The dark brother of the bright student

A week later Fallen worked in his laboratory, in the morning, as he heard Spike calling for breakfast.

He arrived in the dining room after a few minutes. He saw that Bright and Twilight already finished breakfast and they looked like they were preparing to leave.

Fallen sat down and began to eat. "Where are you two going?"

Twilight packed some sandwiches in her saddlebags. "Since Bright finished her healing magic studies we are going on a trip to study gems and their magical abilities."

Fallen raised an eyebrow. "Why do you need to go on a trip for that, didn't one of your friends always have some gems?"

Twilight shook her head. "Rarity has no gems left, in fact we are going to bring her a bag as a surprise."

After Fallen finished his breakfast and he stood up. "Twilight I have to talk to you. Alone!"

Twilight followed Fallen outside the room while Bright was busy searching for the things they need.

Fallen looked at Twilight with an disapproving look. "This is the third time this week that you miss your training. Rainbow Dash ask me if you didn't want to train anymore and I have better thing to do as waiting for you to come to the training. If you miss the lesson tomorrow I will no longer teach you. Do you understand?"

Twilight looked at the ground, she skipped his lessons because she didn't made any steps forward. "Ok, I am sorry."

Fallen still looked directly at her. "I didn't ask for a sorry. Now another thing, If you go on a trip with Bright you are responsible for her. You take care that nothing happens to her!"

Twilight nodded and turned around. She walked back to Bright and helped her packing the rest.

Fallen followed the two the door and watched them as they walked away. Bright waved Fallen and screamed. "See you tonight!"

As they were gone Fallen walked in the library and looked over some books. He searched if Twilight had something that could help him with his studies. He found nothing besides some notes of Twilights first visit at the crystal empire.

Later he took his cloak on and went outside to go to the arena where he saw Rainbow trying to use two spears at the same time.

He walked behind her and took one of the spears out of her hoof. "These spears are only made for two-hoof use. How often do I need to tell you this."

Rainbow Dash just shrugged. "I just wanted to try. Did you told Twilight that she should come to training again?"

Fallen placed the spear back where it belongs and turned around. "Yes and she said that she would come next time, but today she will not come, so I decided that since you already managed to beat fifteen shadows alone you will fight against me today. Don't worry, I will not use my magic."

Rainbow grabbed her spear and flew in the air. "Cool! Let's start."

They walked in the middle of the arena and Fallen transformed his crystal hoof into a sword.

"Three, two, one, GO!"

Rainbow dashed at him and tried to hit him in the left side but Fallen took one step aside and turned a little bit so he could attack Rainbow Dash who was now directly in front of him.

He swung his sword at her exposed wing. Rainbow lifted her spear to block the attack but the sword turned into a hammer and shattered her spear. "What?"

The hammer hit her wing and Rainbow heard her bones breaking. She fell to the ground. She tried to get up as fast as she could but as she lifted her head was there already a crystal sword at her throat.

Fallen turned around and walked to the shattered pieces of the spear. "Next time you better try to win at least."

Rainbow got up and looked at him outraged. "That was not fair! You cheated! You said no magic."

Fallen used a spell to repair the spear. "I didn't use magic, this hoof is a part of me and I can change the shape of it without magic and whenever I want. I think you would prefer to go home or to a doctor. I don't think you are capable of anymore training today."

He poked her wing with the spear and Rainbow Dash screamed in pain. "Fine!"

She turned around and walked to the town.

Fallen looked at his cloak. 'I should have taken it off before the fight, now there is a hole in the cloak. She is faster than I thought she nearly got me and she doesn't even know it. Well I think I need to fix it. Wasn't Rarity some sort of designer. She can probably fix it.'

Fallen walked through the town and even if he already lived if Ponyville for two weeks he never walked without his cloak. Many other ponies stared at his hoof and his horn. Fallen ignored them and walked to Raritys boutique.

He opened the door and saw Rarity working on some dresses, as she heard the door bell she turned around and saw Fallen. "Oh, Fallen. It is nice to see you."

Fallen knew that she feared to hear why he was in her boutique. "I know that you don't like me and to calm you down, I am not here to ask you for a duel or an experiment. During the training with Rainbow Dash she pierced through my cloak. I need it fixed."

"I thought you don't want me to touch your cloak."

"If you don't want I can ask a designer in Canterlot. They would probably fight against each other for the opportunity to work on the cloak of an high mage." He turned away and smiled. He knew that, if Rarity was anything like the few designers he knows, she wouldn't want to miss such an opportunity.

"Stop darling. I will do it!"

"Perfect." He gave her the cloak. "How long will it take until it is repaired?"

She looked at the hole for a second and answered. "That should only take a minute of two."

He nodded. "Good I will come back in two minutes." He walked outside the boutique and began to walk.

He walked around the town and watched some of the ponies till a little pink and a gray filly bumped into him. "Can't you look where you go?"

Fallen looked down at her. "I think I remember you two from the school."

The pink looked at the gray filly. "Oh, it is that 'high mage' replacement."

"What was that?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I said that you are a replacement for the princess!"

"Well I hope you liked my lecture." Fallen walked a few steps towards them.

The pink filly didn't looked at Fallen and went on talking. "It was boring and you look like an idiot with your horn and hoof. Isn't that right Silver Spoon?"

Silver Spoon looked at the stallion in front of them. "Diamond Tiara, I don't think this is a good idea."

Diamond Tiara looked at her confused. "Why? What can he do scare us with his dumb dark magic? He probably learnt it from his crazy old father."

"What did you say about my magic and my father?" Fallen looked directly in her eyes. "Silver Spoon can you bring her feather here. Tell him a high mage wants to speak with him."

The gray filly ran away and Diamond Tiara looked after her. "Why are you going, he can do nothing!"

Fallen summoned enough dark clouds to hide them both and spoke again to the now blind Diamond Tiara. "So, I am an ugly, weak replacement for the princess? I can't do anything against a dumb annoying filly? My magic is dumb and my father was crazy?"

He transformed his hoof into a claw and grabbed her head and lifed her up so she could see his angry face again. "This cloud makes us both invisibly for everypony outside. I can tell you, I will not let an arrogant filly insult me, my magic or my father."

His horn now glowed with dark magic. The eyes of Diamond Tiara began to glow green as Fallen used a spell to let her feel fear.

As he finished he let the cloud disappear and dropped Diamond Tiara on the ground. She stood up and backed away from Fallen.

Fallen saw Silver Spoon returning with an brown earth pony. The stallion walked over to Diamond Tiara and talked to her. "What happened. Silver Spoon told me a high mage wanted to talk to me."

Fallen started to explain. "I wanted to inform you that your daughter tried offend me and my magic. Twilight already told me your name, it is Filthy Rich right? Maybe you should teach your daughter respect."

Filthy Rich nodded. "Yes and I am sorry if my daughter said anything that offended you. She will get her punishment for offending a high mage."

"But he.." She wanted to tell everything but then Fallens eyes glowed for a second and she didn't dare to say anything about what happened. "he... he did nothing wrong and I am sorry for the mean things I said."

Fallen nodded. "Well I have to go now. I hope we will see each other again but under other circumstances Mr. Rich."

As he walked away he could hear Filthy Rich angry talking to Diamond Tiara about not offending a high mage and that this harms his reputation if other ponies hear of this.

Fallen walked back to the boutique and went inside.

Rarity walked over him with the cloak in her hoofs. "It is good as new."

Fallen took out some Bits and took the cloak from her. "Good. That should be enough." He gave her the Bits.

He left the boutique without any more words and walked back to the castle

As he wanted to go inside he saw Twilight flying to the castle."What are you doing here I thought the trip will take till tonight and where is Bright?"

She took a few steps back. "Well... Uhm... We got attacked by Diamond Dogs... and they took Bright."

"What did you say?" He stepped towards her.

"The Diamond Dogs kidnapped Bright and they want gems as a ransom!" shouted Twilight.

"What?" Fallens eyes started glowing with dark magic. Black clouds started to surround him.

"I am sorry. I tried to fight them but there where to many and I was a little out of practice. I came back to get help." She stepped back as she saw that his eyes glowed even more on the purple mist came form the corner of his eyes.

"Where are these Dogs?"

She pointed in the direction where the Diamond Dog live and Fallen turned into a black cloud and flew in the direction, leaving a trail of dark crystal behind him.

"Oh oh." Twilight ran inside to search for Spike.

She found him in the library. "Spike you need to inform princess Celestia that Diamond Dogs kidnapped Bright and that Fallen went alone after them . She need to send some guards to help. I will follow Fallen to make sure that nothing happens to him."

Spike immediately jumped up and grabbed a feather and a scroll. Twilight turned away and ran outside to fly after Fallen.

She followed the crystal trail to a tunnel. 'How was he able to track the Diamond Dogs so fast. I hope he didn't got caught by them.'

She walked inside the tunnel and saw no dogs. After some time she felt something dripping on her. She looked up and saw three dogs impaled on the ceiling of the tunnel.

She ran away from under them. Later she saw a gigantic crystal that stomped a few dogs. Some of their arms and legs came out from under it. The ground around it was completle red.

In the next room were a big structure made of thin, long crystals with some shredded some dogs in it.That what was left of the expressions from the dogs was filled with horror.

Twilight was horrified by these pictures walked a faster. On the way she saw many dog that were cut into pieces. Then she heard Bright voice. "Fallen please stop!"

Twilight ran to follow the voice. After some time she entered a big hall. All around the room were dogs. They were burned to death, some of them were only skeletons.

In the middle of the room were three dog. They werr hold by shadows and Fallen wasin front of them. Bright was in a cage behind the dogs.

Twilight saw two of the dogs getting strangled by the shadows and fell to the ground.

Bright watched her brother, scared. She knew he had this side but she hoped it would never show itself. "Fallen please stop. No one deserves death."

Fallen didn't turned away from the last dog and lifted his sword shaped hoof to the throat of the dog. "I am sorry we didn't want to make you mad!"

Fallen looked angry at him. "You kidnapped my sister. You should be happy that I will end your pathetic life fast." The expression of the dog was filled with fear.

Twilight wanted to stop him but she stopped as she saw the dog falling on the ground and his head rolled beside him. Bright closed her eyes. She didn't want to see this side of Fallen.

Fallen walked to the cage and burned the steel bars with dark fire.

Twilight heard some ponies running inside the tunnels. 'These are probably the guards.' She called out so they could find them. "We are over here."

The guards entered the room and looked surprised around. "What happened here your highness?"

Twilight wanted to answer but then she heard Bright collapsing on the ground. Fallen took her on his back. "I gave these dogs what they deserve for kidnapping my sister."

Twilight ran to the unconscious Bright. "What happened to her."

"She can sense the good in somepony. Something like this gave her a psychical shook. She will be out for some minutes. I will bring her home and tomorrow you will learn to fight alone Twilight or else I will take my sister and leave. You guards will go through the caves and look if you find something that could be stolen. Bring everything to Ponyville and find out who the owners are."

"Yes high mage." The guards were confused but followed the order and began to search.

Fallen went on his way to leave the cave and Twilight walked besides him.

"Why did you killed them all? You could just paralyze them and get Bright."

"These dogs already have done enough. I saw what they have stolen and this probably isn't the first time they kidnapped a pony." Fallen looked at his unconscious sister.

"Do you think your sister will understand this?" Twilight gave Fallen a worried look.

Fallen closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I don't feel any hatred against me but even if that would be the case, I will not regret anything. If she can't live with this side of me, then I think it is time that we go on different paths."

"You would leave her?"

"If the pony whose talent is seeing the good in you hates you, then it is the best that I never see her again. But let us no longer talk about 'what ifs'. When we arrive you will make up all the missed combat lessons."

They walked the rest of the way quiet. They arrived a short time later at the castle. Fallen took Bright in her room and put her on her bed.

He walked back to the arena to start with Twilights lesson. At the beginning she couldn't concentrated and lost the fight even against only one shadow, but after some time she got back to her real level.

Fallen was even more strict and let Twilight no break but Twilight didn't complain because she felt guilty for what happened today.

After a hard training Twilight tried to get other thoughts by a little normal conversation. "So, how was the training with Rainbow?"

"You mean the training you missed because you were busy losing my sister? Well, it was a normal training but at the end we had a little duel."

"How ended the duel." Twilight was curious to know how much Rainbow had improved.

"Well she pierced a hole in my cloak and I broke one of her wings. She is probably still in the hospital right now."

'I have to visit her and ask her what exactly happened. I hope she isn't hurt to strong.' "What else happened today? You weren't inside when I came back.

"I was at your friends boutique to let my cloak fix. Then I had a little conversation with Filthy Rich about his daughter and insulting a high mage. After that I came back and you know the rest of the day."

"Maybe I should go if Rainbow Dash if that is okay."

"Do that I go back to my experiments." He walked back inside the castle.

Twilight arrived at the hospital and ask if Rainbow Dash was there. The doctor told her that Rainbow Dash had to stay in the hospital till tomorrow evening. After that the bone will heal in six weeks if she is careful. After that Rainbow would be able to fly again.

As Twilight was back at the castle she walked to Brights room and looked if she was awake. Twilight noticed a light crystal in one of the bookshelves, it was the one Twilight cleaned of darkness in Canterlot. 'How did she get Fallen to give it to her?'

Fallen was in his laboratory and worked hard on his experiments so he didn't had to think about the day.