The Forgotten Prodigy

After the public disgracing of my former family and Celestia I had sent Chrysalis to acquire the herbalist she had spoken about so I could meet them later. I may not trust the bug much in most matters but when it came to knowing ponies she was my go to. Whoever she had in mind was no doubt perfect for whatever I had planned. Hopefully they would be cooperative.

Meanwhile I had decided to explore the castle gardens to pass the time rather than talk with the noble's. They would be the first thing I get rid of once I take over. Sombra had the best idea in taking away the noble's position as they were nothing but a hindrance on progress and were supremely corrupt. Not to mention they were just so damn annoying!

'Glad someone finally agrees with me! Celestia is always preaching that all life has value crap while letting those higher class punks run amok and doing nothing to stop it!' Shouted Sombra making my head hurt a bit at how loud he was.

'Dad quiet down! You know I get a headache whenever you scream in my head! But your right about Celestia and about most nobles. Yet like everything else there is always the exception.' I replied making him hum in acceptance.

By this time I had reached the garden and headed towards the maze. On the first day of my apprenticeships to Celestia I had memorized every inch of this maze and knew it by heart. It was one of the only places that actually made me feel at piece.

As I walked through the maze in a sense of nostalgia I though nothing could ruin this moment. That was until I heard a brief scream that was quickly cut off. Having my peace ruined I headed towards the origin of the voice angrily but also curious as to what was going on.

Turning another corner I found a sight that disgusted me to no end. Celestia's nephew, and the bane of everyponies existence, Prince Blueblood had a mare pinned to a stone bench and was looming over her with lust in his eyes. The mare in question however was looking up at him in obvious fear. She was of average height with an aquamarine coat and her and tail were the same color save that her mane had a white streak in it. The mare also had bright golden eyes that matched her form fitting gold dress that was open on one side to show off her lyre cutie mark.

I saw that she was a unicorn due to the horn on her head and was wondering why she hadn't just blasted the fool off with magic already. Looking lower I saw the inhibitor ring on her horn and figured that was why. How the failure of a royal managed to get it on her and out here away from prying eyes without anyone else seeing I didn't know or care. What I did in fact care about was stopping what was about to happen.

Walking closer I started to hear the two talking.

"P-p-please don't." Whimpered the mare.

"Shut up peasant! You should be honored that I would even choose a commoner like you to be my mate for the night." Grolwed back Blueblood which only made the mare whimper more as she also began to cry a little bit.

I had heard enough.

Flaring my horn I wrap my magic round Blueblood's throat and lift him off of the mare making the scumbag choke in surprise. The prince tried to flare his own magic but I put a quick stop to that by encasing his horn in black crystal. Just one of the many things Sombra had taught me to do.

The mare for her part was surprised and was looking at me in shock and awe while I glared at the struggling prince in cold fury. He was everything I hate in the world, arrogant, self entitled, snobbish, and overall a disgusting being that shouldn't be allowed to live. The stallion was a mistake that I was going to correct right now consequences be damned!

"You know Blueblood I always found you a disgusting piece of shit ever since the day I first saw you. But this, well this just takes the cake. You would even go so far as to rape an innocent mare just because you thought you could? There is a special place in Tartarus for ponies like you. Though I won't bother telling you about it since you will be seeing it soon enough." I say coldly while keeping an eye on the mare who had now moved from the bench to stand by my side. I actually expected her to run off for help by now yet she didn't appear scared. If anything she was curious at what was going on. What an interesting mare.

"I d-d-demand that y-y-you release m-m-me right n-n-now!" Demanded Blueblood while struggling to breath.

This made me growl in anger. Even when he is near death the bastard still thinks he can order anyone around! I was going to kill him quickly at first but now I was going to take my time with this bastard and make him beg for death! A slight growl at my side made me remember that the mare Blueblood intended to defile was still here and I got an idea.

Turning towards the mare I start to speak in a neutral tone, "What is your name miss?"

"Lyra. Lyra Heartstrings." Answered the mare shyly.

"Lyra Heartstrings, a beautiful name." This made the mare blush a bit and also made me smile as I was having an effect on her. If I played this right I would soon have another follower.

"Now Lyra what do you think we should do with this bastard. Since you were the one he tried to violate I think you should decide his fate." I said casually and I took a little pleasure in both her surprised expression as well as Blueblood's expression of fear.

"W-well as much as I appreciate the gesture sir you cannot do what I want you to."

"I will be the judge of that mrs Heartstring's, now tell me what it is you want me to do to this filth."

She hesitated a moment as if pondering if she should tell me or not. Yet once her eyes settled on Blueblood once more her gaze turned to one of burning anger and she growled low in her throat. When she spoke venom was practically dripping from her words.

"I want him to suffer. It isn't enough he treats everypony else like trash but now he thinks he can just do whatever he pleases since he is related to the princess. What's worse is that she does next to nothing whenever he does something wrong! At the last Gala this bastard raped my friend Bon Bon and when she went to press charges Celestia swept it under the rug and he got off scott free! I had to come here with her this year just to make sure she didn't have a panic attack at the very sight of him. But look where I ended up. If it wasn't for you I would have wound up just like Bon Bon."

Wow. Now I thought my hatred of the princess and Blueblood was intense but this mare could seriously give me a run for my money. Well she told me what she wanted and who am I to deny her and her friend justice.

"Well my dear allow me to grant you your request." I said with a fanged smile while opening a portal below Blueblood. The stallion didn't even have time to scream as I dropped him into the portal.

As Lyra was about to ask me what happened to him I open a small viewing portal showing exactly where I had sent the bastard. What we both saw was the prince in a small pit looking around fearfully. For a second nothing seemed to be happening before a small scarab dug out of one of the pits sides. It clicked it's pincers at the prince and rushed at him only to be crushed by the stallions hoof out of fear.

Blueblood started to smile arrogantly before the dirt in the pit started to shift just before a swarm of scarab burst from the dirt to attack the prince. The pompous unicorn tried to use his magic only to realize my crystal's were still inhibiting him. He then tried to climb out the pit as scarabs swarmed over his legs and began eating their way inside his body.

The bastard managed to make it to the top of the pit before scarabs burst from his mouth and sent him falling back into the pit where his form was consumed by the hoard of insects. I let the scene runa few more moments before closing the portal and turning to look at Lyra. She wasn't in terror of what had just happened but rather she looked surprised that I had actually granted her request.

With a bow of my head I made to leave only to be stopped by Lyra's hoof.

"Wait. Why did you do this for me? If the princess finds out-"

"I don't care since she won't find out as long as you don't tell her mrs Heartstring's. But I must ask, do you still think of Celestia as a good ruler?"

"No I don't. She rarely does anything for common ponies and favors the nobles and the Elements of Harmony. That kind of bias is unacceptable in my eyes and others." She answered without hesitation.

"What if I were to tell you I plan to change that?" I spoke seriously while I gazed deep into her eyes.

"Plenty have tried before you buddy and they are either dead or in stone. What makes you so different?"

"Because unlike those before me I don't rely on my power to do the work for me. I plan ahead and wait for when my enemies are at their wekest before giving that killing blow so that wat they cannot stop me. So I ask again, what would you say if I plan to change the way Equestria is ruled?" I said while flaring a bit of my power to emphasize my words.

Lyra stood there for a moment to take in my words. I could see indecision running in her eyes before finally setting on burning determination. She then kneeld before me with her head bowed low before speaking in a submissive tone.

"Then I would say that I would be happy to help you if you would let me."

The smile that split across my face was downright demonic. I now had a new willing servant and I got to kill a major annoyance all in one. I guess dreams really do come true!

"You may rise Lyra. I am not a King just yet. Let us leave here and talk at my current dwelling where you can meet your peers. And don't worry about your friend as I will make sure she gets home alright."

As I finished I flared my magic and cast a spell that I personally made. My shadow began to rise from the ground until standing in front of Lyra and I was an exact replica of me down to the last detail.

"Lyra please tell my clone here what your friend looks like so thst he can bring her home."

Lyra told the clone what her friend looked like but was still in complete awe at the magic I had just used. Once the clone had received all of the information and walked away Lyra turns to me with a questioning gaze. I chuckled a little before answering her unasked question.

"That my dear was a spell of my own design. The spell makes aperfect clone of myself that can do anything I can but at a price since whatever damage it may take is reflected on myself and vice versa. Now let us be off." I say while holding out a hoof which she immediately takes. Like that we both disappear in a swirl of shadows.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lyra and I both reappeared in my homes basement much to the surprise of its two current inhabitants.

"What the buck Dusk you nearly gave me a heart attack! And who is she!?" Demanded Chrysalis who was now out of her disguise.

My glare quickly made her back down as Lyra gazed at the changeling queen in interest while my gaze was more focused on the one behind her. The mare was currently chained to the wall by her forehooves and was held off of the ground by about a foot in the air. She was a zebra and I had to admit she was pretty attractive. I had visited the zebra homelands in my travels and had to say that I appreciated their exotic beauty. It was very surprising to see one here in Equestria. She had a tribal mark on her flank that resembled a sun and wore the traditional gold jewelry worn by all of her kin and turquoise colored eyes. Her mane was in a mowahk style which wasn't really a common style among other zebra's. Yet it was how much jewelry she wore that surprised me.

I actually began to laugh which I knew got me weird looks from the others but I did not care. This was just too damn astonishing!

"Hahaha! I can't belive it! When I heard Chrysalis say she knew a herbalist I didn't expect it to be a zebra, much less a princess! Judging by your marking I would have to say you have to be a part of the Dawn tribe."

Her slight flinch at the tribe's name gave let me know I was right on the mark. Now it was time to see why she was here.

"Now why would a princess of her tribe be all the way out here instead of safe in her village hm? Were you by chance.... banished from your tribe?"

Another flinch. Two for two and still going strong. But this next question I hope for her to answer on her own.

"Now why exactly were you banished my dear and what prey tell is your name?" I asked as sincerely as I could.

She stared at me defiantly for a few moments as tears started to gather in the corners of her eyes. The pain I could see was nearly suffocating and I couldn't help but feel sorry for the mare. So in an act of rare kindness I gently wipe away a stray tear with a hoof and whisper soothingly, "You do not have to answer me if you do not want to but I would like to know your name at least if you would allow it."

"....Zecora.... my name is Zecora." Said the now named Zecora softly.

"Wait she didn't rhyme! Why didn't she rhyme?" Asked Chrysalis and Lyra at the same time. They both tuned to each-other and blushed in embarrassment before turning away from each-other. I didn't care as I kept my gaze solely on the zebra mare before me.

"Zebra's rhyme only when they are performing incantations or in song. Now quiet you two." I say without looking at them and shutting both of them up instantly.

I had heard of the zebra princess Zecora before on my travels but had never actually met her. According to her tribe she was to be married to another tribes prince but refused to go through with it. This lead to her being banished by her own father and being named a disgrace by most of her tribe and family. Truly a mare I could relate to.

Using my magic I released her from her shackle's and caught her as she fell. Looking in her eyes I cast a quick sleeping spell to put her out. I then carefully put her on my back and turn to look at the other two who were staring at me no doubt having many questions but not wanting to speak out of turn.

"I am going to bring Zecora home and talk to her privately. Meanwhile I want you two to get aqcuanted with each-other as you will more likely than not be working together in the near future. And no mind control Chrysalis or I will starve you of love for a month." I ordered before disappearing in another swirl of shadow's before the two could protest. I and the zebra mare had a lot to talk about.