Dawn of the Harmony Corps

Chapters

Prologue
The Calm Before The Storm
From Dreams To Nightmares
Fall From Grace
Escape
Detours
Welcome to the Core

Prologue

Darkness. That’s all I've ever seen. Darkness. We were born in darkness, you know? My brother and I. We played in the dark. We fought in the dark. We lived in the dark. And we embraced the darkness. I hear that foals are afraid of the dark. Not us. No. The darkness is blankness, nothingness. It’s where we can make anything happen. It’s where we can dream for a world beyond the walls that confined us with the rest. The darkness was our friend. And it’s funny. Because while the darkness is a foal’s bad dream, the green fire from the Queen’s horn is a Changeling’s worst nightmare. But enough of that. I think you know all of that. After all, I am talking to myself.

Deep inside one of the countless of Royal Guard prisons, the lone Changeling prisoner found himself in an undersized prison cell, all of his limbs chained to the wall. The confines of his cage perfectly deprived the room from all forms of light, leaving him submerged in absolute darkness.

I’m just waiting, the Changeling said. Waiting for those guys in armor to come right in and finish my sentence. It should be coming soon. I might have lost the track of time a long time ago, but if it isn't today, it’s surely tomorrow. What an interesting thought, death. I have some things I wished I had done and so many things I wish I hadn't. “Guilty by association,” they said when they captured me. At first, I was frightened that I’d die for merely “being” a Changeling, but c'est la vie. They do as they must. After all, I’d kill myself if I ever ran into myself.

He had heard of these cells. Truly these had to be the pinnacle of the Royal Guard's wondrous pony torture. He had heard that the prisoners that survived long enough would go mad by merely staring into the dark abyss, having it stare back at them until their minds snapped like a twig. The cold resembled those harsh winters in Stalliongrad, and the floors were like solid ice, making it hard to tell if the biting condition of the room was the freezing temperature or the bitter chill of death. Add in the near-silence, and every second passed in this hell would bring the strongest of wills closer to the brink of insanity, losing their grip on reality. But that must be why they call this "The Grave". If this isn't what death is, it has to be as close to it as possible.

The Changeling starved for days, or weeks? He had already forgotten, and his energy was nearly depleted, leaving him unable to shift his form or perform the smallest feat of magic.

You know? I don’t think I want to leave here. I know I have to. Not for me, but for them. They don’t deserve the wrath of the Queen. They don’t deserve it anymore than I deserve to live. After everything I’ve done, after everything they made me do, I can’t just give up and find that sweet release. I have one final mission. What’d I call it? “My first and last gift to Equestria?” And then I might possibly meet the end of my rope in prison or under the Royal Guard’s rusty guillotine. I mean, that’s the way the Royal Guard works with the captured Changelings. I had heard of the several beheadings, with those die-hard savages thrashing and fighting about until the end. They even got rid of all of the sleeper cells that had been incognito for months, some even years. But I do hope it’s quick. Then maybe I can see him once more. Maybe we can play, and live, and fight once again. Maybe I can see his white smile and I’d tackle him to the ground and I’d pin him to the ground, the both of us laughing togeth-

A loud slam broke open from what the Changeling guessed was the iron prison door. He hissed at the light flooding the small cell from the magical torches outside. The quick change of scenery nearly blinded the prisoner. He could barely make out the large figure standing at the doorway, only noticing that he was a unicorn stallion walking into the cell. As he stood a few feet in front of the Changeling, he saw the unicorn’s menacing, tall stature. A small flash of light conjured up a stone chair and slab table from the floor. The stallion sat down, and his ominous entrance was followed by a long silence.

He merely stared at the Changeling. Time dragged on until after a few, excruciating minutes, the stallion shouted, “Care to introduce yourself, bug?!”

The high intensity of the stallion’s voice resonated within the Changeling’s ears, inflicting a throbbing pain upon the weak Changeling.

“Well. I’m WAITING!” he once again shouted, punctuating the statement with a loud thud against the table. The snap of stone cracking echoed out into the hallway.

“Well... my name is Vandal. I am a rogue soldier from the Changeling Hive,” said Vandal.

“Very well, bug,” said the stallion, uninterested in the Changeling’s name. “What is your business here? And you better tell me the truth if you want any mercy from me.”

Vandal stood unfazed by the stallion’s aggression. He was a professional at analyzing body language, often taking in tasks requiring the finest attention to detail. He merely said, “It's urgent that I speak with you. I’m here to warn you as there is not much time.”

“Not much time for you, you mean,” the stallion barked. Vandal paused to notice that the stallion was growing more and more agitated at every word he spoke.

“I do not care what prejudice you have against me,” said Vandal. “There are important matters I need to inform you about. This is my token of peace, as I have nothing left in this world. Now, take heed at my-”

The stallion’s rage burst out and he snapped. “No. Listen to me, Changeling scum. How dare you have the audacity to think that I would listen to a disgusting insect as yourself?! Don’t you think I’ve heard enough of your Queen’s little messages from your brothers? After your kind endangered my country, after your kind endangered my queen, you expect me to believe anything that would come out of your disease-infested mouth? I know you Changelings better than anyone else. You’re just vermin, and I’m going to exterminate all of-”

When he regained his senses, the stallion realized he was clutching Vandal with his magic, strangling him in mid-air. The tight glow radiating around Vandal’s neck faded away as he fell to the floor gasping for air. Shining Armor sat back down, sighing as he realized he’d lost control.

Vandal caught his breath and snidely replied. “Wow. That sure was enough for me to figure out who you were. The brutality in your movements, the rage in your voice? Those are the signs of a vengeful stallion meeting the villain who’s brought harm upon his loved ones. Also, the light from the outside shimmers off of your armor than it would on any average grunt in your Royal Guard. That means that you take pride in your job. Someone among the highest ranks of the Guard. And your little pound on the table shook a small hair to fall from your locks. You see, I’m a man of observation, and I saw a small tint of blue in that quick instant. So, your highness, will you let me finish? Or will your love for your beloved Princess Cadence cause you to slip off one of the greatest leads for a possible darkest moment in your Equestrian history?”

Shining Armor wore an astounded, calm face to hide the immense fury bubbling inside of him. His rage hadn’t subsided, but it store itself somewhere deep within him, causing him pain to hold it all in. He stared daggers at Vandal with his teal eyes, speechless.

“Good. Now listen up, because I’m sure you will only hear this once. The anger in your eyes tells me that I’ll probably be dead in a few minutes. I mean, I know I’m not leaving this cell alive, no less than leaving this prison in one piece. Now, you ponies of Equestria thought this was over, that this would be the only wave. But with the news of Celestia’s illness, bless her soul, Queen Chrysalis plots something sinister. She plans a full-fledged march towards Equestria, burning and pillaging everything in her path. You will not hear from this as entire towns will be replaced with Changeling drones. I’m unsure what her goal is, but her words in my head weren’t of desperation, nor hunger. I could only feel pure hatred, a burning vengeance residing within her. But you’re probably not believing any of this. I mean, why would a Changeling leave the Hive and inform the enemy?”

Vandal was silent. He held back tears in his eyes and gulped down the sorrow in his throat. He calmed himself as he trained himself to do. “Let’s just say that I’ve come face to face with the devil himself and I couldn’t stay in that place. Not after what happened to me. Now go. Go and warn your guards. Prepare for the full force of war. Do whatever you wish to me. I’ve already past the point of no return, but protect the ones you love. Protect them from what’s coming because many will die in this war fueled by the burning inferno of hatred. The Demon of Darkness approaches.”

Shining Armor closed his eyes. He had no words for what he’d just heard. Thoughts of the Equestrian countryside flooded his mind, several of villages ravaged by an army of thousands of Changelings. He felt himself split between two sides of an argument. Should I listen to him?

Vandal looked at Shining Armor’s face. He saw beyond his powerful stature and saw fear in his slightest movements. The smallest twitch in his ears, the tightness he was closing his eyelids. He was glad. Not that he was afraid, but that he was considering what he’d said. He succeeded, and now all he could do was pray that Changelings and Ponies could eventually find peace.

Why should I listen to this insect? How do I know he isn’t lying? Why shouldn’t I just kill this damn bug here and now?! But... what if he’s telling the truth. What if danger is coming? Canterlot, the once-impenetrable fortress, was heavily guarded, and it still was infiltrated for several weeks right under his nose. What if these moments of peace are just the calm before the storm?

After several moments of deep thinking, Shining Armor opened his eyes, quickly regaining his stoic composure. He stood up, nodded to Vandal, and left for the door. He stood at the door, and turned to face Vandal. “Damn bug, you will not ruin any more lives. Did you really expect I’d fall for your little mind tricks? That you’d make me doubt the trust I have for my subordinate officers?” Vandal’s eyes shot wide open. “I’ve personally talked to Lieutenant Cruciform in Appleloosa. The defenses are up and dandy. You are still sentenced to death in a few days, and your silver tongue will not change that. The decision is final.” Shining muttered a curse under his breath and closed the door, leaving the shadows to engulf Vandal once more.

Vandal’s eyes shot wide open. Was this it? thought Vandal. After everything I did to escape, everything I said to help, was he really going to throw away my warning? Did the Changelings really cause enough destruction to create this much hatred for us?

Vandal pondered what he could do. Perhaps I could convince Shining Armor to listen to me. Perhaps I could tell a guard to spread the word. Perhaps I could leave and-
Vandal stopped in mid-thought. He looked at the other side of the cell. Unlike before, now there was a dim rectangle of light that was barely perceivable. Vandal gazed and then sighed. And he made the worst decision he ever made in his life.

The Calm Before The Storm

“All aboard the night train!” yelled out the old conductor of the last train back to Ponyville. Twilight sat motionless in her seat, her head against the glass of the window. The passenger car was completely empty after a request she made to the railroad owners, both persuaded by Twilight's tear-stained eyes and a strongly-worded order from Princess Luna.

The mare sat in absolute silence, deep in thought. As the train departed the station and gained speed, the world felt like it was rushing past her. She kept her eyes upon Princess Luna’s night sky, hoping that she could find sweet comfort in sleep, but being alone with her thoughts kept her awake. She tried making sense of all the drastic change she went through in the past few days. A simple green flash of light brought her to this state of dismay, and brought her mentor to the verge of death--as surreal as it sounded.

"There is nothing more we can do, Twilight," Princess Luna had said. "We can only wait. We both know my sister. She is strong and whatever illness has befallen on her, I know that she will prevail."

But how did she know for sure? Twilight thought. Her screams, that explosion for Harmony's sake, how was she sure that she come out of this safe and sound? How was she sure that Equestria would come out of this safe and sound?

Twilight shut her eyes. Equestria was on its way to Hell by the insanity and hidden malice from her fellow Equestrians. Mere faith wasn't going to save them, and, as much as she was her friend, Princess Luna couldn't save them either, not with only two years of experience. She was a pony displaced in time and one thousand years-worth of change couldn't be learned overnight. It was going to take a miracle to maintain order, and Luna's methods would be futile in the long run. Twilight wished she was something more, something stronger, but the pony the nation needed laid on a hospital bed in a coma.

As these thoughts spun around her head, Twilight tried remembering the horrible events that led to her mentor's downfall. She thought back to the wedding reception when her mentor was well, when she was alive.

Princess Cadence and Shining Armor sealed their marriage with a kiss on the balcony. After the loudest uproar of applause by the attendees, everyone followed the newlyweds to the reception. As Twilight headed towards the door to join her friends, she heard Princess Celestia behind her.

“Twilight, may I speak with you before you partake in the festivities?”, said Princess Celestia.

“Of course, Princess,” politely responded Twilight, “what did you want to talk about?”

“I don’t want to keep you long, so I’ll be quick. You and I both know that what’s happened today is possibly the closest to anarchy we have come in a long time. If Cadance and Shining Armor would have failed in defeating the Changeling Queen, I’m not sure that I could have done anything about it. I hope you understand that even though I have lived for a long time, I’m not immortal, and I feel that you should know that I thought this day would be my last.”

Twilight’s facial expression reflected the serious tone of the conversation. “Yes, Princess. I was afraid of that.”

“I have almost walked down the shadow of the valley of death several times throughout my life: on my travels, in the midst of battle. I even felt that the night Luna was corrupted, I would die defending the country from her destructive tirade. I hope I do not put off the happiness of today’s achievements, but I do have a reason I am sharing this with you.”

Twilight was fearing where the conversation was going. Underneath the solemn mask she wore for the Princess, anxiety ate her alive. “And what would that be, Princess?”

“Today you have learned to trust your instincts as it might prevent the worst from occurring. That is why I am choosing to trust mine. I don’t have evidence of what I have determined, but I do feel a… disturbance.”

“A disturbance?” Twilight said, puzzled, “ Princess, are you alright? Do you feel ill?”

“No, of course not, Twilight,” the Princess quickly responded, ”I know that I have been speaking with dark undertones, but trust me, I feel perfectly fine. What I fear is the security of the country. If I would not have survived the invasion today, I fear that the nation would not have prevailed. I trust my sister with my life, but I do not believe she is ready to lead the ponies, not yet at least. Maybe long ago, she would have been perfect leader, but much has changed. She needs to learn the ways of modern society, and even then, I don't know if she'd be able to hold everything together. I don’t expect her or anyone to. The burden of leadership takes a heavy toll on everyone who must bear it. With this in mind, I know that since my sister’s return, she has taken it upon herself to understand the kingdom, proclaiming that the safety of the ponies should always be the greatest priority. And it is. But with the feelings that I have been having, I don’t know how she would respond to a menacing threat, just like I don’t know how Equestria will respond to her decisions. What I’m trying to say is that I hope that as my student, you will carry on to protect the nation that I have cared for millennia. You are a mare of incredible talent for leadership, as well as having one of the strongest hearts only rivaled by my sister. I sense a change coming along, and Luna cannot be the only one to make the hardest decisions. Many will try to guide the nation in several directions and I hope that you maintain course and overall, protect the nation.”

Twilight was speechless. Was the Princess insinuating that something is going to happen to her? Was she asking her to move on without her? The mare took it all in slowly, maintain her calm facade until the Princess interrupted her thoughts.

“I ask that you consider all that I've spoken with you, but do not let it linger in your head. You are a young mare, and my presumptions are just that. I've only told you this as a precaution. And don’t think that you’re the only one to have heard from me. I've had a rather lengthy conversation with Luna while the wedding was being set up. She understands completely what I ask from both of you. Now, go on. Celebrate their victory as much as yours. I’ll be with everyone shortly.”

The Princess began to exit the room but stopped midway and turned towards Twilight.

“Oh, and please do keep this to yourself for the time being. The dark undertones could be taken in a different sense and I don’t want panic to spark.”

Twilight looked on as the Princess left. Alone, she trotted towards the door, cheerful to be surrounded by her friends, but everything her mentor said still lingered in the back of her mind.

The nighttime was calm--thanks to Luna--as the wedding reception died down with the carriage disappearing in the far horizon. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna retired to their Royal bedrooms and guests began to leave one by one.

“Ooh, ooh, ooh. This has to have been one of the greatest, super-duper parties I've ever been to,” Pinkie Pie squealed. “What do you girls want to do now? After-party? After-after-party?!” The party pony bounced around her friends. “Come on, ladies. The night is still young,” she said while throwing her hooves in the air to the full moon above.

“Actually, Pinkie,” Twilight drearily responded as she rubbed her eyes. “As much as I’d love to party around Canterlot after hours, I think I've had enough for tonight. We've all had a very, very, VERY long day and we really should get some sleep.” She gestured at Spike who passed out on the ground, his limbs splayed out in all directions. The rest of the girls nodded in agreement, each of them rubbing their eyes.

Pinkie gazed at her friends and pouted. “Come on? What have we done today that we haven’t done before… besides attending a small wedding, discovering that your older brother's bride was truly a demonic bug queen, having Canterlot be invaded by the insect army, running across the city kicking Changeling butt to find the Elements of Harmony, using you as a Gatling Gun--which I have to admit was pretty fun, making it to the Hall of Harmony only to get captured by the Changeling drones, nearly losing all of Equestria to your brother’s crazy fake fiance only to have him and your brother’s real fiance and now-sister-in-law save us all using their love magic against her, then salvaging the old wedding to makeshift the new wedding and dance the night away until where we are right now?” Pinkie's gasp for air punctuated her long, run-on sentence. Her blue head drooped down to the ground as she nearly passed out.

There was a long pause. "Is she okay?" Rarity whispered to Twilight. Immediately, Pinkie lifted her head to meet her friend’s awkward faces. “You see?" she said panting, "it’s just an average old day for us!”

The tired ponies just stared at the pink mare. Pinkie frowned, but Rainbow Dash quickly shook herself awake. “You know what?" Rainbow Dash said, "I’m think I’m up for a few more hours of partying, Pinkie Pie.” A wide smile crept up onto the pink pony’s mouth. “In fact,” Rainbow Dash continued, “I heard the DJ talk about another party a few blocks from here. You game?”

“YEAH!” Pinkie Pie yelled out, disappearing and reappearing behind Rainbow Dash, pushing her towards the gate of the courtyard.

The group saw the two ponies quickly run out. “Have fun, you two!” Applejack shouted as she waved them off. “Well, now that that’s over, I guess I’ll see y’all in the morning. I think we all need some shuteye.”

Applejack trotted off to her room while the other ponies said their good nights and goodbyes. They left for their rooms in the castle, Twilight having to drag a slumbering Spike by his tail to their room. As they reached their room, she tucked the young dragon into his small bed. As Twilight lied down on her bed finally having a moment's rest, she looked up at Luna's moon through her window.

"Goodnight, everyone,” she whispered as she shut her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Author's Note

I wanted to make this chapter longer since it ends in the middle of a flashback, but I chose to cut it in two. I'll be adding a note in the next chapter to remind readers of this. Now, the first few chapters might feel a bit slow at first, but it's setup for the craziness in the next chapter and complete insanity as the ball starts rolling. Also, since this is based loosely off DC characters, I am going to use some back-story from my chosen characters as inspiration for the characters the Mane Six turn out to be. That means that some events will look familiar, but I am adding a few twists and turns here and there to try to keep things as fresh as possible. Hope you enjoy the rest of the story. CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. :twilightsmile:

From Dreams To Nightmares

"Time to unwind," said Twilight. "Hmm, which one for tonight? The Eiffel Tower? That warm log cabin in Stalliongrad?"

While the mare said this, she walked forward into nothingness as an octagonal room materialized around her. Incredible masonry covered the walls and doors with specific symbols on every side. This was Twilight's dreamscape, a trick she learned from Luna that caused the unicorn to spend several nights going from dream to dream. The mare thought hard about which dream to partake in that night.

"Hmm, AHA!" Twilight exclaimed as she pointed to a door labelled "The Daring Doo Dream" with a fedora symbol on the door. She approached the door but stopped before entering. "Now to follow the steps," Twilight said. She recounted the instructions Luna gave her.

"Step one: Preparations. Ready the mind to accept the dream." Twilight then began to mentally feel the humidity of the jungle on her soft fur and the lukewarm water on her hooves as she tread the river water.

"Step Two: Safety. Close one's eyes as visual distortion from jumping from dream to dream will cause severe mental pain." The mare did was she instructed herself to do, closing her eyes tightly. She was anxious to get her adventure started and said the last instruction.

"Step Three. Open the door and walk in." Twilight quickly grabbed the golden handle with her hooves, and the door slowly creaked open to reveal a neon blue portal.

Giddy as a schoolfilly, Twilight ran in blindly, shouting "Inponesia, here I come!"

Like always, the change in dream realities gave her a slight headache, so Twilight kept her eyes closed as her consciousness adjusted to the dream. Regardless, Twilight's curiosity set in, and she used her other senses to analyze the ambiance of the dream.

"Hmm. This is strange," said Twilight. "I was expecting a tropical theme, but it's a bit chilly. The ground also feels slightly rough, sort of like a rocky mountain or gravel. I might have walked into the 'Yeti Adventure', but it's highly unlikely."

As the headache subsided, Twilight slowly opened her eyes and her vision gradually faded in. She found her surroundings far from that of her long-hoped tropical theme as she merely stood on a concrete floor with darkness in sight. The sky lacked any starlight (or any light for that matter), yet the empty nothingness was fully lit. She simply sat in an empty concrete landscape.

“This is definitely not the Daring Doo dream,” Twilight said bluntly. She was a little put-down with her dull dream. “Is this one of Luna’s tricks? I thought I asked her to stay out of my dreams after that last one with those creepy dolls.”

Twilight walked around the empty space, confirming that there was absolutely nothing. “Well, this surely has a good start. Thanks, Luna. Thanks a lot,” the unicorn sarcastically said. She walked forward for five minutes, and she eventually came upon a metal security door like the ones at those Canterlot nightclubs. The door was simply labelled “ENTER”, in bold neon-red letters. This door was similar to the one in her dream hub because at the center was a symbol like her cutie mark.

“Interesting,” Twilight said as a small smile crept on her mouth. “Let’s see what Luna has in store for me in here.” Once again, she followed Luna's steps and closed her eyes. “A dream within a dream. Sounds funny.”

Twilight walked through the portal. "Whoa," she said as she felt a bright flash of light through her closed eyes. "I guess that flash was because this is a new dream.” Opening her eyes, her vision slowly faded in once more, revealing an alleyway between two tall buildings. “Is this Manehattan?” Twilight said, remembering she visited there as a filly with her family. She walked out of the narrow passageway and found herself in the middle of a lightless avenue. The city felt shrouded in darkness. The buildings surrounding her were extremely tall, living up to the name of "skyscrapers". The moon was no where to be found, and the city felt like it went on forever down the avenue.

"This is very strange," whispered Twilight. "I've never seen anything like this before." Twilight lit up her hron to begin exploring the empty city. She refrained from shouting since she didn't know if she was alone in the city. The avenue was adorned with random storefronts. She continued down the street until she came upon a faint light in the distance. Running towards it, she also saw a gigantic shadowy figure as well. Upon closer inspection, Twilight found herself in large square plaza surrounded by several exotic plants that gave off a soft neon glow. She also discovered that the figure was a golden statue of at least one hundred stories in the middle of the plaza. The statue was of a creature with a similar shape of a griffin, only more gallant for lack of a better word. At the marble base of the statue was a golden plaque that "Lord Armistice. Element of Wisdom and Master of the Equinox."

"Element of Wisdom? What kind of dream have I gotten myself into?" Almost as if on cue, Twilight heard soft rustling behind her. She quickly turned around, "Hello? Luna is that you?" She saw nothing but the luminescent plants. Fear slowly crept upon the unicorn. Twilight prepared a magic bolt spell on her horn and kept it ready just in case.

She left the plaza and headed back to the alleyway. She could hear movement, but Twilight paid no attention to it as that would only creep her out even more. She could see another titanic structure way ahead in the distance. Curiosity slowly replaced fear and she felt herself drawn to it. Trying to figure out how far the building was, she used her magical bolt as a flare gun and launched it at the structure. As soon as the beam of light hit the building, Twilight jumped when a loud siren went off and a blinding spotlight illuminated Twilight.

An electronic voice boomed across the city, “THREAT DETECTED. FOREIGN SIEGE ON THE MONOLITH. TARGET IS HAZARD TO CORE SECURITY. PROCEED WITH APPREHENSION.”

Giant cannons popped out of the long avenue. All of them aimed towards a petrified Twilight, giving off a low pitch gradually getting louder. Twilight shook herself awake and ran down the street, not wanting to wait for the cannon fire. Large beams of light flew past her. She heard mechanical whirring behind her which only empowered her fear of this nightmare.

"What kind of dream is this?" Twilight yelled as she sprinted towards the dark alleyway. She recognized the storefronts she saw when she entered the deranged city. "I need to wake up! I need to wake up! I need to wake up!" Twilight kept repeating to herself in complete panic. She could see the entrance of the alleyway in the far distance. She would be rid of this ominous nightmare if she kept her steady pace. To Twilight's relief, the machines had fallen behind. Turning around the corner, the unicorn stopped dead in her tracks. The door was within her sight, but standing between her and the door was a large, four-legged beast staring straight at her. Its bright orange eyes gazed deep into her soul. She couldn't think, and she couldn't move, so she shouted at it.

"Stay back." Her horn began to light up. "Stay back." She slowly walked towards it, only a few feet from it now. Within a hoof's reach from it, Twilight froze as the gigantic beast slowly got up onto its hindlegs, towering over the unicorn. With no hesitation, she fired a magical energy bolt at it, causing it to jump out of the way. She took advantage of her small window of opportunity and sprinted past it. Twilight flung the door open. Behind her, she heard a bellowing roar. Her fear caused her to pay no attention to Luna's instructions, and she leapt through the dream portal. Immediately, Twilight fell to the floor, curling in pain as her mind violently changed dreamscape realities. Her vision began to fade out into a blur, and she fell out of her dreams. While she lay on the cold, concrete ground, a deafening scream resonated through her skull as she slowly came into consciousness.

Twilight jolted up from her bed. She was out of her nightmare, but the shrill siren still resonated in her head, making her fall to her knees. She was awake, and when she acknowledged this, she realized that the siren was real. A scream of terror shook the entire castle, and Twilight squinted as bright beams of light shined through the blinds of hed window. Thinking quickly, Twilight summoned a sensory protection spell and a magical aura manifested itself around her head. The screams and light lessened in volume and luminosity, but the violent vibrations blew dust out of the small cracks in the wall. Regaining her mental strength, Twilight left her room and ran out into the courtyard.

The Royal Guard took up the entire plaza, all of the hopelessly clutching their ears for relief. Their eyes were staring straight at the sky, and their faces reflected the same fear she felt in her nightmare. Horror struck Twilight as she looked up and saw a blinding light come from the top of the Royal Castle, almost as if it came from.

"Princess Celestia!" Twilight screamed as she ran towards Celestia’s bedroom. The ground shook as the Princess's screams got louder and louder. Her wail became a bloodcurdling shriek, and the light expressed the destructive energy of the full power of the Royal Voice. Everyone fell to the ground, and the courtyard became the hellish pits of Tartarus as the hardened soldiers begged for forgiveness and hoped for a quick death to make the pain stop. Their screams accompanied the Princess's. Twilight reached the entrance to the central building, and as the mare closed the door behind her, the deafening noise ended with a sudden flash that nearly blinded Twilight, making her stumble onto the ground.

Quickly getting back up, she took a look back at all of the poor unfortunate souls she left behind. The courtyard stood still. All of the guards were unconscious, moaning from the sweet release from the torture they just went through. As some of them slowly arose, they witnessed a purple unicorn standing in the doorway to Celestia’s tower.

"Princess Celestia? Princess Celestia?!" Twilight sprinted up the stairs, her only focus on the safety of her leader, her mentor, and what she'd soon admit as her second mother. Reaching the bedroom, the doors violently blast open with a magical bolt. The bedroom was enormous, with several elegant rooms for the Princess's many hobbies and her entertainment.

Frantically racing from room to room in search of Celestia, Twilight froze as she finally found her but not in the condition she graciously hoped for. Princess Celestia was unconscious on the floor of her balcony. Her body barely moved except for the troubled breathing of the god-like being.

Wasting no time, Twilight ran to her side and tried nudging the alicorn awake to no avail. The princess wouldn't respond to any action she performed. Tears rushed down her face as time itself froze. A complete state of panic showered down on Twilight. She simply knelt down on the floor and wept into the alicorn's fur. To Twilight, it felt like hours until the Royal Paramedics arrived. They came upon the image of a violet mare standing with her head down in between them and the Princess. The scene before them frightened them heavily. One of them slowly walked in front of the rest and dared to speak up, stuttering in the process.

"M-ma’am. I'm from the Royal Medical Wing. We're going to need you to step away from the Princess."

All they heard was a low mumble from the unicorn as she stood her ground. Confused, they asked her again. This time, they heard her clearly.

"Get. Away. From. Her."

The paramedics couldn't waste any more time. A few of them mustered some courage and approached the mare.

"Get. Away. From. Her," the mare once again responded, only with a sharper articulation on each word.

They treaded lightly towards the unicorn. They were within hoof's length but quickly jumped in fear. The unicorn raised her head and light shown from her eyes. Her grimace revealed the rage within her, and they stood no chance against her.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" her voice boomed. Her horn lit up as a wide wave of magical energy sent the paramedics flying across the room. They hit the wall with a thud and fell to the floor. The mare took a defensive stance in front of the Princess and charged up her horn. Loud hoofsteps came from the stairwell, most likely from the Royal Guard. The unicorn was ready to attack the incoming enemy.

“Twilight Sparkle!” the unicorn heard from behind her. The voice was unforgettable. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"Princess Luna!" the mare said as she turned to come face-to-face with the Princess of the Night. Her scowl quickly fell down to a frown. The light from her horn receded, and Twilight merely stood there.

Luna stared at her not with anger, but with concern. The tear stains under her eyes and the hopelessness in her eyes said it all. She saw as her hooves wobbled and Twilight collapsed. Luna leapt to catch her before she hit the floor. The last thing Twilight remembered was her passing out in Luna's hooves as she called out for a medic.

Author's Note

Second part of the flashback. All of the pieces are falling into place, and the game is about to begin. Expect an explanation of the nightmare in the fourth chapter or so. Also, I was inspired to remove Celestia from the picture after reading "Do You Believe In Magic?" by gcsmith (which I greatly recommend for a good laugh). Don't expect the entire story to be this dark. I expect to have a lot of comedic characters to sort of contrast the dark times within the story.

Fall From Grace

The daylight broke in through the thin blinds of the window, brightening up Twilight's face. Her face crinkled from the slight discomfort as she woke up. She slowly opened her eyes but could barely make out shapes with her blurred vision. As her mind began to warm up after a long night of sleep, she rested her head on the incredibly soft pillow. She listened to the beeps to her left. Heart monitor... thought Twilight. Though her mind was foggy, she realized she was in the hospital. She lifted herself up from the hospital bed, but pain immediately surged through her head. Twilight yelped as she fell back onto the bed.

"Guys! She's up!" said a familiar voice. An entire palette of colors rushed to her side.

"Twi." said an orange blur, "You okay, Sugarcube? You awake?"

Twilight recognized the southern accent. "Applejack? Is that you?"

The farmer mare sighed with a small smile. "Yeah, Twi. How you feelin'?"

"I have a headache, but other than that, I'm fine." Twilight groggily responded. She looked around to see all of her friends around her. "What happened?"

"You passed out, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie said, "They said your mind went KABLOOEY! and you fell down. We were so worried!"

"Really?" asked Twilight.

"Yes," responded Fluttershy. "The doctors said you underwent an overwhelming mental trauma and you fainted."

"We were so glad that Princess Luna was there, dear," Rarity interjected, "She caught you and took it upon herself to bring you here."

"Princess Luna?" Twilight asked. Almost instantly, the memory of the previous night struck her like a lightning bolt, causing her to jolt from her bed into the air. "PRINCESS LUNA! PRINCESS CELESTIA! WHERE IS SHE?!" The surge of pain came back with a vengeance, and she collapsed onto the bed once more.

Her friends tried holding her in place. "Calm down, Twilight!" said Applejack. "The doctor told us to make sure that you don't move much. It might ruin your recovery."

Twilight continued fighting against their restraints, her face red with rage and her eyes full of fear. "How can you tell me to calm down?! I need to see Princess Celestia immediately!" She thrashed her legs, and her horn lit up as the furniture flew around the room. Rainbow Dash tackled Fluttershy as a flower vase flew towards her and shattered against the wall. She grabbed Twilight's head and made her look at her, her facial expression clearly showing she was angry out of concern.

Rainbow Dash lashed out at the purple unicorn. "Twilight! Shut the hell up!"

"Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy said. The yell had brought Twilight back from her panicked state. Everything stood still in mid-air and then fell to the ground. Tears welled up in the mare's eyes as she recognized what she was doing. Fluttershy approached the unicorn and brought her into a hug. Rainbow Dash looked back at her friends, all of them (especially Fluttershy) reprimanding her with their eyes. Dash sighed, recomposed herself, and said "Listen, Twilight. I'm sorry for yelling. I got scared, but you need to calm down for your own good, as well as ours." She handed Twilight a tissue to wipe her tears.

Twilight sat there in quiet along with her friends. "I'm sorry," responded Twilight. "I'm just too nervous right now."

"We can see that," Rainbow Dash said with a small chuckle. Twilight shared a small smile at this.

"Now listen Twi," Applejack said as she picked up her stetson off the ground. "I don't know why you need to see the Princess, but Princess Luna said she was going to have a press conference about the Screech soon."

The Screech? Twilight thought. Is that what last night was?

Almost as if on cue, the hospital room suddenly opened, and Princess Luna walked in. "Good morning," the blue alicorn said. Acknowledging her presence, everyone in the room bowed down to the Royal.

"No need for the formalities, my friends," said Luna. The humble ponies stood up, but their faces reflected their confusion at such an unceremonious appearance of the Princess of the Night. She simply nodded at the ponies and turned to Twilight.

"I am glad to see that you've somewhat recovered from your injuries, Twilight. I hope that you and your friends have received the best hospitality during your admission," Luna said as she smile. "However, I am not here to only offer my sympathies. I have urgent news that I need to discuss with you in private." She looked at the rest of the ponies and asked "May we please be left alone?"

"Of course, Princess," Applejack said. The ponies got their belongings and shuffled out the door. "We'll be outside," Applejack said, "Just holler if you need us."

As an awkward silence droned between Twilight and Luna, Luna made sure she closed the door. A blue light shone from Luna's horn as a magical aura crept onto the walls, surrounding the room in a cerulean hue.

"Soundproofing spell," Luna said. "I trust your friends, Twilight, but what I'm about to say cannot leave this room. Not yet, at least. I have a lot to say, so I need you to listen whilst I brief you on the occurrings. We can talk after we're done."

Twilight nodded, fearing the worst to come.

"I'm sure that everything that happened last night clearly overwhelmed you. And I-" Luna said, holding back tears "-regret to inform you that what happened is true. The flare in the sky, my sister on her bedroom floor, the Courtyard of soldiers crippled in fear. All of it is true."

Oh no...

"The press have already dubbed the incident 'The Screech'. Not in my years have I seen anything like this. Obviously, I have not disclosed any information to the people of Equestria. Such devastating news would descend us into anarchy in one night, but the nation wants answers. To give them the slightest sense of hope, I've merely said that Princess Celestia cannot assume her duties today, but I cannot hold them off for long. My sister is alive, thankfully, but she has not awoken since. I have assembled a medical team of the best doctors across the nation to diagnose my sister, having them swear under oath to not disclose any information."

Thank Harmony she's alive, but she hasn't woken up? Woken up from what? A coma? Is that even possible?

"I intend to brief Equestria about the situation tomorrow evening, Twilight. I cannot withhold the truth from them any longer. That is why I am mobilizing the Royal Guard across Equestria as policing forces to maintain order after panic ensues."

Martial law. This can't be good.

"The reason I tell you all of this is because I am terrified of what this nation will become if just one of us sparks fear among the community. I've never told this to anyone, not even Tia. But for the first time in my life, I am frightened to the bone. Not even during my time on the moon have I felt so much dread, and being a Princess, I can't let the public know that I am afraid."

You and me, both, Princess Luna...

"My sister trusted in you greatly. I could see that every time I saw her face beam up after she read one of your letters. She had--has great plans for you. As my friend, I trust you, and I know that you trust me. However, I fear that Equestria might not. I fear that after I assume the great responsibility from my sister, people will rebel. I cannot have the ponies lose their faith in Harmony, so I have to do everything in my power to hold together what my sister has created."

I can't let that happen either.

Luna paused, giving Twilight time to comprehend everything the Princess said. The two sat in silence for awhile, fully knowing that tomorrow, the might of Equestria will be tested. Gripped by the same fear that clutched Luna tightly, Twilight turned her head towards the window. It was a bright afternoon outside. She looked down below, and she saw a mare and her foal playing in the park. The foal pranced around his mother, and their happiness in the sun left her with a bittersweet feeling. Such a happy family. I wonder if things will be the same tomorrow.

As Twilight looked out of the window, Luna continued. "I need you to help me, Twilight. I am assembling a network of informants across the nation, ordered to listen among the people so that I know the sentiment of my subjects. I only want the best for them, so if my actions hurt them in any way, I need to know. I need you to be one of them, my most trusted one, in Ponyville. Since the village is settled right on the edge of the Everfree Forest, I fear that whatever sentient creatures that lurk within it may attack Equestria, so I need you to inform me if anything changes in Ponyville that might compromise the rest of Equestria."

"What about my friends?" Twilight asked, not turning away.

"You can continue to live your life, Twilight. However, you can never tell them about this task. Like I said, I trust them, but what I've said can never leave this room."

Twilight continued looking out the window with her solemn expression saying everything she needed to say.

"You do not need to do this if you don't want to," Luna reluctantly said.

After her drawn-out pause, Twilight turned away from the window. Luna looked at her and witnessed the bold look in her eyes. The mare pushed her covers off and disconnected the several wires attached to her body. And she saw as her friend rolled out of bed onto her feet. She winced in pain as her legs wobbled from weakness. Luna moved to help her up, but Twilight held up a hoof, making her stop. Twilight slowly pushed up on her legs, grimacing from the surprisingly strenuous activity, but she stood her ground. As she lifted her head dauntlessly, she sighed and asked "I accept..."

Luna gave a small smile, amazed at the unicorn's resolve.

"But." Twilight added.

Luna's smile disappeared, wondering what Twilight would like. "Yes?"

"I need one thing from you, Princess Luna." Her pleading eyes betrayed her intrepid stance. "I need to see her... please."

Luna's eyes widened. She had a troubled look, but reluctantly obliged. "Of course." She walked to Twilight's side, and held her close. After a bright flash, the two were gone.

Twilight blinked as the two ponies reached their destination. They stood in a white chamber, and Twilight almost felt that they had escaped reality. A loud alarm went off as the room went red. A hissing sound emanated from the walls, and the ponies were sprayed with a clear substance.

"Princess... what is this place?" Twilight said, puzzled.

"This is a sterilization chamber, Twilight. Since my sister's ailment is so rare, we do not want to bring contaminants into the ICU."

"But Princess," Twilight asked, "I've been in the medical wing several times and I've never seen anything like this."

"That is because this is an underground restricted section. Apparently, my sister installed this area during my banishment in case that a Nightmare Relapse may ever fall upon me. I was baffled as you when I discovered this place, but I completely understand--and now thank--its use."

The spraying stopped on cue, and the light in the room turned green as the bell dinged. After a long pause, Twilight jumped back as the giant wall in front of them opened to reveal a large facility with transparent walls. In the far distance, she could see groups of doctors performing tests in giant machines. Twilight was astounded by the science around her. She fell in a trance-like state, and Luna waved her hoof in front of her to bring her back.

"I can see your enthusiasm with this place," Luna said, "but we are here with urgent matters. Follow me."

Twilight walked closely behind the Princess. She felt both exhilarated and intimidated by the advanced technology. One doctor flashed different lights across a room onto a small glass slide. Another observed how a plasma-like substance vibrated within a glass box. Mesmerized by the equipment, she almost ran into Princess Luna as they reached a large vault door. She walked to Princess Luna's side, and the Royal gestured at two unicorns in hazmat suits on each side of the door. They both aimed their horns at two metal prongs at the top of the vault. As their magical aura shifted in color, a metallic clang sounded with each change. The vault slowly opened up to reveal a crowd of doctors surrounding a hospital bed.

The two ponies entered the room, and the group of ponies bowed before the princess. She waved them off, and the doctors got back up. She walked to an old white mare in a lab coat.

"Dr. Evergreen," Luna said, "has there been any news about my sister's condition?"

"No news, Princess," said the mare. "We've tried several forms of stimuli to get the smallest of responses, but she is in a suspended state of reality. Her vitals are fine, but the activity in her brain are extremely active."

"I see. May we see her in private?" asked Luna, motioning to Twilight.

"Certainly," Dr. Evergreen said as she smiled at the purple unicorn.

The doctors took their reports and left the room. As the vault closed behind them, Luna motioned to Twilight for her to get closer to the bed. Princess Celestia laid on the bed in a hospital gown. Her head was covered in an electrode net, and a heart monitor beeped beside her. Twilight sat at her side. Tears began welling up in her, and she rested her head on Celestia's hoof. Her sobs were muffled by the Princess. Luna stood behind, holding back her own tears as she saw her sister in that state.

I never thought I'd see you like this, Princess, thought Twilight. I promise I'll do my best to make sure everything will be okay when you return. I do.

The ponies stood silent in the room for a long time.

This time, it was Luna's turn to break the cold silence. "I didn't want to tell you before, but I have had the guards notify your friends to leave Canterlot immediately. I hope I do not sound rude, but after tomorrow evening, no one will enter or leave Canterlot. I'm sure your friends have strong ties in Ponyville, and staying away would distress them."

"I understand," whimpered Twilight. She didn't part from Celestia, but she nodded her head in understanding.

Luna felt a lump in her throat. With soft sobs, she said, "Twilight. I believe we need to leave."

Twilight wrapped her hooves around Celestia. Luna approached the mare and rested her hoof on her shoulder, but Twilight shook it off. Sighing, Luna continued, "Twilight. We're both going through this together: the pain, the sorrow, the regrets." Twilight turned around and looked at the blue princess with her bloodshot eyes. "I never knew that in merely two years, I'd lose my sister. Now I regret the time that I wasted away from her. I only wish she will return soon. Truth be told, I've never done anything without her help. She taught me how to raise the moon, she taught me how to lead, and she taught me how to trust. I hope that together, we can learn from her example and hold up what she held dear to her heart-"

"Princess," Twilight interrupted. "I completely understand. In all my years as Princess Celestia's student, I've felt like I've stood upon her shoulders, and now that she's gone, I have to start from zero, but I just need to get my bearings. I hope with all my heart that Princess Celestia makes a fast recovery, but until then, I'll do whatever you ask of me as long as it is what is best for Equestria."

"And trust me, Twilight, I will. With your help, we'll make sure that Equestria prevails."

The two mares looked back at Celestia's lifeless body. Fighting the overwhelming sadness, they both bowed their heads in respect of their mentor, sister and friend. Doctor Evergreen and her team of doctors returned into the room. Evergreen looked at Twilight's red-tinted eyes. "Don't worry, Ms. Sparkle," she said with a warm smile. "We swear on our lives that the Princess will be treated with the best medical attention in the country." Twilight looked up at her and smiled weakly. Evergreen frowned, but she brought her in for a hug. Twilight sobbed briefly into her shoulder, but she mustered the courage to let go.

While Princess Luna said her goodbyes to the doctors, Twilight continued walking past all of them towards the sanitation chamber. When she reached the giant door, Princess Luna flew to her side as the walls began closing. With one last gaze towards Celestia, the room went back to its white emptiness, and the flash took them away once more.

They reappeared in the main station of the Canterlot Express with three ponies holding several large duffel bags. "I've set up for the train to take you to Ponyville on the double. These ponies have all of your luggage prepared and will accompany you on your travel back to Ponyville."

Twilight looked at them, and their nervous, cheesy smiles. "Thank you, Princess," she said solemnly. "But if you'll allow me, I'd rather return to Ponyville by myself."

"Oh," Luna said. "Very well, then. If you truly want to." She then gestured at the ponies, and they moved Twilight's bags onto the train.

Luna walked beside Twilight and brought her close. "Once again, Twilight. I thank you for understanding our predicament. As I said, this might be overwhelming, but I know that you will be able to overcome anything thrown at you. Please take these," she said as she handed her a saddlebag. Twilight looked inside and found only a pen, a log, and a crystal. "These three objects have been enchanted so that anything written in the log will disappear and reappear in my personal journal. I don't exactly trust that our conversations exactly be covert if we rely on Spike."

Twilight closed the bag, looking down, but Luna pushed her chin back up. "Please remember, Twilight. I am only a pen's stroke away from you at all times. If anything happens to you or anyone, do not hesitate to write." Twilight nodded, and for the first time that day, smiled genuinely. She hugged Princess Luna one last time and left for the train. Princess Luna waved her off, and her and her three servants disappeared in a beam of light.

“All aboard the night train!” yelled out the old conductor of the last train back to Ponyville. Twilight sat motionless in her seat, her head against the glass of the window. The mare sat in absolute silence, deep in thought...

Twilight woke up from her trance-like state. She looked back outside and hadn't realized that Luna's moon had been covered by a sheet of dark clouds. Now, she could barely see a thing through the window. She sighed. I wonder how long it will be until we get to Ponyville She looked at the bag beside her again. Talk about discrete.

Twilight was seated in the back of the train, per request, and she walked to the caboose for some fresh air. Through the small window opening on the door, she saw nothing. Stepping outside, she leaned on the railing, barely able to see the trees on the side of the tracks. She closed her eyes as the cool air of the night brushed against her coat. All she could hear was the sounds of the train with the ambiance of the mountain woodlands around her.

Fresh air, she thought. The softness of the air temporarily soothed her worries as a lethargic sensation coursed through her body. "Calm", she slurred, as she rested her head on the railing, fighting to keep her eyes open. Sleep began to drag Twilight into dormancy, and she did not recognize the sparks of light surrounding the train as it became engulfed by a black portal.

Author's Note

Written 4/18/14
Edited 5/20/14

Escape

Author's Note

Hopefully, this is a fun chapter. Sorry for the references sprinkled throughout this chapter. :yay:

Escape

Vandal ran. He ran, and even after three hours since he had last heard the barks and growls of the bloodhounds, he kept on running. It was the dead of the night, but to him, he could see as if it were high noon. Since his escape, he must have put at least 30 miles between the retrieval/hunting party and himself, and it showed.

Fatigue began to set in, and the rough terrain began to weather and chip away at the hard chitin shell on his hooves. The shrill screams from his legs begged him to stop, but he wouldn't--or couldn't. He had to endure. This wasn't about escaping from prison anymore. This wasn't about surviving for the rest of his life. This was surviving as long as it would take for someone to listen to him. He wasn't about to let his "abomination" take innocent lives. He knew he was Dr. Grabstein, and "it" was his monster. He had to be responsible for it. Besides, one single question gave him the "persuasion" he needed to continue: What the hell will "The Captain " do to me if he catches up?

EARLIER THAT NIGHT

Corporal Convoy patrolled the bleak, narrow hallway back and forth, and back and forth, and back and forth. The menial labor of pacing along a straight line was getting to him. What's so damn important that I have to be down here (in the Grave of all places!) on Guard's Night at McHops'?! The mere thought of losing a fun night of alcohol, bar stories, and that pretty mare on his mind nearly made him burst into tears. Goddamn, it's freezing down here!

The unicorn took out a small flask stashed within his armor, only for it to fall as he stood there mesmerized. A faint glow emanated from the single cell door he "swore" to protect. Convoy looked in disbelief, staring daggers at his flask to realize he hadn't touched the drink at all that night. At least, not yet. He looked down both ways of the dreary hall, hoping to spot his friends playing a prank on him, but he was alone and frozen in place. Should I go in there? No, no, no. Top Brass specifically ordered to stay out here and make sure that nothing enters or leaves. Kill on sight, he said. But... what if something's trying to get out?!

His horn flashed and opened a flickering portal, summoning his rusty lance, Ol' Tolerable, showing years of neglect. His tarnished armor clanked as he crept towards the door, shaking in fear. As soon as he grasped the doorknob, the glow dwindled into nothing. Convoy jumped out of his skin, sprinting towards the farthest end of the hall. The clanking turned into full-blown rattling, and his magic violently rose his lance off the ground, slowly creaking the door open.

Convoy stared into the black void within. As he stepped inside, he frantically tried illuminating the room with his magic, utterly failing due to fear. "R-r-reveal yourself," Convoy whimpered. Walking further into the room, he followed the chains from their placement on the wall to the single point in the darkest corner of the room. His lance struck the area, but it met no resistance. The prisoner wasn't there.

The door slammed shut, and he shrieked in horror. With all of his might (which wasn't much), he tried breaking down the door, but to no avail. Running about the room, he tripped and fell face-first onto the floor and recoiled at the drastically low temperature he reluctantly encountered. The Grave was relentless as he cowered at the full force of the grim experience. Shivering from both the dreadful darkness and the bitter cold, his horn sparked as he tried in vain to turn on the light. A light chitter brought him to his feet, and he went into a violent frenzy, swearing that something poked him in the back. His lance flew circles around the cramped room, nearly impaling him before getting stuck in a peculiar green substance. In his state of panic, Convoy resorted to the brute strength of his hooves to retrieve his spear, ultimately getting stuck in the substance himself. As he struggled to free himself from the nightmare he was living, the frightened guard collapsed as he felt a tingling sensation in his hooves. Falling before a silhouette in the darkness, he pleaded, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU?!"

From the shadows, a Changeling faded back into reality. "My name is Vandal, and I am very, very sorry." All sound was trapped within the small room as Convoy screamed into unconsciousness.

Vandal's horn lit up as he drained the guard's emotional essence. "Ugh," he scowled in disgust. I never thought I'd taste fear, and I never want to do it again. He wasn't fully charged, but Vandal knew how to make do with scarce resources. Stingers protruded from his hooves, and they began secreting the green goo onto his restraints. The acidic substance weakened the links of his chains, and as he pushed himself against the wall, the couplings broke apart. Vandal tried walking forward, but he found himself wobbling to and fro towards the cell door.

I'm definitely going to need some more juice. "Convoy?", he heard a voice resonate on the other side of his exit. Stern, but feminine voice. Probably Royal Guard. Proceed with caution, his espionage-savvy inner voice said. Roger, roger.

The Royal Guard mare looked around for her good friend, Convoy. She brought a wooden mug of hard apple cider in hoof, knowing how sad he got whenever he missed Guard's Night. She just hoped he hadn't done anything stupid to pass the time, but as if on cue, she saw the cell door open and Convoy walk out quietly. She did a double-take as she could not believe her eyes. "Convoy, you idiot, what the hell are you doing?"

Convoy froze in place. "Oh Celestia, I'm screwed," he muttered.

"Damn right, you're screwed," she barked as she battered the oaf. "What the hell did Top Brass say? 'Absolutely do not let anyone in or out that door.' And what do you go and do?" She frantically paced about. "I can hear it now. First, they're going to court-martial you for interfering with an isolated investigation, and then your good ol' friend, Bastille, here is probably going to get in trouble somehow too, and you know I just can't mess up my rec-" Her mouth was cut off my Convoy's hoof, her muffled murmurs eventually drowning out.

"Listen... Tila," Convoy whispered. "I thought I heard things going on in there, and I just went in to check, okay? There is no reason for Brass to know, right?"

She forcefully pushed his hoof off of her. "But what if he does finds out?" she whispered harshly. "He knows I'm down here and what if he asks? What do you want me to do, lie?" She looked at him for a response, only to see that stare of his along with that shit-eating grin. She groaned. "I cannot believe you're asking me to lie. You know I'm a horrible liar. The worst, I'm telling you, the worst!"

"You don't have to lie. Just... don't tell the truth," he offered with a cheesy smile. She just looked away as she pondered, "I don't know..."

"Please... for me?" Convoy smugly said. Bastille still looked unconvinced, and sweat dripped from his forehead. "I'll owe you big time!" he childishly offered. "I'll take your shift for next weapon polishing duty, and--and I'll give you my share of desert rations for the next three weeks." Like a used carriage salesman, Convoy bargained almost everything he "owned" at his one and only savior, but failed completely. Reaching the end of his rope, he blurted out, "I'll take you out--dinner and a movie!"

The hall was flooded in dead silence, and Convoy stopped in his track as he saw as Bastille's pupils shrunk into pinpricks. The seconds that passed by felt like an eternity, until she slowly turned to face me. "What... what did you say?"

Convoy gulped as he began to backtrack. "I-I said I'll take you out... that is, you know, if you want of course." Convoy felt like he was back in high school, asking the prettiest mare in the school to junior prom. Sweat not only dripped, but poured from his entire body. The two of them stood still in the hallway until he mustered the strength to brake the silence. "Listen, I can understand if you don't want to but-"

This time, Convoy's mouth was cut off by Bastille's. His eyes burst opened in shock as she kissed him, only to slowly come to a close. It was like that scene from that time-travel movie, and the two would look back and swear that they heard "Earth Angel" playing in the background. As they slowly pulled away, the two shared big, dumb smiles on their faces. "I'd love to," was all that she managed to say, and Convoy's shit-eating grin grew three sizes that day.

"Good," he said as they nuzzled together. "How about tomorrow? I'll come by the barracks, and I'll give you a good night on the town."

"Very well," she swooned. "I can't wait. Just... don't do anything else dumb between now and then, okay?"

"You're the boss," he said. "I'll see you tomorrow, Tila."

As the guard mare left the hallway with a kick in her step, the guise of Convoy quickly dissolved back into Vandal. Hook, line, and sinker, he thought, relishing in the love he absorbed. He looked back in the cell to make sure the real Convoy still slept like a foal. Vandal's horn lit up as a beam of light tethered him to the bumbling guard's. The iconic memories of the past ten minutes flushed into Convoy's mind, and he smiled in his sleep. You'll thank me later, friend. Or never, I guess. I mean, it might almost be completely quiet in here, but anypony with a brain could sense that thing you two have for one another from a mile away.

Vandal carried him back into the hall, along with his spear, and he made him look presentable like a mannequin. As he smiled at his masterpiece, he sighed as he looked at the lance. He made a mental note to visit this guard in the afterlife someday as he proceeded to lightly stab himself with the weapon. He sharply inhaled as small traces of his blood went across the room. I think this is enough to make it believable that he put up a good fight. I'm not heartless, after all. He patched his wounds with the goo from his stingers, and donning the identity of a generic guard grunt, he walked out into the world.

Vandal talked and snuck his way past many of the security checkpoints towards the central guard station. Following the din past the mess hall, the living quarters resonated with the lively bar songs sung by a full house of Royal Guard enjoying their nights with company and cider. I need a strategic position, he thought on his way to the restroom, kindly refusing several generous drinks from his intoxicated "compatriots".

He stowed himself away in a stall until the bathroom was empty, and he stepped out to see if the coast was clear. Bingo!, he mentally exclaimed as he found what he was looking for: the emergency evacuation map. Let's see. Tower, tower, tower, tower, here it is... in the barracks. He cursed himself over and over, took a deep breath, and sighed. "Well, I'm a dead man anyway," he muttered. He made his way out of the "john" (as he believed the Guard called it) and froze as he walked into the last person he wished he had.

"Whoops. Sorry, private," Shining Armor apologized. The two stood facing each other for a solid few seconds. Shining Armor seemed unfazed, but Vandal just looked horrified. "I'll just mosey my way around you," Shining Armor exclaimed as Vandal just slowly nodded his head as the "Grim Reaper" walked past him. As soon as he stepped into the stall, Vandal made a quick dash for the tower, noticing that his fear was making his disguise sharply pale. Trotting, I better just keep trotting. He looked back as Shining Armor exited the bathroom with a puzzled look on his face. Running, better start running, he mentally chastised himself as he turned the corner, and his guise went white just in the nick of time. Sprinting! I just got to keep sprinting! He felt lucky that the sleeping quarters were nearly empty and quiet.

Ascending the stairs, he opened the door to the highest floor in the tower. He could see it at the end of the hall. A window, far too small for a fully armored guard to fit through, but just the right size for a Changeling. It was right there, just like he thought there would be... past a large pile of drunk, snoring Royal Guard mares. Great! Motherbucking, great! His guise dissipated completely. One Changeling, one window, and a barnyard of wasted, highly-trained soldiers in his path. His stingers protruded once more, and he began crawling on the ceiling towards his one and only goal. Slow and steady... slow and steady. he kept repeating as he made it halfway across the room. That is, until he heard steps coming up the stairs. Buck it! he exclaimed as his wings extended out and he glid towards the window. It slowly opened, and he reveled in seeing a dense jungle as far as the eye could see. He quickly lathered the window with goo and slowly slithered his way through the gap. Yes... yes... Almost there... In his haste, Vandal jerked his body outward, and the acidic goo splashed onto the window's hinges. Everything went into slow motion as Vandal gripped onto the loose, stained-glass pane, holding it in place. "Whew!" he sighed.

"WHASSUP, BITCHES!" a mare yell out behind him, illuminating the room. He jolted, releasing the pane, and he bid it farewell on it journey to the ground level. He heard three sounds in the following order: the sound of broken glass as it shattered against the floor, the deafening howl of a prison alarm reverberating throughout the base, and the growl of thousands of hungover soldiers right behind him. Adding insult to injury, he could not only see, but feel the glare of the Captain right below him. As adrenaline coursed through his veins, he thrust himself forward and flew out into the night, into a tree, and then disappeared with the Royal Guard in tow.

So he ran. The thick brush of the jungle vines in front of him battered him around like a rag doll as he wove through the chaotic arrangement of the tree trunks. So this is the "dreaded" Everfree Forest he thought. I don't know what all the fuss is about. It's just a tall canopy of trees complimented with a nice assortment of murky grass as far as the eye could see.

As if on cue, a howl echoed through the forest. He wasn't startled... or at least he didn't show it. He just kept on running. He knew better than to show fear, so he did the one thing he could do alone in the woodlands. Talk to himself.

Okay, Vandal. Let's go over our plan of action. Knowing the good ol' Captain, he wouldn't send a large party after me. Not after leaving that many wounded, of course. He cares too much about their well-being. He must have ordered a small hunting group, then. Maybe not the elite, but quite agile nonetheless. Meanwhile, he was probably sent word to station several others around the main trail exits. That's what I would do, at least. So... running East or West won't do me any good. By the time I arrive there, they would have probably gotten the message. On the other hand, the southern exit hasn't been stationed yet. It would take longer for the message to arrive. So, it would be in my best interests if I make a beeline in that direction. Good plan? Good. Break!

Lost in thought, Vandal slammed face-first into a tree branch, almost as if the divine lights sucker-punched him right in the jaw. It was then that everything hit him. He felt the full force of the crippling pain in his pitiful legs. He doubled-over in agony as everything hurt. His vision dimmed into a haze, and he felt as if the world were spinning around him. After all this sprinting, he was nearly starved of all his emotional energy. As his sight faded to black, he could still hear the roar of the demon resonating within his skull.

Detours

Twilight's eyes burst open to the deafening pitch of metal grinding on rails. What in the world? she thought as she jumped up onto her hooves. Pressing her face to look through the window, the outside world was nothing but a black abyss devoid of the smallest source of light. Dread flooded her mind as she tried making sense of the situation. The train howled like a banshee as she could feel it accelerate into dangerous speeds, frightening her to the core.

In a panicked state, Twilight staggered to the front of her passenger car as the train continued picking up speed. She pulled on the door handle, desperately trying to pry the door open, but it would not budge. It was useless. All of the doors and windows were jammed closed, and she felt completely alone. Right as she began to abandon all hope, her memory kicked in, and she sprinted back to her seat in a flash to find her saddlebag sitting on the wooden bench. Digging through the vinyl sack, she found Luna's three gifts: the pen, the log, and the crystal. Twilight frantically arranged the objects to unlock the book, but in the split second that the pen made contact with the paper, the rising crescendo of screeching metal came to a quick halt. A long, thin line of dark ink streaked across the page as she flew forwards out of her seat. Time slowed down, and Twilight could hear every single crunch of crumbling wood as she drew closer to the wall. The thunderous crash of the collapsing train drowned out the sound of a meager thud, and Twilight tightly shut her eyes as she writhed in pain on the floor. The lights went out, and only her hysteric screams resonated throughout the twisted metal.

"I’m sorry, Princess Celestia,” she quietly whispered to herself. “I’m sorry, Princess Luna. I've failed both of you.” She laid motionless for moments, but to her, the minutes dragged on for hours. As she struggled to open her eyes, Twilight could see as dim rays illuminated the mangled mess of metal. She was lucky to be alive in the most literal sense of the word. The car had compacted around her, forming a cocoon-like opening. Although her body ached all over, she suffered no severe injury despite her pain. Nevertheless, she felt utterly weak and hurt from the impact against the wall. After several more moments, Twilight applied pressure onto her feeble legs, and she propped herself onto her hooves. As she continued to look around, she saw through the broken windows what looked like a terminal outside. Every hoofstep she took was heavy and sluggish, but with enough effort, she managed to limp out of the protective deathtrap.

"Goodness", she gasped as her eyes adjusted to her dark and dreary surroundings.

She stood in the middle of an abandoned train station, but everything from the rotten wood benches to the rundown ticketing counter was covered in a thick layer of dust. The ceiling had collapsed, but cobwebs shrouded the gap.The faded brick walls were bare, stripped of paint and jagged with rebar. Behind her was an unnatural fusion of wood and metal contorted into a giant tangled wreck. It would go without saying that the train was beyond repair. The sight sent shivers down her spine, and she did not want to spend another single second in that forsaken place.

She watched her step, taking her time as she agonizingly ascended a decrepit staircase. Reaching the top, she was dumbfounded. The sky was of a dark ashy hue, if she could see it, for large, dingy skyscrapers blocked the view. Their intimidating heights flanked either side of a wide, empty street, and Twilight suddenly felt very small. The road went on as far as she could see, but something felt familiar to her. As she carried on exploring this strange and bizarre place, it dawned on her.

The city from my dream! How can I be here of all places? Immediately, she stuck close to the buildings and scampered down the avenue. She remembered what had happened before, and she wasn't about to wait until that atrocious beast would find her as its next snack.

Trotting down the street, she heard the faint sound of moving gears further down along, and stopped dead in her tracks. Focusing her vision, she could see a plaza of sorts with a giant dome-like structure in the center. As she stood there for a few more seconds, light emanated from the machine, and it rotated on a pivot to form a massive searchlight. Thinking on her hooves, she leaped out of its field of view and entered the nearest empty building she could find. She closed the blinds posthaste and retreated to one of the corners of the room.

The ground shook as a deep and dark voice boomed, "LIFE-FORM DETECTED IN SECTOR 14. PROCEED WITH CAUTION. LETHAL FORCE UNAUTHORIZED. CAPTURE AND RETRIEVE ANOMALY TO MONOLITH, LEVEL 14."

Twilight shook in her hooves. "Lethal... force?" she mouthed to herself. They knew where she was, or at least, her general vicinity. The shrill sound of a thousand rotors buzzed throughout the dead silent city. They would close in on her location soon enough. Twilight, however, felt a surge of bravery flow through her. This time, she wasn't going out without a fight. Swarms of shadows zoomed past the window. Twilight's horn lit up, charging a spell to eradicate whatever enemy would come knocking on her door.

"HEAT SIGNATURE DETECTED," she heard on the other side of the door. The shadows nearly blotted out what little light could come in through the window. The blades of the rotors sliced the air, intimidatingly. Then, it was just silence. Although she didn't want to admit it, Twilight was scared, or at the very least, nervous. Her forehead was drenched in sweat, and her hooves continued to shake as she sat on the floor. However, the look of hard determination on her face demonstrated that she was ready. She waited for minutes. In the midst of the silence, her hearing had heightened, and she could once again hear the rotors outside. It sounded like the beating of a hummingbird's wings rather than thousands of blenders going off in her ear.

Suddenly, a flash of crimson light illuminated the room. Then, the booming voice returned. "LIFE-FORM LOCATED. DRONE FORMATION-ETA. STAND-BY FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTION."

They were waiting for her, but she wasn't going to let them stake her out. She mustered up the courage and strength to get onto her hooves. The light from the window got brighter and brighter, like something was approaching the door. A loud bang hit the door. Twilight took a stance, and quietly counted down, preparing her spell for battle. "Three..." she said, the light reaching blinding luminosity. "Two..." Another thump left a long fissure on the wooden door, and red light bled through it like a wound.

"One..." The door broke down, and a scarlet figure stood at the doorway. Twilight spent no time in releasing a beam of energy at it, yelling out an improvised battle-cry at the intruder. The attack was relentless, nearly sending the frame of the door flying out onto the street. For several seconds, the being was indistinguishable in the light, as if they became one.

Twilight smirked, knowing she had won. Her eyes closed as the beam faded out. She was spent, and she wanted to rest. Twilight panted in exhaustion, but as her eyes slowly opened, her jaw dropped.

The being was still there, and it looked unfazed. In her blurred vision, she could make out the fuzzy shape of a red stallion entirely made of energy. Its yellow "eyes" were lifeless, maintaining its cold demeanor. Twilight, however, was smart enough to know not to back down, and she held on an aggressive expression.

All of a sudden, several helmet-like creatures hovered into the room, and their golden metal shells reflected their leader's ruby light. Iron rods protruded from them, emitting arcs of electricity. The being gestured at her, and the drones drew closer towards her. Twilight just stared at them in a rage, and her horn lit up once more to protect herself. Tensions rose higher and higher, but just as they were within hoof's reach, a stallion's voice sounded from outside.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Guys, stand down," the stranger said as it dashed into the building. The mechanical creatures froze in place, immediately retreating to its side. "Barrage?!" it asked in disbelief. "What are you doing?! Who sent you to deal with this?" Two strange beings now stood before Twilight, both of them looking very similar to one another. The new stranger looked just like Barrage, only his figure was sharper, and he emitted a soft, amber light rather than his acquaintance's wrathful red.

"CORE DIRECTIVE," it blandly answered in its menacing voice, "CAPTURE AND RETRIEVE ANOMALY TO MONOLITH, LEVEL 14."

"Yes, right. Core directive and all that," the amber pony said, obviously annoyed. "Well, stand down. I've got this. Oh, um. I mean, CORE DIRECTIVE: RETURN DRONES TO MONOLITH DOCK FOR RECHARGING."

"ACKNOWLEDGED," it responded and disappeared. The deafening rotors from the "flying helmets" sounded off once more as they departed.

The pony grinned as the drones flew away, congratulating himself for a job well done. After ensuring that they were all gone, he felt like something was staring at him. Slowly turning around, he was startled to find that he wasn't alone in the room.

Twilight's jaw could not have dropped any lower. She was awestruck and bewildered, her eyes the size of dinner plates. The situation had obviously impacted her as she promptly began babbling incoherent sentences. The pony had a strong look of concern, and he could only watch as Twilight collapsed on the floor in a deranged fit of giggles.

"It's all just a bad dream," Twilight tittered, cradling herself in her hooves. "Yeppers. That's all it is. I'm just dreaming again. I mean, dream city, dreamscape, right? I just need to wake up now." Twilight tried softly slapping herself awake. "Just need to wake up... any second now. Wake up. Wake up! WAKE UP!" Tears began forming in her eyes as her attempts to wake herself were futile.

"Um..." the amber pony interrupted. "You know you're not dreaming, right?" He then jumped back as she turned towards him. Her frown only grew until she exploded.

"If I'm not dreaming, then I'm dead!!" she cried out as she bawled.

"No, no, no," he gently said, rushing to her side. "You're not dead, and you're not dreaming. I'm sorry if my 'nice friend' scared you. With a name like 'Barrage', you'd think we'd keep him in check, but alas, he does escape every once in awhile. Regardless, he's part of the family, and we love him all the same. Heh, heh, heh." He chuckled to himself. Twilight had stopped crying but she still frowned as a long, awkward silence fell upon the both of them.

"Right..." the pony said. "Anyway, I believe it's time to make our way to the Monolith. Up we go." He pushed Twilight up on her hooves and motioned her to follow him. The stallion was first to step through the doorway, but as Twilight followed, she didn't notice the step at the entrance and tripped forward. She fell through amber light, but she stopped before she could hit the pavement. She fell through the pony! However, he held onto her and helped her up.

"Very sorry. We don't keep the lights on that much. Let me fix that for you."

With the wave of a hoof, the bleak sky turned into a bright sunny day. The buildings were still a bit dingy, but the city as a whole became a lot more livelier, making Twilight feel calmer and more comfortable. Nonetheless, she was baffled at how the creature at her side could control the landscape like that.

"Now... do you want to take a stroll to the Monolith or ride the carriage?" the pony asked.

"Uhhhhhh..." Twilight dully responded. "Carriage, I guess?"

"Very well." The pony's eyes glowed white, and a hovering wagon barreled down the street. "Here we go... uh."

Twilight was dumbfounded again. However, she quickly snapped out of it and timidly asked the cheerful stallion, "Excuse me, I just wanted to know. Who are you?"

The pony had a confused look on his face, but immediately smacked himself upside the head. "Of course," he exclaimed. "How rude of me! I'm sorry. My name is Nexus, better than NX-5 any day. And this is the Core, my humble abode. My good friend and mentor, Lord Armistice, would like to see you in his private study, and that's where we're going right now."

"Okay..." Twilight responded, still confused but as much. "But... what am I doing here?"

"Oh, well that's simple," Nexus giddily answered. "Ahem. Twilight Sparkle from Equestria. Welcome to the Harmony Corps."

Welcome to the Core

Nexus couldn't help but chuckle silently to himself at his "guest". Twilight's eyes had been glued to the window since take-off, and she looked completely mesmerized as the hovercraft whizzed past the gigantic high-rises en route to the Monolith. The city skyline glistened for as far as the eye could see, and below her, hundreds of flying carriages formed long lines like ant trails. She didn't want to admit it, but this city looked more spectacular than Canterlot itself and she loved every minute of it. The soothing sight of the infinite skyline relieved her stressful mind, and the mesmerizing view made her oblivious to the deep silence that fell upon the carriage.

"So... you seem to be taking this all lightly?" Nexus asked.

"Hmm... yeah," Twilight said, still staring outside, "although I'm kinda sixty-forty on the whole 'this is a dream' thing. I mean, I don't know why I'm here. I'm flying in this magical 'chariot'. And I can't say that I've ever seen a species like you before."

"I'm sorry, but I can answer any question that you may have to the best of my abilities."

"Well," she nervously chuckled, "what am I doing here?"

Nexus shrugged. "I can't answer that."

Twilight's eye twitched. "What do you mean?"

"You see," he said with a shrug, "I don't really know myself. Armistice told me to pick you up from the train station. I was alerted of new lines in the Core's command list, so I bolted towards the anomaly. Glad I got there in time. Barrage isn't exactly known for his friendliness, especially since he refers to 'guests' as 'foreign contaminants'.

"You don't say?" Twilight muttered. "Anyhoo, what exactly are you if you don't mind me asking?"

Nexus put a hoof on his chin before he bluntly responded. "You want the long or short explanation?"

"Well normally, I'd take the long explanation, but since I've sort of hit a brick wall on determining what the hay is going on right now, I think I'm a bit out of my league. And trust me, that's saying a lot."

"I understand," he said. "I can't really go into detail about what I am. I just can't explain it. I guess you could say I'm a golem of sorts. It's truly the closest word I can think of, but not an exact answer. I'm made of these tiny, itty-bitty "particles"--I like to call them "pixels. They let me do all sorts of wonders. Holograms. Technomagic. You name it, I can probably do it."

"Really..." Twilight said in disbelief, "well then, show me."

Nexus smirked. He was up to the challenge. In fact, the small, devious curl in his smile said it all.

With a wave of the hoof, the carriage came to a stop in front of a colossal tower.

"Is that it?" Twilight asked.

"Oh... you have no idea." Nexus tapped his hoof on the wall and the walls and floor slid outward. The entire starboard window Twilight had been peering out of expanded into a full panoramic view. In seconds, half of the hovercraft was see-through, and Twilight instinctively leapt out of her seat towards Nexus' side. The pixel pony laughed, much to her chagrin.

"Ha, ha, ha! Do you believe me now?"

Twilight was definitely flustered at his remark, sitting right on the edge of her seat. "So you can control a flying carriage. That's not a big deal."

"Oh, Miss Twilight," he said, still chuckling, "That's not even the tip of the iceberg." The gears in his head came into motion, and a crap-eating grin crept onto his face. "In fact, I'll show you my full power. If you could be kind, just sit down, strap yourself in, and watch the magic happen."

Twilight raised an eyebrow, a little vexed to comply. She softly rapped on the thick glass pane that was now the floor, making sure that it was really there. Although she was skeptical that anything he'd do could be good, she reluctantly humored him. Twilight sat comfortably in her seat and she stared straight outside the window at the towering skyscraper, mentally preparing herself for his next "feat of magic". It's just a building. He can't do anything that I haven't seen before.

She couldn't be more wrong.

Nexus slammed his hoof hard on the armrest of his seat, and Twilight saw nothing at first. A smug smile crept on her face as she thought she caught Nexus on his bullcrap. However, she squinted as something caught her attention. Although they were barely visible, little dots glimmered around the building.

Twilight's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. What the-- Twilight thought, while Nexus raised his hands.

The tiny dots became thousands as several specks of golden light swarmed the tower. Nexus brought his arms closer, and a whirlwind of energy broke out, fully engulfing the skyscraper. Intense 'flames' of golden energy exploded out of the enormous building.

As the gust died down, Twilight flinched in fear as the twisted metal that was once the building came crashing down and became one with the ground.

Fear gripped her to the core.

Nexus, on the other hand, thrashed about his seat, clutching at his sides. His roar of laughter boomed about the cabin for ages, violently shaking the windowpanes. He literally muted his voice, saving his guest from his deafening chortles, and pixelated tears streamed down his eyes.

For a full thirty seconds, he continued to laugh. That is until he... felt something: a simmering sensation on his left side. Not enough to cause him pain, but just enough to be noticed.

His laughter died down as his head slowly turned towards that direction. At the single glance at the mare beside him, his laughter dropped dead in its tracks, was buried six feet under and given a good service.

Thick plumes of steam radiated from Twilight's scarlet head while her burning stare bored sharp daggers deep into his soul.

Nexus' eyes shifted nervously from side to side, and he hoped that somehow pony magic couldn't hurt him.

"Ahem," he cleared his throat. "M-may we c-continue?" he asked, offering her one of those cheesy, carriage salesman smiles.

"Please..." Twilight growled, gritting her teeth.

Nexus smacked his hoof forward, and the hover taxi spent no time at reaching full speed.

A FEW MINUTES LATER

Nexus and Twilight sat in complete silence, each of them looking outside opposite windows. Although Twilight's coat had returned to its original color, the expression she wore wasn't exactly warming. It was more like a furnace... in the middle of a forest fire... on the sun.

He tried to break the ice, or beat the heat, so to speak. "S-so..." he nervously murmured. "As my 'demonstration' showed, I'm in complete control of this entire city, from the giant buildings to each individual hover taxi."

Twilight gave him the cold shoulder.

Nexus pointed outside. "That's my body... making me the mind and soul."

Nothing.

Nexus sighed. "Listen, I'm sorry for what I did. I'm always one for dramatic reveals, but I can get carried away. Plus, I've never seen anyone outside the Core before."

Twilight peeled her eyes away, "you haven't?"

"Nope." Nexus said. "I've lived here for as long as I can remember, although Armistice has told me much of the outside world.

Twilight's expression softened. She sighed and then sat back facing Nexus. "You keep saying that name. Lord Armistice. What can you tell me about him?"

"Well, he's been my mentor since I was born, but I can't really say that I know much about him. I mean, he's been like a father figure for me, teaching me almost everything I know. But recently, he spends his days in his den while I spend mine refining designs in my Holoforge. I barely hear from him anymore..."

The pony drifted off into thought, but a light tap on his "shoulder" brought him back to reality. He shook his head.

"Anyways. All I know about Armistice is that it was urgent to meet with you. Can you think about why? Nothing wrong has happened here, so has anything happened to you?"

All of a sudden, memories rushed into Twilight's mind. The scorching heat, the blinding light, the deafening shriek. The flood of stress brought her down onto her knees, and Nexus sprung up from his seat to help her.

"Hey. Are you okay? Do you need a medic?" Nexus frantically asked.

"Nuh-nuh-no. I-I think I'm fine," she barely murmured as she went misty-eyed. "It's just... a lot has changed in these past few days, and everything's just come back at me."

Nexus helped her back onto her hooves and led her to her seat.

"Before I arrived at the station, my mentor was attacked. Last time I saw her, she was in a hospital bed strapped to several dreadful machines, and I just want to see her well again."

"My condolences," Nexus replied. "She sounds pretty important to you."

"She is. She's important to all of us."

"Well, that might be why he summoned you."

The hover-taxi's intercom interrupted them. "ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL: 30 SECONDS".

"Ah," Nexus said, "I think you'll like the Monolith. It's the largest building in the city..."

He waved his hoof and the roof of the hover-taxi opened up. He wasn't kidding when he said the Monolith was large. Twilight was once again stupefied at the building's majestic yet intimidating nature. The titanic, trapezoidal building had a spherical gap in the middle, emitting a bright beacon of neon blue straight towards the sky.

As the minuscule carriage entered its airspace, the Monolith cast a long shadow of complete darkness upon them. Nexus's golden light illuminated the taxi, and he opened his arms outward. A clamorous rumble then enveloped the craft as the blast doors opened. The ship swiftly flew inside into a hangar of sorts, and landed in a form of metal shaft. Twilight then felt a rush in her hooves as the makeshift elevator levitated upward into the Monolith.

"Now," Nexus said. "Although I can't say much about Armistice's past, I do need to tell you a few things before we meet him. First, he might be a little 'overwhelming', considering he's who-knows-how-many years old, so bear with him if he comes across a little more... dramatic than usual."

"After everything you've shown me, I think I can now handle anything you throw at me," Twilight said with a cocky smirk.

"I certainly hope so," Nexus muttered to himself.

The elevator stopped with a ding. As the doors slowly opened, a large, shadowy figure stood on the other side.

Twilight's smile disappeared as her jaw dropped.

"Miss Sparkle," a deep voice came from the being.

Twilight blinked once, turned towards Nexus, and then promptly fainted.