Thrackerzodby CharxChaptersMentally AdvancedCall of the Cutie- I mean of CthulhuThe Stare Master : Staring Down CthulhuAt The Edge Of Space There Stood Two Towers BlackThe Blind GodFaithMentally AdvancedMy name is Thrackerzod. I am a normal pony. Anything you read here that appears strange is merely the intense imagination of an average filly. This is how Thrackerzod began her latest diary entry. Her sister Rarity said it was normal to have one. The Elders had taken notice of a unicorn known as Twilight Sparkle. She had hatched a dragon egg, and was the protege of the immortal alicorn Celestia. That had been 15 years ago, when Twilight was still a filly. Through careful planning, Thrackerzod was born into the body of a filly who would become close to Twilight as time progressed. The Elders knew not the importance of this filly, but they had informants in Celestia's court who had discovered that she was planning to send Twilight to Ponyville, and this filly was in an excellent position to spy on her when she arrived. And today Twilight Sparkle had arrived. Thrackerzod was surprised at the friendship that formed between her older sister and Twilight, but accepted it as the proper course of events. It only got her closer to Twilight. From the beginning Thrackerzod noticed that Twilight knew more about the occultic than she should, despite not appearing to have any connection to demons. In contrast, Thrackerzod observed another pony, Pinkie Pie, who was clearly influenced by demons and perhaps even a Great Old One, but had been driven insane by the contact. Twilight did not have extensive knowledge of specific places or entities, as far as Thrackerzod could tell, but she was aware of the existence of points, and their convergence. Thrackerzod decided to test her. XXXX Ponyville was covered in snow, and the sky was obscured by clouds. The cover of darkness would aid Thrackerzod in her mission, which was why she had chosen this night. However, she needed a disguise. A filly breaking into her house and asking her to sign a demonic contract could arose suspicion. She sat in her room, at the Carousel Boutique, eyes closed in concentration. Slowly, she extracted herself from the body she inhabited, until she slipped out as a cloud of darkness. The body fell over, only a shell. Thrackerzod quickly took over the body of the nearest two creatures, a cricket and a rat, and used her new physical form to lift the pony body into bed. She didn't want Rarity to become suspicious of anything. Thrackerzod flew out the window, on her cricket wings. She was still the size of a filly, but looked as a demon would, walking out the gates of Hell. Twilight's house was not the most secure. It was only a library, after all. Thrackerzod worked her way from the topmost branches to a balcony door, which opened to the attic. Thrackerzod entered Twilight's room from the attic. She had been worried her new form would frighten Twilight, but it was sometimes a good thing to appear as an immensely powerful demon. Besides, she had an immensely traumatizing childhood, from what Thrackerzod could gather. Thrackerzod creeped toward Twilight, a plan already in mind. She would take her to the Place Where All Points Converge, and show her the immense power the Elders were capable of. She did not know what Twilight was after, but she would surely accept a contract upon witnessing their power. Thrackerzod began the spell, accessing Twilight through the Dreamworld. Her dreamscape was slowly morphed by Thrackerzod into the Place Where All Points Converge. "Twilight Sparkle," said Thrackerzod, "Your consciousness has been transported by I, a great demon of the Dreamworld. We have much to discuss." Twilight's dream self cocked her head, confused. She appeared innocent and pure, until her conscious caught up to her. Her faced screwed up into anger, "Where the Hell are we?! I didn't summon you! Only Princess Luna can access the dream-" "I am a representative of the Elders. I have taken you here, to the Place Where All Points Converge, for our discussion." Twilight paused and looked around. They were......underwater? Protected from the crushing depths by a bubble spell, similar to her brother's. They were in the middle of a city, but it was not in ruins. It had.....strange geometry, and magic symbols were imprinted on every building. Twilight pondered these things, realizing their location. "This-this is-," she took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts, "This is R'lyeh." Thrackerzod nodded, smiling, "I am pleased to see you have knowledge of this city. After the war-" "ARE YOU CRAZY!? CTHULHU'S HERE! ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME!?!?" Twilight exclaimed rushing to the edge of the bubble. "The Dead Cthulhu dreams. After the war between the Great Old Ones, the one that destroyed the race called humanity, the gods returned to rest. They left behind.....stains of their magic. These are called points, and are accessed by all creatures to use magic. It is nothing more than the remants of a war between giants," Thrackerzod paused, allowing Twilight to catch up, "Where points converge, magic is most powerful. This, the resting place of Cthulhu, holds the deepest magic. I propose a contract. The Elders need a spell preformed, and will give you all you desire. What do you wish for?" Twilight grew a smug smile, surprising Thrackerzod. Any normal pony would be astonished by the current circumstances. "I've.....already been approached. By the people of Thorabon. They are with a man (he looks human) named Nodens-" "Nodens? You've met Nodens?!" "Well, no. I.......why am I talking to you!?! I don't want your contract! I'm going to help the people of Thoroban. They have something more powerful than these remnants of godly wars." Twilight sneered at her, like she was beneath her, "This is just a dream! I'm lucid dreaming! I can just wake up! It's not like there's some crazy powerful Dreamworld!" Twilight disappeared. She must have awoken. Briefly cursing the Elder Gods, Thrackerzod quickly exited the Dreamworld and went back through the attic and scurried to Rarity's as fast as possible. The Sun was peeking over the horizon already. Twilight would likely take measures to prevent Thackerzod from meeting her again, holy water or something. She could not be allowed to contract with Nodens. An Elder God?! What was she thinking!?! Thackerzod's superiors were called Elders, but they were certainly not gods. Twilight had to be stopped. XXXX Perhaps some explanation is required to better understand this account, wrote Thackerzod. The universe was created by the Blind Idiot God Azothoth, May He Be Praised! My organization, controlled by entities called the Elders, fights for the recognition of this God. Many say he is insane, but his power is crushing! All must worship him! This planet, called Earth or Equus, was the battlefield for a great war of powerful beings, the Great Old Ones. They left magic behind when they retreated to their rest. The old race, humanity, was replaced by magical beings: ponies, dragons, griffons, etc. They use the remants of the Old Ones' war to perform magic. I myself am a being of the Dreamworld. I can access dreams, as well as the points (stains of magic), but that is the result of my physical unicorn body. I was sent by the Elders to contract Twilight Sparkle to preform a spell. She, as the most powerful unicorn alive today, can withstand the immensity of what they ask of her. However, if she wishes to ally with a being as powerful as an Elder God, Nodens, she must be destroyed rather than allied. She currently has support of a race called "the people of Thorabon", who inhabit Leng. I know not of they are truly under the control of Twilight or pawns of Nodens. Neither do I know not the product of her power. I must render that useless before killing Twilight Sparkle. Call of the Cutie- I mean of CthulhuThrackerzod had tried to communicate with Twilight Sparkle again several times with the cricket/rat form, but as she suspected, Twilight had obtained holy water somehow. She even felt safe enough to name her Taz. What kind of creature names their demons? It was on that day Thrackerzod gave up on that method. She woke up the next morning, feeling the stress of her failure. By contrast, when she got downstairs, Rarity seemed immensely happy about something. "What is it, dear sister? Should I be expressing an appropriate amount of happiness at this moment?" Thrackerzod asked. "Yes of course, Sweetie Belle!" Rarity rushed to her and smiled widely, "You know how you've been having trouble making friends?" "I don't know what your talking about. I have a normal amount of friends." Rarity's smile instantly faded away. "You don't have any, Sweetie Belle. Now, there's a cuteceñera for a filly happening at Sugarcube Corner today, and we are going!" "But why? I myself have not achieved the social standing that accompanies the acquisition of a cutie mark. It would be a pointless endeavor." "I know how social standing works, Sweetie Belle," said Rarity, "Just....flaunt yourself....a little. Not too much. Ponies will...respect you. You'll get friends, that's for sure, and our parents asked me to help you with that, so we're going!" "What is the name of the pony holding the cuteceñera in question?" "Diamond Tiara! And her cutie mark is literally a diamond tiara! Isn't that funny?" "What are you talking about? Many ponies seem to have a cutie mark that is somehow related to their name." Rarity rolled her eyes, "You really need to make some friends. You wouldn't be so annoying then, would you?" XXXX Thrackerzod was looking over her diary, attempting to find anything that she had done out of the ordinary. After Rarity said that her lack of friends was something that most ponies would try to rectify, Thrackerzod was evaluating her current situation. Was she normal? Did she blend into the background? Thrackerzod asked Rarity, but she said that, "You can't blend in! Nopony will ever notice you! You know how I got such a high standing in Ponyville? It wasn't from 'blending I', I can assure you of that. Nearly every stallion in town knows who I am!" After much deliberation, Thrackerzod decided to attend. Not only to make friends, but accomplices. More like minions, really, but Thrackerzod found it rather difficult to completely control other ponies. They were so......strange. XXXX The cuteceñera went perfectly. Well, for Thrackerzod it did. Depending on your point of view, it could have been horrible. Thrackerzod had, however, managed to ensnare two fillies under the pretext of earning a cutie mark. From the beginning, she advocated foe the murder of Twilight Sparkle, but the others weren't really feeling it. Thrackerzod knew she should investigate more and uncover the specifics behind Nodens' goals in this venture, but her superiors would not be pleased with her lack of progress. So she kept at it. Three fillies versus a highly trained magical unicorn. Thrackerzod could only pray for Azathoth to guide them. Too bad he was blind The Stare Master : Staring Down CthulhuThrackerzod was to meet with an Entity today. This Entity was once an incredibly powerful being, or so he claimed. For now he was weak, but still the wisest of all the Elders. He claimed that he had been reduced to his current form in some great war, and that only the most powerful of magic could bring him back. This was why Thrackerzod was sent to recruit Twilight Sparkle. She could use her stores of magic, in connection with the magic that flows at the Place Where All Points Converge, and become very powerful indeed. Powerful enough to resurrect the Entity. The Entity was, as of now, an Elder God. You may wonder how this is considered 'weak', but he was trapped inside the Dreamworld, in a very peculiar way. He could only attain a physical form where points converged. His power was not...gone, but hidden from him, or so he claimed. This was why Thrackerzod was so astounded by the idea of a regular pony, like Twilight, interacting with Nodens, an Elder God. After much arguing, the Entity convinced Thrackerzod to contact Nodens. The communication had uncovered vast amounts of information. Twilight Sparkle had support from the people of Thorabon, who lived in Leng. Thrackerzod did not know if they were a cult which worshipped her (for whatever reason), or if she led the cult to worship some deity. Maybe even Nodens. Or, they could be under Noden's control. They might not be related to any of this, and Sparkle is merely manipulating them. Thrackerzod was confused on the subject for the longest, until the people of Thorabon stopped supporting Twilight Sparkle. They had recently come under a new leader, who immediately declared independence. Thrackerzod was told Twilight had argued and fought against him, but had been defeated. She was dreaming at the time, of course, but the important aspect was the loss of support. This made Thrackerzod think that Twilight had somehow blackmailed them, or threatened them. Thrackerzod had also cobbled together a quick petition of various races, beings and cities to present to Nodens. Thrackerzod was unaware of the reasons Nodens contacted Twilight (though she doubted he wanted to contract her), but Sparkle was obviously optimistic. However, Thrackerzod's informants said that Nodens had refused all of her treaties thus far, which was good. Perhaps the Elders still had a chance. This news would all please the Entity, despite Thrackerzod's lack of progress in contracting and/or killing Twilight Sparkle. Of course, if Nodens shows that he does not wish to contract or use her in any way, they may not have to kill. Then again, others may be able to contract her. Thrackerzod needed to uncover her motivation behind demonic research and the source of her power. XXXX Thrackerzod had convinced Rarity to allow her to go to the CMC's Clubhouse, but in reality she trotted down the main path to the outskirts of town, crossing a small bridge I've the creek to Fluttershy's cottage. She had promised Rarity she'd be back in two hours, but she should finish this meeting long before that limit. Not bothering to knock, Thrackerzod entered the cottage, ignoring Fluttershy's greeting and questions. The yellow pegasus raised her hoof but hesitated to speak several times while Thrackerzod cleared the middle of the room, moving the rug and small couch. Fluttershy finally mustered up the courage, after recovering from the strangeness of the event to greet her. "Hi-hi Sweetie Belle." Thrackerzod turned and cocked her head, "Hello, Fluttershy." There was a long pause. And it continued. "What are you doing in my cottage?" Fluttershy asked. "I am meeting someone. A very important someone, to discuss perfectly ordinary things, of course. What else would I be doing but normal things?" "Oh. Are the other Crusaders coming to meet you?" "No, someone else," Thrackerzod said, drawing a simplified Necronomicon gate upon the floor. The Elders had once been in possession of the Necronomicon itself, but it was missing at the moment. Thrackerzod was only able to use this simplified version, but it was sufficient to summon the Entity. Thrackerzod took a deep breath and cast her magic out. The Entity appeared, horribly evil, wearing his tattered yellow......blanket?" Thrackerzod was temporarily taken aback, "You-who-must-not-be-named, I come to discuss perfectly ordinary business, which are not the least bit suspicious................" XXXX "It's simple. We go into the woods, identify the source of Twilight's power, and then destroy it!" Thrackerzod said, in response to Apple Bloom asking of their purpose at Fluttershy's cottage. After discussing recent affairs with the Entity, Thrakerzod had determine that the source of Twilight 's power was in the Everfree Forest. She then concocted a plan for a sleepover at Fluttershy's, as it was near to the Everfree, and it would seem normal to most of Thrakerzod's adult overlords. Apple Bloom was still rather unsure of this plan, though, "I know, but why really?", she asked. "Because... there will be candy." "How does that work?" "It will be an abstract kind of candy. But you may trust my mutual desire for things identical to what most children desire." "I dunno about that. I mean, the forest is dangerous. Did Twilight wrong you or somethin'?" "No, of course not. No more than she wrongs most ponies." "Well, I think she does wrong most ponies." "Oh. Then yes. I have been wronged and wish Twilight to lose her powers." "Okay, see? Now I getcha. I've heard all about blood feuds, so I can totally help y'all out, I think. So I'm up for it if you gals are." Uhhh. The Crusaders could be so annoying. All Scootaloo wanted was to propagate her genes as much as possible. An admirable goal from an evolutionary standpoint, but it rather hindered Thrakerzod's purposes in recruiting them. She had tried to indoctrinate them to her worldview, exposing them to the wondrous worship of Azathoth, the only true power in the universe. Or so she claimed. The others thought it rather strange. They didn't mind her practice of it, though. Thrackerzod had always known cults to murder non-believers, yet these ponies were oddly with letting live what lives. It was an oddly.....mortal outlook, Thrackerzod thought. Of course, Thrakerzod herself was mortal, but she could become immortal in the service of Azathoth. These ponies, however, and especially Apple Bloom, focused on momentary things. Apple Bloom lived on a farm, where they very much depended solely upon the whims of the weather (well, pegasi and national government). Scootaloo, also, semmed to seek only that one evolutionary purpose. Thrackerzod had heard it was pleasurable, but what point was pleasure in a mortal life? Thrackerzod was consumed in her existential thoughts, as she often was when she lived in Dreamworld, when Apple Bloom's voice pierced through her depth. "You okay, Thrackerzod?" Thrackerzod blinked, and shook her head, "Ah yes, I am perfectly normal." "You scared or something?" "No. I mean, uh, are you?" "Well I know it's dangerous," Apple Bloom sighed, "Alright, I think all of us are aware of the danger out here, so we need to stay as quiet as possible." Scootaloo piped up, "Nah, baby, that ain't how it works......." XXXX A disaster. The worst possible thing, as Rarity would say. Right in the middle of the Everfree, Apple Bloom says this ISN'T where Twilight's power lay. Couldn't she have said so before?!? Thrackerzod lay on her bed, silently screaming. She wished to sacrifice Apple Bloom to the Void for her silence with knowledge, rip the skin from her bones! Tear her flesh, and the flesh of those closest to her! But then she would lose an accomplice. And now Thrakerzod had to tell the Entity. Twilight's power turned out to be 'cheap jewelry', currently in possession of Celestia. Thrackerzod would need to conduct further research. At The Edge Of Space There Stood Two Towers BlackThe sideburns of Pinkamena Diane Pie's father reign supreme over the Peninsula of Xura. It was certainly an enormous revelation. The Land Of Pleasures Unattained had gone through a tumultuous history. Several hundred years ago, before the Second War Of The Great Old Ones, an ancient race called Man lived on Equus. They are remembered only because of the Genie that lies upon the moonbeams. The Genie once sailed a ship, that one could only board by walking on moonbeams. This White Ship would sail to Xura, and other mystical places unlike those of Equus. A member of that race, a man, boarded the ship. He was an average man, but this peculiar race had a tendency to meddle in things far greater than themselves. This man did just that, and one night, after he returned from the White Ship, it crashed, and sank. By fault of Man, Xura and its neighbors wew distant and unreachable. Thrackerzod rarely gave them any thought at all, but now, hearing that Xura had a new ruler, there must be a way to access it, and other places. But was Pinkie a valid source of information? Thrakerzod had thought long on that pink equine, and had indeed reached a conclusion on her character. Pinkie Pie, for whatever reason, had heard the whispers of the Great Old Ones. The gods of Equus, and indeed of this universe, had decided to influence her. She had been driven mad by her knowledge of things outside her exsistence. That was one hypothesis, but perhaps another was true. Pinkie's father may have been possessed (by way of his sideburns) by some powerful entity, who had control of Xura. Pinkie may have communicated with that entity. Another, far more troubling explanation was possible. Perhaps...just maybe.......Twilight Sparkle had gained control of Xura. Considering the close magical ties between Pinkie and Twilight as Elements of Harmony, Twilight's adeptness at time magic, and Pinkie's obvious communication with an entity of some sort, Twilight may have found a way to Xura that did not require the help of the Genie. This was troubling as Twilight already had control of Leng (maybe). The King in Yellow and Thrakerzod had uncovered more information about that incident. Apparently, Twilight did rule over Leng with absolute power, and against the will of the populous. After one particularly horrible law (stating that one needed to put floral arrangements in their bathroom), the people of Thorabon revolted, being led by a charismatic leader. Perhaps Twilight then went to Xura, by dealing with the 'Sideburns Of Disdain'. If all this was true, then Sparkle was gaining much power than her contract had ever intended. She had to be stopped. The Blind GodThe Blind God is incapable of defending his own. Of all the insane things Thrackerzod had heard Pinkie Pie say, this was by far the worst. The Blind God? Incapable? Madness! Azathoth created the universe! It was created according to his will! Had Thrackerzod not been in public, she would have murdered Pinkie then and there, presenting her lifeless corpse as an offering to the daemon sultan. But alas, the Elders would have frowned upon her revealing her purpose in Equestria. So......Pinkie believed that the the power of the Outer Gods was slipping. That was impossible, of course, the Great Old Ones and Elder Gods are infinitely less powerful than Azathoth and his spawn. The Elder Gods did oppose them, however. That was why Tharckerzod and Hastur (and the other Elders) were frustrated by Twilight's alliance with Nodens. Maybe......but no. Twilight couldn'y have anything to do with what Pinkie described, the Blind God, losing grip. Twilight had held Thorabon, and now Xura? Impossible. One unicorn could not threaten the power of gods. And these weren't any old gods, not even the great ones. These were the Outer Gods. Thrackerzod decided to look further into Pinkie's connection with the occult and the current state of Xura. XXXX Pinkie Pie was weird. Thrackerzod already knew that. She was also somewhat of a conspiracy nut and a criminal. She was obsessed with the imbalance of power in Equestria, namely the rule of Princess Celestia. It all fit with Thrackerzod's theory that Pinkie was influenced by some alien entities, perhaps a Great Old One. But that didn't necessarily mean she knew what she was talking about. Being corrupted by a Great Old One does not mean having access to their knowledge, and besides, even if any of the Old Ones thought the Outer Gods were losing power, they would quite simply be wrong. It was impossible. There was another possibility. The Elder Gods opposed the Outer Gods, and they were on the same level of power as the Great Old Ones (though the Elder Gods opposed them as well). Pinkie could have been.....corrupted is perhaps not the best word. Thrackerzod hadn't known Elder Gods to say things like that. Not that she had met very many Elder Gods. Manipulated, or persuaded were better terms. Yet Pinkie was clearly mad. And what would be the purpose? Elder Gods had no use for a random Earth pony. The Great Old Ones would do it simply because of their innate amorality. And Thrackerzod worked to bring Twilight Sparkle either to death, madness, or to her own side, for the fulfillment of the will of Azathoth! But the Elder Gods were weak and spineless. Their power being limited by the idea that smaller races should be left undisturbed, it was unlikely that they would bother controlling some random pony. Unless....they wanted Twilight Sparkle. Pinkie was an Element of Harmony, one of the closest ponies to Twilight. And Twilight was negotiating with Nodens. There was some deeper plot here. The Elder Gods were playing the same game Thrackerzod and Hastur were at: trying to control Twilight Sparkle. XXXX So Pinkie was most likely more involved with the occult than Thrackerzod had previously concluded. But in order to confirm this, Thrackerzod would need to check on her comments on the Peninsula of Xura. And that was why Thrackerzod said told the Cutie Mark Crusaders that they should try rock farming today. "A rock farm?" said Apple Bloom, "Thrackerzod, I live on a farm, and the chores are bad enough with real plants. Besides, y'all can't grow rocks!" "But what about our cutie marks?" asked Thrackerzod, "Is that not the purpose of our small collective?" "Baby, I was thinking our purpose was going to the club for some rubs," said Scootaloo, "Hoo!" Apple Bloom tilted her head in thought, "I guess I would like ta do somethin' that didn't involve murdering and/or, uh, seducing Twilight Sparkle." "Baby, I'm telling ya, that mare will fall into my sweet hooves eventually. No one can resist the Scoot-a-booty-loo. Hoo!" "We can talk with Pinkie," said Thrackerzod, "Her parents own a rock farm. It would be an excellent opportunity for us." Apple Bloom's eyes grew wide, "Pinkie?! Do y'all think that's safe? Pinkie is........well, she's stark-bucking mad, that's for sure." "Would you rather help Scootlaoo relieve her urges?" "I, uh," Apple Bloom sighed, "I guess not. Let's go talk to Pinkie Pie." XXXX It had taken lots of convincing, but eventually Rarity and Applejack had allowed them to go with Pinkie to her parent's rock farm. Pinkie herself had agreed quite readily to the preposition, saying that it would be an opportune moment to break the young foals from the lies they were taught in Equestria's schools. In fact, she was ranting right now on the subject of Celestia's history, while they were nearing the rock farm. "They tell you what she did, sealing Discord, banishing her sister, and they tell you it is good. They say she does it for Equestria, for you! But no! Believe not their lies! Yes. They lead to darker lies, to covered up crimes, ancient misdeeds of the most heinous and evil sort, and - " "Pinkamena!" a loud voice called to them. "Oh, finally we're here! I didn't think ah could stand another story 'bout how Miss Cherilee lies to us all day." said Apple Bloom. "Father!" cried Pinkie, "You seem so different. So scarce. So much less.....hairy. Yes....." "I finally got him to shave off those awful sideburns," said Mrs. Pie, "Doesn't he look better?" Pinkie's eyes grew wide, "The sideburns are gone? All gone? So you say, and so it appears upon my father, so it must be. So.....HA! PINKIE IS VICTORIOUS! NEVER AGAIN SHALL THE SIDEBURNS THREATEN ME! YEEEEEESSSSS!!!!" "Wait, the sideburns are gone?!" asked Thrackerzod. She looked at Mr. Pie angrily, "Your sideburns? But - I.....what do you know about the Peninsula of Xura?" Mr. Pie was rather startled by this sudden question, and dropped the piece of straw he had in his mouth. He looked Thrackerzod up and down, as if analyzing her soul. Finally, he spoke. "Say....why don't you come inside for a bit? We got soup." The Cutie Mark Crusaders filed inside. Mr. Pie stood at the doorway, and put his hoof on Thrackerzod's shoulder as she passed. "Say....let's talk in the other room." Thrackerzod followed Mr. Pie to the next room, a smoking room, where he sat down on an old rickety chair. Thrackerzod opted to stand. Mr. Pie produced a pipe from beneath his hat and lit it with a match, also from his hat. He brought it up to his lips for a puff before turning to Thrackerzod. "My name.....is Igneous. Son of Feldspar Pie. And you?" "I was birthed Sweetie Belle, but my true name is Thrackerzod." Igneous leaned back, "Thrackerzod, eh? You sound like you're..........from a different place. Not wholly Equestrian. I suppose you get that a lot, but - HHR, HRH" he coughed, "But I think you're peculiar knowledge of, well, different places is more telling. Not something a filly should know about. But then again, " he looked knowingly into her eyes, "I wouldn't be so foolish as to think you are a filly, now would I?" Thrackerzod was taken aback by his comments, but not enough to let it show. She had assumed Pinkie's father was rather like Pinkie herself, but he was evidently much saner, and much more knowledgeable. "You are correct. I am not as I appear. But neither are you, I assume. What do you know of Xura?" Igneous leaned back, "Visited it in my dreams. A figure came to me upon moonbeams, and I went with him to Xura. We -" "Did you go on a White Ship?" interrupted Thrackerzod. Igneous seemed annoyed by her sudden question, "No, we didn't. The White Ship got destroyed, remember? Happened, well, millennia ago. No, he came a black ship. I know, I know, not so different. But this wasn't a sea faring ship. This was a flying ship. It had great sets of wings that grew out it's back. It looked just like a dragon, I swear it! I can remember it so fondly.........." he shook his head, "But enough of that. All I know of Xura is that it has a new ruler. And no, it's not my sideburns. That doesn't even make any sense." "Who then!? Why are they allied with Twilight Sparkle!?" He chuckled softly, "Now.....why would I tell you a thing like that?" "I.....excuse me?" "You cult followers are so predictable. You think you'll gain something, immortality, knowledge, or maybe you're just insane. But let me give you a little hint, 'Thrackerzod'," Igneous said, leaning in real close, almost whispering in her ear, "The Blind God is losing grip." He coughed, pulling back, "I know, I know. Impossible right? But you don't know you're history. Back before ponies, when Earth was populated by a race called humans, a war started. The Elder Gods were the ones that caused it. They never liked the Outer Gods, you know? Well back then, the Outer Gods were unimaginably powerful. You literally cannot fathom their power. Yog-Sothoth, outside of space and time. Well, they were just gods. Yeah, I know what you're thinking, extremely powerful gods. But still just gods. The universe could get along just fine with other gods. All the Elder Gods needed to do was fulfill the role the Outer ones played. So, they needed some one to match Yog-Sothoth, someone to match Nyarlathotep, and so forth. They need not match them in power, only enough to complete their role in the universe. I know it sounds crazy, but the laws of the universe were slowly turned away from the Outer Gods as the Elder Gods, instead of gaining power, specialized in it. One Elder God started to hold a court similar to Azathoth's, and so the universe began to pay a small amount of attention to that court. It was very small, of course, but the Outer Gods didn't tolerate anything. That was what really made things bad for them. They would have been fine if they had just ignored them. But no, Azathoth gave some screeching order, and so a war started. Under orders, the Great Old Ones attacked the Elder Gods, and were defeated quite badly," Igneous smiled, "A sight to see, it must've been. Humanity was destroyed during the war, and the weak god Discord was born from the Great Old One's leaking magic. Magic itself was introduced to this world. That's the only reason we exist. After the war, we evolved from what life remained. So, yes, it's true. It's slow. We'll probably be dead a billion years before anyone really notices it. But the Outer Gods are dying. Slowly but surely, dying. Will the universe die with them?" Igneous coughed and took another puff from his pipe, "I don't give a damn." FaithSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
Mentally AdvancedMy name is Thrackerzod. I am a normal pony. Anything you read here that appears strange is merely the intense imagination of an average filly. This is how Thrackerzod began her latest diary entry. Her sister Rarity said it was normal to have one. The Elders had taken notice of a unicorn known as Twilight Sparkle. She had hatched a dragon egg, and was the protege of the immortal alicorn Celestia. That had been 15 years ago, when Twilight was still a filly. Through careful planning, Thrackerzod was born into the body of a filly who would become close to Twilight as time progressed. The Elders knew not the importance of this filly, but they had informants in Celestia's court who had discovered that she was planning to send Twilight to Ponyville, and this filly was in an excellent position to spy on her when she arrived. And today Twilight Sparkle had arrived. Thrackerzod was surprised at the friendship that formed between her older sister and Twilight, but accepted it as the proper course of events. It only got her closer to Twilight. From the beginning Thrackerzod noticed that Twilight knew more about the occultic than she should, despite not appearing to have any connection to demons. In contrast, Thrackerzod observed another pony, Pinkie Pie, who was clearly influenced by demons and perhaps even a Great Old One, but had been driven insane by the contact. Twilight did not have extensive knowledge of specific places or entities, as far as Thrackerzod could tell, but she was aware of the existence of points, and their convergence. Thrackerzod decided to test her. XXXX Ponyville was covered in snow, and the sky was obscured by clouds. The cover of darkness would aid Thrackerzod in her mission, which was why she had chosen this night. However, she needed a disguise. A filly breaking into her house and asking her to sign a demonic contract could arose suspicion. She sat in her room, at the Carousel Boutique, eyes closed in concentration. Slowly, she extracted herself from the body she inhabited, until she slipped out as a cloud of darkness. The body fell over, only a shell. Thrackerzod quickly took over the body of the nearest two creatures, a cricket and a rat, and used her new physical form to lift the pony body into bed. She didn't want Rarity to become suspicious of anything. Thrackerzod flew out the window, on her cricket wings. She was still the size of a filly, but looked as a demon would, walking out the gates of Hell. Twilight's house was not the most secure. It was only a library, after all. Thrackerzod worked her way from the topmost branches to a balcony door, which opened to the attic. Thrackerzod entered Twilight's room from the attic. She had been worried her new form would frighten Twilight, but it was sometimes a good thing to appear as an immensely powerful demon. Besides, she had an immensely traumatizing childhood, from what Thrackerzod could gather. Thrackerzod creeped toward Twilight, a plan already in mind. She would take her to the Place Where All Points Converge, and show her the immense power the Elders were capable of. She did not know what Twilight was after, but she would surely accept a contract upon witnessing their power. Thrackerzod began the spell, accessing Twilight through the Dreamworld. Her dreamscape was slowly morphed by Thrackerzod into the Place Where All Points Converge. "Twilight Sparkle," said Thrackerzod, "Your consciousness has been transported by I, a great demon of the Dreamworld. We have much to discuss." Twilight's dream self cocked her head, confused. She appeared innocent and pure, until her conscious caught up to her. Her faced screwed up into anger, "Where the Hell are we?! I didn't summon you! Only Princess Luna can access the dream-" "I am a representative of the Elders. I have taken you here, to the Place Where All Points Converge, for our discussion." Twilight paused and looked around. They were......underwater? Protected from the crushing depths by a bubble spell, similar to her brother's. They were in the middle of a city, but it was not in ruins. It had.....strange geometry, and magic symbols were imprinted on every building. Twilight pondered these things, realizing their location. "This-this is-," she took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts, "This is R'lyeh." Thrackerzod nodded, smiling, "I am pleased to see you have knowledge of this city. After the war-" "ARE YOU CRAZY!? CTHULHU'S HERE! ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME!?!?" Twilight exclaimed rushing to the edge of the bubble. "The Dead Cthulhu dreams. After the war between the Great Old Ones, the one that destroyed the race called humanity, the gods returned to rest. They left behind.....stains of their magic. These are called points, and are accessed by all creatures to use magic. It is nothing more than the remants of a war between giants," Thrackerzod paused, allowing Twilight to catch up, "Where points converge, magic is most powerful. This, the resting place of Cthulhu, holds the deepest magic. I propose a contract. The Elders need a spell preformed, and will give you all you desire. What do you wish for?" Twilight grew a smug smile, surprising Thrackerzod. Any normal pony would be astonished by the current circumstances. "I've.....already been approached. By the people of Thorabon. They are with a man (he looks human) named Nodens-" "Nodens? You've met Nodens?!" "Well, no. I.......why am I talking to you!?! I don't want your contract! I'm going to help the people of Thoroban. They have something more powerful than these remnants of godly wars." Twilight sneered at her, like she was beneath her, "This is just a dream! I'm lucid dreaming! I can just wake up! It's not like there's some crazy powerful Dreamworld!" Twilight disappeared. She must have awoken. Briefly cursing the Elder Gods, Thrackerzod quickly exited the Dreamworld and went back through the attic and scurried to Rarity's as fast as possible. The Sun was peeking over the horizon already. Twilight would likely take measures to prevent Thackerzod from meeting her again, holy water or something. She could not be allowed to contract with Nodens. An Elder God?! What was she thinking!?! Thackerzod's superiors were called Elders, but they were certainly not gods. Twilight had to be stopped. XXXX Perhaps some explanation is required to better understand this account, wrote Thackerzod. The universe was created by the Blind Idiot God Azothoth, May He Be Praised! My organization, controlled by entities called the Elders, fights for the recognition of this God. Many say he is insane, but his power is crushing! All must worship him! This planet, called Earth or Equus, was the battlefield for a great war of powerful beings, the Great Old Ones. They left magic behind when they retreated to their rest. The old race, humanity, was replaced by magical beings: ponies, dragons, griffons, etc. They use the remants of the Old Ones' war to perform magic. I myself am a being of the Dreamworld. I can access dreams, as well as the points (stains of magic), but that is the result of my physical unicorn body. I was sent by the Elders to contract Twilight Sparkle to preform a spell. She, as the most powerful unicorn alive today, can withstand the immensity of what they ask of her. However, if she wishes to ally with a being as powerful as an Elder God, Nodens, she must be destroyed rather than allied. She currently has support of a race called "the people of Thorabon", who inhabit Leng. I know not of they are truly under the control of Twilight or pawns of Nodens. Neither do I know not the product of her power. I must render that useless before killing Twilight Sparkle.
Call of the Cutie- I mean of CthulhuThrackerzod had tried to communicate with Twilight Sparkle again several times with the cricket/rat form, but as she suspected, Twilight had obtained holy water somehow. She even felt safe enough to name her Taz. What kind of creature names their demons? It was on that day Thrackerzod gave up on that method. She woke up the next morning, feeling the stress of her failure. By contrast, when she got downstairs, Rarity seemed immensely happy about something. "What is it, dear sister? Should I be expressing an appropriate amount of happiness at this moment?" Thrackerzod asked. "Yes of course, Sweetie Belle!" Rarity rushed to her and smiled widely, "You know how you've been having trouble making friends?" "I don't know what your talking about. I have a normal amount of friends." Rarity's smile instantly faded away. "You don't have any, Sweetie Belle. Now, there's a cuteceñera for a filly happening at Sugarcube Corner today, and we are going!" "But why? I myself have not achieved the social standing that accompanies the acquisition of a cutie mark. It would be a pointless endeavor." "I know how social standing works, Sweetie Belle," said Rarity, "Just....flaunt yourself....a little. Not too much. Ponies will...respect you. You'll get friends, that's for sure, and our parents asked me to help you with that, so we're going!" "What is the name of the pony holding the cuteceñera in question?" "Diamond Tiara! And her cutie mark is literally a diamond tiara! Isn't that funny?" "What are you talking about? Many ponies seem to have a cutie mark that is somehow related to their name." Rarity rolled her eyes, "You really need to make some friends. You wouldn't be so annoying then, would you?" XXXX Thrackerzod was looking over her diary, attempting to find anything that she had done out of the ordinary. After Rarity said that her lack of friends was something that most ponies would try to rectify, Thrackerzod was evaluating her current situation. Was she normal? Did she blend into the background? Thrackerzod asked Rarity, but she said that, "You can't blend in! Nopony will ever notice you! You know how I got such a high standing in Ponyville? It wasn't from 'blending I', I can assure you of that. Nearly every stallion in town knows who I am!" After much deliberation, Thrackerzod decided to attend. Not only to make friends, but accomplices. More like minions, really, but Thrackerzod found it rather difficult to completely control other ponies. They were so......strange. XXXX The cuteceñera went perfectly. Well, for Thrackerzod it did. Depending on your point of view, it could have been horrible. Thrackerzod had, however, managed to ensnare two fillies under the pretext of earning a cutie mark. From the beginning, she advocated foe the murder of Twilight Sparkle, but the others weren't really feeling it. Thrackerzod knew she should investigate more and uncover the specifics behind Nodens' goals in this venture, but her superiors would not be pleased with her lack of progress. So she kept at it. Three fillies versus a highly trained magical unicorn. Thrackerzod could only pray for Azathoth to guide them. Too bad he was blind
The Stare Master : Staring Down CthulhuThrackerzod was to meet with an Entity today. This Entity was once an incredibly powerful being, or so he claimed. For now he was weak, but still the wisest of all the Elders. He claimed that he had been reduced to his current form in some great war, and that only the most powerful of magic could bring him back. This was why Thrackerzod was sent to recruit Twilight Sparkle. She could use her stores of magic, in connection with the magic that flows at the Place Where All Points Converge, and become very powerful indeed. Powerful enough to resurrect the Entity. The Entity was, as of now, an Elder God. You may wonder how this is considered 'weak', but he was trapped inside the Dreamworld, in a very peculiar way. He could only attain a physical form where points converged. His power was not...gone, but hidden from him, or so he claimed. This was why Thrackerzod was so astounded by the idea of a regular pony, like Twilight, interacting with Nodens, an Elder God. After much arguing, the Entity convinced Thrackerzod to contact Nodens. The communication had uncovered vast amounts of information. Twilight Sparkle had support from the people of Thorabon, who lived in Leng. Thrackerzod did not know if they were a cult which worshipped her (for whatever reason), or if she led the cult to worship some deity. Maybe even Nodens. Or, they could be under Noden's control. They might not be related to any of this, and Sparkle is merely manipulating them. Thrackerzod was confused on the subject for the longest, until the people of Thorabon stopped supporting Twilight Sparkle. They had recently come under a new leader, who immediately declared independence. Thrackerzod was told Twilight had argued and fought against him, but had been defeated. She was dreaming at the time, of course, but the important aspect was the loss of support. This made Thrackerzod think that Twilight had somehow blackmailed them, or threatened them. Thrackerzod had also cobbled together a quick petition of various races, beings and cities to present to Nodens. Thrackerzod was unaware of the reasons Nodens contacted Twilight (though she doubted he wanted to contract her), but Sparkle was obviously optimistic. However, Thrackerzod's informants said that Nodens had refused all of her treaties thus far, which was good. Perhaps the Elders still had a chance. This news would all please the Entity, despite Thrackerzod's lack of progress in contracting and/or killing Twilight Sparkle. Of course, if Nodens shows that he does not wish to contract or use her in any way, they may not have to kill. Then again, others may be able to contract her. Thrackerzod needed to uncover her motivation behind demonic research and the source of her power. XXXX Thrackerzod had convinced Rarity to allow her to go to the CMC's Clubhouse, but in reality she trotted down the main path to the outskirts of town, crossing a small bridge I've the creek to Fluttershy's cottage. She had promised Rarity she'd be back in two hours, but she should finish this meeting long before that limit. Not bothering to knock, Thrackerzod entered the cottage, ignoring Fluttershy's greeting and questions. The yellow pegasus raised her hoof but hesitated to speak several times while Thrackerzod cleared the middle of the room, moving the rug and small couch. Fluttershy finally mustered up the courage, after recovering from the strangeness of the event to greet her. "Hi-hi Sweetie Belle." Thrackerzod turned and cocked her head, "Hello, Fluttershy." There was a long pause. And it continued. "What are you doing in my cottage?" Fluttershy asked. "I am meeting someone. A very important someone, to discuss perfectly ordinary things, of course. What else would I be doing but normal things?" "Oh. Are the other Crusaders coming to meet you?" "No, someone else," Thrackerzod said, drawing a simplified Necronomicon gate upon the floor. The Elders had once been in possession of the Necronomicon itself, but it was missing at the moment. Thrackerzod was only able to use this simplified version, but it was sufficient to summon the Entity. Thrackerzod took a deep breath and cast her magic out. The Entity appeared, horribly evil, wearing his tattered yellow......blanket?" Thrackerzod was temporarily taken aback, "You-who-must-not-be-named, I come to discuss perfectly ordinary business, which are not the least bit suspicious................" XXXX "It's simple. We go into the woods, identify the source of Twilight's power, and then destroy it!" Thrackerzod said, in response to Apple Bloom asking of their purpose at Fluttershy's cottage. After discussing recent affairs with the Entity, Thrakerzod had determine that the source of Twilight 's power was in the Everfree Forest. She then concocted a plan for a sleepover at Fluttershy's, as it was near to the Everfree, and it would seem normal to most of Thrakerzod's adult overlords. Apple Bloom was still rather unsure of this plan, though, "I know, but why really?", she asked. "Because... there will be candy." "How does that work?" "It will be an abstract kind of candy. But you may trust my mutual desire for things identical to what most children desire." "I dunno about that. I mean, the forest is dangerous. Did Twilight wrong you or somethin'?" "No, of course not. No more than she wrongs most ponies." "Well, I think she does wrong most ponies." "Oh. Then yes. I have been wronged and wish Twilight to lose her powers." "Okay, see? Now I getcha. I've heard all about blood feuds, so I can totally help y'all out, I think. So I'm up for it if you gals are." Uhhh. The Crusaders could be so annoying. All Scootaloo wanted was to propagate her genes as much as possible. An admirable goal from an evolutionary standpoint, but it rather hindered Thrakerzod's purposes in recruiting them. She had tried to indoctrinate them to her worldview, exposing them to the wondrous worship of Azathoth, the only true power in the universe. Or so she claimed. The others thought it rather strange. They didn't mind her practice of it, though. Thrackerzod had always known cults to murder non-believers, yet these ponies were oddly with letting live what lives. It was an oddly.....mortal outlook, Thrackerzod thought. Of course, Thrakerzod herself was mortal, but she could become immortal in the service of Azathoth. These ponies, however, and especially Apple Bloom, focused on momentary things. Apple Bloom lived on a farm, where they very much depended solely upon the whims of the weather (well, pegasi and national government). Scootaloo, also, semmed to seek only that one evolutionary purpose. Thrackerzod had heard it was pleasurable, but what point was pleasure in a mortal life? Thrackerzod was consumed in her existential thoughts, as she often was when she lived in Dreamworld, when Apple Bloom's voice pierced through her depth. "You okay, Thrackerzod?" Thrackerzod blinked, and shook her head, "Ah yes, I am perfectly normal." "You scared or something?" "No. I mean, uh, are you?" "Well I know it's dangerous," Apple Bloom sighed, "Alright, I think all of us are aware of the danger out here, so we need to stay as quiet as possible." Scootaloo piped up, "Nah, baby, that ain't how it works......." XXXX A disaster. The worst possible thing, as Rarity would say. Right in the middle of the Everfree, Apple Bloom says this ISN'T where Twilight's power lay. Couldn't she have said so before?!? Thrackerzod lay on her bed, silently screaming. She wished to sacrifice Apple Bloom to the Void for her silence with knowledge, rip the skin from her bones! Tear her flesh, and the flesh of those closest to her! But then she would lose an accomplice. And now Thrakerzod had to tell the Entity. Twilight's power turned out to be 'cheap jewelry', currently in possession of Celestia. Thrackerzod would need to conduct further research.
At The Edge Of Space There Stood Two Towers BlackThe sideburns of Pinkamena Diane Pie's father reign supreme over the Peninsula of Xura. It was certainly an enormous revelation. The Land Of Pleasures Unattained had gone through a tumultuous history. Several hundred years ago, before the Second War Of The Great Old Ones, an ancient race called Man lived on Equus. They are remembered only because of the Genie that lies upon the moonbeams. The Genie once sailed a ship, that one could only board by walking on moonbeams. This White Ship would sail to Xura, and other mystical places unlike those of Equus. A member of that race, a man, boarded the ship. He was an average man, but this peculiar race had a tendency to meddle in things far greater than themselves. This man did just that, and one night, after he returned from the White Ship, it crashed, and sank. By fault of Man, Xura and its neighbors wew distant and unreachable. Thrackerzod rarely gave them any thought at all, but now, hearing that Xura had a new ruler, there must be a way to access it, and other places. But was Pinkie a valid source of information? Thrakerzod had thought long on that pink equine, and had indeed reached a conclusion on her character. Pinkie Pie, for whatever reason, had heard the whispers of the Great Old Ones. The gods of Equus, and indeed of this universe, had decided to influence her. She had been driven mad by her knowledge of things outside her exsistence. That was one hypothesis, but perhaps another was true. Pinkie's father may have been possessed (by way of his sideburns) by some powerful entity, who had control of Xura. Pinkie may have communicated with that entity. Another, far more troubling explanation was possible. Perhaps...just maybe.......Twilight Sparkle had gained control of Xura. Considering the close magical ties between Pinkie and Twilight as Elements of Harmony, Twilight's adeptness at time magic, and Pinkie's obvious communication with an entity of some sort, Twilight may have found a way to Xura that did not require the help of the Genie. This was troubling as Twilight already had control of Leng (maybe). The King in Yellow and Thrakerzod had uncovered more information about that incident. Apparently, Twilight did rule over Leng with absolute power, and against the will of the populous. After one particularly horrible law (stating that one needed to put floral arrangements in their bathroom), the people of Thorabon revolted, being led by a charismatic leader. Perhaps Twilight then went to Xura, by dealing with the 'Sideburns Of Disdain'. If all this was true, then Sparkle was gaining much power than her contract had ever intended. She had to be stopped.
The Blind GodThe Blind God is incapable of defending his own. Of all the insane things Thrackerzod had heard Pinkie Pie say, this was by far the worst. The Blind God? Incapable? Madness! Azathoth created the universe! It was created according to his will! Had Thrackerzod not been in public, she would have murdered Pinkie then and there, presenting her lifeless corpse as an offering to the daemon sultan. But alas, the Elders would have frowned upon her revealing her purpose in Equestria. So......Pinkie believed that the the power of the Outer Gods was slipping. That was impossible, of course, the Great Old Ones and Elder Gods are infinitely less powerful than Azathoth and his spawn. The Elder Gods did oppose them, however. That was why Tharckerzod and Hastur (and the other Elders) were frustrated by Twilight's alliance with Nodens. Maybe......but no. Twilight couldn'y have anything to do with what Pinkie described, the Blind God, losing grip. Twilight had held Thorabon, and now Xura? Impossible. One unicorn could not threaten the power of gods. And these weren't any old gods, not even the great ones. These were the Outer Gods. Thrackerzod decided to look further into Pinkie's connection with the occult and the current state of Xura. XXXX Pinkie Pie was weird. Thrackerzod already knew that. She was also somewhat of a conspiracy nut and a criminal. She was obsessed with the imbalance of power in Equestria, namely the rule of Princess Celestia. It all fit with Thrackerzod's theory that Pinkie was influenced by some alien entities, perhaps a Great Old One. But that didn't necessarily mean she knew what she was talking about. Being corrupted by a Great Old One does not mean having access to their knowledge, and besides, even if any of the Old Ones thought the Outer Gods were losing power, they would quite simply be wrong. It was impossible. There was another possibility. The Elder Gods opposed the Outer Gods, and they were on the same level of power as the Great Old Ones (though the Elder Gods opposed them as well). Pinkie could have been.....corrupted is perhaps not the best word. Thrackerzod hadn't known Elder Gods to say things like that. Not that she had met very many Elder Gods. Manipulated, or persuaded were better terms. Yet Pinkie was clearly mad. And what would be the purpose? Elder Gods had no use for a random Earth pony. The Great Old Ones would do it simply because of their innate amorality. And Thrackerzod worked to bring Twilight Sparkle either to death, madness, or to her own side, for the fulfillment of the will of Azathoth! But the Elder Gods were weak and spineless. Their power being limited by the idea that smaller races should be left undisturbed, it was unlikely that they would bother controlling some random pony. Unless....they wanted Twilight Sparkle. Pinkie was an Element of Harmony, one of the closest ponies to Twilight. And Twilight was negotiating with Nodens. There was some deeper plot here. The Elder Gods were playing the same game Thrackerzod and Hastur were at: trying to control Twilight Sparkle. XXXX So Pinkie was most likely more involved with the occult than Thrackerzod had previously concluded. But in order to confirm this, Thrackerzod would need to check on her comments on the Peninsula of Xura. And that was why Thrackerzod said told the Cutie Mark Crusaders that they should try rock farming today. "A rock farm?" said Apple Bloom, "Thrackerzod, I live on a farm, and the chores are bad enough with real plants. Besides, y'all can't grow rocks!" "But what about our cutie marks?" asked Thrackerzod, "Is that not the purpose of our small collective?" "Baby, I was thinking our purpose was going to the club for some rubs," said Scootaloo, "Hoo!" Apple Bloom tilted her head in thought, "I guess I would like ta do somethin' that didn't involve murdering and/or, uh, seducing Twilight Sparkle." "Baby, I'm telling ya, that mare will fall into my sweet hooves eventually. No one can resist the Scoot-a-booty-loo. Hoo!" "We can talk with Pinkie," said Thrackerzod, "Her parents own a rock farm. It would be an excellent opportunity for us." Apple Bloom's eyes grew wide, "Pinkie?! Do y'all think that's safe? Pinkie is........well, she's stark-bucking mad, that's for sure." "Would you rather help Scootlaoo relieve her urges?" "I, uh," Apple Bloom sighed, "I guess not. Let's go talk to Pinkie Pie." XXXX It had taken lots of convincing, but eventually Rarity and Applejack had allowed them to go with Pinkie to her parent's rock farm. Pinkie herself had agreed quite readily to the preposition, saying that it would be an opportune moment to break the young foals from the lies they were taught in Equestria's schools. In fact, she was ranting right now on the subject of Celestia's history, while they were nearing the rock farm. "They tell you what she did, sealing Discord, banishing her sister, and they tell you it is good. They say she does it for Equestria, for you! But no! Believe not their lies! Yes. They lead to darker lies, to covered up crimes, ancient misdeeds of the most heinous and evil sort, and - " "Pinkamena!" a loud voice called to them. "Oh, finally we're here! I didn't think ah could stand another story 'bout how Miss Cherilee lies to us all day." said Apple Bloom. "Father!" cried Pinkie, "You seem so different. So scarce. So much less.....hairy. Yes....." "I finally got him to shave off those awful sideburns," said Mrs. Pie, "Doesn't he look better?" Pinkie's eyes grew wide, "The sideburns are gone? All gone? So you say, and so it appears upon my father, so it must be. So.....HA! PINKIE IS VICTORIOUS! NEVER AGAIN SHALL THE SIDEBURNS THREATEN ME! YEEEEEESSSSS!!!!" "Wait, the sideburns are gone?!" asked Thrackerzod. She looked at Mr. Pie angrily, "Your sideburns? But - I.....what do you know about the Peninsula of Xura?" Mr. Pie was rather startled by this sudden question, and dropped the piece of straw he had in his mouth. He looked Thrackerzod up and down, as if analyzing her soul. Finally, he spoke. "Say....why don't you come inside for a bit? We got soup." The Cutie Mark Crusaders filed inside. Mr. Pie stood at the doorway, and put his hoof on Thrackerzod's shoulder as she passed. "Say....let's talk in the other room." Thrackerzod followed Mr. Pie to the next room, a smoking room, where he sat down on an old rickety chair. Thrackerzod opted to stand. Mr. Pie produced a pipe from beneath his hat and lit it with a match, also from his hat. He brought it up to his lips for a puff before turning to Thrackerzod. "My name.....is Igneous. Son of Feldspar Pie. And you?" "I was birthed Sweetie Belle, but my true name is Thrackerzod." Igneous leaned back, "Thrackerzod, eh? You sound like you're..........from a different place. Not wholly Equestrian. I suppose you get that a lot, but - HHR, HRH" he coughed, "But I think you're peculiar knowledge of, well, different places is more telling. Not something a filly should know about. But then again, " he looked knowingly into her eyes, "I wouldn't be so foolish as to think you are a filly, now would I?" Thrackerzod was taken aback by his comments, but not enough to let it show. She had assumed Pinkie's father was rather like Pinkie herself, but he was evidently much saner, and much more knowledgeable. "You are correct. I am not as I appear. But neither are you, I assume. What do you know of Xura?" Igneous leaned back, "Visited it in my dreams. A figure came to me upon moonbeams, and I went with him to Xura. We -" "Did you go on a White Ship?" interrupted Thrackerzod. Igneous seemed annoyed by her sudden question, "No, we didn't. The White Ship got destroyed, remember? Happened, well, millennia ago. No, he came a black ship. I know, I know, not so different. But this wasn't a sea faring ship. This was a flying ship. It had great sets of wings that grew out it's back. It looked just like a dragon, I swear it! I can remember it so fondly.........." he shook his head, "But enough of that. All I know of Xura is that it has a new ruler. And no, it's not my sideburns. That doesn't even make any sense." "Who then!? Why are they allied with Twilight Sparkle!?" He chuckled softly, "Now.....why would I tell you a thing like that?" "I.....excuse me?" "You cult followers are so predictable. You think you'll gain something, immortality, knowledge, or maybe you're just insane. But let me give you a little hint, 'Thrackerzod'," Igneous said, leaning in real close, almost whispering in her ear, "The Blind God is losing grip." He coughed, pulling back, "I know, I know. Impossible right? But you don't know you're history. Back before ponies, when Earth was populated by a race called humans, a war started. The Elder Gods were the ones that caused it. They never liked the Outer Gods, you know? Well back then, the Outer Gods were unimaginably powerful. You literally cannot fathom their power. Yog-Sothoth, outside of space and time. Well, they were just gods. Yeah, I know what you're thinking, extremely powerful gods. But still just gods. The universe could get along just fine with other gods. All the Elder Gods needed to do was fulfill the role the Outer ones played. So, they needed some one to match Yog-Sothoth, someone to match Nyarlathotep, and so forth. They need not match them in power, only enough to complete their role in the universe. I know it sounds crazy, but the laws of the universe were slowly turned away from the Outer Gods as the Elder Gods, instead of gaining power, specialized in it. One Elder God started to hold a court similar to Azathoth's, and so the universe began to pay a small amount of attention to that court. It was very small, of course, but the Outer Gods didn't tolerate anything. That was what really made things bad for them. They would have been fine if they had just ignored them. But no, Azathoth gave some screeching order, and so a war started. Under orders, the Great Old Ones attacked the Elder Gods, and were defeated quite badly," Igneous smiled, "A sight to see, it must've been. Humanity was destroyed during the war, and the weak god Discord was born from the Great Old One's leaking magic. Magic itself was introduced to this world. That's the only reason we exist. After the war, we evolved from what life remained. So, yes, it's true. It's slow. We'll probably be dead a billion years before anyone really notices it. But the Outer Gods are dying. Slowly but surely, dying. Will the universe die with them?" Igneous coughed and took another puff from his pipe, "I don't give a damn."
