A missing Draconequus and a broken mind.

Darkness clung to the air, making it clammy and oppressive to the stallion. The liquid darkness had long since seeped into his lungs and turned the normal strong, regular, mechanical breathing into a faltering-ragged process often forgotten until it made the consequences of petulance towards it known to the stallion. The darkness in the room didn't scare the stallion, nor did the fact he felt a jolt of agony whenever the lack of oxygen got to high and he surrendered to the need to breath. No the stallion in the chair wasn't scared by that, he was scared of what he knew was coming. He had been through this cycle every night, over time it had varied somewhat but the concept was the same. He normally took solace in the fact that he knew it was a dream whenever he was here. This time however, it was real 'I never fell asleep this time.' He could feel a little amount of moisture on his face and wasn't sure if it was sweat blood or tears, truthfully it was a combination of the three. He couldn't see anything and was tied to something that was supporting his weight so he couldn't tell what his injuries where. That was likely for the best in his piece of mind. normally the blue fur that covered his body even in this human form was a spirited azurite, now however... Blood dripped from a slash under the stallion's left eye, the sanguine stain ran his coat colouring it a dark writhing, scheming purple. Alongside that he had a huge burn on his chest. If the stallion could see them he would have no idea why he had them.

"WHO AM I?" The stallion's voice was guttural and strained. Talking let alone a growling scream like that set a fire dancing through his raw throat which would have made him wince if he had the strength for it.

"Oh I think you know..." said a voice which seemed to be noiselessly slinking through the tangible jet light of the room. "You failed her, she suffered and you did NOTHING." The last word was shouted at him and he could feel the force radiating from the owner of the voice.

'Oh that's new, that cannot be good. Wait that voice, it's... it's.' The stallion focused as hard as he possibly could and then felt a flash of a fresh level of agony as vivid images pierced the total darkness that surrounded him. He cried out in agony, not even he could withstand that amount of pain without expression. He felt the molten agony flow through him as he watched a group of ponies he couldn't quite place due to the agony trying build a nest in his brain. As he watched a ball of energy was hurtling towards them, fortunately the image cut away as it got to close as each inch of progress the ball made, ran another rod of suffering into the stallion. He's reprieve was brief however as another image with a whole knew definition of pain came next. The look on the purple face of one of the ponies as some noise fitting only for the horror the stallion was experiencing tortured her. Again the image faded leaving the stallion in a very different position.

Light blinded the stallion hurting but not as much as the visions had, he could see a purple mare with her hooves on his chest mindful of his welt which he noticed with a sickened feeling. "Wake up please," the voice from before but now coming from this mare. It was pleading. 'It is different, softer. It's t.'

"ARRRG" as his brain nearly gave him the name he felt a another horrific jolt of pain shooting through his entire body.

"Please, you have to wake up." Again his fevered brain tried and tortured him with the absence of the information. "Mortem please wake up, come back to me." The stallions pain stopped, his wounds stitched themselves closed and his power immediately returned to him.

"Twilight." he stated and with that he tore down the world around him transferring himself to a soft bed. The only details that remained was him and the purple mare.

"Mortem, thank Celestia!" Twilight exclaimed as she saw her colt-friend open his eyes. He said her name aloud, it was a small voice but it was still a good sign. Without hesitation the mare pressed her lips against his and kissed him deeply. As Mortem fully surfaced from the dream world he started kissing Twilight back but darted his eyes around the room to take in his surroundings. They where in the room they shared at the friendship castle, he was relieved to be able to pull up the information without feeling needles destroying him from inside his head. He then took stock of his circumstance. He was in his human form bandaged at the chest and feeling incredibly sore although that was quickly fading. Twilight has both hooves on his chest bending town to kiss him and at the same time lifting the blanket that the two of them where under. 'Twilight' his brain sung happily as he, reassured of his surroundings got to work returning the attention the beautiful mare was giving him.

Twilight felt his arms rise around her and without braking the kiss settled to be lying on top of him, as she did this she was mindful of his bandaged wound. 'We will hold together Twilight, he is going to be fine.' Twilight hardened with a new resolve to be strong and have a brave face to show the Stallion she was kissing. That resolve snapped in two when he hand when into her main and started to smooth out the stress caused kinks. Twilight was a huge fan of having her mane touched and also the fact Mortems unique hands could do it better than anyone else. It completely broke her inner resolve as it said that she could be herself and do what she needed. She sobbed into him as he held her. The fire of the kiss did not brake at all between the two of them however even when tears fell from Twilight's closed eyes mingling with the dream caused ones on Mortems face. She felt with each sob and each run of his fingers the stress and tension of the last twelve hours pouring out of her. She held onto the calming presence knowing he needed this as much as she did.

Twilight was correct about the need of the stallion below her shifting sobbing body. He felt the darkness present in the dream melting away from him as he felt the soft smooth surface of each of the alicorn's tri-tonal purple mane. Feeling her body against his fur was the best feeling in the world with absolutely zero exception. At least non that Mortem could ever imagine. He felt the warmth and love of the Princess of Friendship leaching into his body fixing his mental injuries as his own affection leant its self happily to the mare. He deepened the kiss sliding his tongue against her bottom lip asking for access which the beautiful mare above quickly granting whilst taking an equal some of new space. The two explored territory they each knew very well but could never tired of. The sobbing stopped as both party's began to feel so much better and at the same time mane stroking became a very satisfying scratch to the Alicorns neck. She moaned audibly into the still brightly burning kiss deepening it further as the rest of the world around them melted away to a insignificant detail. The other hand started to massage her body and she started to move her hooves onto his chest stroking the fur there. The events probably would have lead to passionate if tender love making between the untied couple had a alabaster goddess not cleared her throat from the right of the pare.

With a cringe worthy pop sound, the kiss was broken as the mare's head shot around burning with a blush as she realised what she was getting into with her teacher and mentor standing off to the side. "Princess I am so sorry, I-I..." She trailed off meekly and was ready to face whatever scorn the Princess would admonish for being vulgar in her presence however she caught a slight bit of mirth in the Alicorns eyes which assured some confidence in the situation.

Whilst this happened Mortem was in internal hysterics, 'Princess Celestia the divine third wheel.' He would so like to say these things but knew the mare still lying on him held a great measure of respect for the princess so refrained. He instead satisfied himself with a smug grin and piercing eyes towards the alabaster intruder.

"Oh don't worry Twilight, I understand needs as much as any other pony." She enjoyed the slightly scandalised look her x-student gave her at those words and the situation and decided to make her much more uncomfortable. "After all have you ever wondered why I keep the same very happy looking guards at my chamber door." This was uncommonly mischievous for the monarch but she was feeling high spirited that. A) Mortem was alive and concious, that and he had stopped screaming in his sleep. B) Twilight was genuinely in love with a stallion who loved her back and would be faithful and loving to her as long as she returned his feelings. Celestia knew that about Mortem from when he had developed a close friendship with Luna during her decent. The minuet she was taken away and he couldn't rescue her he turned his back on Celestia doing huge damage on the way out.

Twilight's head nearly melted at the idea of the perfect, royal, unflappable Celestia having no strings sex with her guards. She knew full well Celestia must have had sexual cravings the same way she had them with them both being alicorns but always figured he repressed them magically or had some royal consort. Twilight decided to block the idea of flash or worse shinning and his guard buddies with the princess getting up to some fun. Her mirth took a heavy hit as she though of her failure of an x-relationship with flash but her brain quickly shifted her focus as she felt Mortem's hand settle on her rump. She shot him a look which simply read "Later." He smiled at is and proceeded to scratch the length of her back causing her to relax a good amount. 'Holy hell he is good at that.'

Celestia enjoyed the show of her confused student dealing with one of the more guarded secrets of her private life. She did indeed have two guards she would call upon for the task. She had explained to them they had every right to refuse and assured them that they could stop whenever they wished, not that they ever would. Neither had looked for a mare friend since as they knew they would have to give up that job perk for it. She picked guards that seemed inept in the emotions of love and only seemed to have a aptitude for the physicality of love making, this result proved her right in her summary of them. She felt she had let her students mind run far enough when she noticed her leaning further into Mortem and receiving a back scratching which Celestia had to admit she slightly envied 'Not from him though.' Celestia was slightly disturbed by the concept, she didn't have any overt issues with Mortem but they had rowed and cooperated on so many less than fantastic experiences together that a slightly toxic friendship was all they could ever be. 'Atrocities I think you mean,' corrected her mind. "However my little love ponies," Celestia said that sweetly hoping to put her student at ease. Twilight seemed to relax a little bit she noticed a slight hardening in Mortems eyes, he hated it when she talked down to him and she was fully aware of it. "I feel we really must discuss what happened in the Discordian realm today." Again she paused and saw a blanket of disappointment and resentment wash over both of them. Twilight tried to hide her displeasure at not getting the chance to go further than a kiss with her colt-friend. Mortem however made no such attempt and shot a contempt filled venomous look of begrudging acceptance towards the alabaster alicorn. Celestia enjoyed toying with him she really did but felt slightly bad about the genuine sadness in Twilights eyes so she dropped the charade. "But I am sure it can wait a few minuets," she had just started to walk towards the door when a force wave from behind shoved her out quicker before slamming the Crystal door to the throne/ map room. 'Well his power seem to be back in working order,' Celestia chuckled as she walked towards Twilights throne greeting the rest of the girls who where lounging in their thrones enjoying some tea spike had made them a few minuets earlier. She noticed with a slight pang of annoyance that the dragon had occupied the seat she was after as opposed to his throne next to it. Celestia did understand as his did look less comfy so she took pity. White light wrapped around spike lifting him into the air. He struggled against the light before realising Celestia was the source to which he gave an increasingly irritated look as she placed herself on his seat. This look melted away and was replaced with an embarrassed awkward smile as she lowered the Dragon onto his lap asking him simply. "You don't mind do you spike, I was stood by for quite a while as Mortem woke up." They had all heard the screams and Celestia figured that whatever was happening should not be faced by Twilight alone. Fortunately the Purple mare who had been resting at the on concious god's side  at the time was able to remedy the situation quickly seemingly by just saying his name. The girls descended into asking questions about Mortem's health which Celestia answered whilst putting up some sound-proofing spells around the room she had just departed just in case the Crystal wasn't enough to absorb what she knew was inevitable. Mortem was injured fairly badly, enough to kiss about five earth ponies but Celestia knew it would take more to keep him down for a long time.

As the door slammed Twilight gave Mortem an admonishing glare, "She was just worried you know, you really have to be nicer to ponies some times."

Mortem was completely non phased by the statement and replied. "I am nice to you all the time and I am friends with the other elements."

"Mortem! You can't just be nice to me and the girls." She was a little exasperated, she loved that Mortem acted as if she and partially her friends housed the entire worth of Equestria but at the same time she hated the idea that because her and the girls where elements and she was a princess that they where above any pony else.

Mortem moved his hand from it's place on her back and slid it past his other one embracing Twilight and trying to transfer as much warmth as he could to her. "Twilight, you and the girls are amazing. You have saved Equestria from god knows what, god knows how many times. Alongside that you have stuck together through tough times and stayed faithful to yourselves and each other." She relaxed somewhat at that and met his eyes again enjoying watching the Small brown orbs stare up at her. "Besides you girls are the first friends I have had for ages, even thousands of years before I left for hell. You where the first ponies I didn't know from before to want to be around me."

Twilight listened to him relaxing into the warm embrace she loved to feel and feeling the slight irritation from the treatment of her beloved mentor melt away as he spoke with honesty. "Well be that as it may, you still need to at least pretend to care about ponies, otherwise you will never get them to care back." She felt the embrace shift as Mortem felt he was actually going to get lectured over his enthusiasm fuelled magical displacement of the ruler of Equestria. Feeling this change Twilight let her real wants and feeling come true and turned with a pair of lidded eyes towards the Stallion beneath her. "But how about we be nice to each other first?" Twilight quickly accompanied this with a few flicks of her eye lashes and a sugar sweet voice.

Mortem had to repress a slight giggle at his mare-friends attempt at a seductive line. Twilight was stunningly beautiful, mentally and magically brilliant and endlessly compassionate but at the end of the day she was still bookish and socially inept, not that he didn't love that about her. Mortem knew her line was bad and did not care in the slightest. "That sounds like a party even Cheese and Pinky couldn't top." He moved his hands further down drawing his finger tips down the mare's body one stopped at her back scratching the soft fur covered skin. Twilight was slightly embarrassed at how jilted her words where in comparison to his which flowed like a summer day river. However she was able to put it down to lack of experience. He was her second in both sex and relationships. Twilight remembered how Flash and her had ended and Mortem and her had began at the same time.

(have a read of my writers comments as this is gonna conflict with current canon of Mortem. I'll fix it after I am done with this.)

"Twilight... are you okay?" The question was rhetorical in attempts to open up whatever troubled the purple mare. He knew something was amiss as she had slammed the front door so hard he would have to check later to see if any of the crystal had cracked in any way. He also had a decent idea what might have caused her to abuse a presumably innocent door. 'Jumped up bloody guardsman,' he mentally grumbled.

"Peachy" she replied in an aggressive tone a second before meeting Mortems eyes. "Absolutely peachy." She had not seen his gaze the first time but she watched it as she lied with a wilting tone to his face. She watched hurt and annoyance flash over his eyes before he moved them behind a warm smile adopting a flawless but completely fake guise.

'She still won't tell me when something is wrong.' Chimed his head as he took in her brush off, 'I suppose she has only known me a couple of weeks even if we are close.' With that he put on a smile hoping to draw the information and cheer her up by less abrupt methods. Normally Mortem approached a problem like one does a stuck door. Hit into the issue harder until the issue was no longer an issue however when it came to an upset Twilight he found himself feeling a good hunk of discomfort as she felt pain so he tried to be more tactful. He got out of his chair becoming his human form as he walked. He had been relaxing as a pony whilst Twilight was out in case some pony who only knew his alicorn form looked through a window and thought the castle was being robbed by a monster, this would not be an issue now she was back. Relieved to have his hooves replaced by the far superior hands he put them to use brushing them against the mare's mane when he got near her between the front door and the kitchen door.

"Sorry..." Twilight said feeling guilty at her shortness as she enjoyed the warmth she was being shown then again felt guilty for a perceived betrayal towards the source of her angst and frustration.

"Don't worry about it, you hurt the door far more that me." He added the little joke at the end to hopefully lift her spirits and it seemed to work somewhat as she huffed in a slightly amused manner. "Now before you continue to threaten the castles doorways with wanton destruction. Why don't you tell me what happened?" She gave another little huff and looked away from him.

"Flash and me had a fight that's all." She said the words in a rush like it was some kind of horrific confession she should be ashamed off.

"Again Twi? That's the third one this week and it is only Friday." He stated what he knew Twilight was aware of like it was just on off hand comment but in reality Mortem was fighting down anger towards the guardsman and worry for Twilight. 'The Flash seems to spend more time upsetting her than making her happy. Brilliant, beautiful and compassionate mare like that deserves so much better.' Mortem had to stop himself double taking in surprise at that thought. 'Where did that come from?' asked his mental voice and the same one before replied. 'A hopeless and debilitating infatuation for the brilliant mare who you have been living with since getting back from Hell." Said the mischievous voice that had spoken of her with such tenderness. Mortem's brain was about to descend into complete anarchy regarding the maelstrom of feelings that the mare before him kicked into life before he was pulled from his musing.

"I know it is, he's just so..." Twilight trailed off looking for a word to successfully describe why she was angry with the colt that had thoroughly ruined her entire week with it coming to a head with the monstrous afternoon she had spent showing him around ponyville. "Possessive I guess. Yeah possessive and jealous." Her voice turned harder and venomous as she described him.

"What happened Twi? you can tell me all about it." He had not noticed how much he loved the feel of her against him until he had ended up pressed to her side with her putting a little weight on him; his hands still splayed in her mane. "I would love nothing more to listen so you can feel better." He added that in a softer tone with the ecstasy of her contact full flowing through his mind.

Twilight completely oblivious to her friends internal revelation launched into speech with little thought. "It's so strange, when we first met he was so calm and charming. He made friends with the other girls easily and I couldn't be around him without a stupid smile plastered onto my face." Mortem tensed slightly remembering his rocky associations with some of Twilight's friends. Apple Jack, Pinky Pie and Rarity had been perfectly amiable, not a patch on Twilight herself but he had still gotten on reasonably well with them. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy on the other hoof. He had evidently been to outward and lively for the shy mare as she would hardly speak save a few squeaks and Mortem, regardless of Twilights assurance it was normal for her, found it quite insulting and frustrating. Rainbow had been worse. So much worse. She had spotted him walking with a hoof on Twilights side and crashed into him, literally.

"Hey, that mare has a colt friend already buster," was her first words to him. He had taken an instant dislike as he saw to much of himself in her abrasive attitude. Twilight had later explained that she was the element of loyalty so cheating or even being around another pony the opposite gender when a pony was taken was taboo for her.

Mortem at the time had not realised this so had brushed off the irritating cyan pegasus speaking curtly. "I am not doing anything I have been asked not to and it isn't really your concern is it?" He paused for a few seconds but started up again as he noticed she was about to interject. "So why don't you just flap off to whatever cloud you where napping on, I can see the drool in the corner of you mouth for goodness sake."

Twilight had made to intervene but Rainbow was faster, flying straight down to the ground and locking eyes angrily with him. "Who do you think you're talking to buster, just because Twilight is to nice to tell you to back off doesn't mean you can be touching up any mare you want."

Mortem lifted a hood to his head and brushed his temple easing the headache the cyan mare was giving him. Then faster than even dash thought possible he brought it to the ground. A slight magical charge passed through the ground before the floor under the hooves of the mare lifted violently catapulting her towards the horizon. Mortem turned to his companion hoping to see her happy to be rid of the annoying pegasus but instead she looked furious.

"MORTEM." she yelled fairly loudly taking the alicorn by surprise. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO RAINBOW DASH!?"

Mortem flinched internally at the anger from the normally calm collected mare, he really wasn't meaning to cause her to get angry. 'Why does this always happen to me?' He wandered quickly before responding, "She'll be fine, should land somewhere in Cloudsdale, I enchanted her so she couldn't be hurt by the launch or the landing." Twilight had been irritated with him from that point forward and he had to apologise to Rainbow when she got back, she was less than happy to see him.

Twilight had not noticed her friends reminiscing and continued on a little with her slatting of her inconsiderate colt-friend Flash. "Then as things seemed to be going really well then he suddenly shifted. He used to be completely okay with me spending time with the girls but pretty much the weekend after he came to the library and you two met he started to demand more and more time with me." She paused for a few seconds in which time Mortem completely froze up, even his hand stopped stroking her mane. "He keeps saying I should run to Canterlot and have a family with him, it's like he wants me locked away..." Twilight stopped as she noticed her friends reaction. "Mortem you okay?" she asked a little genuine concern in her voice.

'Oh god you fucking idiot Mortem, you have fucked up her happiness.' Mortem was flogging himself not at all listening to the last part of her speech feeling horribly guilty, a feeling he was unaccustomed to despite having sent many a pony to their graves. 'She was so happy, then you came along, you should have stayed in hell. No pony wanted you here when you left why would they now. He snapped back to focus at her words and blurted. "I am really sorry Twilight, I never meant to ruin what you and Flash had." He fell over his words constantly, "I can go if you want, you can have all that back." Mortem realised he was panicking, he was even less used to panic than he was guilt and that realisation was not helping. 'I really hope she doesn't take that offer up.'

Twilight was somewhat taken aback by the violent, unexpected reaction from the normally collected and confident god she was leaning against and had until recently been enjoying a mane stroking from. She moved away from him which added to the panic mounting in his eyes. She jumped her front up and placed her hooves against his chest. "Mortem I am not going to ask, nor do I want you to leave." She said smiling into his eyes hoping to calm him but still wishing to display that she was serious.

"B-but since I showed up your relationship with flash has been a disaster." The strain was evident and Twilight did not like it.

"Mortem," she left a pause for effect and softened her voice before saying. "If Flash cannot cannot accept that I know other stallions besides him then he doesn't deserve my time". Twilight was surprised by the conviction in her voice, she had not fully realised that she probably should leave Flash over this until she said it aloud. On the plus side she was happy to see that Mortem was seemingly relaxing a little bit. As empathy flowed through her she realised something that stunned her entirely.

"Twilight, he wouldn't be doing this if I wasn't here. You know me and him aren't really friends, no wonder he wants you away from me."

Mortem's babbling had given Twilights rapid mind time to tackle these feelings and figure out how to act on them. "Mortem, what Flash want's is not law. He may want you gone from my life but you are my friend and he cannot demand that I don't see my friends. Besides I have much better plans involving you." With that she quickly closed the gap between them and kissed him. Twilight was utterly confused by how quickly romantic interest in him had taken root. 'Then again he has always been there whenever anything has been wrong to make me feel better.' Either way she had needed to act on those feelings then and there or else she would have been to embarrassed. She would like to have cast Flash from her mind but he was envisioned when she realised how much she had been missing out on kissing him.

Mortem was now beyond confused, he was debating in his mind whether he was dreaming or not but the mares tongue stroking his own cast that theory aside. Twilight had revealed he was ruining her relationship and had then apparently found up his hidden feelings for her and acted on them for him. He wasn't perfect but knew enough about being a good friend that asking for anything beyond friendship with her when she was in a relationship with some other stallion even if that stallion didn't deserve her was not a fair thing to do. He ,after a few seconds, decided to just enjoy the kiss he had  wanted for a while now. He picked Twilight up off the floor effortlessly and pulled her to him bringing her barrel to his chest. He had a shirt he had summoned on over his fur but still enjoyed the contact and warmth from her body. One hand stayed steadying her back whilst the other shot to her mane running his fingers through the soft fur. He returned to kiss fully pouring everything he was into it and trying to show Twilight as much of his love as possible. From that point forward Twilight Sparkle had not even looked at Flash Sentry.

The memory of that kiss lined up perfectly with Mortem pulling her in for a kiss which brought her thoughts back to the present.

A few minuets later Celestia still with Spike on her lap decided she should drop the sound proofing on the room for a second to see if they where done. Bad mistake.

"FUCK YES, HARDER PLEASE MORTEM." Twilight could be heard to scream with a healthy amount of lust and pleasure mixed in with the sounds of the wooden bed creaking in a regular fashion.

"GOD YES" came Mortem's growling reply and the sounds from the bed doubled in speed causing Celestia to be made slightly more uncomfortable thinking about just how fast the two must have been going. 'Well at least she is an alicorn and can take it...'

"YES, GOD YES THAT'S PERFECT." Twilight commented on the new tempo of coitus.

'and love it apparently.' Celestia reinforced the ward and chuckled to herself before casting her eyes around the five other mares and one dragon's flushed face to which she laughed out loud. 'Prudish little ponies.'