in the respective national colors wave, masses cheer for their leaders, armor shines in the early hours of the new day.

‘Back in my time no one would have dared to attack Equestria. We had talented magicans, the best warriors and the most skilled smiths. We’d have crushed them... But now? Look at these foals. This is nothing but an pathetic excuse for an army. Too much ‘Harmony’ and peace made them weak. Celestia has done a wonderful job.’

A griphon, wearing his kind's traditional outfit of an military messenger, closes the distance between the armies and lands in front of the night princess.

"Greetings to you, Princess Luna. I'm Bloody Feathers and In the name of the glorious King of the Griphon Empire, Rex the Great, ruler over the griphons, minotaurs and the zebras, I speak to you today."

"Greetings to you, Mr. Feathers," she says, forcing a regal smile.

"I come here to give you an option. Your forces are inferior like ponies themselves to the merciless talons of the griphons," dramatic pause, "But no harm shall come to your subjects if you surrender unconditionally. If not you'll feel our wrath. Decide wisely, Princess, today you decide the future of your species."

Eagerly, an arrogant smile plastered on his face, he waits for a response.

Then steel blinks behind him, held by midnight blue magic.

SLASH

His head drops from his shoulders. Blood sprays on the ground, blue fur and brown feathers.

“Now he lives up to his name,” Luna chuckles darkly.

She booms in her royal Canterlot Voice, “CHARGE! We shall win this fight!”

‘With the help of Faust,’ she adds mentally.

Small streams of blood flow through the dirt of the battlefield. Corpses and wounded soldiers are scattered everywhere. The scent of death is in the air. Equestria is no longer the peaceful Utopia it used to be. The almost pure, naive harmony - the essence of its existence - is disturbed, probably permanently.

After some quick successes achieved by Equestria’s army, which morale was boosted by the presence of its princess, their advances were stopped by a much more experienced griphon army. Griphon mercenaries fought back violently, machine-like without any passion, quickly discouraging the Equestrian troops, forcing them into the defense.

When the sun reached its peak the dynamic battle finally had turned into deadly static warfare. A few feet of ground costs hundreds of lifes. Lines of trenches divide the armies protected by several shields in a diversity of color, rivaling a rainbow. Between the fronts rays of magic, bolts and slingshot missiles penetrate the air with whistling noises. A second Verdun.

Luna, wearing plate armor decorated with the image of a crescent moon, her face showing concern, talks to one of her colonels in a tent near the battlefield.

“Your Majesty, I’m mister Insert, Self Insert, member of the 7th division” the handsome, beige-furred pegasus stallion smiles his toothpaste advertisement smile.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Luna responds business-like manner, unaffected by his charm, “Report, soldier.”

His smile vanishes. “It doesn’t look too good. We suffered serious casualties at the western side of the front. Two whole platoons were encircled and surrendered.” He points his hoof at a gigantic strategic map resting on a table, a representation of the battlefield and the troop’s positions. Several small figures adorn it, moving magically across.

"Oh, and we started building fortifications," he adds.

Absent-mindedly the lunar diarch stares at the motions.

'Every piece represents hundreds of lifes. My subject's lifes! It is my responsibility to protect them as their ruler... Isn't it cynical I just sit here, being one of Equestria's most powerful mages, and fiddle with my hooves? I was Nightmare Moon! Where is the past's glory? I have to set an example! I have to earn my place. *AGAIN.*'

“Princess Luna... Princess? Your Majesty?”

Self is astonished by the sudden silence.

“If you want a thing done well, do it yourself...” she whispers to herself and trots to the entrance.

“PRINCESS one does not simply defeat the griphon army herself!”

“SHUT UP, PEASANT! WE WILL FIX THIS!” she snaps.

In the meantime a special guest is welcomed secretly in Mayor Void's mansion back in Liberty.

<Dear reader>

Dear reader,

as you might have noticed, this story is canceled now. I have no desire to continue nor do I have the time, since I've got two other projects on this site and another personal one. It is too much and let's be honest, this story was a typical first story of someone starting to write fanfiction. However, if someone feels like picking this up - I doubt it - he can have the story transferred to his account.

Farewell,

DeepThought