You Call Down the Thunder. . . . . .

Weak. . . . . .

The word played through Adrian's head over and over like a demented mantra. It had been almost a day since Adrian had been restored from his petrified state. In that time he had barely said two words to anypony, and he now stared at the Everfree forest from his room in Canterlot Castle.

Weak. . . . . .

Twilight and her fellow Elements of Harmony, had defeated Discord and restored Adrian. But for all the help Adrian had been he might as well have not even left the Ponyville library. Adrian could handle losing a fight, but in this case he never even got to fight, he just. . . . . lost. One snap of his fingers, that was all Discord had needed to stop him, it was pathetic. "I promise to protect Equestria, and I can't even save myself.. Adrian had felt helpless before he even knew Discord's name, now he realized just how helpless he actually was. Turning from the window, Adrian walked through the castle halls aimlessly. He didn't speak to anypony he passed even when they greeted him, Adrian eventually wandered out of the Castle and into Canterlot itself. A dark cloud seemed to hang over Adrian as he considered how out of place he was. Up to now he assumed he was strong, but in reality he was only slightly above average. He was a bit tougher than the ponies but not by much, his magic was much the same. The only reason he had felt so powerful was because he was used to being human, and having only human strength and endurance. He might have been Superman compared to an average human but compared to Twilight, or Celestia he was nothing.

"Problem sonny?" a kindly voice asked.

Adrian glanced to his left and saw an elderly stallion looking at him over half moon spectacles.

"More than I can count old timer." Adrian said with a mirthless smile.

"Hmm." The old pony gestured over to a nearby stone table with a chessboard on it. "Care ta play a few games? Might take yer mind off yer troubles."

Adrian normally would have declined, but decided that the least he could do was humor the old pony as he clearly was trying to help.

"Why not."

Taking their seats on either side of the board they started to play. After a few minutes playing in companionable silence the old pony spoke.

"Whenever I get ta feelin down I like ta come out here and play a few rounds." He moved his pieces as he spoke. "Sometimes the best way to deal with this crazy world is ta lose yerself in somthin where ya know all the angles."

Adrian nodded.

"It is nice to have a situation where you feel like your fate is something you can controll, pity real life is never that accommodating."

Adrian made his move as the old pony considered the board.

"Don be so sure." The elderly stallion made his move putting pressure on Adrians queen. "Life is hard ta control, but if yer clever you can find a way ta steer things in yer favor."

Adrian moved to protect his queen, nodding.

"But what if being clever isn't enough? What if you have the plan but never the power to make it work? Power without thought is destruction, but thought without power is futility."

The old pony smiled as he checkmated Adrian.

"If ya want somethin bad enough ya can always find the power."

Adrian stared incredulous at the board.

"Guess you wanted the victory more than I did."

The stallion chuckled as they set up the board for another game.

"Could be."

Back in Canterlot Castle three mares sat talking, they had been doing so for almost an hour.

"Do you really think somepony would try to kill Adrian?" Asked a worried Luna.

Twilight nodded.

"I was there and that mutated Ursa was after Adrian, it should have attacked Fluttershy's cottage or me after it hit Adrian the first time. Instead it pursued Adrian like it knew that just one swipe wouldn't be enough, then it kept on him even after it lost sight of him. It didn't even seem to notice me until I attacked it directly."

"This is very disturbing, why would anypony even want to hurt Adrian, let alone go to such great lengths to do so?" Celestia wondered aloud.

Luna nodded her agreement.

"Perhaps we should assign a guard detail to Adrian, just to be safe?"

Twilight chewed her lip nervously.

"I don't know, he might see it as us implying he's too weak to protect himself, and after what happened with Discord. . . . ."

Luna looked annoyed.

"I would rather bruise his ego than attend his funeral."

"Lulu don't you see? Adrian thinks it's his job to protect us, not because he thinks we are weak, but because he loves us. If we tell him he isn't strong enough he might do something drastic."

Twilight looked at her teacher with a worried expression.

"What do you mean 'Drastic'?"

Celestia looked grave.

"When Adrian fought the Linnorm he became desperate, and that desperation led him to perform a spell that almost killed him. If he thinks he needs to prove his strength to us he might act in a similar manner."

Luna slowly nodded.

"Perhaps hidden guards?"

Celestia and Twilight nodded their assent.

"Very well I shall speak to captain Shining Ar-"

"No need." Came a brusque statement from the formerly closed door.

Luna almost fell off her chair mid-sentence at the sound of Adrian's voice.

"A-Adrian? What are you tal-"

Adrian answered Luna's question before she even finished it.

"I'm leaving."

The assembled mares mouths fell open as Adrian continued.

"I am going to travel Equestria on my own for awhile, and no, I will not reconsider."

Twilight finally managing to find her voice, expressed her objection immediately.

"WHAT?!! Adrian what in Equestria are you talking about?!"

Adrian sighed.

"Twilight I have almost been killed three times since I arrived here, I need power and a lot of it if I am going to protect you all."

Twilight was now starting to become frightened.

"Adrian is this about Discord? Becau-"

"NO! Twilight this has nothing to do with Discord, to hell with Discord! Something is coming Twilight! I don't know what it is or how I know but if I'm not ready, I could lose everything including this world and you three!"

Twilight was now truly starting to wonder if Adrian had lost his mind.

"Adrian, why don't we sit down together and talk about this? You're not making any sense, please let's just talk this out."

Adrian shook his head.

"Twilight you remember how I mentioned seeing Discord in a dream? Well he wasn't all I saw. I think my dream was warning me that Discord is nothing compared to whomever or whatever is actually trying to kill me. I know I sound crazy but this is real, I know something's coming and I have to stop it. Goodby girls I love you with all my heart, and I am sorry to leave you like this, but I swear I will be back."

Twilight looked franticly to Celestia.

"Celestia please say something to him, this is crazy!"

"Good luck." Celestia said smiling.

"WHAT??!!" screamed Twilight and Luna together.

Celestia shrugged.

"It's obvious that Adrian won't be stopped, and I believe in him, so I say 'good luck'"

Adrian nodded his thanks, leaving without another word.

(Deep in the Everfree)

The metallic sphere supervised the excavation of a massive underground chamber, the chamber that will house the new experiments. Hundreds of drones worked together in perfect harmony guided by the ancient will of their creator. The work would be finished in a few weeks or so at this rate. Then the lab would be built within the chamber to begin the creation of new drones, and to create a stable gate to the masters the sphere served. If the sphere were capable of emotion it would have been pleased, as it was however the sphere simply proceeded to reviewing the preliminary data it had gathered on the latest experiment.

Test of anomaly survival ability: compleat

Combat Rating: Medium

Adaptability rating: High

Survival Rating: Medium

Projected Survival Rating: Very High

Potential for Growth: 100%

Query: If anomaly growth continues at sustained rate what is maximum potential rating of survivability?

Response: ERROR POTENTIAL TO HIGH TO CALCULATE!

Conclusion: We have found the infinity component.

Override Directive New Imperative/HIGHEST PRIORITY: Cease attempts to harvest anomaly, activate the convergence protocol.

Query: ETA Of Convergence?

Response: 1.5 standard years.

Query: What of other potential components?

Response: Commence silent harvest, construct purge class combat drones.

Query: What if silence broken?

Response: Secure infinity component, purge any threat to acquisition and retention of infinity component.

(Almost one year later)

"You miss him don't you?"

Twilight sparkle was snapped out of her daydreaming by her friends question, made all the more startling by it's accuracy.

"Is it really that obvious Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy nodded, it had been nearly a year since Adrian had left to explore Equestria and not a day went by that Twilight didn't think of him. Twilight, Luna, and Celestia got letters every now and again from Adrian letting them know he was still alive and well. Every letter came from a different place, Manehatten, Phillydelphia, even Saddle Arabia. They also read stories in the paper about a strange two legged creature that would show up to help ponies in need. Never staying for thanks or a reward the creature would simply vanish as if it had never been there, leaving only the tales of those it helped. Twilight, and the Princesses knew who the creature was and smiled whenever they read the stories. Still Twilight wished Adrian was with her now, she could have used his strength and talent for always saying the right thing. Not a day ago Twilight had received a very upsetting letter announcing her brothers marriage. The fact that her brother had not bothered to tell her about it himself had her wondering if she wanted to congratulate him or turn him into a toad. Turning back to fluttershy Twilight let out a loud sigh.

"I just wish he was able to come to the wedding, assuming I don't strangle the groom for being so inconsiderate to his only sister."

Fluttershy giggled at her friends joke.

"You never know, Adrian might show up just to surprise you."

Further conversation was forestalled by the train reaching their destination. Hopping out of the train Twilight and her friends were met by her brothers smiling face.

"Twily!"

Shining Armour exclaimed as he ran to greet his now frowning sibling.

"Twily I'm so glad you mad-"

Twilight cut her brother off with an angry glare.

"Where do you get off sending your only sister a wedding invitation when she didn't even know you were ENGAGED?!!"

Shining took a sheepish step back in the face of his sister's wrath, Twilight could be quite frightening when she wanted to. Advancing on her brother Twilight wasted no time making her feelings on the matter known.

"How dare you treat me like this, do you have any idea how this makes me feel?"

Cringing as his sister gave him a thorough chewing out Shining was glad none of his subordinates was around to see this, he'd never hear the end of it.

"You don't even bother to mention having a marefriend and think I won't care when you, out-of-the-blue, tell me you're getting MARRIED?!!"

Twilight stood there panting her rage temporarily spent as Shining responded.

"You're right I should have given you more notice." He responded sadly. "But recently somepony made a serious threat against Canterlot and Celestia needed to increase security. I can't leave the city because I need to maintain the barrier spell around the city, and I'm the only one who can."

Twilight felt her next tirade die in her throat at her brother's words.

"Ok, you had a good reason for not telling me yourself, and I understand that your duty had to come first. But I don't even know the pony you're marrying, who is this Princess Mi Amore Credenza?"

Shining Armour chuckled.

"Oh trust me you know her, Twilight the Mare I'm marrying is Cadence."

Twilight's face lit up.

"Are you serious?! Cadence my old foalsitter? The kindest, gentlest, most caring mare in Equestria, that Cadence."

Shining nodded smiling.

"Oh Shining this is wonderful! I can't believe you're marrying-"

"Am I interrupting something?"

Twilight turned to behold Cadence herself walking up to them. Twilight's excitement at seeing Cadence prevented her from noticing the arrogant tone she used to address her and Shining. Rushing up to her old foalsitter Twilight performed the secret greeting they had from when Twilight was a foal.

"Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake, clap your hooves and do a little shake!"

Rather than laugh or join in Cadence just stared blankly at Twilight.

"What are you doing?"

Confused Twilight tried again.

"Cadence it's me Twilight!"

To Twilight's surprise there was no flash of recognition in Cadence's eyes, only a mild disdain as she walked past Twilight.

Something was very wrong.

Far away a cloaked figure strode through the town of Dodge Junction, to the ponies around him the figure looked like an ordinary unicorn stallion with a grey coat black mane and a pentacle cutie mark. The simple illusion was enough to prevent the figure from attracting unwanted attention. As he headed for the train station the disguised figure watched the ponies go about their lives, the big business here was the local cherry orchard but there were plenty of other things going on. Vendors hocked their wares, foals played in the morning sun, and stores on every street were doing business. The figure allowed himself a smile as he watched a group of foals playing a game of soccer in a wide ally. One of the foals kicked the ball hard enough to send it over the goalie, and streaking toward the figures head. It was stopped an inch from his face by an aura of black energy. The group of foals rushed to the unfamiliar stallion as he held the ball suspended in the air.

"Sorry about that mister." said a young mare with a bright green coat and white mane.

The stallion smiled as he levitated the ball over to the gaggle of children.

"No harm done little one, just be a little more careful in the future ok?"

The small ponies nodded and thanked him as they returned to their game. Turning the figure resumed making his way to the train station, but stopped when he heard the conversation of some ponies seated outside a cafe.

"are they going ahead with the wedding?" Asked a dune colored pegasus mare with a yellow mane.

The pegasus's companion a blue unicorn mare with a white mane nodded.

"Yes, I heard it from my brother."

"The one in the royal guard?"

"Yes he said that Captain Shining Armor refused to postpone the wedding."

"But how can he possibly protect the city and plan his wedding?"

"Well my brother said the bride is doing most of the planning."

"Do they know who threatened the Princesses?"

"No but they must be crazy if they think-"

The mare stopped talking when she noticed her friend staring in shock at something behind her. Turning around she found herself staring at tall cloaked creature standing on two legs. It's face was hidden but two eyes shone out like stars from the depths of its hood, as the two mares stared in fear and awe they heard a voice speak directly into their mind's.

"Sorry to interrupt ladies, but I'm going to need to hear this story from the beginning if you don't mind."

The two mares nodded unable to say a word.

Twilight awoke in darkness her head felt fuzzy and it was a moment before she remembered what happened. Twilight had spent the day carefully watching Cadence at every available opportunity. Twilight had considered that she was just being overly sensitive, but after observing the bride to be she was convinced that there was something very wrong with Cadence. Gone was the sweet, loving, gentle, foalsitter Twilight grew up with, replaced by an insincere, arrogant, shrew of a mare. Twilight had tried to tell her friends her concerns but they had just thought she was being possessive of her brother. With her friends unwilling to listen Twilight decided to go see her brother directly, when she arrived at his home she saw Cadence cast some sort of spell on her brother. Horrified Twilight had rushed to alert the princess arriving just in time to interrupt the wedding rehearsal. Twilight confronted Cadence with what she had seen, but in the end Cadence and Shining convinced everypony that Twilight was the bad guy. Ashamed and wondering if she had made a huge mistake Twilight attempted to apologize to Cadence only for her to transport Twilight into this cave with a spell. Lighting her horn Twilight found herself in a chamber of natural crystal large enough that she couldn't see every part of it.

"Hello!?" Twilight called out.

Twilight yelped in surprise as Cadence's sneering face appeared on the crystal in front of her.

"Comfy?" The projection asked sarcastically. "Welcome to your new home."

"Where am I?!" Twilight demanded angrily.

The Cadence image laughed with cruel amusement.

"The caves beneath Canterlot Castle long ago it was sought by greedy Unicorns who wanted the gems inside. They would wander in but be unable to find their way back out. The caves have been mostly forgotten nowadays so don't expect to be rescued, although after your little outburst I doubt anypony will be interested in looking for you."

"Why are you doing this?!" Twilight yelled angrily.

"Because I have big plans for your brother and I don't like loose ends." Cadence replied vindictively.

Twilight felt a surge of anger rush through her.

"Don't you dare lay a hoof on my brother you witch!!" Twilight roared gathering mana in her horn.

The images of Cadence multiplied to fill the cavern.

"Or you'll do what?" She mocked.

With a cry of pure rage Twilight fired a blast of magic obliterating the largest image of Cadence. Laughing tauntingly the image of Cadence danced around the cavern while Twilight continued in vain to destroy it. Finally the image settled on the wall behind Twilight, who destroyed it with ease revealing another chamber, inside the chamber a disheveled Cadence stared in shock at Twilght. To angry to think Twilight tackled the newly revealed Cadence pinning her to the ground.

"Wait Twilight it's really me!" Pleaded the dirt covered Cadence.

Twilight hesitated.

"Prove it." she said suspiciously.

Rising quickly Cadence recited:

"Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake, clap your hooves, and do a little shake."

Any doubt Twilight had was instantly dispelled.

(Several miles from Canterlot)

Adrian shot through the sky toward Canterlot, after hearing of the threat to the city and it's ponies he had abandoned all subtlety. His appearance had changed dramatically, to the point that nopony who didn't know Adrian personally would have recognized who it was. After trying to teleport directly into the city Adrian had discovered that Shining Armour's protection spell prevented long range teleportation from working anywhere within an undetermined radius of Canterlot. Adrian had learned a great deal in his wanderings including how to turn his body into what amounted to a living weapon of mass destruction. In his Warforged (As he called it) state he could fly with incredible speed and maneuverability, unfortunately he had to fly all the way from Dodge Junction because he couldn't pinpoint exactly where the "no port zone" ended. Finally Adrian had sighted canterlot, and was relieved to see the barrier was still functioning, but that relief was short lived, as Adrian watched in horror he saw the purple sphere crack and then shatter. Putting on even more speed Adrian could only think of his friends and loved ones, and the destruction he would unleash against whoever was attacking them.