An Ounce of Hate

Chapter 3

When Rainbow Dash said it was going to rain, I hadn’t expected too much; maybe a light rain or drizzle, or at the most a steady shower, nothing to concern myself over. But the downpour that soaked the two of us was an unpleasant surprise. A cold wind had picked up, driving me to shiver miserably in my cloak, the hood now pulled up onto my head. Not that that helped too much; now I had a soggy piece of cloth on my head that did little more than keep raindrops out of my eyes.

As I limped on, eyes focused on the cobblestones of Ponyville’s street, Rainbow Dash reveled in the rain. Being a Pegasus, I supposed she was used to rain, or even enjoyed it. I suspected her occasional giggles were not caused from simple delight at rain, but at the sodden ball of misery I had become. When the rain had first started, I had tried to conjure a shield for her and I, but just tired myself out. I couldn’t even maintain a shield for myself, not for such a long period of time.

So rather than attempt to keep a meager shield up until I passed out, I settled for walking along in the freezing rain. It beat laying on the ground unconscious in the freezing rain. I sighed in frustration as I slicked my mane back out of my eyes for the umpteenth time. My tail, soaked as it was and heavy with water, dragged along the ground behind me, the previously pristine white hairs now dirtied with mud and whatever else it dragged through.

“Hey Dusken.” I tore my gaze from the ground and looked at Rainbow Dash. Amusement danced in her eyes and a grin tugged at her lips. She was just as thoroughly soaked as I was, but paid the rain no mind. Somehow, her wings were still able to keep her airborne. It must have been a Pegasus thing. “Sugarcube Corner is just ahead.” She pointed out the building in question; a garish building made up to look like various sweets. The roof resembled gingerbread, and a turret rising from the center made up to look like two cupcakes stacked on top of one another. I pondered the name and décor both, and came to a conclusion: not only was Pinkie Pie a lunatic, she was obsessed with desserts.

My response was lost in a coughing fit, followed by a sneeze. I sniffed, wiping a hoof across my nose, and nodded. “Finally,” I mumbled. It would be nice to be indoors. I hoped it would be warm inside. Really anything would be better than being out in this accursed rain. “I need to dry off.”

Rainbow chuckled, looking me up and down. “I can tell.” She put a hoof to her mouth and tried to muffle her laughter, but failed. Her laughs eventually trailed off, but she kept her goofy grin. “I’m sure Pinkie will lend you a towel or two. You look half drowned.”

“I’m well aware.” I said stiffly. “So what—“ I sneezed with such force I stumbled. “Ugh… so what will be at this party?”

“Oh man, you’ve never been to a Pinkie Pie party, that’s right. It’s gonna be so awesome.” She reached down and tousled my mane. I grunted in annoyance as the wet hair fell back into my eyes. “I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise,” she teased.

Sneezing, I once more pushed my mane back. “Then let’s get this over with.” I muttered. With the promise of warmth and dryness ahead, I pressed on, ignoring the pain in my hind right leg. But as I approached the shop’s door, Rainbow Dash barged ahead of me, pushing the door open with some flair.

“We’re here!” she called out.

I could immediately recognize Twilight standing in front of me, as well as Applejack, though our meeting had been brief. The other ponies that crowded the shop front were all strangers to me. A wave of greetings washed over me and I sneezed.

“I was worried you’d get caught in the rain.” Twilight said as she trotted up to me, but paused, her eyes narrowed when she noticed me favoring my hurt leg. “Rainbow, what happened—“

“Surprise!” I jumped as a pink pony sprang out of the crowd. I glimpsed Pinkie for only a moment before she dropped a towel over my head. I felt hooves scrub the towel at my mane and my attempts to desperately pull away were in vain. After a moment of enduring this new assault, I was pulled into the room by my neck.

Another towel was bundled around me, by magic I assumed, and suddenly I was pushed onto something soft. Then the towel around my head was gone, as were the hooves abusing it, and I saw I had been dropped onto a couch. I shifted, tugged at the towel, when suddenly my cloak glowed blue, unfastened itself, and drifted away. My shock must have been evident as a white Unicorn walked over to me.

“Oh, I’m sorry dear,” she said slowly, eying me with some reproach. Her horn glowed the same blue as my cloak, now dangling next to her. “But if you stayed huddled in this wet thing, you were liable to get sick. I’m Rarity, and Twilight has told me all about you.” Her expression changed as she spoke, suddenly becoming friendly, but it felt false to me. “We had expected you much sooner, and much less soaked. What ever happened to make you so late?” She cocked an eyebrow at me.

The Unicorn had an air of dignity about her; not quite on par with the ponies in Canterlot, but one that put her at odds with the simpler folk of Ponyville. Her coat appeared well cared for, as was her mane and tail. Three gems made up her Cutie Mark. Maybe she was rich, or made jewelry for a living? I had no idea, but settled on the fact she appeared to be well off, given her mannerisms. And unless I was mistaken, Rarity was another one of the Elements of Harmony, but of what, I couldn’t recall. Was being posh and rich an element?

Rainbow Dash must have been nearby, because she suddenly stood next to the couch. “I might have kind of, uh, bumped into him on the way here.” Her colorful mane was wrapped with a towel and another hung from her neck. “Like, kind of hard.”

“That sounds, ah, unfortunate.” The white Unicorn’s pleasant façade slipped for a moment and I saw her frown at me suspiciously. Could she think I did something to Rainbow Dash? But as I frowned, her smile returned, more convincing than it was last time. “How did that happen?”

“I wasn’t looking where I was going,” I muttered. “I turned a corner and she flew into me.” Rainbow Dash nodded in agreement and I shrugged. “But I was late before that. Something was off with my room when I got back.”

“Your room?” Rarity queried. “What was it?”

“I think somepony had been in it.” I unclipped my saddlebags and levitated them before me. I peeked inside and was relieved to see the contents had stayed dry. I lowered the wet bags to the floor and continued. “I had left my bags packed and on top of a chest, but when I came back, the bags were empty, and most of my things were inside the chest. There was also a blanket I don’t own on my bed. On it, I found a pink hair, and the door to my balcony was open. I think Pinkie Pie snuck into my room to do… I don’t know what.”

Twilight walked over now, having over heard, and frowned. “But why would Pinkie do that?”

“Why would I do what?” The pony in question popped up behind the couch I laid on. She balanced a tray of cupcakes on her back and slid it onto a table next to the couch.

I folded my left foreleg beneath me to prop myself up and pointed my other hoof at her. “You broke into my house earlier today!” My towel slipped, so I paused to tug it back up, my coat still damp. “Why?”

She frowned at me, confusion plain on her face. “I didn’t break into your house, silly. I was here, planning your party!”

“Then why was there pink hair in my room?” I shot back.

“Oh, um… I think I can explain that.” A meek voice came from behind me. I craned my neck to watch a yellow Pegasus trot up. Her long mane and tail were both pink, I didn’t fail to note. Just like the hair I had found on the blanket. Her Cutie Mark consisted of three pink butterflies. I wondered what it was with groups of three: Rarity had three gems, that Applejack pony I met earlier had three apples, and this Pegasus had three things as well. “I, um, m-must have left it there when I dropped your blanket off.”

My jaw worked silently, as I tried to figure out how to address this new pony, when Twilight spoke up. “Fluttershy, what were you doing in Dusken’s house?”

Fluttershy blushed and looked down. “The Mayor a-asked me to make sure his house was ready to be lived in. S-she said because I lived close to him, I-I could easily keep it clean. When you told me he was h-here, I realized I didn’t give him a blanket. It’s getting c-colder out now, so, um…” She fell into embarrassed silence, kicking a hoof at the ground.

“Oh.” I felt like a fool. “But why did you put my things away?”

At my question she jerked her head up. “I thought you hadn’t had time to put everything away, so I t-thought you might be happy t-to see your room clean.” She inched closer and lowered her head, bringing it level with mine. “I’m s-sorry I worried you.”

“No, it’s… it’s fine.” I sighed, resting my head on the couch cushions. I shifted my head to look at the pink pony at my side. “Sorry Pinkie, I just thought you were up to something.”

The party pony beamed at me. “No problem!” She suddenly got shifty eyed and peered about the room. The other ponies chatted with each other noisily, while her friends stood around the couch, watching. “I had actually thought about sneaking in to throw you your party at your place, but decided it would be too hard to get everypony in through the balcony.”

The thought of the pink pony plotting to break in didn’t put me at ease, but I shook it off. “Well, thank you for not doing that.” After a moment’s consideration, I continued. “And thank you for the party. It’s very, uh, nice.”

She beamed again by way of reply, and wandered off into the crowd of ponies. I looked around at the ponies gathered near me. They all appeared to be friends of Twilight, and I spotted Applejack standing to the side silently. Her and Rainbow Dash were eying each other coolly. Applejack turned to spare me a look and, with a frown, wandered away.

“Is there a bathroom somewhere?” I asked, turning to Twilight. “I’d like to try and dry my bandages. They’d do me no good soaked. My cloak too,” I said, with a glance at Rarity.

“You could dry this?” The white Unicorn asked, eying my wet cloak. It had created a small puddle on the floor over which it hung suspended. She tsked and levitated it closer to me. “You simply must show me that spell. If I spill anything on a dress I’m making, it would make my life so much easier.” Dresses. She made dresses then. I failed to see the connection with gemstones, but shrugged it off.

Fluttershy moved closer. “Bandages?” she timidly asked.

“It’s nothing,” I muttered, as Twilight gestured to the stairs.

“Second door on your left.”

I nodded as I enveloped my cloak with my own aura. “Thanks. There’s a book and two scrolls in my bags for you.” I pushed myself up and put a foreleg around Rainbow Dash’s neck. She tried to protest, but I jerked her forward. “Remember what I told you,” I muttered as I pulled her in the direction Applejack had gone in. “Just say what you need to say and get on with it. Just go find Applejack and apologize.” I released her and turned toward the stairs. She lingered for a moment before disappearing into the crowd of ponies in search of the orange Earth pony.

I limped up the stairs, and sure enough, the second door on the left lead to a bathroom. I entered, closing the door behind me, and took stock of the surprisingly large room. I flipped the lights on and hummed to myself. It was much bigger, and brighter, than my own. The bathtub, for some odd reason, sat in the middle of the room. A sink and mirror stood against the right wall and a toilet in the right back corner.

Levitating the cloak over the tub, I focused energy into it, and watched as water rained down. I increased the amount of power pouring into it until it seemed to be completely dry. Satisfied, I draped it over the rim of the tub and walked over to the mirror. My mane was a wild tangle, something I quickly solved with a little magic. Now I looked back at my tail, still filthy from its drag through the mud, and got to work.

It was a similar spell to the one I used to dry my cloak, but shifted the dirt and mud toward the tub rather than let it fall on the floor. I turned on the showerhead for a moment, letting it carry the filth down the drain and quickly shut it off.

Now I started to unwind the bandage around my right foreleg. The cut was mostly healed, and I decided I could do without the bandages. The wound wouldn’t reopen; it would take another injury to really do anything to it. I set the soggy bandages in a waste basket I noticed by the sink and turned my attention in turn to the gauze wrapped around my chest.

There was much more to dry, but after inspecting the three lines running down my left flank, I decided I didn’t really need them either. I could just wear my cloak again to hide them, for the most part anyway. It took longer to remove the bandages compared to the ones on my foreleg, but soon they joined the others in the basket. Now all that was left were the bandages wrapped around the back part of my flank and haunches. I hesitated, contemplating how to go about drying them. I had no choice; I would have to remove them first.

As I magically unwound them, I looked at myself in the mirror. My gaze lingered at the black glass over my right eye. Slowly, I removed it. I shuddered at my reflection and jerked my head away. I shut my left eye, and looked back at my right haunch. Here, the lines of magic my eye revealed pulsed; deep black, woven with thin white strands of my own magic.

The lines curved and twisted, bending in on themselves and intertwining. They obscured my coat with their dark gleam. It was as if they were aware of my looking at them, pulsing faster and growing larger. No, I was sure that they knew I was looking at them, and they were just taunting me now. Someday I’d find the right spell to break that, and when I did—

The door opened behind me and a pony peeked into the room. “Dusken, I just wanted to…” Fluttershy gasped and fully entered the bathroom. “Your eye! What happened to, oh my, what happened to your Cutie—“

I rounded on her, a grey aura enveloping her and the door, slamming it shut. Her, I slammed into the door once it closed. She squeaked as her head bounced off the wood, tucking her legs up to her chest as I lifted her off the ground. I quickly enveloped my black glass patch and cloak, while simultaneously drying the bandages previously wrapped around my haunches. Steam rose from them with a hiss as I used heat to drive the water out, not bothering to slowly and carefully squeeze it out; parts of the bandages were now singed. My cloak obscured my body as the bandages wrapped back around my haunches, and the black glass plate returned to my right eye, its straps securing it to my head.

“Whatever you think you saw, you didn’t,” I growled at the mewling Pegasus. “And if you tell anypony, I’ll—“ I choked on my threat as tears glistened in her terror filled eyes. I backed away, eyes widening in horror as I realized she glowed with a grey light. I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down. As the fury left me, so too did the color bleed from my aura, returning to an empty white.

I let her slide to the floor, where she sat with her hooves over her eyes, cowering. “I’m sorry,” I whispered hoarsely. She peeked around her hooves at me, still trembling. “I’m… I’m so, so sorry. I won’t hurt you.” I forced my eyes shut, tears of frustration leaking out. “I’m sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry.” I weakly stomped my right foreleg down, ignoring the dull ache in the leg. “I didn’t mean… I’m sorry.”

I withdrew my magic and sighed. My anger flared and I pounded a hoof into the side of my head. “Get out. Just… please don’t talk about anything you saw. I’ll be leaving soon.” I put my head down and waited for her to leave. I started thinking of what I could say to Princess Celestia. This assignment was just too much for me, and I needed to return to the palace. Maybe I could send a letter to Silverwing and he could send another chariot to bring me back. Within two days- not even a full day, the second, I had already snapped at a pony.

I sat down, my thoughts whirling, when I felt something brush the side of my face. I flinched back and saw Fluttershy standing before me, her hoof raised. Though her eyes still shone with tears, she smiled. “It’s okay,” she said quietly, putting her hoof on my shoulder. “I… I don’t know what happened to you, but you need help. I th-think you can get that help here. Please don’t go.” She moved closer and pulled me into a hug. I stood tense and shivering. “I forgive you.”

“Why?” I tried to pull back, but she held on. “You should hate me. I deserve to be hated. I just hurt you. Why are you forgiving me?”

“Because,” she mumbled into my mane. “Whatever you did, Rainbow Dash and Applejack aren’t fighting anymore. I think you’re a good pony, with p-problems you need help with. Twilight was right: you need a friend.”

The tension left my body and I slumped forward into her embrace. Her mane smelled of earth and flowers, just like the blanket she left me. How strange. My face is wet. I realized I was crying. My fury burned in my throat, but it was directed at myself instead of her now. I found acceptance and forgiveness in a mare I had just been ready to kill a couple of seconds ago. I had let rage taint my magic and nearly twist it into something dangerously lethal. A whimper escaped and she squeezed me tighter.

You’re pathetic. My thoughts raged, swirling with emotions I had grown all too familiar with. I clenched my jaw in anger. You’re weak, a fool. I fell back on my oldest habit: hating myself. In a strange way, it was comforting, as I had done nothing but hate myself for so long. It had seemed even longer ago since I had, but it came back easily now. **You’re* the Court Wizard? Those poor Alicorns didn’t know what they were doing. They should have just put you to death. You’re a weak, stunted, hateful little Unicorn with no right to life.*

I don’t know how long I sat there crying into her mane piteously. I silently raged at myself for the entire time, wishing I could just fade away. I lost track of how long I sat there, but eventually I ran out of tears. For my entire display, Fluttershy had been silent, stroking my mane or rubbing my back, and for that I was grateful. If she had tried to say anything, that would have only made things worse. This time when I tried to pull away, she let me.

Sniffling, I dried my eyes. Giving me a gentle smile, she spoke softly. “Do you feel better?”

I remained silent, eyes downcast. Nodding, I didn’t trust myself to speak. I didn’t think I could keep the scorn for myself out of my voice. The last thing I wanted to do was spurn the mare that had not only forgiven me after I harmed her, but offered me comfort. “Mhm.”

She dipped her head down, trying to catch my gaze, but I refused to meet it. “You’re n-not... not right, are you? Something happened to you.” She spoke so quietly, even in the silence of the bathroom I had to strain to hear her. “If you ever need somepony to talk to…” She must have seen the flicker of doubt that crossed my face, for she paused. “You can talk to me. Whatever you tell me, will stay between just us.”

I gave her a weary smile. “Thank you,” I said finally. My eyes drifted shut and I sighed, mentally kicking myself once more. I tugged at my cloak, ensuring it at least partially hid the cuts along my flank, and rose to my hooves. “They’ll wonder what happened if we don’t get back to the party soon.” With a nod at the door, I began to limp for it. Fluttershy followed in silence, and without another word, we descended down the staircase, returning to the party thrown for me.

I pushed the emotions I had let slip aside. I was whole once more; I was secured against myself. I wouldn’t lose control like that again; both my anger and my magic would remain in check. I gave myself one last mental kick, resisting the urge to slap myself, and forced my face blank.

Twilight sat on the couch I had previously occupied, my book levitating before her. She must have seen us out of the corner of her eye, as she lowered the book. She looked at me and frowned. “Where are the rest of your bandages?”

“They were soaked,” I said with a shrug. “And I didn’t need them; they were more trouble than they were worth.” I glanced around and realized Twilight was alone. Pinkie Pie was having an animated discussion with Rarity over at a buffet table of some kind, while Rainbow Dash and Applejack were apart from the crowd of ponies, talking in low voice.

“I don’t think that’s the best idea.” Twilight said stubbornly, causing me to roll my eyes. It’s not like she was going to force me to put new bandages on. Well, she could try anyway, but I still wouldn’t. Now I just felt like standing by my decision. But thankfully she dropped it, something I realized I had caused her to do several times already, and moved on. “This book is fascinating,” she declared, looking back into the pages. “Not only the subject matter, but the magic keeping it together.”

I nodded, suppressing a smile. “It covers a topic rarely discussed in other books, because it was never widely studied. Most ponies dismissed it as something frivolous; expending more energy for a little more results, but they were doing it wrong. A little bit of concentration and effort can go a long way with those techniques.” I bobbed my head once more, allowing myself a small smile. “That’s how I put the preservation spell on that book. Other similar spells envelope the object, while that one weaves through each individual page, from cover to cover.”

She cocked an eyebrow at me and smiled. Something in it told me she already secretly knew. “I was wondering how you managed to pull that off.” At my look of confusion, she laughed. “I recognized your magical aura on it. It’s very impressive; I hope you’ll teach it to me sometime.” She didn’t wait for an answer, but pressed on. “But what’s in these scrolls?” She nudged the two scrolls she laid next to her on the couch with a hoof. The bands were still in place, so I assumed she hadn’t read them yet.

“Two spells, of my own design.” I let a bit of pride creep into my voice. “The scroll with the ruby band is the drying spell I used for my cloak and bandages.” I noticed Fluttershy glance at my cloak and the bandages in question, frowning slightly. At her look, I coughed. “The spell can use force or heat to remove water from any material. Obviously, you need to change your approach based on what it is. Boiling your coat dry is obviously a bad idea.”

She nodded. “And the emerald scroll?”

“That one is a pet project of mine.” I looked at the scroll in question and sighed. “It creates a barrier that redirects force directed at it, away. It applies no impact to the object hitting it, but will either halt its motion and reflect it, or curve it away from the center of the barrier. I’ve just, uh, had some problems with it lately, and can’t quite work them out.”

“What’s wrong?” Twilight followed my gaze to the same scroll. She levitated it up and removed the band. She studied my writings inside and frowned. “I don’t recognize half of this.”

“It’s explained in the book,” I gestured at it. “I want to be able to shift its reactions, like a cord to pull to alter it, but it hasn’t panned out. I can make it nudge incoming objects aside, but have no control over where they go. For instance: I experimented with apples being tossed at me. I wanted them to hit the barrier, lose their momentum, and drop to the ground.” I unconsciously rubbed at my eyeglass. “When it hit the barrier, it accelerated and slammed into my ribs. Rather than losing momentum, it gained it. When I inversed it, it slowed to a stop, but shot back in the opposite direction with almost five times the force. It splattered against the guard I had helping me.” I chuckled at the memory. Silverwing had offered his assistance in my research, and left the study covered in bits of apple, plus a black eye when an apple hit him in the face. We had laughed about it later, after my frustration over my failure subsided.

A light gleamed in the lavender Unicorn’s eyes. “Then I’ll try to get it working. Just give me a few days to read this book and we can work on it together.”

That scroll had a critical error to it; the error being the spell would accelerate an object one way or the other. It would either slam the object into the target it was intended to shield, or the object would speed away as if fired from a cannon. So far, I had only managed to prevent the object from so violently repulsing, instead being tossed aside. But when I wanted the object to be gently set on the ground, it would still accelerate toward the center of the shield, which as often as not, was me.

Her eagerness was nothing short of adorable, I decided with a grin. I was like that when I was younger… which was odd, seeing as how I was younger than her. Not only had I asked questions, I had jumped at the chance to try out new magic. That eagerness had led to some painful blunders. But that wasn’t really a fair comparison; she hadn’t gone through half the torments I had faced, so she still possessed that desire to explore new spells. The urge to cast a memory wipe spell on myself was one I struggled with daily.

“Then that will be your first assignment,” I said with a smile. “We’ll see if between the two of us we can’t get it to stop being a danger to the user and everypony around them. I had wanted to use this spell out in the rain earlier, but my only choices were to fire off hyper accelerated drops of water in random directions, or make them pelt me like pebbles.”

Twilight giggled and I suddenly felt a hoof thrown across my neck. “Hey Dusken!” Rainbow Dash said cheerily.

“Dash,” I said warily. “What’s going on?”

She grinned and ruffled my mane. Why did she keep doing that? Was that becoming a thing with her? It better not become a thing. “I just wanted to say thanks for the, uh, pep talk.”

While I fixed my mane with a frown, Applejack walked over. “Ah wanted ta thank ya too, Dusken,” She said uncertainly, smiling tremulously. “Rainbow Dash told me what ya said ta her, and yer right. It was silly ‘o us ta let a lil ole thing like that get between two friends.”

I was slow to return her smile. “Well, I’m glad I was able to help then.”

The orange pony shifted her hooves slightly. “Ah gotta say, Ah was surprised when Ah found out you were tha one behind gettin’ Rainbow here ta talk things over.”

“Really?” My voice was dry and I frowned slightly. She acted as if I had given her reason to dislike me. That was all on her. “And I suppose I gave you cause to suspect I might do anything otherwise?”

She looked abashed and scratched her head, getting a chuckle from Rainbow Dash. “Well, when Ah first saw ya… well, ya got all those cuts an’ bandages an’ scars, plus yer eye thingy.” She hesitated, looking around her. I noticed Pinkie Pie and Rarity had joined us at some point, having seen their friends gathering once more. “Ya gave me a bad vibe’s all. Ah may have thought ya were, uh, not the friendliest pony around.”

I snorted at her, my tail flicking behind me. “Because I am absolutely a font of kindness. No, the only reason why I interfered is because of my own curiosity got the better of me.” I felt the mares stare at me and I flushed. “Er, the Elements of Harmony, arguing and bickering with one another, is a strange sight to see. I suspected something more major than a couple of ruined apples.”

Applejack narrowed her eyes at me, taking a step toward me. “Maybe Ah was right about you then,” she muttered darkly, head lowered.

“Maybe you were,” I said muttered back. “And my initial suspicions of you were spot on I can see.”

“Suspicions?!” She reared up and gazed at me in confusion. “What in the hay sort ‘o suspicions could you have about me?”

Her confusion was faintly amusing, but if I had to be honest, it was confusing to me as well. “That you make for an odd Element of Harmony.” I shrugged and frowned at her. “You’re a petty mare who fights with her friends over the smallest, most mundane—“

“Oh my,” Rarity suddenly declared, cutting me off. She coughed politely while Applejack stared at me dumbfounded, as did Rainbow Dash. “I’ve been meaning to ask, but whatever did happen to you dear?” She sought to change the subject for the sake of her friend, then. Well, let her, I was fine with that. “I didn’t want to put you on the spot but, well, seeing as how Applejack here already has, I’m simply curious.”

My face reddened and Rainbow Dash, after glancing from me to Applejack several times, squeezed my neck with her foreleg. “Yeah, what’s up? If somepony was messing with you, just tell me who it was and I’ll show em a thing or two!” Applejack continued to give me a surprised look, but her mouth remained shut.

“Oh, that’s alright,” Fluttershy mumbled sweetly, shuffling to stand between me and Applejack. “If you don’t want to talk about it, you don’t have to.” Twilight nodded in agreement. The timid Pegasus must have guessed it was far worse than an accident, but she was keeping my secret, it seemed. Perhaps she suspected that since I had reacted so violently to her seeing my other injuries, I would have been just as secretive about the others’ source.

All this sudden attention made me uncomfortable and I squirmed under Rainbow’s foreleg. The other ponies at the party continued on with their festivities, oblivious to the discussion taking part in their midst. “Well,” I cleared my throat, looking around with quick, darting glances. “There’s no harm in telling you all, I suppose. It’s not the nicest of tales though.”

“Alright!” Pinkie chimed in. “Story time!” She pulled me away from Rainbow Dash and dumped me on the couch next to Twilight. I resented being treated like a talking piece of luggage, but shrugged it off.

“It was maybe two weeks ago,” I began. “I had begged Celestia a chance to investigate the Everfree Forest on my own time. She had been hesitant, but Luna convinced her to let me go. I was hunting something… somepony, but I came across something else instead…”

I never understood why it was called the Everfree Forest. By its name, you would expect evergreen trees or something, but no. I could understand why the villages here called it “Everfree,” but not other ponies. The Everfree Forest was a refuge in truth, though a dangerous one. Ponies who acted outside of the laws put in place by the royal sisters often hid out here. There were always criminals, however few, and they needed somewhere to hide.

Like attracted like, however, and bands of outcasts came together. As often as not, they would form a community, one that accepted them for whatever they once were or had become. My own village had been founded by practitioners of dark magic. Fearing persecution, they fled into the forest hundreds of years ago. Back then, performing dark magic could get a pony ripped apart by an angry mob fueled by fear and ignorance. As time went on, the village attracted other practitioners of the forbidden arts, as well as social outcasts and misfits. A few murderers made their home there as well, and bent their ability to kill towards the defense of the village.

The Everfree Forest, a refuge to misunderstood ponies, was home to wicked creatures as well. Long before I was born, a stone wall had been built around the village, and cut down the casualties incurred from attacks and raids massively. Our foes were made up of not only the native creatures to this forest, many of which were frequently twisted by magic, but those very same ponies that warped the forest with their wild magic. For though my village practiced the spells called “dark magic” by the ignorant and afraid, we were careful not to let it grow out of our control. It was a means to an end; a tool to be used and a weapon to be wielded, and as such, it required skilled application to prevent disasters.

Not everypony shared our views. Ponies who became twisted by that magic hunted us. For them, the magic wasn’t a means to an end, it was the goal in and of itself; to gain more power their only further desire. They were cruel, little more than monsters, and were a danger to every living thing both within and without the forest.

A few weeks ago, Celestia had received reports of strange sightings along the forest’s edge. And not two days ago, some travelers vanished. Their companions spoke of shadowy Unicorns with strange magic and my decision was clear. I had to hunt these Unicorns, who hardly deserved to be called ponies, and destroy them. If possible, I’d rescue the travelers as well, but I wasn’t prepared to hold out on hope.

I had sent a letter to Silverwing, pardoning my absence at the palace for the next few days, as he was due to return on the morrow. Where ever he was, he must have found a Unicorn capable of teleporting letters as well, for he had replied within the hour. The letter read:

Dusken,

Don’t do anything reckless. Just wait for me and I’ll be back soon. We can go hunt these Unicorns together. I’ll bring some of the Vanguard along as well. These Unicorns sound too dangerous to face alone. Just stay put and wait.

Signed,

Captain Silverwing, of the Pegasus Aerial Vanguard.

But to wait would mean the already cold trail would grow colder. My quarry had two and a half day’s travel on me. My only hope was to catch a whiff of their magic and follow it to the source. I had worked on a spell to render their magic useless, and so long as I didn’t run into their leader, I could overpower a good number of them. I put my estimate at five; more than enough, since the reports had stated there were only three of the attacking Unicorns.

A sudden rustle pulled me from my thoughts. The trees of the Everfree Forest grew tall, as though their branches sought the sun. This left the winding paths beneath their boughs, created by who knows what, in permanent shadows. Shrubs and bushes grew wild along these trails. At some points, the lowest branches of the trees mingled with the tallest of the shrubbery, creating a solid wall of leaves and branches. It was from one of these walls that the rustling came.

I summoned my magic, legs spread apart in a solid stance, and lowered my head toward the greenery. “Whoever’s there, come out. Slowly now, I won’t hesitate to harm you.”

I expected a pony. At best, one of the ponies of the hidden villages, perhaps out scavenging, and just happening to stumble upon me. At worst, one of my targets had gotten the drop on me. I had left my eyeglass in the depths of my saddlebag. I had been looking out for any signs of magic, and still saw none. I readied my disarming spell when a sudden roar rattled my senses.

A black manticore burst through the leaves, snarling. Blood dripped from its muzzle, denoting a fresh kill. I banished all thoughts of my previous spell as the beast lunged at me. I used a different spell instead; my failed barrier had provided some insights into propelling an object or pony with some speed. I utilized this now, focusing a burst of force beneath me, springing to my right. The Manticore pounced where I had stood seconds ago, already turning its great shaggy head to follow.

I had encountered Manticores before, but none were quite this tall, nor so aggressive. Its front paws alone were almost the size of my torso, and its tail thrashed angrily. All Manticores possessed a scorpion-like tail, but this one had unusual sharp spines gleaming along its length, in addition to the longest at its tip. Black horns curled from its head, twisting slightly. My eye confirmed my suspicions: dark magic had warped the creature. Manticores might have been dangerous, but only when provoked. This one seemed to have been driven mad.

My thoughts were interrupted once more as it swept a paw at me, coming in from the left. So I ducked down and rolled to the left. I felt a sudden tug at my cloak and in a heartbeat, loosened it. It was ripped away, caught on one of the Manticore’s paws. It shook it off with an angry snort, and I watched it flutter to the ground. I quickly undid the clasps of my saddlebags and dropped them to the ground. Their weight could get me killed now.

I was breathing hard, unused to this much physical activity. My body was weak and small, totally unsuited for a fight without magic. I struggled not to start coughing, or I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop. I just had to put my weakness out of my mind and focus on the more important task of staying alive. But come to think of it, breathing was already becoming a challenge.

I decided I would get nowhere staying on the defensive, so I launched my own assault. A white streak stabbed down at the Manticore: a piercing spell. I noted with some small satisfaction it pierced the Manticore’s hide, drawing dark, brackish blood, but not very much.

The beast showed its annoyance with a roar and swiped at me again, from the right, aiming for my head. I jerked back, but my hind legs got tangled in my discarded saddlebag’s strap. The paw missed by a hair’s breadth, disturbing my mane with its passing. I rolled to the side, kicking my legs free, and stood just in time to see another swipe come my way, coming in from my left. I had no time to prepare a suitable defense, so I threw up a hastily made barrier. It shattered, of course, and the paw batted me aside, scraping along my flank.

I was flung into a nearby tree and felt the breath driven from my lungs at the impact. I slumped to the ground and shakily climbed to my hooves. The Manticore lunged forward, jaw open, and for a second, my vision was filled with gnashing teeth, rancid breath blowing hotly in my face. But I was ready this time. I focused another blast of force beneath me and to the right this time. The force blasted a hole in the tree trunk, but it threw me to safety. The Manticore’s jaw locked around the tree and its fangs sunk deep into the wood. That was too close.

I fell into a clumsy pile on the ground but regained my footing fast enough. A stab of pain shot through my side and I felt blood flow freely. I directed a flow of magic to the injury and felt a growing numbness spread through my side. The pain was distracting and if I paused to stop the bleeding, it may weaken me faster than the blood loss could. This was getting too much for me; I needed to end it now, and end it quickly. Any longer and I’d be too exhausted to continue. I readied another piercing spell, but held it in. I let its power grow and swell: I needed to make this next attack count for something more than a pinprick.

By now the Manticore had ripped its fangs free of the tree, taking a large chunk of wood with it. I swallowed my fear as I noticed the gouge was larger than my torso. Now more than ever it was obvious a single bite was instant death. The creature crushed the wood to splinters and spat it out in a gob of blood. It seemed the wood had cut its mouth. That gave me an idea. A foolishly reckless one, but I was running out of options. And time, I thought, as my flank continued to bleed. I needed to tend to that soon, or I was like to pass out, since I already felt light headed. But soon would only arrive after the Manticore was dead.

The Manticore seemed to have grown cautious, catching on to my method of dodging. It slowly circled around to my right. I staggered to the left, turning to face it. I continued to build up my energy, grateful for the time it was unintentionally giving me. We continued to eye each other when I suddenly stumbled, my left hind leg slipping in the mud my own blood was creating. The Manticore seized the opportunity to lunge forward, its right paw slashing down.

I didn’t get the chance to blow myself to the side, surprised by my fall and focused on building my energy as well. I tried to scurry back, but my right foreleg slid in the muck as well. I barked a curse and then blinding agony shot up my leg.

The Manticore’s paw crushed my right leg and I screamed. A single claw dug into the flesh, but the force and weight behind it caused the bone to give. It didn’t just give, it shattered. It felt like it broke into four pieces, all of them white hot agony. It was now or never I realized. My next action would decide whether I live or died; if I killed the beast or became its next meal.

As if gloating, the Manticore opened its jaws wide and roared, my leg still pinned beneath its paw. It leaned in to bite down and I struck. My horn flared brightly, stinging my own eyes, and a lance of white light shot from it, into the roof of the beast’s mouth.

The Manticore’s roar turned into a pain filled bellow, rising in pitch and volume. But my attack failed to piece the creature’s skull I realized bleakly. I ground my teeth and summoned every ounce of my strength, but that wouldn’t be enough. Instead, I drew on my hate. My anger, pain, and fear lent my magic strength. The lance grew darker, rapidly darkening to black, and grew in intensity and strength. It finally punched through the thick bone of the Manticore’s skull.

It continued to roar in pain and fury, so I continued to pour on my magic. I flooded its skull with burning energy, while the Manticore continued to soak me with bloody spittle flying from its open maw. I ground my teeth so hard I thought they’d crack and gave one final push of energy. Pressure and heat rapidly built up within the raging beast’s skull. There was a second’s warning before it happened. Its head seemed to expand, its eyes bulge obscenely as the unnatural pressure inside its skull reached its peak. And with a sickening pop, its head exploded.

Bone and bits of charred brain showered me, and I was blinded by a wash of blood. By luck or fate, the Manticore jerked backwards with such force it toppled over, rather than crush me beneath its dead bulk. It landed with a thunderous crash, kicking up dirt and dust into the air. I bounced at its impact, jarring my ruined leg and setting off another flash of agony in my head.

I almost passed out then and there, but clung to consciousness like a drowning pony clung to drift wood. I mustered what little energy I had left and focused on my wounds. For my flank, I used a searing spell, burning the injury shut. I screamed in pain once again, the agony overcoming the light numbing spell I had put in place, and panted for breath. The next part would be harder. Now I shifted my focus to my mangled leg lying before me. The shin bone was broken into several pieces now, but my knee was thankfully unbroken. The cut was now sealed shut like the last, but I had started to go numb. I was able to bite down my scream as I realized I was running out of time.

“Dusken!” A voice cried out, distant and distorted.

I shook my head to clear away the fantasies. I was probably going into shock I realized. My body might be able to survive once I slipped into sleep, the smell of the Manticore driving off other beasts, and my hasty patchwork enough to keep me from bleeding to death. I channeled magic into my leg and let out another scream. The bones ground against each other, slowly reassembling into their original shape. I worked a restoration spell, my vision darkening, and felt the bones knit. It was a tenuous bond at best, but it would serve. I wouldn’t need to worry about shifting them in my sleep and worsening the damage at least.

“Dusken!” The voice was closer now. Suddenly a pony slammed to the ground before me, white hooves inches from my face. “Celestia be good, Dusken, are you alright? Are you alive?!”

I craned my neck, struggling to keep it up. Silverwing stood over me, his helmet gone, blue mane in wild disarray. His eyes were wide and wild, his breathing quick. I noticed sweat shining on his coat, his wings spread and trembling. Behind him, I could see two more Pegasi landing, wearing their shining golden armor.

“Silverwing,” I croaked weakly, my strength fading. “How… how did you find me?”

He shook his head. “Save your strength, stop talking.” Though he appeared relieved I had answered him, he was still concerned. He looked at my exposed right eye for a moment but made no comment. “Just stay there, don’t move,” he ordered, turning to look back at the two Pegasi soldiers. “Bring some gauze, now!” he barked. “We need to get him out of here right away!”

I let my head fall to the ground and breathed out. I felt one of the guards touch my flank, something soft wrapping around it.

“My… cloak,” I murmured.”Bags.”

Silverwing nodded. “I’ll get them,” he assured. “Just don’t move, don’t talk.”

His hooves left my vision and trotted off. I heard the two soldiers talk quietly, quickly, as they saw to my wounds, but I couldn’t keep track of anything they said. My senses failed me and I drifted through darkness, finally slipping out of the waking world.

“I woke up in the Canterlot hospital three days later, my wounds bandaged and riddled with infection,” I concluded. “Captain Silverwing had sent out his squads to comb as much of the forest as possible. It was only luck that he was near enough to hear the fight. If he hadn’t, I likely would have died. That,” I indicated my injuries, “is where these came from.”

The six mares gathered around me were silent, their expressions varied. Fluttershy looked at me with unconcealed horror, while Twilight’s face was blank as she seemed to mull over what I had said. Rainbow Dash’s eyes were wide and her mouth partially open, while Applejack’s jaw was hanging open, her eyes like saucers. Pinkie Pie looked saddened, while Rarity’s face was slack with shock.

Ponies had slowly started to trickle out of the shop as I told my story. At some point during the story, the shop had emptied, a few ponies paused to thank Pinkie Pie on their way out for the party invitation, or to wish me a last welcome. Outside, the storm intensified, occasional rumbles of thunder shaking the lights and causing them to flicker. I nervously shifted, awaiting a response.

Finally, Twilight broke the silence. “That was, um…” She paused, searching for words. “Wow,” she decided.

“Wow,” Pinkie Pie echoed quietly.

Fluttershy placed a hoof on my upper flank and smiled sadly. Rarity’s brow furrowed with confusion. “You grew up in the Everfree Forest?” the white Unicorn asked. “I had no idea ponies lived there.”

Applejack cleared her throat. “Ah, uh… Ah never woulda tacked you up fer bein so… dangerous.” She stared at me uncertainly, frowning. “Uh, ‘scuse me.” She trotted away, vanishing beyond my sight, limited as it was by the encircling ponies and couch.

“A Manticore, huh?” Rainbow Dash ventured. “I think that might have been a little much even for me. I was wrong about you, even though you’re still small, if somepony messed with you, you wouldn’t need my help.”

“You said you had experience with dark magic,” Twilight said. “You also said your magic changed during the fight, turning black and gaining strength. Is that what dark magic is?”

“Yes and no,” I said slowly. “Dark magic is initially influenced by emotions; chief amongst them are fear, anger, sorrow, regret, and hate. They all have raw elemental power attached to them, and if you infuse that into normal magic, that is technically dark magic, though only a hint of it. Real dark magic is…” I made a vague gesture with my hoof. “Grander. It does things on a larger level, and more efficiently than regular magic. If it’s all you use, it taints you. And if you don’t let it corrupt you, it hurts you eventually. Like it grows tired of you resisting it, so it simply decides to break you. I rarely use true dark magic for fear of the backlash, but using it supplementary to regular magic is a great deal safer.”

Twilight nodded quickly, looking thoughtful. Rarity touched my cloak suddenly. “Why were you so concerned over your cloak?” She looked thoughtful as well.

The nature of the question took me by surprise. “Uh, well,” I stammered. “It was my mother’s.” I shifted on the couch uncomfortably. “It’s all I have left of her, since she died before I ever really knew her. There were, um, birth complications.”

“Oh my,” Rarity said softly, still inspecting the piece of clothing. “Well, if you ever need me to, I’ll gladly patch it up for you.” I nodded in gratitude, but she continued. “And why were you worried about your bags as well?”

That question I was more comfortable with answering, if only a little. “I thought I had found some pieces of evidence for the Unicorns I was hunting. They all turned out to be worthless, and told me nothing. In the end, my little trip only got me injured and wasted my time.”

She nodded, a hoof to her chin. “And what about your eye? Why do you wear that glass?”

I gave her a level stare and frowned. “Pass.”

She sighed and shrugged, sitting down on the couch. “Fair enough.” She had stopped frowning at me now, but instead gave me curious looks.

Any further questioning was interrupted by my stomach rumbling. I hadn’t even noticed, but I had skipped lunch after all. I couldn’t see any clock on the wall, so I assumed it was now some time past noon. Before I could ask, a muffin was shoved into my hooves. “Eat,” Pinkie Pie ordered cheerily. “You didn’t even try any of the cupcakes I made for your party.” She looked saddened by that, but perked back up. “You’ll just have to try them some other time then.”

While I ate my muffin, blueberry, I noted, Fluttershy finally spoke. “How did you crack your horn and s-scar your nose though?” she asked meekly.

I forgot about my horn sometimes, as well as my nose. “While I was training in dark magic, I had many accidents. They were the results of some of those accidents.” I chuckled faintly. “I was so relieved that my horn didn’t break off, and I was even more relieved that it didn’t impact my magic at all.” I raised a hoof to my nose and rubbed. “The scar is from an orb I overloaded. A Sight Far Seeing spell, but I had put too much power into it. The glass sphere exploded and a piece of glass sliced my muzzle up. The flat side of the glass hit my forehead, so it just bounced off, not cutting up the rest of my face.

She nodded silently, not pressing the question of my horn. Pinkie Pie suddenly gave an exaggerated yawn. “It’s getting late,” Twilight noted aloud.

“Late?” I muttered. “It can’t be that late.”

The lavender Unicorn nodded. “You got here almost three hours late, vanished upstairs for another hour, and then you told that story…” She gave Pinkie a glance. “Then again, she did put most of this together by herself, so she’s probably just tired.”

Pinkie Pie bounced in place. “Oh, I’m not that tired,” she insisted, pausing to yawn again.

Streamers hung from the ceiling, balloons littered the floor, and baked goods sat out on tables, some wrappers lying around as well. I was surprised by how much work she had put into preparing my party. I felt a little bad for not really enjoying it. Twilight’s words surprised me though; I hadn’t thought I had taken that long to get here, nor had I spent so much time upstairs. Time flies when you’re being miserable I guess.

“I’ll help you clean up.” I offered, getting up off of the couch.

Pinkie Pie beamed while Rarity smiled. “We could all probably help clean up,” the white Unicorn declared.

Pinkie produced bags from somewhere and we got to work, stuffing streamers and deflated balloons into them. Inflated balloons needed to be popped first. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy tossed down streamers and the occasional balloon lodged up amongst the rafters down to the Pinkie Pie and Applejack, who as it turned out, had wandered away and begun cleaning up on her own. Rarity, Twilight, and I focused on clearing up the tables, levitating the stacks of wrappers, decorations, and uneaten food into larger bags, as well as anything on the floor the Earth ponies missed.

While I shoved a stack of wrappers and cupcake bits into a bag, I looked at Twilight. “Does Pinkie run this store?”

The lavender Unicorn shook her head, clearing off another table. “She lives here with Mr. and Mrs. Cake, and helps them around the shop with baking or selling. I think she said they were in Canterlot for a couple days visiting some family.”

That made sense. Pinkie Pie didn’t exactly seem like she was capable of running a shop by herself, but as an assistant, I could believe that. I turned back to the task at hand and swept another table clear. We worked for about an hour, clearing through the preposterous amounts of party décor and confections, all laid out by a single pony. Between sweeping garbage off of tables and struggling to comprehend how Pinkie had been able to set everything up by herself, I watched the mares around me- two in particular.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash frequently chatted, whatever the topic was I couldn’t say, and laughed. They appeared to be getting along much better than they had earlier. I found the whole situation strange. I watched them share another chuckle, and it dawned on me; they must have been a couple. Their argument must have had more depth to it, being a lovers’ quarrel, since I refused to believe the two mares were just so ornery as to blow such a relatively small thing out of proportion.

But then again, from what I could tell, Rainbow Dash was always trying to get into an argument, usually when she had to do something she didn’t want to do, or when she was uncomfortable. What if her feelings for Applejack were unreturned and she chose to argue rather than confess her feelings for the orange pony?

Well, that was her problem I decided. I helped settle an argument between the two, I wasn’t about to dabble in romance. I didn’t even know the first thing to romance, really. I steeled my resolve to not care. While I was mulling over the implications of their relationship, I half heard Twilight mutter something behind me.

“Huh?” I turned to the Unicorn. “Sorry, did you say something?”

She gave me a small frown and shook her head. “I said it was getting late, see?” She pointed at a clock on the wall. 7:18 P.M. That surprised me as well. “Time flies when you’re having fun.” She said, picking up on my reaction.

Funny, I thought. I was thinking more the opposite. “I guess so.” I said instead. The distant rumble of thunder filled the pause. “How long can this storm keep up?”

Hearing my question, Rarity trotted over. “It is rather ridiculous, isn’t it? Well, don’t worry dear, I’m sure the Pegasi will get it under control.” She gave Rainbow Dash a thoughtful glance. “Eventually.”

“Should she be out there, then?” I asked, following her look. Rainbow Dash now spoke to Pinkie Pie, the two of them laughing. “Helping with the storm, I mean.”

Now Twilight spoke. “Not at night. She mostly only works in the morning and around noon. I think the Pegasi will just let this storm run its course. It shouldn’t be going on much longer.”

Another rumble followed her words, as a flash of lightning lit up the sky outside the windows. I sighed and shook my head. “I should be getting back home.” I looked outside mournfully. I didn’t look forward to limping home in the rain again. “There’s work I need to do, and it wouldn’t hurt if I sent out a letter or two.”

Rarity looked aghast, stealing a glance out the window, but Twilight nodded. She understood the urge to get work done. “If you wait a while, it might let up a bit,” she offered, but I shook my head.

“Or it could just get worse. I don’t really want to risk walking home in total darkness, with it raining even harder than it is now.”

“It’s just dreadful outside,” Rarity said extravagantly. I was expecting an argument, but she shrugged and tossed her mane. “But if you want to go, we won’t stop you.”

“Thanks, then.” I levitated my saddlebag from its spot next to the couch. It was empty save for about 7 bits bouncing around at the bottom. “Hang on to the book as long as you need it, Twilight. You can keep the scrolls.”

As Twilight thanked me and made assurances the book would be in hood hooves, Pinkie Pie bounced up to me. “You’re leaving?” She gave me a searching look with large, sad eyes.

“I’m afraid so, Pinkie.” I chuckled. “Thank you for the party. It was… nice.”

I turned away from the party pony as she began babbling excitedly about another party. I was only half listening, nodding to whatever it is she said. I waved goodbye to Fluttershy, Applejack and, Rainbow Dash, and was headed for the door when something nudged my shoulder. Rainbow Dash had flitted over to me and now hovered at my side.

“You’re leaving now?” She shot a glance out the window and frowned. “You’ll get soaked and you can barely walk.”

“That’s a bit of an overstatement,” I said with a snort. “I can walk fine, I just need to walk a bit slower. I’ll be fine.”

As I knew she would, she protested. “Just let me fly you, if you’re going to be so stubborn. It’ll be a cinch!”

“Pretty sure I already said no,” I said with a frown. “I don’t really like flying.”

Strangely, she looked back at Applejack, then back at me. “Then let me walk you home.”

Taken aback, I paused. “No, no that’s alright,” I said with a faint smile. “No need to get soaked too. You just stay here with, um, Applejack, and I’ll be on my way.”

Anger flashing in her eyes, she squinted at me. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

I shook my head and backed up. I didn’t want to get dragged into anything, eager to leave. “Nothing,” I said quickly, easing the door open. “I’ll see you around, Dash.”

“Wait,” she protested, but I let the door swing shut, cutting her off.

Outside, rain came down in a torrent, the wind whipping it sideways. I immediately regretted stepping out into the storm, but I already made my decision. Besides, I’d look like an idiot if I stumbled back inside. Tugging my hood up, I turned my head down, and started walking.

The streets were empty, as would be expected, and were dark. Occasionally, light streamed out the window of a building and cast a pool of light on the ground. Every now and then I glimpsed movement within, as ponies went about their business behind closed doors. My cloak was already soaked, as was my coat, so I picked up my pace, ignoring my sore right hind leg. To my annoyance, I started to shake. The rain was freezing and the blustery wind did nothing to help.

Teeth chattering, I looked up at the dark sky. I could see neither stars nor the moon. Lightning lit up the sky for a second and burned its image into my eyes. I looked back to the ground, eyes shut to try and get my night vision back, but I could see the streak of light behind my eyelids still. Feeling foolish stumbling through the storm with my eyes closed, I looked up, thankfully able to see once more- which was precious little in the gloom and rain.

I stumbled through the streets nearly blind. But I had memorized the path when I walked it earlier. It took me some time, as well as pausing at a few streets trying to remember the correct path, but I made my way back to the dirt path of my house. Of course, in this rain, it was a mire of mud, more a bog than a proper walkway. My hooves made loud squelching noises as I walked, nearly wading through the thick soup of earth. I was turning a bend; the one Rainbow Dash hit me at, I thought, when I paused. I felt a tingling sensation in my skull, one I hadn’t felt for a long time. Dark magic was being worked nearby.

I glanced about, when something caught my eye. Beyond the path, something shone weakly in the distance. It was a dark yellow light, glittering through the rain and darkness. Curious, I trod off the dirt path. Aside from the few patches of trees, a field surrounded my house. That field was unpleasant to walk through as well, but the grass prevented the dirt from becoming a thick slurry of mud like my path had become. Stumbling over the uneven terrain, I frowned. What was causing this light? Only then did I realize it danced at the edge of the Everfree Forest.

Trepidation and fear shot through me, and my chest felt tight. But I kept walking. I had to see this through. The distance between the light and I dwindled, and I drew on my magic. It was a comforting action. One that may mean the difference between life and death, the thought sprung up, but I hurriedly buried it. I was frightened enough, I didn’t need to psych myself out too.

“Dusken.” I stopped, shaking not only because of the cold now. The voice was like a death rattle, pried from the throat of something long dead. “It’s been a long time.”

I swallowed, but steeled myself. “Who are you?”

The yellow light went out. In its place, two burning blue orbs floated, roughly at eye level of a normal sized pony. They were set in the skull of something withered, its coat black, flesh peeling and cracked. Above the blue orbs a black horn, twisted and crooked, jutted. A tattered mane whipped in the howling wind, frayed and dark grey, almost as black as the creature’s coat. Memories I thought I had buried sprang to life and shakes wracked my body.

“You’re back,” the voice hissed. It wasn’t a question, so far as I could tell. It was deadpan, lacking inflection. “You should leave. Now.”

I continued to quake, my knees threatening to give out, yet I shook my head. “I c-can’t.” My voice quavered, I struggled to keep it steady. “P-Princess Celestia t-told me to teacher her s-s-student. I’m n-not leaving until it’s d-done.”

Amusement twinkled in the abomination’s unnatural gaze. “Foolish as ever, my child,” it whispered.

I whipped my head back and forth once more. “You’re no m-mother to me, Viker.”

The pony grinned at her name, revealing long fangs, some chipped and broken, but all sharp. “If the other Shades learn of your presence, you know what they will do to you.” Her grin widened, showing off more of her wicked teeth. “They’ll tear you apart.” She bit down on the last word, accentuating her words with an audible click.

I shook my head again, though I was shaking so badly I couldn’t tell if it was on purpose anymore. “I’ll find them,” I chattered. “I’ll k-kill them.”

From behind me, I heard a voice call out. “Dusken!”

I quickly shot a glance back, but could see nothing beyond the driving rain. A dry chuckle drew my eyes back to Viker. She continued to grin, her eyes still danced with amusement. “It seems you have a friend looking for you.” She began to slip back into the inky blackness of the woods. “I suggest you leave, before anything else starts looking for you.” A hissing rattle- a laugh, I realized, drifted from the darkness.

“W-wait!” I cried, causing the Shade to halt. Her eyes were the only thing visible about her. “W-what about the E-Element of Chaos?”

The eyes narrowed and she hissed. “It is none of your concern,” she rasped, irritated. “Just leave.”

Her eyes of blue fire were the only thing visible for several moments, but eventually they too vanished- suddenly, as she must have turned around. My mind was filled with images of her hiding her eyes, turning back to come after me, despite her warnings to leave. I had betrayed her, and there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that she would have forgotten it.

“Dusken!” Suddenly, Rainbow Dash was there, a wing draped across my back. “Sweet Celestia, what was that? I wanted to make sure you got home okay, but I saw this yellow light, and when I followed it, there was that… there were those eyes.” She put a hoof on my shoulder and gave me a shake. “Dusken?”

My teeth chattered so badly I could barely speak. “Home,” I struggled to say. “T-tower.” I started to turn, but felt hooves wrap around my torso. Suddenly I was in the air, dangling, shaking, in Rainbow Dash’s grip.

Fear must have lent the already agile Pegasus greater speed, as we hovered before my tower in an instant. She tried to shoulder the door open, but bounced off. “It won’t open!” she cried in frustration. I haltingly leveled my horn at the door, and willed it unlocked. She must have seen the weak glow of my horn or the barrier, for she barged inside immediately.

She tried to set me on the ground, but my legs gave out, spilling me to the floor in a trembling pile. “L-lock it,” I mumbled, pointing at the door. “On the table.” Rainbow understood, and kicked the door shut. She grabbed the key between her teeth and jammed it into the lock, giving it such a savage twist I feared it might break off. But it held and the door locked with a click. A stronger shiver made its way through my body as I remembered Viker’s teeth. Though my body was weak and quaking, my mind was still strong, so I mustered the strength to put another locking spell on the door. I desperately poured my strength into it. If something wanted to get in, it would have just as much luck battering through the walls as the door. At the very least, the lock would delay a Shade;  I held no illusions that they couldn’t work out how to dispel my magic.

Rainbow scooped me up once again and winged up the stairs, pausing to glance about the dark library, before continuing on up. At my room, she dumped me into the bed, yanking my sodden cloak from my neck, and bundled me into the blanket Fluttershy had left earlier. I didn’t care that I was soaked and muddy, that I would need to clean the bed later was the last thing on my mind.

The Pegasus looked around my room quickly, pausing to look in the chest for a moment before letting the lid fall with a thud. She checked a dresser that stood against a wall but didn’t find whatever she was looking for. “I’ll be right back,” Rainbow Dash said before darting back down the stairs. I heard her looking around in the library, for a moment, before the sounds of her search grew fainter as she moved down to the first floor.

I turned my attention to the door of my balcony and shuddered. I reinforced the locking spell on it, strengthening the door and glass both to the same hardness as stone, perhaps harder. I gazed out the window into the darkness and felt a surge of fear. All I could picture was Viker’s eyes of blue fire looking in at me from the forest. I levitated my cloak off the floor and, using two hooks for a curtain rod I didn’t have, hung it over the window.

A light made its way up the stairs, causing me to jump. It revealed itself to be a lit candle in a brass holder, held carefully in Rainbow Dash’s mouth. I had no idea there were even candles in the house, but she had found one, matches as well I assumed. She set it down on the nightstand beside the bed and looked at me with indecision. With a nod to herself, she rolled me onto my opposite side so I now faced her, before wriggling down into the blankets and wrapping her forelegs around me. Through the haze in my mind, I realized she was keeping me warm with her own body heat.

“Dash,” I croaked weakly.

She looked down at me, pink eyes betraying the fear her voice gave no sign of. “What?”

I rested my head against her damp chest, finding strange comfort in her presence. “Please don’t leave.”

She nodded, giving me a squeeze. “I won’t,” she assured. “I’ll keep you safe.”

I tried to feel comforted by her words, but couldn’t. I knew deep down, if Viker wanted to get to me, no amount of spells, or locked doors, or hanging cloaks would keep her out. I nodded against the Pegasus’s chest, still shivering, and closed my eyes. This was the closest I had ever gotten to a pony in… I couldn’t remember how long. I couldn’t even recall physical contact with any living creature that had lasted this long.

I don’t know what disturbed me more: the risk of an ancient abomination that defied death brutally killing me in my sleep, my current situation in which a foreign mare was holding me, or the fact I wasn’t driving her away. Deep down I knew I should; I couldn’t afford any weakness now, not with the Shades so close. Yet I couldn’t bring myself to.

“Dusken?” Rainbow Dash whispered down to me.

I tilted my head up, my right eye flickering open behind its lens as my left was pressed against her coat. “Hmm?”

Her gaze lingered on my lens before shifting to the window obscured by my cloak. “What was that?”

A shiver ran through me, though by now I was quite warm. I let my head slide back down, still resting on her chest. I could hear, even feel, her heart thudding. It was fast, frantic. “Nothing,” I mumbled, exhaling into her fur. “It’s gone now.”

I tried to convince her it was safe, to ease her fear. Or maybe I was trying to fool myself. Either way, I felt her nod, her chin coming to rest above my horn. She mumbled something contended and soon fell silent. Her heart slowed; her breathing shortly becoming deep and regular. I was awed by her ability to fall asleep so quickly. Perhaps I truly had soothed her.

But I couldn’t believe the empty words I had spoken. Fear crushed my chest, constricted my throat. There was a knot in my stomach that would not come undone. Outside thunder crashed, and I wrapped my forelegs around her torso, screwing my eyes shut. Rain pattered on the roof above, a constant, unending rhythm.

As we lay there, clinging to each other, her lightly snoring into my mane, me trembling, a realization dawned on me. The ponies of this village were naïve and innocent. I opened my eyes to peer at Rainbow. I couldn’t let the Shades bring their horror here. Princess Celestia had given me an assignment, but now it seemed so much more important for reasons other than a means to revenge. I couldn’t let these ponies be hurt. Not Twilight and her endless questions, not Rarity and her odd stares, not Pinkie Pie and her endless babble, not Fluttershy, despite the secrets she knew, not even Applejack, though she was standoffish and likely desired nothing more than my departure. And certainly not the mare who lied next to me, who had unknowingly risked life and limb to see if I had safely made it home through the storm.

My mind churned as I thought up my new plan. Simple revenge was no longer good enough. I needed to ensure the Shade’s utter destruction, or at the very least, purge them from the Everfree Forest and their close proximity to Ponyville. I had to remove the Element of Chaos from their possession, and safely deliver it to Princess Celestia. But soon my thoughts grew sluggish and my eyelids heavy.

As I, too, drifted to sleep, my last thoughts were of blue fires, and how to quench them permanently.