"So Pinkie, any ideas what an amazing prank we should pull on these two?" Rainbow Dash asked while she and pink demon, (commonly known as Pinkie Pie,) were currently hiding inside of a small bush, in front of the newest addition to Ponyville. Namely stone tower of druid kin, and what a building it is, higher than biggest trees of Everfree with a roof in a shape of one and with a pair of caves under it, ba it even have a hot springs next to it. Wider than 'Golden Oak Library' only it is straight directed into sky. Made completely from a single rock that was now so much covered by plants that are so dense that you are unable to say what color of original stone is located beneath them, with the exception of the big, sometimes round, sometimes square windows that are the only guidance that this is actually someones home, as doors stayed invisible for anyone who don't know where to look for them, (being they are also covered in plants and fact they are made from beech wood isn't very helping, even handle is wooden, only it is made from hornbeam) and that it is only outside of the structure.

"Nopie dopie lokie." Said very excited, (like on her standard normal,) Pinkie Pie.

"Shush then we must think about something before they will wake up." At this Rainbow started to tap on her chin with her hoof, quickly followed by Pinkie. "Ichy powder?"

Pinkie quickly shook her head "Noper last portion we used on Rose's bed besides they are already sleeping and could wake before we even prank them properly."

Rainbow throwed her hooves into air with angry "Gah* We have used to have so many good ideas until now so why we can't find anything good enough to use on them?"

"What are we hiding from guys?" Asked spirit wolves Alpha who have quietly crept into bush behind Rainbow.

Rainbow answered too focused on what prank they should made, while Pinkie was focused on taping Rainbow's arm to tell her that they have a guest, "Pinkie don't ask stupid questions, we're here to make some mega awesome prank on the Nightmare Moon and this Druid fella to properly introduce them into Ponyville's community hab..." She couldn't finish as because of constant jabbing she finally turned toward Pinkie, only to look dead center into pair of multicolored eyes of wolf.

Rainbow only reaction was: "GHAAAAAAAAA" and startled jump into air, "Whoah dude don't do that. You want to kill me?"

That statement was enough to put spirit wolf known from her calm mind into small confusion, "Why would I want to do that? Don't you know that we are hereby forbidden to eat anything that has an aura?"

"What? No! I mean don't scare me like that." Rainbow sputtered. "And what the hay is this aura?"

"Ahh sorry about that, I try not to do that too often." She send Rainbow a mischievous smile. "And about aura. Honestly I don't know that myself, it's just that when someone links his or her soul with His there occurs phenomenon of feedback between abilities of the linked souls. So after about a week from the day that he took us into his herd we were gifted with a... skill yeah let's call it skill to see this light around creatures that also have souls of their own, or that's how He had defined this." She finished before she started to scratch herself behind her ear.

And of course what is reaction of rainbow maned pegasus? She looks dumbstrucked into Alpha's eyes before she say: "Whaaaa? All I've got was only soul mumbo jumbo and some light."

With her words Dash was able to get very mighty sigh from Alpha and when she was about to put it into simpler words when surprisingly she get help from very unpredictable source. "Oh silly Dashie it's simple when you becomes Druids friend he gives you this super power to see this very beauty colors around everypony that can show you even better how everypony is so special and how he don't even need a cutie mark to be special on his own and that is so cool 'cause not everypony have cutie mark like for example minotaurs or griffins or many others creatures and you still are able to distinguish them between each other if I could have this power I would be able to give them this super big party for anypony to celebrate their aura's it would be something like second birthday as of everypony has them and everypony could get this party See how easy this is?" Pinkie finished with one of her biggest grins.

"Oohh is that right?"

"Yeah something like that. Anyway before you bombarded my ears you were talking about some prank, weren't you?"

On that Rainbow began to profusely sweating and her eyes started to dangerously move to the sides. "Umm... Yes?" She asked uncertain.

That was all that Alpha needed, she smirked evilly before she said: "Great so when do we start?"

Of course first think that showed on the muzzles of ponies was mild confusion, but it quickly transformed into most evil grins that the land of Equestria ever saw. "Whenever you're ready." They answered in sync.

Alpha only chuckled on pones antics. "Then better listen 'cause the pranks that I have already made for them, if we are lucky may even went to history of best. So there is the plan." And when the ponies get enough close to her she whispered her plan to them. When she finished they were already hollering on the ground unable to contain their laughter.

"You know, when you first time offered me an open pass into yours dreams I was expecting something much... Darker considering my first visit into your mind, not..." I took a look around, I was standing on the wall of the powerful fortress, that was surrounded by snow and smaller mountains and just like (I recently get to know) Canterlot, it was located on the edge of the majestic mountain. "... This." I said to my companion who was back to his bipedal form.

And then he just looked on me and started to laugh, "Heh sorry to disappoint you but for over two years I haven't had a single nightmare and I really doubt that they will just start to pop out in any near future." He replied and showed me this charming smile of his that I got used to see recently.

I looked straight into his magnificent blue eyes, before I put off this one question that tormented me from the very beginning of this dream. "So will you be so nice to tell me exactly where are we? Because I know, that this place can't anywhere in Equestria."

He just shrugged, "Sure. This fortress on with wall we stand currently is Harrogath, the great and proud city of Barbarian Tribes, the mountain on with it is located is called Arreat." In this moment I saw deep melancholy on his face, "Ironically this city is at the same time first and the last longer stop of my journey, as it is here that after my travel from Scosglen I studied about Druids ancestors and it is exactly the inside of this mountain that is become my grave." He then shed single tear. "But still I believe that the sight from this place is one of the greatest things that I ever experienced." It is then when he finished that I saw that all sadness was replaced with mirth of happy memories.

"Yes I must admit that the view is really breathtaking, but I also noticed that this place looks just plain empty. Where is everypony?" I asked him.

"Nowhere this dream is about place not its inhabitants. If you want I will show you them next time but for now I fear that it's time to return to the real world,"He then smirked, "no matter how impossible it is looking for me compared to this one." He said before I noticed waves of dreamspaces signaling end of the dream.

I woke up to be greeted by the same joyful look on this sapphire eyes that minutes ago leaved me in the dream space. Only this time they were slitted and owner of the eyes was trying to suppress a laugh.

I raised single brow, "Ok, or there's something on my face, or you just went crazy."

I saw him snickering before he finally said: "You know like on some dark entity, you are quite bright don't you agree?" And before I could ask him what he had meant by that he showed me my reflection into mirror.

I was shocked by what had I saw, from the inside of this reflecting object I was watched by different alicorn than normally, granted she had the same blue, eternal mane and tail as I, the same smug silhouette and most important the very same eyes. But her coat wasn't black, it was pristine white like those of my sister Celestia, only little dimmer.

When I finally embraced what happened to me, I've done the only possible thing that respecting herself mare could do. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!" I screamed.

"My wonderful dark coat is gone! How am I supposed to show myself to my precious night looking like that? Who had dared to do something so monstrous to me!" Then I was stopped by a gentle jab from a hollowed hoof.

"The same way I will. Just take a shower and I'm sure that effects of this prank will disappear in a flash, just like mine." Druid began to reassure me.

"So you are telling me that this is just a prank?"

"Yup."

"And not some revenge?"

"Not even the slightest, we were just challenged into battle on pranks and trust me when someone challenges me into one my reply is always a big one. But we must wait for now as it is obvious that this pranksters right now will be ready. No we must strike when they won't be expecting anything." He finished with a evil grin that I returned.

"But as for now go get a shower and I will make our breakfast, after all we need energy to plan next move."

I was walking through the crowded market of Ponyville wondering what kind of prank would be best revenge against this three little pranksters that got us yesterday. 'I could probably sent Rainbow on a full course through the spa plus some dress from Rarity would made her suffer enough to be even, but what the hell I should do to Pinkie and Alpha they are unpredictable so there is almost nothing that can make them pay for they prank. What do, what do?' Until my thought were abruptly stopped by very strange scene.

Before me I saw a creature that mostly resembled an eagle but was also much bigger plus I don't remember for eagles to have back side of a lion. If not the fact that no one else was reacting on this sight before him, as well the obvious lack of corruption in this creature aura I would assume that it was some demon, like the cursed vultures from surroundings of Lut' Gholein that swarmed us every night outside the city.

As I was getting back my composure I noticed that her tail, (it easy to recognize sex of any creature, (as long as it have any,) when you are druid,) has stolen one of the bitter apples that ponies use mostly for hard cider and when she bite it she quickly spat it out. 'It's not a good idea to steal just for the favor of stealing.' was all that I could do before I shrugged it of and was about to continue my march.

But then I saw that Flutershy stumbled into this mixture of animals. The shriek that she was gifted for that was enough to put me into action, so when poor pegasus ran away I stepped to interrupt her from making more harm to the towns peop... err ponies.

"Forgive me, but cou-" I began to say to her when I was within few centimeters behind her, when she turned around, looked on me with an angry frown, that almost instantly changed into pure fear, before it was again swapped with anger that was much more determined.

Before I could react properly she jumped upon me with some kind of war cry and her sharp talons with the clear purpose to hurt me, almost taking my eyes away from me. Almost, as I haven't had time to dodge I did second best think, just blocked it with my own attack, feeling as her claws dig quite deep through my shell and then into my flesh (it seems that this armor of mine isn't good against cutting weapons like blades or claws.)

She then retracted her arm to take stand more battle friendly, "I don't know what are you doing here monster! But that doesn't mean that I let anyone of your kind ram freely inside town of my friend changeling." She spat the last word, "Not while I'm here!"

'I suppose that a changeling is the right name of the species that body I currently have, or something very similar to it.' Was my first thought about her tirade, my second was: 'Green blood how interesting.'

"You know I was just wondering why were you scaring Flutershy but if it is the battle you want," She snorted on that. "then battle you'll get." I finished my sentence by taking my blade from the pouch.

'Oh Azurewrath, I still remember the day when you were cleansed from corruption that fell on your ex-master Izual and when you give me the honor to let me wield you as to once more let you sly horde's of hell's. Will you again lend me your power to defy any defeat? After all even if I technically lost once and even if I'm no longer human I still will refuse to surrender.' his answer was his Lightsong. 'Thank you my friend. So let's show her what we do with guys who have enough gull to mess with us.' I heard readiness in his song. 'Oh just remember, don't kill her, I just feel that it wont be our best move if we do..' he wasn't very pleased by that but I still heard acceptance in him.

When I finished my little talk with Azure, I realized that for some time there were absolutely no co motion around me. While I understood wary in the eyes of the hybrid, I didn't really get what was the reason for apparent shock within her eyes and the local ponies, after all most of them already knew that I was a warrior from far away, even if the princess wasn't so stupid to tell them from where exactly I came from, but to think that they won't believe her was an interesting occurrence. 'Well I can think about this later for now i have enemy to defeat.'

My opponent looked toward me apparently her mind focused on the fight ahead. And then without warning she looped toward me once more.

But this time I was ready.

I used flat side of Azure to swiftly pat her stretched out claws away depriving her of the balance, while using my empty ha... hoof to strike her into side of her beak with enough strength to sent her tumbling on the ground. Clearly it wasn't enough to knock her off, as she was back in position to attack again after mere second, (but that's good. I haven't had any real challenge in weeks and there's no better way to adjust your body than during a fight.)

As it looked that she wasn't to come at me any near time I understood that it was my time to move.

So I moved. And when I do the last think I saw before i struck her into chest with my wounded fist was her widened eyes. As she wasn't expecting me to move quicker than her she was still able to barely minimalise damage by spreading her wings and using the shear force of my punch to propel herself back toward me with renoved anger.

As she was blindly attacking with her claws I was steadily deflecting them with Azure until she began to slow down. When her frenzy tired her hard enough I catched her by one of the talons and throw her straight into closest stand with vegetables, hard.

When she emerged from the ruins she was little dizzy but as eager to continue as before.

But this time she decided to change her strategy, if she wasn't able to fight me on ground she rushed to the air with evident hope that I will follow after her.

Well I don't really like to disappoint others but there is no freaking way that I will let her pull me into so clear trap, beside I still haven't tried to fly yet and there is no way I will start during a fight.

When she finally realized that I won't come to her, (it took her whole five minutes of glaring to find out,) she started to assault on me from the skies always retreating after each deflected cut.

We were at it for about next three minutes of constant clashes between claw and blade, before I had already enough of this play.

When I felt that it was finally time to finish this fight, I focused my magic on my quite delicate bound with Equestrian nature and waited for her attack.

The very moment that it came I knew what to do, two second before she reached me I released all my cumulated energy into one focused arctic blast that catch her into her right wing. Before she had even time to react she lost her ability to fly back into sky and would have graciously crashed into me, if not the fact that I took simple step aside, what made her crash straight into the ground.

But before she was able to put herself back together I rushed toward her and with a single kick to the side sent her flying toward centre of the town where she tried to stand before she planted into ground unconscious.

That was the end of my first fight in this new body. 'But it still felt strangely familiar for some reason' I quickly shrugged it off as something that i can think about later, for now i simply thanked Azure for his help before I putted him back into the pouch. Only then I realized that ponies that was watching began to move again, only this time they looked between themselves in confusion as if they didn't know what just happened. I also put that into things that i can work out later.

"This is for the repairs of your stand and for this pair of golden corns." I told to the mare that stand I destroyed before I handed, or rather hoofed her one of my spare brilliants, before I have taken my way back to the tower. I had enough adventures for one day and it has only began for me.

On my way I still heard answer of the standkeeper: "Thank's. I think?"

When Druid was walking away he haven't realized green bloody marks that he was leaving through his path, or the golden ones that he left in the place of his fight that were slowly disappearing into nothingness. He also wasn't aware of the fact that absolutely no one, even Gilda haven't remembered what happened that summer afternoon no matter how hard they tried, the only thing that they all remembered was double explosion of white fire nothing more.

Later that day he was informed about griffins appearance and events that took place during her welcoming party, but for now he decided to focus on his studies of his body as well as his surroundings to better acclimate with his situation and leave learning about other cultures for another time, (it's not like griffins are some way super cold proof or anything,) after all what could possibly happen that will be worse than attack of an angry griffin right?

Author's Note

I am very pleased with how this chapter developed but people that don't know anything about Pandemonium might be quite confused, so don't be afraid to ask if you have any troubles with anything that happened during this chapter.

I also please to not spoil about what actually happened during fight between Druid and Gilda as I want to make it a little suprise for guys who don't know about it.

Ps. If any of you waited for the chapter with the first dragon, then unfortunately I must disapoint you 'cause mountain on with the dragon will make his little nap is for now too far from Ponyville for Druid to go there, it will happen of course as dragons will be crucial for my work, only later. So for now you must stay satisfied with the first apearence of Zecora into my story.