I wake up alone in my bed. Jade’s scent has cooled and I can tell she’s been gone a while. I check my watch and it reads midnight, reminding me I need one native to this world. Time seems to be different here. Seconds move sometimes slower and sometimes faster than it did in my world. The clocks native to this world are fine, but my alien clock is always off. It’s not broken, highly enchanted and nearly indestructible its greatness is it’s downfall because the enchantments that keep it always on perfect time are why it can’t tell time right here.I sigh and guess that it feels like sometime late morning. I get showered and dressed and head out the door. I’m wearing just a black t-shirt and pants because Twilight was right, I’m living in a world without sunburns.

Immagine sunlight being toxic to you and all of a sudden it’s fine. I wonder about the implications of sunlight no longer hurting a being with a shadow aspect. OH! The cosmic limiters! How far did Discord go when he removed them? Can I use necromancy? That was a weakness of being an astral aspect. With my shadow element, I should be a natural adept at it. However all the two conflicting rules resulted in was I can barely do more than messenger bats and other small basics even using advanced rune working.

I’m so caught up in my thoughts that I almost fail to notice that on my door is a letter.

Dear wolf,

I would appreciate that you report to the castle whenever you awake. I heard you had a rough day yesterday, and accept that you need time to sleep off the exertion. I’m pleased that it went so well.

Sincerely, Celestia.

The flowing script is elegant and somewhat hard to read. I pocket it and head upstairs. The changelings are beginning a full dress rehearsal for the play and Discord is on the balcony in a tux. I look closer and notice a beautifully dressed Fluttershy next to him. The love between them is endearing and I am impressed with his romantic side. Discord notices me heading for the exit and discreetly snaps his claw and I become Tybalt and teleport backstage. Guess I’m not going anywhere.

Duties to the royalty can wait next to my duties to my friends, anyways. This play is probably more important than whatever the Princess wants. Either way, Discord trumps Celestia as both a friend and a deity. I clear my mind and focus on playing my role perfectly and sit as a perfect director when not on stage. After we are done the room fills with Discords in all manner of different high-class outfits, dresses included, who cheer and clap at the performance. Several have tears in their eyes blowing on overly large floral handkerchiefs. Fluttershy looks a little sad and has attached herself to the main Discord in a big loving hug.

Grinning ear to ear I smile as Discord unzips himself onto the stage still hugging Fluttershy. “D’aww, you two are adorable together.” I address the changelings who have filed in in a neat crowd that shows their military background. “We are all so very ready for tonight’s big first performance. Is everypony going to be able to keep their calm and not get jittery?”

Most of the changelings nod and salute but a couple laugh, Jade included. “Changeling used to play a lot harder roles with a lot more riding on it. This isn’t really all that nerve wracking. You were right about us being natural born actors. Portraying emotions, looking and acting as another with a script and no need to improvise is grubs play.” She beams at me.

“Awesome, I’m heading out, Celestia wants to speak to me ASAP. I can tell she’s been plotting something with me, I’m good at sensing plots.”

For some reason Jade giggles at this. “Clearly.” Her tone is spiced by the giggles and I wonder what I just said. It’s probably something to do with being able to find the changelings in the first place. I stride out the door and shift forms running full out to the castle. I love the wind rushing through my fur and the slight burn of forcing my muscles to do there best.

The guards see me rocketing towards them and freeze up looking concerned. I realize this full tilt run looks like something has gone seriously wrong or is on fire. I shout as I near them “Relax, I’m just late.”

I’m happy at the relieved looks as they stand aside to let me past them into the main city. Several ponies give me waves and call greetings as I blare past them. I love how friendly everyone is in this world. Sometimes it’s surreal how fundamentally different the worlds are from each other. However I might be overthinking it. I choose this path through the city specifically because it dodges what I call ‘the clusters of stuck up idiots’ that seem to condense in certain parts of the city.

Most of the ponies on this path have music, art (cooking is an art), or combat oriented cutie marks. Another reason I love this path is the beautiful music and smells drifting from the houses as I pass by them. I see somepony coming out of the house ahead of me he’s loading a statue into a cart carefully with somepony else's help. Both are earth ponies with similar sculpting themed cutie marks.

The wheel of the cart snaps and as I’m turning my course to try and catch the statue they both leap and try and catch it. I sense a subtle magic incase the entire statute as it hits the ground. The weak marble should have been shattered, however, the magic makes it stronger than the road leaving a small crack. I shift and help them load the cart.

“I didn’t know earth ponies had magic like that. That was seriously awesome.” I comment after I shift back to help make sure statue is safely loaded.

“What do you mean magic? We picked that statue up with our strength. Earth ponies don’t have magic exactly we are stronger and we can connect with the earth.”

I cock my head questioningly at them. “Is earth pony magic supposed to be a secret or something? I saw you magically reinforce the statue to make it so tough it cracked cobblestone. I’ll keep it a secret if you want, but I am curious why it’s a secret.”

“I did what now? You know, now that I think about it, my chisels don’t get worn out like a pegasus’s do. This isn’t the first time I’ve dropped a statute either and had it survive the impossible. I never knew I had magic like that. Maybe I’m special like that.” He looks awed and his friend is staring at him in surprise.

“But you both used the magic, the other earth ponies even sent you some power to help. Is this all completely unconscious?” A small crowd has gathered around and everypony looks shocked.

A big leaf green stallion speaks up. “Now that you mention it, when I saw the statue falling I felt in all my heart that I wanted to help but couldn’t reach in time. I didn’t see any magic though.”

“Basicly every earth pony who had all four hooves on the ground sent a burst of power through the ground. The burst reached those two and they conducted it into the statue. The fact that all this is completely unconscious born solely from your desire to help each other… I don’t even know how to express how wonderful that is. Horsefeathers, Celestia, late!” I explode into movement as I shift back to the laughter of the ponies who had gathered around. These new swears are fun to use, it’s kinda funny how they developed like this.

Soon I reach the castle and shift to normal form. The guards greet me with a salute. “Celestia has sent for me.”

“Certainly, Sir Wolf.” I don’t know these guards scent, so Celestia has made an announcement about the lunar knights. The plot thickens. It’s about time I had something useful to do. Hopefully she wants me to defeat some kind of monster or something interesting, not something formal or likewise annoying. Somehow I can’t help but feel this is all gonna be some kind of anticlimactic ‘go run off this annoying manticore’ kind of thing. We reach the room where Celestia is awaiting me. I feel playful and can’t help myself when I get like this.

“Herro Tia’, how are you on this lovely day!” A moment of irritation flashes across her face at the greeting and the guard goes rigid. Her faces goes to a grin I recognise as a troll face anywhere.

“Greetings Sir Puppy, I am fine. I have no need to ask how you are, clearly you were up later than I expected, having taken this long to reach me.” As the guard is leaving the room I hear a snort. I debate continuing this but somehow I feel I would lose.

“So when are you going to show me your plot?” She recoils her face spilling a blush before she recovers. “What? I know you're plotting something to do with me. I’m very good at sensing plots.”

She bursts out laughing. “Clearly, from what I’ve seen and from what Twilight said, you are very good at chasing…” She snorts “plots.”

“Let me guess, that word has a whole new level of meaning here. What exactly did I just say?”

She is trying to contain her laughter on this. I can’t make her reply out.

“You just propositioned her in the most inelegant way possible. Asking her to show you a delicate part of the anatomy. Here I thought you only had an interest in mares with fangs.” Luna strides into the chamber from a door in the back. “You do know I have fangs too, if you’ve decided to take your pursuits to the royalty of the realm.” She smiles revealing the fangs common among her guard. Celestia shoots her a look of shock that matches my own.

The fangs melt away and her laughter echoes through the room. I smirk “Celestia, I was wrong. Engaging in a battle of wits against you is nowhere as bad as that troll.”

They both glare at me at this one. “Just in case it’s different here, a troll is somepony who is skilled at messing with heads and pulling pranks. Lulu, I didn’t know you had such a side as that. I must wonder why the two of you think I’m obsessed with mares. I mean seriously I’ve only been with Jade and the other one.”

Luna takes the nickname in stride. “Only two different mares in less than a week's time while flirting with several others, your right, there's no way you're that type of stallion.” She deadpans with a smirk. “Not to mention that you come from a world where humans were the only sentient race. I can’t help but wonder why you adapted from sleeping with another species is wrong to this so fast.”

I run my hands through my hair embarrassed. “It’s actually several things. First of all Mystery messed with my instincts before coming here. I recognise what’s beautiful about mares and what’s attractive about stallions. However I also had relations with different species before. I got over all that mental weirdness back when I was dating a wolf princess. Her name was Luna, she was a high astral wolf being. We had a falling out because of conflicting dominance issues.”

They look dumbfounded. Celestia recovers first. “Her name, was Luna.” She sounds shocked. Oh yeah, that can’t be common here.

“What? It’s a common name in my world. It means moon. Had I been born without the wolf aspect I might have been named Lunar or Shadow. Besides what would you name someone who was born to be princess of the night?”

They get matching smirks, crap that came out badly. Celestia again takes the offensive. “So, that's why you haven't tried anything with Luna. You're worried about” she pauses giving me an almost evil grin “dominance issues.”

“Celestia it almost sounds like you want me to be pursuing Luna.”

“Indeed, sister. I believe you’ve taken this joke to far.” Luna looks annoyed.

Celestia is far from done with her games. I cut her off. “I assume you did not summon me here to set up an arranged marriage with your sister. What is the issue.”

Celestia looks shocked at this, she’s probably never been cut off like that before. Luna looks at me with a piercing gaze. “What it’s not like anypony here ever expected me to just stand there and take jokes, right?”

Celestia smirks and shoots Luna a look. “Dominance issues. Interesting, you're correct. I need you to complete several basic training classes that guards are required to take. I have no doubt you will have no issues with the combat readiness and dark magic classes however I expect at least a passing grade in obedience.”

I snort, I can’t help it. “Obedience is a class? Alright, I’ll ace the class.” I smirk, it’s easy to be obedient when the people telling you to obey are terrified to give you commands. This might prove fun. Celestia looks suspicious. “So I take it I’m not supposed to scare the poor mage teaching the dark magic class?”

Celestia’s turn to snort and smirk. This can’t be good. “I doubt you’ll scare her. She’s a member of Black Sun and a powerful necromancer.”

I wince. Luna looks worried. “Will you be fine? I know how you react to necromancers.”

“If she goes too far she’ll regret it, however, I’ll do my best. When do these classes start?”

“You’ve already missed the first two. Dark magic will be in about an hour. You have a lot of paperwork to fill out. However with it being handed to her last minute like this she’ll likely try and get rid of you in annoyance. The class is pass and fail. If you get mentally damaged or would have died outside of the practical training, she kicks you out of the class.” Her voice drops lower. “I expect you to catch her attention. Show her your own black magic and play by her rules. She is a recruiter for Black Sun and I am hoping she tries to invite you to join them. They exist within their own laws and much of them is unmonitored by me. I wish to correct this and hopefully they will be unable to resist recruiting somepony with magic they have not seen before.”

I nod. “Show me the paperwork. I’ll get on it.” Celestia’s horn lights up and a table with a stack of paperworks appears on it.

How the hell am I supposed to read all of it? I take the first one and notice an annoyed huff by Celestia when I start reading it. “You do know you have to sign it regardless right? You slept in, so you don’t have time to read it. Actually…” A glowing paper appears in front of me and the stack is glowing. The paper simply reads “sign here”. I sign it and the papers all get signed in the appropriate spots. Crap, I have a bad feeling about this. “I’ll escort you and take the paperwork down to the class. I doubt you can carry it all without telekinesis.”

She leads me out of the hall and takes me to a different wing of the castle. Soon I’m sitting alone in a room that looks like a lecture hall. A unicorn mare with a sky blue coat and deep red mane with green highlights strides into the room. She is wearing a black cloak and her blue eyes blaze as she looks at me annoyed.

“Nopony with sense ever comes to this class early. I hate last minute entries to my classroom. Did you read all the paperwork?” Her voice is smooth and sweet, it has a certain draw to it.

“I wasn’t allowed. My orders were to complete this class. Everything is signed, however.” I smile at her, she seems nice considering she’s a necromancer.

She glares at me. “Are you a foal? You came to the one class that has a viable death rate unprepared and signed paperwork about it without reading it?”

“Isn’t like I had a choice. Celestia had me sign a paper saying sign here and they all got signed. I’m sorry about any extra work you have to do. Besides, it’s not like I’m going to die anyways.” I hold up my hand forming the shadows of flames around it.

She snorts. “If that’s an attempt to show off you are seriously lacking. Minor illusions are nothing. Even if that is the real Againap techniques it’s still not very impressive.”

I smile. “Fair point. I suppose to a necromancer little shadow games aren’t very interesting. I’ll just have to complete your class to show you I’m not gonna die taking your class.”

The rest of the class files in looking scared and takes their seats. They look like this is some kind of punishment.

The necromancer takes her position at the head of the class. She looks mischievous. “I am Nightshade. This class is pass and fail. If I decide you're dead then you are dead. I am a necromancer of the highest order. You are in for a fun time in my class. I will teach you everything you need in order to survive an encounter with any and all of the dark arts. I will begin with a roll call.” She reads off all the names studying how everyone responds to it. She smiles viciously when she’s done. “Excellent, let’s begin.”

Her horn glowed and her eyes trail smoke. Whispers fill the classroom as her necromantic aura encompases us in an attempt at illusions. Everypony looks disturbed and flighty. I’m actually kind of bored, I’ve seen a lot worse then some darkness and whispering. Her eyes lock on me and small sneer forms on her face. Looks like she’s started her plans to ‘kill’ me.

“Wolf, come down here.” I stand and stride to the podium. I stand next to her and several ponies are motioning something to me. “How you treat a black mage when you’ve caught their attention is important. Singled out you must do your best to survive the encounter. Deals, politeness and being impressive are effective in that order. Tell me Wolf, why do my pretty sights bore you?”

I notice a faint shimmering on the walls and several currents in the air. She has more illusions going then just the whispers. “I’m sorry, Nightshade. I can’t see them except for a small glimpse every now and then. It’s unfortunate, but my type is mostly immune to illusions and all I’m getting is a small voice whispering about how I should be afraid.”

She looks at me with only a single raised eyebrow betraying her surprise before she masters her expression again. A small grin spreads across her face. She jumps up and tries to kiss me, leaking intent to kill. I take a step back. She looks annoyed and her voice is poisoned honey. “Do you find me so hideous that a kiss is so repulsive?”

I smile at her. “Of course not, you are as beautiful as the flower you were named after. Unfortunately, just like the flower you are deadly. I can sense the intent to kill and the necromantic magic in that kiss. Get rid of that and I would be happy to kiss you.”

She looks taken aback. “You can read my intentions? Perhaps you aren't the worthless pretty boy publicity stunt I thought you were. You are allowed to return to your seat.”

I can’t help it, that one took me by surprise. She leaps up and almost plants another murderous kiss before I step out of the way. “Why did you go off guard like that?”

“Ponies must have some weird tastes. I’ve been called a lot of things in my life but pretty boy is kind of ridiculous. I’m ragged, scarred and to my race rather on the homely side. It caught me off guard, sorry.” I turn and head towards my seat I feel the eyes of the entire classroom on me.

I hear a whisper in the class. “I thought his love to play with dangerous mares was going to end him. Maybe it is only fangs that get him going?” I growl and Nightshade does not look amused. She points a hoof at the offending stallion.

“I need a new demonstration. Come here and be my new toy.” She is back in attack mode and the stallion in question gulps looking terrified. When he reaches the stage her voice takes on its deceptively sweet tone again.

“I take it you also find my art boring.” She gestures around the classroom noticing my wistful expression with a smile. I can’t help it I wanna see what she’s showing them.

“No! I just…” He can barely speak. I almost feel bad for him, almost.

She steps closer and he seems frozen. I notice tendrils of distortion trailing from the ground wrapping his legs. Tentacles maybe? She stares into his eyes. “So why is gossiping so important that you must do it in my class?”

“Sorry!” He yelps and cowers to the floor. I facepalm. He’s done for.

The distortions cover him and he is teleported out. “Sorry doesn’t serve any purpose but admitting you have something to be sorry for. Excuses and fear will serve you less. Be honest and respectful, but never let the darkness claim you. We will now enter practical application.” The shimmering around the room stops and the whispering ends. She walk out the door and the class follows her. She takes us outside to a training ground. Several boxes that look remarkably like coffins sit at one end of the field.

“Your task is simple, defeat me.” Her horn glows and zombies leap from the boxes. The zombies head straight for me and I whip my staff out and across releasing a burst of shadows at them sending them all sprawling. I charge at Nightshade to the shocked looks of the guards. She smirks and teleports away leaving a wraith in her place.

Cold iron is iron that has been used to kill. I can’t help but smirk at the sheer number of lives this staff has claimed as I slam the metal cap into the wraith. Another flash of sound behind me and I barely manage to turn and block the attack as Nightshade drops on me. Her hooves drive me to the ground. She weighs a ton, there has to be a weight increasing spell.

“Now this is hardly fair. Bringing cold iron weapons. Perhaps I should make you my minion for this exercise?” Her voice is soft and she’s trying to kiss me again. The necromantic energies pouring out of her aren’t draining my astral power like they should but I’ll only be able to hold her for a few more seconds. The other guards are busy with the zombies and won’t reach me in time. “How about a deal?” I spit out.

She back off for a moment and I continue. “Let me get up and activate my powers, if you're not too scared to kiss me I’ll let you.”

She hesitates. “Why the deal, how do we both benefit?”

“I’m good at elemental magic however my attacks at this position will hit both of us. I don’t feel like seeing if my defense or attack is better. I also don’t exactly want to do any lasting damage to you.” She stares at my now glowing staff and locks eyes with me. She cancels her spell and resumes her normal weight. I sit up and look around. The guards are all busy fighting zombies and thin air. “Wow, that’s…”

“Pathetic?” Nightshade helpfully supplies. I laugh. “I was gonna go with horrid but yours is much better. Ready to see the consequences of a deal with a devil?”

I smirk as she backs off looking worried. I plant my staff into the ground and shift into wolf form, then push farther warping into the monster form. I grab the staff turning it into a naginata and letting the shadows and flames rip around my form in a hell sent aura.

She looks almost hungry. She walks around me inspecting me. “This is the best you can do? Trading your speed for pure strength and-” I blast off full speed and slash a nearby zombie in half. “Well, now that is interesting, so, what is the cost?”

I laugh as much as the twisted form allows me to and the guards seem to have decided I’m the threat here. They charge me and I hold up a claw. I slice wait into the ground. Cocking my head curiously at Nightshade I bring my jaws full of a mountain of fangs in front of her head. She smirks and kisses me flooding my body with necromantic energy.

I can't believe she actually did that. Couldn't she tell it was a trap?

“How was it a trap? I connected to your powers and can hear your thoughts. Defeat the guards.”

I look at her incredulously. This feels completely different than it should. I can feel our two mana pools linked and yet I feel like we both need to agree before power flows either way. I realize too late that Equestrian necromancy works differently. Her powers flow through me in a subtle current blending with my own innate darkness. I feel the added power boosting my form to a new level. I look at Nightshade she is putting a hoof to her head.

“Stop thinking so much! How do you even think that fast? OW! I said stop!” She screams in pain holding her head. I pull back my thoughts and pick her up. Her defiant face despite the situation is impressive.

“Sir Wolf, Lunar knight and human from another world, release me and allow me to control you.” Her voice is layered with magic. Silly pony nobody is dumb enough to give their true name to anyone. She looks shocked. No way. I release her and shift to my human state.

“Deadly Nightshade. Pass me some power.” She opens her side of the power and I stand, back to full power. She clamours backwards afraid I walk slowly up to her. Now I don’t like this. The fear in her eyes because of me. I can’t believe she told me her true name just like that. Don’t these ponies protect their true names? I sever the connection.

The guards charge her only to be met with the regenerated zombies and a web of illusions. She locks eyes with me hate etched in every aspect of her face. She disappears and I feel something hot land on my back. It burns a lot! She used a light spell against me. I whirl and prepare only to notice the guards all focusing on me. Well played.

I launch myself sideways to dodge another volley from the halfwits who can’t tell illusions from reality. Option one, wipe out the guards and finish off Nightshade myself. Option two, catch that slippery necromancer and break her concentration so the illusion dissipates.

I leap at her and a guard puts up a shield around her. Crap! I turn my attention to the guards. Shadows rip from my staff as I slash through them. This will paralyze them for a few minutes. I catch another bolt to the leg and it hurts like hell.

“Nightshade, now I’m annoyed.” I glare at her. Her horn lights up the guards in her aura and animates them to attack me. Without their magic and the fluid movements of those in control of themselves, they are little more than meat shields. Nightshade has placed a potent looking shield around her. I’m going to have to work down that shield while dealing with her guard puppets without killing them, all before the guards wake up.

I lift into the air on my staff and reach into my pack. Lets play some games. She does not look happy about me flying. I pull out two highly potent gun mage pistols with anti-magic ammo. The matching silver inlaid guns roar as I fire them at her shield. The color changes and she grunts with an overflow forming on her horn. These shields are solid. I leap off my staff and land on top of the shield. This must be unprecedented because she looks shocked. Two more shots fire through the shield and I land on top of her. I grab her and take her into the sky away from her minions.

“So, gonna give up? I doubt you can teleport me along with you and if I see your horn glowing, I’m gonna knock you out.” I’m studying her expression. She looks defeated and annoyed. A smile flits across her face and I tense prepared for what she’s planned.

“Only one survivor, this game is over. Let me free, we need to wrap up class.” Now that she isn’t playing the role of the enemy her look is almost hungry. “I wanted to see just how much farther you would go, I wish I was stronger. Your magic is tainted at a base level like mine, if you could use necromancy…” I land and pull out a knife. Carving runes of animations into a corpse I, power it. It shamble to its feet and stares passively forward. Nightshade has begun awaking the class and by the time I’m done animating the corpse and enchanting it I am surrounded by many fearful looks and one highly interested one.

“Serve me, slave.” I state and the corpse walks in front of me prepared for my every whim. I grin evilly and the guards back off.

“We’ll play a game of re-kill the golem later. It’s less powerful then it could be considering it was never actually alive. I’m interested in how you made such convincing and powerful constructs.”

“Nope, round two. Wolf is the enemy. Begin!” Nightshade casts spells at the guards and their charge gets a lot faster. Crap! I pull back as the golem I made charges into their ranks. The looks of confidence turn to one of fear as spells deflect off the defensive runes on my creation towards them.

“It’s not a shambling weak zombie, foals. It’s a powerful flesh construct. Use a strategy!.” She yells at them as I laugh slipping into the role of the villain all too easily.

“Wolf!” An all too familiar shot rings out. My concentration stolen by the sun princess looking at me angrily the golem comes to a stop.

“Greetings Princess Celestia! Have you come to witness how my classes are going? Isn’t it wonderful?”

“This is too much for my guards to be handling in training! Fighting against two necromancers isn’t fair, I would hardly deploy such a small force against such a team.” She is looking between me and Nightshade and I notice a look of realization. “All of them against you? Why?”

I run my hand through my hair sheepishly. “Because Nightshade told me to? Okay, I’ll admit it’s a bad idea because I can barely take her but I’ll manage, even if I have to push my limits a bit.”

Celestia facehoofs. “Do you even realize what you’ve done? You’ve performed advanced necromancy without a license.”

I smirk, I can't help it. Her eyes narrow. Nightshade decides to help me out, not. “Is that all? What about the name magic, shadow magic and beast transformation?”

Another guard perks up. “He even risked letting her control his mind, just to try and set up a trap for her.”

I growl at them. “Alright, This session is going to intensify if Celestia lets me. How can I get a license so I can do my job? Certainly you don’t want me useless when you need me?”

Celestia raises an eyebrow and sounds resigned. “I’ll start the paperwork to get you a class A black magic license. I do want to see this intensifying your threatening, however.”

I plant my staff into the ground and they know what’s coming, or, at least, think they do. I shift into wolf form and release an unearthly howl creating 5 shadow constructs bound to my will. The number is lessened because, unlike the time where I was showing off to Luna, these are made for actual combat. Shifting back to human I grin at the forces I’m facing. “Shall we begin?”

They scramble into a defensive position as Nightshades zombies try and lock down my golem and the wolves charge them. I lift into the air on my staff and draw my favorite wand. Light spells and shields help them weather the assault of air and ground. Nightshade is studying the golem while casting buffs on the soldiers. Celestia watches the display intently seeming pleased. A pegasus in the group launches from the defensive wall and I cast a binding spell from the wand, ensnaring them with shining ropes as they get close enough to catch.

The pegasus mare in my hands looks at me with fear. “You know this is just a class right? Anyways you're dead, and I can’t pretend to be able animate more than one corpse. Go fly and sit next to Celestia.” I hug her and she looks confused. “Try and calm down, it’s just a game ok?” She nods as I unbind her seeming to have collected her wits and glides over to Celestia.

Nightshade is glaring at me. “You suck at being in character!” She yells at me.

I laugh maniacally. “Then don’t watch me!” I lock the place down in a shroud of darkness. The screams from within only incite my evil laughter. The blackness dissipates but the efforts of shattering it costs them a lot of time and the 3 remaining wolves land among them. The zombies and golem lay in a heap together. It’s actually rather gruesome. I control the wolves to injure the guards and their formation breaks as they scatter.

“Pause! Anypony who is injured please leave the field. I’m burning all your bodies with corpse flame.” Nightshade looks annoyed as the guards walk off and cancels the spell she was about to cast. “Five and Nightshade, alright I’ll allow you to surrender and retreat with your broken lives, a reminder to your princess to leave me alone.”

Nightshade is debating with herself studying me. The guards are looking to her for guidance and I can tell they don’t want to continue. “Alright practical training is over. I’ll get the medics, anypony with healing magic begin taking care of your comrades.”

Nightshade begins to leave and glares when I drop out of the sky and flop on the ground exhausted and hurt from the places the light magic hit me. “Seriously, you were bluffing?” She gives an annoyed huff and teleports away. Celestia lands next to me. “Hay, Celestia! How’d I do?”

She shakes her head and her horn lights up in a healing spell. It activates the light magic and burns like crazy. She looks at me worried as I squirm in pain. “What’s wrong with you exactly?”

“Light poisoning, you need to either give me power and let my system beat it naturally or pull out the light magic that’s burning the wounds.”

Her horn glows again and the burning stops as she pulls out the wisps of magic lingering from the impacts. I sigh in relief as the pain stops. Her spell changes and she imparts power into me. I rise to my feet and tiredly collect my tools stashing them in my pack. The medics arrive on the scene and they begin treating everypony. I give them a hand setting bones and the other healing I can do, but it doesn’t amount to much compared to the unicorns.

The looks of fear bug me. I hate being feared. “Can everypony stop looking at me like that, please? I’m a good stallion who protects ponies just like everypony else here.” It doesn’t help the looks. Nightshade sits next to me.

“They will always fear the darkness, Wolf. I know some ponies who won’t fear you and can understand what it’s like to wield the darkness in service to Equestria. Perhaps you would be interested in joining us?”

“Sounds like a good idea, but still I hate being feared. Wouldn’t joining them only make that worse?” Inspiration strike me, or should I call it impulsiveness. “How about a deal? Let me take you out on a date and I’ll come meet this group of yours.”

She laughs bitterly. “I would love to, however, there are few restaurants or venues of entertainment that will serve me. I am infamous and they fear I would scare off their customers. Come with me.”

She leads us away from the recovering guards to a more secluded part of the grounds. “I know a restaurant that will not refuse you service. I also happen to know a theater that’s putting on a never before seen play tonight, it’s called Redemption theater.”

Her eyes light up in recognition. “I don’t know if I believe you. That theater is sold out except for some very expensive special seats and I have yet to find a place I can eat without a potent illusion spell. I demand a down payment on your deal.” She is looking at me expectantly and her eyes turn excited as I lace my fingers in her mane. I pull her into a kiss and her hooves snake around my neck holding me into the kiss as our tongues dance. She smells of power and darkness with the scent of a deadly flower. My blood boils at her touch. She seems entranced by my sharp teeth and my skin tingles as she traces a hoof down my back. After an eternity of bliss we break apart.

I stare into her blue eyes that remind me of the night sky. They hold a depth and steel that speaks of the things she has seen and endured on her path into the darkness. “You're right I can’t promise that Star will put his respect for me and desire to keep my business and very deep money bag ahead of any customers in his shop. However, I can guarantee you a wonderful seat beyond even front row. I’ll have you sit next to me in the director's box, unfortunately, I am in the play so I will have to go on stage every now and then.”

Her eyes go wide in shock. “You actually meant it when you said you could do this. Why are you willing to put so effort into a date with me? If I scare off the ponies watching the play it will hurt you, not to mention this restaurant you're risking getting barred from sounds like it’s your favorite.”

I smile and kiss her again this time when I pull back she doesn’t let go. “You're beautiful and enticing, I don’t mind risking things when the rewards severely outweigh the risk.”

“And now it’s three.” Celestia’s voice rings out behind me laughing. I growl and Nightshade looks amused. I stand and face her. In her magic is a book and a large steel disc with engraving on it.

“This is your license. You are now authorized to use black magic to your fullest potential while in service to Equestria. I warn you this is not given lightly. This is a responsibility, do not use black magic recklessly. This book has all the laws and bylaws that govern dark mages. Read it and commit it to memory.”

I smirk and take the offered scroll and book. “So no getting drunk on moonshine and partying with wraiths?”

Nightshade giggles and Celestia glares before looking thoughtful. Celestia, of course, has to ask a dangerous question. “So you have an alcohol named after the moon?”

I smirk and dig in my pack. Producing a small jar I pass it to her. She holds it in her magic and removes the lid sniffing it. And promptly recoils at the potent smell. She coughs out. “You… drink this poison?”

I take it back with a smile. “I take it you're still a few thousand years too young to handle me in a drinking contest? You’ll have to get better faster than that. I’ll be an old man in few centuries, then how are you going to be able to claim to have out drunk me?”

Nightshade and Celestia go silent trying to comprehend what I just said. Celestia recovers the fastest. “Just how long will you live?”

“I expect you to answer a personal question in return. Assuming I don’t get ripped to shreds protecting somepony?” She nods and I continue. “Okay, so this is just a guess. Between Mystery, Discord, the differences in time between the two worlds and the differences of the two worlds in general. I only have a very basic guess.”

“How basic?”

“I estimate between 400 and 1500 years. Most likely it will be in the upper area, however, I can’t actually be certain it isn’t higher or possibly a case of life until death.”

She winces. “How can there be so many factors? That’s a large area for error there.”

I smirk and pull out a scroll I have already done this math on. Let’s hurt the princess's and necromancer’s pretty heads. “Humans live an average of 80 human years. Mages an average of 150, assuming they don’t die. A human year is 365 and a quarter days long. Converted that is about 133 for normal humans and 249 for a normal mage.”

They look surprised by this but I can tell there waiting for the next step that explains the 400 baselines. “Now for the real kicker. Shadow embodiments and astrally possessed humans. Both add a good 50 years to the end. The shadow because it allows the wielder to cancel out the effects of the mind and body decaying from disease and parts wearing out. You might have seen the regenerative abilities it gives me. Tack on the fact that Discord removed the cosmic limiters on it.

“The astral part is complicated. It’s a matter of having more life energy and being able to draw in natural energy more easily. Also, I have a strong self-definition, viruses and other diseases get destroyed by my system pretty easy and mutations such as cancer won’t affect me. Now amplify that by the fact that this world has immensely higher amounts of ambient magic and the fact the Mystery altered my magic and adapted it to this world.”

Nightshade looks confused and Celestia just looks annoyed. “In short you might not even age?”

“I doubt we’ll ever find the answer to this anyways. I’ll likely die in battle still looking young. Now for your question. What do the two types of alicorns mean? Why are you and your sister so different from Twilight?”

She recoils and even Nightshade looks at me shocked by this. “My sister and I are ancient alicorns that have grown into our powers over the years. Twilight is still very young, essentially an alicorn foal, in time she will grow into a mature alicorn. That was a surprising question. I’m not used to ponies asking things like this.”

“I had no means to gather the details on it myself. I also doubted whether I would find it in a book. I do prefer to figure things out on my own but I know enough to ask a question when an answer would escape me. This is interesting and I am naturally curious about many things, however, I’m not as reverent as your ponies. If you’ll excuse us, we were in the middle of a conversation. I’ve got a busy day and an even busier night.”

Celestia looks at me in surprise at the dismissal as I turn and leave with Nightshade following me. We part ways after I agree to meet her later for the date. Alone now I get things ready, the first stop is Harmony Cafe. Luckily Star is in.

“Hay, Star! Long time no see!” I smile at the stallion but he looks back without a smile.

He actually is looking at me wearily. “Hi, Wolf. You can sit anywhere, somepony will be over eventually.”

“Okay, what’s wrong bro? You look like I’m the last person you want to see right now.”

“I heard you broke Moon Light’s heart.”

I growl. “She was the one who told me to get lost. I don’t know what anypony said but she’s the one who decided I wasn’t the stallion she wanted. What would even make you say otherwise?”

He looks surprised. “Nopony knows. We just know she got very depressed and you’ve started going out with other mares. What happened?”

“In a nutshell? Her father told her I wasn’t good enough for her because I’m human and she listened to him. Look, on the subject of other mares…” He looks troubled but more relaxed. “I’m going on a date with a very special pony tonight and I want to bring her here. However she might make you lose some customers, Nightshade doesn’t have a very good reputation.”

He jumps at the name. “You and Nightshade? You like the crazy ones, I see. Don’t worry about it Wolf. Give me a time frame and I’ll give ponies a warning not to freak out when she shows up. I take it you want that romantic booth in the back?” He’s trying to keep it looking lighthearted but looks like he’s pleading with me on this one.

“Of course I do. We’ll be in at around 6. Now I have another thing to discuss with you. I have a list of things I need found. These items are listed by the name I know them by, however, I have a description of the item next to it. Don’t worry about expenses I’ll give you a starting balance, tell me if you are having problems getting any of the items. I’m willing to help you get things, I just don’t have the time or contacts to hunt all this down myself.” I hand him the scroll with all the needed materials for a high level broom on it. It has a lot of diversity to it so I can experiment with the different worlds materials.

He runs his eyes down the page. “This is… an odd list to say the least. I’ll get my ponies to work on it right away, we have most of this on hoof in Canterlot, so I can make a delivery to the theater within an hour or two..”

“It’s parts to make a broom so I can fly. Anyways, I have things to take care of for tonight. See you later. Oh, actually are you planning on coming down to Redemption theater tonight?”

He smiles. “I wouldn’t miss it! This is wonderful history in the making.”

I smile back and head out the door. Soon I make it to the theater to give everypony the heads up that I’m going to have a date tonight. After telling Jade, I head down to my room. When I pull my door open it is pitch black inside. There's a lamp on the wall behind me. I can see even in enchanted darkness. Needless to say, I draw out a sword from my pack and hitch the sheath on my belt. When I put my hand into the darkness it feels disconnected and tingly.

This is some form of magical transportation gate, I deduce. I sense Discords energy from it. This is either a horribly timed joke or he’s bored and doesn’t want to bother finding me in a bar. I step through and hope Discord is there to send me back on time. I find myself in a room with the lights off and dark enough I can’t see in this form. The alluring smell of tons of tasty food, sweet ponies, and adorable changelings caresses my nose. The lights snap on.

“Surprise!” Everypony yells at the same time. It’s a party and a banner reads ‘Welcome To Equestria, Wolf!”. A blur of pink darts at me. “Ohmygosh, I threw this party just for you! Discord made a special reality balloon or something so everypony can party together even if we can’t be together at the same time! I hope you like the balloons I made sure that I’m the only pink thing here. It was really hard to find everypony for a party and you are busy all the time so I got help. I wanted to throw this party to welcome you to Equestria. Nopony has ever thrown a Welcome to Equestria party before, unless you count-”

I take a step back from the stream of words pouring from the hyper pony. “Er, hi. Discord!”

He zips over to me. “Don’t worry about your date, no matter how long you stay here you will leave exactly 15 seconds later. This is a knotted dimension with set times for anypony who enters it. There are ponies here who came here weeks after you did, yet got here in time to surprise you.”

I debate on questioning the intelligence of messing with the continuum like this. Discord picks up my thoughts and interjects. “Don’t worry it wipes any memories harmful to the flow of time and converts any paradoxes into causalities. Of course that’s better. A causality is like a hiccup in time, a paradox is a full on seizure. Just try not to think about it too much and just enjoy the party.”

Through a herculean effort, I push aside the thoughts of the insanity that is this place. Seriously not easy. Right now I’m eating a cookie that doesn’t exist yet talking to a stallion whose wearing an outfit I wrecked with my shadow magic earlier today. I explore the room hanging out with ponies I know and avoiding the ones I don’t want to see. For some reason, Moon Light is here. Nightshade is here but neither of us can remember most of what the other says. A lot of the party seems to blur in my mind as chunks of overheard conversations or seeing ponies I shouldn’t mess with my head.

A group of ponies I don’t know approach me. There is a night pony with a horn and wings flanked on the left by an againap and on the right by a thestral. Behind them, an orange pegasus mare with a windswept purple mane and bright blue eyes looks at me sadly. Studying them better they all look like they're really sad but happy. I recognize the Wonderbolt pin on the pegasus. “What’s up ladies? Why does everypony look so sad?”

The night pony version alicorn speaks up. “We can’t say much or even our names. We are from the future, by quite a lot. We wanted to give you something and get a chance to meet you. Here. Take this and wear it always, please this is important. Never take it off.”

She hands me a necklace and I nod and put it around my neck. The moment I do everything goes to hell. The entire room distorts and cracks appear in the walls leaking some kind of something into the room. The ponies in front of me wink out of existence and reappear with smiles on their faces. Everything settles as whatever paradox was created becomes a causality.

“Wow, that was weird. Do you think it worked?”

“Of course, it worked or - wouldn’t - to be -”

“- looks really confused, we need to -”

The ponies talk amongst themselves quietly and large chunks of what they are saying are deleted. I can’t see their cutie marks or remember specific details about them. I can’t even remember their scent or voices very well. Just how much of an effect on my life in the future do these ponies hold? They smile at me as a group and walk through the archway out of here. I wish I could get a Discord eye view of that entire thing. My head hurts from the meeting and the strange connection formed when I placed the amulet around my neck. One thing is certain from the flow of events, I’m going to wear this or I might die. Or at least, be terribly hurt. Or is it hurt somepony else? Is this designed to stop me if I go rogue?

“Stop thinking and just accept it, Wolf.” Discord hands me a large glass of the incredible hard cider Applejack brought and points out where the Ponyville group besides Pinkie is sitting. “Let's go hang out with our friends, I’m sure they will be happy to see you again without your memories being messed with interfering with it. I explained to them not to mention anything about tonight or act on it in any way.”

I follow him over to the group. “Tonight?” I ask him with raised eyebrows only to be met with a fake glare.

“Ah ah ah, now that would be telling. There's been enough foreshadowing in this party to last for a long time.”

“Are… are you breaking the fourth wall?” I ask him with my head cocked to the side.

Pinkie pops up with a blackboard. “No way, he’s an amateur, this is breaking the fourth wall.” She writes ‘hello everypony, I hope you're enjoying this.’ on the blackboard. Mysteriously the blackboard writes out a reply on its own.

“Damn it Pinkie and Discord. Would you stop going out of control every single time I put you in the same scene? I swear I don’t know how you two manage to pull this off. Wolf decides to… er, I mean.”

I decide to ignore this before the combined efforts of this party undermine my sanity and make me question my reality.

Discord interrupts my thoughts. “Now who’s breaking the fourth wall? I’ll admit that was more subtle but mmph-” Discord cuts off having zipped his lips shut until he can get control of himself. I sit next to Applejack and rest my head on the table.

“How do you manage to survive those two? I think my mind is fracturing at the contact.”

Applejack gives me a comforting hug. “It’s ok, sugarcube. You just need to learn to accept things as they are and not think too much about Pinkie. Just remember three things. Don’t think too much about how. Trust her Pinkie sense and most importantly never break a Pinkie Promise.” She gives me a kiss on the cheek and I look at her surprised. “Right, you’ve only met me the first time at this point. Still why are y’all confused? Remember the wrestling match?”

I give her my best evil grin. “That was a legitimate move in a… submission match.” I put the emphasis on submission and her ears twitch as a grin slips across her face. I address everypony else. “So time-space shenanigans and insane pink ponies aside. How has everypony been doing since the last time we met? Oh right you can’t answer that because I will see yall again before you come here. Anyways it’s nice to see everypony again.”

“It’s nice to see you too!” A pair of hooves poke me from behind and manage to startle me. Pinkie slips into a seat around the table. “Your marefriends are coming over.”

Plural? I turn and see Nightshade and Moonlight following Jade over. Lovely. They pull up chairs at the now crowded table and study me.

Jade is first. “You’ve certainly had a busy week, Wolf.”

I smirk. “What can I say? A week can be a long time.”

“Who are these ponies?” Twilight asks. “I remember Jade, but who are the other two?”

“This dark gem is Moon Light, evidently we made up at some point. We were dating seriously but then she got rid of me because her father said so. I’m happy to see she won’t hate me forever. This stunning mare that is as beautiful and deadly as her namesake is Nightshade. We have a date scheduled for tonight on my part of the timeline. I hope it goes as well as I hope. I have no idea who is sitting in that chair though. I can’t see her or smell or anything. My instinct tells me she’s there and dangerous but that’s about it.”

“Wolf why can’t you see -? You’ve met her already.” Twilight has that intense look she gets when she’s trying to figure something out.

“Twi, don’t bother trying to figure the continuum out. It’s just gonna burn your brain. So am I guessing right that it’s Chulainn?”

She phases into existence as the room ripples again. Yay more causalities. “So I did manage to track you down again. That’s good to know.”

“You were looking for me? I can’t say much, I’m several weeks ahead of you. It’s good to be here though.” Chulainn looks happy to see me. What happens in the next week to cause this much difference in everypony? We sit and talk as the party wears on sometime we play games and a couple times I get invited to dance. There are so many wonderful snacks made from apples here it’s incredible. Pinkie remembered my favorite food because the cake is a cinnamon cake with apple frosting. It is absolutely incredible. The cider is decent and as time wears on the effects of the cider begin to tell on everypony.

Fluttershy and Rarity leave with a large group. After they are gone the party seems to switch entirely. A unicorn takes up the DJing with an epic light show and makes an announcement. “Hey, everypony this is DJ PON-3 ready to lay some webtastic party music down, now that the lightweights have gone to sleep. Let's spin this!”

A heavy dubstep beat begins to pour out of the DJ setup and everypony gets up to dance. It’s been awhile since I cut loose and danced like this but surrounded by mares like this is an entirely new experience. I begin to feel a different buzz from the one the cider gave me. The combined scents and sights in the room are intoxicating in and of themselves. The party begins blurring and it occurs to me that I’m going to have to sleep here. I can’t go on a date like this.

Jade and Nightshade seem to be dominating my time but Moon Light and several others keep cutting in. Chulainn is actually a really great dancer. I’ve been watching her and she doesn’t use her wings for balance for this either. Nightshade got annoyed the first time somepony cut between us, It’s actually kind of funny. Pinkie tries dancing with me, but I get lost trying to keep up with her. Or figure out what she’s even doing. Eventually, we get tired and retreat to our table. The crowd has thinned even more by now and there is only a handful of ponies left in the room.

The table is now Pinkie Pie, Jade, Nightshade, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Chulainn and me. Pinkie Pie and Dash look half-way to smashed and Chulainn keeps nodding off. Jade and Nightshade on the other hoof are as fine as me. I decide to fix that. Digging in my pack, I produce a bottle of moonshine. Nightshade’s eyes light up in recognition. Everypony else looks at it in curiosity.

“Alright, everypony, who wants to see what mages call hard liquor? This is called moonshine. It is strong enough to put a lightweight human flat with a single gulp. Celestia herself won’t touch it.”

Everypony looks apprehensive except Pinkie who looks eager. “Ooh ooh pick me!”

I pour her a shot and hand it to her. She knocks it back like a pro. Then a look of disgust crosses her face and she coughs. “Wow, that was intense! I wanna try another!” She giggles and falls out of her chair. Silence falls in the wake of the collapsing pony only to be broken by a loud snore.

“Anypony else feeling up to the task?” I ask with a smirk.

Dash for once doesn’t rise to the challenge. “No way! Nopony outdrinks Pinkie Pie. I’m gonna pass on that and take her back home. See you later.” Dash is giving the jar in my hand almost scared looks as she carries Pinkie out through the arc.

“Am I the only one who’s going to be sleeping this off before I go back to what I was doing? Seriously everypony realises they are going back to whatever they were doing completely wasted right?” I ask the handful at the table.

“Good idea. Can you be my pillow again?” Chulainn asks me with her eyes half closed. My brain is too drunk to puzzle it out and I want to sleep anyways. I pull my bedding out of my pack and lay down the ground sheet. I need to remember to add a pillow. Chulainn lays next to me and puts her head on my chest. Nightshade lays on my other side and drapes a hoof around me. Jade stands over us and decides to lay next to Nightshade. Behold the benefits of being the only one with a bed and blanket!

“Ah suppose ah’ll go lay over here. Wouldn’t want to impose.” Applejack sounds left out.

“Don’t be afraid of the adorable griffon. She’s very cuddly and warm.” Chulainn says quietly. Applejack slips into the impromptu bed next to her laying on her stomach. It’s so warm and comfy I drift away to dreamland.

Author's Note

Alright just figured I should apologise for this chapter. It is absolutely confusing, full of foreshadowing and foreboding and the 4th wall gets smashed to hell. A note on that by the way, I didn’t do it. No seriously. Whenever I write my characters often take a life of their own and do things I don’t plan on. That’s why I apply cosmic limiters to the characters. For example, Wolf is afraid of the color pink so he keeps his hands off Pinkie Pie. (This and certain other limiters are needed so he doesn’t mess up the… plot.) I’ve left you with a lot of questions and I’m interested in what your speculations are. Just what happens in the next week or so to cause the shift in how everypony in the noticeable cast treats Wolf? Who is/are/will be (bonus question in figuring that out HINT: it’s all of them and none of them.) the 4 ponies who approached Wolf with the medallion? Who was that oddly familiar pegasus with the night ponies? What happens if you dream outside of time in Equestria? What happens when you forget to turn your swag off before you go to sleep?