Done by a Single Night

You probably thought getting Thanksgiving break meant you'd be able to relax, at least have enough time to write one new chapter.

NOPE!

Sorry for the delay. Been working on oneshots. I promise future ones won't involve Ditzy so much.

Damnit, thing didn't save. D: So here's this two-line appendix you guys missed.

I turned to leave. "Oh, and Rainbow?" I turned. Lexis stood up. Her eyes glowed a fierce gold, and her voice growled like a dog.

"Y͜ou ̸a͟i̴n͢'t̨ ̛goi̶n n̢owh͡er̶é.̢"

I woke up in a free fall, white all around me.

More white... more white... oh, green. Hey, is that a tre- oh buck no...

I spread out my wings to try to slow myself, but I was too slow. I slammed into the ground with a thud... and didn't die! Amazing.

I looked over my body for damage. I didn't feel any pain, or see any wounds. Magic. Well, not magic.

Magic... hmm. My body did have a slight blue glow to it, like, a radiant blue, like ice. Heck. The whole world kinda seemed bluish right now.

Well that's strange.

How the hell did I pull that one off...?

Better not to question it.

Where's Twi? She oughta be able to explain this.

Seems I crashed by Fluttershy's house. Better check with her first.

As I approached her house, I heard sobs. The door was open, so naturally I intruded.

Fluttershy was crying in the corner, and next to her was a dead bird. Okay. Nothing out of the usual here. I should probably leave her alone for now.

I flew over to Twi's house really fast. No wind today, it seems. Still, ridiculously fast. Like, really really-

SLAM!

C'mon, I didn't knock anything over... please please please... I don't want to have to listen to a lecture again. "Spice the tweed, store times the fopping distance, yeah yeah whatever."

I walked back and slowly opened my eyes. I saw Twilight through the window, writing an essay like nothing happened. Good.

I opened the door and walked in. "Twilight!" I yelled.

She didn't respond. Must be one hell of an essay.

"Yo!" I got closer to her. "Twilight! I have some questions, and-"

"Hey, Spike, can you get me a new bottle of ink?"

"On it!"

"Thanks."

...Okay, so she's not deaf. Or completely tuned into that.

"Hey, Twilight, I have to ask you something."

"Gah!" She whipped around.

"Yeah, so Twi, I-"

"S- Spike? Do you have the feeling as if somepony is watching us?"

"No, not particularly."

"...I guess you're right."

How can she not see me? I'm right here! I tapped her on the shoulder.

She quickly turned around, horn aglow. A beam shot out of her horn, passed through me, and knocked a bookshelf over.

"...Interesting..." she muttered.

I slowly backed away and left.

Since Twilight is obviously in one of her crazy state thingies, I decided to go home.

I opened the door. Whelp, when nothing else works, take a nap. The logic of champions.

I walked up the stairs to my bedroom when I cast eyes upon my bed. In it was... me. I was lying there was if dead, no movement. What is happen-

Gee I'm feeling really sleepy... Maybe I sho-

THUMP

...

... ...

...

... ...

"Your savior has arrived!"

"G- GAH!" I jolted awake. The color filter was gone, and I was laying in bed. My body tingled with electricity. In front of me was a white earth pony in golden armor, floating above the ground by a few inches. He glowed like a lightbulb.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"I am your savior!" He said with a wide smile. "Are you not impressed by my might?!"

"Err, I guess. Why are you here?"

"Why, I am your savior!"

"...In which way?"

"I saved you! You see, your soul and your body were out of sync!"

"Meaning...?"

"Your soul was wandering! Its dangerous to do that. If you find out that you are but a soul disconnected from body, you lose synchronization, opening you up to the creatures of darkness!"

"...I don't get it."

"Let us put it this way: I saved you! I am your savior! Be grateful for my radiance!"

"...Um, thanks?"

"Yes! That is the spirit! I shall ensure you that you shall not have to do this again."

He pointed at me and a small wisp of golden energy fell off of his hoof. It inched towards me and went into my right tear duct. It stung with electricity.

"Ow! Ow ow ow ow ow... what are you doing?!"

He was busy concentrating on something. "Hm? What's this? Oh, yes... this will be interesting..."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"So, umm... who are you?"

"Your savio-"

"Name. Profession."

He chuckled. "You need not know that. I am the Bane of Darkness, the Knight of Light, He Who Raised the Earth From its Dias!"

"...What?"

"Bringer of Sunlight, Sword of the Sun, El Fuego, That Really Awesome Guy, The Angels' Shield, the-"

"That's real nice. But I'm kinda pressed for time, so um, who are you?"

"Like you do not know," he said with a smile. "We've certainly met before. I'd like to say in a dream, but I know that's wrong."

Something stirred in my mind. "Yeah... I know you... Z- Zip- Zeno... Zil..."

He laughed again. "Yes, this will certainly be interesting. I find you will remember in due time. Or maybe learn again. Now, your friends should have plenty to worry about given your absence. But, a parting gift." a sword fell from the sky and came through the roof. It was identical to my other one, except this one was made of gold. "I expect we shall meet again, however."

He then flew through the ceiling and disappeared.

Well... that was... interesting. What did he say? 'Given my absence?' They didn't seem to worry that much. I was just sleeping, I do that all the time.

Interesting. Well, I'm bored.

I walked outside and jumped off into free-fall. I didn't land into a bale of hay. And I thought shelving books was hard. Lucky you Applejack.

Where can I go. Scratch Fluttershy. Twilight looks busy too. Pinkie is at work, Rarity is... at work, Applejack is... also at work. Am I the only pony who has nothing to do right now?

I mean, being head at the Weather Station is nice because you have less shifts, like, ridiculously less shifts, but in general, you kinda get bored. The few times you do go to work there's not much to do. But the pay is good, and that's really all that matters.

I can probably make a few extra bits helping out Applejack.

But that would take effort.

I can probably also make some money helping Rarity.

But that would take skill at sewing and/or posing as a model in a fancy outfit for a couple hours.

Pinkie?

I suck at baking, and she's a bit... eccentric.

Well then. I'm really really bored now.

I wonder if you can enter the abyss place when it's not the Dark Hour?

Whelp, I got all day to find out. Let's go!

Apparently so. The door seemed to work perfectly.

I jumped into the trap door and walked the ledge, expecting to take the long trek again... but instead I fell.

...maybe not.

Well then... um... I'm kinda dead now, aren't I...

I'd fly out, but there's no light, I could rip my wing on something, fall down again, and if I don't die on impact I'll certainly bleed to death. Fragile things, wings.

Ha! I rhymed. They should put that on my tombstone.

Always laugh in the face of death... that's one of the guiding principles of pegasi. Except for Fluttershy.

If you're a Weatherpony: laugh in the face of death. Those storms won't make themselves.

If you're a Wonderbolt: laugh in the face of death. Its either him or the ground you'll have to laugh at.

If you're a Veterinarian: actually, still laugh in the face of death. Some of those monsters can get pretty damn scary.

Should I have hit the ground already?

Iunno. Can you use spells right now, too?

I conjured a single bolt. It flew down... and hit something. I skid to a brake. I summoned a flame above my hoof. I looked up.

Well, that's certainly a drop.

...I'm here already, how bout I see what's going on.

There seemed to be a single tunnel.

Maybe this is a bit, dangerous, I'm alone and I-

Nah Dash, you're more than awesome enough for this!

Okay.

I looked around. This place is very different when its not the Dark Hour.

"Welcome, traveller," I heard the sweet voice of a mare say.

I turned around. She had a beam of light bathing her light cream hide. She wore a tunic with a very particular shade of blue that matched her brown mane. Somehow, I knew she was-

"Lexis?" I asked.

She laughed and swiped a hoof across her face. Her disguise faded, which wasn't much of a change seeing how her coat is very whitish and she's usually glowing like that. "Yes, yes, it's me. Its been a long time since I've-" she coughed. "Well, you've come to the right place."

"Meaning?"

"This is your sanctuary. Call it what you will. A good way to think of it is a more... physical Velvet Room. Except the difference here, is nopony can guide you. Not even me, or any of your personas." She frowned a bit. "I'm only allowed to introduce you. This place is designed for only you to discover yourself. Explore it. I can't explain everything for you now, can I?"

"Hey, you haven't done that mu-"

"Sword. Cards. Elksta. Canvas. Velvet."

"Ah, yes. Um, okay. Well err, can you at least give me a light source?" This place was pretty dark...

"Let there be light! Ha. I always wanted to say that."

A cheap chandelier was now hanging from the ceiling. It dangled and threatened to fall. Of course. It was a gift from Lexis.

I was going to protest but she had gone already.

I glared at the candles above. She had infinite power to do whatever she wanted, yet she summons... this. I can't complain though.

So, what is this cave exactly?

It seemed to consist of only a small square room, no bigger than my bedroom. No doors, just solid stone walls.

This place needs a bit more flavor.

Hey, Rarity knows colors. And Pinkie's great at throwing parties. I could invite the two of them down and-

"You are not allowed to invite any others." I heard a stern voice say.

Oh.

"Why?" I asked mentally. "I mean what's wrong wi-"

"You are not allowed to invite any others."

"But really, there's-"

"You are not allowed to invite any oth-"

"Yeah yeah I got it. C'mon, leave me alone."

"You are not allowed to invite any others."

Is there a broken tape recorder persona? I figure I should shut up lest I want more yelling. Its like that one judge at flight camp who flew around with earmuffs while evaluating you. "Where did you learn to fly?"

Well... I don't know what to do here, honestly. Lexis's lamp illuminated some of the room, but not all of it. I wonder how big this room is?

At once, almost as if responding to my thoughts, the lamp grew brighter until the walls were revealed.

On each wall was its own painting. I could only see one of them, though. It was worn and covered with ash, as if it was the only surviving thing from a long war. At the same time, though, it looked almost indestructible. It gave off an aura that was hard to describe.

The picture, though, was a lot easier. It was simply a pony, surrounded by white light, walking into the darkness. With his triumphant gaze, he looked as if he thought his mere presence expeled it. He kinda looked like the weird knight dude form earlier.

In his hoof, he held a golden staff, topped with a ruby.

"Beautiful mural, isn't it," I heard a gravelly voice say behind me.

I turned to see a black colt wearing a suit. He looked down with an emotionless face characteristic of a buisnessmare, a slash wound across his left eye stretching from ear to mouth.

"Um, yeah. Who are you?"

"...a guider, a traveller, whatever you wish it be called. I am here to help."

"I thought I wasn't allowed-"

"To get help from anypony else, or personas. Yes. And that is completely true." He smiled cruelly.

"...Okaaaaay... um, what are you helping with?"

"Everything. Well, what I will be helping with." He put a hoof on my forehead. It burned like poison.

He frowned. "What's this? Hmm..." He lifted his hoof, but the pain still lingered. "I suppose he wins again. Most powerful user of the millenium and he wins again." He sighed, then quickly smiled again. "Wait... I remember you."

I still felt queasy from the touch. "Wh- me?"

"Yes... I think I've finally won. Before the game started." He laughed and unsheathed a dagger from his belt. "Good luck, Rainbow Dash." He stabbed himself through the chest and disappeared.

The pain was beginning to subside. Why do I always get the characters? I haven't met a single normal pony in my life.

Again, sorry for late upload. Almost have a new oneshot out. Yay.