Twilight's Guide to Extraterrestrials

by Eventual Perception

Rating: teen
Tags: Queen Chrysalis, Princess Celestia, Crossover, Human, Twilight Sparkle, Anthro, Drama, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Changelings, Original Character, Science Fiction
Length: 41253

In Progress: The Madness Arc #WhoGoesThere #Gwarnography

HEADING BACK TO UNIVERSITY. LOTS TO DO. LOTS TO DO. WILL GET BACK TO STORY ASAP. THANKS FOR READING ^.^
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She heard the voice echo through the skies, emanating from the black box which had landed before them. It was calm, direct, simple and yet somehow, Twilight could feel as though it held great authority. What she heard next chilled her, yet made her all the more curious.

"Hello. Do not be afraid. My name is Karellen, and I am the supervisor of Equestria."

Chatpers 1-8: The Karellen Arc
Chapters 9-15: The Beserker Arc
Chapters 16-x: The Madness Arc

Published 2015-12-16 16:20:02 UTC
Last updated 2016-05-29 06:35:46 UTC

Karellen

Karellen

Twilight took a deep breathe, steadying herself as she wiped her sweaty palms on her legs. She gulped, and could feel the eyes of everybody suddenly upon her as she stared at the black box.

"A-an audience? With me?"

"Yes," Karellen said. "I wish to have an audience with you."

"Why?"

"It will be revealed in time."

"In time?" Twilight raised an eyebrow.

"Ah don't trust it, Twi; Ah got a bad feelin' 'bout this."

Twilight looked at Applejack. She was about to speak when Karellen addressed the orange pony.

"I assure you, we mean no harm. We come in peace."

If they really come in peace, Twilight thought, then there shouldn't be any reason to suspect an audience as a ploy. But if they aren't here in peace, well, I can defend myself. He doesn't sound violent, though, but how would I be expected to know? I'm not even sure where he's from; none of my examinations shed light on anything, not anything at all. "Where do you come from."

"All will be revealed at the audience, Princess Twilight."

"Why will you be here?"

"All will be revealed at the audience."

"If - IF - I decided to grant you this audience, how will I get there? When will it be?"

"We will meet at the appropriate time, Princess Twilight."

"Why me?"

"We have chosen you from a pool of possible applicants eligible to speak for us."

"And you chose me?"

"It was between you and an elderly blind mare in what you call Vanhoover."

Twilight shifted position, looked back at her friends, looked at the now murmuring crowd. She looked at the ground when she heard her name called. "Twilight!" She looked as Starlight Glimmer pushed her way through the crowd, her face frightened and her eyes wide with concern. "Twilight, what's going on? I heard a voice and -- What in the world is that?!" She slid to a stop, her hooves digging trenches into the soil.

"We're - I'm not really sure," Twilight said.

"Hello, Starlight Glimmer," Karellen again said from the box. "How pleasant for you to join us. Twilight was about to make a decision on my offer, weren't you, Twilght?"

"Um, yes. Yes, I'll grant you an audience."

"So it is decided." The box began to levitate from the ground, getting higher and higher, returning, it seemed, to the ship. "We will speak again. Farewell, for now."

"So what do you propose we do, sister? All of Equestria has seen them."

"I'm not sure, nothing has ever gotten the drop on us like this, Luna. Half of Equestria still thinks we control the sun, moon and stars. They're not ready for this." Celestia sat back in her hair, closed her eyes and held her forehead with her fingers. Her hair fell about her face and her horn itched as her ears pressed flat against her head. "I'm not sure."

"Surely, we must do something."

"Yes, Luna! Yes!" Celestia sighed. "Yes, we must do something, but they've already made contact. All of Ponyville has heard their voice, and they've singled out Twilight."

"We trust Twilight Sparkle, do we not?"

"Not with this. Never with this, Luna."

"Why not?"

"Because this.... this is....... this is different, Luna, incredibly different. It's not a returning castle or a changeling horde or even a vengeful warlord. It's something we've never even knew existed."

"Perhaps," Luna said to her sister in a hushed voice, as if she were uttering some secret blasphemy. "Perhaps they do come in peace, sister."

"Perhaps," Celestia sighed. Her chest rose and fell under her light dress. "We need to speak to Twilight. If she is the chosen one, if they do wish to communicate to us through her, then we ought to have her here, with us, where we can keep an eye on her." She closed her eyes, ashamed that she would ever have to say such a thing. "Guard!" The door opened behind her, and she continued: "Guard, I need you to send word to Ponyville that we request Princess Twilight Sparkle's presence-- No, Luna, this is the way it must be done. We can take no chances, I'm afraid."

They sat around the map, which currently illuminated Equestria, but not the ships that hovered above it. Nevertheless, several areas of the map glowed intensely. They all sat around it, staring intensely, mostly in silence, except for Fluttershy, who shook and slightly giggled almost quietly but not quite. Rainbow Dash looked at her friend, afraid that the sudden appearance might have done her in. Starlight sat on a folding chair next to Twilight's throne.

"They just showed up last night?"

"Yes, Starlight; I can't know precisely when. They weren't there when I went to sleep, but they were there when I woke up. I can't.... I can't figure it out." She noticed Starlight staring at her. "Yet. I can't figure it out yet." Rarity looked at Applejack knowingly, then back at Twilight. She was about to say something when Fluttershy suddenly spoke, almost loudly.

"I saw them show up the animals started going crazy and they wouldn't calm down and nothing I could do would help they kept going crazy and crazy and crazy and I woke up when Angel Bunny kicked me in the head and pulled my hair and bit my ears and when I went down to see what was going on they were coming out of the sky in these bright clouds that looked like dirty fire and which was very frightening so I sent a couple of little birdies the fastest I had to get Dashie because I didn't really want to be alone not when them coming down like that and the animals going crazy!"

The room echoed in silence the last of Fluttershy's words. She pulled her legs up and wrapped her arms around them, quiet again.

"Come again?" Applejack said.

Twilight leaned forward. "Did they make a noise, Fluttershy?" Her friend merely shook her head gently. Twilight looked at Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow, what did you see?"

"Honestly, not much. You know me, Twi, can't exactly talk to animals. The birds just pulled me out of bed, I barely had time to get dressed before I was out the door and on my way to Fluttershy's. Although, now that you mention it, the clouds did look kind of weird."

"Weird how?"

"I don't know, Twi. Just kind of.... goofy looking, I guess." Rainbow Dash avoided Twilight's gaze.

"Anybody else notice anything?" Her friends shook their head. "Well," Twilight sighed, "there's nothing more we can do here. Not now, anyway. Girls, I think we ought to be in town today, making sure everybody is alright." She stood up. "So, then, let's get to work." As her friend exited the throne room, Twilight gently grabbed Starlight's arm. "Starlight -- a moment?" She pulled Starlight aside as the last of the others closed the door, and they were alone. "Where were you?"

"I'm sorry, Twilight," Starlight began.

"Where were you? I woke up and you weren't there. Where did you go?" Twilight grabbed Starlight's other arm, leaned in closer, looking her in the eye. "I was cold."

"I'm sorry, Twilight. I am. I just..... I'm not used to this, you know?"

"I know, Starlight. That's why were working on this together. But you can't run away like that, Starlight." Twilight smiled.

"I won't. I'm.... I'm sorry." She looked down, eyes watering. Twilight raised a finger to her chin so that she had to look into her eyes.

"It's alright. I know this must be hard for you, it's even been a little hard for me."

"Because of --"

"Yes." Twilight pulled Starlight into a hug. She could smell Starlight's hair. She felt happy, well, perhaps happy wasn't the right word, the right emotion; she felt less anxious. Yes, that was it. Starlight calmed her, just like --

A blue light shimmered throughout the throne room. The bricks of the castle - one by one - began to remove themselves from the the castle and move backwards toward a blinding bluish-white light. Twilight and Starlight sprung away from each other as they looked to see the fleeing castle bricks reveal an oblong metallic object an eighth the size of the throne room. The blue light, infused with some sort of slight golden wavering, emanated from the object's front. It gently glided into the throne room, fifteen feet from the two frightened ponies.

Twilight, steeling herself against the unknown coldness of it all, stepped forward. Starlight grabbed her arm, trying to stop her. Twilight asked it, "What do you want."

"It is time for my audience, Princess Twilight." Karellen. Karellen was here. He had come.

"No harm will come to my friends?"

"No. Your friends will not be harmed. As I told you, we come in peace."

"Twilight, what's going on?" Did Starlight not here him, Twilight thought.

"She cannot hear me, Princess Twilight. I must insist you keep your promise and grant me an audience." Two doors opened on the side of the object, one up and one down. Twilight stepped forward. Well, as long as nobody gets hurt, Twilight thought as she stepped into the object.

"Twilight! Don't!" But the doors shut, and the machine backed out of the room, the bricks replacing themselves. Starlight stared, alone in the suddenly very dark room. Her lips quivered. "Applejack! Rarity!" She ran from the room.

From outside the castle, one of Celestia's royal guards, the very same entrusted to send a message to Twilight, saw a metallic object leave the castle as bricks once again built themselves into a wall.

He sighed. "This isn't going to go over well...."

He turned and, having done absolutely nothing at all, started back home.

The room was elegant, beautiful, purple and gold and warm and soft. The night outside was beautiful and dark and the stars shined even with the full moon. Through the open window, a warm late-summer breeze blew in and ruffled the starry cape which hung on the coat rack. Twilight lay naked on the bed as the shower ran and steam escaped from the bathroom in tiny billows of whiteness beneath the door. She felt her body with her hands, her body's fur catching on her fingers as she caressed herself, moving lower and lower until --

"You're starting without me?" Trixie came out of the door, water dripping from her fur and her hair, her ears perky on her head. She's adorable, Twilight thought, how lucky I am to call her mine.

Twilight chuckled softly. "You know, I just couldn't wait. I tried, but I couldn't."

Trixie dropped the towel from around her waist. It heaved onto the ground after it slid from her tail. Her hips swayed hypnotically. "I know. I have that effect on ponies." The late-summer breeze blew her hair about her face. She smiled, water dripping from her muzzle as she reached the side of the bed. "I'm not mad, you know. I think it's so sweet you think of me that way." She grabbed Twilight's hand, brought it to the cutie mark on her hip --

"Hello, Twilight."

Twilight turned around and was very surprised.

Starry, Starry Night

She sat on her rock, feeling slightly more important than usual and twiddled her crown between her fingers, feeling the knobby tips between her fingers. She took a deep breath and held it for a moment as she peered between the branches to the skies above. The clouds had cleared and, beyond the visiting ships, she could see the stars - what was supposedly the work of Princess Luna, but Queen Chrysalis had never quite believed that and now these visitors had confirmed her suspicions: the princesses were just as powerful as her. No more, nor no less.

She let out her breath, and her chest fell. She'd have to find someplace secretive soon, somewhere out of the way and protected - she could feel her skin closing in on her, the green band about her waist becoming more than slightly tight against her. Shedding was something she never really, truly had a knack for, let alone enjoyed - the way her skin left her body, the sticky, fresh skin beneath that was slightly softer to the touch, the way her hair and tail - which never seemed to shed, she never understood why - would cling to the wet skin when she moved. But for now, there was some time left before the chore, and she was content to stare past the sky into the stars and wonder, just wonder, what else was out there.

Is there, on one of those dots of light, another Queen, staring into her own sky, towards me, wondering if she is also alone? Chrysalis thought. She let go of her crown, let it down on her rock, and leaned back onto her arms. She sighed again; sometimes, she could be quite lonely, in her own way. Yes, she had her horde, her minions and her soldiers and her children, but still... she was lonely, on occasion, when the vastness of the night fell over her and there was nothing much to do, when she didn't feel much like trying, she just wished that it was through. She closed her eyes, then opened them.

Above her, an Overlord ship quietly flew over, leaving no sound nor trace of presence, a ghost in the night sky. Chrysalis did not trust Overlords, nothing could come in peace; life was war, she knew this very well, had known since her early childhood. They were lying, they had to be.

Kevin stared at the sky, laying on his back and breathing deeply. There hadn't been much to do, not lately - sure, there was planning, and secretly sneaking off into Ponyville to mingle on the outskirts, but really, there was nothing that really held his interest. He crossed his legs, rather awkwardly, and shifted his position as he watched the stars twinkle far overhead. Sleep, he decided, would not visit him this night, despite the tiredness, despite the need he clearly had for sleep. His armor lay in a pile beside him, cold and hard and uncaring, the way Kevin himself used to be.

In reality, he had not been that way for a long, long time.

Chrysalis did not know how long she had been staring at the sky, but she had the vague notion that she had remained still for a very long time. The hair over her shoulders was cold in the night, her hairless skin chilled, her fingers clinging to the rock. The stars remained silent overhead, as did their new Overlord companions.

Chrysalis had heard the voice in Ponyville; it had been faint, Karellen had not been very loud when he had spoke, and it had not traveled through the Everfree trees very well. A slight drawback, she thought; the very thing that kept them from the wandering eyes of the ponies was the very thing that was now preventing her from satisfying her curiosity. Whatever he had said, it had been calm and direct and - Chrysalis sensed - intentionally vague. Still, she had the impression that something big was coming, in her own way; the way her full belly rumbled, the way her ears twitched, the way she and her soldiers seemed to be on edge. Something was coming, and if she had to guess she would have said from above, from "Luna's stars." Still, it was just a feeling, and they were wrong more often than right - or maybe they were right as often as they were wrong - but in any case she did not pay attention to it in the present. She sat, beneath the stars, in her loneliness.

There's a long way to go between stars. A long time between stops, especially when you're travelling along, especially when using the alternate back routes. A long time for something to go wrong. A long time to hear nothing but the drone of the engines against the dead silence of space, to feel the chill of the empty cabin. A long time to miss the ship passing through the system of a minor star, and the slight change in navigation that sent the ship toward a small, pale planet inhabited by talking ponies. In his stasis, he shifted slightly as the laws of physics affected him. He groaned in his sleep, his eyes opening slightly.

The eyeshine was brief, and he was asleep again.

Twilight stared out the window as she lay in bed beneath Starlight's arm. The Overlord ship was not visible, only the darkness of the night and the stars. She sighed, pulled Starlight's arm closer, and went back to sleep.

Chyrsalis walked silently through the trees, occasionally placing a palm on the rough bark and stopping, looking at her hooves and kicking the dirt. She did not like this, not one little bit: she had not been so introspective in a very long time, and didn't like it. It made her feel vulnerable, which, she had convinced herself, was something that no queen should ever feel; it's why she'd killed her only mate - despite what the ponies thought, Changelings could pair for life. Chrysalis simply hadn't wanted to, because it was safer to be alone, to be feared by her underlings and to be thought cold and heartless. It was a fable about herself that even she enjoyed.

She looked at the stars. So very small, she thought; we're all so very, very small.

The sun was very bright, and it took all Twilight had not to squint in its light. She looked at the crowd as she stood at the podium, the dress flowing down her body as her friends sat behind her, and on either end of them sat the other three princesses. The microphones amplified her every sound, and the crowd assembled before her in Canterlot watched her earlier, reporters sitting in the middle with the public standing around them. Overhead, an Overlord ship hung silently in the blue sky.

"Hello," Twilight spoke. "I am Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship, and the Spokepony of Karellen. He comes in peace, and there are a few things he would like you to know."

Karrellen's Announcement

The ships broadcast Twilight's voice across Equestria. In every major settlement, town and city.

"Karellen wants you to know that we can no longer be as divided as we have been. Yes, we have made great strides in friendship and harmony by ourselves, but Karellen wants you all to know that we must do more to encourage the spirit of friendship."

In Appleloosa, Braeburn took his hat off as he stared at the floating ship. Never in all his life had he witnessed such a thing.

"We must extend ourselves to all, even our enemies: ponies, dragons, griffons, pegasi, unicorns, even Changelings must come together in the spirit of friendship. Karellen says that great things are coming; he has not yet told us what it will be, but it is imperative that we come together to work toward a common goal of friendship and cooperation."

In Everfree Forest, Chrysalis tilted her head upward toward the ship, eyeing it. "Like that will ever happen," she said aloud.

"I am urging every citizen in Equestria to open your doors and your hearts to your neighbor; seek an understanding, and friendship will necessarily follow if your intentions are good and honest. We are not alone, not in Equestria and not in the universe." The newsponies in the crowd scribbled while the public around them murmured among themselves. "We have more in common than we might guess; we, all of us, share a common ancestor, are connected through the history of life on this planet. This is true, I have seen it; Fluttershy and Princess Celestia have seen it, too, and Karellen confirms it. This is out strength: that we do not exist in spite of our enemies, but because of our enemies, because of our connection through time and space."

A newspony spoke out form his seat. "Sorry to interrupt, Twilight" - and here Twilight gave him an annoyed nod - "but what you are saying.... surely you are not serious."

"I am serious, yes."

"How can you expect us to believe such a thing. Next you'll be telling us the two sisters don't control the sun or moon," the reporter said.

"They don't" was Twilight's simple reply. The reporter stared dumbfounded at her while, again, the crowd murmured among themselves. In Appleloosa, Braeburn felt a terrible uneasiness in his stomach. In Everfree Forest, Chrysalis smiled and nodded a little, savoring what must surely have been the beginning of the end for the two sisters. At the conference, Twilight continued: "There are great things coming, from the stars, from beyond the stars - things that, if we band together, will transform us into what we always wished - always knew we could become."

"But why would Karellen choose you?"

"Do you not trust me?"

The reporter put his pencil to his muzzle. "Hmmm...." he said, quietly, then, louder: "Fair enough. Uh, continue, Princess Twilight...?"

"That is all for today. Just know that I - that Karellen will be watching. He is here to help us help ourselves, but adheres to a strict nonintervention policy. We must help ourselves."

"Ain't one for speeches, are ya, Twilight?"

"No, Applejack, I suppose I'm not. That being said, I didn't have a lot to go on to begin with. Karellen is very secretive."

"Ah reckon it's probably because, what's the word, oh yeah - evil?"

"No, not evil, Applejack. Just different. If he wanted to destroy us, he could have done it by know I'm sure."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, Applejack. Think about it - he projected my voice through every city in Equestria, even towns that aren't inhabited by ponies. Even the dragons. Even the Changelings. His ships arrived here silently in the dead of night, and yet did not attack when they had the element of surprise. If they can cross between worlds, they surely we won't pose any real threat to them. Would you agree?"

"I reckon."

"So why won't he help us?" Rainbow Dash cut in as they walked through the halls of Celestia's castle.

"Karellen says that's the way it's always been. It's the way it must be if we are to get through this."

"Sorry, Twilight, but that doesn't sound much like a reason. Kind of sounds like a lame excuse to me," Rainbow Dash said.

"Well, I'm sorry you feel that way; but that's the great thing about Equestria, girls; you're allowed your opinion," Twilight looked at Applejack and Rainbow Dash, "even if you're wrong."

"But suppose we ain't wrong, Twi? What then?"

"Then I don't know. But either way, we should probably listen to Karellen. I mean, what harm ever came from building friendships, anyway? I used to think that was all a bunch of hooey, but when I came here, well look at what happened."

"Wait. Wait wait wait wait wait. How is he different? Does he look funny?" Pinkie asked.

"I haven't seen him, not face to face anyway," Twilight said. "But he gave the impression that he looks different."

"What a load of baloney, Twilight," Rainbow Dash said. "He probably looks just like us. It's probably some pony having a laugh at our expense."

"Yeah. Somehow, I doubt that."

Rarity spoke. "Speaking of not seeing somebody, where is Starlight?"

"Oh, I told her to wait behind. This entire thing has been pretty hard on her, with her being so new to friendship and all."

"I can imagine." Applejack said.

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "So, Twilight, you, uh, spend 'quality time' with her yet?"

"Rainbow! Have some tact, this is neither the time nor the place!"

"Oh, calm down, Rarity, it's a legitimate question. So, have you?"

Her friends looked at her, and Twilight felt herself begin to shrink - metaphorically, that is, ponies don't actually shrink - before their eyes. "We, uh, really like to keep that kind of thing between us, Rainbow."

"Oh, it's okay, Twilight," Fluttershy said. "You don't have to tell us if you don't want to."

"Well, that's good, Fluttershy, because I'm not going to." And with that, she slipped into the door to her temporary suite, and none of her friends were quite sure how they had gotten there so quickly.

"Well, we feel that could have gone a little better than it did, don't we, Sister?"

Celestia covered her face in her hands, her elbows on the table in front of her and her back hunched. Her wings slumped loosely into the chair she sat in and she took a deep breath before she spoke. "No, Luna, it didn't. I could have done with everything if she hadn't brought up the Changelings." She huffed quietly to herself. "The Changelings, Luna. What am I supposed to do now to show my alignment with Karellen? Just invite Chrysalis over for some tea? Some tea, Luna! Imagine that. Me with Chrysalis, the one person who's ever bested me."

"Yes, we imagine that would be rather awkward."

"You think?"

"Yes, we do. That is why we said that."

Celestia peeked between her fingers at her smugly looking sister, when hid her face again. "Could you make yourself useful, Luna, and fetch a guard or a servant or anybody who can bring me some tea. I need some tea."

The planetoid spaceship gently moved through the star's system, a large, vaguely translucent sphere that has passed across the cosmic canvas of space, between dark stars and by black holes and past every single conquered planet. Inside, an army slept, dog-like and vicious and ruthlessly rational. It moved incredibly fast by any terrestrial standard, but in the endless reaches between the planets, its movements were dismally slow. The sphere was a harmless circle when Karellen looked at it aboard his ship. His charge did not have much time to get their act together. Everything was coming together, whether they accepted him or not.

Karellen used a finger to move the display out from the planetoid spaceship. Another ship, a far smaller and much sleeker looking object, had been struck by a piece of space junk and its trajectory altered towards the small planet Karellen's ship hovered over. Knocked from the backways of the system, where such vessels rarely were seen. Karellen eyed the screen silently.

"Oh, Twilight," he muttered to himself, "I hope your planet can come to trust me before it's too late."

How to Tame a Wild Heart

How to Tame a Wild Heart

Twilight walked over to her bed and lowered herself beside the sleeping form beneath the covers and her tail went limp behind her. She rubbed her hands across her head, running her fingers through her hair and let out a sigh, and then the form beside her shifted and the bead squeaked and Starlight was awake. Twilight looked at her form and could see her peeking from the covers at her.

"How did it go?"

"Were you asleep the whole time?"

"Yes. I've been tired. How did it go."

"I think it could have gone better, honestly. There's not a lot of ways to say very simple things."

"Karellen didn't give you a lot to go on, did he?"

"No, he really didn't."

Starlight sat up in the bed, her tail wrapping around her and intertwining it with her legs. She reached out and took Twilight's arm, and looked at her, her ears pressed against her head. "Lay down with me?" Twilight looked at her, locked eyes and smiled a little smile. The sight of her calmed her. "Lay down with me. Please." Twilight gasped in a mocking way.

"Are you telling me to do something, Starlight?"

"Maybe I am, Twilight. Maybe I am." She ran her finger up and down Twilight's arm, her fur soft to the touch, beautiful, amazing. Starlight felt a warmth in her chest as neurotransmitters flooded her brain at the touch. She looked Twilight up and down, and her smile turned into a frown. "Twilight, please. You need to lay down. You look like you haven't slept at all since they appeared."

Twilight sighed. I really haven't, she thought. Still, she lied. "No, Starlight, I'm fine. I promise.... I'm fine."

Starlight ran her hand up to Twilight's face, cupped it lovingly, and pouted. "Don't lie to me, Twilight. I may be new to this friend thing, and even newer to this love thing, but I can tell that you're lying. I'm not stupid, you know."

Twilight kissed Starlight's palm. "I know," she said. "I just.... I'm scared of how tired I am."

"Why, Twilight?"

"Starlight, if I'm this tired, and all I've done is meet with Karellen once and send out one message, then..... I don't know, how will the others feel? How will you feel?" She looked down, her hands clasped together so tightly that her fingers turned white beneath the fine fur. "If I'm this tired, how will the average pony feel? A colt or a filly? They must be terrified by all of this. I can't..... I don't want to do this to them, Starlight. I can't."

Starlight looked at her, cocked her head to the side and was quiet for a moment. Then: "But you can't worry about that; you're going to something great, Twilight, I can tell. You've already done so many great things. I mean, you saved me. Of all ponies, you saved me, Twilight, and then you let me into your kingdom. Your heart. After all I've done, you saved me." She was quiet. "Saved me, Twilight. How can you do harm to anybody?" She kissed Twilight's cheek. "Lay down with me, Twilight." She pulled the other mare down onto the bed beside her and took her in her arms. "There. Is that better?"

"The hug is awkward, but the bed is divine."

"Twilight!"

"I'm kidding." She snuggled against Starlight, against the sheets and against her tiredness. "It's almost perfect."

"Almost perfect?!"

Twilight outstretched her wings and wrapped herself and Starlight up in them, feeling the heat trapped beneath them radiate between the two, warming her and pulling her towards sleep. "There," she cooed, "now it's perfect." She was quiet, and her eyes were closed, and Starlight thought that she had fallen asleep when Twilight spoke: "I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"I haven't been..... good..... to you."

"No, no, Twilight, you've been very good to me."

"No..... no......" Twilight became quite agitated then, almost twisted, her face contorting into a scowl. "I should have...... saved you....... sooner......."

"It's not your fault, now hush!" She put a finger to Twilight's muzzle, and Twilight's face relaxed, smiled. "I'm very proud of you, Twilight, you've tamed a wild heart, you know." She kissed Twilight's muzzle gently as the first snores escaped her lover's lips.

As night fell again over Equestria, Celestia found herself in her study, staring at a blank piece of paper, twiddling a pen in her fingers. Twilight was right. Karellen was right, she had decided. She had to be the bigger person and open her arms and her kingdom to peace and to foreigners, however their relationship may have been in the past. Candles burned in their holders and her shadow danced on the wall beside her, and the spices and the last of the warmth rose form the plate of rice she had not touched at dinner, yet had for some reason brought with her.

Its funny, she thought, how hard it is to do something which, knowing it is the right and proper thing to do, should be so easy. She scribbled on the paper, then read what she had written aloud: "Queen Chrysalis, You are hereby cordially invited to Canterlot Royal Castle for dinner with Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and delegates from across Equestria." She was quiet and thought about it. "No, that just doesn't sound quite right." She tore the paper up and tossed it into the bin beside her.

Trixie hugged Twilight closely in the hotel room, hugged her for a good long time before she released her and kissed her on the cheek. "Twilight looks amazing today! Twilight has been sleeping better?"

Twilight smiled, embraced Trixie again, this time with her wings as well as her arms. "Yes, I have been, Trixie. It's amazing, I've been sleeping so much better."

"So Karellen's elixir has helped."

"Oh, so much." She let go and sat down on the bed, and Trixie sat beside her. She leaned against Trixie. "Things have been wonderful with Starlight." When Trixie was quiet, she continued, hastily: "But it's nothing compared to when I'm here, with you. It's the happiest I've been in a long time. I love you, Trixie."

"Trixie knows." She leaned against Twilight, their naked forms against each other, their fur rubbing against each others. "Lay down with Trixie." Twilight allowed herself to be pushed down on the bed as Trixie climbed on top of her, her light blue mane falling down over both of their faces. Trixie kissed her deepy; very, very deeply. Twilight's wings extended as her hands ran up and down Trixie's back.

"I'm so terribly sorry to have to do this, Princess Twilight, but it is time again for an audience. I have some things which I must reveal to you." Karellen's voice echoed through the room as Trixie and Twilight broke their kiss. Twilight sighed as Trixie rolled off of her, and Twilight stood.

"What do we need to talk about, Karellen?"

"It is time to reveal the next phase of the plan for your planet, Princess Twilight. Great dangers draw near, closer than ever before, greater than anything you've yet faced. It's amazing how much effort your planet has put it, and yet there are out pockets of resistance against the plan for prosperity. You must speak to them. But, more importantly, you must talk to the two greatest leaders of your world - Princess Celestia and Queen Chrysalis. They both command mighty armies, and must not be aligned against one another."

"And they'll listen to me?"

"Like so many others, yes, I believe they will."

"What's coming, Karellen?"

"Armies, monsters, aliens, but perhaps you could call them problems. Tests. Trials. The names are, for now, irrelevant. But your planet must know what is coming for them, if and only if it will force them to work together."

"They'd trust me if they saw your face."

"That, I insist, cannot be rushed. Again, I insist this must not be rushed."

"Can I see you?"

"Twilight," Trixie spoke behind her, "it is not yet time for that, yet."

Twilight stared intently at the mirror. "Please, show yourself to me. I believe the people are ready to meet you, I believe it will be beneficial."

There was silence from behind her and in front of her, and then, from behind the mirror, "as you wish." Without a sound, the windows were darkened as the curtains slid down, and silently mirror slide open, revealing shadows beyond. Twilight's eyes adjusted to the darkness, until finally she saw a figure - large, imposing, something like an insect or a cosmic robot. The figure stepped forward from the gloom, it's wings outstretching themselves as the tail coiled aimlessly behind it. It walked somewhat stiffly, yet awkwardly fluidly, in a way Twilight had never seen before. It looked at her with glowing red eyes. "Hello, Princess Twilight Sparkle. I am Karellen."

Twilight took a deep breath, steadied herself. Behind her Trixie came up and took her in her arms comforting her as she saw the visitor move forward towards her. Karellen spoke: "Do not be afraid, Twilight Sparkle; I mean you no harm, and am only here to help you help yourself." He held out a long hand with too many fingers and one thumb two many. He balled it into a fist. "I've studied your cultures; I believe this is how you say hello. I believe you call it a 'bro-hoof.'" Timidly, Twilight returned the gesture. Unsure of what to do, confronted as she was with Karellen face to face. "You're right," Twilight said. "They are not ready to see you. I was not ready to see you."

"I frighten you because I am different. I understand, it is the nature of most living things." He was silent. "Can you deliver the message for me? The coming danger, and the message to your greatest leaders?"

"Yes. Yes I can."

"Good. I will leave you alone, now, unless you have any further questions?"

"No..... nothing for now."

"Farewell, Twilight Sparkle. Until next time." Karellen turned and walked behind the mirror, which slid across the room again.

Trixie hugged Twilight harder. "Are you alright, Twilight?"

"Y-yes. I'm f-fine."

"Do not lie to The Great and Powerful Trixie, Twilight. It's alright to be afraid."

"I am afraid."

"Them come love Trixie, Twilight. Love Trixie and let your fears fade away, then we can sleep." Trixie took Twilight's hand and led her toward the bed, where she again pushed her down and straddled her. "Do not worry, Twilight Sparkle, Trixie is here to fix you. Trixie is always here to fix you. Trixie and Twilight are one. There is nobody else."

"There is nobody else," Twilight echoed.

"Only Trixie," Trixie kissed Twilight's neck. Twilight shuddered with ticklish delight; "only Trixie," she echoed.

"Our hearts belong together," Trixie said between kisses, moving down Twilight's chest.

"Our hearts belong together."

"You will save the planet. Trixie knows this. You will do great things." She reached Twilight's abdomen, kissing and licking the shivering mare. "You will deliver Karellen's message, and they will listen to you, and you will save the world." She pulled at Twilight's pants. "And then Trixie and Twilight will be together, forever."

"Forever."

Behind the mirror, Karellen watched, and stretched his wings.

The Second Communication of Karellen

"There is an army coming, coming form the stars." Twilight pointed upward from behind the podium, the Overlord ships again broadcasting her voice across Equestria. "That is why Karellen has come to us; because, unless we come together, unless we ally ourselves to one another, we cannot - we will not - stand before whatever is coming. And to that end, Karellen has a message for the two most powerful beings in Equestria: Princess Celestia and Queen Chrysalis. You must come together and put aside your differences. The time is drawing late, and the time for harmonizing ourselves is running out. Celestia and Chrysalis, you control the largest armies, the greatest allegiances on our planet. Karellen has told me how important it is for the two of them to come together and become one, an ally which will greatly aid in the coming trials." Twilight took a moment to pause, and look at the full room. "Fear not, citizens of Equestria. In time, Karellen will reveal himself to you, when you are ready. I have seen him, and trust me when I say that you are not ready yet. When he reveals himself, you will understand. But for now, trust in me, Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship and spokepony for Karellen, and in Karellen himself. Until my next communication, be safe."

Chrysalis slammed her hand into the bark of the tree, cracks running up and down the trunk as splinters flew in every direction. The closest soldiers shielded their eyes behind their helmets and stepped back as Chrysalis fumed and slammed the tree with her fist again, and again and again. She screamed, shrieked and hissed at the sky and the ground and the dirt and her companions. Her hair whipped about her face and her horn itched terribly and her fragile-looking wings - much tougher than most believed - buzzed frenetically. "Of course!" She screamed at the tree. "Of course! Those ships brought nothing but trouble, and that purple mare pulled me into it! Pulled me into it by name! By name, dammit! And not only that, demanded that I merge my life and my army with Celestia, as though I were some commoner to be ordered about!" She wrung her hands together as she doubled over as though she might vomit, and felt very well like she might. Never in her life had she felt so disgusted, so attacked. Not even in Canterlot. "Still, I suppose it could have been worse, you know," she said to the closest soldier, a nameless insect-stallion whose name she had never bothered to learn. "I could be expected to make nice with that wretched pink mare who defeated me."

She took deep breaths them, trying to calm herself and her violently flittering wings in front of her horde. When she was calm, she asked: "Well, one of you must have an opinion, right?" The soldiers just stared at her, not answering. "Oh, come on, one of you has got to have something. I promise, I won't bite your head off."

"Maybe we should do it? I mean, it can't be any worse than this, right?" The voice came from somewhere in the back.

"Who said that?" Chrysalis strained to look, but to her all of the soldiers looked the same. She loved them all, dearly, as her own offspring, but could not be bothered to recognize most of them.

The voice came: "Um, Kevin." The soldiers parted to reveal Kevin, as though it were some sort of movie, which gave Chrysalis reason enough to chuckle. "Well, Kevin," she said, "why can it not be worse than this? What if it is.... a trap?"

"Well, My Queen, even if it is a trap, at least then something would happen. I can't take this boredom any more. I just want something to happen, I don't care what it is."

"Boring, you say?" Chrysalis begin to pace among her underlings, edging slowly closer to Kevin, the shadows of the Everfree trees crisscrossing her shape. "You find protecting your Queen to be boring?"

"Well, yeah. A lot, to be quite honest. You know, ever since we escaped the dungeon, all we've really done is marched and migrated. Do you know how boring that is? I mean, sure it's fun for you, you've got everybody to boss around. But me? I can't do crap without catching any crap. It's terrible. We can't even fight anything, we avoid everything, it's a waste of time!"

"A waste of time, dear Kevin?" She was still edging closer, the Changeling queen moving in a seductive fashion that nevertheless portrayed very real danger, very real malice in her intent. "Do you consider it a waste of time to protect you beautiful Queen?"

"I just old you yes. Did I stutter?"

It was fast and Kevin was in the air, Chrysalis' hand at his throat and his feet dangling before he knew what had happened. He clawed at his neck and twisted his body and still the Queen's strength threatened to choke the life out of his chest. She brought his face squarely to hers, and said "I don't know. Did you?"

"P-p-p-p-possibly, m-m-maybe." Chrysalis squeezed a little harder, the hard chitin of his skin cracking slightly beneath her grip. "Y-y-yes, I think I m-may have s-s-s-stuttered."

"Do you know how long it's been since I've bred? Since I've had any real enjoyment in my life? Kevin, do you know how long it's been since your Queen had a feast? A decent meal, even? Do you? I could eat you up right here, and wouldn't think twice, you know." She looked him in the eyes, long and hard and without blinking and in his mind Kevin shrank from her gaze. She smiled, a fang sticking out over her lip, and dropped him to the ground. "Luckily for you, Kevin, I won't; I happen to like your attitude, very appropriate for a Changeling." She looked around at the others underlings. "The lot of you could learn a lot from Kevin!" She turned and walked back to the tree, leaned against it, her jagged horn resting against the tree, her ears drooping tiredly. "At any rate, if Karellen and his beloved Twilight Sparkle have brought me and Celestia up by name, then Celestia is undoubtedly considering it, if she hasn't sent the invitation already. Canterlot royalty are known for their generosity and lavish meals. Perhaps, after so long, I can finally have a meal worthy of my status." She looked away. "Prepare to move out." She looked at the horizon, vaguely visible through the thinnest expanse of trees. "I believe we need to run into town."

Princess Celestia, alone, burst into the map room of Twilight Sparkle. She looked up, as did Spike at her side. The three of them stared at each other, alone in the room, until, her angry huffing having subsided, Celestia spoke: "Really? Twilight, really? What was that? What was that? Don't answer that, I'll tell you what that was - that was you taking matters into your own hands when you had no right to. You should have run that by me, Twilight Sparkle!" Twilight cowered slightly, but quickly composed herself; she had never seen Celestia upset like this, never, and now it was at her. She understood why she was mad; she had every right to be, she had been called out by her star pupil in front of the world. Twilight had felt bad about that, but she had a higher calling now. She had somebody to speak for.

"I'm sorry, Celestia, but Karellen wishes to speak to the people, and I do not think he should be censored."

"Ah. I see. And what am I supposed to do about the invitation for Queen Chrysalis? About getting our armies together and becoming allies? Despite what you and Karellen think, Twilight, these things don't just happen." Celestia fell into a chair, the strap of her dress falling down over her arms and placed her head on the table, hidden in the crook of an elbow. "How am I even supposed to ask her for this?" Her voice was muffled. Seeing her former mentor go form so angry to so flustered made Twilight smile. She listened as Celestia continued: "I knew this would come. I knew it. Luna knew it. When you made the first announcement, everypony knew it. But I could somewhat ignore it until today, when our names were brought up. Now I have to deal with it, and what's worse is that I've been trying and I can't figure out how to do it. Nothing works, every possible invitation I could write sounded either horrible cliche or horribly sapphic, Twilight."

"Maybe you shouldn't be writing any invitation, Celestia. Maybe you should invite her in person."

Celestia looked up, her hair frizzled about her face and her eyes wide and unbelieving. "What?"

"Find Queen Chrysalis, and personally visit to introduce her. Find her on her grounds, alone and unarmed so that she knows you mean no harm."

"Are you out of your mind?! They'll kill me, Twilight. Kill me."

"No, they won't. Karellen has issued orders, and they'll have to listen."

"No, Twilight, they won't. They'll kill me."

"Well, then, Celestia, either they will, or whatever is coming will."

"And how do we know something is even coming, Twilight. What if it's just Karellen and the Overlords?"

"I do not believe Karellen would lie to us."

Celestia looked at Spike. "What do you think, Spike?"

"I want no part in this at all."

"Come on you have to --"

"Nope, no part. You're on your own." And with that he got up and left the room as the princesses watched.

Celestia sighed. I've never felt like such a little filly, she thought to herself. Her anger and frustration flowed through her veins and clouded her brain, but she couldn't do anything about it. She felt helpless. She looked at Twilight. "I've done a lot of things, Twilight. But I don't want to do this. How do I even begin to do this, to make such a.... a..... such a proposition to the only being who has ever bested me, Twilight?" She rubbed her temples and closed her eyes. "I don't know what to do. Can't I just do nothing? For once in my life, tell me that doing nothing is an option."

"I'm afraid that's not an option, Celestia."

Celestia huffed. "Of course it isn't," she muttered to herself. She opened her eyes and stood up and walked to the door? When Twilight asked where she was going, all she said was "I have to leave."

Celestia loved being in the air, looking down at Equestria as her great wings held her aloft, and right now it almost did the trick. She could almost feel at peace, although that was probably due more to the fact that she had flown alone so that she could talk to herself out loud, have a one pony brainstorming session just below the clouds. "Maybe I should just do it in person," she said. "Why not, I've always been diplomatically inclined, I see no reason why I can't. Perhaps Twilight's right, maybe that is the best option." She was quiet for a moment, and then: "But where would I even find her? Where would I --" she stopped suddenly as she saw a tide of black moving just below the canopy of Everfree forest. Celestia didn't want to descend, but nevertheless she found herself doing just that, and then resolved herself to take Twilight's advice; what harm, she thought, is there in truly being the bigger person. Sure, there was an army down there - a rather large one - but she was certain she could pull this off. "I hope I can pull this off," she corrected herself.

The treetops grew closer, and she could begin to discern the individual leaves and branches, and then, beneath the, the helmets and armor of the Changeling horde. "Chrysalis!" Celestia called out, and almost at once the horde slowed to a halt and looked up. Celestia squinted as she lowered still, her speed slowing as she descended into the canopy. "Queen Chrysalis!" The horde moved outward and raised their weapons as she landed, her wings spread elegantly behind her. She tried her best not to shake as she looked around - she had landed towards the front of the horde, if the queen was anywhere, she would be here.

"What is so important you'd give me a personal visit." Chrysalis walked up through her soldiers toward Celestia, full of pompous energy that Celestia could almost feel. "Are you that eager to be defeated again?"

"Very funny," Celestia muttered. Then, she was quiet while the Changelings stared at her.

"Well? Get on with it," Chrysalis snarled. Celestia could feel Changeling eyes piercing her. Then, Chrysalis shouted: "Speak!"

Celestia cleared her mind. Here goes nothing, she thought, and then, "I've come to invite you to into Canterlot in three weeks, as a show of goodwill."

"A show of good will? And why the sudden change of heart."

"I think you know."

Chrysalis looked at the ship that hovered in the sky to the north, and then back at Celestia. "The ships? Karellen? You're precious little purple princess? You're kidding, right?"

"No, no I'm not. I am here to formally invite you - and a handful of your Changelings - to a special gala in your honor."

"In my honor? Why, I feel like a princess, now."

"I'm serious, Chrysalis. I do hope you will attend, for the sake of both of our subjects."

"And what of the Changelings I don't bring with me? What will happen to them, princess?"

"They'll be allowed to mingle with my subjects."

"Do your subjects know this? Or have you invited us to a bloody coup?"

"I'll make the announcement. If you'll grace us with your presence, that is."

A voice form back in the horde. "Grace her with your presence? Is she that desperate?!"

"Keep quiet, Kevin! I'll tell you what, Celestia - you've caught me on a good day. I'm feeling rather amiable today. I'll attend; but when will be discuss the details, Princess?"

"In two days, I will send for you; we will discuss in the presence of Twilight."

"Oh, not her......"

"Yes, her. It's only proper, this was her idea, after all."

"Don't remind me. Are you done here, then?"

"Yes, I'm done here. Until then." She gave a quick nod, jumped into the air, and was gone as soon as she had appeared.

Two days later, Queen Chrysalis was fetched by Twilight Sparkle, and met with Celestia in the royal castle in Canterlot, where they sat around a large oblong table and stared at each for a few minutes before Twilight began the meeting, listening to the concerns of both sides as they talked, for the most part benignly, to each other and hammered out details. When all was said and done, Twilight concluded: "So, the Changelings will be welcome in all Equestrian cities, town and villages, and will be treated like honored guests so long as none of the Changelings display any malice towards the ponies. For her part, Queen Chrysalis will stay in the royal castle in her own private -- as Queen Chrysalis insists -- suite and will be included in any and all decisions remotely related the the Changeling presence. Princess Celestia has, surprisingly, nothing she wants out of this. Although, I don't see why she would." She paused. "Anything else? No? Well, then, we should --"

"When do we see your friend?" Chrysalis asked. "I'd like to see who's big idea this is."

"Me as well," Celestia said.

Karellen's voice filled the room. "I will reveal myself at what you call the gala. By then, I believe they will be ready for my personal appearance. Do you not agree, Princess Twilight?"

"Yes, I think they'll be ready then."

Chrysalis looked around. "Wait. How is he doing that."

"My abilities are numerous, Queen Chrysalis. But if you must now, feel free to look up." Celestia and Chrysalis looked up, where a small sphere hovered fifteen feet above them. How had we missed that, Celestia thought. Karellen continued: "This is a big step for your planet. Twilight, announce to the world that I will make my appearance to them at the gala."

The gathered ponies looked on in shock as Twilight again stood behind the podium, this time, at her side, were Princess Celestia and Queen Chrysalis. Murmurs spread through the crowd and reporters scribbled the scene in their notes. The crowd fell silent as Twilight spoke.

"Karellen would like to announce that, at the upcoming Gala to celebrate the alliance between the ponies and the Changelings, he will reveal himself personally to you."

Two Weeks

Two Weeks

Twilight was asleep, lying on her side with an arm draped over Starlight, but her face was frozen in a grimace and her eyes moved rapidly under her eyelids. Her wings tensed and relaxed, only to tense again, and she kept shifting her position trying to find comfort.

It was almost like hearing a very faint, very fragile music, she thought. Composed of bells and whistles and strings, played in an empty concert hall. The room was white, even in the late-summer darkness, and shadows from the trees danced across the ceiling in nonsense patterns that delighted and amazed. From outside the window, the faint sound of water crashing on the beach and, even more faintly, the sound of laughter and voices and ponies. Wind chimes dangling in the wind. Twilight was warm beneath Trixie, who had just laid her head on Twilight's chest and was breathing heavily, their fingers intertwined and Twilight's wings wrapped around them. Trixie gave a Twilight's breasts a small kiss before nuzzling up against her. Twilight looked down at her lover, at her muzzle and her horn and the hair that obscured her face, and a great warmth grew in her chest, and she held her lover tighter and knew that this moment would never end. It could never end. It was perfect. She was tired, could feel her eyes beginning to grow heavy as her breathing, like Trixie's, grew deeper. Their love was strong and rough and vibrant, like the bright colors that sometimes could be seen dancing across the night skies if you went far enough north. After so long fighting against each other, navigating the tiredness of an angry existence, they gave into each other, admitted themselves to a mutual victory.

Trixie was asleep, now, and Twilight wasn't far behind, but she took pleasure in remembering the beginning. When she had tracked Trixie down after their final encounter, found her sitting in the woods at the base of a tree wrapped in herself, alone and vulnerable the way Trixie had never wanted to be. She had looked up angrily at her, then, and shouted for her to leave, but Twilight couldn't bring herself to do so, not when Trixie was all alone. Then, too, there had been an impression of bells, violins in darkness, and somewhere inside Twilight something burned, screamed to be let out. A vagueness, a nameless emotion that her language would never be able to truly express in its perfectness. So she did what she could - she, for perhaps the first time in her life, let the words just flow from her, not worrying about any implication or clarity or any such pointless concerns. As she said them, she had seen the tears welling in in Trixie's eyes.

Trixie didn't like the museum, she said that it was too boring and too old. The paintings were too boring and the exhibits were too dusty and she yawned and constantly tried to head for the door. Now, Twilight could almost hear the sounds of a somber piano playing in the background and she walked the large and hallowed halls after hours with her beloved, both afraid, somehow, that they would be found out before either were ready to reveal their precarious attachment to each other. They loved not like fire and water, but like gas cans and matches, volatile and passionate and all consuming and threatening to destroy the very things around them. Trixie wanted to leave, to dazzle Twilight with her great and powerful show, but Twilight insisted they be quiet, if only for tonight, and enjoy each others' company. Trixie had agreed, and found herself then hand-in-hand with Twilight Sparkle as they moved through the skeletons of ancient creatures that had, somehow, failed at existence. Trixie had told Twilight how stupid it all was and then Trixie was spun around and was kissed and pushed against the wall and their garments fell to the ground and they made love before the empty eyes of the dead.

The spaceship came closer to the planet, the occupant inside still sleeping but threatening to wake up an any moment. His mind began to reinvigorate itself from its stupid, and he could smell the cabin around him - old plastic and rotten leather and chains. His head bumped against the back of the chamber he was in and his fists clenched unconsciously. His spaceship hurtled closer to the planet, a trajectory which cut sharply through the nothingness ahead. Unknown to him in his sleep, and unseen by his ships sensors, another ship followed behind, far larger, carrying a colony of creatures which watched his ship with great interest. Beyond that, nothing; but, had the creatures bothered to look beyond the planet - there, another spaceship, it's occupant sole and awake and alarmed as its engines sputtered and ultimately failed. The entity inside did its best to guide the ship in the direction of the planet, so that it would not have to wait, drifting in space.

Trixie coughed, and again Twilight was concerned, and again Trixie told Twilight not to bother with her health. She was fine, she said, but she knew she wasn't, and she did her best to hope Twilight didn't know that as well. Trixie knew: if Twilight understood what was wrong, the wrongness Trixie felt inside of her, then Twilight would never let her hear the end of it. So she lied to ease her lover, to let her do her duties as Princess of Friendship and focus on when to tell others about their clandestine relationship. The sun was beginning to come around, hang in the sky more, and the snow was beginning to melt and Hearts and Hooves days was approaching and Trixie, Great and Powerful, wanted to announce to the world her greatest accomplishment, her most beautiful feat. For the first time in what may have been forever, she wanted to smile in the world, a genuine smile without a touch of pretentiousness or pomp. She could feel it building, coming to a head, and she both feared and looked forward to it. She had even begun to build something for Twilight; something beautiful and magical and glorious.

But then Twilight had found her, clutching the toilet bowl and retching what was left of supper into the bowl in long, ragged chokes. Twilight had rushed to her and held her as she turned purple as she vomited into the basin, toilet water and her own waste splashing up onto her muzzle, and Trixie was truly scared. When she could, she gasped for breath, terrified that she would somehow inhale her own vomit and drown in her own sickness. Twilight rubbed her back and held her close and told her it would be okay, wrapped her up in herself and didn't give a second to the blowback, convinced in her way that it was worth it if she could comfort her lover. Twilight brushed Trixie's hair back and Trixie's horn slammed into the basin as she violently convulsed and vomited again, the worst Twilight had seen, and Twilight began to tear up from fear and regret and anger. In that moment, she understood. Like the bleeding horn, and the now visible bone inside it, Trixie had hidden her sickness from Twilight. Twilight was angry. Finally, Trixie stopped puking stomach contents (and, eventually, nothing but pitiful bile), and closed her eyes and caught her breath, and Twilight felt urine and feces spread across the floor and onto her feet and legs.

Twilight had lifted Trixie into the bath, then, and washed her down and cleaned her up. She dried her off with the best towels she had, and cried when Trixie's breathing became shallow and labored, and sent Spike with a message to Celestia and Luna, to fetch the best doctor in Equestria. Never before had Twilight been so fulfilled, and in her selfishness she did not want to lose it. She wanted it caged, like a captured jungle fowl, where it would sing to her - in it's own, metaphorical way - forever.

Starlight was woken the motion of Twilight struggling against her blankets, gasping and moaning and calling out for help. She had entangled herself in her sheets, clearly distressed, and Starlight sat up and turned on the light and the pulled Twilight closer. She held Twilight as best she could and tried to calm her. "Shhhhh, it's okay, Twilight," she said. "Twilight, it's okay. You're dreaming, Twilight." But still Twilight struggled against the sheets and against Starlight, her hair wild about her head. Starlight swallowed hard. She didn't know what could be causing Twilight so much angst; they were very close, and Twilight had never muttered anything to her that would explain the way she now pitifully moaned out in the night. "No," Twilight said in her sleep, "no, no no no no no." She twisted her head, her horn digging into the wall so that Starlight was afraid she would hurt herself. Starlight didn't know what to do, shook as she looked down at her. She ran to the door, screamed for help, but in Twilight's castle, nobody answered her. All she heard was the dying cry of her own echo.

"Good afternoon, Princess Twilight. How have you been?

"I've been fine, I guess. A little stressed out. I've been having bad dreams."

"Would you care to share, my friend?"

"No, Karellen I really wouldn't. Why am I here? Where is Trixie?"

"Trixie can't be with us at the moment. She'll be here, soon, after we've addressed more pressing issues. The Gala is almost upon it. The Galloping Grand Gala, I believe it's called."

"Grand Galloping Gala, actually."

"Sorry, my bad. It is almost time to reveal myself to your peoples."

"Yes."

"But worse than that; the first of many trials are almost here. They hurtle ever closer as we speak."

"What are they?

"You will find out in your own time. It is not my place to tell you. That would stunt your culture's growth."

"And what happens if we pass these tests, Karellen?"

"You will ascend past your current limitations."

"To what."

"I'm sorry, but I cannot reveal that to you."

"And if we fail?"

"I'm afraid that failure equates to death, Princess Twilight."

Rarity huffed to herself as the scribbled one design after another onto the blank page before her, now smudged with erased images and regret.

"I swear, Sassy, I don't know how Celestia expects me to design an outfit for a Changeling!" She looked at her wall of supplies, loose fabrics strewn about, hanging from their nooks and crannies. "I don't think I have anything that could possibly match! It's going to look terrible!"

Sassy Saddles fidgeted with her nails as she stood by Rarity. "Is it really Celestia's fault? Isn't it Twilight's fault?"

"I'll tell you whose fault this is! It's that ruffian Karellen; he hasn't even shown his face, and yet here comes with his demands. And through my friend, no less! 'Make this, Rarity. Make that, Rarity.'" She shook her head. "You can't just make these things like that; remember, we tried with the store."

"I remember, Rarity. That didn't work out at all."

"Not one bit," Rarity huffed. "And yet here I am, trying to figure out how to make not just a dress, but a dress for a Changeling! Do you know how many dresses I've made for Changelings, Sassy? I'll tell you - EXACTLY ZERO! I have no references for this!" She heard the door of her shop open, and she heard the sound of hoofprints. "Oh, Sweetie Belle? Is that you? Come back here!" Footsteps, and then she saw Fluttershy appear at the door.

"Sorry," she said. "I'm not Sweetie Belle. Do you need something, Rarity. Oh, h-hi, Sassy."

"Hello, Fluttershy." Sassy moved toward the door. "I think I'll go fetch myself a drink. Do you want anything, Rarity?"

"No."

"Suit yourself." And Sassy was gone.

Rarity looked up at Fluttershy, putting her pencil down. "How are you doing, dear."

"Nervous. I don't think I'm ready to see Queen Chrysalis again. Even the Changelings here in town are almost too much...."

"What about Karellen?"

"Nope."

"Not even a little bit?"

"Not even a little bit, Rarity. What if he's scary looking, Rarity?"

Rarity leaned back. "Well, I suppose that's a possibility. But I don't think it's anything to worry about, think of how far you've come and everything you've seen already."

"That's why I'm scared, Rarity."

Rarity raised an eyebrow at Fluttershy, then went back to sketching. "I think you may be overreacting a little, dear."

"Hmpf," was Fluttershy's reply as she crossed her arms. Then: "Rarity, what are you working on?"

"I'm trying to design Chrysalis' dress for the Gala. I'm having some trouble coming up with a deisgn."

"Oh, Rarity, don't you think you should, um, work a little faster."

"Work faster? I'm working as fast as I can. I've already designed everybody else's dresses, and this is the last one. I'd design something for Karellen, but I have no clue what he looks like, let alone what colors would be flattering on him."

"It's just, it's been a week and a half. Are you going to be done in time?"

"I hope so. I think I'm going to have to have Chrysalis come in."

"Why would I have to come in?" Both Rarity and Fluttershy jumped as Chrysalis spoke from the doorway, her arms hanging at her side nonchalantly, her legs relaxed and crossed. "Have you left my dress for last, pony?"

"Oh, um, uh, well, you know --" Rarity began.

"Oh, calm down before you trip over your tongue. It's alright. I can be understanding, you know." Chrysalis looked at Fluttershy, and in one quick motion moved her arm over her shoulder and pulled her close. So quickly that neither ponies knew what had happened until it was over. "After all, we're all friends now, right?" She looked at the yellow pony who she had smothered in a headlock. "Isn't that right, Fluttershy?"

"Mm-hmpf" was Fluttershy's muffled reply, her face smahsed into Crysalis' smooth breasts. Fluttershy turned red; why did Changelings have to wear either armor or nothing?

"Of course we are!" Chrysalis laughed. "By the way - like what you see?"

"I'm, um, fine." Rarity was surprised that, in this position, Fluttershy could barely talk.

"Hmmmm. Alright, then." Fluttershy was released from Chrysalis' grip. "Leave us."

"Um, okay." Looking at the floor, Fluttershy left.

"So tell me, Rarity, why have you not finished yet?"

"Well, in all honesty, I've never designed something for a Changeling before, let alone a Changeling queen. It's a bit daunting, to say the least."

"You realize we're running out of time, right?"

"Of course I realize that!"

"Testy, testy."

"I'm under a little bit of stress here, Chrysalis. Everybody is."

Chrysalis sat on the corner of Rarity's desk, and looked at the paper which Rarity tried to hide, awkwardly, from her gaze. "Out of ideas, huh? Well, it's good to see you're still too proud to ask for help."

Rarity eyed the queen cautiously. "Why would I ask for help from you?"

"Believe it or not, I do know how to dress myself. We Changelings wear either armor or nothing for most of the time, but not because we can't."

"Then why don't you?"

"We just prefer simplicity." Both were quiet. Then Chrysalis said: "Those are all too elegant. I don't know who you're trying to design that for, but it's being designed for me. Maybe one of those pathetic fillies who mothers' put them in pageants."

"Oh? And what should I be designing, then, if not elegance for a queen?"

"I'm a Changeling first and a queen second, you know. Changelings are simple, brutal, efficient. You've got too much....." she glared at the paper. "Flair. You've got too much flair."

"So, tone it down a tad, then?"

"Tone it down a lot." Chrysalis smiled.

Rarity began to scribble something simple on the paper, talking as she did so. "You know, you didn't have to do that to Fluttershy. You've probably scared her for life, you know. She's very timid."

"It was all in good fun. She really should lighten up."

Rarity scribbled some more. "You sure are talkative."

"You'd be surprised what I'll do when I have to, pony."

"I'll have you know, my name is Rarity."

"Testy, testy, testy."

Rarity put the pencil down, handed the finished sketch over to Chrysalis. "How's this?"

Chrysalis looked at the vague outline. "It'll do. I'd much rather go as I am, though."

"Yeah, I'm sure the guests will just love you arriving naked."

"I am quite attractive, you know."

"Somehow, I don't think that will matter. And besides, do you want to be naked when Karellen appears?"

"He came from the sky, pony. He can project his voice across the world, and has gained influence over one of the most poweful ponies in your country. What makes you think, with him here, we've been anything but naked?"

Falling Skies

Falling Skies

He awoke when the alarmed sent a scream through the cabin and his pod was opened and he was catapulted onto the ground. The steel grating was hard on his skin, cut into him, and he rose to his feet quickly and got his bearings. The red lights of the dash shined brightly, so he put his goggles over his eyes and moved to the front of the cabin. He sat in the leather seat and raised the covering of the large front window, revealing a planet quickly growing larger and larger. That can't be right, he thought, that planet was far too small to be his destination. Something must have altered his course, but he couldn't be sure what it was. He looked at the planet.

"A long time between stops," he said. He tried the controls, finding them to be not much but sluggish. He looked back at the planet, which was half illuminated in the light of its dim star. He resigned himself to landing on that planet. "A long time for something to go wrong."

Unbeknownst to him, in a large ship that had been trailing his vessel for some time, another being was preparing to follow him onto the planet, preparing for a final equipment check.

The night had finally arrived, and all of Equestria whispered excitedly about it. The night had finally come when Karellen, Supervisor of Equestria, would appear at the Gala to honor the fresh alliance between the ponies and the Changelings, and the towns were buzzing with predictions of what he looked like. Predictions ran from vaguely pony-like to an amorphous blob to shimmering gaseous forms; some, like the Cutie Mark Crusaders, thought it might simply look a little like Discord - a little bit of this combined with a little bit of that for the perfect taste of chaos. The anticipation grew to a head as the sun began it's afternoon descent towards twilight, and the royal Canterlot castle began to carry in its walls a sense of otherworldiness. The staff had made sure everything was elegant as it should be.

In her room, Princess Celestia stood before the mirror as Luna sat on her bed, watching her sister as she fretted over this part of the dress or that. "Do you think this is too much?" Celestia asked, before continuing. "I think this is too much, it's too showy, so impressive. What is Chrysalis wearing? Have you seen her dress, Luna? Am I going to look like I'm trying to one up her? Oh, no, we don't want her thinking that, do we?"

"Didn't Rarity design both of your gowns?"

"Yes, Luna, but Rarity is a pony, and is naturally going to be biased towards me, don't you think? We don't want this alliance to fall apart before it started."

"No, we suppose not."

"Really, Luna; how do I look?"

"You look fine, Sister. You look very fine."

"Have you seen Chrysalis' dress?"

"Possibly, Sister."

"Am I overdressed? I'm overdressed, aren't I?"

"You look fine, Tia."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, we're sure."

Celestia sighed. "Are you sure sure, though?"

"Yes! We are sure!"

Celestia looked herself up in down in the mirror, moving her hands over her body, picking at the outfit. "I sure hope you didn't mess this up, Rarity."

The hall was filled with chattering visitors when Twilight entered, Starlight hanging on her arm. They skirted the edge of the crowd, trying to go unnoticed while they could, ponies and Changelings and various other beings mingling together, eating finger foods and sipping fine wines that Celestia had provided as the waiters moved about the crowd. Starlight leaned into Twilight, and said "Are you sure about this? You want to announce us here?" Twilight leaned back in, caressing Twilight's hand with her thumb and she said, "Yes, Starlight, I'm sure. This is a big night for everybody, and it should be a special night for us. I want them to know how happy you make me." To which Starlight simply smiled and blinked away her emotions. Twilight saw Shining Armor and pulled him over.

"Hi, Shining."

"Oh, hey Twiley."

"You know Starlight?"

"I don't believe we met. Hello, Starlight, nice to meet you."

Starlight held out her hand. "Hello."

Twilight hugged her brother. "How's Cadence and the baby?"

"Oh, they're good. Cadence is getting so big she can't see her feet anymore. Can you believe that? She's as big as a balloon." Shining laughed. "Just, uh, don't tell her I said that, alright? But what about you, how are you doing being the spokespony for Karellen?"

"It's pretty good, I guess. A lot of work."

"I can imagine. A lot of perks come with that job."

Starlight looked at Twilight, and noticed a very slight blush, so slight that she almost missed it. Twilight said, "No, not really. Just a lot of conferences, really."

Shining leaned in, so that the crowd couldn't hear him. "Have you seen him, Twiley?" Twilight nodded. "Well? What does he look like?"

"You'll see him in a little bit. What time is it?"

"I don't know. Seven?"

Starlight looked a little depressed, and Twilight noticed her, and leaned in. "Are you alright?"

Starlight looked up, blinked and nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. It's just a little overwhelming, you know. I've come a long way from my little village."

A waiter walked up the the trio. "Excuse me, Princess Twilight, but it is time." Twilight thanked him, and he walked away. She looked at Starlight, grabbed her arm tightly, and kissed her briefly. "Time to go," she said. She looked at Shining. "Keep an eye on her, for me, please." Shining nodded and, somewhat sarcastically, held out an elbow for Starlight. "M'lady," he said, tipping an imaginary fedora.

Princess Twilight cut through the crowd and made her way up the stairs where Celestia and Chrysalis waited out of sight, and when she reached the top she cleared her throat. "Excuse me, everypony - I suppose I should say everyone. Excuse me everyone, and welcome to tonight's Gala!" The crowd erupted in applause. "As you know, we are here to celebrate the alliance between the ponies of Equestria and the Changeling nation. Please give a round of applause for Princess Celestia of Equestria and Queen Chrysalis of the Changeling nation." Celestia and Chrysalis walked out and stood beside Twilight after greeting each other customarily. Twilight continued, "from hereon out, Queen Chrysalis will reside here, in Canterlot, in this very castle!" There was more applause. Twilight waited for it to die.

She took a breath. She hoped everypony was ready. "And now, before we get to the festivities and the dinner, which I must say I've been told is quite excellent by any standards, the moment you've all been waiting for." Twilight could feel a light radiating against her back, could see the shadows of herself and Celestia and Chrysalis thrown onto the crowd that as otherwise bathed in a bright bluish-white light. The crowd fell dead silent; ponies, Changelings, none of them made a sound. She could see in her peripheral vision Celestia and Chrysalis turn toward the light. "Fillies and gentlecolts of all races, I give to you Karellen, Supervisor of Equestria."

Twilight could hear footsteps behind her as Karellen descended the stairs, could see his shadow against the crowd, who stood. Twilight herself turned around to see him, but saw that only a silhouette was visible against the light. He extended his wings as he walked forward, and reached the bottom of the stairs at which point the light dimmed and he became visible. His metallic, robotic-looking body stood before all of the guests. In the crowd, Fluttershy pressed herself closer to Rainbow Dash and let out a quiet "oh no." Karellen looked them over with his red eyes, his tail again aimlessly coiling.

"Hello. Do not be afraid. I am Karellen."

The planet grew larger, pulled toward it. I'm certainly in its gravity now, he thought. He ran his hands over his shaved head, grabbed onto the the dash of the control panel. The world loomed before him, and it wouldn't be long now, he knew, until flames licked at the hull of his ship. Behind, the larger ship slightly adjusted its trajectory to avoid the planets gravity pull, yet staying close enough so that its cargo could make it to the planet. The entity which would follow the first ship to the planet put its equipment into place, and stepped inside of the pod, and prepared to make contact.

The dinner was truly delicious, and everybody enjoyed it; even Karellen seemed to, although he did not eat and merely watched. He answered questions as they came from the attendees, and was generally accepted as non-threatening, even though some pegged his appearance as very peculiar indeed. After dinner, Twilight took Starlight by the hand and led her to one of the many balconies where they could see the stars. Twilight held Starlight close, swaying together to the faint sounds of music which drifted through the open doors of the castle. Starlight put her head against Twilight's chest. "That went better than I thought it was going to," Starlight said."

"Hmmm? Why?"

"I thought they were going to lynch you when you announced us. But they didn't." She smiled.

They continued to sway, a light wind tugging at their dresses. In this moment, Starlight felt very beautiful, very comfortable, very happy. "I love you, Twilight.

"I love you, too, Trixie." Twilight wished she had kept her mouth shut the second it escaped her lips, and for a moment she thought Starlight had not caught her gaffe. But Starlight stopped swaying, and her grip on Twilight loosed a little, and she raised her head to look Twilight in the eye. Twilight could see the pain her blunder had caused immediately.

"What?"

"I said I love you, Starlight."

"No, no, that's not what you said." Starlight took a step back, removing all contact between herself and Twilight. "You said Trixie. You said you love Trixie, not Starlight."

"I'm sorry, Trixie, I --"

"There! You did it again, Twilight!" Starlight raised her voice, and Twilight was thankful they were on a balcony. Way to go, Twilight, she thought to herself; you're certainly a smart one, aren't you? Starlight focused on her, wrapping her arms around herself, her ears flat against her head. "Who is she? Do you still love her? Did you ever love me?"

"Starlight, please try to --"

"What's going on out here?" Rarity appeared at the door. "Why aren't you two inside with the rest of us? What's wrong, Starlight?"

Starlight looked to the ground, then to Rarity and finally to Twilight. "Nothing much, just, you know, having my heart broken."

"What do you mean, darling? Twilight, what does she mean?"

"What I mean, Rarity, is that when I told her I loved her, she told me that she loves Trixie!"

"Oh. Oh, my. I'll..... be back in a minute." She disappeared into the castle, lowering the curtains to the balcony as she did so. Twilight reached out to Starlight, took her arm and pulled her closer. Starlight resisted but largely allowed it.

"I'm sorry, Starlight," Twilight said. "I am, I really am. I do love you, very much. It's just.... I never told anybody about Trixie, ever. Nobody ever knew, and she was my first love, my first real love, and it's just.... I miss her. I can't help it, Starlight."

"So you can't be open with me?" Her eyes, welling with tears, caught the stars and reflected them, beautifully warped. "You can't let me in?"

"I wanted to. I wanted to. Very much, but...... How do I start to tell you? You're so new to this, and I didn't want to overwhelm you. Make you feel unimportant."

The entity put its helmet on, and then the pod sealed shut around it, and it crossed its armed across its chest. The time of first contact had arrived.

Fluttershy and her friends stood on the balcony with Twilght and Starlight. She felt terribly bad for her friend, to have kept a secret for so long, only to have it blow up and ruin her happiness. She had to do something, she thought. She reached out and put a hand on Starlight's shoulder. "Come on, Starlight, I know Twilight wouldn't hurt anybody. Especially not the ponies she loves. Please, try to understand."

Starlight sniffed. "What's to understand? She loves Trixie, not me."

"Oh, that's not true."

Rainbow Dash hung in the air, flapping her wings lazily. "Yeah, Starlight. Trixie and Twilight had something special. But you two have something special, too, and this shouldn't ruin what you have. I mean, none of us knew about this, and we're here best friends. This was bound to happen when she keeps things locked inside like that."

"Yeah, sure."

Across the balcony, Rarity and Applejack were talking to Twilight.

"Don't beat yourself up over it, darling, I'm sure you didn't mean to hurt her."

"But I did, Rarity. I did hurt her, I know I did. I'm not even sure I deserve her now."

"Ah, come on, sugarcube, ya don't really believe that. Y'all looked happy whenever Ah've seen you together, ya can't let one little mess up ruin that, can ya?"

"Maybe I should, Applejack." Twilight jumped and sat on the railing of the balcony, putting her face in her hands. "Maybe it should be ruined."

"Ya should just let her into yer heart, Twi," Applejack said. "Let her help ya through this, and it'll fix this. Ah'd guarantee that."

"I wholeheartedly agree with Applejack," Rarity said. "Be vulnerable with Starlght, let her fix you. That's how you two got together, it can bring you together again. Come on, Applejack, they should be alone now."

"Alone? Now? Are ya sure, Rares?"

"Oh, trust me, Applejack, I know a thing or two about relationships. Rainbow Dash! Fluttershy! Please help me and Applejack; I'm sure Pinkie Pie is terrorizing the Changelings and Karellen already."

Rainbow and Fluttershy looked at each other, and then to Starlight, who only looked at Twilight. "Eh, yeah, let's go, Fluttershy."

"But are we sure that --"

"Yeah, Fluttershy, I'm sure. I'm very, very sure. We should pull Pinkie Pie away from whoever she's terrorizing now."

When they were alone, Starlight took a deep breath, and walked over to Twilight. The music covered her hoofsteps. She took Twilight's wrists and pulled her hands away from her face. "Twilight," she said, but Twilight didn't respond, so she lifted Twilight's chin, forcing her to look into her eyes. "Twilight, are you alright?"

"No. I'm not, Starlight, I haven't been for a long time."

"Why not? Was it because of Trixie?"

Twilight averted her eyes. "Trixie.... yeah."

"Twilight, look at me. I love you, alright, and I want to save you like you saved me. Tell me, what happened?"

Flames engulfed the ship and the interior grew hot, and sweat dripped down his body as he tried to keep the vessel from tumbling during entry. He braced himself. This could very well end up badly.

Twilight was about to answer Starlight, to finally let what had been eating her inside out, when she heard Applebloom yell from the castle grounds.

"Look! Big Mac! Applejack! Look! It's a shooting star!"

Twilight looked up, but Starlight just looked at her. "Twilight, I wish you would open up. Let me be to you what you are to me. Please."

"Starlight..... look." Twilight was transfixed on the sky. There, in the darkness and the stars, a fireball fell from the sky, flames covering something metallic and pointed. "That's..... not a shooting star. I don't know what that is. Is it a ship, like Karellen's?"

"Twilight. Behind it. Look." Behind the fireball, a second one appeared, not going as fast and with a different trajectory. A piece broke off of it and the larger piece headed back up into the sky while the little one continued to fall. They both rocketed through the sky, heading in the direction of "Everfree forest," Twilight said suddenly. "They're going to crash in Everfree forest." The took Starlight's hand to go inside and tell Celestia when she was interrupted: "Twilight!" Starlight said. "Look - over there!"

Twilight look and saw, in the sky, teeter-tottering like a toy top, a disc shaped comet engulfed in flames, heading in the direction of the Crystal Empire, large and silent yet alarming. "Oh, no," Twilight muttered. "Not another one. What's going on? Come on, Starlight, we've got to see Karellen." But when they got inside, Karellen was already speaking, the news of the comets having spread throughout the castle. The Changelings, the ponies and even the castle staff stood silent as Karellen spoke to them.

"My friends, my charges on the planet Equestria, it is my displeasure to announce to you that I must be leaving your presence now." He folded his hands together. "The comets you have just witnessed are but the arrival of many challenges for your planet, and I must not interfere. I must never interfere, and I must take my leave of you, I'm afraid." He looked at Twilight. "Twilight, thank you for speaking on my behalf, but your services are needed no longer. If you make it through, I will speak to you again. I hope my time with you was as beneficial to you as it was to me. My ships will remain in your skies, but will not interfere, will do nothing. We are here, for now, only to observe and record." With that, he spread his winds, and he was gone.

The ship made contact with the canopy, branches snapping and cracking as it crashed through into the understory and ultimately slammed into the ground. He was throne around in his pod, which he has secured himself in as he readied himself for impact, and his forehead smacked into the plastic so hard that the plastic cracked and warm blood ran down his face. The ship ran into a particularly thick tree and was thrown around, spinning violently, cutting through trees and tumbling into deeper into the trees. Finally, the ship slammed into the ground, and he was - for a moment - very afraid the pod would not remain bolted to the ship's hull.

Finally, the ship was still, steaming from its entry in the trench it had carved in the dirt and through the trees. Everything was quiet, and above the stars twinkled silently.

He shook himself, felt his head, and tried to open the pod door. When it wouldn't open, he kicked it out, and it clattered to the floor. He stood, stretched, and searched around the cabin, grabbing what things he needed into a small backpack he then slung across his back. He moved to the ship's door. He took a breath, and hit a large red button. The door frame exploded, and the door shot out into the darkness, and was caught in a tangle of broken and ragged branches. He looked outside, and looked up just in time to see a pod fly through the sky, about to touch down on the planet. He growled to himself. He didn't know who that was, but he knew what it was. At least, he had a pretty good idea. You tend to have a bead on things when there's always a price on your head.

Richard B. Riddick stepped off of his ship, and onto Equestria.

The pod cut through the tree branches easily, breaking nothing, it's final descent silent. It landed in the soft earth with a thud, and the door opened after a second. A tall humanoid creature stepped out, it's mask featureless, its dreadlocks hanging down its shoulders as it scanned the world around it. It switched from one filter to another, until, finally, it decided on a filter sensitive to ambient heat and thermal signatures. It looked around. A good distance away, a very large head signature lay in the trees, warm steam rising from it. The creature pushed a button, and it became indistinguishable from its surroundings.

It had begun the most dangerous game it has so far played.

A Most Dangerous Game

A Most Dangerous Game

Riddick ran through the trees with his goggles flapping from his closed fist. He dodged trunks and jumped over logs. His legs burned and his breathing was heavy and ragged and still he continued, stone faced, through the forest. He needed a place to lay low for a while, to get a game plan, to figure out what this planet was, and what - if anything - inhabited it. He also needed to get an idea of what was chasing him. It couldn't have been a simple mercenary vessel, otherwise it would have shown up on the sensors. Whatever it was, it didn't give him the best of feelings. The branches sped overhead. Riddick came to a slow stop, and looked around.

Besides his heavy breathing, there was no sound in the forest. He looked around, and saw that in the silence some of the more intrepid animals has come out for a peek at him. Giant balls of puff, with buzzing wings and large cloudy eyes, drifted around him, landing on him with tiny legs. Riddick brushed them off. He saw some hints of lights through the trees - a town? "Has to be," he said to himself, taking a few steps in the direction of the light. He moved left to right, and the lights stayed stationary and yet seemed to move through the trees. The shadows moved over him, and he heard a commotion coming from the faint light, and he walked slower to muffle his steps. He came at last to the edge of a clearing and saw buildings with straw roofs, the town lit with torches. Riddick squinted; the torches, while not exquisitely bright, were enough to be a nuisance. He strapped his goggles across his face, and after a moment looked around again. The town was empty, almost abandoned, but looked as though there had been some great commotion shortly before. Riddick walked around the edge of the town, careful to keep within the treeline. He heard voices, and turned his head. They were faint, but he could hear them.

"Soldiers? You saw them?"

"Yes, I'm telling you - I'm not making this up. They came to investigate some sort of meteors or something."

"Meteors? I didn't know there were any meteors scheduled to come through today."

"Well, yeah; they say they landed somewhere in Everfree forest. I guess another one landed somewhere near the Crystal Empire or something."

"Or something?"

"They were kind of vague, Bon Bon."

Bon Bon? What kind of place is this, Riddick thought. He moved closer, trying to locate the source of the voices. Finally, they came into view - strange beings, about a head shorter than him if he had to guess - three jointed legs, tails, large ears and weird faces. One of them had a horn. Riddick cocked his head. This is very interesting, he thought. I should own this place in a week. He looked up, and saw above the buildings a ship silently floating, shaped in such a way that it was wholly unrecognizable to him. It was ominous. Make that two weeks, Riddick thought.

"Were these the trials Karellen was talking about?"

"They didn't say."

Riddick inhaled deeply. Wherever he was, the air was thick with the scent of rain and freshly turned soil. He knelt down and picked up handful of topsoil, rubbed it between his fingers, raised it and sniffed. The let the soil run through his fingers until it was gone.

"Did they say anything else?"

"Just to stay indoors. Most ponies were at the Gala, though."

Empty houses, then? Great, a place to hide, Riddick thought. He caught a scent on the slight breeze - apples? It had to be. Wherever he was, they had apples. He suddenly realized how hungry he was, the pain gnawing in his stomach. He stood up again, still eyeing the two ponies - yes, that's what they'd call themselves - and started moving away into the night, away from the lights of Ponyville.

When you used the trees, you never left any tracks. That was one thing that the Hish had learned through their cosmic safaris; almost everything could be ambushed if you chose a tree high enough. This was no different - even among the Hish, the Riddick was something of a legend. The soft meat - perhaps the greatest prey the Hish ever hunted - could not contain the Riddick, and their best soldiers had fallen before him. Only the most advanced hunters were able to even consider hunting the Riddick. The Hish crouched on his branch, felt the bark beneath his talons, and growled in the darkness. He was tall, and lean, the most treacherous of the black bloods, he jaw of his mask lined with the jawbone of his most prized trophy. He cracked the knuckles of his right hand. His mask amplified the movement of the undergrowth, and the wind, and it was then that he became aware of the sound of something flying - something large. Hunts did allow for some curiosity, and he looked up. The Hish saw them then - two large, bipedal creatures flying on birdlike wings, heading down towards the canopy, appearing to be ready to lower themselves into them. They were communicating, it seemed - his mask was picking up the telltale signs of communications, faint but definitive.

"The alliance and formed, and then this happens. Fan-freaking-tastic."

"Shut up, Flash. Let's just get in, get a good look, and get out. I hate it out here."

"Yeah, not much to like."

"Not anything to like, hurry up."

The Hish could see the figures descending through the branches. He could see the weapons - the swords unsheathed and drawn at the ready. They landed at the ship, the Riddick ship. The Hish descended a couple of branches, and stood tall, secure in his active camouflage and his ability to remain active.

"What is it?" One of the creatures asked, walking toward the ship. He tapped it with the tip of his sword. "It looks a little like one of Karellen's ships, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, it kind of does." The second creature looked around, then pointed to a tree where the Riddick's door had been blown. "Look, I found the door."

"Why is it in a tree? Huh.... let's take a look inside." The first one jumped, and with a swish of the wings it was at the opening into the ship. "Looks pretty bland in there, Flash. Keep a lookout, eh? I'm gonna go in and take a look around." The creature hunched, squinted, and stepped inside of the Riddick's ship.

"Alright." The second one looked around the forest. "Hurry up, though, it's creepy out here." The Hish jumped to the ground, and the creatures ears twitched in the direction of its landing, so the Hish did not move. It stood silently as the creature squinted in its direction, the turned back to the ship. "Hurry up! I'm telling you, it's really creepy out here. It's like I'm being watched!" The predator took a step forward, and clicked its mandibles together, and stood up straight. The creature looked around. "There' something out here."

The creature in the ship stuck its head out and looked around. "There's nothing out here," the creature spoke even as the Hish's mask targeted on the head of the creature. "what the hell are you talking about, Flash?"

"I'm telling you, there's something --" Flash Sentry was cut off as a streak of blue light just narrowly missed him and violently connected with the guard's head, which exploded into a thousand crimson splatters across the ship and the ground before his body had time to slump down and land with a dull thud on the floor of the ship's cabin. "Ugh!" Flash turned around to where the shot had come from and gazed into the night, but saw nothing. "Who's there!" He screamed into the night. "Show yourself." He backed up to his fallen companion and took up his sword in addition to his. "Show yourself now!"

Flash took a step back, found his wings pressed against the hull of the ship as a figure became vaguely defined before him, wavering into existence like a ghost - a tall lizard ghost with a faceless mask, and armor with what looked like canons strapped to its body. When it was fully visible, it gave a mighty roar and from its wrist extended a very long and very sharp looking blade. It took another step forward.

"You killed him. You killed him!" Flash yelled at the beast. "I'll kill you! I'll fucking kill you!" He took to the sky with a jump and a flap of his wings and raised the swords above his head, and as he was about to come down on top of the butcher, the creature reached out with his hand and yanked on Flash's tail, pulling him from his courage and his position of power and throwing him violently to the ground several feet away. He groaned, and pain show through his side - somehow, he had landed on the tip of his sword. Blood leaked form his side. He heard footsteps, and raised a sword just fast enough to prevent the creature's blade from slicing into his skull. He grimaced, tried to push the creature back, but it was insanely strong - stronger than any pony he'd ever fought.

Admittedly, he hadn't fought a lot of them. He was mostly bark, with very little bite. If the mares he had slept with knew that, they'd have his head for sure.

Flash struggled against the creature's strength, and found reserves he did not know he had, and managed to force the creature back enough to deliver a sweeping kick that toppled the alien butcher. Flash stood up, and walked over to the creature, his sword raised, his side aching.

"I. Will fucking. Kill you. Asshole!" He shouted through the pain, raising his sword higher for a killing blow. Three dots appeared on his chest, and the canon - yes, the cannon - on its shoulder begin to twirl. "What?" A flash of blue light and an agonizing pain in his chest - he had been shot through the heart. Flash stumbled backwards, dropped his sword and fell to his knees. He reached up, trying desperately to squeeze shut the gaping hole with shaking fingers, stabbing himself on his own shattered ribs. He looked up, and the creature was already upon him, reaching down. It stopped, and looked at the blade extending from its wrist. The blade retracted. Then, quickly, it grabbed the top of Flash's head and pulled, and there was a snap as the body let go of the head and the spine. Flash's last conscious experience was the feeling of his head and neck being pulled from his body and raised into the sky.

The Hish screamed into the night in victory.

In an apple orchard, Riddick looked back as he heard a howl through the night. So to, in Ponyville, did Lyra and Bon Bon. Traces of it reached for hundreds of miles, the indomitable cry of the hunter's blood lust.

Karellen, in his ship, heard it. And knew very well what it meant.

He leaned back. "And so it has begun."

"And they haven't checked in yet?"

"No, Princess Celestia," the guard was still kneeling before the princess. "And they've been gone for hours."

Celestia looked at Twilight, and then at Chrysalis. She looked back at the guard. "And where did they go? To Everfree forest or to the Crystal Empire?"

"Everfree forest, Princess."

Celestia sighed and lowered her head. "Chrysalis."

"What?"

"Can you send a couple of your soldiers? You've been camped over there for a while, right?"

"Yes. Yes we have."

"I'm going to go ahead and assume they're lost because everypony is afraid of Everfree forest, and have no reason to go there. Twilight, maybe one of you should go as well."

Twilight thought about it. "I think Rainbow Dash would be your best bet."

Celestia looked between the two of her companions. "Is that a plan."

They nodded, Chrysalis a little less solemnly than Twilight. "Alright," Celestia said. "We've somehow got to announce this without causing a problem."

"How cool is this? A rescue mission - we're going to be famous." Rainbow Dash could hardly control herself as she flew with the Changelings, who, despite their wings, did not seem to struggle to keep up. "We're going to save Flash Sentry, and we'll be famous. How cool is that?" She looked at the Changelings. "Come on, aren't you guys even a little excited?"

"No, not really." One of the Changelings said. "We prefer to live in quiet, do things in a less abrasive kind of way. Well, most of us, except for Kevin."

"Fucking Kevin," said the other.

"Who the heck is Kevin?"

"A freak," said the first.

"Huh." Rainbow Dash looked ahead, could see the darkness growing on the horizon - Everfree forest. "So, uh, guys, how bad is Everfree forest?"

"Eh, it's not bad."

"Not bad, huh. Never would have expected that. You know, you guys kind of suck at conversation." The Changelings just looked at her, then at each other and shrugged. They flew in silence until they reached the edge of the forest, and then Rainbow Dash said "alright, guys, look for some sort of trenchy-thing. That's probably where they went. Dang it, I can't see anything, it's too dark."

"There!" One of the Changelings pointed across the forest. "A trenchy-thing!"

"Hey! Not cool! I'm not a word person; that's Twilight's gig." The Changelings headed toward the disruption in the Everfree canopy. "Hey, guys! Wait up!"

Riddick slid the door open, and saw the inside of the barn despite the utter darkness. He stepped inside, and slid the door shut behind him. He could see his breath in the night sky before him, and he walked aimlessly yet with purpose across the floor, looking at the loft. He crawled up the awkwardly shaped ladder and looked at the bare floor. "Huh, kind of thought there'd be hay up here," He lowered himself down, and looked around. Farm equipment; pitch forks and wagon pieces. Riddick ran his finger across the rim of one of the wagon wheels. He picked up the pitchfork.

The snap filled the barn as he broke the tip off of the pitchfork and held it up before him. He ran a finger across the tips of one of the spikes. "A little dull...." He looked around. There had to be something to sharpen it with. It was a farm. He looked in the corner. Bingo.

"This definitely isn't good."

Rainbow Dash stood over Flash Sentry's body, the having carefully avoided the cool pool of blood. The Changeling beside her poked his body with a stick. "Hey!" Dash said. "Try to show some respect."

The Changeling looked at her. "It's been a couple hours, from the stiffness of the body." He called out to the other changeling who was looking inside the ship: "His companion?"

The Changeling jumped down from the lip of the ship's blown door and walked toward them. "He's dead, too. No sign of a struggle, I figured he was probably the first to go."

"Why do you figure that?" Dash asked.

"Because the way he died, it's like he didn't see it coming."

"Man, that sucks. How are we going to tell Celestia."

"We're not doing it." The Changelings replied simultaneously.

"Gee, thanks guys. Do you guys know where this might have come from?"

"Not a clue. It's not as strange as Karellen's ship, but it's certainly not from here."

"Let's see if we can find where the other one landed." And with that, Dash lifted off above the trees.

The Hish raised the skull from the pot of liquid, and admired the clean shine of the skull. He traced the edge of the maxillae with a talon, and and growled proudly to himself. He stood up, and admired his handiwork in the light of the stars. He cradled the skull gently in his hand and walked towards the closest tree, analyzing the branches. He needed one that wasn't broken. A long, stout on. He saw one, reached up and pulled it down. The Hish looked it over; yes, this would work very nicely. He walked back to his pod and placed the skull down, and began ripping twigs from the branch. When the branch was clear of twigs, he used his cutting blade to sharpen the end of the stick, and then slammed it heavily into the ground. It was about chin level, and he placed his trophy - the shiny, still-wet skull - on the tip of it. The branch went cleanly through the mental foramen and sunk into the skull, only stopping at the top of the cranial cavity.

The creature stood back to admire his work, when his mask picked up the sounds of buzzing and flapping - the sound of wings. He looked up into the sky.

Rainbow Dash lowered herself with the Changelings into the small clearing that contained the ship. "What's on the stick?" They landed and Dash took a step closer. Flash Sentry's empty eyes stared at her unblinkingly. She cringed. "Uh, guys, I think we found Flash." The Changelings were quiet. "Guys?"

"Shh! Stupid pony, don't you ever shut up! Something's here."

"No, something was here, otherwise it'd be here and we'd, you know, see it." The Changelings simply sushed her again, their weapons at the ready. Rainbow Dash listened, could hear nothing in the trees or moving through the undergrowth. Everything was silent. Silence, that's something you didn't often here, even in Everfree Forest. She tightened her fists and listened.

There! In the undergrowth, movement, something large and heavy moving towards them. The Changelings readied their weapons, and Dash got ready to fight, but what she saw chilled her. Coming toward her was something like a ghost, shimmering into existence as it moved toward them, a blade extending from its wrist until it was unbelievably wrong. One of the Changelings lunged at it, only to have the creature grab the spear like weapon, pull the soldier to the side and with a slice of the blade decapitated the poor thing, which fell lifeless at its side. The creature growled.

"I, uh, think we should go now, buddy."

"You go. He will pay."

"I'm pretty sure that's what Flash Sentry thought." Rainbow Dash backed up as the remaining Changeling squared off against the creature, which had now stopped. The Changeling lunged, thrusting its weapon at the creature who only blocked with his own blade. He pushed the Changeling back and punched him with the bladeless hand. The Changeling tumbled backward into the ground, his wings cracking sickeningly as they crunched beneath the force of his falling body. The Changeling cried out in pain as the creature advanced.

The creature was suddenly thrown backward by the force of Rainbow Dash's drop kick, and it landed in the dirt with a very odd splat as Dash grabbed the Changeling by his wrist. "Come on, time to go." With that, she kicked off, dragging the struggling Changeling behind her. As they lifted into the sky, she could hear the roar of the creature before blue shots started firing at them. Not at us, Dash thought. The shots were grouped weird, and she didn't understand until the Changeling stopped squirming. She looked down - his chest had been hit, and he had gone into shock. "Dammit!" She dropped the Changeling and sped toward Canterlot.

The Changeling's body tumbled through the air and crashed into and off of branches, coming to rest face down in the mud. The Hish walked toward the carcass, which twitched as the final signs of life left the body. The Hish could see the heat disseminating from the body. It leaned over and lifted the body by the neck, and looked at its face, moving it with its one hand. It growled in the face of the fallen Changeling and raised it into the sky. It made a fist of the hand that was below the blade, and with a quick and well placed swoop the head fell from the body and landed on the dirt.

The Hish again roared throughout the night.

Stranger In A Strange Land

Rainbow Dash was not one for scaring easily, which was what made it all the more unnerving for her friends who watched her fidget and jerk as she stood in front of them in room away from the crowd. She had flown in haphazardly, alarmed and frightened as though she had seen a ghost; certainly, her friends had never seen her so shaken up before, and quickly sequestered her away from other ponies. She held herself tightly, glancing at the windows, her usual confident charm certainly diminished to almost nothing. When her friends addressed her, she said nothing; when Celestia addressed her, nothing still; when Chrysalis demanded an answer on threat of immense pain, again, she offered nothing. Her friends looked at each other, and Chrysalis shook her head, and then Dash began to rock back and forth anxiously. Then, there was warmth at her chin and, then, Fluttershy's eyes looking into hers.

"What happened, Dashie?"

"It didn't even have to try. It did it so easily." Dash rocked back and forth some more, inhaling great puffs of air. Hyperventilating.

"Dashie, you have to calm down. Take some deep breaths, we need to know what happened." She put her hands on the sides of Dash's face, trying to calm her. "Come on, Dashie. You can do this. We need you to tell us so that we can help."

"I don't know what it was." Dash spoke very softly, so softly that most passerby's would have mistaken her voice for Fluttershy's. "It just came out of the forest, like a ghost. That's what it was, a ghost."

"Ha!" huffed Chrysalis.

"Shh!" Celestia nudged the Changeling queen. "Go on, Rainbow Dash."

Dash gulped. She closed her eyes, and spoke: "It was tall. It looked like a lizard, I guess, with a mask and a gun sort-of-thing on its shoulder. It killed the two Changelings, and it is probably what killed Flash and his friend."

"Wait..... Flash Sentry is dead?" Twilight asked.

"It killed my soldiers?!" Chrysalis hissed.

"Yeah, Twi; pretty bad, too. It blew up one of the guard's heads, and then it pulled the head off of Flash, and put it on a stick."

"On a stick? What in tarnation would do such a thing?"

"I don't know, AJ. That thing, whatever it is."

There was a knock at the door, and all turned as it opened - one of Celestia's royal guards peeked his head in. "Um, excuse me, Princess Celestia, but we've received word of some strange activity out at Sweet Apple Acres. I was wondering if, uh, given the recent announcement from Karellen if you'd, uh, like us to check it out."

"Ah no ya ain't," Applejack said. "That's my farm, that's my business! I'll check it out."

As Applejack started towards the door, Celestia said to the guard, "go with her. And take a couple others, too. No, don't ask why, just do what I tell you."

"Yes, Princess Celestia," and with that the door was shut.

"Are you ever going to stop staring at that stupid barn?"

"It's not stupid, Lyra, it's Sweet Apple Acres and, right now, there's something in there. I don't know what, but I'll find out." Bon Bon began to walk from the orchard toward the barn.

"I said to stop staring, not to go there!" Lyra tried to keep up, having to walk faster than she would have really liked to keep up with Bon Bon's brisk stride. "What if there's something dangerous in there."

"Why would it be dangerous, Lyra?"

"Well, we did hear it sharpening something. What if it was sharpening a weapon?"

"Then it's probably weak and I can defeat it even with its weapons."

"What about the Royal Guards? They have weapons, and they're not weak."

"You're getting thinky, Lyra. Stop it, would you? Stay back if you're uncomfortable with this."

The pre-dawn hours were beginning to turn light gray with the impending dawn, and the wind caressed their manes as they moved silently across the fields, closing in on the barn. It was dark inside, and there had been no sound since the shrill whine of sharpening metal met their ears what seemed to be hours earlier, at about the same time a distant howl had suddenly haunted them. They'd sent a Pegasus to Canterlot to alert the Royal Guard, but Bon Bon had insisted on maintaining a vigil until they had arrived. Lyra looked at Bon Bon, and grabbed her hand. Bon Bon shook herself free, and said "don't be a baby" to Lyra without looking at her. Lyra scowled. They were almost to the barn.

Bon Bon reached the door and tried to open it, found it to be cold and somewhat sticky in the cold pre-dawn darkness. She grunted and the door slid open. It was dark inside, but she could find that she could see well enough, so she took a step inside, then looked back at Lyra. "Psst! You coming?"

Lyra looked back towards Ponyville, then nodded. "Yeah," she said as she went inside.

While it was true that the fastest beings in Equestria were those that could fly, ponies such as Applejack could make pretty good time when they forsook their two-legged posture to run on all fours, a unique evolutionary hack that was the result of the not quite perfect posture that was common to all ponies. The hooves did not provide adequate surface area, and when standing erect, the tail did quite a lot of work as far as pulling the body backwards; the solution was easy - the spinal column angled towards the front, counteracting the tail.

She ran, breathing heavily, with her brother beside her as the Royal Guards led the way in the sky above her.

Lyra looked around the barn, not quite sure what it was that she was looking for, but nonetheless trying to be productive for her friend. Her good friend, her very good friend, her marefriend if you asked anybody else, but what did they know? Nothing, really, since they never really bothered to ask and simply made assertions. So she looked, not seeing much besides darkness, and the loose hay strewn around the floor. She really couldn't see anything at all.

"Lyra!" Bon Bon whispered from across the barn so that Lyra wasn't sure she'd actually heard her friend, and feared she was hearing things. But when she whispered "Lyra!" again, she did indeed look over, and saw Bon Bon looking at her somewhat excitedly. "Come here!" She pointed towards something laying partially covered in the hay. Lyra couldn't make out what it was until she had walked quite a bit closer, covered as it was in hay. It looked something like a pony might look like - two arms, two legs, a head. But it looked different from a pony, as well - no hair, no fur, and a frighteningly shortened face without any muzzle to speak of. It was tall, and muscular, and its eyes were covered by two large black circles - goggles, maybe, Lyra thought. She saw Bon Bon motioning down towards the creature. "Look," she whispered, "in its hand." Lyra saw it - the tip of a pitchfork, the tips sharpened. That must have been what they had heard. Bon Bon bent over, reaching toward it.

"Bon Bon!" Lyra whispered. "Don't! Don't touch it! Wait for help!"

"I'll be fine, Lyra. See?" She waved a hand in front of the creatures face, but it didn't move. "It's sleeping too deep. Besides, do you really want it to have something sharp?"

"I thought a weapon made it weak."

"Laugh it up, Lyra." Bon Bon brushed some of the hay aside, and exposed the entirety of the weapon, loosely held in the grip of the creature. Bon Bon looked at Lyra, who shook her head nervously, then ignored her. She grabbed the weapon by the tip of one of the four points, and very gently tried to remove it from the creatures hand, holding her breath as the metal slid against the skin of the creature's palm. It was then she could hear shouting.

"Bon Bon! Where are you? We're heading toward the barn!" Applejack, somewhat far away and muffled, but too loud none the less. She cringed, eyes almost shut, and she looked at the creature. It remained motionless. She tried to pull the weapon from its grasp, and it was then that the hand clamped shut and in one unbelievably swift motion the creature kicked her legs out from under her. She fell hard, landing on her side with a grunt, and the creature was crouching up around her, taking her in its strong grip and holding the weapon to her throat.

Shit! she thought, as Lyra called out to the new arrivals.

"Bon Bon! Where are you? We're heading toward the barn!"

The Hish picked up the sound from perhaps a mile away, and turned to see four quickly moving thermal signatures moving towards a large structure. It cocked its head. Perhaps the Riddick was there. If it wasn't, well, it did have some time to kill.

"Shut up!" Riddick yelled as he pushed the sharpened points harder against Bon Bon's skin.

He could hear the sounds of something landing outside the barn, and then another. He looked down, and in the fading darkness he found that he had taking hold of one of the things he had seen earlier, in the town. How they found him, he didn't know; maybe, he thought, it was the sound of him sharpening a weapon. Irony was a total bitch. "Do not come in!"

"What's going on?" A female voice, from outside the barn.

"He's got Bon Bon!" the green creature shuddered before him. "What do I do, Applejack?"

"You'll do nothing!" He barked at her.

"Who are you?" The voice, Applejack, said from outside the barn.

"Who are all of you?"

"Let Bon Bon go, and we can talk about this."

"No, here's what we're going to do. Whoever is out there is going back to that town, you, green thing, you're going to make sure they go. Once they leave, you can have your girlfriend back."

"We're not together together, okay? We're just friends."

From outside: "Not the time, Lyra. And we don't negotiate with anypony who uses another pony as a shield, either!"

Bon Bon struggled to dig down beneath the hay with her fingers, and when she came to the dirt, she took a handful of it as slowly and as quietly as she could. She had a plan - if she could get the goggles off, then she could throw dirt in his face and maybe get away, then they could all beat him into submission. All she had to do was - pain as the points pierced her skin and blood leaked into her fur.

"That is a very bad idea," Riddick said. He grimmaced. "So," he said, "what are we supposed to do now?"

The Hish stopped, standing on a branch and surveying the scene before it. It could see, in addition to the four heat signatures, an additional three in the barn, one of which had specifications close enough to only be the Riddick. The four had lead the Hish right to the Riddick, and how it would kill them all, distracted as they were by their own petty conflict. It could hear the argument, the words being thrown around as it moved stealthily closer.

"You let Bon Bon go," one of the four signatures said. And then, from inside the barn: "Are you serious?"

"Eeyup," said another of the outside signatures.

The Hish moved closer as the creatures argued, content with its plan to kill them all - the creatures on this planet had yet to prove to be a challenge to its skills. It was almost to the barn now, and it leapt from a branch and landed with a heavy thud on the roof, still cloaked, still invisible.

Lyra looked up at the roof, as did Bon Bon and Riddick. Then Riddick looked at Lyra.

"You should tell your friends out there they have bad timing."

"Why?"

The roof gave way, and the pre-dawn light flooded in as the wood splintered and fell around them. Lyra and Bon Bon covered their eyes, Bon Bon surprised to find that Riddick had let her go. Applejack raced inside with Big Mac, telling the Royal Guards to keep watch. They stopped, the dust from the collapsed ceiling swirling around them. "Ah, nuts," Big Mac said. "Now we'll have to fix it again." He looked at Riddick, who simply said, "very bad timing." Big Mac cocked his head.

It was then that the scream came, from one of the Royal Guards. "Applejack! On the roof! It's on the ---" The guard was cut off as a circular blade, lit on the side in alien colors, sliced into his face, bone shattering as his eyes stared wildly at the roof. The blade trembled, and then freed itself from the Pegasus who fell to the ground, blood spewing from the gaping wound. The ponies could only stare in disbelief as the other guard simply drew his weapon and leaped onto the roof.

Only to be thrown down the hole with a scream. He landed with a thud, dazed, and was about to get up when his head splattered into a thousand pieces as the Hish fell down on top of him with a well placed foot. The ponies stared silently for a moment as the Hish stood up while Riddick backed away, and then, without much warning, Big Mac attacked. He swung at the creature, who merely dodged, and blocked each blow before kicking Big Mac away. Big Mac flew much farther than he should have, and it was then that the rest of the ponies reacted. The Hish looked at Big Mac as he lay there, motionless. It then looked around at the remaining ponies - and the Riddick. It took a step forward toward its prey only to be thrown to the side.

"Ah no ya don't!" Applejack screamed so that she was utterly incomprehensible in her rage. The Hish fell to the ground, and Appljejack kicked it with her hooves, denting the metal armor. "How! Dare! You! Hurt! Big! Mac!" Her eyes burned with a rage that filled Lyra with fear. "How! Dare! You!" And on her next kick, the creature grabbed her leg, and tore her down violently, and placed a kick to the bottom of her chin. Her head jerked back as the sound of teeth crunching apart filled her head, followed by a very severe, very sharp pain. She groaned, hoping for help --

When came as Bon Bon landed on the Hish and rolled, awkwardly throwing the creature away. "Lyra!" She yelled as she moved to help Applejack, "help me now!" But Lyra didn't move, she couldn't - she was too busy watching the monster get back up, seemingly unharmed from the throw or Applejack's many kicks. It took a step forward. "Lyra!" Bon Bon screamed. "Lyra!"

Riddick, who had watched this, had decided that whatever the furry things were, this masked thing was worse, and despite the mask he had gotten the impression that it had wanted him. So, while Lyra was whimpering and Bon Bon was screaming at her to help, and as the creature was recovering, he acted. He ran toward the creature, jumped and tackled it, stabbing it in the side with this pitch fork. The creature let out a scream, and with an arm pushed him off. He rolled, unharmed, and came to his feet with his pitchfork smeared in glowing chartreuse blood. The creature righted itself, a hand on its side, and then looked at the Riddick and screamed. Three red dots appeared on Riddick's chest.

"Oh, shit."

Before it could fire, the Hish was thrown to the ground by a big red mass - Big Mac, who had recovered, as full of anger and hate, and began pounding against the creature with his fists as he weighed him down. The creature struggled against, but couldn't get any leverage; Big Mac began to laugh as he beat the creature until he felt a searing pain in his side. The Hish, unable to move, had simply released its wrist blade into Big Mac's side. Big Mac yelled, and tried to move backwards, but found that any movement just caused the blade to do more damage.
There was the sound of metal being broken, and he was pulled backwards, pain filling his vision - then he was on his back, Riddick standing over him. Riddick had kicked the blade at such an angle that it had broken.

"Move!" Riddick shouted as he ran from the barn. Big Mac, in pain, took Applejack from a struggling Bon Bon, slumped her over his shoulder, and began to run as well, almost keeping pace with Riddick despite his burden and his pain. "Come on, Lyra," Bon Bon said as she took her friends hand and pulled her beside her as she broke into a run.

"What about the --"

"Don't think about it! Don't look back, Lyra!" Suddenly, there was a crack of electric light as the Hish attempted to fire its plasma cannon at them. The first few shots missed, zinging by the running figures, the equipment damaged from the surprised tackle by Big Mac. Then, a shot connected, with Lyra's back. She screamed and fell, her hand slipping from Bon Bon's as she kept running. Then, a new target was made, and a shot fired, and, as Bon Bon looked back to help her friend, Bon Bon's own head exploded from the electric projectile. "Bon Bon! No!" And then, with another bold of electric light, her head also was transmogrified into a cascade of brilliant crimson. The predator took a step forward, but the big red thing - and the Riddick - were out of range. Four were enough for this morning, it reasoned.

They found them in one of the houses of Ponyville, Big Mac huddled over Applejack while Riddick sat in quietly, hands tied behind his back. When Twilight and the Royal Guards landed, she spoke: "Is Applejack alright?"

"I dunno. Reckon she ain't, judging from the blood loss. Faint heartbeat, faint breathing. Tied up the other one."

"Tied up?"

"Eeyup. Didn't see me coming after we ran, so ah hit 'im on the head, and tied him up."

"Is he alright?"

"You know, I'm right here." Twilight turned to Riddick, who spoke again. "Why don't you try asking me?"

"Are you alright?"

"Your friend there hits like a Johns."

"What happened?"

"All I wanted was some sleep, but your friends - Lyra and Bon Bon - decided to sneak up on me. The rest.... I've got no idea."

"What did this to Applejack?"

Riddick looked at her. "Did I stutter?"

Twilight huffed. Then looked at one of the guards. "Take her to Canterlot right away. Maybe we can save her."

"Really? You sure? She lost a lot of blood." Riddick said.

"Ah'll teach ya!" Big Mac moved toward Riddick and prepared to kick him when Twilight stopped him.

"Big Mac! No! We.... listen, based on what happened here, and what Rainbow Dash described, we might need him. You - what's your name?"

"What's my name? What's yours?"

"Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship."

"Hmmmm." Riddick stood up, awkwardly, and then began to raise his hands. There was a popping sound as he dislocated his arms from his shoulders, which made Twilight cringe, and then cringe again as he popped them in again. His arms no longer behind his back, he brought them down hard, and the rope Big Mac had tied him with burst apart and fell from his wrists. He rubbed the irritation from his restraints, and stepped forward, and held out a hand. "Richard B. Riddick. Escaped convict, murderer."

Strangers In A Strange Land

The Hish broke down the locked doors of the farmhouse, and made its way to the bathroom, where it punched the walls and crunched the tile into the sink. From its back it removed a small oblong object and placed it on the back of the toilet. It looked in the mirror, its blood glowing brilliantly through its mask, and cocked its head. It growled, its mandibles clicking together. It pressed the top of the oblong object, and the side opened up and it pulled out a collapsible tray which it put on the side of the sink. It then dropped a handful of tile into the tray, and poured a bluish liquid on it from a small metal vial. The trey then lit up in flame, which quickly died down leaving nothing but bluish jelly. The Hish took a knife, resembling a butter knife crossed with a scalpel, and smeared the blue jelly across the pitchfork wounds. The Hish screamed at the wall as the chemical reacted with its flesh, cauterizing the wound shut.

Finished, it shoved the tray off of the sink and leaned down, both hands on the sink, breathing heavily. It reached up, and undid the air hoses to its mask. The air here might be toxic, it knew, but the mask was hot and uncomfortable after a battle, and it needed to feel something other than a metal mask on its face. With both hands, it removed the metal mask, and flexed its mandibles in enjoyment. The air, though acrid against its flesh, was fresh and free and enjoyable, and it stretched its arms out. Then, it looked at its wrist, and extended the now broken wrist blade. The blade, originally three and a half feet, was now only one and a half. Pity, the creature thought, to have lost the most essential of weapons. No matter, such things could be fixed, had been fixed before.

The predator walked out into the kitchen, looked around, the air still acrid on its exposed face. Curious, it decided a little exploration was in order; the door had proven somewhat difficult to break down, and it figured that this would be an adequate temporary base of operations. It walked to the counter, where knives sat at the ready in a knife rack, and reached down and pulled one out, examining the blade. The Hish growled to itself. Plastic.

In the front room, there was a couch and a sitting chair and a love seat and a fireplace, and in the dining room a simple wooden table, stained, surrounding by nearly-broken wooden chairs. It heard movement - the creaking of muffled springs - and it cautiously headed down the hallway, darkened despite the sunlight outside. It came to a door, almost shut, pale sunlight seeping through the minute space between door and door-frame, and from within the room came the sound of muffled creaking springs again, followed by why sounded like a sigh to the Hish's ears. It placed an open hand flat against the door, and silently pushed it opened. It slowly opened, the door hinges slightly groaning. It stood there, hunched slightly in the doorway, looking as Granny Smith slept in her bed, sleeping soundly. The Hish walked forward, floorboards protesting under each heavy footstep, its dreadlocks dangling down beside its barren face. Its mandibles clicked together and it squinted. Then, in a quick motion, it reached down and grabbed Smith by the skull, lifted her up; her eyes shot open and her body reacted, hands grabbing the Hish's wrists and her legs kicking wildly around, yet always missing the beast which held her up. Her eyes locked with those of the Hish.

"Demon." She whispered. And with that, the Hish threw apart his arms, ripping Granny Smith's head in two. Warm blood splashed his face.

"You're sure your medics can save her?"

"Trust me Celestia, my medics can treat anything. That's what happened when you're banished from civilization because you were hungry."

"As long as you're sure, Chrysalis."

"Now come, dear Princess. We must leave Applejack in the capable hands of my medics."

Celestia, lead by Chrysalis' arm on her shoulder, looked back as the Changeling medics bent over Applejack's still frame.

Riddick sat at the table, his arms outstretched and his ass sore form the cushionless seat. He guessed that he was in an interrogation room, although, from his experience, it wasn't a very effective one. For the first part, it had windows that let the late morning sun. He squinted, his eyes burning from the light. They took my goggles, so maybe they put me here on purpose, he thought to himself. Maybe they're smarter than they look. Then again, his train of thought continued, maybe they're just incredibly lucky and don't know about my vision. The door opened, and three figures walked in - Twilight, plus a white creature that resembled Twilight, and a black creature with insect wings. Seriously, where the fuck was Riddick?

They sat down across form him.

"Hello, Riddick."

"Who the hell are these two?"

The black one spoke. "Is that anyway to speak to a Queen?"

He stared at her. "I didn't vote for you."

"You..... you don't vote for Queen!" Chrysalis hissed. "Idiot!" Twilight put an hand on Chrysalis' arm, and hushed her. "Let it go," she said, before turning to Riddick. "This is Queen Chrysalis, leader of the Changeling horde. And this is Princess Celestia, leader of Equestria." Celestia nodded, eyes not leaving Riddick.

"Why have you come here?" Celestia asked. "Who are you? Where are you from?"

"I'm not supposed to even be here," Riddick said. "I was on my way back to Furya, in cryosleep, taking the back roads to avoid more mercs."

"Mercs?"

"Mercenaries. Hired guns. Bounty hunters. Bastards and assholes. Anyway, when you take the back roads, there's a long time for something to go wrong. Whatever it was, something altered my course." He leaned back. "And I woke up here."

"Uh-huh," Chrysalis muttered. "And you brought a friend with you, didn't you now?"

"Friend? Huh; I wouldn't exactly call that fucker a friend. More like.... unwelcomed acquaintance."

"Why did it follow you?"

"Not sure."

Twilight leaned forward, and raised an eyebrow. "You're not sure?"

"No. But if I had to guess, Id' say it probably wanted to take me out like every other merc out there." He leaned forward. "I've kind of got a reputation for being a badass."

"Why don't you watch your language?"

"And why don't you close the fucking window so I don't have the goddamn sun in my face?"

"Quiet, or I'll smack the shit out of you!" Chrysalis stood, knocking her hair over as her wings buzzed wildly.

"Chrysalis! Come now," Twilight said, again resting a hand on the arm of a clearly agitated queen. "We are not judged by how we treat those who please us, but by how we treat those who are against us."

"Wise words. I knew a man like you once. Are you a holy man?"

"No. Also, I'm not a 'man.' I'm a mare."

Riddick stared at Twilight's clothed breasts for a moment, and then said, "obviously. Are you a holy mare?"

"No."

"Ah. So, when are you going to let me go?"

"Why would we let you go?" Celestia asked.

"Well, it ain't me you gotta worry about."

"That thing has killed six, and if Applejack doesn't make it, seven. If we let you go, will you help us?"

Riddick sat back and thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Why would I help you?"

"What do you want in return?"

Riddick squinted out the window, the light still blinding his eyes, but he could still see the massive ships which hung silently in the air. "Know whose those are?"

"Karellen, Supervisor of Equestria."

"If I help you, can you get me one?"

"Trixie thinks Twilight should," Trixie said, crouching next to Riddick.

Twilight blinked hard. Trixie was still there, and Twilight's heart raced. "Uh, sorry, I didn't catch that. Come again?"

"I said," Riddick sighed, "I might considering helping you if you can get me a ship to get off this rock. I told you, I've got places to be."

"He's got places to be, Twilight," Trixie cooed. "Twilight doesn't want to keep him from places, does he?"

"No, I don't."

"What?" Celestia looked at Twilight, who gulped. "Sorry," Twilight said. "What I meant to say is, um, we need to talk this over amongst ourselves first. I'm sure you understand, right, Riddick?"

Riddick cocked his head. "I don't know. Do I?"

"I don't think she'll make it." The Changeling looked at his companion as Applejack lay supine on the table before them. "Feel her head, there's massive trauma there; you can feel places where the skull has cracked open." His companion felt along Applejack's head with his hands, nodding as he did so, then he looked at the other: "So, what do we do?"

"We're going to save her," the Changeling said.

Twilight led Chrysalis and Celestia out of the interrogation room, and turned to them. "Now, we do need to talk about this - this is a very big decision - but I'll be right back. I have to.... go to the bathroom."

"Really?" Chrysalis asked while Celestia simply held a hand to her face. "You're going to the bathroom now? I thought this was a very big decision. Can't you hold it?"

But Twilight was already making her way down the hall. "No. Sorry. Afraid not. You know how it goes with coffee. Heh. Just one cup and you've got to go all day."

Chrysalis sighed, and Celestia said: "Just hurry up, Twilight. We'll be right here waiting for you." She offered a concerned smile.

"Alright, I'll be right back," Twilight said as she ducked into the women's room. She locked the door and touched her horn to the door, feeling the cold seep into her as she closed her eyes hard against the world. She didn't sleep well, that was it. Trixie wasn't really there. She couldn't be. Trixie could only exist in her memory, or in Karellen's apartment. Those were the only two places. Twilight was obviously hallucinating.

"That wasn't awkward at all, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight spun around, and found Trixie sitting on the edge of the sink, her hooves swaying in the air, leaning back on her arms. "How- What--- Why--- Who?"

"Lost for words? Trixie is impressed; you still get choked up by Trixie's body."

"No, I.... why are you here?"

"Don't know."

"Can anybody else see you?"

"Trixie doesn't know. But if they can't see Trixie, perhaps Twilight Sparkle should keep her voice down?"

"Right," Twilight calmed herself. She looked at the ground. "I'm..... I'm glad you're here, Trixie?"

"Yeah?"

"Things are bad. Very bad. It's just started and we've already lost six, maybe seven ponies. I don't.... how can we beat this?"

"Twilight will find a way."

"Did Karellen send you? Is he trying to help us without helping us?"

"No. Karellen did not send Trixie. Trixie missed Twilight, wants to see her." Trixie stood up and walked to Twilight, grabbed her shoulders. "Trixie wants to love Twilight."

"Here? In the bathroom?"

"We can love anywhere. Doesn't Twilight Sparkle know this?"

"No.... You're not, not real. You're a hallucination. I'm crazy, I'm loosing it. Too much stress."

Trixie cupped her lovers hand. "Are you? Is Trixie just a figment of a brilliant imagination?"

Queen Chrysalis and Princess Celestia were waiting outside of the bathroom, listening to what sounded like murmuring from the inside, ears perked and ready. They looked at each other when the door open, and Twilight Sparkle stuck her head out.

"Twilight Sparkle, it is about time you --"

"No time, Princess Celestia. There's something I must figure out. Release Riddick."

"Release Riddick?"

"Yes, release him under armed guard, at all times. We'll need him. But, um, if you'll excuse me," Twilight slipped out of the door, awkwardly shutting the door behind her. "There's some very important things I have to attend to."

"What kind of things?"

"There might be, uh, a threat that we haven't identified yet that could be very bad for all of us," Twilight hastily replied.

The door opened, and Celestia and Chrysalis walked in and looked at Riddick. "Well, it seems you're free to go."

"Free, huh?" He stood up. "What's the catch?"

"Armed guards. Three Royal Guards, and three Changelings. They will be armed, and so I'd advise you to behave yourself while you're in our company."

"Six, huh? Think that'll be enough?"

"What are you saying?"

Riddick stretched his arms behind his head, cracked his back and his neck. "Nothing. Sounds like a nice, even number."

Twilight raced through the halls of the Royal Castle. "Spike!" She called out. "Spike! I need you!" She knew how to figure out if she was crazy or not; had an idea that was foalproof. She turned a corner, and ran headlong into Starlight. "Twilight!" Starlight cried. "Twilight, is everything alright?"

"Where's Spike?"

"Nobody has seen him. What's wrong?"

"I need a favor."

"Anything, Twilight."

"Do you know how to get to Celestia's star charts?"

"Yes, but -"

"Then go. I need you to bring me back the charts for next week - no, the charts for tomorrow. Please, Starlight, it's important."

Starlight took Twilight's hand. "Is everything okay?"

"No-- Yes-- I don't know. Maybe. Just, please, can you get that for me?"

"Um, yeah, sure Twilight, if it helps you I'll do anything."

Twilight pulled Starlight close, and kissed her deeply, then said "thank you, Starlight. I'll be in my quarters, get the charts, and meet me there. And hurry!" Twilight hurried to her quarters, shut the door and rushed to one of the many large bookshelves, pulling a large volume from among the others. She then sat down at a desk, throwing the book open and pulling out a sheet of paper, and a quill and ink. Her reasoning, she thought, was perfect: if Trixie was a hallucination, and she were indeed crazy, she could not do something as simple as take a drug to determine if such was the case. This would not constitute proof even if it did work, since Twilight knew the effects of the drug, having chosen for herself for this purpose, and her imagination could suggest to her the double illusion of having taken the drug and of experiencing its effects.

But by using the star charts, Twilight could solve the problem with the aid of only Starlight and a single volume. Furiously she worked at the equations, seemingly endless integration. It had been a long time since she had tackled such elaborate calculations, and the last time must have been during her practical astronomy exam. By making the calculations form the charts in the old tome, she would obtain an approximate value for the position of the current stars which would act as a cross-check for the charts Starlight would bring. Approximate because the book was very old, aged but not quite dated, and knowledge had been gained since its publication. If the positions, and values, from the star charts were the product of a diseased brain, then they would not overlap at all with Twilight's calculations.

"And you'll be sane," Trixie said, kneeling beside her. Twilight looked at her while she continued, "which would make me real." Twilight swallowed hard, her eyes wide and excited, and went back to her calculations.

The sunlight fell on the broken blade in the barn, and was shadowed when the Hish stood over it. It bent down, and picked it up, and looked at it, holding it up and turning it over. One clean break, no other damage - that was a very good, very lucky. The Hish held it in both hands, then extended the remaining wrist blade. It put the two ends together, and they fit perfectly - the Riddick was a very dangerous and lethal prey indeed. It turned, and walked back toward the farmhouse.

Riddick pulled his goggles over his eyes, and walked out the door. Canterlot buzzed with activity, as it usually did, with ponies and Changelings going about their business, most having no clue that seven of their kind, and possibly eight, had been slaughtered by an extraterrestrial hunter. However, that did not prevent them from staring wide eyed and suspiciously at Riddick while he walked. Of course, the six guards didn't help either. Riddick looked up and down the streets - shops. Clean windows. Boutiques. Restaurants. Public parks. Fountains. Crowded sidewalks. The sound hoofs on cobblestone and the scent of half-concealed pheromones. Riddick walked down the street, looking for something to hold him over, to give him a sense of familiarity. He stopped, as did his unwanted companions. "You guys got any bars around here?" He asked, not looking back, and when there was no reply, he turned around. "You know, alcohol? Booze?" The guards were quiet. "Well?" One of the Changelings looked at him, then at the others, then sighed. "There." He pointed. "Over there, they serve cider."

"Cider?"

"Yeah, Cider. It's alcoholic."

"Strong or weak?"

"Meh."

"Anything harder anywhere?"

"Not at this time of day, ponies are hardasses like that. Oh, wait, there! Yeah, there, the tavern! They'll have something, sure!"

"What's your name?"

"They call me Kevin."

Riddick smiled. "Twilight Sparkle. Lyra. Bon Bon. Princess Celestia. Applejack. Queen Chrysalis. And then there's you," he turned around and began walking toward a tavern with tables out front. "Fucking Kevin," Riddick chuckled. The inside of the tavern was poorly lit, and about half full of ponies who turned to look at him, stopping their actions. They seemed to shrink at him as he raised his goggles up and looked around the place. He could hear one of the waitresses whisper "look at his eyes!" before the barkeep shouted "Hey! You're not welcome here! You wait outside!"

Riddick sighed. And put his goggles back on. "Friendly place," he growled. "Kevin, get me a shot of something hard, and a big glass of something harder."

"Right." Kevin went toward the bar while Riddick went back outside and sat down at a table. He watched as ponies walked by, staring at him and muttering to themselves, clearly mistaken that his smallish ears meant that he was hard of hearing. "Look at how hairless he is!" whispered a tall, thin pony with a fleur de lis on her hip. "Oh, god, what a terrible face! He's got no muzzle!" Whispered an elderly pony with a monocle. "Oh, he's so ugly!" gasped a gigantic blimp of a pony so loudly that Riddick smirked. The door opened behind him, and Kevin was at his side, putting down a single glass.

Riddick looked at him. "What's this?"

"Cider. It's all they'll give you."

"Why?"

"Said he can't serve you anything else."

"Can't? Or won't?"

Another Changeling guard spoke up. "Just take what you get, beggars can't be choosers."

"Who says I'm beginning."

"You ought to be getting water and bread," a Royal Guard said.

"You guys are just lovely company."

"Shut it!" The guard barked at him.

Twilight put down her quill and leaned back,exhausted. She had finished the equations, and before she could relax, there was a knock at the door and it began to open. She looked at it, and from the corner of her eye she could see Trixie looking at it as well. She got up and flew to the door. "Oh, thank you, Starlight. Thank you so much! I'll be out in a minute, okay?"

"But, Twilight, I --"

"In a mintute!" Twilight shut the door and flew back to the desk. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then compared her calculations to Celestia's star charts. Her heart sank; the star charts correlated completely to her own calculations. They existed independently from her, and she was not, then, crazy. Which meant that Trixie was real. She sighed. She looked at Trixie, who waited. "You're real," Twilight said. "You have to be. I'm not crazy." She held up the two papers. "I just proved I'm not crazy."

"Then what am I?"

"I don't know. Where did you come from?"

"I don't remember. I just remember being lonely, and then being here, with you." She moved over to Twilight, took her in her arms, put her hat on her head and leaned in, breathing softly. "And that's all that really matters." Their lips met.

The door cracked open as Starlight let herself inside. "Twilight, baby, I'm worried about you. Is everything okay? You can --- who is she?"

Yes. Trixie was very definitely real.

Born To Die, Live To Win

Author's Note

R.I.P. Lemmy. You will live on through the hell you taught us all to raise.

Born To Die, Live To Win

"Who is she, Twilight?"

Twilight awkwardly broke the kiss, saliva hanging from her lips. She wiped it away quickly, seeing the hurt on Starlight's face. Oh, no, Twilight thought, not again. I can't hurt her again. Not like this. She stood as straight as she could, and looked from Starlight to Trixie, took a breath, and said, "so, you can see her. I am not crazy, then. Somehow, I don't quite feel relieved."

Starlight took a step forward, alarmed, hurt, shocked, but determined to get an answer. "What are you talking about, Twilight? Who is this?"

Twilight sighed. "Starlight........ this, is Trixie." Trixie waved, and Twilight continued: "Trixie.... is dead."

"She's standing right here, Twilight."

"Yes, Twilight, I'm standing right here."

"I know! I know," Twilight sighed, looked at her ground, unable to look Starlight in the eye. "She.... came back when Karellen chose me. She's been at every meeting."

"She's what?"

"I don't know how this is possible, but it is and it's happening."

"All of those meetings were lies?!" Starlight yelled.

"No, Starlight, they weren't."

"You've been going behind my back with this.... this...... this ghost of a whore?!"

"Hey! That's not fair!" Trixie shouted.

"Shut up!" Starlight snarled at her. "So every time you talked to Karellen, you saw Trixie too?"

Twilight spoke quietly. She closed her eyes against the blur of angry tears. "Yes."

"What?!"

"Yes, Starlight. Yes, I did."

Starlight couldn't help but feel hurt, and angry, and betrayed, but it was worse than that - this wasn't Twilight. Twilight wouldn't do this, she couldn't. She couldn't, Starlight insisted to herself silently. It had to be something else, something going on. Karellen! Yes! It had to be him - he messed with Twilight, did something to take her away from Starlight, to take away the best happiness she'd had in a very long time. He didn't come to help, he came to interfere. She clenched her fists tightly. Her horn itched violently. "No," she said. "No, you didn't. Karellen did something to you. He tricked you. He bribed you. You stole you from me! He's to blame."

Twilight couldn't help it; she walked over to Starlight, who looked at her as though she might either flee or fall to viscous pieces. "Starlight," Twilight reached out to pull Starlight into a much needed hug.

"No!" Starlight pulled back violently, and Twilight brought her hand back, her lip trembling. "No, don't touch me, Twilight. Whatever Karellen gave you, I don't want it, too."

"Karellen didn't do anything to me, Starlight?"

Starlight pointed angrily at Trixie. "So is she a Changeling, then?"

"Again," Trixie said. "Not fair! The Great and Poweful Trixie is neither a ghost nor a Changeling!"

"You're something, alright," Starlight growled. "And I'm going to figure out what it is."

Riddick raised another half-full glass of cider to his lips and took a drink. It wasn't bad, he thought, but it wasn't really strong enough to deal with whatever the hell he had been thrown into now. He swallowed, the alcohol barely stinging on its way down. "Tastes like piss," he muttered.

"Yeah," Kevin said. "Ponies don't really share any of the good stuff. They won't give us any either, and they're supposed to treat us as equals." The Royal Guards stared at him. "What?" Kevin said. "You don't!"

Riddick shook his head, smirked, and looked across the street. There, in the crowd, he saw something familiar - a large red figure. Big Mac. Didn't look like Big Mac had seen him, so Riddick just sat there. "Hey," he said. "Isn't that Big Mac?"

"Oh, shit," Kevin said. "Don't make eye contact. Lower your head." When Riddick kept looking across the street, raising the glass again, he said: "Come on, Riddick! He's still super pissed about everything, and he's concerned about his sister. He blames you for that."

"The fucker hit me."

"Well, yeah, no shit. He was kind of upset. His sister might die, you know. Now, dammit, just lower your head!" He pushed down on Riddick's head with his palm, only to have Riddick grab it and wrench it painfully away. "Ah, fuck!"

"Don't ever touch me!" Riddick let go of Kevin's hand. Kevin, for his part, slunk away into his chair, nursing his aching wrist.

"Fine." He pouted. "Whatever."

The altercation was loud enough that Big Mac looked across the street, and spotted Riddick. He huffed, and he stood as still as he could with his side injury. Doctor Stable had told him he shouldn't be out and about, should lay low and rest and heal, but Big Mac had been through worse, although he currently couldn't remember when, and besides, you can't keep a good stallion down, Mac had always said. At his side, Applebloom looked up at him, then across the street.

"Is that him?" Applebloom asked.

"Eeyup," Big Mac said. His fists balled up. Six guards surrounded Riddick, all but one of them standing. Guards or no guards, he was going to give the muzzleless coward a piece of his mind. He took a step forward into the street. Applebloom stepped in front of him and spoke loudly.

"Hey! Big Mac! We ain't seen Granny Smith in a while, now! We should probably go back to Sweet Apple Acres and make sure she's alright, shouldn't we? I mean, it's kind of a surprise we haven't done that sooner, isn't it? Seeing as the farm as attacked by an alien and all that. Whatdya think about it? Huh, Big Mac?" Big Mac brushed her aside with one arm and kept walking across the street. "Big Mac?"

"Oh, shit," Kevin stood up. "Don't do anything, Riddick. We'll handle this, alright?"

"We ain't doing shit," one of the Royal Guards said. "We're here to make sure he doesn't do anything, not to protect him."

"Aren't those kind of the same thing?" Kevin asked.

"Nope. Far as I'm concerned, Big Mac can do whatever he wants. Ain't my problem."

Kevin fidgeted. "Oh, come on, guys, he's almost here. We gotta do something!" He pulled at Riddick. "Come on, let's go somewhere else!"

Riddick pulled his arm from Kevin's grip, never taking his eyes off of Big Mac, and said, "what did I tell you?"

"Right. Sorry. Can we, uh, just go, now. I mean, you know, Big Mac is pretty big for a pony."

But it was too late. Kevin cringed as Big Mac finally made it across the street and called out Riddick. "You!" Big Mac yelled. "Hey, you!" Riddick simply looked at him. Big Mac stopped, pointing a finger. "'Ey! Y'all better answer when ah speak to you, yellow belly! Ya got some answerin' ta do!"

"Funny," Riddick said. "I thought I already did that."

"Not ta me ya ain't!" Big Mac took a step closer. "So get ta talkin'! Why did ya bring tha' monster to our farm?"

"I didn't bring anything."

"Ya did too!" Big Mac reached out and took Riddick by the shirt, holding him up in the air. The ponies on the street stood and stared, as did all the guards but Kevin, who fidgeted nervously. "Why'd ya do it! Mah sister might die!" Riddick simply stared at him.

"There's nothing wrong with me, Starlight."

"Then how do you explain this? Karellen's up to something, don't you see it?"

"No, Starlight, he's not. He.... he's saved me by bringing Trixie back."

"He...." Starlight's voice was caught in her throat, and she couldn't speak. Was Twilight happy that Trixie was back? Yes, there'd be a change in Twilight, but that was Starlight, not this ghost. "No, he didn't save you. He's tricking you, Twilight."

"Neither Trixie nor Karellen wishes to trick Twilight Sparkle," Trixie walked up beside Twilight, her arms crossed in front of her body, and stared spunkily at Starlight. "It is not our fault that Twilight is finally happy again."

"You have nothing to do with it!" Starlight spit the words at Trixie like they were bitter bile, as though she couldn't get the wretched words out fast enough. "I make Twilight happy. You're in the past, Trixie."

"Trixie is in the present, with Twilight Sparkle."

"No! Trixie is in the past! Where she belongs! Twilight loves me now, don't you see? She saved me, and I saved her. Let her move on!"

Twilight stood there, looking at the ground, eyes still closed, unmoving. She swallowed hard, sniffed snot back into her nose.

"Tell her, Twilight. Tell her you're with me now, that I'm your only one!"

Twilight opened her eyes. A tear rolled down her cheek. "I'm sorry, Starlight."

"What?"

"I'm sorry, Starlight, but I can't... I want to, but I can't." She looked at Starlight, her eyes shimmering with liquidized emotional trauma. "I can't, Starlight. I can't let go."

"Twilight! We can work through this, we can solve this. I don't know what, what --" here she pointed at Trixie "-- this is, but we can beat it. It's not normal, Twilight. Whatever she is, she shouldn't exist!"

"But Trixie does," Trixie said, and she stepped closer to Twilight, their bodies touching now. Starlight flinched at the sight.

It was quick - Riddick took Big Mac's thumbs in his hands and wrenched them away from his body, the stallion's hands automatically letting to. When he was free, he dropped and took a step back, letting go of Big Mac's thumbs while the guards assigned to him put their hands on their weapons.

"Don't ever touch me," Riddick said. He looked unflinchingly at Big Mac. "Ever."

Big Mac growled. Applebloom finally made it from the other side of the street. "Come on, big brother," she pleaded. "We don't need another fight already. What if it was all a big misunderstanding?" Big Mac refused to back down, so Applebloom said to the guards: "Ain't y'all gonna do something?"

"Nope." One of the Royal Guards said. "We're here to keep Riddick from causing trouble. Not protect him."

Applebloom blinked. "Ah, come on, Big Mac," she again pleaded. "Don't disturb the peace. We need to get along." She took a hold of Big Mac's left arm. He brushed it away and reached towards Riddick's neck quickly, so quickly that Applebloom didn't believe it. Her brother could be amazingly fast when he needed to be. The strange man is a goner for sure, Applebloom thought. But before Big Mac could make contact, he was brought down, doubled over as Riddick grabbed his hand and twisted, and with a swift motion of a hand Big Mac was on the ground. "Hmmpf!"

Starlight hurt. She wanted to break down, fall into the fetal position and cry blatantly. What she wanted more than anything was for Twilight to leave Trixie's side, grab her and run far, far away. She knew something was wrong, that was clear - dead ponies just didn't come back, Overlords or not. She had to do it, she decided - she couldn't cry, she couldn't break down, she had to save Twilight. She had to save her from this monstrosity that looked, she admitted to herself, perfectly normal, a perfectly healthy pony. Maybe she's lying, Starlight thought, and it's not Trixie, it's some other pony she's been seeing, and I caught her with her. Starlight shook the very words from her thoughts. No, no that wasn't true, either. Twilight wouldn't do that. Karellen, it all came back to Karellen. It had to. Whatever this was, he did it. He was the bad guy here, no Starlight, not Twilight, and maybe - just maybe - not Trixie. She had to get Twilight away from that ghost of a harlot. Twilight spoke, and brought Starlight from her thoughts.

"I'm sorry, Starlight, I didn't want this to happen. Never wanted this to happen." Twilight sniffed, breathed deeply, yet labored to do so against her emotions. "You made me happy, but Trixie makes me happier."

In that moment, those words crystallized what was a simple plan, but a plan nonetheless. "I'm sorry, too, Twilight," Starlight said before she leaped forward and took Twilight forcefully by the arm and dragged her away from Trixie.

"Hey!" Trixie shouted. But Starlight pulled a surprised Twilight behind her, opening the door and running through. Not as carefully as she should have, as Twilight slammed into the wall, but Starlight managed to pull her free and close the door as Trixie ran towards them. "Hey!" Trixie screamed. "Twilight! No!"

Big Mac righted himself, and looked at Riddick. He huffed at him, "that was a mistake. Y'all are gonna get it, now." Big Mac sunk and spun a leg, tripping Riddick (along with poor Applebloom) and then leaped upon him, slamming his fists down as hard as he could. While one or two blows landed against Riddick, who recoiled and bled, most were dodged and Big Mac could feel his bones breaking against the cobblestone, but he didn't care. Riddick was going to pay, he would make sure of that. But then he was thrown on his back as Riddick managed to kick him off, and was himself about to get up when a Royal Guard kicked him. "Hey!" The guard shouted. "No causing trouble, asshole!"

Well, that tears it, Riddick thought. He pulled at the Guards leg and brought him to the ground. Big Mac was on his hooves, and had picked up a chair - yes, a chair should do just fine, he thought - and was raising it to slam down on Riddick when his intended took notice. He pulled the guard over himself just as the chair came down, both the Guard's wings and the chair breaking with the force of impact. The Guard screamed as his companions pulled their swords. Riddick rolled to the side and stood up quickly. The Changelings just stared, as did the ponies on the street, as the Royal Guards stood beside Big Mac, who spoke: "Well, would y'all look at that. Three against one. Ya can't possibly beat us, give up and take ya lumps."

Big Mac charged Riddick, who ducked to the left and used the large stallions weight to throw him effortlessly to the ground. He reached down and in one smooth motion brought up one of his legs and stepped on the knee and yanked. Big Mac howled in pain. One of the Guards jumped up, and, with a brush of his wings and a forward lunged, drop kicked Riddick to the cobblestone.

"I'm so sorry about that, Twilight," Starlight said. She looked at Twilight, took her face in her hand, looked into her eyes. Twilight was slowly coming to.

"Starlight.... what? What did I hit?"

"A wall. That may have been a little bit my fault."

From inside the room Trixie's voice rang out. "Twilight! Twilight, come back! Twilight!" Not rage, not anger, but a frightful desperation, something Starlight had once heard when a young colt had been abandoned in the city by a neglectful mare. The voice of somepony - no, something - that could not handle being alone. "Twilight! Open the door! Please! Please! Open, please, open the door! Twilight! Come back!" Trixie began pounding against the door, which was odd as the door opened inward. Why doesn't she just open it, Starlight thought.

"Twilight! Come back! Twilight! Don't leave me! Please! Never leave me!"

Twilight looked at the door, then at Starlight.

"Maybe we should go," Starlight said.

"Maybe...." Twilight rubbed her face. "Maybe you're right, Starlight. I'm sorry."

"We'll make up later, Twilight. Come on!" They started to run when they heard a loud slam behind them. They stopped, spinning as they did so, to see the a large dent outward in the door. There was a loud slam again as another large dent appeared. Then another, and another, the slams coming one after the other, the door being slammed into the wall with each consecutive impact, the sound of Trixie's yelling growing in pitch until it was almost unEquestrian. "Twilight!" came the screams. "DON'T LEAVE ME!"

Big Mac was on top of Riddick then, his arms around his neck, forcefully choking. Kevin moved forward to help, but the other Changelings held him back. "No," they said, "this is not our fight." Kevin watched as Riddick clawed at the stallion's hands, but couldn't find enough of a purpose. So he instead began searching for something, anything, which could be used to ward off the stallion who at this point looked like a raging demon. Riddick's hand fell on a broken leg of a chair, and it was brought up to to meet with Big Mac's neck, the splintered wood shredding into the stallion's neck. Big Mac gasped and released his grip, but the damage was done - the chair leg was pulled from his neck as he rolled over, holding his throat as he tried to stop the gushing blood. Riddick stood up, and as the Royal Guard with broken wings lunged at him, upercutted the chair of the leg through the jaw of the guard, whose body went limp as he tumbled onto the cobblestone. The next Guard came at Riddick, who ducked, the sword missing him, and yanked hard on the wing of the Guard, who tumbled down. Before the Guard could react, Riddick was on his back, his hands on the Guard's chin and head, and yanked to the side. The Guard's neck cracked as the crowd around them gasped. He took the sword from the twitching hand of the Guard and stood up.

The final Guard stood before him. "So," Riddick sneered, "wanna try your luck?"

"Listen, you little shit, I'm going to flay you. I'm going to enjoy it, and you are going to deserve every bit of it."

Riddick looked at the bodies around him, then to Big Mac, who clutched his neck as Applebloom tried to tie her bow around his bleeding neck. "What?" Riddick asked. "This was clearly self defense."

"I'll show you defense." The Guard unsheathed his sword and pointed it at him. "I'll show you glorious justice."

Again, Riddick looked to the ground, then to the Guard. "If I did that with a chair leg," he held up the sword, "what do you think I can do with this?"

"Not what I can do!" The Guard leaped forward, and sliced through the air as Riddick dodged, but inhaled sharply as the blade made contact with his back. His shirt and skin tore, leaking red, and he turned around sharply as the Guard landed and smiled. "So," the Guard said, "still feeling like you'll win?"

Riddick turned around.

The door was slammed again, the this time it began to crack, as two castle guards made their way to the hallway. "Princess Twilight, what's going on?"

"I don't know," Twilight said. Starlight looked at her, concerned for Twilight's safety. She didn't know what was going on, but she knew one thing - Twilight was not on an emotional strong point. So she spoke up.

"Trixie."

"What?" The guard replied. The door was slammed again, the crack growing bigger.

"Trixie! One of Twilight's old lovers!" Starlight had to scream over Trixie's screaming, which grew louder through the crack in the door. "She died, so I'm not exactly sure what's going on! But whatever's in there claims to be her!"

The Guard shuddered as the door was slammed again. "Dead ponies just don't come back to life, dammit!"

"I know!"

"What?!"

Starlight tried to yell louder. "I know! It's Karellen!"

"What?!"

"Karellen! Karellen did this! Whatever is in there has been with Twilight every time she's met with Karellen!"

"What?! Why?! Why would he do that?!"

"A bribe! The only person who made Twilight happier than me was Trixie!" The door splintered more with yet another slam, and Starlight wasn't sure how Twilight could remain so calm in these circumstances. She's probably in shock, Starlight thought. She continued: "He did it to bribe her into doing what he wanted!"

"Holy shit, Starlight! Are you sure?!"

"It has to be!"

"Do you have evidence?!"

"What?!"

"Nevermind! What do we do with the thing in there?!"

"I don't know! I took Twilight out of the room and she started to go crazy!"

Another slam, and the door burst open, the two heavily damaged halves careening across the hallway and becoming lodged in the wall.

"Hey! You piece of shit! You look at me when I kill you!"

Riddick turned, and hurled the sword in the Guard's direction. The Guard stared, unable to recognize what was happening, and the back of his neck rained down crimson blood as the sword pierced completely through. The guard dropped the sword as his wings went limp and his hands went to his throat. He fell to his knees, his eyes on Riddick, who walked toward the guard. The Guard gasped, a thick, wet sound that made Applebloom shudder. Riddick looked at Kevin. "I want you to remember this moment." He then kicked the hilt of the sword upwards, so that the super-sharp blade went downwards, cleaving the Guard in half. When it was finished, the Guard's halves tumbled to the ground, the sword clattering in blood.

Riddick looked at the crowd, who recoiled from his sight. He spat on the ground.

"He clearly did not know who he was fucking with."

"Two hours," Kevin said. "You made it two hours."

The Hish used the laser targeting system to heat the sheared ends of the cutting blade to a malleable degree, and then processed to push the two together. After a while, it put the blade into a large tub of water, and it hissed violently. When it was pulled from the water, it wasn't a pretty blade, but it was functional, and strong; that was the beauty of the Hish's hunting weaponry, strong yet easily fixable. It put the blade back into the wrist device, and put the wrist device back on, and recoiled the blade. It wasn't a perfect job, it knew, and the tip of the blade stuck out two inches, the makeshift repairs preventing a total recoil. Still, not bad. The Hish growled to itself proudly.

It found itself standing at the door, looking towards Ponyville. It could see the thermal signatures of the remaining ponies wandering through town, aimlessly; they must not be a very smart species, it reasoned, if they would stay so close to an area of a known attack. Still, it was a nice surprise to have a day of killing so close to its chosen base. It took a step toward the town, where the school bell rang and the remaining children were ushered in by Miss Cherilee.

"Come on, class," she said. "Time for school. No, no, you're perfectly safe. Nothing will happen to you, I promise."

"But Miss Cherilee," one of the students said, "there aren't any soldiers here."

"Oh, that doesn't matter," the teacher said, "whatever was here is probably long gone."

"But didn't it kill people?" The student asked.

"Nonsense," Cherilee said. "Those are only silly rumors. Now go sit down." She wished they were only rumors - she and Mr. and Mrs. Cake had to bury the headless carcasses of Lyra and Bon Bon in the Everfree Forest to prevent predators from picking up the scent, and had felt very eerie doing so, especially with Big Mac injured, and Applejack in such bad shape. They ponies didn't even want to begin to imagine what could have done that to such a strong and healthy pony with such spirit, but whatever it was, it was dangerous. Yes, yes whatever it was had left, they told themselves. It had to. At least, that's what they had told themselves. Now, with the last of the students crowding into the schoolhouse, Cherilee looked out around the town, hoping she was right. Unseen to her, the Hish watched as she closed the door to the school.

Mr. Cake heard the screams of Cherilee first, then the children, and finally the sound of splintering wood and explosions. He ran from Sugarcube Corner. "Watch the foals!" he yelled to his wife as he lunged out of the door.

The Hish was something of a terror, even on his own planet. He had brutally and mercilessly gone after those who had stepped in his way, to such a degree that he was given virtually everything he desired by virtue of his wrath. All of the Hish were ruthless hunters, but this one was ruthless and sadistic as well, enjoying the torture of his prey, taking down those around them before he took them out slowly and painfully. It was an almost unstoppable force at the height of its bloodlust, where it now stood. The last remaining colt crawled away from it, screaming, babbling uncontrollably, openly weeping for Cherilee, who stood stock still in sheer terror, to save her. "Help me, Cherilee!" the colt cried. "Please! Don't let me die!" The Hish walked to the side of the colt, who looked up at him, whimpered, and then turned to crawl away before the Hish gave a mighty kick. It connected, and the colt was sent flying headlong into the wall, where it crumpled into a heap after the sharp crack of his head slamming into the material. The Hish turned to look at Cherilee, who trembled. It faced her squarely, and removed its mask, which it let fall to the ground with a dull thud. It clicked its mandibles and grimaced at the mare, who merely trembled more. The Hish screamed, and Cherilee wet herself. It took a step forward and was raising its cutting blade into the air when the door burst open. The Hish turned around and Mr. Cake skidded to a halt, his focus memorized by the awful brutality of the Hish's face. Mr. Cake recovered his senses and threw a chair toward the alien, which blocked it with its blade.

"Cherilee! Run!" Mr. Cake yelled. "Go!" This was enough to shock Cherilee back into reality, who turned and jumped awkwardly out the window after slipping in her own urine. She cut her hands and her face and her arms, but she fell to the ground and got up and ran towards Sugarcube Corner. Back in the schoolhouse, Cake yelled at the Hish: "Come on! Come and get it! I'm right here!" The Hish took a step forward and swung its blade, but Cake ducked and rolled to get up on the other side. "Ha! Missed me!" The Hish swung again, and again Cake ducked and rolled. The Hish roared.

"Come on, man! You can't hit nothing!" Cake wasn't quick enough that time - the Hish kicked the carcass of a young filly at Mr. Cake, who failed to see the motion until he was knocked backwards and onto his back, the bloody, headless body smothering his face. He struggled to push it off, gasping for air and scooting backwards as fast as he could. The Hish retracted his cutting blade, and looked down at the ground. He picked up one of the filly carcasses, which which he had shot a laser blast through the chest. He held it high, inspecting it as Mr. Cake watched in horror, then it turned its piercing gaze towards Mr. Cake. Then the Hish pressed a button on its wrist, and a voice echoed throughout the schoolhouse - a memory, a snapshot, a snippet of another life, cut short, on another planet, another hunting trip.

"Beat a motherfucker with another motherfucker."

It took a step forward and began to swing the carcass as Mr. Cake raised his hands. He could feel the pain as the body and the hair smashed into his arms, the shocking pop and surprising little pain of his ulna snapping at the force. The Hish swung the body again, connecting with Cake's side. He screamed in pain as he attempted to roll with it, but became caught on the arms of one of the fallen colts. The Hish swung again, and head of the carcass smashing into Cake's spinal column, where he felt exploding pain. He grabbed at his back with his good arm, but the Hish swung again, and broke that arms tibia. Cake screamed, eyes wide, as he looked at the Hish. It leaned down towards him, and used a hand to pick him up by the neck. Mr. Cake choked against the pressure. The Hish went to a wall, and leaned Cake in a sitting position, where it then crouched, its face in the face of the distressed pony. It roared into its face from a foot away, its voice harsh and its eyes wide, overwhelming Cake's own screams. The Hish then stood up, and swung the carcass one last time. With all of the force the Hish could muster, the dead head connected with Mr. Cakes own.

Mrs. Cake sat Cherilee down in a chair as she made her a pot of tea to calm her nerves. "It's going to be alright, Cherilee."

"No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. " Cherilee said. "No. No. No. No. No it won't. It killed them all. It killed all the children."

Mrs. Cake kneeled down to speak to her when her head suddenly exploded all over Cherilee; skull fragments littered her hair, and brain material flew into her open mouth. She screamed and fell over backwards, glancing out the window just long enough to see the Hish moving towards Sugarcube Corner, its mask back on and three red dots attempting to place themselves on her. She ran out of the house, into the late afternoon sky, blue streaks flying past her. She ran towards the general store, yes, she could hide there! She fell to all fours, desperation taking over her; her back ached, she hadn't run like this for years, but it came back to her easily enough. She smashed through the door and slammed into the caretaker. "What's going on, Cherilee?" But she didn't stop. She kept running, had to keep running, a scared rabbit running from a relentless perentie. A very large bolt of blew then connected with her leg, and she fell, gasping, grabbing herself above the wound, trying to stop the pain. The shopkeeper looked around. "Hey, what the --" before another very charged shot made contact, and exploded him completely. Then the Hish was in the door, and Cherilee managed to get herself up, ignoring the searing pain in her leg, ignoring anything if it meant she would live. She began to hobble towards the back of the shop, throwing anything she could at the Hish, who shot each item out of the air before it could reach him. She threw a pack of cards, and it exploded before her eyes, a flaming ace of spades flittering to the ground.

The turned and ran, on all fours, as best she could, but she felt a shot sear her back and she fell to the ground. It was a weak shot, nothing like that which had hit the storekeep, and she grimaced as her muzzle hit the dirt just outside the back door. Her ears pressed back against her head, she couldn't believe it, couldn't believe this is how she was going to die, killed by a foal-killer, a butcher of fillies and colts, a monster. She gasped in pain as the Hish grabbed her bad leg, felt dizzy as the last moments approached her. The Hish swung Cherilee in a circle as though he were attempting to throw her as far as possible, but on the fifth turn took a step closer to the general store, and Cherilee cried out as her head made contact with the open door frame, and shattered into a dozen pieces.

Her body went limp, and the Hish cheered.

Recalled To Life

Recalled To Life

Riddick, Twilight, and Trixie all sat in the interrogation room, the morning sun rising through the windows as they sat: Riddick and Trixie looked bored and Twilight looked incredibly nervous. The room was quiet, except for Twilight's endless murmuring to herself, worryings spoken aloud about the damage done to the Changeling/Pony Alliance and to her relationship with Starlight and whether they had a relationship at all anymore. She twisted her fingers together, desperately hoping one would give way and break and give her something to think about beyond this awkward problem. Trixie did not seem to mind Twilight's mutterings, merely content to sit beside her lover, eyes closed. "How do I not know how she got here?" Twilight whispered to herself. "They can see her-- I'm not crazy-- they can see her too--" Riddick sighed.

"You know, muttering to yourself like that won't make them show up any faster."

"What do you know, Riddick?! You were supposed to behave yourself! You were supposed to let the guards watch you, not kill them! What were you thinking! Do you know how many ponies you traumatized?! What do you have to say for yourself?!"

Riddick leaned back in his seat and folded his arms across his chest. "Same thing I said before. It was self defense. Although, you know, Twilight, if that thing is after me, and you've got me locked up here, in a castle, where do you think it's going to go next?"

"Ohmygosh you're right! It's going to come here! It was bad enough that it wiped out Ponyville but now it's going to come here where there's even more innocent ponies it can harm and it's all my fault because I insisted you be put under arm guard and you caused problems and caused a ruckus and now you're locked up and that thing is going to come here and it's going to ruin everything!" She stopped for a breath, and was quiet for a moment. It was then the door opened and Celestia and Chrysalis walked in, Luna at their heels. Celestia sighed.

"Well, that's.... I don't even know how many that thing has killed. Riddick, you're up to four. Tell me, what were you thinking."

"It was self defense."

"It was, Celestia. My soldiers told me - your guards failed to prevent an assault from occurring, and when Riddick defended himself, they turned on him."

"My Royal Guards would do no such thing!"

"Tia," Luna said, leaning against the wall, "what reason would the Changelings have to lie to us?"

"I don't know, Luna."

"Sister; Applebloom corroborated the Changelings story!"

"Then she's lying! And what about that?" She pointed at Trixie, who kept her eyes closed despite the commotion around her. "How is that she's here when she's dead. This clearly shouldn't be a thing. Twilight - explain!"

"I don't know, Princess Celestia." Twilight slumped in her chair. "She was with me every time I met with Karellen, but Karellen said she could only exist in his ship. At least, I think it was his ship. Nevermind. At any rate, by all accounts she shouldn't be here."

"And yet she is. How?"

"I don't know."

"You must know."

"I don't!"

Chrysalis sighed and interjected. "Look, let's deal with more pressing issues. It seems that our mystery mare here only goes beserk when she's away from Twilight, so, for the moment, I think we should let her be."

"But what about Starlight?" Twilight asked. "What do I-- How do I explain this to her?"

Chrysalis sighed again. "Oh, please, lets forsake the marauding invader who's butchering ponies and Changelings left and right so that we can focus on your lover's quarrel!"

Celestia shot her a glare. "Chrysalis!"

Luna shot her elder sister a glare in response. "What, Tia? She has a point? A murdering alien is a little more important than Princess Twilight's love life!"

Tia looked at her angrily. "Don't you take that tone with me!"

Chrysalis, again sighing, interjected, saying "Calm down! Both of you! I have an idea. If it's really after this Riddick," she pointed nonchalantly, "then all we have to do is use him as bait, lure the beast in, and use our armies to defeat him. Surely, it can't be that hard. We can pull it off easy."

"You can barely pull off a conversation," Riddick said.

"Hush you ingrate!"

"Or," Riddick ignored the queen, "you could just let me go. I'll be on my way, take a ship, and it'll follow me off of your planet. You're left alone to bicker among yourselves, and I get off the planet and lose the fucker in space. Everybody goes home happy."

The two sisters and the Queen replied simultaneously: "No!" Riddick shrugged.

Luna looked at Twilight. "What do you think, Princess Twilight?"

"I'm not sure." Twilight leaned forward, curled in on herself. "From what I've heard, Riddick is quite talented physically. Perhaps we should use him to defeat this thing. I mean, worst case scenario, Riddick dies, right?"

"Still right here."

"And if we set up a trap with our best, most elite soldiers, there's no possible way that thing could overtake them all, right?"

"We're not so sure, Princess Twilight," Luna spoke. "The reports from the scouts who came across the Ponyville massacre were pretty shaken up. Not a single surviving soul. Carrot Cake was beaten to death with a filly."

"A filly? You're kidding right?"

"We're afraid not, Twilight Sparkle. Smashed the filly's head into Carrot Cake's, after beating him with it first, from the sound of it."

Riddick simply said "see? I told you it ain't me you gotta worry about."

Twilight thought for a moment, then grabbed Trixie's hand. Trixie didn't respond, but Twilight spoke. "Maybe Chrysalis is right. Maybe we should just overpower it."

"How many soldiers are going to die, Twilight? What about the coming army you told us about?"

"If we don't stand up to this thing now, there will be nobody left to fight against an army."

The mention of an army caught Riddick's attention. "What army?"

"We don't know," Luna said. "All we were told is that an army would be one of the trials we faced."

"Trials?"

"Yes; we assumed you are one."

"How thoughtful."

"So?" Chrysalis said. "Are we going with my brilliance or not?"

"Brilliance, indeed!" Celestia said. "Why not give him the key to the castle and recline while he kills us?"

"Temper, temper, Tia," Luna said. "It is obvious we need a solution to this problem. Why not we explore all options?"

"Because it's suicide, Luna!"

"Maybe it's not," Twilight said. "Surely, we can set some kind of trap for it."

"Maybe Riddick should give some thoughts," Celestia said. "He brought it here."

"I told you, I didn't bring shit here."

"Hmmpf! So you say," Celestia huffed. "It followed you, didn't it?"

Chrysalis sarcastically clapped. "Very good, Tia! What wonderful logic."

"Don't call me that."

"Oh, testy, testy, Princess. Do we need a nap?"

They continued to bicker, and Riddick said: "If you use me as bait, what's the plan?"

Luna looked at him. "You will agree to be bait?"

"If it will get them to shut up for five minutes."

Rarity looked at the Changeling medic. "Is she going to be alright?"

The Changeling continued to look at the unconscious Applejack. "We've done all we could. We managed to get the jaw wired up, but all we can do now is wait and see if it properly heals, and hope for the best."

Applejack, in her slumber, moaned and shifted position again, and Rarity went to the side of the bed and knelt down beside her friend, putting a hand on a shoulder. "Shhhh, darling," she said. "It's alright, you're friends have all come to see you." Applejack's lip twitched slightly. "Look! Girls, look! She's smiling!"

"Not really smiling," the Changeling said. "It's just a reflex. She probably can't hear you and, even if she could, right now she can't control any of her facial muscles, there's still too much damage for conscious control."

"Oh," Fluttershy said. "I'm sorry, Rarity."

Rarity sniffed. "It's not you're fault, dear."

Fluttershy asked, "when will she wake up?"

Again the Changeling didn't look away from Applejack. "Don't know, it will happens when it happens. If it happens."

"Are you sure you're a doctor?" Rainbow Dash asked.

The Changeling glanced at Rainbow Dash. "Quite sure." Rainbow Dash fidgeted nervously.

The Hish had traveled through the trees for days, the desolate ruins of Ponyville falling farther and farther behind it with every restless moment. Before it had set off in search of the Riddick, it had returned to its pod and collected the most useful of tools in a loose leather sack and slung it over it's shoulder. It had then returned to Sweet Apple Acres, and had butchered the body of Granny Smith into a hearty meal that would hold it over for quite a while; what it couldn't eat, it preserved and put in an additional leather sack which it slung over its shoulder with the first.

Starlight Glimmer sat by herself in her room, a blanket wrapped around her shaking form as she let herself be enveloped by darkness. She sniffed, wiped a tear form her face, and sat there some more. She couldn't take it, not everything at once, the creature and Riddick and the thing named Trixie. She couldn't, it weighed on her like a suit of cement, and no matter what she did it ate at her, silently, in the back of her mind, threatening to consume her entire existence. She had, more than once since the incident in the hallway, through about introducing the cold steel of a blade into the warm flesh of her wrist, ending it. Still, she could never bring herself to total commitment to the idea, just as she could not bring herself to the total commitment that Karellen as not behind the thing named Trixie. A black hole consumed Stralight's breast, stole her breath and her happiness and she was, once again, where she had been so many years before, in control of nothing yet seeking control of everything. Starlight opened her eyes, the shapes in her room just vaguely visible in the looming gloom. She laid down, turned on her side and hugged herself. Her horn itched violently, and she wrapped her tail around her. She began to weep into the pillow.

There was a knock at the door.

"Go away," Starlight's voice was barely more than a whisper. She kept her eyes closed. Again, there was a knock at the door. "Go away," Starlight said in a slightly louder voice. There was silence, and then a knock again at the door. "Go away!" She yelled before shoving her head into the mattress, her horn holding her head at an odd angle. She took a deep breath, thankful that the knocking had -- another knock. Starlight growled into the mattress and pulled a pillow over her head. "GO AWAY!" She screamed into the mattress, but again the knock came at the door, and again.

The door opened slightly, and there was a voice. "Starlight?"

"Fpike?" Starlight spoke into the mattress. "Fpike? If that you?"

"Of course it's me, Starlight," Spike said. "Are you alright?"

Starlight still spoke into the mattress. "Fwere haf you bween? Eferybody haf been looking for you."

"Can I come in?"

"Of courfe you can come in!"

Spike shut the door behind him. "Hey, can I turn on a light?"

"No!"

"Okay."

"Fwere haf you bween, Fpike?"

"I went up to the Crystal Empire. I got a letter from Shining Armor saying he needed my help. He told me not to tell anypony about it at all." Spike stopped. "Um, Starlight, do you think you could keep this just between us?"

"Fure, Fpike."

"Are you okay?"

"No."

Spike felt his way across the room, bumping over several chairs, and finally sat on the edge of the bed. "What's wrong?"

"Trixie's back." She whined into the mattress. "And Twilight loves Trixie more than me."

"Oh, I'm sure that's all in your head, Starlight," Spike said. He patted her back.

"Don't patronize me, Fpike."

"Well, you know, Twilight wouldn't do that. I know Twilight."

Starlight lifted her head from the mattress. "But the problem isn't Twilight, Spike. The problem is that thing named Trixie, and Karellen. He caused all of this, I'm sure." Spike was silent, and then Starlight asked: "What was the deal in the Crystal Empire?"

"So, what's the plan?"

Chrysalis leaned over the table as she stood, one hand rubbing the small of her back. "It's easy. We just send some guards to Ponyville, have them mention Riddick, and the thing follows them back. Once it's here in Canterlot, we have Riddick in the open, surrounded by hidden soldiers, and when it attacks, so do we with everything we have."

Celestia looked at her. "Are you sure that's going to work? It wiped out Ponyville, why would it even still be there?"

"Where else would it be, Princess?"

"Probably looking for me." Riddick was sitting down, his feet on the edge of the table. "Like I said, I have a bit of a reputation for being a badass."

"You think it's actively looking for you?"

"It's much better to get the drop on me than for me to get the drop on you," Riddick responded. He looked at the ceiling through his darkened goggles. "Still, the big question is where will it go? If it's moved, how are you going to find it?"

Celestia looked at the table. "Hmmmm. Well, I suppose we could always send patrols out in every direction, have them mention Riddick and hope they run across it and it follows them."

"Some plan."

"Oh, shut up, Riddick! What plan do you have?" Chrysalis hissed.

"I don't know. I don't even know how it sees."

"What do you mean?" Celestia asked.

"You haven't seen it, so I don't expect you to know. But it wears a mask, which is hooked up to a weapon. So, it begs the question - how does it see? I mean, that's a pretty fancy piece of tech, it probably does some wicked things. But killing it, well, that shouldn't be to difficult."

"What do you mean it shouldn't be too difficult?" Celestia glared at Riddick. "It wiped out an entire village by itself!"

"A village who didn't know it was coming. And besides, it bleeds. And if it bleeds, we can kill it."

"How?"

Riddick looked at Celestia, removed his goggles. "Set a trap, like she said. But, as far as I know, it doesn't know I can see in the dark."

Chyrsalis huffed. "Ha! You? See in the dark? Likely story. Nopony can see in the dark!"

Riddick shielded his eyes from the window and the final rays of late afternoon light. "Do those curtains block light?"

"Yes."

"Close them."

Celestia moved to the window and let the curtains down. The room immediately grew darker. "Okay; now what?"

"Kill the candles."

"What?"

"Blow out. The candles." Riddick repeated.

"You're actually going to listen to him, aren't you?" Chrysalis asked as Celestia moved towards the two lit candles.

"What? Do you suddenly believe me?"

"No! Of course not! The Changelings have the best night vision in all of Equestria, and even we cannot see in true darkness."

"Then what do you have to worry about?"

Chrysalis growled.

"So, should I 'kill the candles'?" Celestia asked.

"Yes," Chrysalis growled. "Do it."

Two quick breaths, and the room was in darkness, and Riddick was up, silently squeezing from his seat as Celestia and Chrysalis looked back to his location. Their ears followed the faint sound of his footsteps but their eyes wandered aimlessly, Chrysalis looking anxious. As silently as he could, Riddick slinked behind Chrysalis and snatched her crown from her head. He then did the same to Celestia, in a matter of seconds, before he was at the door. He threw on his goggles and opened the door, light flooding in.

"How much do you think these are worth?"

"Hey! Give me my crown back!"

"Quite impressive, Riddick," Celestia said enthusiastically. "Maybe we can use you after all."

The others had left, and the room was clouded in the shadows of the very early morning, but Rarity couldn't bring herself to leave Applejack's side. She had pulled up a chair and sat at the side of the bed with Applejack's hand in her own and had snoozed on and off while her friend occasionally moved around in her unconsciousness, as if in protest to something horrible that Rarity could not see. At such time she took Applejack's hand in both of hers and squeezed, convinced that on some level her friend knew it was her, and appreciated it, and that if she squeezed hard enough Applejack would find her way to the light and wake up again. But she never did, and while it stung deeply to admit it, Rarity knew that she could not save her friend.

The door opened, and Rarity looked to see Spike and Starlight walking into the room. "I heard what happened," Spike said softly. "How is she doing?"

"Oh, you know, Spike, she's..... hanging in there, I suppose."

"I'm so sorry, Rarity." Spike looked at his crush with wide eyes. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No. I'm afraid not, darling. How are you holding up, Starlight?"

"Oh, I'm feeling better. Thanks to Spike, he can really cheer a pony up."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. You know, sometimes you just need some perspective."

"I'm great with perspective," Spike said. "I really am."

Rarity looked at Starlight. "Starlight, are you sure? You were heartbroken; you look fine now."

"Yes, Rarity," Starlight giggled, "it's true. Everything has been put in perspective. My happiness is not dependent on Twilight, it's dependent on me." She took a step toward the bed and looked at Applejack.

A Canterlot Trap

He locked the door behind him and leaned against it, breathing heavily. His mind still didn't accept the truth of the matter, what had become of his wife and his child, the tentacles and the screams and the odd alien angles. He closed his eyes, his body shaking violently. He opened his eyes, and saw the Crystal Empire burning before him.

"It's a miracle!" Fluttershy exclaimed as she looked over at Applejack, sitting up in bed. Her friend appeared tired, and it looked at though she did not recognize many of her friends except for Rarity. When Fluttershy moved forward to lay a hand on her, Applejack recoiled against the wall into her pillows and Fluttershy instinctively recoiled away as she apologized. "Does she, um, does she not recognize me?" Fluttershy whimpered.

"She did suffer a major head injury, darling."

The Changeling looked at Fluttershy. "It may be a while for her to recognize you, and even longer to accept things the way they were, if at all."

"If at all?"

"It was a very major injury."

"She'll be fine, right, though?"

"Of course she'll be fine, Fluttershy." Rainbow Dash said. "She's Applejack! She's the toughest pony we know."

"I mean, that's true, but...."

"But nothing, Flutters." Rainbow Dash snapped at her friend. "She's going to be fine. Watch."

"Yeah, Fluttershy, she's going to be fine!" Pinkie Pie said as she almost danced in place. "She'll be fine and she'll help us beat this thing and get Riddick back home and then everything can go back to normal."

"Yeah," Rarity said, a smile on her lips. She looked at Applejack. "Everything will be back to normal."

She tasted like bittersweetness when she tasted her. Probably because Twilight didn't know exactly what she was, but when she was with her and they were alone, she acted just like she always had, and it melted Twilight's heart and brought her to her knees and made her gush love endlessly. After the incident where she had left Trixie in the room alone, Celestia had given Twilight another room, and Trixie had stayed with her, just as she did now, laying beside Twilight on the bed as the princess wrapped them both up in her wings as she kissed her and pulled her closer and deeper in the near-silence of their isolation. The bed creaked beneath their weight but they ignored it.

Trixie broke a long hard kiss and spoke. "Trixie is glad to be with Twilight Sparkle again."

"So am I, Trixie."

"Is Twilight not curious?"

"Hmmm?" Twilight kissed Trixie's nose. "About what?"

"Where Trixie comes from. Even Trixie is curious."

"That doesn't matter, Trixie." Twilight said. "Right now, you're with me; that's enough. That's always been enough."

"That is enough." Trixie echoed.

Twilight's eyes teared up. "Yes," she whispered, almost a whimper as she fought back joyful tears. "Yes, Trixie, that's all that matters now. You're with me." She smiled. "You're here. You're with me. You're safe again. I won't let you go. Do you remember the museum, Trixie?"

"Yes."

"I want to do that again. I want to take you somewhere and love you where I shouldn't."

"Yes. But just love me now?"

Twilight pulled her closer.

Kevin took a breath. "So," he said, "let me get this straight. Riddick can see in the dark. And he wants to light the alien thing on fire, after we set a trap, after we get some sort of oil or something from his ship, which is near the village that thing wiped out?" Those around him nodded, and he continued, "and we're going to essentially just gang up on this thing and beat him into dust, despite the fact it goes around beating victims to death with prior victims?" Again, those around him nodded, and again he continued: "And just how am I supposed to take this seriously?"

"Because we must," said Luna. "Because we have to overcome these trials or we will perish."

"So we're going to not perish by starting a fight with a being that wants to kill us? Wouldn't the key to not perishing be avoiding that thing?"

"Ponyville avoided it," Riddick said. "Look what happened to them."

"That's true," Kevin said. "But, you know, that's like one time that happened."

"Relax, dear Kevin," Chrysalis said. "We have a plan. We have bait."

"Who?" Kevin asked, and Riddick raised his hand. "Oh, what a surprise, Mr. Night-Eyes over there."

"Remember that moment." Kevin gulped as Riddick reminded him.

Kevin looked at his queen. "What is the plan?"

Chrysalis spoke: "The way we figure it, it's probably moving toward places where Riddick is lightly to be. So he's probably heading this way, because it can probably find a way to detect population sizes, since it did fly over all of Equestria. So, if we get it's attention on the way to get the oil from Riddick's ship, it should follow some soldiers back here to Canterlot, where it will find Riddick, and where we can ambush it."

"Ah," Kevin said. "Home field advantage." He thought for a moment, then spoke. "Whoever thought this up didn't put a lot of thought into it. What? I'm just saying, it seems pretty half-assed."

"It'll work," Celestia said. "It will work."

"How do you know?" Kevin asked.

"Because I'll be going to the ship myself," Riddick said. "It's tracked me this far, it can probably find me and track me again."

"And why won't it just kill you when you're alone in the forest?"

"Because I'm not going along, fucking Kevin," Riddick said. "For one, you're going with me. For another, we're not going alone."

There was a knock at the door. "Enter the presence of the Great and Powerful Twilight," Trixie said. The door opened and Starlight peered in through the door. "What do you want?" Trixie asked as Twilight sat up and retracted her wings.

"I just wanted to apologize for what happened," Starlight said. "It wasn't fair to accuse you of being a ghost of a whore."

"The Great and Powerful Trixie accepts your apology," the showmare said showily. "Nopony is perfect, after all."

Twilight looked at Starlight. "Why, Starlight? You have every right to be upset."

"Oh, don't worry, Twilight. I've got some new perspective, and what we had just wasn't real love. What you and Trixie have, that is real love. Don't worry, I'm not mad."

"But Starlight--"

"Don't make a big deal out of this, please, Twilight." Starlight said. "At least, not in front of Trixie, she shouldn't hear it."

"Shouldn't hear what?" Trixie said.

"Don't worry, Trixie. Twilight, when you get this all figured out, I'll be here for you, but until then I accept your decision to go with the mare that makes you happy."

"What about saving me? You said you were going to save me."

"Time heals all wounds, and saves all slaves," Starlight said. "When everything goes back to normal, maybe we'll have a chance again. But until then, I'm okay. I've moved on."

The words stung Twilight, who was still torn between the two mares and honestly couldn't figure out why she should't me able to have both. "Moved on? What?"

"Don't worry, Twilight, it'll be alright."

"And, say, if we get caught in the woods on the way back from your ship, how are we going to light it on fire?"

"Chrysalis - the flint." Chrysalis pulled a piece of flint from a bag and tossed it at Riddick, who caught it and pulled his knife and then struck it in Kevin's face, sparks flying into his eyes and nose.

"Geezus, Riddick!" Kevin recoiled. "What the hell!"

"Like that." Riddick smiled.

Kevin rubbed his nose. "Who else is coming?"

Riddick looked at Celestia. "Yeah, about that. We may need some volunteers."

Celestia raised her hand. "I know some ponies. We can get Twilight and her friends - well, not Applejack - to see if they want to go. They're all fine ponies, very good at what they do. I'm sure we can get Rainbow Dash to accompany you guys." She turned to a Royal Guard. "Please, tell them we need them here." The guard left.

"I'll go. I volunteer."

Everyone in the room turned to look at her, the very last pony anypony would have suspected of volunteering for such a mission, given not only that it was dangerous but potentially very dirty, given the nature of the cargo.

Rainbow Dash's mouth fell open. "But Rarity, you hate any oil that's not scented."

"Oh, dear Rainbow Dash, I'm merely being helpful. Yes, it might be dirty, but there's a monster running about, and it needs to be stopped."

Spike stepped up. "If Rarity is going, then I am going."

Riddick smirked. "You?"

"Hey, I can protect Rarity."

"Look, kid," Riddick began.

"Hey! I'm a dragon, not a 'kid'."

"You're in over your head, little dragon," Riddick said.

Chrysalis laughed. "Oh, Riddick, humor him. He'll make an adorable target."

"You underestimate my power!"

"Oh, I can tell," Chyrsalis said. "From the way you flail your arms when you're angry!"

"Hey!"

"Come on, Queen Chrysalis," Twilight said. "If Spike wants to go, that's very commendable." She rubbed Spike's head and he tried to pull away. "I'd go myself, but I have some things to look into."

"Does anybody else wish to volunteer?" Celestia asked, but nobody raised their hand. "Alright, then it's settled." As everypony was turning to leave, Twilight pulled Chrysalis and Celestia over. She said, in a whispered voice: "Have you noticed anything strange about anypony lately?"

"What do you mean, Twilight?"

"I mean, Rarity wouldn't usually volunteer to get messy, which will likely happen; nor would she allow Spike to go, but I didn't hear her protest at all at the idea of Spike going. And Starlight's been acting even weirder."

Riddick walked over. "What's going on?"

Twilight was about to tell him it was none of his business when Chrysalis spoke. "Twilight here says somepony has been acting weird."

"Who?"

"Her female lover."

"Oh?" Riddick looked at Twilight. "I see."

"What? No! Anyway, Celestia, when Trixie showed up, when I accidentally called Starlight Trixie--"

"You called your lover by another name?"

"--quiet, Riddick! Anyway, she was heartbroken each time, but today she came into the room to talk to me, and seemed fine. She didn't even seem to care that Trixie was there."

"That is quite peculiar," Celestia murmured. "Perhaps it is just shock. A lot have things have happened, Twilight."

"I don't think it's shock."

Kevin looked back as he hovered away from Canterlot, heading in the direction of Everfree Forest with another Changeling, Riddick, Rarity, Spike and two Royal Guards. The Princesses and Queen Chrysalis saw them off as they headed off in the pre-morning hours, the wind quietly wrapping around their forms as they set off.

"Why are we going in broad daylight, again?" Kevin asked.

"So we can be more easily seen," Riddick replied.

"Oh, yeah, we want it to hunt us now," Kevin sighed. "I still think this is a very bad idea. One of the worst ideas I've ever heard. Right up there with 'We'll live in Everfree Forest'!"

"I can still hear you, you know!" Chrysalis called from the edge of Canterlot.

"Come on, guys, a plan's a plan, right?" Spike asked.

"And why is he even here? What could he possibly do?"

"Maybe the thing can use him as a weapon," Riddick said.

"Oh! Do not talk about my Spikey-Wikey that way, you ruffian!"

Riddick was silent. They continued their trek away from Canterlot.

Twilight sat beside Trixie across from Chrysalis and Celestia. Luna sulked in a corner, eyes on her companions as they talked in a locked room. Somewhat paranoid, Twilight had borrowed the back room of Rarity's boutique while she was away and had closed the business and locked the doors. She had bribed Sassy Saddles when she objected, and then hurried into the back room, and still spoke in a hushed tone. Chrysalis and Celestia had given each other exhausted looks when she had done this, and Celestia had pulled Luna along, no doubt on another pointless diplomatic meeting, albeit small, that Luna hated. Thus, she pouted away, but nevertheless listened, careful to avoid letter her elder sister know she was paying attention.

Twilight whispered to her conspirators. "I don't think that Starlight is fine. Nor Rarity, for that matter."

"It is odd she would voluntarily assist on such a mission," Celestia said. "Don't you agree, Luna?" Luna merely continued to pout.

"I take it she's not one for adventures?"

"Not usually, Chrysalis. She's pretty uptight about her appearance, and putting herself in danger. And she didn't seem to worry about Spike going with them, either."

"Would she usually?"

"Oh yes, she usually would. She doesn't share his feelings, but she doesn't like him being in danger, either."

Chrysalis leaned forward. "And what, pray tell, is the problem, Twilight?"

"I don't know, she's just.... not her self. Given everything that's happened..... I'm not sure."

"Twilight Sparkle believes that Rarity is not Rarity and Starlight is not Starlight," Trixie said.

Chrysalis looked at her. "Oh, so she can talk?"

"Trixie... you can talk when your in front of other ponies?"

"Of course Trixie can talk in front of other ponies. Trixies merely doesn't because most ponies are unfit to converse with the Great and Powerful Trixie."

"Hey! I'm quite powerful enough!"

"Chrysalis! Trixie! Please, this is important, okay? Something's wrong, and I need to figure out what it is. We don't want to miss any trials. Oh, I wish Karellen was here."

"But he's not, Twilight Sparkle," Luna said. "We are on our own."

"I know," Twilight sulked. "I know, it's just... what is it. What was in that third ship?"

Celestia's ears perked up. "What third ship?"

"Well," Twilight began, "there was Riddick's ship. And then there was whatever that thing is that was chasing him, it broke off of a larger ship that went back into space. And then there was another one, that was heading towards the Crystal Empire?"

"Oh, joy," Chrysalis murmured. "Oh, how much fun to go back there."

"Chrysalis, please," Twilight said.

"Maybe I can finally give that pretty pink princess a peace of my mind!"

"Queen Chrysalis," Celestia said. "Now is not the time."

Chrysalis sighed, and threw her hands down on the table. "Fine! Fine, fine. Just.... what else about this third ship?"

"Did you just say--"

"Ship! I said ship, Twilight."

"Alright, fine, Chrysalis. I just, look, can you do me a favor?"

The queen sighed. "What do you want?"

"Could you have one of your soldiers trail Starlight? I mean, until we figure out what's going on. Could you.... could you do that?"

"Oh?" Chrysalis leaned forward. "Isn't that a little bit naughty for you, Twilight?"

"This is a serious situation, Chrysalis."

Chrysalis looked at Celestia. "What do you have to say about this, Princess?"

"It might be prudent."

"Prudent how, sister?" Luna spoke angrily. "How can we justify spying on our own citizens? On Twilight's lover?! Twilight, how can you ask for this?"

"Luna, please," Celestia said.

"Oh, do not 'Luna please' us, sister," Luna shot back. "This is our subjects we are speaking of! We cannot spy on our own subjects!"

"First of all," Celestia said. "We would only be spying on one. On Starlight Glimmer, who is only recently reformed."

"Oh! As if that matters!"

"And two," Celestia continued, "I feel that there are circumstances which warrant such an action. I mean, look before you, Luna. There's a dead pony right in front of you, recalled from the grave who literally has to be in the same room as Twilight."

"There are no special circumstances which allow for us to spy on the citizenry," Luna huffed.

They kept walking, only Spike showing any signs of exhaustion as he rode on Rarity's back, clinging around her neck as she used her arms to keep him from sliding down. "How much farther?" Spike asked. "Oh, I don't know, darling," Rarity said. "Maybe a Royal Guard can fly up and give us some perspective, hm?"

"Give me a minute," a Guard said as he shot into the air like a bullet. It was then that Riddick pulled Kevin quietly to the side.

"Hey, what're you ---"

"Shhhhh," Riddick said. "Just hang back a moment, let them go ahead a little ways and keep your voice down."

Kevin started to whisper. "What are you on about, Riddick?"

"That white pony there," Riddick said. "Rarity. Twilight said she was acting weird. Expressed some doubts."

Kevin looked at the pony, who trotted along quietly with a snoozing baby dragon on her back. "Doesn't seem that off to me."

"Would you know any better?"

"No, I suppose not."

They walked a long in silence, until Kevin said "So, what? WE just keep an eye on her, or something?"

"Or something," Riddick said. "My guess is, there's more than two things going on at once."

"Like what, Riddick?"

"Don't know. Didn't seem like Twilight knew, either." He kept walking. "But it would seem to me it might be something to seriously consider."

"What are you talking about, Riddick? Some sort of weird body snatchers or something?"

"Maybe. Maybe not."

Kevin stopped. His mouth dropped open. "Holy shit, are you serious?"

"Don't stop walking," Riddick said.

Kevin caught up to Riddick. "Are you serious?"

"Stranger things have happened."

They walked in a nearly straight line, their heat signatures throbbing in its vision slowly. The Hish tilted its head. The Riddick was coming to him?

The Riddick was stupid.

"No! We will not allow this to happen!" Luna spread her wings before Celestia, meeting her gaze unwavering. She took a step forward. "This is wrong in every principled way. We will not allow this to happen!"

"Luna," Celestia's wings remained folded, but her eyes gave the impression they could pierce diamond. "We must; Twilight is right, there is too much to lose if we are wrong."

Chrysalis stood up. "I hate to do this, but I have to agree. Yes, Twilight, I can make that order."

"You will do no such thing!"

"Oh, are you going to stop me, Princess?"

"Yes."

"You and what army?"

"We.... We will tell Starlight! Yes! That's what we'll do!"

"No!" Celestia raised her wings at her sister, her form becoming imposing and unmovable. "No! You must not tell Starlight Glimmer of this. She must not know."

"She must know, Sister. It is the only honorable way."

"What if honor is dooming us to defeat, Luna?" Twilight stood up. "What if something is really wrong, and the only way to prevent it is to keep an eye on Starlight?"

"Have you lost you're mind, Twilight? The Princess of Friendship should never say such things!" Luna took a step towards Twilight. "Perhaps you should not wear such a crown!" She looked at her sister. "And perhaps, Sister, neither should you!"

The Visitors

She had some vague idea of the coldness of the room before she really felt it; before it had actually sunk through her fur and skin and deep into her bones. She pulled the blankets around herself, cradling herself in what little warmth it offered, and still she shivered. Her breath came in short intervals, and her ears twitched, and she shivered more. Her tail wrapped around her legs as she pulled the covers closer, exposing her feet.

Annoyed, Twilight's eyes opened. It had never been this cold, she knew she would have remembered if it had ever been. The shivered, and sat up in the darkness and looked around. The night sky beyond the half-closed curtains was moonless, and the stars reached out in a seemingly endless fashion. The window was shut.

Why was it so cold?

She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, her hooves gently tapping as they made contact with the ground. She rubbed her face with her hands, ran them down her muzzle and scratched. She yawned, and stood up.

Being organized definitely has its perks, she thought as she navigated the room in semi-darkness. She pulled a blanket form her bed, and wrapped it around herself tightly. She yawned again, opened the door and left her room.

She moved down the stairs of her castle, heading for a midnight snack. She stopped by Spike's room, tried the handle but found it to be locked. She listened closer through the door, but couldn't hear anything. He must be asleep, she thought. The began walking down the hallway.

Maybe I'm sick, she thought. That's it, I'm sick; I ate something rotten, tainted, and it got me sick. Nothing a little water won't fix. Tomorrow, I'll go see Zecora and get a remedy, maybe go try Time Turner and some of his science. As she passed by the windows, the starlight casting silver light segmented by the dark shadows of the windowpanes. Her hoofbeats echoed quietly in the hallway, but to her it sounded like thunder.

She got to the kitchen and turned on the light, and immediately regretted her decision. The light was blinding, searing, and it stung her eyes which she close tightly. She slapped the light off, and stood, rubbing her temples. Her skin was freezing, as were her arms and legs, but her head, torso and groin felt like they were on fire. She was definitely sick. Definitely.

Twilight opened a cupboard and pulled out a cup, and ran the tap and filled the cup to the brim and downed it in one go. Again, she filled completely and drank, but found that her her thirst remained unquenched. A third drink, and she put the glass on the counter. Finally, some progress, she thought. She looked out of the window above the kitchen sink. She looked at the stars, full in their glory in the absence of the moon. Twilight squinted, and tilted her head ever-so-slightly.

Twilight shivered and noticed that, between the stars, strange shapes, billowy and soft, were illuminated as they ran between the stars. She looked at them, but she her brain could not process the image in her semi-asleep state. She yawned, shook her head, and ran a hand through her mane. He hair hung down, almost touching her eyes. She needed a haircut; she would have gone earlier, but didn't want to go out in the rain. She ran her hand up her forehead to the base of her horn.

The rain. It had rained earlier, a very large storm that had not yet stopped when she had gone to bed.

Clouds. The billowy, soft shapes were clouds.

Twilight's mouth opened in shock. Her brain began to understand.

If those were clouds, then those could not be stars.

The three glasses of water puddled beneath Twilight very, very quickly.

"Spike!" Twilight called as she raced up the stairs, her blanket and her urine dumped in the kitchen. "Spike! Spike, wake up! This is extremely important!" She almost threw herself onto Spike's door, pounding with her opened palms again and again. "Open up, Spike! I know you're in there! Wake up!" She stopped and leaned against the door, her ears perked up. She listened; everything was quiet.

"Spike! Dammit, Spike, I need you up NOW!" Still, there was nothing.

You leave me no choice, Spike, Twilight thought as she backed up. She threw herself against the door. It shuddered, the lock rattling in the doorjamb. Again, she rammed it, again the door shuttered and the doorjamb rattled. A third time, and the door burst open, and Twilight slid on the hard floor and hooves still slick with urine as she looked towards Spike's empty bed, and then to the open window. He was going to be in so much trouble.

"What do you think they are, Rarity?" Sweetie Belle shrank inside of her pajamas and looked up to the sky through the window. Beside her, her sister and Spike looked up at the strange lights.

"I haven't the slightest idea, Sweetie Belle," Rarity muttered. She stared almost wild-eyed at the sky, the strange whatever-it-was that hung just below the clouds. "But it really is quite gorgeous. In it's own way, I mean."

"Just like you, Rarity." Spike felt slightly disappointed when Rarity didn't look at him, or even acknowledge his comment. He sighed, and looked back out the window. "How can it just float there? I mean, even pegasi have to move at least a little bit, right, Rarity?"

"Quite right, Spike." She leaned forward against the window, putting her hand on the window. "I wonder why they're here."

"Maybe it's to destroy us all."

"Oh, don't be silly, Sweetie Belle. Surely, if they intended to 'destroy us,' they would have started already. Isn't that right, Spike?"

"Uh, yeah, Rarity. Sure."

Celestia was awoken when Luna pulled her, naked, from bed and drug her toward the window of her room. She grabbed toward a sheet but it slipped from her grasp and her room was filled with the sounds of hooves on tile. "Luna! What is so important I can't get dressed?"

"This must be addressed, sister. Addressed with some haste." Luna swung the drapes aside and gestured to the window. "What is that in our skies, sister?"

"Don't be silly, Luna, those are..... stars?"
"Beneath the clouds? Surely, we do not think such silly things."

"They.... they are beneath the clouds.... they're not stars......"

"Precisely. This must be addressed."

In Everfree Forest, Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings, stared up at the sky. Two of her soldiers stood with her, dressed in full battle gear. Her naked body felt chilled in some alien breeze that moved through the holes in her legs.

"What is it, My Queen?" one of the soldiers asked.

"Trouble," was all she said.

They stared in silence, Applejack and her family, safely tucked away in Sweet Apple Acres. In her house, Fluttershy coward beneath the windowpane, her eyes looking out the window timidly as Rainbow Dash stood beside her, a hand on her shoulder and her eyes stoically interrogating the skies. In Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie Pie eyed the sky suspiciously, twirling a fake mustache in her fingers.

And in Ponyville, Sweetie Belle noticed that Twilight was standing below the window she looked out of. She was gesturing, yelling, but the yells were muffled through the glass. "Uh oh, Spike," Sweetie Belle muttered, "looks like you're in trouble."

"Oh, no. Don't open the window, Rarity!"

Leering at Spike, Rarity opens the window, and Twilight's yelling becomes clear.

"You're supposed to be in your bedroom, Spike! Did you think I wouldn't find you here?! Don't answer that, Spike! Just get down here and come back with me, we need to study this --" Twilight gestured at the lights "-- this, thing, this whatever-it-is!"

"Oh come on, Twilight! We can study it later. It's not going anywhere - look!"

"Excuse me?! Do I hear a tone, Spike?!"

"Uh, no, Twilight."

"Good. Now come down here so we can leave."

Twilight eyed Spike angrily. Spike looked at Rarity.

"You better go, darling."

"Alright." Spiked sighed. "Coming, Twilight."

Dawn had broken, and the clouds had gone, and in their wake was the cold truth that hung in the skies - curved, yet sharply angular, silently floating above Ponyville, ominous and yet utterly non-threatening. By this time, the Ponyville residents had come out to stare up at the sky, clutching their lovers and their parents and their children. Twilight saw all of this as she left her castle and looked for her friends. As the Princess of Friendship, it was her and her friends who would be expected to find out what was going on, at least in Ponyville and, very likely, for all of Equestria. She saw her friends heading toward her in their own way, a loose pack that looked like something out of a movie. Twilight smiled to herself.

She was about to speak to them as they approached when, suddenly, there was a crack from the thing overhead. Twilight's eyes shot up to it, and she froze. A large, square piece of the thing had fallen, was plummeting toward Ponyville. She acted. "Rainbow Dash!" Twilight herself was airborne, her wings spread and flapping vigorously to intercept the block when the object began to slow. Twilight watched; it still descended, but did not fall freely to the ground; instead, it gently landed on the ground as the crowd moved away from it.

Twilight and Rainbow Dash landed and looked at it as their friends ran to their side.

"What in Equestria is that?"

"I-I don't k-k-know...."

Twilight took a step forward and suddenly heard a voice echo through the skies, emanating from the black box which had landed before them. It was calm, direct, simple and yet somehow, Twilight could feel as though it held great authority. What she heard next chilled her, yet made her all the more curious.

"Hello. Do not be afraid. My name is Karellen, and I am the supervisor of Equestria. We come in peace, and have no intention of violence toward your people. Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship, I wish to have an audience with you."

Karellen's Proxy

Karellen's Proxy

She was in the very room in which she had stayed the week with Trixie, where they had proven their love so many times, only now it was only her, and against one wall a giant, single mirror in which she was reflected. She looked around, felt the bed with the tip of her fingers, her heart aching against the memories. When she heard the voice, she turned around and stared at the mirror - at herself, actually, and her glistening eyes.

"Thank you for coming, Princess Twilight."

"Why am I here?"

"As we agreed, I have an audience with you."

"But why here? Why this hotel room?"

"Is it not to your liking? I can change it if that is your wish."

Twilight looked around; this was where she had been the happiest, but now, with Trixie gone, it was incredibly painful. She closed her eyes for a bit longer than a standard blink. "No. No, this is fine." She walked toward the mirror, trying to see through it. "Why do you want an audience."

"Because we are here to help you help yourselves."

Twilight cocked her head, shifted her weight to her right leg. "Come again?"

"For the longest time, Princess Twilight, you have existed in solitude in the universe, left to your own devices. You've enjoyed the freedom and loneliness of such existence, although it is clear to us that you may not be ready for such contact as we have forced onto you."

"Then why did you do it?"

"Because, Princess Twilight, your days of isolation are coming to an end. We have come to help you to the next step - don't worry, it will be revealed at the appropriate time --"

"Of course," muttered Twilight sarcastically.

"--but beings from the stars are inching closer and closer to your precious planet. We were forced to interact and reveal ourselves to you Equestrians, so that you may be ready for what will come next."

"What will come next?"

"It will be revealed in time."

"Was it really between me and an elderly blind mare in Vanhoover?"

"That was a partial truth; it was between you, her, and a Changeling queen."

"A Changeling queen!"

"Yes."

Twilight stomped her hoof on the ground, turning around. She suddenly felt very angry. "Chrysalis! We defeated her! Ah, this is my fault, I let her out!"

"Princess Twilight, now is not the time for such behavior. What I am about to tell you is very important." Twilight looked at the mirror, Karellen continued: "What is to come is to be very trying not only for your species, but for all species. If you are to deal with it appropriately, you must learn to live together. In true harmony."

"I assure you, as the Princess of Friendship, we do live in --"

"The reaction I just saw was not harmony, but hatred, Princess Twilight. Such things are in the past now. They cannot be allowed to persist in the future."

Karellen is right, Twilight thought to herself. Hating a being, whatever being, even Chrysalis, was below her, and yet she had rationalized it and accepted it as normal. She felt ashamed. She sat down on one of the chairs closest to the mirror.

"Do not feel ashamed," Karellen said. "Before, you did not know any better. But now, now you can be a beacon to all species, all races in Equestria. You can show them how to coexist."

"How - How do we coexist with things like Changelings?"

"No beings are so dissimilar on this planet as to be alien to each other, Princess Twilight. You have evolved in such a way that you depend on one another; your removal from the natural order, the walls which your species erected between you and others, has driven them to desperation."

"Evolution? What are you talking about, Karellen?"

"The idea you've long thought of yourself, you and Fluttershy both. You each suspect it, and each of you is right, in your own way. It is the same on each planet we've visited. And you must reveal it to all Equetrians, as well."

"They will not accept it. Half of them still think that Celestia and Luna move the moon and sun!"

"They will have to, Princess Twilight. You must show them, or what is to come will be most unpleasant."

"Why don't you tell them, Karellen? You do it."

"It is not yet time to reveal myself. Our travels have demonstrated that our appearance can cause distress in those we intend to help."

"Do you look like us?"

"No." There was a pause, and then "we do not look like you. Even with all of the diversity on your planet, we are nothing you could have imagined."

Twilight sighed. She wasn't getting anywhere. "What am I supposed to do, Karellen? I feel like you haven't given me very much to go on."

There was silence from the mirror. Twilight stood up, walked to the mirror, cupped her hands and perked her ears and pushed her face against the glance, trying to see through what must have been a two-way mirror, but couldn't see anything but her eye staring back at her. She eased herself back, her hands still on the mirror. Head lowered, ears flat against her head, she closed her eyes and took deep breaths.

"Baby, don't be frustrated." Twilight spun around, and saw in the middle of the room, Trixie, naked as she had been most of the week they had been here. She looked at her with her eyes, not blinking; she took a step toward Twilight. "Trixie knows how much Twilight hates not knowing things. But Trixie wants Twilight to know that is alright. For now, it is alright." Twilight didn't know what to do as Trixie stepped toward her. She was relieved and happy to see Trixie, whom she had dearly missed since she left, but there was no way she could be here now. No way. Then Trixie was right in front of her, and Twilight could feel the light ventilation of her breath, and could feel the warmth of her fingers as she caressed Twilight's face and neck. Trixie leaned in and kissed her lips, her taste familiar and welcome and delicious to Twilight. She broke the kiss and looked Trixie in the eye.

"How can you be here?"

"Here, everything is possible, Twilight."

"But you can't be --" Twilight began to choke on her words. "You can't be, Trixie. You're... you're dead."

"Trixie is dead, yes." She cupped Twilight's face in her hands, touched the tip of her horn against Twilight's. "Trixie is here with you, nonetheless."

"Are you a ghost?"

"Does beautiful Twilight believe in the impossible now?"

"No, Trixie. What - what are you?"

"Should Trixie leave? Does Twilight not want the Great and Alluring Trixie in her presence?"

Hearing Trixie talk was a terrible thing for Twilight, who both abhorred and loved what was before her. She wanted to talk, but she could not.

"It's alright if Twilight has moved on. Trixie understands. Trixie is only a memory now, Twilight. Karellen will speak through Trixie if you cannot understand what he says to you." A tear fell down Twilight's cheek. "Twilight, you must do what Karellen asks. You must tell them to love on another and come together before the bad things happen. You must, Twilight."

"But he told me so little," Twilight gasped through half-prevented sobs. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I don't even know if I believe him."

"Karellen chose Twilight. Karellen knows you will do the right thing. Trixie knows you will do the right thing as well. Trixie always knew you would do the right thing."

"Yes." Twilight opened her eyes, looked Trixie in the eyes. "Don't leave me, Trixie. Please stay."

"Trixie can only exist in this room."

"Then I wont' leave."

"Twilight must leave."

"They lay with me." She looked pitifully toward the bed, moving from Trixies grasp and moving toward the bed. She went to grab Trixie's hand, but missed and then turned around to grab Trixie. She was met only with her own reflection. "Trixie? Trixie!"

"I'm sorry, Princess Twilght." Karellen's voice rang from the room. "But she cannot stay any longer today. Will you do what I have asked of you? Will you speak for the Overlords?"

"T-the Overlords?" Twilight sniffed, rubbed snot from her muzzle, the sobs coming more freely now.

"Yes. It is not the title I would have preferred for ourselves, but it is what we have been labelled on many planets by very angry people who resist the way of peace and prosperity."

"If I do what you ask - i-if I speak for you, will I see Trixie again?"

"If that is your wish, Princess Twilight, it can be arranged."

"Then yes. I will speak for you." Twilight's hands clenched at her sides. "I will tell them. I will show them the way."

"I hope you can trust me the way I trust you" was all Twilight heard before a bluish-white light overtook her again.

Twilight found herself in her throne room, staring at the map, when the door burst open and her friends came running into the hall. Hoofs fell heavy as Starlight threw herself at Twilight. "Oh, thank Celestia," she cried out, "I thought we'd lost you."

"What happened?" Rainbow asked.

"We had our meeting. Karellen, he wants me to speak on his behalf to all Equestrians, to bring unity and harmony to us all."

Rarity sighed. "We already have unity and harmony, darling."

"No, not like what he wants." Twilight sighed as Starlight released her grip, standing anxiously just as the others did around Twilight Sparkle. "He means for all Equestians, all species and all races. Even species like the Changelings."

"EEW! GROSS!" Pinkie said.

"Ah don't think we can ever coexist with Changelings," Applejack said.

"We'll have to, AJ," Twilight looked at her orange mare. "We have to, or we might not make it to what comes."

"Say what now?"

"Karellen said that something is coming. I'll explain it all later, but I have to make an announcement."

"To who?" Spike said.

"To everyone. But first... I need to send a message to Princess Celestia, Spike."

Princess Celestia brushed the hair from her face as she sat across the table from Twilight Sparkle. Her sister, Luna, sat beside her, in equal awe of the news. Which is quite good for Luna, Celestia thought, considering she usually played with her generous bust during meetings. Celestia leaned forward, shifting her position in her chair. "Can you say that again, please, Twilight."

"Karellen wishes to speak through me. He also wishes me to spread harmony throughout Equestria."

Luna spoke, "but Equestria already has harmony. We even have elements for them."

"Luna, I think Karellen meant to even our enemies, even those we are currently at war with."

Luna looked at her sister, who shrugged.

"I know it's hard to believe, but Chrysalis is still out there, and I narrowly beat her out for Karellen's chosen representative."

"Aha! I knew it!"

Celestia looked at her sister. "Knew what, dear Luna?"

"They do not come in peace!"

Celestia let a small smile cross her muzzle. "Ah, but Luna, did you not suggest that perhaps they came to us in peace?"

Luna blushed; it was barely noticeable to Twilight, but to Celestia her sister may have been on fire. "Sister! Do not embarrass us in front of Princess Twilight!" Her voice was sharp with embarrassment and dismay. "We merely suggested it to you, if you would be so kind as to remember things correctly!" Silence. Luna swept hair out of face. She's really quite adorable when she gets like this, Celestia thought.

"He comes in peace, Princess Luna." Twilight said.

"How do you know?" Celestia asked.

"I-I.... I just know, Princess Celestia."

"Perhaps he showed her something, sister." Luna leaned slightly towards Celestia. "Did he show you something?"

"Yes - No. No he didn't."

"It is not proper to lie to the Princess of the Night, you know."

"Twilight. What did he show you? What did you see?"

"It's not important," Twilight said, and Celestia knew exactly what she meant. "All I know is, he warned us of something. He's trying to help us, Princesses. He does not mean harm." Twilight paused. "Princesses, if he truly meant us harm, why would he seek to align us together? Would that not simply make us a more powerful target?"

Luna looked to her sister, who said only "that would seem to be a valid point, Twilight. If he is telling us the truth, then what would we be united for? Or against?"

"I don't know, Princess. He said we would be informed at the proper time. He said our.... our 'isolation' was coming to an end."

"Isolation? What of it?"

"Princess Luna, he said that things were coming, things from the stars."

"Is that where he comes from, then? My stars?"

"Luna, we both know you don't actually control the stars. It's quite possible he indeed came from them but at any rate, he never said."

"Perhaps he is lying."

"He said to tell.... to tell the world that we evolved."

"That we what?"

"That we evolved, Princess Luna. Came from a lower order of life. It's something that, well, that me and Fluttershy have been thinking up through our research. It's really quite fascinating and beautiful, Princess."

"What a grotesque falsehood!"

"Luna!" Celestia spoke, having been quiet for some time. "It is neither grotesque nor a falsehood, as uncomfortable it may be. I came across it myself once, and it is true, so very nearly as I can tell."

"Sister, why did you not tell me."

"Because I have no interest in telling the people, Luna. Twilight, he told you you must tell all of this idea?"

"Yes."

"But Princess Twilight, half of the population thinks my sister raises the sun."

"I know, Princess Luna; but Karellen was very insistent that they must know."