Abductions

Chapters

Disappearances
Questions
Sickening Truth
Change
Corruption
Ease
Dreaming
Perspective

Disappearances

Twilight knocked on the front door of Thunderlane's house again, a little harder than she did last time. The grey overcast of clouds caused the once vibrant and colorful town of Ponyville to be tinted in grey; the town, the trees, even the very grass became lackluster in color. Most unsettling was lack of life from the town streets, typically you'd see ponies going every which way; to work, to school or where ever. But today the streets lay bare.

The purple Unicorn started to call out the Pegasus' name, hoping he would answer the door. "Thunderlane, are you in there?"

After a few minutes of silence, Twilight shook her head and sighed leaning her head down, a sudden gust of wind blowing her mane all over her face.

The Pegasus still wasn't home. The young mare turned her back to the dead house and walked homeward towards the Library. "How can he still not be home?" Twilight questioned as she crossed the field that lead her home. She opened the door smoothly with her hoof and proceeded inside. A purple dragon with green eyes and a green underbelly greeted her with a scroll in hand.

"Hey Twilight, was Thunderlane home today?" He asked in a higher pitched but slightly more masculine voice.

Twilight shook her head, "No Spike, still nothing."

Spike scratched the scales on his head. "That's seven days in a row now, maybe he moved away?"

Twilight squinted at Spike, "Just like Derpy moved away?" her voice growing louder with every word, "Just like Twist's entire Family moved away? JUST LIKE CARROT TOP MOVED AWAY?" She screamed starting to huff. “I don’t think I can keep buy into that lie!” She peered at the small dragon, who was now a curled up ball on the floor, his small and immature claws were over his mouth and he was trembling. Twilight didn't notice how harsh her voice was getting; she took a few steps back and covered her mouth. She had never yelled at her assistant like that before. "I'm sorry Spike. I- I didn't mean to-"

"It's ok Twilight," Spike proclaimed timidly standing up and brushing off his arm. "Look I get it, she has been missing for a week and you’re worried. But you are making a big deal out of nothing. And Celestia knows when it comes to overblowing a simple problem you're a professional." The dragon tried to comfort his oldest and best friend. He hoped a little teasing comedy would help her to lighten up on the whole ordeal.

Twilight let out a little laugh remembering her hysteria over a silly tardy letter to the Princess. Her horn began to glow and distort, a pair of books flying down from the bookshelf labeled "Fiction" and landing softly on the floor before her. "You're right, you're absolutely right Spike." She gave a confident smile and opened one of the books to the first page, "What I need is to get my mind off of it all with a good book. She probably just went to Cloudsdale and didn't mention it to me." She declared a nervous smile on her face.

Spike cleared his throat, a bit of smoke escaping his nostrils. "Actually Twilight, a letter from the Princess came while you were out." The small dragon held up the tanned scroll with a red ribbon carefully entrapping the spiraled parchment.

"Oh!" Twilight jumped up, a gleeful look stealing her face. She always loved to hear from the Princess. "Well what's it say?"

Spike removed the ribbon and unrolled the paper. "My faithful student," The assistant read aloud. "It is with great regret that I must inform you that there is a serial ponynapper at large in Equestria."

Twilights eyes shot wide, "WHAT?" she yelled as she rammed Spike out the way, catching the scroll with the magic from her horn and continued reading. "The pony in question has yet to be identified from any major provenance. I have sent the entire First Legion out to find this individual. Whiteness reports claim that he/she is a Unicorn wearing all black cloths; others suggest that it's been spotted with Pegasus wings.” The Mare’s breathing and reading becoming quicker the further she went. “The claims have come from Fillydelphia all the way to Manehattan. Please take this to Mayor of Ponyville at once, and tell her to make an announcement to alert the rest of the citizenry... Princess Celestia."

Twilight was hard pressed to catch her breath after she was done reading; her heart felt a sting of dread. She hoped on all things magic that whoever this ponynapper was, they didn't take Rainbow Dash. Twilight shook her head and chuckled, Rainbow Dash was the fastest and most courageous pony in Ponyville, second only to Applejack, and there is no way anypony could overtake her. But still, ponynapping has been practically non-existent for as long as Twilight can remember. Why would a sudden stream that covered Equestria pop up like this?

The young Mare unraveled the bottom part of the scroll to find more writing. "P.S. Use caution, this could be anypony."

Spike sat up rubbing the side of his head that made contact with a nearby bookshelf. "Jeeze, all you had to do was ask."

"Come on, we have to get this to the Mayor right away!" Twilight exclaimed running to the door. She opened it to discover a steady trickle of water falling from the sky. A flash of lightening startled her into slamming the door closed. She backed away slowly than looked back to her assistant.

Spike sighed and grabbed a yellow raincoat and hat, and placed them onto the mare's back and head. She gave him a grateful smile and opened the door again taking care to keep the scroll safe in her coat pocket, the rain was coming down harder, and as she listened she could hear the drops slamming to the ground more violently. The two exited the giant tree, locking the door behind them. Another flash of lightening followed immediately by a crash of thunder caused them both to jump in surprise.

Neither of them had ever heard thunder that loud, or felt the ground shake so much upon the boom. The sun's light was all but cut off from the small town by the dark cumulonimbus overhead. Twilight had to let her eyes adjust before proceeding out of the yard. She turned the corner, a flash of lighting illuminating the entire town for a split second before blinding the light sensitive pony’s eyes.

"What was that?" She called trying to blink the light spots away, trying to adjust again. A light wind was starting to pick up; its sway softly rustling the trees.

"What was what?" Spike asked peering around the darkness.

The light stricken pony squinted again, there, by that green and yellow house. She saw the shape of a pony looking at her. Once she could see again, she let out a sigh of relief realizing it was just a left over Halloween decoration that her neighbor had forgotten to take down.

"I don't see it." Spike grumbled.

Twilight let out a laugh at her paranoia and trotted on to the Mayor office. After a few minutes, they came across the town hall; it was the only building in all of Ponyville that had any kind of light radiating from it. Twilight opened the door to find a third of the town ponies in the entryway, all of their eyes eerily and uncomfortably concentrated at her.

Twilight froze instantly, she hadn't expect for so many ponies to be here, let alone all of them giving her their undivided attention upon entery.The purple pony removed her hat and everone let out a sigh of relief, Spike pushed past and put his hands on his hips. "Wow, what's going on? You guys that afraid of the storm?"

"No!" Yelled a high pitch voice from somewhere in the heard. A pink pony skipped up to Twilight and Spike, her body a lighter pink and her mane a fuzzy and curly slightly darker pink. "There was this new pony in town, and he was TOoootally scary, he had on a black coat and black hat, the kind if hat you see on those old detective ponies wearing back in the old pictures, or the ones the news reporters wear today!" She exclaimed taking a breath.

"And he was just walking around town, looking for something. I have never seen him around before so it's obvious that he couldn't have dropped something when he was here last, because if he did, I would have remembered him, because I know everypony who comes to-." The pink pony found a purple hoof covering her mouth and a pair of bewildered purple eyes beaming at her.

Twilight's stomach churned and her voice shook as she spoke. "D- Did you say, 'black coat and hat’?” Twilight hoped desperately that she had heard her overzealous companion’s hyper speak incorrectly. She begged for the uneasy feeling of fear in her stomach to stop, but a quick nod from Pinkie Pie dashed any doubt of hoped miscommunication.

"That Pony in black." Piped Rarity stepping forward from a group she was huddled with. The white unicorn’s usually beautiful and expertly curled mane, was now soggy and flat. "That mysterious and badly dressed newcomer. He is skulking around outside,"

A brown pony with an hourglass on his flank let out a grunt and stepped forward. "I've had enough. I came down here to see what all of the commotion was about, and I am told of some ponytale about a colt in black? For Celestia’s sake, didn’t we go over this with Zecora? You're not fillies anymore," He grabbed his grey raincoat and put it on, "I’m going home, good night."

"Wait!" Twilight called in angst, "Doctor Whooves!" the door slammed shut behind him. A flash of lightening outside revealed Doctor Whooves walking towards his home in the meadow.

Twilight let out a grunt and ran up to the first landing of the town halls main stair case. "Listen everypony!" She announced, all conversations coming to a halt and dozens of eyes being cast upon the young mare. "I have just received a letter from Princess Celestia." She pulled the scroll out of her coat pocket and read aloud for every stallion and mare to hear, minus the snippets that were addressed to her personally.

Gasps and speculation overtook the room after the reading, Twilight heard many possible suspects that the pony in black could be. Her friend Rainbow Dash being among them. She wondered back down the stairs, her mind occupied by to many questions.

Why? Twilight thought to herself, her face contorting in thought. Why would anypony ponynap? Is there a link between those who have gone missing? Twilight still had hope for her friends, but just to humor the situation, she decided to dwell on their connections. Rainbow Dash and Thunderlane were both Pegasi, but Twist's entire family had been Earth Ponies, the same with Carrot Top... Twilight pondered if there was any other kind of connection other than pony type. She thought on the connections for several minutes, before her name being called snapped her back to reality.

"Twilight, TWILIGHT!" Spike barked snapping his fingers; the now agitated unicorn looked up, insulted that her thoughts were interrupted with such impunity.

"Dear, I can see the cogs in your head turning a mile a minute. What are you thinking?" Rarity asked, moving a few wet strands of her mane away from her face.

"Oh nothing, just trying to figure out who it might be." Twilight gave a nervous smirk as she always did when she lied.

Rarity glared, she knew Twilight all too well to dismiss that smile. "Twilight Sparkle, you wouldn't lie to me would you?"

Twilight bit her lip. "Of- of course not, don't be silly. I'm just uh..." She stumbled over her words trying to think of something. Where was Pinkies random interjections when she needed it?

"Attention! Attention everypony!" Called an older and somewhat shaky voice. They all turned to see the Mayor standing where Twilight had given her speech. Twilight let out a huge sigh of relief; the Mayor saved her from a fierce interrogation, for the moment anyway.

The Mayor let out a calming sigh before she spoke again. "I know you all have seen or heard of this mysterious black pony, and if what Twilight said is true, than I think many of you will be happy to know that tomorrow, I will personally request a barracks of guards to the town." The Mayor gave out one of the most forced smiles Twilight had ever seen.

A barracks of guards? Ponyville had never been occupied by a military force before. Twilight didn't like the sound of it, it made her uncomfortable to think that PeaceColts would be roaming the town, but in the interest of safety, she thought it maybe best.

"It will be temporary of course,” The Mayor continued, her voice growing more confident, “but with ponies being nabbed as the Princess had said, it would be for the best to have protection. And hence forth as Mayor of Ponyville I do decree, that a nine o'clock curfew shall be put into place starting tomorrow."

"A curfew?!" A male Pony exclaimed. "What about those of us who work at night? I go into the hospital at midnight for Celestia's sake" he finished, sparking an uproar and protest from the crowd bellow the Mayor, each yelling unintelligibly over one another.

"Please everypony just trust me!" The Mayor pleaded trying to defuse the angering mob.

Suddenly, the main doors burst open, the sound of down pouring rain even more audible than before. Everypony looked over in shock and gasped to see one brown haired pony with a sopping wet red mane standing soaking wet in the doorway. She set her two front hooves down on the ground and started walking forward a look of concern in her eyes, "Where is he?" She asked looking through the giant group of ponies. "Where is my husband?"

Twilight recognized her as Doctor Whooves wife…

( A/N: Alright, my first story was a flop, maybe this one might be a little bit better. Feedback is encouraged, how the critique you get on a fanfic site is better than an actual original story site, is beyond me)

Questions

A/N. Feedback and critique is very welcome for this story. The first chapter has a number of reads and no rating or comments. If it's so bad that people don't even feel it's worthy of a rating let me know!

Questions

Twilight thrashed restlessly in her bed, she was unable to sleep. The Conversation with Doctor Hooves' wife still haunting her, her words playing over and over in Twilight's mind. She sat up and looked out her window to the blackness outside, with this kind of weather, day and night could barely be told apart, but at least rain was starting to die down.

With two hooves the pony rubbed away the growing tears in her eyes. The look on the Mrs. Hooves was terrifying, her eyes were wide and fearful after she was informed her husband was on his way home to her only minutes ago. She asked how that was possible, when she walked to the town hall she claimed to not have seen him. Twilight suggested that maybe Dr. Hooves just wanted some time to cool off in the rain, he was very steamed when he stormed out of the building after all.

When Mrs. Hooves left to go home that night, Twilight remembered the mare held a reassured smile, acknowledging that her husband was probably on the couch right now reading a book or studying on some Medical diagrams.

Twilight pulled the covers off and got out of bed. She slugged over to the candles on the other side of the room, three small embers sparked on three wicks, and quickly grew into illuminating fires. With one hoof, she grabbed a blank parchment, and with the other a small ink holder with a quill already inside it. She used her horn to lift the writing utensil and started scribbling away at the now tainted parchment.

"Let's see..." The Mare whispered her pen scribbling. "Rainbow Dash was a Pegasus from Cloudsdale, as was Thunderlane. Twist and Carrot Top were Earth Ponies, both born in Ponyville." She wrote down every word. Giving traits to each of the four ponies, Twilight made a game out of it, casting out the thoughts of her friends being taken in favor a lighthearted connection puzzle.

Twilight wrote two pages of traits down before her eyelids started to become heavy. She checked the time to learn it was a little after midnight. She heard a soft knock from down stairs and immediately jumped, becoming wide awake. "Spike?" She called in a whisper. She turned her head and saw he was still sound asleep in his basket in the corner of the room. Another few knocks sent Twilight leaping over to her assistant and silently shaking him awake.

"No, I don't wanna eat pearls, they taste funny." Spike sobbed pushing Twilight away. Twilight rolled her eyes and shook the baby dragon again. "Huh, uh... Twilight?" He yawned and was about to continue, but Twilight covered his mouth with her hoof.

"Shh, do you hear that?" Twilight asked looking back at the door that lead down to the Library.

Spike listened intently for a few moments, his eyes beginning to wonder as he lost patients from hearing nothing. He grabbed Twilights front leg and pushed it away from his mouth. "Twilight, you're hearing thin-" The knocking came again, a little louder this time, and he let out a gasp. "What in the?"

"C'mon," Twilight called opening the door to the room, ready to investigate.

"I don't know Twilight, what if it's the Ponynapper?" Spike asked fiddling his claws.

Twilight let out an irritated sigh. "Why do you think I woke you up?" She turned her back not letting her assistant reply and proceeded down the stairs. Her initial irritation with Spike's cowardice was quickly replaced with anxiety and anticipation. What if the Pony in black was down here? And he wanted Twilight to be his next victim?

She used her horn to light the library, nothing looked disturbed. Every book was put away; every chair was in its place. The knock came again; it didn't take long for the breathless pony to find its origin. The front door, and as she grew closer, she could see the shape of someone outside the window. The closer she came, the more detail she could make out.

"Twi-"

Twilight's heart skipped a beat and she jumped letting out a gasp she had meant to be a scream. She turned around and backed away in surprise. Her nerves calmed when she witnessed Spike holding a broom like a spear and a pan over his head like a helmet. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you; I just had to get battle ready." He swung the broom around as if fighting off an imaginary enemy, his moves more awkward than graceful.

Twilight turned back to the door, she wanted to be angry with the dragon, but she couldn't help but giggle about how ridiculous he looked. She opened the door just as a string of lightening flashed overhead.

Twilight fell back, two hooves on her chest. She closed her eyes and screamed; she felt the two hooves on her chest hug her and start shaking with her. The frightened mare opened her eyes to discover a pink fizzy blob in her face. "P- Pinkie Pie?" She asked.

The usually hyperactive pink mare lifted her face, a nervous smile looking at her friend. "Yea, Twilight?"

Twilight pushed her off and slammed the door shut. All of this stress and terror... was over Pinkie Pie? Twilight put a hoof over her eyes; she was on the verge of a panic attack for what had to be the friendliest of ponies she had ever met. Twilight couldn't help it; the initial scowl she held out of being afraid for nothing was replaced by unstoppable giggling. "I'm so-" An unstiffeled laugh interrupted her, "I'm sorry Pinkie, I thought you were the ponynapper."

Pinkie laughed from the comedy. "Me, ponynap? That's a good one, but that's the reason I didn't say anything from the other side of the door."

Twilight shook her head, even Pinkie was afraid of him. "C'mon let's go into the kitchen and have something to drink." She turned to find Spike with the broom overhead and his eyes clamped shut. "Uh... Spike?"

Spike opened his eyes, a bead of sweat treading down his face. "Oh, ok." Spike tossed the broom and pan away, than sheepishly proceed back to bed.

Twilight lit a few candles in the Kitchen and began speaking with her friend; pinkie confessed that she was a little scared of the storm and the Black Pony. The conversation evolved from talking about the possibilities of who the pony might be, to gummy, Pinkies toothless pet alligator,

Twilight was amazed how much better she felt. In spite of the storm, and the Pony in Black, Pinkie could still make her smile and laugh. She was almost amazed she was terrified only minutes ago.

"Pinkie, is it alright if I ask you a favor?" Twilight blushed a little at the silly question she was about to ask, but already knew the mare would agree.

"I would be more than happy to make you some cupcakes Twilight!" The pink pony declared throwing her arms happily in the air.

Twilight was taken back at the sudden and random exclamation. "No, I mean would you mind staying with me for a while? I mean, if the ponynapper did want either of us, there is safety in number right?"

"Well duh," Pinkie barked. "Why do you think I'm here?"

"That's not all." Twilight continued taking a final sip of her tea. "I need you to stay with Spike while I go and look for Rainbow Dash."

Pinkie gave an inquisitive look.

Twilight let out a sigh. "You saw him; he froze up as you tackled me to the floor." Twilight waved her front hooves dramatically, referring to Spikes inability to defend her, and in a huff she gently laid her head on the table. "I just want to make sure that my friends are taken care of." her tone went from angst and explanatory to desperate and concerned

The pink pony put her hoof on Twilight's and gave her a reassuring smile "Of course i will."

Twilight smiled and sighed, she knew that Pinkie would agree, but hearing her say it made her feel all the better about it.

The two mares decided to sleep downstairs tonight, on the rug next to the fireplace. Twilight used her magic to begin a small flame for light and comfort as Pinkie grabbed two pillows and blankets from upstairs. The spark ignited into a roaring flame, The Unicorn let out a content and proud smirk and turned back to see if Pinkie was coming down stairs.

She saw him in the corner of her eye. The light from the fireplace made out his face in the window. Twilight gasped as she stared upon it, the Pony in Black was looking right at her. His dark eyes glaring at her, obscured by his black fedora hat, but still she could tell he saw her. A black coat drenched his body; accept for a white shirt and black tie over his chest. The look he gave Twilight wasn't a look at her, but a look threw her.

The purple mare was frozen in place. It took all her will power just to keep breathing, his eyes... his chestnut colored eyes. Twilight had never seen anything like them before; they seemed in an eternal angry glare.

"Sorry that took so long," Pinkie said as she walked down the stairs. Twilight's eyes quickly scanned over to look at Pinkie than immediately looked back, but the Stallion was gone. She kept her eyes fixated on the window, half hoping to see him again. Feeling and ability returned to her legs and the Unicorn walked to Pinkie Pie.

"He is outside." Twilight moaned grabbing one of the chairs from the kitchen and putting it against the front door calmly. She was scared, but also exhausted. The purple mare was too in shock and exhausted to express her feelings of fear any longer. Pinkie frowned nervously as her friend started lighting every candle in the room, placing many of them right next to the windows.

Twilight collapsed on the rug, the heat from the fire forcing her eyes closed until she couldn't fight it anymore and passed out.

Twilight awoke to the sound of birds chirping. She rubbed her still tired eyes and looked around, trying to blink away the haze in her eyes. The found Pinkie sitting in front on the couch behind her, the poor party pony looked like she didn't sleep all night, her bloodshot blue eyes glared intently at the far window.

"Pinkie Pie?" Twilight quipped.

Pinkie’s eyes shot directly at Twilight, her concentrated face turning into a happy smile. "Morning sleepy head," She cheered.

Twilight stood up and shook off the blanket. "Were you awake all night?"

"Yea, if I wasn't what would stop him from coming in here?" Pinkie asked as if it was the dumbest question in the world.

Twilight nodded in agreement and wondered over to a shelf with her saddlebag. She secured it on her person and looked threw to make sure everything she needed was still in it. She glanced out the window to check the weather, the clouds were thinner now, but still had not dispersed. "Pinkie..." Twilight spoke, her voice braking at the end. That stallion in black's face running threw her mind, his angry eyes piercing her soul.

Pinkie looked at Twilight, whose back was currently turned to her.

"I- I may not come back. So, if I don't promise me that you'll take care of-"

"DON'T TALK LIKE THAT!" Pinkie shouted tackling and hugging her friend. "Nothing is going to happen to you."
Twilight could feel the tears stream from the unusually calm party pony's eye on her cheek. "I don't want to lose you too."

Twilight hugged her friend. Her hooves coddling Pinkie's head, trying to give her at least some kind of comfort.

"Please let me come with you." Pinkie looked up with pleading eyes.

Twilight smiled and brushed her friend’s frizzy pink mane. "You promised you would stay and look after Spike, remember?"

Pinkie buried her face in Twilight's chest and began to sob. "Promis-" she cut off in another sob. "Promise me you will be careful."

Twilight promised and gently stood Pinkie up. They shared one more embrace before the Unicorn walked out the door. She observed the small village around her, making sure that the Pony from last night wasn't around. She saw a little life return to the town, though everyone walked in pairs or groups of three as they traveled. The ponies brave enough to come outside were whispering rather than speaking, and there were no fillies out playing around the square as there usually were.

The unusual silence added to the uncomfortable grey tint that the clouds cast on Ponyville made Twilight feel a twinge of despair. If Rainbow Dash were around, she would have kicked it the remaining clouds into oblivion at day break, even if she had to do it alone. She had a thing about letting storms stay longer than a day or so.

Twilight wondered to the Everfree forest, she had decided to start her search with the zebra Zacora. Maybe she could tell Twilight something about the Rainbow mare's disappearance. Twilight walked to the edge of the forest and started passing the cottage of her Pegasus friend Fluttershy. Twilight crossed the stone bridge and knocked on the door, a few moments latter a yellow pony with timid turquoise eyes and pink mane answered the door. "Oh, Hi Twilight," Fluttershy greeted her with a smile. "What brings you here?"

"Fluttershy, I’m afraid I have some bad news." Twilight told her about the Pony in Black, and how ponies from all over Equestria were starting to go missing. She felt that the Pegasus had the right to know.

Fluttershy gasped and acted nervously. "Oh my." She fidgeted with her hooves on the ground. Twilight found this in suspicion. She had expected the sensitivity in Fluttershy to express something other than nervousness.

"Fluttershy?" Twilight called, a little concerned to Fluttershy's desensitized demeanor. Fluttershy just looked down in thought. It would make sense, even if she had heard it from another pony; a ponynapper is still a lot to take in. Deciding to leave Rainbow Dash out of her explanation, she gently put her hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder.

Fluttershy looked up and chewed on her lip, her eyes started looking around avoiding Twilight's. "Do- Do you think he's around her?"

"I honestly can't say, but I saw him last night when Pinkie Pie came over."

At the explanation a look of realization passed Fluttershy's face. "Oh ok, well I'm in the middle of giving Angle a bath, so I have to go. Good bye Twilight." And before the perplexed Unicorn could respond the large wooden door slammed in her face.

Twilight remembered that Angel was quite an impatient and at times aggressive rabbit, so maybe there was some merit to Fluttershy's abrupt rudeness... But still, Twilight noticed that she hadn't been acting normal threw out the explanation. Only the occasional mention of ponynapping seemed to cause her any real discomfort. The rest of the time her face was blank and intent.

Twilight dismissed her feelings and continued into the Everfree forest, hoping to find some at least some answers…

Sickening Truth

Twilight had searched all threw the Ever free forest, and after hours of tireless examination, and combing every possible place the Pegasus pony could be, she returned to Ponyville. The sun was down again, and the clouds had dispersed, she realized walking out past Fluttershy's cottage again. Though something caught Twilight's eye, a small crescent moon was now gently and skillfully drawn on the cottage's mailbox. Twilight thought it an interesting decoration, but dismissed it as probably some kind of redecorating.

As she made her way home, the exhausted Unicorn noticed white stallions with Silver armor standing within the town square; a half-finished large wooden building in the town square's park area, and a handful of white tents were erected around it. Twilight stood confused before she remembered the barracks of troops the mayor claimed she would request from the Princess. Twilight felt uncomfortable, only a few of the Peace-colts present were ponies she actually knew, and the others seemed to be more... eager. Typically, the guards of Canterlot, or any city for that matter, were expressionless to the slightest detail, but many of the guard ponies lacked the discipline of the veterans.

A few white stallions’ eyes would shift one way or another; others would yawn and stretch, and others still would noticeably shift from left to right continuously. All of the silver clad rookies had one thing in common; they all let out constant sighs of boredom. After wondering around, Twilight had gotten a count of over twenty five Peace-colts. Almost twice as many as the young mare had originally predicted. And she could only imagine how many the surrounding orchards had, or how many were asleep and not available for addition.

Though, she found a few royal guards also standing threw out the town, all in their typical golden armor and helm attire that Twilight had come to remember them by. There were only a few, but the small number of royal guardsman made her feel safer than the two dozen Peace-colts

"Twilight Sparkle!" Barked one of the Royal guards as he marched up to the intimidate mare. His dark grey coat almost seemed black under the street torch illuminated golden armor. She didn't know this particular stallion, and stood on edge being addressed by him. "I was told to inform you; your brother, Shining Armor, is in the library." With a quick jerk of his head, Twilight guessed was supposed to be some representation of a bow, the Peace-colt returned to his post by the lamp.

"Wait Shining Armor is here?" Twilight asked. The golden clad stallion stood cold and motionless, refusing to answer.

Twilight let out a sigh and trotted back home. She supposed it isn't really that strange to find her brother her under the circumstances. Though, the more she thought about it, the happier she became, she had missed her brother and perhaps he could give her a little insight about the Princess's plan to deal with the ponynapper.

Twilight burst through the door to find the white haired and blue maned stallion she called her brother sitting at a group of tables pushed together with a giant map on it. With him, two Unicorn Royal guards and two pegasus Peace-colts stood in a circle. They all drew their weapons and glared at the young Unicorn with alarmed looks.

"Twilight!" Exclaimed the Captain dropping his sword, running over to her and embracing his sister in a hug.

Twilight hugged her brother back; she had missed him so much. She hadn't seen him since his wedding with her old foal sitter Princess Cadence. His strong frame and armor brought comfort to the pony's emotional turmoil. She felt as though everything would be alright with him around.

"Twilight where were you?" Her brother scolded, "I sent a party out to find you, i feared the worst." He exclaimed, is overbearing concern was more than welcome to the frightened mare.

"I'm sorry Shine; I was out in the Everfree forest looking for Rainbow Dash." Twilight said apologetically, breaking the embrace and looking into her brothers eyes.

A flash of realization crossed his face before he averted his eyes to the ground. "Lieutenant Warhoof, please escort the Tribunes out, Twilight and I need a few minutes." One of the unicorn royal guards gave a quick solute and the four officers walked out the door, leaving an uncomfortable silence between the two siblings.

Twilight studied her brother’s face, he looked as though he were on the verge of tears. "Twilight, please have a seat. There is something you should know."

Twilight felt a twinge of pain in her heart. She knew that Shining had bad news for her, but with the thick silence between the two and the devastated look on his face, it seem ''bad news'' that would be an understatement.

"Once Celestia had received your letter about Rainbow Dash's disappearance. She informed me, and i sent out a search party to find her right away." Shining Armor turned his back to his sister and wondered over to a newly crafted military trunk. "Her being your best friend and all."

Twilight stood, she felt her stomach churn, she prayed on all things magical that he wasn't about to tell her what she thought he was.

"Everywhere; from Manehatten to Fillydelphia and a few provenances beyond that. The Pegasi searched the sky for miles in either direction. But we found nothing... until" The blue maned Unicorn pulled out a brown cloth bag in his mouth, a foul oder coming from it that made Twilight cover her snout. He placed it on it on the table, seemingly unaffected by the stench. "Until we found this in the Rainbow Factory at Cloudsdale."

Twilight gazed with an appalled squint at the odor seeping sack. "What is that smell?"

Shining Armor let out a sigh. "Would like me to tell you, or show you?"

Twilight didn't care, she just wanted the stench to go away. "Whatever just show me!" She exclaimed her stomach feeling queasy more from the smell than fear.

With a moment of hesitation, the stallion untied the bag, and with his hooves and lifted it upside down giving way for the object within to fall with a dry splat on the table. Twilight witnessed the chunk of flesh fall from the bag and could no longer contain herself. She threw up on the floor due to the sound, the over powering smell, and what she recognized to be pony flesh. After a few dry heaves she wiped her hoof a crossed her mouth and looked back to the vile thing. Her eyes widened and tears began swelling. "No" she cried weakly. "It- It can't be."

The Cyan colored flesh was painted with something Twilight knew all too well... A White fluffy cloud giving way to a multicolored rainbow lightning bolt, Rainbow Dash's cutie mark. Someone had carved it off of her flank. Twilight found more substance in her stomach as she cried and threw up again. What hope she had left for her friend was now gone. Wrapped up and discarded just like the bag of flesh as Shining Armor put it back in the trunk.

"We had it taken into observation, there was blood covering it except the cutie mark. If what the labs say is correct, than she had her cutie mark cut out while she was still alive." The Stallion stared down at the ground again, his expression becoming hard, trying to withstand the urge to release the contents of his own stomach.

After a while, the stench dispersed, contained by the military grade oak trunk. But Twilight was still letting out dry heaves. One of her best friends... one whom had been seen as one of the best fliers in Equestria, a pony she looked to for courage, loyalty and strength... Twilight looked up, a desperate and hysterical resemblance of hope clinging to her heart. "Than that means she's not dead, maybe she is still alive if we hurry we-"

Twilight was cut off by her brother’s hoof on her shoulder. His face was saddened and discouraging, pleading with her to be realistic and accepting. "Twilight, when it was brought to observations, the team said that it was cut off over a week ago. We wanted to keep it secret from the ponypublic, but ever since the disappearances began, ponies have been finding carved out cutie marks like these in every city. All the cutie marks belonged to the ponies that were abducted, and were found in the cities they were born in."

Twilight hugged her brother and cried. She wanted him silent, she couldn't take anymore. The pain and sick mutilation that those ponies must have gone through. The pain of having their cutie marks carved from them. Twilight could only imagine the screaming, hurt, and helplessness they had gone through. "Please stop, please."

She cried for seconds, than minutes. She lost track of how long she had cried. Her eyes and nostrils were becoming raw, and she could feel tear drops staining her front hoof that clanged to her brother’s neck. Images of the rainbow pony started flowing threw her mind: Her vulnerable and filly like eyes were aglow with happiness as she was hoisted up by the crowd after she was declared the winner of the Young Fliers Competition. Her proud demeanor when she and Fluttershy had saved the Unicorn from plummeting off the edge of a cliff. Her aspirations of becoming a Wonder Bolt and how she never stopped talking about it, unless it was to talk about how awesome she was.

Twilight reminisced for what seemed like hours before she finally passed out due to exhaustion.

When the unicorn finally came too, she was greeted by a pair of big blue eyes outlined by a pink face. "Morning sleepyhead." Pinkie Pie exclaimed jamming her face into Twilight's. The purple mare pushed Pinkie off and discovered that she was in her own bed. She looked around to see if Shining Armor was anywhere around, the only other pony in the room with her was the over ecstatic Pinkie Diane Pie. Twilight remembered the conversation she had with Shining last night, and thought over telling Pinkie Pie.

"I'm sorry about leaving last night," Pinkie scratched the back of her neck. "But you should have seen them come in Twilight, a whole bunch of Ponies in golden armor stood in the town square, and everyone was all like: 'Oh do you see that?' and I was all like: 'Duh, don't you all remember the Mayor said she was going to bring them in?'"

Twilight let her friend go on, she couldn't care less that Pinkie was talking, much less what she was actually saying. She was still wrapped up in the death, and what looked like torture, of her once amazing friend. The purple mare sat in bed, dead eyed and broken.

"And then, Nightmare Moon came." Pinkie swooned, her front hooves clicked together in glee.

"Princess Luna." Twilight corrected.

Pinkie acknowledged and dramatically corrected her mistake. "Oh yea Princess Luna, right err, whatever. Well anyway she swooped in on her night chariot and started to look around town."

Twilight resumed her thought, letting her friend tell her usually exaggerated stories. Nothing was really on her mind; she just wanted to be numb. She didn't want to feel the hurt she had suffered last night. She left the pink pony to her babblings and looked out at the sun she had missed so dearly, its warm vibrant rays were comforting as they came in threw her bedroom window. During her time in the light, a small smile slid across her face. She realized, even in Rainbow's death, she was not alone. She still had her friends, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rarity. Though these thoughts brought her comfort, the image of Rainbow Dash's cutie mark born flesh stole her smile away.

The Purple mare turned around and hugged Pinkie Pie. "I love you Pinkie" She cried squeezing the mare’s body to her. A Stunned Pinkie stood speechless, her tirade about who knows what; called to an abrupt halt. She smiled down at her friend and returned the embrace. Twilight felt better, but still: confused, sad, and now angry.

Something came over Twilight, a feeling she had never felt before in her life. It was more than just anger, anger would only make her resent the Pony in Black and see him receive retribution. No, she Hated him, she didn't just want him brought to justice, Twilight wanted to hurt him. She wanted to make him scream and cry, just as he had made Rainbow and all of his other victims. She didn't know why he did it, but the ponynapper was now a serial killer, and Twilight would find out why he killed so many ponies and make him pay.

Twilight's joints tightened around Pinkie and her depressed look slowly turned into a scowl, a scowl that told of nothing but absolute hatred. She would give the maniac the justice he deserved, and Rainbow the revenge she was entitled to.

Change

Twilight slammed her quill down, she was frustrated, and angrier than she had ever been in her entire life. All remnants of depression she felt for her friend’s death had been replaced by contempt for her killer. She recluded, and shut down the library to all other ponies. She ignored Apple jack, Rarity, and her brother when they came by to see how she was doing one day ago, the day after she saw it... Rainbow Dash's...

The purple mare shook the thought away, and looked back to see she had torn a hole into another piece of parchment and broken another quill. She let out a sigh and was about to call for her assistant to bring her another one before she realized she had scared him away last night. She hadn't slept since then.

Twilight remembered the scared look on the poor dragons face, she didn't mean to say what she said; and she certainly didn't mean to smack him with her fore hoof. But it happened, he left, and she was now alone. The mare had cooled down since yesterday, but her temper was still short and she didn't want to hurt any of her other friends as she did him.

As she stood up from her desk to get another quill and peace of paper; Twilight glanced outside to see ponies had started to come out and wonder alone again. No longer requiring to be in pairs out of fear for being napped. Twilight let out a huff and opened the cupboard to grab the last piece of parchment and one of the last quills. 'They go around as if nothing happened now? I guess they’re over Rainbow Dash's death, I guess that she really didn't mean anything to them.' the enraged unicorn thought to herself before sitting down at her desk. She knew her anger was unjustified, but she couldn't help it, how could everypony be so calm while she was emotionally destroyed?

She looked over to the window; the morning sun was pouring in, its light revealing everything in her room, her overturned bed, the broken candle sticks, and a pile of crumpled papers and snapped writing feathers. Twilight stood again, she marched to the window and slammed the drapes shut. Her last four unbroken candles giving the last remnants of light in the room.

Twilight wished she had a little more information to work with in what tied all of these ponies together. From what she had now, it could be an extremist unicorn. Going around and killing pegasi and earth ponies for not being part of their race. But she was more than certain that if that were the case, Shining Armor would have told her about it. After going over multiple scenarios and theories; including finding any relevant connection between: Rainbow Dash, Thunderlane, Carrot top, Twist and Twist's family, the unicorn came up empty hoofed.

The mare turned to her left to see her reflection in the mirror she used to groom her mane. She hated what she saw; a defeated and useless mare, her friends were missing and probably dead, and her she was failing to find out who the perpetrator was. She felt defeated and out smarted, the Pony in Black probably didn't even have her in mind when he committed the acts, and he still bested her the very trait Twilight defined herself by, and took so much pride in.

Instead of going into a rage and bucking and thrashing wildly like she did the last time the feeling crept into her, Twilight gently put down one of the last precious quills she had left, and strapped a saddle bag onto her back. Her mane and face looked a mess from the lack of sleep, she could cover that up with a bit of grooming and magic, but her sever agitation and anxiety couldn't be hidden so easily if anypony attempted to make conversation with her. She did the best to straighten her mane and bring up the bags under her eyes before she walked outside to get something to eat.

Twilight had to squint as she walked out of her dark home and entered the light, the sun was brighter than it had been since the storm. She turned left but immediately threw her hoof in front of her eyes, shielding them from the bright light coming from some reflective surface, Her pupils contracted and she saw a Peace-colt leaning against the side of Sugar Cube Corner. The mare had completely forgotten about their occupation of Ponyville.

The mare trotted threw Ponyville, attempting to avoid any contact she could. She didn't want to hurt anymore of her friends, and keeping her distance was the best way to make sure that didn't happen. She turned down an alleyway and crept out of the town square to the marketing district. She knew she would need some supplies for traps if she were going to catch her prey.

"Twilight?" A voice called, it was smooth and a lower but still feminine voice. Twilight let out a grunt of frustration; she was not in the mood to speak with Applejack but knew it couldn't be helped now. As the unicorn turned to confront Applejack, she was greeted by not only the orange earth pony, but Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy as well. "What in tar-nation did you think you wer' doin' when ya'll hurt Spike like that?" Applejack's voice was cool and calm, in contrast to her usual low temper and loud speech when one pony brought pain to another, this behavior was almost scary to Twilight.

"I told him to leave; he didn't, so I made him." Twilight seethed a little more venomously than she had intended.

"Twilight, you are not the only one here, who lost a friend." Applejack quipped. Twilight looked into AJ's eyes, she noticed that they were red, puffy, and half closed. Her mane was a tattered and unkempt mess, and her Cowboy hat was covering more of her head than usual, giving her a far more serious and menacing look. "We all miss her, but that doesn't give you the right to hurt Spike, or anypony else."

"If he didn't want to get hurt, he should have left!" Twilight barked, anger filling her eyes.

Applejack's eyes became slits, her previously exhausted look had formed into a scowl. "You think that it's ok to hurt him because your angry? Have you really become so selfish?"

"Girls come on now" Pinkie interjected with a nervous smile, trying to ease the tension cause by her friends staring each other down. "There is no reason to go after each other, i mean, were all friends right?"

Twilight shot a look to the nervous pony. "Friends? Ok, How about you Pinkie." She spat the last word with contempt. "What exactly have you done to find your supposed friend?"

Pinkie Pie's mouth hung open, her eyes full of hurt that stung all the way to her heart. "Twilight, I just meant that-"

"Oh? You just meant what? That you care enough to give lip service about friendship but when it comes to actually showing up to do the work, you'd rather curl up to me or Applejack and hope one of us protects you?" Twilight knew that one would sting.

Pinkie's lip quivered, her typically curly and puffy mane now dangled bone straight around her. Twilight watched, her scowl softening and her tone becoming more light. "Pinkie, I- I'm so sorry. You didn't deserve that." Twilight had finally gotten her emotions under control, and attempted to stop before any more damage was dealt.

"Damn right she didn't deserve that!" Applejack yelled placing her face in Twilights making the purple mare take a step backwards. "I can't believe you: You physically hurt Spike, and then emotionally stab pinkie and I as we attempt to see what we can do to help you?"

Twilight bit back the desire to smack Applejack with her hoof; she knew that it would destroy whatever bridge of friendship they would have left. She looked down and away just hoping that the earth pony would hear her out. "Applejack, I’m not in the best place to deal with this right now, i'm sorry but-"

"You're sorry? Now ya'll are SORRY?" She bore her teeth in an act of intimidation and growing rage. "Tell me Twilight, what exactly are you sorry for? Hurting your friends? Or people being mad at you for doing so?"

Twilight's fuse was getting shorter. She knew she had to get away from Applejack before either of them did something they would both regret. "I have to go." Twilight turned and started walking, before she knew it, Applejack jumped in front of her, attempting to block her path.

"And just where do you think you're goin'?" The cowpony asked expectantly.

Twilight took an calming breath before she spoke "I’m going to find Rainbow Dash's killer."

Applejack was silent for a few moments; she took a deep breath as well and hung her head, no longer wishing to be angry with her friend. "And do what Twi? What is it you think you're going to do?" Her look of stern anger turned compassionate and worried.

Twilight was about to explain when a heated debate broke out between two male unicorns a few meters away. They were having an altercation about an accusation of some kind, the words quickly became shouts, and before long a physical fight. The red furred pony swung his hoof and knocked his blue furred opponent to the ground, he crawled on top of the stallion and they began to beat each other senseless.

"Ugh" Twilight slammed her hoof on the ground, she and Applejack galloped away from Fluttershy who was now attempting to comfort the emotionally distraught Pinkie Pie. Twilight used her powers of levitation to separate one of the two stallions, while Applejack held back the other.

"Let go of me you crazy foal!" Barked the Stallion thrashing wildly. "What are you doing?"

Twilight set the blue stallion down gently, and he turned back to face the crimson pony he had taken issue with, ignoring the unicorns response. "Listen here; I ain’t seen your wife. And if you come at me like that again, I will smash your ugly face into the ground till nopony can recognize you."

"Bring it mother bucker." Barked the red stallion as he tried to move past Applejack. "I know you were around her last night, she told me you two worked together after everyone else went-"

He was interrupted by two silver clad peace-colts tackling him to the ground, he shook in protest attempting to stand, but his front hooves were quickly shackled above his head. "Hey what in the-" A large muzzle suffocated his unborn words. The red pony’s eyes grew wide with fear and confusion as the peace-colts levitated him with their magic.

"You are under arrest for disturbing the peace and aggravated assault." One white furred peace-colt proclaimed.

Twilight and Apple jack called after the peace-colts, only to be met by two more right in front of them. They looked up at the two silver baring pegasi, both mares backing away from them. Suddenly the two stallions leaped forward in unison, Twilight and Applejack ducked to either side expecting to be arrested.

"Hey, hey let me go." A distraught voice called. They both looked to see the red unicorn being pinned down. One of the peace-colts grabbed a muzzle from his belt. "What gives guys?"

"You are under arrest for disturbing the peace and assault." The first guard proclaimed, swinging the muzzle over the red stallions mouth. "If you continue to resist we will not hesitate to use needed force."

"What are you doing? You can't just-" Twilight started, though she was quickly silenced by one of the pegasus glaring at her.

"Are you prompting to interfere with Peace-colt activity, thus obstruction of justice, authority granted to us directly from the crown?" His eyes locked onto hers, a smile twisted on his face. "The penalty for which is imprisonment." he finished, his tone matter of fact.

Twilight's ears limped down, she didn't want to be put in the ponywaggon, but she couldn't believe Princess Celestia would allow this to happen.

The two pegasi finished restraining the troubled pony, and began dragging him to an arriving wagon where his blue counterpart was thrown in. Without another word from anyone, the red pony was mindlessly tossed in, and the two distressed ponies were carried away on the wagon; taken directly to the barracks.

Twilight looked back to Applejack; they had both forgotten what they were fighting about minutes before and stood in complete shock. After the two collected their thoughts, they decided that Twilight needed to inform the Princess about today's events. Applejack told Twilight that Spike was still pretty upset by with her, and the magic mare agreed that it was time to apologize.

After the two ponies approached Fluttershy and the now somber Pinkie Pie. Twilight gave her a hug and apologized profusely. She couldn't believe the monster that the Pony killer had made her into. After a few minutes of comforting, The party pony stood and smiled acceptance of Twilight's apology. The four mares made their way to Sweet Apple Acers. Trees as far as the eye could see, some bearing apples, others were stripped, their apples laying in buckets at the tree base's.

They finally reached the barn where Applejack told Twilight Spike was staying. "Now remember Twi' Spike is still a little upset. It might be best for me to tell him you're about to-"

"I can hear you out there, just come in for Celestia’s sake." Growled an irritated voice from within the barn.

The four ponies went in. the barn was full of hey stacks and wooden beams. Small slivers of sun light came in through the cracks and spaces between the boards of the ceilings and walls. They saw Spike sitting on a bale of hay with his back turned coldly to them. After a few awkward moments of silence, Twilight began to speak but was interrupted by the brooding dragon. "I know that I can be a hassle and a smart mouth," he began, his voice sounding sincere and gloomy. "I know that ever since I hatched, you have done your best to keep me out of harm’s way, take care of me and try to make me as happy as possible. So in a way, I suppose last night was my fault"

Twilight looked in utter shock at the admittance, her eyes started to tear up.

Spike stood up and continued his speech. "I suppose i did fail to be as sensitive as i should have been, and i guess i should not have tried to force you outside-" he was interrupted by a tearful embrace from his oldest friend. She wrapped her hooves around his neck and leaned her forehead on the back of his scalp.

"I'm s- so sorry Spike" Twilight repeated over and over. She did her best to stop her voice from cracking. The unicorn had already lost one friend; she didn't want to lose another. The fear that he would never forgive her began another session of stomach churning. "You have absolu-… absolutely nothing to be sorry for, you were only doing what you thought was best, and I..." Twilight trailed off, hoping he would accept her apology.

"Twilight, I'm not angry with you. I'm more worried than anything." Spike turned around and showed Twilight the rare sight of tears in his eyes. "Please, come back. Bring back the pony I knew weeks ago, the one who smiled all the time, and told great stories, and was there for anypony who needed her."

Twilight broke the embrace, this time it was Spikes turn to be surprised. "I'm sorry Spike." She apologized looking down. She knew that after what had happened, what she had seen, the way it impacted her; she could never go back to the way she was. "I can't just pretend this never happened."

Spike closed his eyes; a pained look overtook his face, realizing what he asked for was indeed a bit farfetched. "I know, and I know you need time."

"Spike I need a favor." Twilight blurted, hoping desperately to get out of the deep conversation that she could tell was to come. She felt terrible about not taking the time to validate Spikes feelings, but she just couldn’t handle anymore drama.

Spike propped himself up on the hay bail and wiped the remaining tears from his eyes. "What do you need Twilight?" his tone less than enthused.

Twilight pulled out the paper and quill she brought with her from the Library, and used the quill to scribble down a quick note. "I need you to send a letter to princess Celestia, the four of us witnessed a bunch of peace-colts viciously arrest two ponies for fighting."

Spike's demeanor changed, one eye brow lifted and with his index claw, he scratched his chin. "Uh Twilight, isn't that what peace-colts are supposed to do?"

Twilight's horn continued to magically use the pen to write as she spoke. "Yes, but I don't think they are supposed to slam you to the ground and muzzle you before they do it."

"Oh." Spike replied giving a look of surprise. "No, I don't think they are supposed to if they can help it."

"Not to mention they didn't even give anypony a chance to talk!" Pinkie interjected grabbing Twilight by the neck. "Why, they didn't even ask them any question, either of them. The two meanie mean heads didn’t even give them a chance to obedient and peaceful. I mean I know I would like to get both sides of the story before I forced a pony down to the ground, but Nooooo. they just slammed them to the ground and said," Pinkie pushed Twilight's head to the ground softly and in a robust and mocking authoritarian voice repeated: "'you are under arrest for disturbing the peace'." Her facial expression made Spike giggle lightly.

Spike looked at Applejack for conformation; expecting the pony to give a little less exaggerated story. To his surprise Applejack only nodded in agreement. He looked at the, up till now silent Fluttershy. "Is that really how it happened?

Fluttershy looked at Spike timidly, "well um, yes actually. They were so mean for no good reason." The yellow peasus confirmed than shrank back into the corner again.

Twilight finished the letter and gave it to Spike. He couldn't believe that peace-colts would do that, but he figured Princess Celestia would have something done about it and in a green belch of fire, the letter evaporated into puff of smoke and escaped out of one of the cracks in the wall. "It's on it way."

Twilight felt a bit of relief, now that those so called "Peace-colts" would be dealt with, she could focus on the task she originally had in mind.

She saw a shadow coming from one of the cracks in the barn, she followed it to a peephole where somepony was looking in. As she reached up to the ponies eye she froze in place recognizing it immediately. She regained her composure this time, knowing her friends were with her and began galloping to the barn wall.

"TWILIGHT WHAT IN TAR NATION?" Applejack exclaimed as the purple Unicorn smashed through the barn wall. After she went created the barns new back door, Twilight looked to her left to see a black coat and hat covered pony running away from her. All the anger she had felt this morning had returned in a quick jolt. He was responsible for all of this, and now he was going to pay. Twilight galloped after the Pony in Black, hell bent on getting the answers and retribution she desperately needed.

A/N, yea a bit of a dry chapter here, next one will be better.

Corruption

Twilight looked around; she was surrounded by tall and grey buildings. The clouds above and the wet ground below gave the obvious impression that rain had fallen only minutes ago. She looked around, nights shadow enveloped everything save a lack luster lamp post standing between two street signs.

"What happened to Sweet Apple Acers?" Twilight asked as she trotted along, looking frantically for somepony to tell her where she was. She thought about the Pony in Black, but where was he; and how did she get here? "Hello" she called out.

A movement out of the corner of her eye caused the unicorn to snap her head to the side, there he was; looking directly at her, walking to her. Twilight tried to use her magic to stop him, but no spell would come forth. A twinge of fear filled her as she realized her magic wasn't working. He was getting closer, his eyes fixated on her. The mares breathing started to quicken, she couldn't tell if he was a unicorn, pegasus, or an earth pony. His hat obscured his forehead, and his coat obscured his body. Twilight couldn't even make out his cutie mark. He was only a few feet away now, and in the biggest act of desperation Twilight had ever undertaken, she glared and threw herself head first at her adversaries chest.

To the purple unicorns shock, she hit the ground face first, her horn leaving an indent the ground. She quickly stood up and turned to face her enemy, but he continued walking as he had before. "What?" Twilight asked confused, she decided to walk in front of the pony and confront him head on. But this time, she couldn't deny what she thought happened; he walked right threw her and continued as if she didn't exist.

"What is going on?" Twilight asked, she looked at the Pony in Black as he trotted along, and then her own hoof. She noticed he was starting to trot out of sight and decided to follow the stallion, hoping to figure something out about him. Again, to her surprise; he seemed to walk aimlessly, taking a few random turns that took him around in a circle a couple of times, every time Twilight went to see his eyes and see if they were looking at anything in particular, she was met with the usual; Blank and angry stare fixated on some invisible objective straight ahead.

Twilight couldn't help it at this point, she had to see the ponies face. She walked backwards and tilted her head to see under his hat. The stallion had two scars from the left eye to his nose. His black scruffy mane was far smoother than Twilight originally thought whenever the light would hit it just right; it would glisten like dark colored water ever so slightly. She observed the faded fedora on his head, the strap surrounding it seemed to be new as did the small black buckle that held it in place, and she observed walking back behind him to see if there was anything else on it.

After a few more moments of walking, the stallion stopped, the abrupt halt of her guide caused the mare to stumble, she stretched her head back trying not to bump into him, forgetting that he (or she) would simply phase through the other. After she let out an unnecessary sigh of relief; Twilight noticed his head was tilted up to the top of a small building, and followed his line of sight...

"Twilight?" She heard a voice call. "Twilight, wake up!"

The unicorn opened her eyes than immediately shut them again. A pained groan escaped her lips as she placed one of her front legs over her eyes. "To bright." she complained. In a surge of alarm she sat up and looked around quickly. She was back at Applejack's house, lying in the apple mares bed. She looked around to the three ponies by her bedside. "What happened? Where is he?"

Applejack put her hoof over her friend’s inquisitive mouth. "Twi' you need to lay back down."

Twilight disobeyed and stood up, though she wished she hadn't, a sickly and skull splitting head ache began to pound on her cranium. She collapsed back on the bed and was relieved to feel the pain begin to subside. "What happened? I remember chasing after him through the trees, and that's it."

"Well," Applejack began.

"He turned around and kicked you." Pinkie Pie admitted letting her head droop a little. "He smacked you right on the forehead, and bam; you were out cold for about two hours."

Twilight placed her hoof back over her eyes. She couldn't believe she let him get away like that, and the fact that she was hurt by him only pissed her off more. She thought about the dream, his face, his eyes, and his anger. Who was this pony?

After what felt like hours, she noticed the light of the sun started to fade from her eyes. "Thank you for closing that." She said rhetorically, letting her hoof fall to the bedside.

"Closing what sugar cube?" She heard Applejack ask.

"The curtains on the window." Twilight replied.

"We didn't close them; the sun is just going down." Pinkie Pie chimed.

Twilight gained her bearings and sat up again, this time met with better results. She glanced out the window to see that what Pinkie said was true. How could she have been out for so long? She didn't care; all she wanted was to get her hooves on the black clad pony. A subtle feeling of fear over the obsession of getting her enemy was festering in the back of her mind. Would revenge really bring the satisfying euphoria that she hoped it would?

"Umm... excuse me." A small voice broke the thoughtful silence. "I need to get home, and um... see how the Animals are doing." Fluttershy's expression was concerned. She rubbed her front hoof on her opposite leg over and over suspiciously. Then again, everyone knew Angel did not like to be kept waiting. Not to mention the other uncountable creatures she had taken on the responsibility of caring for.

"Yea, and with the Mayor's curfew, Everypony better get home. Who knows what dem' supposed 'Peace-colts’ will do if they catch ya'll." Applejack agreed.

Twilight stood up, the pain mostly subsiding from her head, and proceeded to the door that lead to the hallway. "Alright, let's go." She opened the door with her magic and sheepishly left the room with Pinkie and Fluttershy close behind. They walked downstairs and paid a goodnight to Big Mac; who was sitting quietly watching over Granny Smith. "Eyup, have a safe night." He replied.

The three ponies walked out into the twilight with Applejack wishing them a safe trip. As the three left the orchard, Twilight couldn't help but stare at Fluttershy, she kept glancing at pinkie nervously. If she saw Twilight noticing her awkward demeanor; she would look away or pretend she saw dust on Pinkie’s leg. Twilight couldn't understand why, but the voice in the back of her head kept telling her to just let it go.

Pinkie and Twilight agreed to escort the timid pegasus home, she looked a wreck and was known to dislike traveling alone in the dark. As the three approached Ponyville they saw the clock tower near Fluttershy's cottage. It was a quarter to eight, a quick return with some time to spare.

Fluttershy lead the two to her front door where Angel sat, his arms crossed and a scorn of impatience plaguing his features. He saw Fluttershy and immediately threw his hands in the air, a silent gesture of anger and worry. "I'm sorry Angel, I was over with-"

Without any kind of warning, Angel jumped in front of Fluttershy, and glared at the two mares behind her. Twilight took a step back from the all too protective rabbit, treating him as if he were a time bomb. That's when she noticed the rabbit wasn't looking at her, Angel’s gaze was locked onto Pinkie Pie. The enraged Rabbit let out the closes thing to a growl Twilight had ever come from such a rodent, and it back away slowly, pushing Fluttershy into the cottage.

"I'm sorry girls; I don't know what's gotten into him. I'll see you tomorrow." And on that, the door slammed, her and Angel safely inside the house.

"Geez what was that about?" Pinkie asked looking at Twilight in a mixed look of hurt confusion.

"I don't know, Angel is a weird rabbit." Twilight replied turning around and walking back to Ponyville. She bid her friend goodnight and they went their separate ways home. Twilight approached the Library; all she wanted to do was throw herself on top of her safe and cozy bed then fall off into a deep and restful slumber. After everything she had been through today, she was tired and the mild though constant headache was enough to overcome what determination she had left to find the Pony in Black.

"Hey you!" A harsh voice called. Twilight looked over to see a silver baring brown pony walking towards her. Flat eyed and in no mood to deal with anything or anyone, she turned to face the pony and retaliate as to why she didn't care why he spoke to her. "You're coming with me."

"What?" Twilight managed to get out before he wrapped a muzzle around her mouth. She bucked to get free from the Peace-colts grip, but her protest quickly dissolved by the other unicorn's magic overpowering her. She attempted to cry for help, but the muzzle drowned it down to desperate moans of protest. The stallion turned and dragged the distressed mare to the barracks. Twilight attempted to use her magic to aid her, but something about the muzzle seemed to drain the energy and will power out of her.

They approached the large wooden structure, it was a rather simple cube shaped building, a little taller than three fully grown stallions stacked on top of one another. The inside of the Barracks was more gloomy and threatening than the outside however. Many silver headed weapons sat on the walls, small shelves with Pillows were held up by black chains, and a giant table holding a map of Ponyville sat in the middle of the hastily thrown together dark brown-board floor, with dozens of chairs sitting around it.

Two more Peace-colts skulked inside the barracks, one giving a hateful scowl, while the other gave a sadistic smirk. She was thrown onto the table, and with a grunt from the pony who was magically manipulating her, the mare was slammed onto her back so she could see the three ponies who were threatening her. She groaned at the pain, her headache increasing tenfold, and her legs were shaking from the shock of force used.

"Now, I hope we have your attention. 'Cause I don't want to have this conversation again." The Pony who was smiling sadistically said as he trotted up to her. His smile never wavering; his harsh green eyes gave a contradicting contrast to his light mane and pure white hair. "We just received a report from the Princess that somepony decided to send her a message about our apparent 'over critical' methods of keeping the peace."

Twilight's shivering began to increase dramatically with every word. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes and did her best to blink them away. The second pony who was in the tent before she had arrived dismissed her initial abductor and walked over to the table where she lay now free of his magic; not that it mattered considering now she was too scared to move. "Alright Miss Sparkle, I'm going to cut to the chase," he spat the harsh words right before he slammed a small dagger barley an inch away from Twilights ear.

She gazed at her captors with fearful and pleading eyes, even the Pony in Black never made he feel this kind of terror. Her breathing became erratic, and she had to fight the urge to empty her bladder on the table.

His angry sneer turned into a cynical smirk before he spoke in a low and threatening Manehattan enriched voice. "If I ever hears of you causin' me, or my boys trouble again;" He looked over to the knife and used his hoof to force Twilight's terrified face to it, the blade had stabbed deeper than she initially thought, though the metal was new, she could tell it had been used by the light tint of pink stained onto the steel. She felt the ponies hoof quickly tug her face back to facing him. "That, my dear, will be used to end any chance you think you have of becoming a mother."

Immediately after his threat, the sadistic Peace-colt used his two hooves to pick the unicorn up and throw her out of the barracks onto the cold unforgiving dirt outside. Twilight curled up into a ball and began to sob. "Get her outta here!" the Pony who threw her out commanded. Not a second after he finished speaking, a Peace-colt grabbed her by the arm and gave a quick, "Yes Lieutenant!”

Twilight was in shock, she couldn't think, she couldn't believe. All she knew now, was there was a Maroon pony in silver armor dragging her to some location to do who-knows-what. Her entire body was still trembling, and the tears started to flow freely, she finally found the courage to escape from her mind and accept what had just happened. She was threatened by the very Protectors her Princess had sent to defend her.

"Hey, Twilight was it?" Asked the stallion before he tried to help her get her to her feet.

Twilight looked up shyly, her ears down in fear of how he would berate or intimidate her, or worse.

"Shh." He cooed, "It's going to be alright." He attempted to comfort her. For some reason she couldn't understand, Twilight started to sob on the ponies shoulder. This was a Peace-colt to be sure, but he was the only gasp of comfort she could find.

They finally reached the Library; the Peace-colt opened the door and lead the now broken hearted unicorn inside. "C'mon, let's get you to bed." He smiled softly, he heard the mare respond, but couldn't make it out threw all the incoherent sobbing. Or maybe that's all there was anyway.

He helped her into bed and pulled the blankets up. Twilight drifted to sleep soon after the only decent Peace-colt she knew of took his leave.

She opened her eyes again; she was surrounded by tall grey buildings and a darkened sky above. A wave of confusion and realization hit her at the same time, she was dreaming again, but the same dream? She looked to the spot where she had seen the pony in black, but he wasn't there. She looked around and saw him standing where the dream had left off previously. She walked over and followed his line of site, on top of a three story building lay a thick long brown blanket drenched over something.

Twilight squinted to see a hood, and what looked like a snout sticking out of the hood. "Who would be standing up there right now?" Twilight questioned peering, she couldn't make out if the pony was male or female, she couldn't even tell what color he/she was. The cloaked figure turned and walked away from the two onlookers and walked back onto the roof top. Suddenly, the Pony in Black charged forward into the building, crashing through the doors and galloped past the aggravated front desk worker. Twilight followed hoping to find out who this cloaked pony was.

She walked through the doors and was lead up the fire escape to the roof. To her surprise the brown cloaked pony was still present, though his/her face was completely covered by the darkness of the cowl. The Pony in Black stood ready before her, a few labored breaths were quickly calmed as he addressed is prey. "Where is she?"

The other pony remained silent, Twilight wanted to know who "she" was, who the hell this pony was, and what he wanted with "her". So many questioned ran through Twilights head: All the: why, when, how’s and so on... Finally, after a few minutes of silence, the Cloaked Pony turned to them, the only thing that could be seen from within the darkness of the hood was a wide and white smile that bore a crossed the lower part of its face. A small though menacing chuckle escaped the mysterious individual before her.

A loud banging emitted in her ears, and the purple mare jumped from her bed and fell onto the floor. "What, what?" She looked around to find herself back in her bedroom. The morning sun was shining in through the window by her bed; a scent of freshly made pastries from the bakery next door filled her nostrils.

"Twilight!" Exclaimed a familiar and loud voice. She looked outside her window to find Apple jack standing with a purple maned, white unicorn outside. With all of the events that had taken place over the past several days, Twilight couldn't believe she hadn't noticed that her prissy and glamorous associate wasn't around. Despite the terror of last night, the joy of seeing her friend caused her to charge downstairs and open the door to greet the two.

Applejack pushed Twilight aside and carefully lead Rarity inside the Library. "Hey what gives?" Twilight demanded.

"Close the door." Applejack said calmly. Both of her friends were now inside, so the purple unicorn saw no reason to keep it open.

"Ok, now would you tell me why you push-" Twilight cut herself off at the sight of her missing friend. Rarity's eyes were wide and she was shaking uncontrollably. She didn't even criticize Twilights unkempt mane.

"Rarity, what happened to you?" Twilight asked, watching the wide eyed unicorn shake and a constant look of queasiness grow and retract on her face.

"N-n-nothing d-d-dear..." Rarity shuddered looking around. She let out a faux smile and immediately stopped once she realized her teeth were chattering together.

Twilight grabbed Rarity and looked her dead in the eyes, "What happened? Did the Peace-colts do this to you?" Twilight’s anger flared at how shaken she was by the guard, she knew that Rarity had to have had the same kind of run in with them.

"I'm so s-sorry dear, but..." Rarity's eyes began to look around, attempting to avoid Twilights gaze. The white mare caught the eyes of her companion and they began to water. Before Twilight knew it, Rarity had embraced her and was crying on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry." She kept cried over and over. Twilight held her friend close.

"I know what you're going through Rarity." Twilight cooed, stroking her friends mane.

"No," Rarity sobbed burying her face in the other unicorns shoulder. "I'm sorry Twilight, but you haven't any idea what hells I have been through..."

I know, my set ups and vocabulary are far from lustrous, but you read this for the plot and you know it. And don't worry i'm working on my writing skills, i'm working on them.

Ease

Easy

Weeks passed after the Peace-colt incidents with Twilight and Rarity. The townsfolk began to grow fearful as the Guard's methods of peace keeping began to become more brutal and atrocious. A few letters came from Applejack's Cousin in Appaloosa; it shared in detail, how the small old west town fared no better with it's own peace keepers. And a few letters from a friend in Manehattan informed Rarity that a great deal of his associates had been incarcerated for a midnight game of Cricket; after a curfew was set by the mayor of the city.

The disappearances hadn't stopped, but they had dramatically decreased in frequency from before the Peace-colt occupation. Though, with the way the stallion guards had shown to operate, many ponies were beginning to wish to take their chances without them. After a suspected poison had been leaked into a carrot delivery to Phillydelphia, Officers of the guard received decrees from the Princess to: Monitor all incoming and outgoing food supply, oversee all crop farmers scheduled care giving and fertilizer or crop assistant additive inserts, and inspect all shop products to ensure the public safety.

The Princess's paranoia had gripped the land in a plague of authoritative over-protection-ism. Nopony could understand why the Crown had implemented such overbearing restrictions, but anytime the public brought the restrictions into question, the Guard would stress the severity of the mass murder's threat to them, and any rebellion to the rule was quickly expunged.

Twilight's dreams had progressed, showing the Pony in Black, whom she aptly named "Shadow" chasing after his cloaked adversary Twilight had so originally named "Mystery". Twilight's dreams sequences would always begin with Shadow wondering around a town, his eyes shooting in every direction trying to find his prey. As they progressed, it was always the same thing: Shadow would find Mystery, attempt to confront him, Mystery would run away, Shadow would chase after, and eventually lose the cloaked pony.

It was maddening for Shadow, whenever he would lose Mystery, he would slam his hoof against the ground and let out a grunt or slam his head against the floor. As the dreams grew in abundance, the hate Twilight felt for the Pony began to wither and be replaced by pity. She too wanted to see who Mystery was, but all the work that Shadow had to do to find him, and for all his efforts coming up empty hoofed every time, had left her with an empty feeling. She could only imagine how her guide must have felt.

Shadow had tracked the pony to: Manehattan, Canterlot, Fillidelphia, Trottingham, a few small villages some where in her country that Twilight didn't know the names of, and the events were always predictable. Though, Mysteries methods of escape were resourceful beyond the mare's most cunning tricks, he: Disappeared in the maze at Canterlot, leapt down from the buildings of Manehattan into a dark alley way and had previously placed two faux manikin ponies dressed as he, for shadow to be distracted by while the cloaked pony escaped.

Twilight had just awoken from her latest dream where Shadow had failed, yet again, to capture Mystery. She sat up and noticed the moon still dominated the night sky. A quick yawn and a glance later she found the clock was stuck on half after two. The mare stretched and pondered going back to sleep, the dream she had just woken up from ended with the Pony in Black slamming his hooves on a stone brick road after Mystery kicked down a ladder that lead up to the Trottingham town wall; Mystery knew that by the time Shadow would have the ladder back up he would be long gone, and Shadow knew it too.

Twilight stretched her arms out and stood from her bed. She rubbed her eyes and wondered downstairs to get something to drink. The mare entered the kitchen and rummaged threw her fridge, she grabbed a small pitcher of lemonade, and gracelessly placed it on the light wood counter. A smell hit Twilight, a smell of smoke filled Twilight's nostrils, she sniffed it in. It wasn't the kind of smoke she had ever smelt before, she knew the scent of chard trees, pastries, and even some vegetables, but this was completely... unprecedented.

The mare silently cursed Spike, assuming he was responsible and must have burnt something upstairs, She shook her her head and closed the fridge. Her heart skipped a beat, something stood where the door was before it closed. Twilight's breathing began to shallow and she slowly turned her head to confirm her fears. A pare of scowling eyes looked down at her, and a face contorted in a sneer.

Twilight gained control of her breathing, but her laid back ears and wide eyes could not be controlled, taking away any semblance of confidence she could use to offset the intruder. She was scared, and she was certain that Shadow knew it.

"Take heed, Miss Sparkle." Shadow growled, his voice far lower and raspier than she remembered from her dreams. The black clad pony turned his back to the unicorn in a thick silence. Twilight's eyes were wide and her mouth hung open, she was so accustomed to being in an Omnipresent state when she saw him; that it was almost incredible that he was acknowledging her existence now. "Your enemy is much closer to you than you think.". The black drenched pony bucked his hinged legs on a cabinet causing a loud and boom to echo throughout the kitchen.

In the surge of shock; Twilight jumped back and the light emulating from Twilights horn went out. Darkness crept around her for a moment before Twilight reignited the kitchen; she shifted her eyes and face all around, but couldn't find the Pony in black. Again, she was alone.

"You enemy is closer to you than you think?" Twilight asked, calming herself. She wasn't as scared as she had been the first time the two had seen each other, but her lack of real understanding of Shadow was enough to keep her fear of the unknown. After a quick inspection of the entire Library, she went off to bed again, a strange feeling of safety came over her as she snuggled into the blankets; if he wanted to hurt he, he would have done it by now... but what does he want?

"OMIGOSHOMIGOSHOMIGOH!" Pinkie Pie was jumping up and down sporadically, a gleeful smile bore across her face as her fluffy mane bounced up and down lightly over her face.

Twilight stood next to Rarity and Fluttershy in bewilderment, one minute the three of them were talking about how they were going to visit a fashion show that Rarity was "oh so dying to see, darling." The next, a now present Pinkie Pie gracelessly explodes in the middle of them and starts jumping and excitedly repeating the mindless phrase. "Pinkie dear, what are you going on about?"

Twilight gave a small grin, she was happy to see Rarity back to her old self again, She didn't know what Zecora did, or how Pinkie Pie knew that the zebra could help; but the purple unicorn was glad to see her friend speak with confidence and grace. She remembered that a few days ago, Rarity had told her; Zecora was giving her some kind of strange healing magic. Today was the first day in weeks the White and 'fabulous' unicorn looked genuinely relaxed in public. She seemed so much better off in fact, Twilight pondered visiting the zebra as well.

Pinkie stopped, happy that someone finally appeased her need for attention, and gave a smile a mile wide; shaming anything other grin she ever gave before.. "Star Seeker just asked me out on a date!" she yelled before bouncing up and down again, babbling about falling in love and what a wonderful time they would have. The Party Pony froze in place and let out a gasp of realization, "But what if we don't have a good time? What if HE doesn't have a good time? What if i do something embarrassing or something to offend him or-" A white hoof trapped what other discouragement that Pinkie was about to speculate on.

"Pinkie listen to me," Rarity quipped, holding her hoof steady. "First off, who is this 'Star Seeker' fellow you are talking about? Secondly, do try to calm down darling; your words are hardly understandable." The white unicorn slowly removed her hoof from her companion's mouth and took a step back.

Pinkie took a deep breath and with all the effort she could muster, attempted to keep her excitement contained. "Well, Star Seeker is this AMAZING Pegasus," Her speech becoming more and more excited with every word. "And he came to Ponyville with the Peace-colts, considering he is a Peace-colt, it's really no surprise. But he is this amazingly bright white, and his blond mane covers his eyes just right to make him look sooooo cute. And he is so strong, like his shoulders are really really broad and his eyes are... are... What's another word for pretty?" Pinkie Pie took a well needed breath while waiting for an answer.

"Gorgeous?" Barked Rarity with a hopeful grin.

"Wonderful?" Fluttershy followed.

"Amazing?" Twilight added.

"Incredible." Pinkie Pie went stary eyed. Twilight had never seen her friend like this before. Sure she had gone on a few dates with other stallions, but this was the first time Pinkie Pie seemed so entranced by one. Even her smile was different, her typical; hyper and enthusiastic turn of the cheeks was now... calmer, more serine? Twilight couldn't explain it, but Pinkie was more than just happy.

"Well, don't leave us in the dark Pinkie." Rarity interjected, her eyes more than interested. "Details mare, details!" She demanded.

Pinkie snapped from her day dream, and proceeded to divulge the sought after information with glee. "Well," She started of with a surprisingly calm tone. "I first met him when he came into Sugar Cube Corner..."

Twilight listen with delight, the tale of the first time the two ponies had met was told in a much more infatuating and descriptive way; in contrast to the Party Ponies typical hyper speak and random interjections, it was almost scary. Pinkie told of the many conversations they had while she was at work, the ponies well built body, and how surprising attracted Pinkie admitted she was to a stallion in uniform.

Fluttershy seemed to grasp the emotion of the Pink Ponies tale, but nowhere near as much as Rarity. The Unicorns facial features would change both subtly and dramatically depending on the situation or tone of the story being told.

Pinkie went on about how the two had taken walks together, giving slight motions with her hands to give ample enhancement to her story. She explained how two salted up ponies demanded free service, and how her Knight in Shining armor was actually an officer and dismissed them from her shop. Leaving the two to converse about how the Peace-colts had been called to service and many stallions were new, seemingly coming from out of now where.

Twilight thought about her own first run in with the Peace-colts, and the horrible threats they made against her. But that gave way to that one single Stallion carefully taking her home that night, and setting her to bed. She hadn't seen him since then, and the more Pinkie's stories progressed, the more she couldn't help but imagine his maroon hair and gentle eyes instead of her friends own colt friend, especially during Pinkie's rescue. The maroon pony didn't rescue her per se, but he did help Twilight in her time of need, and that was enough.

"... And i'm supposed to meet him at noon today in the park." Pinkie finished, her tone gleeful, but her excitement still kept surprisingly in check.

"Hello Miss Pie." Called a strong voice from behind. The four mares looked over to behold two Peace-colts standing behind them: One, a white stallion with a golden mane, some of whose locks fell ceremoniously over his eyes, his face stolen with a gentle and inquisitive smile. The second pony brought a shot of familiar excitement to Twilight, his maroon hair stuck out from the vulnerable spots of his armor. His eyes were barely open, they reminded her of Big Macintosh; though instead of being a relaxed stare, the stallion looked more tired. Though, they widened slightly as soon as they caught hers and he looked away before the slightly higher shade of red took his cheeks.

"Hi Sergeant!" Pinkie exclaimed hugging the pegasus around the neck, the strapping younger stallion returning the affection. Twilight couldn't help but smile at what just had to be love. The unicorn couldn't lie to herself; she would have loved to have been Pinkie Pie at that moment.

"I told you Pinkie." The stallion scolded breaking the embrace, "Sergeant is for the job."

Pinkie giggled and gave her date a seductive eyed, devilish smile. "Oh, sorry Stary." Pinkie couldn't hold the provocative posture long before she lost her composure to a small giggle. "So who's your friend?"

Star looked beside him to observe his tired companion. "That would be Corporal Buckler Gladius,"

Twilight smiled, she liked the name, though found it rather ironic, considering what both words meant.

"Pleasure." Buckler bowed his head.

"Hi." Pinkie waved a hoof and proceeded to introduce her present associates. "These are my friends: Rarity, Fluttershy and-"

"Twilight," The Maroon pony interrupted with a smile lifting his head slightly. "Yes we have met." The purple mare couldn't help but blush, she found the Peace-colt quite attractive, and it wasn't just because of his help last they met.

Rarity let out a sarcastic sound of realization. "Well it sounds like you lot have a lot to talk about," She proclaimed with a wink; and turned around nudging the yellow pegasus away. "We'll just leave you to it then."

Fluttershy let out a squeek of protest, "But Rarity, do they really need to be alone to talk?"

"Fluttershy dear," Rarity stared dead eyed, "Maybe you could help me in the bouteaqu, and let these four speak in private?"

Fluttershy gave a confused look, then her face had a smack of realization upon looking at the two pairs of ponies remaining. "oh, ok, sure. Have fun you guys!" The two departing ponies waved their goodbyes and trotted off; leaving the four ponies to converse in the park.

"Soooo..." began Star Chaser, his tone trying to break the awkward silence. "Miss Pie, i was hoping i could treat you to lunch before we took a nice relaxing hay ride."

Pinkies eyes lit up like a child's. "That would be fantastic." She nuzzled her new coltfriend and the turned and started walking away from Twilight and Buckler.

"Oh corporal," Star turned to face the two once more. "Be sure to get some sleep will ya?"

Buckler humphed, "Yea you'd like that, wouldn't ya Sarge." He replied.

The White stallion sighed, "Gladius, you have been up for three days straight, the last thing i need is to have my second in command collapse on the job. Now get some sleep, that's an order." Before any protest could be given, Star pulled Pinkie back into a trot to the market district of Ponyville.

Buckler gave a scowl to his superior and shook his head, deciding it better to keep any further comments of retaliation to himself.

"Why have you been up for three days?" Twilight asked.

Buckler turned back to the mare and blinked his bloodshot eyes. "Keeping night watch. Something I think you would appreciate." He spat.

Twilight grimaced at the unnecessarily harsh words, and looked uneasily at the pony responsible.

"Sorry." Buckler shook his head frantically and rubbing his hoof over his eyes, trying to wake himself up. "I guess the lack of sleep is getting to me."

"Well maybe you should get some sleep." Twilight answered, her voice tinted with dry sarcasm.

The maroon pony smirked and scoffed. "Yea right, with all the Peace-colts around who would love to kill me? I don't think many of them have any problem with doing it the coward’s way." He yawned again before looking around, assumedly for any Guards he could consider a threat.

Twilight's look of guard gave way to one of concern. "Why would they want to kill you?"

"I don't tolerate my colts doing whatever they please." Replied Buckler stretching out his neck, "and i certainly don't tolerate it when they decide they are going to do whatever they please at the expense of another, weaker pony."

Twilight couldn't help but feel a bit of admiration, this pony has sacrificed nights of sleep, the feeling of safety among his own stallion subordinates, and the chance to be seen as something great among said 'stallions' if he would have gone with it. Instead he actually held true to his word to protect the Citizens of Ponyville; and now he suffers the price for it. "Hey, if you need a safe place to sleep..."

Buckler let out a questioning "Hmmm?"

"You're more than welcome to my place. I kinda owe you, anyway." Twilight’s cheeks heated a little, part of her really hoping he would accept her invitation.

Buckler scoffed lightly again and shook his head. "Nah, nah I’m good. A little missed sleep isn't a big deal, thanks for the offer-" The stallion let out an extra long yawn, "though." he finished closing his eyes, giving up the fight to keep them open.

"Yea, no big deal huh?" Twilight teased waving her hoof in front of the stallions face. "If it's really no 'big deal' than why are you falling asleep right now?" She watched as Buckler stood with his head drooping down and he began to waver from side to side; the mare walked to his left and lightly pushed him over; making the pony hit the grass with an audible thud.

"What?" Buckler opened his eyes to discover he was on the ground and a purple unicorn now stood over him. "Oh, so it's a fight you want?"

"Huh?" Twilight asked un-amused.

With visible effort, Buckler got to his feet, and stared Twilight down. "You want to go a few rounds with me? Is that why you pushed me over?"

Twilight's eyes went flat, she found this behavior immature and irrational; but by the same token, she also found it fun and comical. "I did it to prove a point, you can't even stay awake standing up. Besides you were going to fall over anyway; might as well make it sooner rather than later."

"Bah!" Buckler replied stretching his front legs. "A lucky shot is all." He immediately relaxed his legs staggering down a little, with a pained look on his face after the extension.

Twilight rolled her eyes before giving an evil smile. "Problems with your legs?"

"I wouldn't test me if I were you Miss Sparkle." Buckler smirked. "Make no mistake, you may be the protégé to the Crown, but i have only ever lost three challenges in my life." His smile turned into a scowl, "and everything and anything is a competition to win."

A look morbid look claimed the young mare's face, "Competition? You think me offering my home to you is a competition?"

Buckler gave a confused no, and brought the conversation back to Twilight pushing him over. The two talked in circles for the better part of ten minutes before Twilight decided that instead of going with her typical rout of being logically stubborn, she would have some fun and play to his psyche.

"Not everything is a Competition you know." The unicorn proclaimed, turning her back to him. "Although, I do have a challenge for you. And you claim to have never lost a challenge right?"

A look of interest stole Bucklers features, an eye brow of intent raised and a confident smile on his lips. "Never once."

"I challenge you to get some sleep." Twilight pronounced having another plan in mind should her ploy fail.

Buckler frowned and opened his mouth to abate, but nothing came out. He scowled at the ground and his eyes slowly started to lose the deep determination they once had. "I can't even think straight on why that's a bull challenge.”

“But it’s still a challenge” Twilight replied, hoping to end the conversation without the word ‘challenge’ being used again. You’d think someone would come up with a better word after its overuse.

“ Fine, you win, I accept."

Twilight gave a proud smirk in triumph. "C'mon, let's go." She trotted to the library content in her victory, and a bit releaved that she didn’t have to move to plan B. Buckler followed close behind and could be heard yawning every so often. The purple mare opened the door, and allowed the Stallion inside.

"Huh, place looks a lot bigger during the day." Buckler quipped looking around.

"Yea, well when you can see." Twilight shrugged, closing the door and leading Buckler to her bedroom. "You can sleep here for a while."

Buckler looked between the mare and the bed, he observed the bedroom noticing a number of: Books, high tech telescopes and other scientific looking objects in tidy condition through out the room. "Isn't this your bed?"

"It's the only bed i have." Twilight replied embarrassed.

"Uhh..."

A purple hoof covered the uncertain ponies mouth. "Ah-ah-ah" Twilight chided silenced the Stallion, and pointed her other hoof to the bed. "You accepted the Challenge."

The uncertain look on Bucklers eyes vanished and they grew soft looking at Twilight, she liked those eyes; the same eyes that he had when the stallion carried her home. It wasn't until Buckler cleared his throat that Twilight broke eye contact and noticed her hoof had been on his mouth longer than she had intended. She retracted her hoof and blushed again. "Oh, sorry about that."

Bucklers smile grew, "Why? I wasn't complaining." he snicker playfully and removed his helm; revealing a short cropped, black mane with a single red stripe running down each side. "Thank you, Twilight." He placed the silver head piece on her night stand and removed the rest of his armor until the only thing present was a; tunic that cover his body from his neck to his Cutie Mark.

Twilight bid him pleasant dreams and closed the door behind her as she left the room. Her heart was pounding in her chest as trotted down the stairs and sat on the sofa by the fireplace. For the first time in a long time a bit of tranquility and harmony returned to her mind, for the first time in months she finally felt... at ease.

(Zomg, a chapter that doesn't have really anything going on? One with a bit of *gasp* subtelty? Or the best i can make while trying keep that word in mind? Meh, there is relevance... I think.

Dreaming

A loud thud erupted from upstairs, followed by an awakening grunt and sigh of relief. Twilight set her book down and checked the clock. 7:15. The mare smiled and gazed at the crackling fire in its home between two brick pillars that began her chimney. She was glad her maroon colt had gotten some sleep; especially if what she was told was true, and he had been kept up for over three days straight.

The growing sound of clanking metal on wood alerted Twilight that Buckler was descending to her level. Before long, Buckler came into view and stood on the opposite side of the living room. The circles under his eyes faded slightly, and a cute bed head flustered what short strands of hair constitute his mane. He gave Twilight a sheepish look, her dark purple hair was surprisingly brought out by the red leather chair on which she sat, with one lower leg crossed over the other.

"Feel better?" The mare asked glancing into Buckler's eyes.

"Much," the stallion replied crossing his forehoofs, a tinge of hesitation postponing his next words. "Thanks for letting me sleep a bit, I... I owe ya one."

Twilight thought the statement over, the feeling of ease that stole her mind when he was asleep upstairs was Heaven, she felt safe, and she wanted that wonderful feeling to stay with her forever. , Twilight called him on his offer. She couldn't help it, she was going to be selfish; she had to be. "Well..." Twilight pushed her two front hooves together in a show of mischievous thought. "If you really mean that, than I suppose there is a way you can settle your debt."

Buckler smirked, a look of knowing in his eye. "Whoa now, Miss Sparkle." He held up a hoof. "Was it not your challenge that I accepted? And as such, in accepting said game; along with winning it, i believe that evens the score. Not to mention the fact that I brought you home that one night."

Twilight let out a patronizing laugh. "Oh Buckler, you wouldn't be trying to wiggle your way out of repaying a kind mare for her deeds, would you?"

Buckler began to rebuke her by pushing the fact she played to his competitive side, not to mention he wasn't dismissing the fact they were even; because of the night he helped her. But bit of the Peace-colt’s mind started to poke at him, as much as he didn't like to feel championed in the least; he was quite curious as to what the mare would ask of him. "I'm listening."

Twilight's dark and playful eyes turned light and slightly nervous. "Well, I was wondering if you wanted to go out on a date."

"Who does the what now?" Buckler replied far more flabbergasted than he intended to sound. Usuly the colt would think over his reactions and emote accordingly, but this wasn't something he was prepared for. He expected to be asked to help clean up the library or go on an errand; the chance of a romantic interface was there, but Buckler didn't think to plan for it. He couldn't believe that she actually thought he was "date worthy."

Twilight giggled, "A date, you know: Going to get something to eat or a nice stroll around the lakes..." Twilight droned on about visiting a story teller she knew whom used magic to enrich the tales of: Starswirl the Bearded, Robin Hoof, and other iconic ponies in days of old.

Buckler stood in awe; he still couldn't believe he was asked out by the protégé of Princess Celestia. His mind started to wonder in the negative, as it usually did when something good happened. A skeptical voice in his mind was in debate with him in pertinence to this being some kind of trick. A way for her and her friends to get a good laugh at his expense. He then wondered if one of the other Peace-colts put her up to it, so they could get a laugh at his expense. He shook these thoughts away as his overactive paranoia, but couldn't dismiss them completely; his over-skepticism had saved his ass on occasion to numerous to count.

"... So what do you think?" Twilight finished with a hopeful though awkward smile.

Buckler snapped from his thoughts by the purple mares eyes. Her eyes, like looking into the very essence of hope and interest. He couldn't say no, he had no idea what the mare had said after asking him on a date, but what's the worst that could happen? "I... umm... Well, if you insist, I will escort you on a date." He replied, he tried to seem charming and intelligent with his response... And apparently it worked. Twilight's eyes grew brighter, and she hugged the stallion.

"Thank you, don't worry we will have a lot of fun." The purple unicorn released the tense Buckler and took a step back. "Sorry, I can get a bit over excited sometimes." A nervous chuckle finished her words.

"Don't worry about it," Buckler replied thinking quickly to break the unwelcome tension. "So. What time should I pick you up?"

Twilight opened her mouth to answer but a certain word he used struck her hard. 'Time' The mare mused on the word; suddenly a flood of emotional thought washed over her. Time had lost a great deal of meaning to the mare. Her mind trailed to Rainbow Dash and how little time they actually had together; she couldn't fight the urge to think about her anymore. For all the time that the maroon stallion had been present, Twilight had put aside everything. The: carved out Cutie mark, the Peace-colt officers’ threat, the Pony in Black... Everything. She didn't want to think about them, she just wanted to have some semblance of happiness in her life again.

"Miss Sparkle?" Asked Buckler, his tone questioning.

Twilight blinked, and then placed her hoof on her chin in thought. "Well, I have some plans with friends tomorrow morning, how does tomorrow afternoon sound?"

Buckler smirked, "I think I can accommodate that."

The agreed to meet at the Library at four o'clock and Twilight waved him off as he returned to the barracks. She observed his figure walking westward into the sunset, his armor reflecting the light of the sun in a magnificent orange that made him seem to glow from head to his flank plate. Blushing, Twilight took on last naughty look at his back side and closed the door.

"Well, well, well." A child like voice called from behind, Twilight spun around and turned beat red upon seeing her purple and green assistant with a teasing grin and folded arms. "So how long has this been going on?"

Twilight bit her lip, "Oh... uh Spike, how long were you, uh... It's not what-" She was cut off by a purple claw being held up from the now smug dragon.

"Relax Twilight, I'm only teasin' ya." His smile faded a bit as his eyes showed a mass of thought. "Though i have to admit, he does seem like a good guy; and you're not getting any younger."

Twilight's awkwardly nervous face relaxed at the dragon’s compliment, and then tightened into a scowl at his remark. "What do you mean I'm not getting any younger?"

"What I mean is you have not ever dated anypony. You go out with Applejack and Pinkie pie a lot and have fun with them, but you haven't... ya know." Spike thought over the words to say before a shocked grin came over his face. "Unless you know, you play for the other team."

Twilight's scowl turned into a deadpan, her assistant fell to ground laughing hard enough to bring tears to his eyes. "Oh man, oh you should see... you should see the look on your face right now."

Twilight's expression softened and she couldn't help but laugh with her friend. The very thought of her and Applejack together was so absurd; it had to be laughed at. The two laughed for a few moments before Spike complained about his sides and forced himself to stop.

"But in all seriousness Twilight." He began again, all comedic tone lost. "You should go and have some fun. Things have been really crazy lately; I think it would be good for you." His eyes were a bit wiser and gentler than Twilight had ever seen them. He almost seemed, fatherly to her at that moment.

Twilight gave an appreciative grin, "Thanks Spike. You're a good friend."

Spike shrugged his shoulders and walked back to his work station in the back of the Library. "Oh but don't think I’m letting you two get all... Lovey dovey on the couch," his tone dry and sarcastic. "Last thing I need is to walk in on you two doing something that bedrooms were made for."

Utter humiliation befell the purple unicorn; she shook it off and yelled at Spike to return to his menial tasks. Though her words were harsh, she could still hear his frantic mirth from the other side of the library, and as strong as it was; Twilight could tell it wouldn't end anytime soon. Though, as frustrated as she was with the dragon, she smiled. The thought of Buckler showing up in a fancy suit and whisking her away to some romantic evening of dancing and fine dining began as an interesting thought.

The thought quickly became a fantasy. Twilight imagined that after the stallion had treated her to the night out eating extravagant food, he would carry her into a gorgeous hotel, the walls lined with portraits of the greatest Ponies in Equestrian history, outlined by dozens of book shelves dedicated to the greatest tomes the present day had to offer. He would burst through the door with a mighty kick, giving himself an edge that would excite Twilight beyond words; then he would carry her into their suite and lay her gently on the bed, his soft and caring eyes never wavering from her.

Twilight’s breath deepened as she stood with her eyes half closed, her body grew hot and hungry for the touch of the warm maroon ponies arms, she remembered his strong foreleg; wrapped around her back as he carried her to bed, she wanted it again. The mare flushed at the thought of feeling his comforting and affectionate touch on her slender body once more. Her face brushing up ever so slightly against his strong, muscular neck. And his hot breath rasping gently against her ear: causing a rush of pleasure to shoot through her body with every exhale.

Twilight bit her lip as the fantasy enthralled her mind far more than any book she had ever read. All the books in the world could never give her the feelings of passion and desire this one stallion could, nor could they give her the unbelievable satisfaction that was to result from it. The mare imagined Buckler slowly leaning his head down and kissing her deeply, stroking her mane lightly, and herself rubbing her hooves up and down the stallion’s sides to his neck. His fine lips kissing down her chest before lifting her dress and...

Twilight shook the fantasy away noticing some... embarrassing bodily functions were starting to take place, she couldn’t bear to have her assistant see her in such a state. So she quickly wondered up the stairs and found her way to her bed. The unicorn quickly locked the door and snuggled in before she took care of her needs. A euphoric and relaxing calm filled her body; her climax was greater than she had ever reached before. The image of Buckler on top of her, mixed with the feelings of excitement she had from his touch, did wonders to improve the flow and intensity of her self-satisfaction.

She had no trouble sleeping that night...

__________

The dream Twilight had couldn't be any closer to her fantasy. The maroon stallion burst into her home and swept her off of her feet, stealing her away from the boring work of re-shelving books that she hated so dearly. She wrapped her arms around his well dressed neck and smiled seductively as he carried her away from her tree home. It took only seconds for the two to reach the gigantic crystal palace that she created in her mind, the building was a light blue and had stories upon stories of red clothed tables and waiters taking random ponies orders.

Buckler placed Twilight in her seat, a sparkling red dress now covering her body, and her typical mane; now slicked back into a shining, tight bun. The mare gazed with unwavering eyes as the stallion took the opposite seat; she hadn’t even noticed the delectable vegetation that had magically appeared on her plate. The two devoured the herbs before looking at each other and giggling; Buckler raised his hoof, revealing a delicious strawberry and held it gently to Twilight's mouth. She bit the morsel and looked suggestively to her companion.

Mr. Gladius took Twilight by the hoof and lay a gentle kiss on its front. He looked up happily and the purple mare returned the content. He playfully lead her away from the table, and up the stairs of the main hall; passing through the portraits of ponies she couldn't help but admire. The Princesses: Celestia and Luna, Starswirl the bearded, Robin Hoof, Chancellor pudding head and her assistant; Smart Cookie, Commander Hurricane and Private Panzy, and Princess Platinum along with a character Twilight had played in a Hearth's Warming eve play; Clover the Clever.

Twilight couldn’t believe it, everything was just so perfect. The: timing for Bucklers to swoop in and sweep her off her feet, the way he treated her, the gigantic crystal hotel, the delicious meal they shared, it was all just what she wanted. A slight tinge of nervousness struck her heart as they made their way. What would it be like? Would it be painful? Would he be satisfied by her?

After a few minutes of awe gone nervous, being lead through mountains of books; they finally arrived at a giant pair of ominous black double doors. The maroon pony opened the doors and gently took Twilight by the hoof, a reassuring smile on his face. Darkness held the room, save a single, red clothed bed that lay with an invisible source casting light upon it. He lead Twilight in and lay her on the heart shaped bed. (To cliché? BITE ME!) The mare lay back and embraced Buckler, enjoying every moment of his bodies pressure laid upon her, and the taste of his sweet lips upon her tongue. She wished this moment could last forever.

Buckler nicked at Twilight’s neck, something about it seemed… off. His mouth was not as warm as it had once been, and his soft hair began to feel less lustrous. The mare looked down, about to question the sudden changes when Buckler rose up her dress and exposed her marehood. She quickly lay back and enjoyed his kissing on her stomach, growing more and more impatient with his teasing.

Twilight shivered violently, despite the explosions of pleasure at the very touch of Bucklers lips around her body, she felt that something was wrong. His lips were growing colder, and when she looked down to observe his actions. She was met by the sight of his once dark red hair, was now fading to grey; the sudden shock of it killed any atmosphere of romance that had once lingered, and gave way to her concern for the stallion’s well being.

Twilight tried to express her concerns for the ponies well being, but no sound came from her questioning lips. She grasped at her mouth and neck with her hooves, feelings of uneasiness crawling threw out her limbs. The distraught unicorn watched in angst as Buckler nuzzled her marehood, his nose cold as ice, and his eyes growing red from blood shot.

The stallion stood up and unbuttoned his black jacket and white shirt. Twilight's eyes went wide as a large hole appeared in his chest; blood began to seep out and his exposed heart was beating a mile a minute. Twilight reclused in revulsion of the sore, a feeling of terror gripping her heart in a vice. "What's the matter Twilight?" Buckler asked slowly his eyes wide, he crawled over the Twilight's paralyzed form and brought his face down to hers, his mouth stuck in a maniacal grin . "I thought you were having a good time."

Twilight’s heart skipped a beat, and she kicked the stallion away and stood up on the bed. The darkness that enveloped the room around them faded in. Revealing dark brown wooden walls that bore numerous sharp and serrated objects mounted on them. She looked around to find even more grotesque images appear; the heads and various limbs of countless and nameless ponies sat on the walls looking outward. Some with their hooves erupting from their eye sockets and other grotesque misappropriations of pony anatomy.

All of the heads seemed to be turned to her; even those whose eyes had been stolen, seemed to peer directly into her soul. She shuddered when the limbs started to flail against their holdings and wall that trapped them, those that were not nailed in fell to the ground, and began patting around aimlessly. A faint chuckle could be heard from the decapitated pony heads, the chuckle grew louder until finally it was a full on bellow.

Twilight shrank back and pulled the covers over her body, her now ravaged locks only emphasized the horror she felt, she wanted to close her eyes, but she was afraid what would happen if she did. Loud clanks and subtle vibrations told of the closeness the disembodied limbs were getting. The terrified mare began to hyperventilate; she looked around to see the pony head's lips were now moving, they were quietly and off key chanting her once favorite Lullaby.

She felt the sheets tug and soon after a pink leg pulled itself onto the bed. Twilight let a muted scream of terror and smacked the body part away. It slammed against the wall with an unprecedented loud thud, and fell limp to the floor; only to pull itself up once again, and begin its second voyage to do who know what to the desperate mare.

"Twilight..." A voice called from the end of the bed. She looked over to see Buckler standing with wide, unblinking eyes looking directly at her. Small cracks began to spread throughout his body, disturbing bone braking noises bombarded Twilight's ears, more tugging from the sheet gave way to another leg pulling itself onto the bed.

The horse heads were giggling now, the unicorn did her best to keep the disembodied limbs away, but they all seemed to have chosen her as their target of congregation, the more she fought the limbs away, the harder the pony heads laughed. The terror in Twilight was unlike anything she had ever experienced. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins, and her heart felt like it would beat out of her chest at any moment. One of the limbs at clamped itself onto Twilight’s hind leg, while its unkempt multicolored clones fought for their own places on the mare's body.

A sickening crunch came from the foot of the bed, the purple pony looked just in time to see the cracked Buckler give a smile that stretched up passed his eyes before he crumbled to the ground; in his place a decomposing and rotting cyan pony, who's mane constituted mostly of blood red with multicolor exposing from the taint.

"Twi-light." A raspy and low voice prolonged her name. The headless ponies had ceased their disturbing
pandemonium, and the ghostly limbs now lay in silent death. Twilight closed her eyes, but couldn't forget what she saw. One of the undead ponies eyes drooped from its socket, her chest was ripped open and her organs spilled out from within. Two holes were ungraciously poked threw her hooves... and worst of all, giant sheets flesh were missing, exposing muscle where her cutie marks were supposed to be.

Twilight felt a warm liquid run down her legs and ruin the bed spread; the fear pulled away all cohesive efforts to retain conscious controlled bodily functions. Her teeth were chattering and her hooves were compressed over her eyes. She was determined not to look at the monstrosity before her. The bed shifted a little and the unicorn began to sob. "Look... At... Me..." The raspy voice growled, kicking off one of the lifeless pony legs.

Twilight didn't dare, she could tell the undead pony was right in front of her. "Look... At... Me..." It repeated, the stench of death itself attacked Twilight’s nostrils, she felt its stale breath upon her face. The fear of not seeing what was about to happen overpowered the fear of the grotesque creature. The terrified mare slowly removed her hooves to find one bloodshot pink eye beaming directly at her. Twilight's mouth hung open; she couldn't deny the identity of the pony any longer; if not for the terror the thing caused her, than the pain of finally coming to terms with the death of one of her best friends.

"Why Twi-light?" The cold voice of Rainbow Dash asked, small amounts of blood spurting onto Twilight's face, her head dangling freely to one side and her face expressionless. "Why don’t you care about me?" It growled lifting Its arm, a syringe gained from seemingly out of nowhere. With an expressionless heave the mare swung the light blade down onto the unicorns face. Twilight found her voice, let a blood curtailing scream as the sound of wet steel dragged in her ears.

Screaming, The purple unicorn awoke to her own rapid breaths. She examined her face with her hooves where the incision was made and found not cuts nor gashes, her eyes darted around her room in a frenzy trying to locate any unprecedented movements or inexplicable additions... a frail darkness and ticking clock were the only things her room held.

Twilight fell back onto her pillow and placed a hoof over her eye. "Oh, oh it was just a dream." She removed her hoof with a relieved smile and found a pair of pink dangling eyes looking down at her, a pony head above them opening it's mouth and a million voices screaming directly into Twilight’s face before the bodiless ponies mouth consumed her entire line of sight...

Twilight sprang out of her bed with a jolt, she looked around and bit herself to confirm she was awake now. A slight though welcome sliver of pain shot threw the ponies arm; she held her place in the middle of the room trembling. She stood there for what seemed like hours, her eyes unblinking and her body tense beyond reason. Any unexpected sound would bring an overdramatic eye twitching examination of the room.

Finally daybreak came and the mare eventually got the courage to move again, if only as slowly as Rainbow Dash's pet turtle: Tank. She cautiously made her way down stairs; every creak of wood brought a spike of fear into Twilight's heart. She finally reached the bottom, and after a few more minutes of travel, lay on the couch curled up; nothing but the horrid and decomposed image of her dead friend on her mind. She played the scene over and over in her head, not that she wanted to, but she couldn't help it. Rainbow Dash was dead, and no rationalization could help Twilight convince herself the cyan mare's death was less horrid than her mind portrayed.

Tears shed from big purple eyes, the guilt grasped Twilight's heart like a pair of vice grips. She did care, of course she cared; why would she even question it. She sobbed on the couch clenching her tail. The suffering Rainbow dash looked as if she had gone through, the image of her broken neck dangling; it was too much for Twilight to think about.

"Twilight, are you ok?" Spike asked wondering up to his friend.

Twilight didn't respond, she couldn’t respond. She could only sob and hope the dragon would understand.

After a brief moment, Spike lay a claw on the purple mare's head. "There, there. What happened?" The dragon found himself embraced in tight hug, leaving the forgotten tail abandon by its owner. Spike began to speak, but felt the tears roll from Twilight's cheeks on his chest; his pity caused him to decided it best to hold her and just be there for her. The two stayed in each other’s arms for a time before there was nothing left; and the distraught mare fell back into slumber.

A brown stallion stood outside the Library, his ruffled mane blew in the wind as he observed the two through the window. He turned away and began walking down the street, his once round eyes giving way to hateful and determined scorn...

(What's that? You can't feel anything in dreams, and you can breath under water? :YaDontSay: )

Perspective

A black covered stallion marched on the outskirts of Ponyville, he looked around to ensure none of those twisted Peace-colts spotted him before he ducked behind a bluff. The stallion peered into the Everfree forest from under his fedora and narrowed his eyes... there they are. Two armor covered ponies with spears bared the primary entrance to the forest. A shadow of a smile climbed up his lips and he trotted around a hill to keep out of sight of the two guards. The black drenched pony stayed in the shadow offered by the tree branches of the forest before he froze from one of his soon to be victims letting out a sneeze.

"Pipe down Goldman, We' not supposed to move." Barked his offended pony’s partner, trying to move his mouth as little as possible; while keeping his face forward.

"Not supposed to move eh?" Goldman sniffed. "It's the stupidest bloody thin' I evah heard. What if someone was to sneak up on us an knock us out eh? All they would have to do is come up from behind, you know."

"Goldman, you'r' bein' steupid again." Scoffed the dominant pony, "Wha? You think some stallion is just going to see us standing hea', wal' all the way around the bluff, and creep up behind us, keeping in the shadows of the forest; all for the sake of knocking us silly so tha' he can go in to the forest without us knowin'?"

The Pony in Black smirked at the irony of his plan fully elaborated by the stallion and slammed his hooves into the back of the Peace-colts unguarded necks, sending them cascading limply to the dirt. "You talk too much." He quipped before turning around and leaving their unconscious forms behind to venture into the forest...

The darkness was thick, and the typical sounds of the forests wildlife only added to the uncomfortable setting. The pony pulled out a lantern from his coat and set the contraption to high flame for maximum visibility. It didn't take long for him to trot down the single path that lead to a small hut, owned by a certain zebra. A bright light was coming from the window, giving the pony a good idea that his quarry was home. He killed the flame and left the dead light by the path.

He approached the house, careful to avoid being spotted threw the windows and the partially exposed 'window' of the door. He stood in the shadow of the out awning and perched his ear to the wall. He heard two ponies speaking to one another, one a spoke in rhymes and bore a thick Jamaican accent. The other growled in a forced low and muffled tone.

"You were unfollowed you are sure? If this is a trick, I'll hang you on a lewa'." The unmistakable voice of Zecora proclaimed in distrust.

"Spare me the word tricks, Zacora." Growled the lower and scratchier voice. "And! You would do well to take into consideration who you are threatening."

Shadow released a calming breath, he heard that one of the two was trotting his way and scraped something on the wall. "Of course madam, how may I help you this day?"

"I have just received word from my Mistress," The pony replied, the silent stallion could hear the smile growing on the ponies face as she spoke. "She has informed me to with hold drawing anymore numbers, and that she would take care of everything from here. So you can count on lower count of ponies coming in for your... treatment."

Numbers? Shadow pondered.

"Lowa' count?" Quipped Zecora skeptically.

Shadow closed his eyes to hear the conversation better. Hoping there was some merit to the idea that his hearing would be sharper "Well, you know me. I've never been one to follow rules I didn't like... Especially with him, he claimed he would remain loyal for weeks, but eventually I broke him."

Zecora gasped, "You kept him for weeks? I thought yo' mistress said-" something must have happened, for the zebra did not finish her words. Shadow had to fight the urge to peak in through the window, he wanted to know what was going on, but couldn't risk being caught and maybe having to fight the pair. Finally; the Zebras voice started up again "And what of Ms. Sparkle? She is no fool, and with de' disappearance of her pegasus friend, she will-" Zecora's words were interrupted by a loud thud and grunt on the far side of the small wooden structure.

Another dark giggle escaped the zebra’s accomplice before the front door opened; causing Shadow to kneel down to better keep out of sight. "Don't worry about her; precautions have already been taken to keep Twilight Sparkle pre-occupied for the moment." The dark voice called as a pony covered in a brown cloak with black leggings walked out of the hut and turned to smile at the zebra. "And as far as my mistress goes... What she doesn't know… won’t hurt her." And with that, the pony trotted off into the thick darkness of the woods to return to where ever she came from.

"How did I ge' myself into dis' mess?" He heard Zecora sigh. Shadow lifted his head and peered through the window. The Zebra closed the door and wondered to the far end of the hut, a large table holding up an adult pony with: Light brown hair, a darker brown mane, and an hourglass on his flank. The black clad pony had to squint, but he made out a small vial in Zecora's hoof, she opened the unconscious pony’s mouth and poured the contents of the glass container down his throat, rubbing his jugular to make the mix go down.

The stallion coughed and sat up rubbing his head in a daze. He looked over to see Zacora standing with her hoof hiding the tube behind her back. "What... What happened?"

"When I found you, you were dreaming deep, so I brought you here, for a more comfortable sleep." Zecora replied trotting to one of the many exotic masks she had sitting on the walls and discreetly threw the emptied vial into it. Shadow made a mental not to retrieve it and examine its contents.

"Asleep? The last thing I remember was... ow." The dazed pony grabbed at his head and rubbed his temples.

"You must return home, and get some rest. You may be a Doctor, but Zecora knows best." She helped the groggy Doctor Whooves get to his feet and lead him to the door. She offered to escort him home, but the stallion declined; stating that he was strong enough to get home on his own. Shadow cursed the pony for his decline, denying him the perfect chance to investigate the Zebra's hut without being detected.

"Hmmm," He heard the Zebra ponder. The dark stallion poked his head up to see the formally unconscious pony was gone and Zacora holding the vile she had thrown into the mask. "Should Zecora throw you to the bog now, or lata’?"

The dark pony couldn't let that piece of evidence go, he had hunted her killer for months now. He was tired, frustrated, and angry. In a surge of panic, he crashed through the window, sending shards of glass and wood every which way. Zecora glared at him in surprise; her eyes growing from bewildered to frustrated. "You."

The Pony in Black's eyes became slits. "Give me that vial." He growled, baring his teeth.

Zecora gave him a questioning stare than looked to the glass container, a knowing smile creeping on her face. "Ohh..." She smirked and glared evilly before tossing the item back into the mouth of the mask. "Why sho'd I? I don' even know who yo' are."

The pony in black let out a scoff. "Don't play games with me."

Zecora dropped her charade and watched the intruder with an amused expression. "Well, i neva' expected fo' yo' to find me heah', Cynic. I’m curious as to ‘ow you could have known."

Cynic trotted around the caldron that stood between the two. Zecora moving opposite him to keep the distance. "You're not the one I'm here for." The stallion proclaimed eyeing the witch doctor while moving closer to the mask that held his prize. "Where does she keep them?"

The stripped pony shrugged, "It'z not my problem what she do with them once dey' are gone from my care."

"Not them." Cynic growled, taking his place in front of the mask and eying the foe. "I'm referring to those who never make it to you."

Zecora shrugged again. "'Ow should i know? I only do what she tells me." Zecora teased before her smirk turned into a thoughtful glare, her gaze shot between the mask and the intruding black clad stallion.

The two exchanged quips about Cynic's past failures to capture the ponynapper. Zecora kept the conversation going to distract the pony in time for her to find something she could use as a weapon against him. Once the aggravated Cynic dismissed her ramblings, the zebra yanked at his heart stings in a desperate attempt to keep him from his objective; and it worked. Cynic withdrew his unoccupied hooves from the masks mouth and shot a hate filled glare to his antagonist.

"Yes, Cynic Kilimare." Zecora grabbed a medium sized ritualistic stick from under one of the lower shelves and kept it from sight. "I was der', i smiled as she was murdered and broken."

Cynic's ears twitched. He knew what the cad was trying to do, but he couldn't help but take the bait. Too long had he pushed the thoughts out of his mind and denied the emotional pain it caused. And too long, had this wench spoken ill of his lost. "Watch what you say wench." Cynic threated, his mouth in a sneer. "Think I have any reservation about stomping your throat. Go ahead; you'll only do it once."

Zecora's smile grew, "Is 'dat supposed to sca' me?" She laughed and began to wonder slowly around the caldron to the trespasser. "den' go ahead, we will see which of us had made de' mistake." Her last words mocked his threat.

Cynic began to walk to the stripped pony when he noticed her left forehoof was being kept deliberately hidden behind the cauldron. He quickly drew a dagger from his coat and clenched it ready in his mouth.

The zebra stopped in her tracks, she observed the fine, curved blade in the stallion’s jaw. She let out a sardonic laugh and continued her provocation. "Wa's wrong, Mistah' Kilimare? Are you truly so afraid, 'dat you mus' draw a knife on me?" Zecora closed her eyes and shook her head. "Tisk, tisk. it pains me to imagine what she would think, seeing you like 'dis"

Cynic shook with rage, he wanted to hurt the sadistic mare, he wanted to dig his knife into her throat and splash her blood on the walls. The haunting memories of her headless and mangled body being pulled from the tainted lake, the missing, jawless head found in his mailbox, covered in thin cuts all around what was left of her face. Cynic snarled, it took everything he had to hold himself back. The poor mare, she didn't deserve what happened, she was one of the most timid and likeable ponies anyone could have met.

"Would you like to know about how she begged fo’ death?" Zecora teased taking another slow step towards him.

That was it, Cynic leapt to the zebra; his knife swinging for her bare neck. Zacora easily ducked the blade and threw her hoof at the black clad stallions face. Cynic's head snapped sideways as rush of pain and disorientation consuming his vision. The stallion recovered and beheld the wooden scepter in the zebra's mouth.

Zecora slammed the stick down onto Cynic's head; the stallion rolled left and struck at his enemies ankles. The zebra hissed in pain before losing her balance and falling to the floor, her wooden ritualistic staff leaving her mouth and rolling out of reach. She leaned down and inspected the crimson fluid that ran freely from the cut. She tried to get up but found the offending blade was now at her throat, with Cynic at the handle.

The brown stallion pushed the dagger against Zecora's throat. "You kir'ed-." he proclaimed his last words to muffled to make out. He sunk the speech slurring wedge of steel down, causing the zebra's flesh to indent from the pressure; small amounts of blood beginning to escape.

"I- I di' not" Zecora replied, her words becoming muffled by Cynic's weight on his blade. "I nevah' touched ha'."

Cynic hesitated; he wanted to spill her blood in the name of avenging his dead loved one. The feelings of absolute hate and contempt; were the only feelings he had left that pertained to her. All the guilt and sorrow had festered and grown into these emotions. All the love and happiness she had taught him were cast away. He wanted to keep a hold of the strength the dark feelings brought; he felt it would be appropriate to use that strength to end the pony who stole his life away from him... He didn't want to waste his hate on a pony that was not responsible for it.

He spat out the knife and rose his hoof. Zecora covered her head with her forelegs to protect her skull from the blunt of his stomp. She coughed dramatically and gasped, after Cynic slammed his leg down into the mares stomach, he watched as she sat; eyes wide and trying to catch the breath that was knocked out of her. The intruder put all of his weight into his hoof and began twisting, causing the zebra to groan and rive in agony.

"I want you to listen." Cynic seethed lightening his leg, thus allowing the zebra to breathe again. "I am going to ask you a very simple question. And all I want is an even simpler 'yes' or 'no'." He replaced his weight on Zacora's stomach and began to twist; digging his forehoof upward into the helpless pony’s diaphragm. She wheezed for mercy, her eyes beginning to roll into the back of her head.

Cynic eased off on the pressure again, but kept his leg firmly in place bellow Zecora's chest, ready to dig back in if he heard something he didn't like. "First off, are you the one responsible for her death?" His eyes gazed into her own, unblinking and violent. He observed the Zebra face grew more fearful of his sight than of himself. Finally the mare caught her breath and welcomed the now satisfying oxygen her assailant allowed to her.

"No..." She shook her head. "No, I didn' kill ha'." She whispered before the Pony in Black pushed back on her stomach for balance and drew is face inches from hers. His hateful scorn enveloped her mind, the smell of smoke emitting from Cynic's breath made the mare grimace.

"Sorry, I couldn't hear you." He twisted his hoof back into her chest cavity causing the zebra to wince in pain once more. She tried to use her legs to push the assailant off, but to her surprise; her limbs were all unresponsive to her command. Cynic couldn’t deny he was enjoying the pony’s pain. It brought him a sweet satisfaction knowing he was hurting, at least, the accomplice to the individual who he loathed so.

"NO!" Zecora shouted trying to expand her lungs under Cynic's hoof. "I didn't kill her." She annunciated, wheezing. The stallions eyes glared for a time, he allowed her reprieve again, and the mare took in a heavy few breaths. Zecora looked back to find her enemies eyes were wider, and his retinas were violently shaking while keeping her in his direct line of sight. After a few long moments he blinked again, and pushed his face away from the Zebra.

"Glad you told me the truth." Cynic smiled and gave the mare a bit more room to expand her lungs. "Now, my second question: Who is the one carving all the cutie marks out of ponies, and distributing them to their home towns?" He demanded, glaring again into Zecora's eyes. He saw it, he saw her eyes changing: the desperate but honest look she held turned fearful and scheming. The stripped mare claimed she didn't know and Cynic shook his head and dug his hoof back into her stomach.

Zacora opened her mouth to scream, though a pathetic moan was all that emitted from the compressed ponies lungs. She fought back the tears that the assailant’s offending forhoof brought. She could feel her organs beginning to become irritated from the constant assault, her heart painfully slammed against her chest with every beat. A black fade began to take hold of the mare's sight. The stripped pony could feel her body slipping into numbness; only to have her pulled back to consciousness by a hard slap to the face.

"We're not done yet." Cynic scowled lifting his hoof slightly. Zecora took her breaths again, she couldn't stand it anymore. The constant pain, and the frustrating lost mercy of sleep; the leeway of Cynic's hoof on her chest was only enough to keep her awake and focused before the stallion would crush her organs again, and bring the maddening discomfort of breathlessness. The black clad pony watched her with an expectant dead pan, his eyes giving rapid though short bursts of small movement.

Zecora, desperate for the body crushing force to end, exposed the pony responsible for the abductions and desecration; confirming what Cynic thought all along. His eyes stopped shaking before he looked down, and he let out a soft sigh. "So, it really was her." He removed his hoof from the zebra's chest, and walked past her unruly form. Zecora took in gulps of breath; her gasping fully audible.

After a minute of sucking the air into her body, Zacora regained small amounts of feeling in her limbs and began a slow attempt to stand. Cynic snapped from his thoughtful trance and turned his cold gaze to the zebra. "Going somewhere?" He asked, turning to face her.

"I gave ya' de' truth." She cough, blood sputtering from her mouth; the soreness of her chest stinging every time she inhaled. "What more do ya' want?"

Cynic thought it over. Now that he had confirmation on who it was that murdered all of the ponies, he could easily find her alone and serve the justice She deserved. On the other hand, he thought; he would still be the Peace-colt's #1 most wanted. If he found the evidence and exposed the killer for who she was, he might have the chance to live out the rest of his days in peace.

Cynic's eyes trailed to the floor in thought, leaving the demoralized Zecora to gather her wits. Then again, did he want to live anymore? After his loss, Cynic had contemplated death for so long, he spent many sleepless nights dwelling up the relief it would give his grief stricken heart. Without her here with him, life seemed so empty and frustrating. He lived simply to kill the wretch responsible for his misery; would killing her bring him the peace he wanted? Or would he simply spend the remainder of his days in isolated self loathing, wishing he hadn’t left, and knowing that he could have saved her.

"End her as well!" A small voice in his head hissed, "she sat by and watched as it happened, kill her! She deserves it."

A scraping sound from behind caused Cynic turn his head, a painfully force struck his face sending him off his bearings. He fell to the side after knocking his head over a bookshelf that happened to be in his way. He lifted his head in a haze of dancing color to find Zecora standing over him on wobbling legs. "I'm surprised 'dat didn't knock ya' out." The intruder attempted to stand, only to have his neck pushed down by Zacora's hoof. "Any last word, colt?"

Cynic regained his wits, and angled one of his back legs under the book shelf. "Actually, one." He looked to the still winded Zebra, his words genuine and curious, though he was only buying time to check the weight of the book holder. "Why do you do it?" He wedged his leg up to find the case was heavier than he thought.

Zecora smirked at the question, placing more pressure on the fallen stallion’s neck. "I guess i can answah' one mo'e question before I kill you." She leaned her mouth down and nipped at his ear, causing the dark pony to shiver from awkwardness; but it did get his attention as she quietly whispered: "I need der' blood." Cynic turned his head to see the zebra's smile.

"What?"

Zecora smirked, licking up a little crimson fluid Cynic just noticed was trickling from under his eye. The zebra seemed to relish in the metallically flavored substance before she gave him an evil smile. "Back in my land, we ‘ad a ritual to appease our gods wit' de' hearts of ah' enemies." The zebra's ears fell back, a hurt look claiming her face. "All dat' time wasted, they showed me no favah', but now-"

Cynic didn't wait for her to finish. Though it was heavy enough to cause his leg excruciating amounts of pain, he used his angled limb on the wall to levee the book case over onto the two of them. Zecora gasped at the acknowledgement, Cynic felt the pressure ease off his neck and bucked his hind legs at the striped mares own. She fell onto the ground by him, and they both rolled away from each other; allowing the bookcase to fall without any damage done.

Cynic stood up and cracked his neck. He heard Zecora's hissing from behind the new obstruction, he looked over to see her grabbing the wound he inflicted with his knife. The zebra shot Cynic a hate filled glare, only giving the intruding stallion a reason to smirk. He wondered around the cauldron and drew his knife from the floor; placing it back within his coat. "I will say this once." He finished the circle to find Zecora standing on her three good legs, her fourth hanging limply. "Fuck with me again," he smirked, "and you're 'gods'; will drink from your skull."

Walking back to the mask, Cynic took one last look at the zebra to find her face contorted in a look of pain and loathing, though besides that, her figured was unmoved. He reached into the mask and grabbed the tiny vial. "Thank you for your hospitality." he quipped before the dark pony kicked open the door and wondered back out into the woods.

Zeocora slammed her hoof onto the floor, she cursed herself for allowing him to leave. She closed the door and checked to make sure the dark stallion was nowhere in sight. After securing the way in, the stripped mare laid herself on the table that Dr. Whooves occupied only fifteen minutes before. "Ah," she winced, giving her leg a once over. Nothing broken, but defiantly something that could get infected if not properly tended to.

After grabbing small blue bottle, she sat down to drip the contents onto her wound. "Zecora!" A voice barked from outside. The mare turned to find the brown cloaked pony from earlier. "I have to say, I am disappointed."

Zecora felt a twinge of fear shoot up her spine. "h- how much di' yo' see?"

The brown cloaked pony walked further in, "I saw enough to know where your loyalties lie..." She replied holding up Cynic's lantern and placed it on the table next to her.

"Mistress, i uh..."

The new pony held up her black covered hoof to silence the zebra. "Don't worry Zecora." The smiled, using her left hoof to turn on the gas of the lantern as high as it could go, while using the right to pull down her hood, revealing a frilly pink mane and, knowing blue eyes. "It's like I always say. Life is a party."

The pink mare slammed the lantern onto the wooden floor, immediately combusting and lighting the tinder ground aflame. Zecora screamed, and moved away from the exceedingly growing fire, apologizing furiously to Pinkie Pie. Pinkie only giggled and shrugged as the flames spread a crossed the floor, crawling up the walls in seconds. The Zecora desperately pleaded and begged Pinkie for forgiveness, proclaiming she would never let it happen again. The party mare's smile dropped before she closed her eyes, shook her head in disappointment and walked out of the burning hut; leaving her stripped underling to perish in the flame.

"Life's a party,” Pinkie spoke, trotting away merrily as Zacoras screams echoed throughout the forest before the wooden ceiling collapsed in, ending the zebra’s frantic screams for help, “and you aren't invited."

(A/N Oh hey look, a story about carving out cutie marks, missing ponies, a missing Rainbow Dash leads up to Pinkie Pie... Oh my, who saw that coming? yea, I know not to many people read this story, and even less read the Authors notes. However, I just feel like saying: Thanks to those who do read.)