Chapters *Drip, drip, drip*
The sound of dripping water echoed throughout the entire cave. A constant, and never-ending, sound. Due to the sound that seemed to be unending it got on a certain someone's nerves.
"Graaaagh!" A creature bellowed from inside his cage. His hand grasped the bars as he banged his head against the cage bars.
"That won't help Tirek." A figure with sharp yellow eyes that had pupil slits smiled. His voice filled with a venomous snake-like tongue. "It won't make the noise stop. No matter how badly you want it to."
The creature that was banging his head stopped. He moved towards the left side of his cage to face the creature that adressed him. Said creature walked into a shine of light, revealing that he had the lower half of a pony with black fur and grey hooves. His upper body had red skin that looked like a humans with red skin that had skinny arms in which his hands were bound by hand cuffs, his head looked like a pony's but it had no fur. Instead it had red skin. On his head were two tiny horns and he had yellow pupils where the back of his eyes were black.
"Do not make me angry Devorandum." Tirek hissed.
"Or what?" The silhouette creature rose inside his cage. "Tell me Tirek what will you do? Will you try to take away my magic?"
Tirek growled at the creature, receiving a smile from the creature.
"Enough you two."
Tirek and the creature looked back to the cage behind them. A pony silhouette sitting in it.
"Your pointless bickering won't solve anything. All it will do is irritate me more so."
"And just what will you do about it hmmmm?" The creature asked. "You're just as trapped as the rest of us here."
"We wouldn't still be here if a certain someone didn't betray the plan." Another voice came from another cage.
"Don't try to pin this on me!" Tirek shouted to the cage.
"He does have a point though." The creature hissed. "We wouldn't still be here if you hadn't ran like a dog with his tail between his legs."
"What did you just call me?" Tirek growled.
The creature was about to make a clever quip but was unable to, due to the fact that multiple noises were being heard outside. Sounds of roars, yelling, painful yelling, and ponies who were cursing. The noise died down and the door jingled a bit. Like someone was putting pressure on the other side of it. After a couple of nudges the door was literally blown off of its hinges as a big three headed guard dog was thrown through it. Kicking up dust and dirt.
"Well well well." A pony emerged from the dust.
It had the body of a mare. But had black chitin instead of fur, holes in her four legs, insect like wings a long unicorn horn that was warped and deformed with two semi circles on its side. She had sharp dark green eyes, and long deep dark blue messy mane an tail. Her voice had a distorted echo to it, as though two exactly tuned voices were speaking out of sync.
"So this is the fate that has fallen upon the Seven Demon's of Tarturus. Seems as though we're missing some." The pony said.
"Your a bit early are you not Chrysalis?" The pony silhouette asked.
"I'm in agreement with Terraca." A strange creature trapped inside a cage larger than the others said. "Why have you come here so early?"
"An opportunity occurred and I simply couldn't pass it up." Chrysalis said aiming her horn at the cage the pony Silhouette was trapped in, a green beam shot from her horn and struck the cage, melting it like butter.
"Must be one hell of an opportunity." The yellow eyed creature grinned. "Care to let us in on the secret? We don't get much news down here."
"Trust me, I even if I did tell you none of you would believe me." Chrysalis said.
"I've seen many things in my life that I'd never dared to imagine, try me." The pony silhouette ginned.
Chrysalis smiled. "The moon has vanished from Equestria." She spoke.
The Future
The morning sun broke through the dark night. Signaling those who slept that it was time to awake. However there were two who ignored the signal. Mostly because they had been awake since four a.m. and have been working nonstop.
The sun shined its bright rays upon Sweet Apple acres. The newly painted barn, the warm brisk apple trees, and the gentle wind. To the Apple family, it was the perfect day for a harvest. An apple tree shook, apple's were instantly knocked down from the trees branches. Landing perfectly in the bucket.
The one who shook the apple tree was a mare. A grown mare with yellow fur and wore a cowgirl hat. The Mare's name was Applebloom. Fully grown up, she took on all the responsibilities that Applejack once had. Applebloom looked towards the sky. Where the moon had once stood.
Time had passed since its disappearance. The light that the moon had brought into the night was gone. Now the nights were dark, with no light to shine down on the earth. Everyone missed the moon. But they moved on, they learned to live without the light of the moon.
Applebloom shook her head away from the sky and back to her work. She had a lot ahead of her but she knew that she could get it done.
There was just one thing that was holding her down.
Her coltfriend Pip.
She sighed, the grown lad Pip asleep on his barrel. Applebloom couldn't help but smile. Everyday he'd get up early to come and help her out. And everyday she'd find him asleep. And everyday she'd tell him to not over exert himself. And everyday he'd respond with 'what kind of coltfriend would I be if I didn't help out my Mare?'
She smiled at the thought. She walked over to the sleeping Pip and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. Pip opened one of his eyes and said, "Is that you my princess Charming?"
Applebloom giggled. "No, but ya sure do make one heck of a sleeping beauty."
Pip's smile faded, "Sorry I slept on the job again."
"What's there ta be sorry about?" Applebloom said, picking up one of the barrel's handle's by her teeth and dragging it under the tree.
"Well I come here every day to help you out but I just keep getting in the way." Pip said flatly.
"Don't be ridiculous Pip." Applebloom said, facing the tree she lifted her hind legs. "I'd much rather have you sleeping here than somewhere else."
"...what's that supposed to mean?" Pip asked as Applebloom bucked the tree.
The tree shook as apples were knocked loose from its branches. Applebloom turned away from the tree and towards Pip. When she was close enough she wrapped her forelegs around Pip's neck and got real close to his face. "It means I enjoy your company Pip." She whispered.
*ahem*
The two ponies startled backwards by a sudden noise. The two looked to there left to see an above average large stallion with red fur, an orange mane that was spiky in the front, and had green eyes. "I hope I'm not interrupting. Am I?" The stallion asked.
"Eeyup." Pip responded.
Applebloom giggled. The stallion squinted his eyes at Pip and approached him. He got right in Pip's face and asked, "I don't think I heard you right Pip Squeak. Care to repeat yourself?"
Pip stared the stallion right back, he showed no fear, no hesitation, and no sign of weakness as he repeated what he said. "Eeyup."
There was a long silence between the two. Before the stallion smiled and grabbed Pip. The stallion pulled Pip into a hug and laughed. "Eeyup!" The stallion hollered in laughter.
Pip chuckled, a bit of uncomfort in his laugh.
"But seriously though." The stallion released Pip from his grip. "I need the two of you ta get back to work. These apples won't harvest themselves you know."
"Yeah yeah we know." Applebloom said to the stallion as he began to walk away.
"So...does your bother still not like me or what?" Pip asked.
Applebloom just shrugged. "Come on, you heard Big Mac. We gotta get back to work."
"Yes ma'am." Pip saluted.
The day rolled on to where it seemed like the morning was only seconds. The afternoon came very quickly and without warning. The weather ponies planed for a day with hardly any clouds. And a nice cool breeze.
It was the perfect day to take a stroll through the dark and terrible Everfree forest. Or at least that's what it used to be till the Deer came along. The once terrifying forest became tame and ordinary, dirt paths were built into the ground and houses made in trees. This made traveling through the Everfree much easier to many.
One pony was making use of these roads. A stallion by the name of First Base strolled down the dirt road. He hummed a tune while carrying a picnic basket in his mouth. Two Deer guards passed by First and greeted him with a hello. First Base smiled at the two and returned the friendly greeting with one of his own.
The tension between the Deer and ponies was something of the past. The two lived in a, as one would call it, harmonic lifestyle.
First Base walked along the dirt road for a while before reaching his destination. Before First Base stood a pond. Small waves splashed on the surface of the ground as water fell from the top of a flat large rock.
Sitting on a picnic blanket, that sat on the beach of the pond, was a grown Dinkie. Her mind currently absent from the real world and was immersed in her book.
First Base began to approached Dinkie. Being very quiet so that he wouldn't disturb her.
"Your late."
Of course First Base skill of stealth was as good as a cow with an alarm strapped to its neck.
First Base stood frozen. Not wanting to move, hoping, praying, that Dinkie was just reading her book out loud. Dinkie then closed the book and stood up. First Base's pupils shrank in fear as Dinkie sat up.
"Do you know what I do to ponies who are late Base?" Dinkie asked, staring First base in the eyes.
First Base said nothing, he was to afraid to speak. He knew all to well what was about to happen. The picnic basket that he held was ripped from his mouth by Dinkie's magic and placed neatly on the ground. Then First Base was lifted into the air, he looked at Dinkie with pleading eyes, silently begging her not to do what she was about to do.
First Base's hopes were instantly dashed away when Dinkie gave him a sinister smile. Any slim hope of redemption was no where to be found. First Base was doomed, there was no escape.
As Dinkie chucked him into the water.
First Base gasped for air as he splashed on the surface, he coughed up some water. His mane and fur had become completely soaked in water causing it to droop. While First Base was doing this however, a sound had caught his ears attention. On the shore was Dinkie, on her back laughing hysterically. First Base swam to the shore and walked up to Dinkie. He stood over her frowning at her, Dinkie looked back at him with an innocent smile.
"Oh lighten up you." Dinkie smiled, getting up from the ground she dusted off her back and walked to the blanket. Using her magic she summoned a towel, which she offered to First Base.
First Base continued to glare at Dinkie. He shook his body like a dog, drops of water went flying everywhere. Dinkie used the towel that she had offered First Base to shield herself from the barrage of droplets.
When First Base stopped his mane and fur returned to their dry state. It was as if not a single drop of water touched him. Dinkie made the towel vanish, still smiling at Base.
"The water was cold." First Base said flatly to Dinkie.
"Oh please, it can't be that cold. Besides," Dinkie teleported herself on First Base's back and whispered tenderly in his ear, "I can think of a few ways to warm you up."
The tone of Dinkie's voice and her body language caused blood to rush to First Base's cheeks. His entire body became hot as his mind began to think of certain 'fantasies'.
"There, see?" Dinkie asked, hoping off of First Base's back. "Told you I had a couple of ways to warm you up."
First Base stood there in confusion before he realized that Dinkie's sudden words had caused his body temperature to rise. "I really don't like you right now." First Base glared at Dinkie.
Dinkie giggled at Base, sitting down on the blanket she offered First Base a seat beside her. First Base sighed, admitting defeat he approached Dinkie and sat beside her. Dinkie levitated the picnic basket towards them, lifting up the red cloth that Base had put over it. She then lifted two cucumber sandwiches out of the basket and levitated one of them over to Base, who grabbed it and took a bite of it.
"You remember what today is don't you?" Dinkie asked Base, taking a bite out of her sandwich.
First base nodded. "We're all still gonna meet in the same place we always do right?"
"Yep, still can't believe it's been so long and yet...it feels like it's only been a few days since it disappeared." Dinkie said, looking up to the sky.
"Yeah, I know how you feel." First Base looked up to the sky as well. "Everyone is starting to wonder if it will ever come back."
"I don't think so, the Moon just up and vanished. There was no warning, no vision, no nothing. It all happened so fast." Dinkie said. The two still gazing up at where the moon once stood.
*knock,knock*
"Sister?" A voice came from the other side of the door.
"Come in." Was Luna's response.
The door handle turned and the door creaked open as Celestia entered the room. In front of her was her sister Luna, looking out her window.
"I've come to make sure that you are all right." Celestia said, closing the door behind her.
"Am I alright?" Luna repeated her sisters words. "I don't think so no."
Celestia sighed. "Luna...your my sister. So if there's anything I can do for you I will do everything in my power to do it."
"Thank you Celestia. But right now, I just want to be left alone." Luna said, continuing to stare out her window.
Celestia gave Luna a worried look before turning back to the door. She walked out and closed the door behind her.
"She's staring out of her window again isn't she?"
Celestia turned to the left hallway, a Batpony mare before her. She had red eyes, grey fur, and a dark blue neatly combed mane. She wore a lunar guard outfit minus the head piece. She sat against the wall, as if she was expecting someone.
"I'm afraid she's still upset about everything that has happened. She blames herself when it clearly isn't her fault." Celestia explained.
The mare stood up. "I'll go talk to her, maybe I can...help her somehow."
"Best of luck to you Shade." Celestia said before turning and walking away.
Shade stood at the door, her hoof laid on the door handle. She braced herself before turning the handle and opening the door. As she expected, Luna was sitting at her window, staring blankly at the sky.
"I wish to be left alone, please leave my food on the table and go." Luna said, assuming that Shade was a maid that had come to deliver her food.
Shade grinned at Luna, "Would you prefer that I wear a maid outfit instead of this one?"
Luna smiled weakly, "Still humorous as always."
"Your sister is worried about you." Shade said, sitting next to Luna. "Everyone is worried about you."
"They have no need for such an emotion." Luna said. "I am fine-"
"But your not fine." Shade interrupted Luna. "I've seen your covers filled with tears, you close yourself off from everyone, and you hide your sadness behind an invisible mask. But I can see through your mask Luna. I know that you are hurting, but you are only hurting yourself for something that isn't your fault."
Luna looked away from Shade and back to the window. "You know nothing."
"I know that you are not the only one hurting. I to miss Nightwing, I owe everything to him. He is the reason that I exist in this world." Shade hugged Luna. "Tell me the story again." Shade begged. "Tell me about Nightwing. Tell me about the adventures he had and the friends he made and everything about him. Please."
Luna looked down at Shade and wrapped a hoof around her, pulling her closer in. "I've already told you the story countless times now. Surely you know it by heart now?"
"No...I want to hear it again." Shade pleaded.
"Very well." Luna smiled weakly at Shade. "There once was a vampire Batpony. His name was Nightwing, he was...a bit unfriendly to most is a way I'd put it. But he had friends, and those friends stood by him through thick and thin. They would lay down their lives for him, because they knew that he would do the same for him."
Luna continued to fill Shade's ears with tales of Nightwing and his adventures. Tales full of action, drama, and a few comical points here and there. As Luna told the tales Shade began to get sleepy. She was about to leave until Luna requested that she slept with her. Shade was a bit reluctant at first but when she saw the sadness in her eyes she agreed. The two crawled into Luna's bed, Luna's wing draped over Shade giving her comfort and reassurance as the two dozed off.
In the far reaches of Equestria, towards the east. There is a prison known as Ractous. It is a prion for those who have committed crimes against Equestria. It lies in a mountain, a three layered gate, that was guarded by the mechanical Ponies known as Sentinel's. An upgraded version of Nightwing's Guardians. They were built to be stronger, faster, smarter, and more powerful than the original Guardian. The design was the same, armor in the shape of a pony made from a type of material that covered the muzzle and had empty eye sockets. Each programmed with a specific job and unit.
In the Rocky Mountains there was heavy winds that would sometimes break down rocks into razor sharp dust particles that when inhaled they would shred your lungs into pieces. Therefore the guards had to wear masks that were designed to take in air and not the death dust. So, when the High council decided to replace the guards at Ractous with Sentinel's they didn't give the decision a second thought.
The gate was about the size of a football field, same width and same height, it had very little space for something tiny to escape from it.
One of the Sentinel's that was perched on the wall of the gate detected two figures approaching the gate. The Sentinel at the gate sent a message to a Sentinel at the bottom of the gate. The Sentinel at the bottom of the gate began to move forward towards the two figures. Fire sparked on the bottom of the sentinel's hooves which turned into a full grown fire. The Sentinel took off flying, the fire propelling it forward towards the two figures. I landed a few feet in front of the two,
"You are trespassing on private government property. State your name and reason." it ordered.
The two figures were draped in brown cloaks that covered their backs. A hood covered their mane and head from any exposure. And a mask that covered their entire face was placed on them. The figure on the right reached for her mask, mist sprayed out of it as the figure removed the mask, giving the Sentinel a good look at the figure's face.
The Sentinel kneeled before the two figures. "Apologies. We did not know you would be arriving so early."
The figure put the mask back over her face, the sound of air being sealed off as it locked to her face. "It is alright, were here early because we have plans of our own that we have to get to." The figure said, her voice sounding a bit robotic thanks to the mask. "Shall we?" She asked to figure beside her.
The figure on the left nodded, and in a instant the three vanished.
And reappeared in front of gate. The Gate creaked and rumbled. A vertical line spilt the gate in two. Both sides began to move away from the other before stopping, a small opening in which the two figures entered. The gate began to close behind the two, sealing away any light. Once the gate was completely closed the entire place became lit with torches and bowls with fire.
Now out of the harsh and deadly winds the two figures removed their masks, revealing their face's. They were both pony's, one a unicorn the other a Pegasus. Their names were Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo. The two were fully grown mare's now and didn't look that different from their younger ages. The only thing different was that Scootaloo wore an eyepatch over her right eye.
"I don't like this." Scootaloo said to Sweetie Bell.
"I know you don't like this but we have to do it." Sweetie Bell replied back to Scootaloo.
The two walked down the hallway before them, they passed by rooms with bars that held prisoners. They kept going deeper and deeper into the mountain before approaching a door guarded by what seemed to be thirty Sentinel's. The door was made of the metal known as black steel, said to be three times stronger than normal steel, three large metal planks held the door locked. As Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell closed the distance between them and door the Sentinel guards moved as to not block their path.
Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell stood before the metal door. The planks that held it shut began to move back, unlocking the door. When each plank was removed the door creaked open and Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell entered. Inside was a room with five cells, two on the left side, two on the right, and one large cell in the back.
Small pillars with metal bowls on top of them caught fire, lighting up the room.
"Well well, look who's come to greet us."
Scootaloo flinched for a split second at the voice. She calmly exhaled, and walked over to a cell on the left. The flames lit up the cell revealing the pony known as Odium. The Element of Rage. His body was chained to the wall, chains wrapped around his forelegs, his hind legs, and his neck. His hooves were nailed into the wall as well. In easy terms he had crucified.
"How've you been doing element of Hope. I see that scar I gave you still hasn't healed." Odium said, directly speaking about Scootaloo's eyepatch.
Scootaloo raised a hoof to her eyepatch, she touched it, and memories of what had happened flooded her mind. The pain she felt, the horror that she experienced when she looked in the mirror. She was mad. Very mad. Angry at Odium for what he had taken away from her.
"Scootaloo." Sweetie Bell's voice snapped Scootaloo out of her trance. "We're not here for him."
Scootaloo nodded, locking eyes with Odium before turning away and approaching the large cell. Inside the cage were two big dish's, one filled with water the other filled with what seemed to be some type of kibble.
"You awake?" Scootaloo asked to the cage.
"...yes." A big deep voice answered.
"You haven't touched your food I see." Sweetie Bell stated, looking at the uneaten kibble.
"Not hungry." The voice inside the cage responded.
"You know the Sentinel's won't buy that, if you don't eat they'll just force it into you." Scootaloo said.
"Don't care." Was the voice's response.
"You know we were able to convince one of the High Council's members to sign your release form." Sweetie Bell said." We're close to getting you-"
A large purple tail smacked against the cell's bars. Causing Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo to jump back.
"I've told you a thousand times now, I don't want to be released!" The voice boomed. "I deserve to be here, I committed a crime that I must serve my time for!"
Scootaloo frowned and shouted back, "But that's just it, no one blames you for what you did. You weren't yourself you were being controlled!"
"That's the point!" The voice yelled. "I was weak, I let my mind be controlled and I hurt those who I loved and cared about. I belong here, I deserve to be here. I know you won't listen but I'll say it again. Stop trying to save me, I belong here."
"That's not fair." Sweetie Bell yelled. "Your treating yourself like your...your...your some kind of monster. But your not, your our friend. You don't belong here. Please let us-"
A large claw reached past the bars, flying straight towards Sweetie Bell at a speed so fast she only could only react by instinct. Pink construct's formed around her body, turning into a type of pink armor. But before the large purple scaly claw could strike Sweetie Bell it stopped. A long and sharp green fingernail a few feet away from her, the large claw receded back into the cage.
"You say that you are my friends, but friends of mine would know that I would never cause any initial harm to them." The voice said, his tone a mixture of anger and sadness. "Leave. Now. I no longer want your company."
The sun was beginning to set, telling everyone that it was time for them to be heading off to bed. But there were two ponies who sat on a hill, admiring the beautiful sunset. First Base and Dinkie rolled out a red and white square pattern picnic blanket. It laid gently on the neatly tame grass, Dinkie and First Base sat on the blanket watching the sun go down, the two enjoying the other's company. The sun had finally set, and the stars came out.
Sparkling dots in the sky shined bright, to far away to light up the earth when night rolled around. But just enough to see, when the world goes dark creatures look to the sky for what little light they can see.
"We're not late I hope."
Dinkie looked behind First Base to see both Applebloom and Pip, who was hauling a cooler. Dinkie smiled at the two and said, "You two aren't late, your a bit early. But that's alright."
First Base turned back to Pip, "Where are the others?" He asked.
"There coming, don't forget they had other important things to do as well." Pip answered.
The four ponies chatted about their days and what they did. They continued to chat until the other four ponies arrived. Scootaloo, Sweetie Bell, Button Mash, and Rumble. They all said their hellos and chatted.
First Base talked about how him and Dinkie went to Canterlot to grab some books and how Dinkie accidentally knocked over a bookshelf that almost crushed First Base. Button Mash discussed about the game tournament that took place in Manehatten and how nearly everyone there was cheating on the games. Rumble talked about his training with his big brother Thunderlane in hopes for entering the Wonderbolt's.
The group went on and on about their day's and how they had spent them. Till a certain time came. Dinkie got everyone's attention by opening up the cooler that Pip had brought. She took out eight bottles of cider, she then levitated one to everyone including herself. She cleared her throat before she spoke, "Ladies and Gentlecolts. We are gathered here today to honor our dear friends who have been gone for a long time now. Let us speak the names of those who we miss and drink from our glasses."
Applebloom removed the cap from her cider. "Ma Sister Applejack, and ma friend Ranger." She took a sip from her drink.
Pip removed the cap from his drink. "Princess Twilight and the elements of Harmony." Pip took a sip from his drink.
Rumble removed the cap from his drink. "Soarin from the Wonderbolt's, he may have been a goofball, but the Wonderbolt's will never be the same without him." There were some chuckles from the group as Rumble took a sip from his drink.
Scootaloo removed the cap from his drink. "Rainbow Dash, even with the element of Hope I'll never be faster than her." She took a sip from her drink.
Sweetie Bell removed the cap from his drink. "My sister Rarity, she might've been a bit of a nag, but I would never replace her." She took a sip from her drink.
Button Mash removed the cap from his drink. "To Pinkie Pie, the most super duper party that ever lived." He took a sip from his drink.
All eyes locked on First Base, who grabbed the cap to his drink. But he wouldn't open it, he didn't know who he missed. Every ear he would just say some random name of someone who disappeared. But this year he said something different, "To everyone that vanished." First Base said, taking a sip from his drink.
"So, who do you miss Dinkie?" Rumble asked.
Dinkie looked at her glass, she removed her cap and raised her glass. "To Nightwing. If it wasn't for him...I don't know where I'd be." She took a sip from her glass. "And now a moment of silence, please." Everyone became silent and bowed their heads. "Let us never forget those who we once loved, or those we held close to our heart. We will never forget the day the moon dissapeared, and those who disappeared with it. We will never forget to always come to this spot, on the very same day that the moon disappeared. We will always remember."
Dinkie put the glass to her lips and was ready to drink the rest of her cider. But she winced as something blinded her, as did everyone else. When there eyes had adjusted they all looked to what had caused their sudden blindness.
What they saw made them shocked. They all stared in awe, mouths slightly agape, and eyes not blinking. Dinkie dropped her glass, which poured out the liquid inside onto the grass.
The doors to Luna's bedroom were thruster open by a lunar Batpony guard. The sudden burst caused the doors to hit violently against the walls, awaking the slumbering princess.
"Guah...huh?" Luna stammer incoherent words, half awake.
"Forgive me your highness. But I come with wonderful news!" The guard said in a excited tone.
"And what is this news that seem so excited about?" Luna asked.
"Look out your window." The guard answered.
Luna looked at the guard confused, she turned towards her window to see the towers of Canterlot were being hit with a dim white light. Luna instantly recognized the light and removed her covers. She raced towards her window which she busted open. She looked up in the sky and her eyes widened.
"Guard...is this a dream?" Luna asked, part of her mind not wanting to accept what she was seeing.
"This is no dream my Princess." The guard answered. "This is real."
It was not only Luna and the group of eight that saw it. But the entire world did. Everyone, from every corner of the globe all looked at the same thing.
Light shined down upon the night, giving those who were used to the dark a new feeling.
Tears were shed, cheers were cried, prayers answered to those of faith.
All were full of joy and happiness because of what they all saw.
The Moon.
The Moon had returned to the earth.
Chapter ten. The Beginning...
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. Chapter eleven ...and the End
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. View Online
Chapter two. The Times that were Missed. (part one)
Luna could not believe what see was seeing. The Moon, the very thing she created to give light to those in dark, had disappeared. And now, here it was. Exactly where she had first put it, shining its light down upon the night. And then she remembered. She remembered that ponies were still on the moon. She showed no hesitation or restraint as she speak her wings and took off. Flying at what seemed to be faster than the speed of sound.
"Woah, hold yer horses little doggie!"
From out of nowhere a lasso wrapped itself around Luna's torso. The lasso became taught and pulled Luna down. Luna was then caught by an eagle claw, the rope then wrapped her legs together.
"What'ja think about that?"
Luna turned her head towards Discord who wore a western Cowboy outfit and hat. With pure hatred she shouted, "DISCORD YOU WILL RELEASE ME AT ONCE OR I WILL SEND YOU INTO THE DEEPEST PART OF TARTURUS!!!!"
"Come now Lulu you know I can't do that." Discord sighed, pinching Luna's muzzle shut with his two eagle talons. "And before you ask me why, do please refrain from using that Canterlot voice of yours, Celestia starting to believe I might need hearing aids."
Discord removed his claws and Luna said, in a tone of suppressed rage. "Why did you stop me?" She demanded.
"As much as I don't wish to admit it, the High council sent me. They wanted to tell you that not you or Celestia is to approach the moon." Discord explained.
"WHAT!"
"Inside voice please!" Discord snapped his fingers and a pair of earplugs shoved their way into his ears.
"Why has the high council requested such a thing?" Luna asked, her tone died down a bit.
Discord pointed to the moon. "In case you might be blind, there's a giant cannon on the moon that nearly destroyed Equestria."
Luna looked back to the moon. She hadn't notice it before but Discord was correct. A massive metal tube in the shape of a cannon's barrel aimed right at Equestria stood in the center of the moon. The moon had been split in two vertically, a mechanical underbelly in the vertical crack.
"Yes that. You may have forgotten but the high council certainly haven't. That thing tried to destroy Equestria, and might very well do so again." Discord explained. "Now I know why you wish to go to the moon, and believe it or not, the high council understand's why too. But if we act irrationally then we could very well doom Equestria. Which is why I'm going there to round up all them doggies and bring me back." Discord finished in his country accent.
"And just how will you do this?" Luna raised an eyebrow.
"With my super special sack of course." Discord said, pulling out a poorly knitted sack the size of a pony. "Don't worry, I'll be back before you can finish saying 'AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!'". Discord said, snapping his fingers he vanished.
Luna wondered what he had meant by 'AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!' until she realized that her wings were stuck to her sides and she was still in the air. And just like any pony that was plummeting to their doom she did the logical thing, and screamed.
A bright flash appeared on the surface of moon where Discord had teleported himself. He placed his lion paw over his eyes, scouting out the area. His eyes landed on the castle known as the Lunar Arch. He cracked his knuckles and snapped his claw. He disappeared and reappeared in front of the castle. He looked down and smiled.
Before him was an unconscious Pegasus known as Flash Sentry. He scooped up the passed out pony and carelessly dumped him into the sack. He then flew over to an unconscious Applejack, who he then scooped up and dumped into the sack.
He came across another Pegasus and froze. Before him was the Pegasus known as Fluttershy. Discord slowly bent down and picked her up. He stared at her with unblinking eyes, his mind only focused on her. Until he snapped his mind back to reality. He cleared his throat and gently placed Fluttershy into the sack. He snapped his claw and vanished.
Discord teleported all over the castle, scooping up unconscious pony's that were laid all around the castle. It wasn't long until he teleported to the center of the moon, pieces of a shattered Crystal were scattered all across the platform. He looked to the stone statue that was Cheese Sandwich. He snapped his paw and Cheese was returned to normal.
Cheese's body became limp and he fell face first. He would've crashed against the platform had Discord not caught him and then dumped him into the sack. He then walked over to Nightwing, who was clutching an undead Lightning Strike. Discord looked at the corpse with sadness, he sighed as he picked Nightwing up and dropped him in the sack. He then reached for Lightning Strike and tried to pick him up.
But his lion's paw was shot back. Discord looked at the corpse with bewilderment. He reached for Lightning Strike again and his arm was immediately shot back. It was as though his hand simply refused to get anywhere near the corpse. Discord looked at the corpse curiously before he saw the answer to his problem.
Lightning Strike's heart had been ripped out of his chest, leaving a hole to where it once was. In that hole was a red/orange oval shaped gem. Discord then remembered that he could not touch the Elements of Chaos. He snapped his claw and the hole in Lightning's chest began to vanish as flesh started to form over the hole. His heart was pulled back in and closed off. The hole completely gone. Discord reached for the pony and this time actually grabbed him. He then dropped him in the sack.
Opening the sack back up Discord made sure that he had gotten every pony. After triple checking he closed the sack, draped it over his shoulder, and vanished in a bright light.
Luna screamed as she plummeted, unable to do anything else but that. Her magic had been somehow disabled and her wings tied to her sides. She hoped that someone would be able to her scream before she met the ground.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-oof!" Luna's scream was cut short as she was caught in a pony sized fishing net.
The net reeled in to Luna's bed chambers and dumped her and some fish onto the floor. Luna looked up and scowled at a grinning Discord who made the fish and net disappear. "Release me." She demanded.
"Alright, but only if you promise not to hurt me." Discord replied. With a snap of his talons the rope that had been tied to Luna came alive, slithering across the floor like a snake. Luna stood up and stretched out her wings.
Discord summoned his sack and laid it in front of Luna. "There, in here is all the ponies that disappeared from the moon." Discord pointed out.
"And he's..." Luna couldn't finish her sentence.
"Yes dear Lulu he's in there." Discord answered, immediately knowing what her question was. "Unfortunately though it seems that one of them had lost their life while the moon was away."
"Who was it?" Luna asked, part of her didn't want to know the answer.
"His name was Lightning Strike, he was one of the guards assigned to Nightwing. It seems that he died due to having his heart ripped out of him." Discord said. "Oh that reminds me." Discord teleported himself and his sack to the medical ward in the Canterlot. The nurses and doctors that were present when Discord appeared simply bowed and greeted him before going back to their work.
Discord approached one of the nurses who had cream colored fur, an orange mane and tail, had brown eyes, and wore a light blue nurses outfit. Discord told her to prepare beds for the ponies inside of his sack. The nurse complied with Discord's wish and took the sack from him. With one thing scratched off his list he summoned a scroll and quill. The scrolled unrolled itself and the quill readied to write.
Discord cleared his throat and spoke, "Dear...siblings of the Elements of Harmony. I request your presence at Canterlot because it seems that your sisters have returned along with others. Once you are done reading this please come to Canterlot straight away. Your wacky friend, Discord." Discord said, the quill writing down everything he said. "P.S. This letter I'll self destruct in thirty seconds."
With a snap of his talons the scroll rolled up and vanished.
He then teleported himself out of the medical ward and into the throne room. There were three thrones, the one in the middle had red lining cushions with a golden frame. The one to the left of the golden one had dark blue cushions with a black frame. The one to the right of the golden throne had light yellow cushions along with a grey frame, on the top of the frame was a red gem. Discord floated to the chair on the left and sat down, his arms rested on the arm rests.
With his magic he summoned up a book, a pair of reading glasses rested on his muzzle, and a nice cup of hot tea laid on his arm rest. Discord opened up his book and started to read, his eyes danced across the pages, reading every detail of his book. His mind was completely captivated in the books words until a loud noise shook him from his book. He pulled the book down to see what had caused the sudden noise. Before him was Applebloom, Sweetie Bell, Scootaloo, Rumble, Button Mash, Pip Squeak, Dinkie, and First Base. All looked like they literally ran all the way from ponyville to Canterlot.
Discord picked up his tea and downed it all. He closed up his book and threw it behind him. He took off his glasses and folded them until they were folded out of existence. "Welcome my little pony's!" Discord welcomed his tired guests. "I hope your travel was well."
Dinkie walked forward. "Discord...why did you call us here?" She asked out of breath. "Does it have something to do with the returning of the moon?"
"First of all I didn't request any of you squares to come here." Discord said to Dinkie, Rumble, First Base, Pip Squeak and Button Mash. "I asked for Applebloom, Sweetie Bell, and Scootaloo to come here.""
"Alright, then why did you call us here?" Sweetie bell asked.
"Well this is something that is related to the sudden return of the moon. However I called you three here cause I thought you'd want to see your dear sisters again." Discord answered.
The three stared at Discord, dead silence entered the room. "You mean..."
Discord smiled. "Indeed I do, I rounded everypony up, put them in my super special sack, and dropped them off in the medical ward. Everyone that disappeared when the moon did is currently resting in the medical ward."
"Can you take us there?!" Applebloom shouted.
"What do mean can I take you there?" Discord asked, "we are already here."
The scene changed from the throne room to the medical ward. Nurses and doctors working around the beds in which those who had disappeared were seated. Applebloom locked onto one of the beds and slowly walked towards it. She couldn't look away from who was lying in it.
Sleeping soundly was Applejack. She had been hooked up to a machine and a bag of liquid was being pumped into her foreleg. Her hat had been set on the nightstand next to her bed. Applebloom touched Applejack's foreleg. Her body was still warm.
Discord grabbed the attention of one of the nurses and asked her, "Pardon me, but I must know. What is the health of these ponies?"
The nurse bowed before Discord and answered, "Physically their all fine, better than fine in fact, their vitals are stable, their minds are fine, and they all seemed to haven't aged a day."
"So, what? Are they in a coma or something?"
"Not a coma technically. There just sleeping, I think they'll be up and moving by tomorrow." The nurse said.
"Thank you nurse that will be all." Discord waved the nurse bye.
"As you wish my lord." The nurse bowed before returning to her duties.
"Welp you heard the nurse. They need their rest." Discord said, wrapping his arm around Applebloom he pulled her away from the bed.
"But...but she's-"
"Resting." Discord cut Applebloom off. "I think it'd be best if we let them all rest or you might not be able to see them at all." Discord summoned a big broom which swept the group out of the medical ward. "Now there's no need to worry, I'll give you all a room to share in which you will spend the night in. Come tomorrow everyone should be up and moving around and you can all cheer till your hearts explode. Until then, go to bed."
The room was big. It had four queen sized beds, each with a wooden frame, there were two bathrooms one labeled for colts one labeled for mares, inside the bathrooms both had two sinks, a shower, a bath, and a closet with robes and fresh towels in it. In the bedroom there was a bookshelf with multiple books on its selves. A guard had escorted the group to the room and said, "Lord Discord believe's that your stay might take a while, so he's given you all the privilege to order anything from the kitchens. If you need anything simply call one of the servants over and they will help with your needs."
The guard bowed and left. Dinkie closed the door. With nothing else to do the group decided to take Discord's advice and get ready for bed. Applebloom walked into the shower and turned the nob. The shower head creaked and gentle warm water washed down on Applebloom. She laid her head against the wall.
A knock came from the shower door. "You alright in there Applebloom?"
The voice was Scootaloo's, a toothbrush in her mouth. A towel was wrapped around her head and a bath robe draped over her body.
"I'm...I'm fine." Applebloom answered.
"You say that but I know your not."
Another voice, this one Dinkie's. She was sitting in the tub, full of water and soap. "Come on Bloom, tell us what's wrong."
"It's that obvious?" She asked. The other three nod in response. "Well...I'm angry."
"At Discord?" Sweetie Bell asked, spitting in the sink.
"Yeah...mostly at Discord. I mean...I saw ma sister. She's been gone for..." Applebloom stopped herself, not wanting to say how long it had been. "She's been gone to long. She was right there...right in front of me...and I'm just supposed to wait to see her?"
"Applebloom I know how you feel." Sweetie Bell agreed. "I wanted to see my sister too. But there's nothing we can do. We just have wait and let them rest."
"But I have waited!" Applebloom shouted, her hoof collided with the wall. "I waited everyday, every night for her to return. And when she does the only thing I'm told is to wait?!"
"Applebloom calm down."
A new voice. A voice that gave comfort and warmth to Applebloom. It was Pip's voice.
"I understand that your angry about not being able to see your sister right now. But remember what Discord said? If we don't let them rest then the could get worse." Pip said through the wall.
"But-"
"No buts. You can either see your sister tomorrow, or you can never see her again? Which one do you want to choose?"
Applebloom was silent. The only thing she could hear was the sound of warm gentle water hitting the floor of the shower. "Thank you Pip." Applebloom said. "I needed that."
"Hey Sweetie Bell?" Button's voice came from the other side.
"Yes Button?" Was Sweetie Bell's response.
"What do you wanna talk about with your sister?" Button asked.
Sweetie Bell tapped her chin. She pondered Button's question before responding, "I think she'll be the one with the questions, not me."
Dinkie looked at Sweetie curiously. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Remember what the nurse said? She said that they hadn't aged a day, so it would make sense that when she see's me she's gonna wonder why I look older."
"I'd be surprised if Dash even recognized me." Scootaloo slightly chuckled.
Everyone else joined in on the chuckle.
It didn't take long for everyone to get ready for bed. Everyone had brushed their teeth, got washed up, and we're ready for bed. While they had all been getting themselves ready a pair of night clothes had appeared on the end of the beds. A gift from Discord.
Each one had a pattern style on them, for Applebloom it was Apples. For Pip it was Parrots. For Sweetie Bell it was bells. For Button it was a game controller. For Scootaloo it was lightning bolts. For Rumble it was tornado's. For Dinkie it was muffins. For First Base it was baseballs.
While each set of clothes had their unique design on them there was a something inscribed on the back of the clothes.
'Don't have to much fun'
There was a compilation of eye rolls, groans, and blushes. Everyone got dressed and hoped in bed. Since there were only four beds a pair of two were assigned to each one. Guess what they were?
Dinkie snuggled herself against First Base, who grinned cheekily as he began to doze off. Applebloom and Pip crawled into bed, said good night to each other and went to sleep. Rumble and Scootaloo were asleep before anything else. Rumble suggested that he would simply sleep on the floor and let Sweetie Bell have the bed. Her response was levitating him into the bed and wrapped around him tight so that he couldn't escape.
The castle had become silent once more. The world itself had returned back to its slumber.
The morning however was anything but peaceful.
Ponies gathered around the entrance of the castle, everyone voice shouted at the gate, demanding that the Princesses of Equestria come out. Nearly all of the Royal guard had been summoned to the gate to push back the mob.
Watching the chaos unfold was a creature with a body that resembled that of a giant snake. The creature had black feathered wings on its back and two arms that had long talons on his hands. The snake had two sharp fangs that were visible when his mouth was closed. His mind wandered to the faces of everypony if he had flown down there. Faces of horror and confusion. And while the little ponies were confused he would slaughter them. His claws would tear through their flesh and bones like a knife through melted butter. The thought of such delicate ideas made his mouth water. He licked his lips with his snake tongue. His wings began to unfold, fully extending. He readied himself to swoop down and butcher the little ponies.
But then he stopped. He then remembered what he had been told. About what might happen should he act out of line. The snake backed away from the edge of the cliff. He groaned in annoyance as he stood there and watched the events unfold.
The mob had began to get more restless. The guards tried their best but they were practically helpless against the mob. The mob of ponies had begun to push the guards back, continuing to shout and yell.
"BEEEEEE QUUUIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEET!"
A voice shook through the mob and guards. Telling them to be silent.
Everyone looked behind the mob, there stood a yak with dark brown fur. He wore a golden crown that had purple cloth lining the inside of it. Two Yak guards stood beside the center yak. "Thank you." The yak said in a more quiet tone.
"Well said lord of the yaks."
"The strength of your voice it does not lack."
A zebra male with a black Mohawk and green eyes walked in front of the yak and bowed. a zebra female with a white Mohawk and yellow eyes bowed before the yak
"Lord Yin. Lady Yang. It is an honor to see you again." The yak bowed before the two Zebra's.
"I suppose that I shouldn't be surprised. This is a matter that involves all nations."
Behind the yak was a griffon male with dark black feathers, piercing yellow eyes, and had two griffon guards beside him.
"Lord Descend. A pleasure to see you king of the griffon empire." Yin bowed.
"We hope that your travel was well sire." Yang bowed.
"Lord Yin and Lady Yang. Your rhymes are amusing as always." The griffon known as Descend smiled, returning their greeting with a bow of his own.
"Come, let us not keep our hosts waiting." The yak said.
"Agreed." Both Yin and Yang said together.
"Very well." Descend said.
The ponies moved away and created a path for the griffon's, Yak's, and two Zebra's to move through. As they moved past the ponies bowed before the leaders. The guards opened up the gate for the leaders and closed it behind them. Once inside the castle they were met with a desk that had a large chair behind it.
"Why hello there Gentlecolts." The chair swiveled around, revealing a sinister Discord who wore an eyepatch, had a sinister mustache that curled on the ends, and a white laid in his lap which he continuously stroked. "I've been expecting you."
The leaders stood there, glaring at Discord. "What?" He asked, tearing off his eyepatch. "Lighten up a little will you?"
"Good morning Discord." Yang said
"It is nice to see you my lord." Yin said.
"Ah the two rhyming twins, quick say something that rhymes with orange." Discord asked.
"Forage." The two replied.
Discord summoned a dictionary and looked through it before closing it and throwing it behind him. "Well played." He chuckled.
"Discord." Descend caught Discord's attention. "Where is Princess Celestia?"
"Tia is currently awaiting our arrival in the meeting room, along with other certain guests." Discord said. "Shall we?"
With a snap of his fingers everyone vanished in a bright flash, only to reappear in a room with a round table. Everyone was sitting in a chair of their own. Discord sat next to Celestia. Behind the two rulers of Equestria was a tall crescent shaped object were there was a total of twelve silhouette's that sat in chairs of their own.
"I did not expect the High council to attend this meeting of ours." Yang spoke.
"The reason why you are here, can you kindly share?" Yin asked.
The fourth silhouette responded, "this is a concern that involves all of the kingdoms. It is not something that we will take lightly."
"If this event is so important, then where is warrior princess Luna?" The leader of the yaks asked.
"She is currently preoccupied." Celestia spoke, "I hope that you understand."
"We understand." The yak said, his tone a bit disappointed. "Now tell us, what is to become of the moon?"
The first silhouette stood up and spoke, "That is what we are all here to discuss."
Applebloom raced down the halls in a race walk fashion. She did her best to hide her eagerness as she speed walked towards the medical ward. Pip walked up next to Applebloom and said, "Applebloom...I know your in a rush...but can you please slow down?...my sides are starting to cramp."
"A'm not stopping Pip." Applebloom said, not showing any signs of slowing down.
"I'm not asking you to stop...I'm asking you to slow down...seriously I think I'm gonna break something if I keep this up." Pip whined.
Applebloom ignored Pip, continuing to speed walk down the halls until she saw the doors leading to the medical ward. She burst opened the doors, startling one of the doctors.
"*Ahem*. Um...excuse me but, do you have an appointment?" The doctor asked.
"Where's ma sister?" Was Applebloom's response.
"Who?" The doctor asked.
"We're looking for a mare named Applejack." Pip butted in. "Do you know if she's awake yet?"
"Applejack?" The doctor walked over to the front desk and picked up a clip board with some papers snapped to it. The doctor began to flip through it before he came upon a page. "Ah yes, she's been up for a while now, about three hours I believe."
"Where?!" Applebloom demanded.
"She's in room 137. I'll take you to her." The doctor said.
The doctor lead both Pip and Applebloom past multiple rooms. Each with a number labeled on them. They past many rooms before coming to the one labeled 137. Once they had reached their destination the doctor immediately left. Applebloom stared at the door handle, thinking of what she might see if she opened the door.
Applebloom gripped the handle and turned it. The door creaked as it was opened. The room wasn't that big, it had a window, a bench in which ponies could sit on, a rack full of magazines, and a bed with some type of machinery next to it. The bed was empty, but there was a mare staring out the window.
"Applejack?"
The mare noticed the voice and turned around. The mare had an orange coat, blond mane, and green eyes. Applebloom stared at the mare, tears started to form in her eyes. She closed the distance between her and the mare and wrapped herself around her. Clutching to her chest she cried into her coat.
The mare stood in shock. Her hoof pulled Applebloom away from her. The mare took a long look at Applebloom before she uttered, "Applebloom?"
The room was silent. That was the first thing that Nightwing noticed when he awoke. He was in a hospital room in Canterlot. He was hooked up to some kind of machine and was not very happy about it. He also wasn't alone, staring out of the window in his room was Luna.
"Teach?" Nightwing asked, catching Luna's attention. "What are you doing here?"
Luna looked over to Nightwing and stared at him with disbelief in her eyes.
"Well?" Nightwing asked. Luna swooped down and Nightwing and embraced him in a hug. "Teach! What are you doing?!" Luna said nothing, she continued to hold Nightwing in her forelegs.
It was then that Nightwing remembered, he remembered what Moonstone had done to Lightning Stike on the moon. "Teach, where is Lightning Strike?" Nightwing demanded.
"Oh Nightwing, I'm so sorry." Luna said, releasing Nightwing.
"Where is Lightning Strike Luna." His tone grew more angry. "Where is he?"
"Nightwing...I'm sorry but...but he's-"
Nightwing ripped the cables and tubes that connected him to the machine and tackled Luna to the floor. "Where is he Luna?!" Nightwing roared in her face. "Where is my friend?"
"He's dead Nightwing."
Nightwing looked up towards the door. There stood his best friend Flash Sentry.
"No." Nightwing said, refusing to accept what his ears just heard. "No he's not dead, he can't be dead."
"He is." Flash said, walking towards Nightwing. "I'm so sorry Nightwing, but I'm telling the truth. My brother...he's dead."
Nightwing backed away from Luna. "No he was...he was alive...I...saw him...I saw him..."
Flash embraced Nightwing. "I know...but he's gone Nightwing...I'm sorry."
Nightwing stared at the wall. His eyes wide and tears started to form. His mind flooded with memories. He remembered Lightning Strike flying into the Master Crystal. When he fought against Moonstone and lost his life. How Nightwing stood there and helplessly watched as Moonstone ripped Lightning's heart out of his chest.
Nightwing wrapped himself around Flash. He started to cry onto his friend's shoulder. Tears being soaked into his coat. "It's my fault...it's all my fault. I was there, I could've stopped her...I could've helped Lightning...I could've done something."
"What you could've done isn't important. What's happened has happened, I miss him to but... but it's pointless to blame yourself over this." Flash said. "Nightwing, Princess Luna has something very important to tell you."
"What?" Nightwing asked, looking towards Luna.
Luna took a deep breath. "Nightwing...do you know how long it's been?"
"What?" Nightwing looked confused.
"Nightwing...we might not have noticed it but...we've been gone for thirteen years."
There was a silence that entered the room that Nightwing absolutely despised. "What? What do you mean?" Nightwing asked.
"The moon vanished thirteen years ago." Luna explained. "It returned last night, along with you and everyone else that was on the moon."
"Tell me everything." Nightwing demanded.
The room was tense. Leaders for the yaks, griffon's, and zebra's all sat in the meeting room. Everyone knew why they were here. The importance of the meeting was very. It would affect the world itself. Discord however cared very little of such things and eating fruit snacks while reading a book.
The sixth silhouette spoke, "as you might've already known we have secured the moon with multiple Sentinel's."
"So I assume that means you have control of the weapon then?" Descend asked.
The fourth silhouette spoke, "there is no need for worry. We have only secured the weapon. We are unaware of how to operate it however."
"So what you saying, is that the weapon is still active." Yin said.
"Do you plan to hold the world captive?" Yang asked.
The eighth silhouette spoke, "we do not plan to do any such thing Lord Yin and Lady Yang. We are only trying to understand how it works so that we can dismantle it."
"There's a problem with what you said that displeases me." The lord of the yaks spoke. "Once you have learned how it works what is to stop you from turning the weapon on us?"
"I have to agree with you." Descend spoke. "How do we know that the Sentinel's you have sent up to the moon aren't trying to figure out how to reactivate the weapon and use it against us?"
The seventh silhouette spoke, "we have no reason to use the weapon. We are in a time of peace, what could we gain from destroying our allies?"
"Do not play innocent with me." Descend growled. "We all know that you Ponies still hold a grudge against us. We've always known, the alliance between ponies and griffon's has always been shoddy."
The fourth silhouette spoke, "while what you said is true I can assure you that we have no intention-"
The door to the room burst open. Everyone in the room whipped their heads towards the sudden burst.
A guard entered the room and bowed. "Forgive me your highness. We tried to stop him but he's to strong."
The guard was pulled back out of the room by a blue magic. A figure entered the room, he used his magic to close the doors behind him. "So...what do we have here?"
The figure was a Batpony with red eyes that had black slits for pupils, he had grey fur, and a blue mane and tail. The pony was Nightwing, and he had a terrifying smile on his face.
"Who is this pony that dares to intrude?" Yang asked.
"He who has a cocky and smirk attitude." Yin said.
"As a matter of fact I was just about to ask you all the same question." Nightwing said, "would you all be so kind as to tell me your names?"
"I am lord Descend. Ruler of the griffon empire." Descend introduced himself.
"I am Ramhorn, leader of the Yak's tribe." Ramhorn introduced himself.
"I am Yin." Yin bowed
"And I am Yang." Yang bowed.
"Well now that you've all introduced yourself I guess I should introduce myself." Nightwing bowed and said, "my name is Nightwing, I am the last Vampire Batpony alive."
Descend, Ramhorn, Yin and Yang stared at Nightwing. "Your...your Nightwing?" Descend asked with disbelief.
"Yes I am Nightwing, what I am worshiped as a god in your empire?" Nightwing asked.
"No...but you are a hero to the yaks." Ramhorn said. "There are stories of how you were able to give rise to my kingdom."
"Stories? Rise to your kingdom?" Nightwing looked confused. "Your gonna have to tell me what you mean, cause I don't remember raising any kingdoms or empires."
"You might not, but you were the one who split the land of broad wood tree's." Descend said.
"Broadwood trees? You mean that piece of land that was full of nothing but trees? All I did was help you split the land equally. How in the world did that end your depression?" Nightwing asked.
"Nightwing." Celestia spoke with a very subtle, yet harsh, tone. "Do please explain to me why you are here?"
"Well I heard that there was a squabble going on and I thought why not come here and watch it all go down." Nightwing answered.
"Nightwing. If you have no reason to help us in this then please leave." Celestia said in her harsh tone.
"But things are starting to get good." Nightwing whined.
"NOW!" Celestia yelled.
"Hold on a minute." Yin spoke.
"Perhaps Nightwing could help us with our disagreement." Yang said. "Tell us, 'Last of the vampire Batpony'."
"Would you mind lending us some of your time so that history will not repeat." Yin said.
"...um...sure I guess." Nightwing said, a bit confused by the two rhyming zebra's.
Discord snapped his eagle claw and a chair appeared behind Nightwing. It scooped him up and flew towards the table, landing right in front of it.
"Soooo...what is the issue here?" Nightwing asked.
The eleventh silhouette spoke, "we are discussing what should become of the weapon on the moon."
"Ohhhh, I see." Nightwing said, understanding the issue at hoof. "So everyone here is concerned about a Empyrion."
"The what?" Descend asked.
"The Empyrion. The weapon on the moon. That's what it's called, Empyrion." Nightwing explained. "And there's no need to worry over it."
"And whys that?" Ramhorn asked.
"Because it's broken." Nightwing answered flatly.
The second silhouette spoke, "what do you mean it's broken?"
"I mean it's broken." Nightwing answered again. "As in not functional, not working, inoperable, et cetera et cetera."
"How did you break it?" Descend asked.
Nightwing lifted his Crystal and a three dimensional picture of the moon appeared. "As you probably already knew, the moon has a mechanical underbelly that the Shadow Knights created. They drilled a hole that went all the way to the center of the moon." Nightwing said, his Crystal zoomed in on the picture of the moon. "There they found something that no one could've ever imagined." The picture stopped on a large Crystal. "They called it the Master Crystal."
"What is so important about this Master Crystal?" Ramhorn asked.
"It's basically a bigger version of a complex Crystal. You see, a complex Crystal takes in magical energy, forms it inside of it, and then expels it. The Master Crystal takes in large amounts of magical energy and expels it in a massive amount of power. However it could only be activated with a Shadow Knight. And because I was used to activate it I destroyed it." Nightwing explained.
"So the weapon is no longer functional?" Yin asked.
"To think something of great power was easily destructible." Yang added.
"Well...it's not really destroyed per say more like...split into multiple pieces." Nightwing said.
"So it has been divided." Both Yin and Yang said.
Nightwing, creeped out by the two, responded, "Yes...it won't work as long as its dividend, but yeah it's literally in pieces."
"Then the solution is obvious." Descend said. "Give each of us a piece of this Master Crystal. And the threat will be resolved."
The first silhouette spoke, "such an idea is to careless. Perhaps it would be better to have them in a secure and hidden location."
"It sounds to me like your opposed to the plan?" Descend stated. "Tell me, why do not agree with this plan? Surely it is the wisest choice?"
"I'm with the griffon." Nightwing said. "Everyone gets a piece of the Master Crystal. That way no one has total control over Empyrion. All in favor of the idea?"
Descend, Ramhorn, Yin and Yang agreed. "All opposed?" Nightwing looked to the high council. Receiving no response. "Very well then, the motion has been carried. You shall each receive a piece of the Master Crystal. Meeting over."
Descend and his guards, Ramhorn and his guards, and Yin and Yang all bowed and exited the rooms. Leaving Nightwing, Celestia, Discord and the High Council.
The twelfth silhouette spoke, "Discord and Celestia please leave. We wish to discuss with Nightwing alone."
"As you wish." Discord did a goofy bow. "Come Tia, I believe that we in the middle of a very smashing activity."
Celestia chuckled as she followed Discord out the door. Nightwing looked up to the High Council. "Have I done something wrong?"
The ninth silhouette sighed, "You've only been here for a day and you've already threatened Equestria."
"Wha- me?" Nightwing asked appalled. "When have I ever done such a thing?"
"We have your folder."
"Fine fine. I get it." Nightwing said. "I don't see what I did wrong though? I solved the issue didn't I?"
The sixth silhouette spoke, "you did but not the way it was supposed to be."
"What's that supposed to mean? What were you planing on finding a way to reactivate the Empyrion and destroy the empires and kingdoms they built?" No response. "Oh my Teach you were."
The eleventh silhouette spoke, "we-"
"No, shut up." Nightwing said hostile towards the High council. "You were planning on keeping the pieces of the master Crystal, rebuilt the Master Crystal, and kill countless numbers of lives? And for what, in the name of peace?"
The third silhouette spoke, "we weren't planning on using the weapon. We just wanted it for insurance."
"Insurance?!" Nightwing repeated. "You were planning on holding a weapon so powerful that it could be used to destroy a nation. And you were just going to hold onto it for insurance? And what do think was going to happen if you took such an action? Every nation on the planet would rebel against you. Everyone would attack Equestria to prevent you from using the Empyrion."
The sixth silhouette spoke, "That wouldn't happen."
"Oh yeas it would. See you guys think you know how every pony works, you think you know how to outsmart everyone. But newsflash, when you hold a sword to someone's neck their not gonna bow down in fear. Their gonna fight and fight and fight until they no longer have a reason to. That is how everyone's mind works." Nightwing said scooting his chair back he started to walk towards the door.
The first silhouette spoke, "and where do you think your going?"
"To go talk to my friends. They've been gone for thirteen years and I need to catch them up on some things." Nightwing answered.
The eighth silhouette spoke, "we never said this conversation was over."
"I don't care." Nightwing responded.
The second silhouette stood up and spoke, "you can't just leave Nightwing!"
Nightwing stopped in front of the door and turned back to the High Council. "Watch me." Was his response as he walked out the door.
Slamming it shut behind him.
View Online
Chapter three. The Times that were Missed. (part two)
Nightwing stormed down the hall. His mood was sour after his conversation with the High Council. The fact that he had been gone for thirteen years didn't help either. Luna covered the most of the important details. Nightwing told her to round up everyone into one room. It'd be much easier to break the news to everyone at once rather than separately.
But it wasn't the news of them being gone so long that worried Nightwing. Nightwing stopped and sighed, he was still a bit shaken up by the news. But there was no time for grieving, he had things to do and very little time to do it.
"Nightwing!"
Someone shouted his name. Before he could see who he was tackled by a grey blur. He dropped to the ground to fast and forced all the air out of his lungs. His five senses vanished for a split second, he couldn't hear, feel, smell, taste, or see. Then they returned.
Nightwing looked up and saw that a unicorn mare that he recognized had tackled him. "Dinkie?" Nightwing asked.
"I'm so sorry Mr. Nightwing." A stallion earth pony stood next to him. "I tried to stop her but...well...let's face it, I couldn't stop her even if I had the power to."
"First Base?" Nightwing asked, his mind half awake.
"See?" Dinkie looked to First Base. "Told you he'd recognize us."
First Base rolled his eyes. "Well I thought that maybe he wouldn't. It's been so long."
"It's nice to see you two are all buddy buddy. But can you please get off of me?" Nightwing asked.
"Oh right." Dinkie giggled, getting off of Nightwing. "Sorry about that."
Nightwing groaned as he raised himself up. "So...what've you been up to?" Nightwing asked, unsure how he was supposed to talk to Dinkie.
"Well I've been catching up on a lot of my spells. My mom owns a muffin shop in ponyville. And First Base is my coltfriend." Dinkie said.
"Really? Okay then." Nightwing said uneasy.
Dinkie frowned. "You don't remember me do you?"
"Whaaaat? Don't be ridiculous, of course I remember you." Nightwing said.
"Really? Then tell me, what was it that you called me when that metal giant attacked me?" Dinkie asked.
"The Prophet." Nightwing answered quickly.
"A-ha you don't.....wait what?" Dinkie looked perplexed.
"Your the descendant of the Prophet. A being that was able to see everything's actions and determine the future based on those actions. But however at a young age the Prophet doesn't have complete control of the visions. Instead the Prophet is only capable of seeing random occurrences. These occurrences are also known to cause the Prophet to often times sleep walk and draw scribbles of their visions. Sound familiar?" Nightwing explained.
Dinkie stared at Nightwing with her mouth slightly agape. "...maybe a little." She sighed in defeat.
"Speaking of which I have two things to ask you. How on earth did Derpy beat that thing?" Nightwing asked.
"Oh that?...I'm not to sure I guess she just beat it with a shovel." Dinkie shrugged.
"Yes but how did she beat it with a shovel? That's what I want to know." Nightwing added.
"She just used a shovel. I guess we now know the truly most powerful weapon in Equestria, Derpy with a Shovel." Dinkie said.
Nightwing was about to oppose till the thought of Derpy attacking him with shovel scared the shi-er doo doo out of him. "Okay, gonna have that nightmare for a while now." Nightwing muttered. "Anyways, second thing. How have you been doing with those visions of yours?"
"Actually," First Base spoke up. "She hasn't been having visions lately."
"Well...there is one that I wanted to talk to you about." Dinkie said, avoiding eye contact with Nightwing. "I've been having the same vision six times now."
"What's this vision about?" Nightwing asked.
"I'm...I'm in ponyville. I'm helping Pip and my Mom bake muffins. Then...there's a loud noise. We all rush out to see what happened, only for us to find...something in the sky." Dinkie said, her voice full of pain as she recalled her vision. "There's a crack in the sky...it opens up and...something comes out."
Nightwing was all ears when he heard the word's 'crack in the sky'. "And what came out?"
"I don't know...it looked like a pony, but...but at the same time it felt different. Like it was something else. I don't know how to describe it...but it felt like...like the devil himself had entered the world."
"And then?" Nightwing asked, hoping that he wouldn't be left on a cliff hanger.
"And then nothing. The vision goes away." Dinkie says.
"Drat...thank you for telling me this, if you'll excuse me...I have some friends to catch up with." Nightwing said as he started to turn away, before Dinkie teleported in front of him.
"What does it mean Nightwing?" Dinkie asked.
"I don't say this often...but I honestly don't know." Nightwing said walking past Dinkie.
As he continued down the halls a voice in his head echoed words that he hoped to have forgotten.
Doomed. Your world is doomed. It will end in fire and blood. All hope will die, along with your kind. This world will End and It will destroy all you love."
They were words that Nightwing never truly understood what they meant. His kind was already dead, he knew that already. But there were so many questions that had no answered and that agitated Nightwing.
"Why hello there."
Speaking of agitation's.
Discord hung upside down from the ceiling, a pair of fake vampire fangs in his mouth.
"Wa'sh up." Discord slurred, his speech affected by the fake fangs.
"Discord, I'm going to give you the count of three for you to take those things out of your mouth before I rip those and your real teeth out." Nightwing threatened.
"Oh come on Nig'shwing. Lighten up a little will sh'a?" Discord joked, flying down.
"Three."
Nightwing's body glowed blue, he raised his hoof and a wolf's claw made out of blue magic engulfed his foreleg. The claw reached towards Discord and grabbed the fake fang's. With a heavy pull Nightwing ripped the fake fangs out of Discord's mouth.
Discord's reacted by placing his hands over his mouth, "OW!" He yelled. "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, OW!"
"I warned you." Nightwing said, the blue claw evaporated. "I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now."
"Well to bad." Discord teleported himself in front of Nightwing. "You and I need to have a serious talk."
"Ha! You, serious? Please." Nightwing chuckled.
"Nightwing this is a very serious matter. I need to know what your status is on the Elements of Chaos?" Discord asked.
"The Elements of Chaos?" Nightwing repeated. "In case you haven't noticed I've been rather busy lately."
"Busy?! What could possibly be more important?"
"I was trapped on the moon for thirteen years." Nightwing said.
"I was trapped in a book for a million-"
Thousand
"-Shut up-years. And look at me, I've done a lot with my time."
Nightwing rolled his eyes. "Look, I can't tell you much but I'm pretty sure that I've found four of them."
"Four is good, it's better than three." Discord nodded. "Which ones have you found?"
"Well if I remember right...Flash has the Element of Shadow, Soarin has the Element of Sky, Thorn has the Element of Nature, and Lightning Strike-" Nightwing winced when he said his name. "...Lightning Strike had the Element of Scorch."
"Ah yes...I remember seeing it in his body. It must still be there, so I'm going to need you to dissect him and get it out of him." Discord concluded.
"What?!"
"What do you mean 'what'?" It's clear as to what you must do. I mean we're not just gonna leave one of worlds most powerful weapons in a corpse are we?" Discord asked.
"Refer to Lightning Strike as a Corpse and I will choke you with your eyes." Nightwing threatened.
"Easy, easy." Discord said in a calming voice. "I meant no harm by it. Besides, it's not like his death was peaceful or anything. I mean his heart was ripped out of his chest. You can't call something like that a peaceful death."
"...fine." Nightwing said defeated. "I'll remove the Jem from Lightning Strike."
"That's all I wanted." Discord said, snapping his fingers he vanished.
After his encounter with Discord, Nightwing found himself walking down the hallway once more. His day kept on getting worse and worse. First he found out that he and his friends had disappeared from Equestria, next Lightning Strike was dead, There's an empire full of Griffon's who aren't on good terms with Equestria, the High Council isn't happy with what Nightwing had done, and now he had to dissect his dead friend because an ancient artifact was stuck in his body.
Could the day get any worse for Nightwing? The answer might surprise you.
Nightwing had told Luna to have everyone gathered up in the Throne room. Luckily, despite the long time he had been gone, the castle's architecture didn't change. So Nightwing was able to find his way to the Throne room.
The double doors to the room was opened by Nightwing. Inside was Luna, Flash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Cheese Sandwich, Rarity, Silver Platter, Applejack, Ranger, Thorn, Soarin, Rainbow Dash, Twilight, and someone else.
A unicorn mare, with light purple fur, purple mane and tail with a light blue stripe on it, and had purple eyes. Her name was Starlight Glimmer, and Nightwing knew all to well who she was. The moment he saw her he growled, "You!"
The next moments were a blur. Before Starlight could take her next breath Nightwing summoned a massive blue aura wolf five times the size of him. The Wolf roared as its claw grabbed Starlight's neck and pinned her against the wall. Leaving an impact crack were she was being held.
"Nightwing stop!" Flash shouted.
But Nightwing didn't listen. His ears refused to listen to what anyone else had to say. Everyone ran towards him, hoping that in some way they could stop him. Nightwing saw what they were planning on doing and with his magic he constructed a blue bubble around him. Everyone banged against the bubble, yelling, roaring at Nightwing to stop. But their cry's were drowned out.
"You were there." Nightwing said to Starlight as she desperately gasped for breath. "You were on the moon. You with Her ." Nightwing said with venom. "You were with the Order. Weren't you?"
Starlight continued to choke.
"WEREN'T YOU?!! Nightwing roared, the grip on Starlight tightened.
"ENOUGH!"
The bubble that shielded Nightwing shattered as Luna bursted through it and punched Nightwing with so much force that it made him soar and hit the wall. His concentration broken, the blue Wolf evaporated. Starlight fell, and gasped for air. Nightwing stood up and looked to Starlight. Then Luna stood in front of Nightwing, between him and the injured Starlight.
"Move." Nightwing growled.
"No." Luna responded.
The temperature in the room dropped ten degrees. Luna stared down her student Nightwing, her face showing no fear or hesitation.
"I'm sorry."
Nightwing looked past Luna to Starlight, who was shaking as she started to weakly stand up. "I'm so sorry...I never wanted anyone to die...I was just-"
"Just what? Thought you were doing the right thing?" Nightwing shot at Starlight. "Moonstone was going to destroy Equestria. She was going to kill every single life that live in Equestria. And you thought that was right?"
"She never told me-"
"She never told you?! That's even more stupid!" Nightwing shouted. "Your telling me that you followed Moonstone blindly?!"
"That's enough Nightwing." Luna said sternly. "She knows what she has done. And she regrets it."
"And somehow that makes her a good guy?!" Nightwing shouted, anger in his voice. "Just because you say your sorry doesn't fix what you've done. All it is is nothing more than a pointless and hollow word that ponies say, hoping that it will fix everything they've done. Newsflash Starlight, it doesn't!"
"I said enough!" Luna repeated, her horn started to glow.
"Luna stop." Starlight said, resting herself against the wall. "Please...stop defending me."
"Starlight-" Twilight to a step forward.
"Don't." Starlight croaked, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Nightwing is right. Saying sorry isn't going to fix what I've done. Whatever Nightwing does to me, I deserve it."
"That's not true!" Flash said.
"It is true. I did horrible things, I experimented on creatures, I warped and twisted the minds of those Moonstone saw as our enemy. I killed for her without any hesitation or sign of weakness." Starlight said through tears. "Luna...step aside, let me face my judgement."
Luna stared at Starlight before looking away from her. She faced the floor, stepping aside. Nightwing started walking forward. Step by step he took, getting closer and closer to Starlight. His Crystal glowed blue and a blue sword of magic floated next to him. Nightwing stopped, he stood in front of Starlight, who looked down at the floor.
Nightwing reached forward and lifted Starlight's chin. Starlight gazed with emptiness in her eyes into the eyes of Nightwing. His eyes were full of anger and hatred. They demanded one thing and one thing only.
Blood.
The sword floated in front of Starlight's face. The sword readied itself, Starlight closed her eyes, as she awaited her end.
Nightwing stood there. Starlight's life to be taken away by his sword. But he didn't, he stood there. The sword didn't sway or twitch, instead it stood still, waiting for Nightwing to use the weapon. Nightwing stood there. His rage and hatred no longer occupied his mind. Nightwing stood there. He thought to himself, 'what good would killing her do?' It wouldn't bring back Lightning Strike, it wouldn't solve anything. All it would do is cause more bloodshed and death.
Nightwing stood there. And the sword disappeared. "Sorry is still a hollow word." Nightwing said, embracing Starlight. "But I hope you can still forgive me for what I did."
More tears started to roll down her cheeks, as she embraced Nightwing with a hug of her own.
"Alrighty then." Nightwing said, turning away from Starlight and back towards the group. "So as some of you know we've been gone for thirteen years. Which means we have a lot of catching up to do. For starters, everyone that you knew has aged thirteen years, in case that wasn't obvious. The next thing is that I may or may not have accidentally created and Empire for the Yaks and Griffon's who aren't on good terms with us. Other than that I've got nothing." Nightwing explained.
"So what do we do now?" Thorn asked.
"What do you mean what do we do? Isn't it obvious?" No response. "We go and catch up with relatives, siblings, family, friends, enemies. Find out what's been going on in the time we've all missed."
"And what will you do?" Flash asked.
"I'm going to go talk with someone that Teach wants me to meet. In the meantime I expect all of you to figure out what happened while you were gone. And I want you all to tell me everything when I get back."
With that Nightwing left the room. Luna following behind him. Once he was gone Twilight ran up to Starlight.
"Are you alright?" She asked with concern. "Can you stand?"
"Yeah...I can." Starlight groaned.
"Nightwing shouldn't have done that. He went to far." Twilight frowned.
"No...Nightwing had every right to kill me. He should've to-"
"Don't think like that." Flash said.
Starlight looked to Flash. "How can you say something like that? Lightning Strike was your brother wasn't he? Aren't you a bit sad that he's gone?"
"Course I'm sad. But being sad isn't going to solve anything right now. I'll grief for him at his funeral. But right now we should do as Nightwing says and find out what we've missed." Flash said turning away and walking towards the door.
Twilight looked at Flash with worry as he walked out of the room. "Twilight."
To her left was Fluttershy, who had the same look as Twilight. "Yes Fluttershy?" Twilight asked.
"I'm worried about Flash. He seems more...cold than normal." Fluttershy said.
"I'm worried to. Maybe I can talk to him and find out what's-"
"You will do no such thing." Fluttershy snapped. "I haven't forgotten what you did to him Twilight. And frankly...I have to have agree with Nightwing. Sorry isn't going to fix what you've broken. You have to fix what you did to him. And if you won't...then I don't think you and I can be friend's." Fluttershy turned away from Twilight. "Come on Thorn, we have to go to Everfree. I'm sure that's where I am needed."
Once Fluttershy and Thorn left Twilight sighed. "What did you do?" Starlight asked.
"I screwed up. Big time." Twilight laid her head on Starlight's belly.
Starlight started to laugh. "I guess even the princess of Friendship makes mistakes."
"You don't get it Starlight. You heard what Fluttershy said, if I can't fix what I've done I'm going to loose her. I don't want to loose my friend." Twilight choked.
"Then why don't you fix what you've broken?" Starlight asked.
"That's just it, I don't think I can."
While Twilight and Starlight were talking, Ranger turned to Applejack and said, "I think we should head back to the farm. I wonder what my family and yours have been through while we were gone?" Ranger asked. "Applejack?"
"Huh?" Applejack swung her head towards Ranger. "Oh, I'm sorry Ranger...my mind's been a wandering ever since I...since I saw ma sister."
"She's here?" Ranger asked. "Well that's great, come on, let's go say hi to her." Ranger started to walk towards the door. Only to be stopped as Applejack grabbed his hind leg. What's the matter?" No response. "Applejack...something's bothering you, I can tell. Please just tell me what's wrong."
"I'm...I'm scared."
Ranger stared at Applejack with mixture of confusion and worry. "Your scared?" Ranger repeated. "What are you scared of?"
"Seeing them." Applejack answered. "I'm scared of talking to them."
"Your family?"
Applejack nodded.
"Why are you scared of that?" Ranger asked. Applejack releasing his hind leg. "Your family would be overjoyed to see you. Why won't you let them see you?"
"I...I don't want to see them...because...because..." Applejack took a deep breath and gathered her thoughts. "Because I've missed so much."
"That's it?" Applejack glared at Ranger. "I mean...yeah that is completely understandable, I understand completely what your going through and respect whatever your decision is." Ranger said in a panic.
"Come on." Applejack sighed in annoyance, grabbing Ranger the ear. She dragged him towards the door.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow!" Ranger whined, lifting his head up to make Applejack's tugging less painful. "Was it something I said?"
Luna and Nightwing walked down the hallway in silence. An awkwardness surrounded them after Nightwing had tried to kill Starlight. Nightwing couldn't blame Luna for being silent. What with the fact he stood her down and didn't show any fear. So he said nothing, he simply kept his mouth shut as the two walked down the hall. Until the silence became pretty much unbearable.
"Okay enough of this." Nightwing sighed. "Who is it that your taking me to go meet?"
"Someone that owes everything to you." Luna answered, not facing Nightwing.
"That...doesn't really help. Your gonna have to be more specific, cause I know a lot of ponies that owe everything to me."
Luna stopped, she tried to hold it in but couldn't prevent herself from laughing. "HAHAHAHAHAHA!" She bursted out.
Nightwing frowned. "What? There are plenty of ponies that owe everything to me." Luna started to laugh harder. "...Why are you my teacher again?" Nightwing muttered to himself, walking away from Luna.
"I'm...I'm sorry." Luna gasped between laugh's. "But...but you haven't been the heroic type Nightwing."
"Whatever. Hero's are boring anyways. Where is this pony that I'm supposed to meet?" Nightwing asked.
"She's...she's in my bedroom." Luna continued to laugh.
"Why didn't you say that in the first place?"
Nightwing lifted his Crystal and both he and Luna vanished. Only to reappear in Luna's bedroom. Nightwing teleported himself on the floor but teleported Luna just a few feet above the floor. Once gravity did its thing, Luna fell onto her back.
"Ow!" She hissed.
"Next time don't make fun of me Teach." Nightwing grinned. "Now where is the so called pony who 'owes me her everything'?"
Nightwing scanned the room until his eyes landed on a mare sitting at the window.
"Hey you?" Nightwing got the attention of the mare. "Are you the one I'm supposed to talk to?
The mare stared at Nightwing. Her mouth slightly agape. "Well say something will you?"
The mare slowly closed her mouth. She stood up and started to walk towards Nightwing. "Are.....are you.....him?"
"Him? You mean me?" Nightwing pointed to himself. "My name is Nightwing. Who are you?"
The mare stopped. And then bolted towards Nightwing. Wrapping herself around Nightwing she tackled him down. "You are him!" The mare squealed.
"OOF!" Nightwing grunted. "Hey, who the heck are you?!" Nightwing demanded.
"I told you already Nightwing." Luna stood up. "She's someone who owes everything to you."
"Your gonna have to be more specific Teach." Nightwing groaned, his sides being crushed.
"She's the filly you saved, you gave her a name, you turned her to stone. Nightwing this is Shade. The vampire Batpony you saved." Luna explained.
Nightwing froze. His mind flooded with memories of the little filly hybrid he turned to stone. "Oh." He said. "......OH!"
"Do you remember me, Nightwing?" Shade's tongue tingled upon saying his name.
"Yeah...I do." Nightwing said. "So can you please get off of me before you crush me?" Nightwing asked.
"Sorry." Shade blushed, getting off of Nightwing she backed away from him.
"Thank you. So...how long have been unfrozen?" Nightwing asked, getting up.
"Twelve years. Exactly." Luna answered. "It took me a while to figure out how to undo the spell but in due time I was able to remove it."
"Wow...look at you." Nightwing examined Shade. "And to think, it was literally just yesterday that you were the size of an infant." That's when realization hit Nightwing. 'Wait...when young vampire Batponies can only eat blood. Also they go through a stage known as bloodlust, when the young one becomes an absolute beast and will stop at nothing from devouring blood."
"I fed her." Luna answered.
"I know that but how?" Nightwing asked.
"Well...I suppose the correct way to put it is... She fed off of me." Luna corrected.
Nightwing looked at Luna with wide eyes. "What?! How are you alive?! She must've drunk gallons from you!"
"I was able to sustain myself by creating substantial blood. It might not have been the real thing, but it helped increase the regeneration rate of my blood cells."
"Oh...I see." Nightwing looked back to Shade. "So...how've you been?"
"Oh just wonderful." Shade smiled. "Luna taught me everything. How to read and write, speak Equestrian, learn about history, and also math."
"It sounds like Teach tried to replace me." Nightwing grinned at Luna. "So, why did you want to see me?"
"I have so many questions I want to ask you. But...there is one of that I must know." Shade's smile faded, her eyes looked to the floor. "What happened to my mother?"
Nightwing looked away from Shade. He remembered what had happened to Shade's mother all to well. She had been captured, tied to a post, and was killed by multiple arrows striking her in the chest. "Shade...I'm sorry but..." Nightwing choked on his words. "Your mother...your mother is dead...I tried to save her, I really did...but I was to late."
"I see." Shade looked up from the floor and back to Nightwing, a smile on her face. "Thank you for telling me."
"Your not...sad?" Nightwing said with confusion.
"Why should I be?" Shade asked. "I never knew my mother, if anything Luna is the only real mother I actually have."
Luna beamed at that. "O-kay...so what else do you want to talk about?" Nightwing asked.
"I want you to tell me about your adventure's." Shade said.
"My adventure's?" Nightwing repeated. "Well alright. Where should I begin?"
"At the very beginning." Shade answered.
"Fluttershy."
Fluttershy pretended to ignore Thorn as she continued to storm down the halls.
"Fluttershy." Thorn repeated.
Fluttershy continued to ignore him.
"Fluttershy. Stop."
A wall of green vines and branches erupted from the floor, blocking Fluttershy's path. Fluttershy turned to Thorn and said, "Move the wall Thorn." She said coldly.
"No." Thorn said sternly. "Fluttershy something is going on with you. And we're going to sit here until you tell me what's going on."
"Now is not the time Thorn." Fluttershy glared.
"Now is the only time. Fluttershy you can trust me, please tell me what's going on."
"What's going on? What's going on?!" Fluttershy yelled. "What's going on is that everything is...is...is going to shit ." She cursed. "Flash, my brother, someone who I care for and love, has had his mind twisted and warped by...by that...Witch !" Fluttershy spat, the vines behind her started to turn brown and black. "And my other Brother, Lightning Strike, is dead. How am I supposed to react Thorn?! Just put on a smile and say 'It's okay. Everypony makes mistakes'." She mocked her kind self. "Well this is not okay." Fluttershy started to march towards Thorn, who began to take steps back in fear. "If they all think I'm gonna put on a smile and pretend that everything is alright, then their all in for a huge surprise. I'm done being nice. I'm done letting ponies push me around. I'm done being kind."
Fluttershy grabbed Thorn by his throat and pulled him to her. "Now when I say 'Move the wall'. Fluttershy isn't asking you to 'move the wall'. The Arbor Susurro is ordering you to 'move the wall'."
"Tell me. Would the Arbor Susurro choke one of her own subjects?" Thorn asked.
Fluttershy became aware of what she was doing. Her hoof was clasped against Thorns throat, not completely chocking him. Fluttershy's hooves shook as she removed her hoof from Thorn's throat. Her hoof covered her mouth as tears started to form in her eyes. She collapsed onto the floor. Thorn bent down and hugged her, doing his best to give her comfort.
Fluttershy buried her face into Thorn's chest. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She wept.
"Shhhh...it's okay. Your right, this day has been awful. But that doesn't mean you have to go through this alone." Thorn lifted Fluttershy's chin. "I promise, I'll always be by your side no matter what."
"You promise?"
"Till Earth and Sky become one."
Far off in Equestria there lies a forest. Full of lush green pine trees and mountain's behind the forest. The mighty pine tree's stood tall, gently rocking in the breeze. The air was crisp and cool.
And in an instant it changed from crisp and cool to scorching hot as a burst of flames mowed down a line of trees. What was once strong and healthy trees were now burnt and splintered pieces of wood. Small animals scattered away as more fire rained down on the forest. Reducing it to pieces of splintered wood and ash.
Fire rained down once more, burning a circle into the forest. The forest shook as a massive beast landed itself in the circle of ash and fire. The beast was massive, it's long neck stretched past the trees. The beast had sharp, dark green eyes, with black slits for pupils. It had red scales all across its fat and plump body. Bat-like wings were attached to his arms, which had razor sharp talons. The beast was a dragon, a fat one at that.
A wicked smile appeared across the dragon's face. Pleased with what he had done to the forest. The dragon started to laugh, the dragon's throat turned bright orange as it unleashed another burst of fire upon the forest.
"Run, run, little critters." The dragon's deep voice chuckled, watching as helpless animals ran for lives away from the dragon. "Run as far as you can. But you will become ash either way."
"Well that's a shame."
The dragon stood up, and looked to his left.
"This forest was very peaceful. Until you came that is."
Flying next to the dragon's head was a pony stallion. A tall one too. He had a light brown coat, a dark green mane that sparkled and twinkles, emerald green eyes. He had a cutie mark of the Workd on his flank. And was an Alicorn.
"Who are you?" The dragon hissed.
"I suppose I've been gone for a while. It's no wonder that beast's like you have forgotten who I am." The Alicorn said.
"What did you call me?" The dragon asked, his throat started to shine brightly. "You best use your words carefully around me pony."
"Aww that's cute. You think that I'm lesser than you. That's adorable." The Alicorn smiled.
"I've had enough of you!" The dragon roared, opening his mouth. "BURN!"
The dragon released an inferno of fire upon the Alicorn. The Dragon looked to where the pony stood and smiled.
"You call that fire?"
The dragon became wide eyed.
Before him stood another Alicorn Stallion. The same height as the last one, but had a black coat, a red mane that had tiny white dots in it that sparkled. His eyes were crimson red, and he had a cutie mark of a fire with chains around it.
The Alicorn scoffed. "Your nothing more than a kid playing with matches." His horn glowed red and a ball of fire appeared on the tip of his horn. "Now this. This is fire."
And just like that, half the forest was incinerated.
*KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!!!!
A massive beam of fire exploded from the alicorns horn. Engulfing half the forest and the mountain behind in a massive burst of fire. The forest turned to black ash, and the mountain behind it looked to have a large hole in it where the beam had struck. As for the dragon...the only thing that remained was its bones. And with a simple tab from the Alicorn,
The bones turned to dust.
Chapter four. Time changes all things
The train whistle shrieked as steam was blown out. The train had in tow six cars, and in one of those cars were Applejack, Ranger, Silver Platter, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Soarin, Pinkie Pie, Cheese Sandwich, Sweetie Bell, Button Mash, Applebloom, Pip Squeak, Scootaloo, Rumble, Dinkie, and First Base.
Cheese Sandwich, Pinkie Pie, Dinkie, and First Base were all sitting in the same booth playing rummy. Applejack, Ranger, Applebloom, and Pip Squeak all sat in a booth of their own. Silver Platter, Rarity, Sweetie Bell, and Button Mash all sat in a booth of their own. Rainbow Dash, Soarin, Scootaloo, and Rumble all sat in a booth for them as well.
There was an awkward silence that seemed to permeate the entire car. Minus those who were currently playing rummy of course. A table separated the two bench's in which Ranger, Applejack, Applebloom, and Pip sat at. Ranger cleared his throat before speaking, "So...how have things been on the farm?" He asked.
"Things have been great actually." Pip spoke up. "The barn's been repainted, the apples have been harvested, shipments have been good, all in all everything's been great."
"Um...who are you again?" Ranger asked.
"Oh that's right." Pip chuckled. "My names Pip Squeak. But you can call me Pip." Pip extended his hoof.
"Ranger. Just Ranger." Ranger chuckled, shaking Pip's hoof. "So you've been helping out on the farm huh?"
"In a word yes. I help Applebloom with her chores and make sure she doesn't screw up any of the shipments." Pip chuckled, expecting a reaction from Applebloom. But got nothing.
"Alright, enough of this." Ranger sighed. "You two haven't said a word since we got on this train. For pete's sake Applejack, you haven't seen your sister in thirteen years. Say something to her."
"Like what?" Applejack asked, lowering her hat over her eyes. "Howdy Applebloom, nice ta see ya after Thirteen years, how's your life been?"
"Jus' fine as a matter of fact." Applebloom replied, looking to her left. "Certainly didn't need your help." She muttered.
"What was that?" Applejack lifted up her hat.
"I said that I've been doing fine." Applebloom said.
"Okay, something's up. What's gotten into you two that's made you both so bitter?" Ranger asked.
"Nuthin'." Applejack said, pulling her hat over half of her face.
"What she said." Applebloom crossing her hooves.
Ranger frowned at Applejack. "Alright, if that's how you wish to be." Ranger turned to the window and removed the latches. He pulled down the window and plucked Applejack's hat off of her.
"Hey!" Applejack shouted as Ranger held her hat out the window.
"Talk to each other or I'll throw your hat out the window." Ranger calmly threatened.
Applejack glared at Ranger."You wouldn't dare."
Ranger shrugged. "Have it your way." With that he let go of the hat.
Applejack and Applebloom gasped. The hat flew for a flat second before Ranger grabbed it again. He looked at Applejack smug. "Ready to talk?"
"Yes yes, fine! Just please give me ma hat back." Applejack pleaded.
"All I wanted." Ranger said, pulling the hat back in he placed it on Applejack's head and closed the window. "Now talk, the both of you."
"Um...hi Applebloom." Applejack said, not sure how to start.
"Sup." Applebloom replied.
"How's Granny?"
That struck a nerve in Applebloom. "She's not well."
"What?" Applejack said. "What do mean not well? What's wrong with her?"
Applebloom looked away from Applejack. Pip spoke, "She's sick."
"Sick how?" Ranger asked.
"She has something called...all timers." Pip said.
"Alzheimer's." Applebloom corrected.
"Right. Well...that's what the doctor's are calling it anyways. But their not to sure." Pip said.
"Are you sure it's Alzheimer's?" Ranger asked.
"That's what the doctor's think it is. Or at least something that is branched off of it." Pip said.
"What are ya two talking about?!" Applejack said frantically. "What the Tarturus is this Alzheimer's you keep talking about?!"
"It's a mental disease. One that affects the memory of the brain." Ranger answered. "I recall Nightwing saying something about it. I believe that Alzheimer's affects...certain parts of the brain that holds memories and creates new ones. Parts of the brain that has memory, intelligence, judgment, language, and behavior are affected by it."
"There's a cure right?" Applejack asked.
Pip shook his head. "Unfortunately there isn't one. There is a medicine that the doctor's give her that helps her keep her memory...but..." Pip struggled to speak.
"The pills are giving her ah side effect. She's hallucinating." Applebloom said. "We keep finding her in cold sweats screaming. Saying that something is coming to take her to Tarturus."
"Dear Celestia." Ranger grimaced. "How can she live like that?"
"She...hasn't really."
Applejack eyes widened. "She didn't." Applebloom slowly nodded. "When? Where? Why?!" Applejack demanded.
"She's tried multiple times. In most of them she stopped herself...but there were times she really wanted to." Applebloom explained.
It was then that Ranger caught on. "Suicide?"
Pip nodded.
"Why is she still at the farm then?" Ranger asked. "Shouldn't she be in a mental hospital or something?"
"They did that." Pip said. "And it was only worse. She wouldn't eat, she refused to sleep, and she almost suffocated herself to death. So they moved her to the farm, and everyday a nurse comes by to check on her."
"I see...how long has she been like this?" Ranger asked.
"Two years." Applebloom answered.
"I guess we haven't been formally introduced. My name is Silver Platter, who might you two be?" Silver Platter asked, extending his hoof across the table.
"Button Mash mr. Platter." Button shook Silver's hoof.
"Sweetie Bell, Mr. Platter." Sweetie shook Silver's hoof.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Sweetie Bell and Button Mash. I hope things have been well." Silver slightly smiled.
"Well, ever since Rarity vanished I've been helping out in Boutique. I've been sowing up dresses and suits for tons of Ponies. The orders just don't stop." Sweetie Bell said.
Rarity shuttered at the thought of Sweetie Bell's Dresses and Suits . "I guess you certainly have your hooves full don't you?" Rarity put on a fake smile.
"Not as much as you might think. I have free time but I'd be more than happy to give you back your job." Sweetie Bell said. "Besides, I can thing of plenty of things I can do with my free time." Sweetie said, her eyes half closed looking at Button. Who turned away to hide his blush.
Rarity's eyes sparkled, her fake smile now real. "Oh my goodness!" She squealed. "You two are-"
"Dating yes." Button interrupted. "We have been for a while now." Button blushed, having been put in an uncomfortable situation.
"This is wonderful! Ooooh you simply must tell me every juicy detail. When was your first kiss? Was their an Ex? When did you two make lo-"
Sweetie Bell had shoved her hoof in Rarity's mouth to prevent her from complete humiliating her Coltfriend. She had half succeeded, what with the fact that Button's entire face turned Crimson. "How about I just tell you about are first date?" Sweetie suggested.
Rarity removed Sweetie's hoof. "That's a good place to start."
Sweetie Bell sighed happily. "I remember it like it was yesterday. It all started with a letter from First Base and Dinkie. They had asked me to come down to the lake for a picnic. Of course how could I decline, so I gathered my things and went down to the lake. Sure enough there was a picnic waiting for me. But First Base and Dinkie were no where in sight. But there was someone there to greet me."
"Button Mash." Silver said.
Sweetie nodded. "You should've seen him. He was dressed in an adorable suit and bow tie. He had set up this romantic lunch just for us. Warm candlelight, classic silverware, and of course delicious sandwiches. We ate and talked, I learned later on that Button had asked First Base and Dinkie to send me the letter. Once we were done eating he reached over and touched my hoof." Sweetie sighed. "He looked me dead in the eye and asked me. 'Will you be my partner in the board game contest tomorrow'?"
Silver couldn't hold back his burst of laughter. Rarity covered her mouth, suppressing her giggles. Button Mash covered his face in shame, a hint of red on his cheeks.
Sweetie Bell took a deep breath as she continued her story. "I was taken by surprise by that. What with the whole romantic setting I surely thought he was going to ask me out. Of course I said yes. The contest took place in Manehatten, Button paid for my travel ticket and for the hotel we'd be staying in. Of course we didn't stay their long."
"I assume you lost." Silver Platter said.
"We didn't just loose, we were down right destroyed. I didn't know the first thing about 'Magic The Gathering'. So we were the first to loose." Sweetie Bell said sadly. "I was so embarrassed, and also worried that Button would be mad at me for losing. But he wasn't mad, sure he was completely crushed by the fact he lost, but we spent the rest of the days we had in Manehatten cruising around the town, seeing all the wonderful sights. We headed to a carnival were we played games, rode rides, ate cotton candy, and did a bunch of other stuff. There was this one game I remember where I saw this really cute stuffed bunny. I begged Button to win it for me."
"And in the process I lost twenty five bits." Button added.
"It was a cute bunny." Sweetie defended.
"There was a shops three blocks from the carnival that sold the exact same rabbit for three bits." Button said.
Sweetie rolled her eyes. "Anyways, on our last day in Manehatten we went down to the beach at night. We were sitting on the dock, gazing at the stars. I remember the cool breeze flowing against Button's mane. I couldn't hold myself back anymore, Button was about to say something to me but I took him by surprise when I kissed him. He was so startled that he fell off the dock and pulled me down with him. We swam to shore were we dried off. He asked me why I kissed him and I told him my true feelings. I told him that I deeply cared for him, that I loved him. That everyday I wanted to be by his side no matter what. And he confessed that he had the same feelings for me too. How he was planning on not even participating in the tournament. That the only reason he came to Manehatten was because First Base and Dinkie planned the whole thing. We might not have known it at the time, but that was without a doubt our first date."
"Awwwww." Rarity said.
"That story was...lovely, is the way I'd put it." Silver said.
"Sweetie you forgot a part." Button said.
"Forgot a part?" Sweetie rubbed her chin, looking up at the ceiling. "I don't think I forgot anything."
"You forgot the part were you told me that if I ever so much as looked at another mare you'd tear me in half." Button said.
"Oh...right." Sweetie Bell said. "I was in an emotional state and I was worried that you'd leave e for someone better."
"Don't be ridiculous. Every mare combined wouldn't have a chance to be better than you." Button said.
"Awwww, thank you Button." Sweetie hugged Button. "Speaking of date's." Sweetie turned to her sister. "I think it's your turn to tell me when you two became an item?"
"Well that's not fair." Rarity complained. "Compared to your first date mine looks like a rotten sewer rat wrapped in a blanket of dirt which was then thrown into the muddiest trash can on the planet."
Sweetie Bell started to giggle while Button face hoofed. Rarity was confused by their reaction's until she looked to Silver, who's head hung low in shame and sadness. His mane covered his eyes and if you squinted hard enough you could see that there were black lines hovering over him.
"Oh dear! I didn't mean that I didn't enjoy it Silver Darling it's just that compared to Sweetie Bell...what I mean is, I had a great time-er....help me out here Sweetie." Rarity looked to her sister for assistance.
"Sorry Sis, you got yourself into this one." Sweetie Bell smiled.
Rarity grumbled at her sister. She looked to Silver and her eyes sparkled. She face hoofed, "Of course how could I have forgotten. Silver darling...I'm afraid that I mixed up our first date with our second one." Rarity looked back to Sweetie Bell. "You see wonderful Sister of mine, Silver and I first met at the Grand Galloping Gala. We danced and got to know one another. It might not have been as romantic as your first date was. But if I could go back to that time there isn't a thing I would change."
Sweetie Bell clapped her hooves. "Bravo, bravo, simply magnificent."
Silver lifted his head, his depressed state lifted a bit.
"Say Silver Platter." Button started. "You wouldn't happen to be related Fancy Pants would you."
Silver looked towards the floor. "No...no I'm not."
"Are you sure? Because I thought you two were like brothers or something. What with the fact he named his daughter after you and what not."
Silver raised his head in alarm."Wait, what?!"
"A-ha!" Button said with triumph. "You are related to Fancy Pants."
"No. I'm his butler." Silver stated.
"Oh. Well then you must've been a really good one for Fancy to name his kid after you."
"When did Fancy Pants have a child?" Silver demanded.
"Ummm...I believe it's been four years now. Fancy Pants had a daughter who he named Lustrous Platter. I know she's not exactly named after you but Fancy Pants did say that her name would remind him of Silver Platter." Button said.
Silver slumped against the back of seat, he raised his hoof to his forehead. "He already has a daughter. I don't even have to guess who his wife is do I?"
"Well if you thought it was Fleur de lis, then you'd win yourself a cookie." Button said.
"Course it's her. She and Fancy were always sneaking off when no one was watching, heading off to his island." Silver sighed. "I can only imagine how awkward things will be when I talk to him."
"By the way Silver, while we're on the subject, there's something I'd like to know." Rarity grabbed Silver's hoof and looked him dead in the eye. "You've never talked about your family. Do you remember what they were like?"
Silver avoided contact with Rarity's eyes. "I had a father...I...I never knew my mother."
"That's so sad. Who was your father?" Sweetie asked.
"I would rather not say...you see-"
*WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHT
The train whistle blew loudly followed by the sound of metal skidding across metal as the train slid to a halt.
"All those bound for Ponyville, please disembark as we have arrived at the station." The conductor said.
Applejack raced down the streets of ponyville. The moment the doors to the train opened up she sped down the road faster than Rainbow Dash. Pip, Applebloom, and Ranger chased after her.
"Applejack wait!" Ranger shouted, but his words had fallen upon deaf ears.
Applejack continued to race down the dirt roads. Then she saw her barn, the instant it came into view Applejack's increased tenfold. She bolted past the entrance and was closing in fast on the door to her house. She was about to bust right through until something tackled her.
Applejack skidded across the dirt before coming to a stop. She ignored the pain her underside was feeling as she kicked and squirmed. Something had grabbed her and was holding her down. Hard.
Applejack looked behind her and sure enough. The one who had her pinned was Ranger.
"Let me go Ranger. Now!" Applejack demanded.
"Not until I'm one hundred percent certain your gonna burst in their like a maniac." Ranger replied. Applejack continued to buck and squirm, hoping that she could somehow get out of Ranger's grasp. Soon her body started to run out of energy, her kicks started to slow down, she became moving than before. Eventually she stopped. "You ready to act civilized?" Ranger asked.
"Yes...please let go of me." Applejack pleaded out of breath.
"You promise to listen to what I have to say and you won't go in there like a crazed bull?" Ranger asked.
"Yes." Applejack sighed.
"Good." Ranger said, releasing Applejack from his grip she slowly stood up and dusted herself off. "Ready to listen?"
"Fine. What is it you want ta talk about?" Applejack asked.
"I'm not going to stop you from seeing you Granny. But I am gonna stop you from bursting into her room and giving her a heart attack. And I hope you understand that I'm being very literal when I say that you will give her a heart attack if you burst in there." Ranger said with a serious face.
"Oh my Celestia." Applejack collapsed. "Your right...Ranger I could've-"
"Hey, hey. It's alright, I stopped you from potentially killing your granny. And now that I have its time for you to go in there and talk to her." Ranger said.
Applejack stood up and took a deep breath. She faced the door and opened it up.
*knock, knock, knock*
The sound of knocking came from the door in Granny's room. The room's walls, floor, and ceiling were laced with a type of white cushion. The window had been bared off, the bed was bolted to the floor. It had only a comforter on it and a pillow made of clouds. Granny Smith was sitting on her bed, a black blindfold covered her eyes.
"Who is it?" Granny asked, turning to the door.
"It's me granny. It's Applejack."
"Applejack?" Granny asked. "Is that really you?"
The door opened, "Yes Granny. It's me." Applejack's voice was much clearer now. "How ya doing?"
"How do I know your real? Granny asked. "Your probably him aren't you?"
"Him? Granny it's me, your Grand daughter. Take off that blindfold and you'll see."
Granny was reluctant. But she raised her hooves to the back of the blindfold and undid the knot. She lowered her blindfold and opened her eyes. What stood before her was what looked like Applejack but she had no face. Her face was blank, no mouth, no nostrils, no eyes. The sight of the creature frightened Granny Smith.
"No!" Granny fell of the bed.
A spine chilling crack was heard from the no faced Applejack. The blank spot where the mouth should've been started to split. Strands of orange flesh broke as an big creepy smile spread across the no faced Applejack. Black ooze started to foam out of the terrifying smile.
"What's the matter Granny?" The creature had a voice that sounded like Applejack's but it was warped and echoed. "It's me, your grand daughter Applejack."
The creature that resembled Applejack started to walk towards her. Black ooze dripping from its mouth.
"Won't you give your grand daughter a hug?"
The creature loomed in closer and closer to Ganny. She wanted to scream, to cry, to shout, to do something. But she stood there frozen in fear.
*knock, knock, knock*
The sound of a door knocking stirred Granny Smith from her sleep.
"Granny?" The door creaked open. "Granny it's me, Applejack."
The name was alien to Granny but the voice seemed familiar. Granny's instinct's kicked in, she shouted at the top of her lungs. She screamed and hollered, "Get out!" She didn't know what the words meant but the voice was gone. The room was silent. That was all that mattered to Granny as she dozed off back to sleep.
On the other side of the door tears streamed uncontrollably down Applejack's cheeks. She felt helpless as her own Grandmother yelled at her. Demanding that she leave.
"She yelled at ya huh?"
Applejack whipped her head around behind her. There, at the top of the stairs, stood her sister Applebloom.
"She's gonna be fine right? She'll be okay right?" Applejack choked.
"I can't answer that question Applejack." Applebloom said.
"Why?" She asked to no one. "Why is this happening? Why are you doing this? You took Ma and Pa wasn't that enough? Why her?!" Applejack demanded, looking up.
"Applejack-" Applebloom reached for Applejack.
"Don't touch me!" She hissed, swatting away Applebloom's hoof. "I won't let him take her! She's going to be fine and everything's gonna be just like it was!"
"That's not possible Applejack." Applebloom said coldly.
"Why the Tarturus not!" Applejack shouted at Applebloom.
"Because you've been gone for thirteen bucking years!" Applebloom shouted back. "I've had to go through every ounce of pain while you were gone! Granny's brain is disintegrating, Big Mac can't work on the farm because he has a wife to look after, John and Blossom left to start another Farm in Appleloosa, And Eve has to care for Granny everyday! And where were you?! You left to go to the moon, which then vanished along with you! You say you want things to go back to the way they were but they can't Applejack! It's not possible!"
Then it happened.
In an instant Applejack stood up, closed the distance between her and Applebloom, and struck her against the cheek. Applebloom flew down the stairs and she crashed into a wooden dresser.
Applebloom soared right through the dresser. Breaking it into pieces and splinters. Applejack stood at the stairs, her eyes wide. At the bottom of the stairs, covered in the pieces of the dresser was Applebloom. Her eyes closed and several cuts on her body.
"Applebloom?" Applejack called her name as she walked down the stairs. "Applebloom?" She moved the pieces of the dresser out of the way and picked up Applebloom, who's body was limp. "Apple-bloom?" More tears started to run down Applejack's cheeks.
"I heard a crash is everything-" Ranger ran into the room. He became quiet when saw Applebloom with several cuts on her body.
Applejack looked to Ranger with tears uncontrollably streaming down her cheeks. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean it...I-I didn't mean to...I swear...I-"
"She's unconscious." Ranger quickly rushed to Applebloom. "She needs medical treatment. Now!"
Ranger picked Applebloom up and placed her on his back. He looked to Applejack and glared at her, "Stay put." He ordered.
Applejack slowly nodded, her eyes locked on her shaking hooves. Drops of blood combined with some tears stained her hoof. Her vision started to get blurry, the only thing her eyes focused on we're her hooves.
And before she knew it, she had already bolted out the door.
Chapter five. Confrontation
"And then, with no sign of hesitation or restraint, Moonstone ripped out Lightning's heart, and I stood there, helpless to stop her as she killed my friend."
Nightwing sat at Luna's bed across from Shade, his voice filled with pain as he recalled Lightning Strike's death. Nightwing had accepted Shade's wish for telling her all about his adventures. Nightwing's stories spilled into Shade's mind with ease. She eagerly devoured every word that came from Nightwing. Her mind was entrapped by his stories, never showing a hint of distraction.
Shade gasped, covering her mouth with her hooves, "Oh no! I thought that since he had one of the Element of Chaos he wouldn't have been killed so easily."
"One would think that, yes." Nightwing sighed sadly. "But you see, his body took in too much magical energy. If he had used even a slight bit of that magic, his body would release all of the magic he absorbed and would've destroyed half the moon."
"But if that's so...then how come the moon didn't explode when he died?" Shade asked. "Surely all the magic he absorbed would've been released all at once?"
"Actually it was the Element of Scorch that has all that magic. Which reminds me," Nightwing sat up. "I have to go remove that thing from Lightning Strike before Discord gets onto me for taking to long."
"Wait!" Shade stood up. "What happened next? What happened to Moonstone?"
"Oh yeah. Well, I broke out of the Master Crystal, summoned my Night Howler, fought Moonstone, chopped off her hoof, took her Complex crystal, and stabbed her through the heart." Nightwing explained.
"You killed her? Just like that?" Shade asked.
"Yes and no. Yes, I did kill her. But no, because she was already dead." Nightwing answered.
"I don't follow."
"Well...you see Moonstone was nothing more than a walking, talking corpse. It had body, memory, and magic no doubt. But there was no soul, no sign of a living thing. A corpse." Nightwing said. "Now then. If you'll excuse me," Nightwing turned towards the door, "I've got to take a powerful Gem out of a dead friend."
Nightwing walked to the door and opened it.
In front of the door were five Sentinel's.
"Huh. I never knew you guys used my Guardian's as body guards." Nightwing faced Shade, and pointed to the Sentinel's with an impressed look.
"We don't." Shade said with confusion. "The Sentinel's are the personal soldiers of the High Council." Shade approached the Sentinel's. "Why are you here?"
"Sentinel's?" Nightwing repeated, a distaste in his mouth when he said their name.
"The High Council has sent us to keep you here." One of Sentinel's spoke.
"Why?" Nightwing asked. "And why do you look like my Guardian's?"
The Sentinel turned to Nightwing, "Captain Nightwing, I pleasure to meet you. Are appearance is similar to your Guardian's because we were designed based off your original model. However, while our programming may be the same, we are faster, smarter, and stronger than your Guardian's."
"You know I know the code for your self destruction right?" Nightwing frowned, not appreciating the fact that his creation was getting spat on.
"Apologies. As for your first question, we are ordered to keep you here to prevent you from stopping the surgery."
"Surgery?" Nightwing repeated. "What surgery-" Nightwing's lit up when realization slapped him like a cold dead fish. He glared at the Sentinel's and growled, "Move." He ordered.
"I'm sorry Captain, I truly am, but I cannot let you pass." The Sentinel said.
Nightwing's expression softened, "I'm sorry to."
"For what Captain?"
"This."
A force of blue magic erupted from Nightwing's Crystal. It knocked the Sentinel back a couple of feet. Blue bolts of electricity danced across the Sentinel's metal. Nightwing turned to Shade and said, "Hey Shade, since you love my adventures so much how about I take you on one."
"Really!" Shade said with glee. "I'd love to go. Ooh, what should we call this adventure?"
"Let's call it 'Nightwing shoves a boot up the High Council's ass'." Nightwing said.
"I...don't think that's a very good name." Shade said.
"History is told by the victors." Nightwing said. "And besides, I'm not gonna sit back and let the High Council do whatever it wants."
Times were certainly changing. The return of the moon had shocked every living thing. Of course while some rejoiced at the Moon's return, there were some who became filled with dread when gazing at the moon.
The moon had become permanently scarred, and scarring the earth at that. The fact that there was a giant cannon pointed towards the earth didn't exactly sit well with everyone. As long as everyone knew that there was a gun pointed at everyone's head, peace was going to be a hard thing to keep in balance.
Time had passed since the had moon disappeared, and in that time wars had been waged, cities destroyed, new cities built, kingdoms were burned, and new kingdoms arose.
But despite the numerous kingdoms that were constructed only four are top dog.
Equestria, no surprise that Equestria is still number one when it comes to power.
The Griffon Empire, tied with Equestria for first the Griffon Empire grew into the superpower it is today through sheer conquest. Conquering neighboring lands and cities without a single defeat or loss, the Griffon's thought themselves high and supreme. This power, of course, went straight to their heads and challenged Equestria to what history likes to call 'A splendid little war.' The war was more of a battle, a fight over a piece of land between the Empire and Equestria. The war lasted only two months. But the Griffons were the victors. While it wasn't a total lose, the High Council saw the outcome as an act of a silent war.
The Yak kingdom, the yak kingdom grew not by conquering neighboring lands, but rather the neighboring lands joined the Yak kingdom for protection. The lands were guarded by the Yak guards and the crops and resources that the lands gathered were given to the Yak kingdom. It currently stands second in power.
The Zebra Kingdom, the one kingdom that no one had expected to become one of the top three soared high above any of the others. While the Zebra kingdom is in fact not technically a kingdom, but rather a large group of multiple tribes. Their power was in numbers, their army was three times greater than any other kingdom or nation on earth.
These four kingdom's stood above all. And after Nightwing had told the rulers of each kingdom that a piece of the weapon Empyrion would be given to them. This act satisfied the rulers and agreed that each kingdom should have a piece.
With no other reason to stay in Equestria the Griffon king Descend made his way to his carriage, which was strapped to four Griffons.
Descend entered the carriage and slammed the door shut. The two Griffon guards walked to the bench on the front of the carriage signaled the Griffons strapped to the Carriage. The Griffons then spread their wings and took flight.
The inside of the carriage was fit for a king. Literally. The inside had two benches on the ends of the carriage. Red cushions sewn into the two wooden benches. Multiple pillows were set on the cushions, along with some blankets and quilts.
The carriage soared high into the air. Descend peered out his window, getting a good look at Canterlot castle. The glorious city that stood in the center of Equestria.
Descend was disgusted just looking at it.
He hated Ponies, he hated their views, he hated their beliefs, he hated everything about them.
The Carriage shifted a bit, letting in the moon's light. The light created a reflection for Descend. Descend looked to his chest, he moved some of his feathers and touched his skin. He looked back to the reflection.
On his chest, beneath his feathers, was a scar. A mark of an swastika inside a circle, with five small triangles on the circle matching the points of a star. The hatred Descend carried for Ponies was born by the Order.
To them, Griffon's were nothing more than beasts. Beasts that could not be tamed or calmed. They were savages who could not turn away from barbaric ways. So the those who aligned themselves with Order would round up Griffons. They'd shave their feathers and clip their wings. Then, they'd brand them with a symbol. The symbol of a ravenous beast.
Descend wasn't all to happy when he received the mark. Even less when he learned that the mark couldn't be removed. He was fine with the symbol meaning beast, but he was not alright that creatures that were weaker than him imprisoned him so easily.
The thought infuriated Descend. But he remained calm. He had to be patient. The time was drawing closer. It wouldn't be long now, soon those he hated would be gone forever.
*Knock,knock,knock*
There was a light tapping on the door. It shook Descend from his recollection.
"Um...sire."
The voice was female, shy, yet bold. Descend could've sworn he heard it somewhere before.
"What is it you need?" Descend demanded. "Speak."
"Well...um...it's just that...you've been in there for a while...and I thought..."
Descend looked out the window and mentally slapped himself. He sat up and walked to the door. The door swung open and Descend stepped out, a hint of red on his cheeks.
The carriage had landed on a platform that connected to a bridge which connected to a large tree. The tree was nearly about the size of the Great tree. But it had no leaves, nor did it show any sign of life. But placed upon some of the branches were multiple buildings. Beneath Descend's claw was a long red carpet that had yellow details sewn onto it. To the sides of the long red carpet were big Griffons wearing steel armor that covered their bodies, arms, legs, and neck. The big Griffons wore helmets that covered their entire face and beak, showing off no Griffon features of any kind. In front of Descend was a Griffon female who seemed a tad bit shorter than Descend. The Griffon wore a type of golden armor that covered her back, leaving her underside and behind exposed. She had four golden braces, two on her wrists and two on her legs. The Griffon also wore a helmet that left her cheeks and beak exposed.
The female Griffon bowed before Descend. The other Big Griffons followed suite and bowed. Descend smiled at the Griffon. "My dear Eagle Eyes, please do me a favor and don't tell anyone that I sat in a grounded carriage for twenty minutes."
"As you wish my King." The Griffoness rose. "I assume the meeting went well."
Descend grimaced, "The meeting was boring as usual. That is until a famous someone entered the equation." He said, walking down the red carpet.
"And, who might you be referring to?" Eagle Eye's asked, following the King.
Descend looked to Eagle Eye's and smiled, "Nightwing." He answered.
That name got everyone's attention. Some of the guards who were stacked next to one another shared glances with others. Eagle Eye's stared at Descend, her mouth slightly agape.
"Nightwing...thee Nightwing? The one responsible for the creation of the griffon Empire? That Nightwing?" Eagle Eye's asked.
"Yes Eagle Eye's, that Nightwing. Although I wasn't in power when he had 'accidentally' created our Empire, every griffon in my Empire knows his name. Tarturus, we built a statue out of him in the castle!"
"But you met him. You met Nightwing." Eagle Eye's said with disbelief. "Forgive me my king but I simply must know. What was he like?"
"In a word...strange." Descend chuckled, "The old books captured his likeness very well."
The two griffon's walked along the red carpet and into the large dead tree. They entered through a large double door and into a room lit with perfect light. A big chandelier full of beautiful crystals hung from the ceiling. Oil lanterns were stretched along all the walls, keeping the room very well lit. The red carpet stretched all the way to a pair of short stairs, which let to a single throne. A silver framed throne with yellow cushions on the bottom and back. By the sides of the stairs were two male Griffon's.
The one on the left had Black feathers on his body and white feathers on his head along with yellow eyes. The one on the right had red feathers on his body and white feathers on his head, along with yellow eyes. The two Griffon's bowed before Descend and rose.
"Welcome back, father." The two greeted.
Descend merely ignored that statement and walked past the two with a frown. Descend walked up the stairs and sat himself on the Throne. "How goes the Empire since I've been away?"
The Red feathered Griffon turned to Descend and said, "We've been keeping check on the entire castle since you left. Their have been many who are unsettled by the cannon on the moon, but I've been able to calm down most of the unsettled-"
"Did I ask for your opinion on the citizens Gideon?" Descend snapped at the Red griffon. "Did I ask you to speak with the Griffon's that are the building blocks of my Empire?"
"Father I was just-"
"You were acting without my orders is what you were doing. I told you to keep an eye on the place while I was away. Do you think that 'watching the place while I'm away' is somehow similar to 'fill the Empire's Griffon's with lies'?"
Gideon turned away from Descend and looked to the floor, "I was only trying to help."
The black feathered griffon giggled under his breath. Descend noticed this and turned to the Black griffon, "And what is it you've accomplished Leone?"
The black griffon Leone stopped giggling and faced Descend with a serious look. "I watched and maintained the Help and guards of the castle, per your orders Father."
"Well done." Descend smiled. "Both of you show good reason for becoming the next king."
Leone seemed shocked, "But Gideon disobeyed your orders. He told the Peasants-"
The temperature dropped a couple degrees with Descend's glare. "While he did disobey my orders, his heart was in the right place. Now leave, all of you. There is much for me to consider from my latest meeting." Descend said, looking away from his son's and out the window towards the moon.
Which had been scarred forever.
There was a form of weariness for the Doctor's and Nurse's in the operating room. The multiple Sentinel's didn't exactly make things easier. A Unicorn Doctor dressed in a light greenish blue medical outfit pulled down his mask and looked to one of the Sentinel's and asked, "Isn't all this security a bit...overkill?"
The Sentinel looked to the Doctor and replied, "That is classified. Just return to your job Doctor."
The Doctor sighed, pulling his mask back over his muzzle. There were three Doctors and two Nurse's in the operating room. They all hovered around a rectangular table that had multiple light stands over it. The one who was being operated on was a Pegasus Stallion with a red spiky mane and tail. The Pegasus' body was a dull orange. The Pegasus was cold and limp, a corpse. The Doctor's didn't understand why they were dissecting the Pegasus or what they were looking for. Their orders had been pretty vague.
The Doctor sighed and asked one of the Nurse's to bring him the utensils. The Nurse nodded and wheeled in a tray full of utensils. The Doctor levitated a knife looking utensil and hovered it above the corpse.
He was about to make an incision until there was a loud crash from outside. Everyone looked to the door. There were more sounds of crashes, bangs, and yelling. Everyone faced the metal door with fright, the loud and rambunctious sounds getting louder.
Then there was silence. The doorknob jiggled a bit. A bang echoed throughout the room as something collided with the door. "Buck!" A voice recoiled in pain.
There was a moment of silence. Which was then interrupted as the metal door was literally thrown off of its hinges as a Sentinel was thrown through the door. The metal door went flying till it collided with the wall and stuck there. The multiple Sentinel's in the room fell to ground, sparks of blue magic danced across their golden armor.
The Doctor's and Nurse's stared at the figure who stood at the doorway. The figure was Nightwing, and he was pissed. Shade was behind him.
"Move." Nightwing growled at the Doctor's and Nurse's, who backed away from the body of Lightning Strike.
Nightwing walked up to the table. He stared at Lightning's corpse. Nightwing ran his hoof along Lightning's chest. The once opened wound where his heart had been ripped out was completely healed. There was no scar, no signs of injury, nothing. It almost seemed like he just resting. But Nightwing knew the truth, he knew that Lightning wasn't sleeping. He was dead. And there was no magic that existed that could undo death.
Nightwing sighed, he remembered why he had come here in the first place. He removed his hoof from Lightning and lifted his Crystal. It glowed brightly as a vertical cut appeared on Lightning's chest. The cut opened and a orange and yellow oval shaped gem floated above Lightning's chest. The vertical cut the sealed itself. The orange gem hovered towards Nightwing and landed in his hoof.
And just like that the room disappeared. Nightwing found himself floating in a black void.
Nightwing face hoofed, "Had to touch it." He groaned.
A picture appeared in front of Nightwing. A picture of a quaint peaceful forest from a bird's eye view. Then an orange vertical crack appeared in the sky. Six orange beams shot from out of nowhere at the crack. The crack began to open up and get bigger and bigger. The crack then turned into a portal, on the other side of the portal was a dimension of fire and death. Words could not describe the horror that Nightwing saw.
A sudden emotion of fear entered his body. He didn't know why but he could feel something coming through the portal. Something dangerous, something powerful, something...
Evil.
And then it faded.
Nightwing found himself back in the operating room. The Chaos gem still in his hoof. The Doctor's and Nurse's huddling the wall in fear. Shade looked at Nightwing with concern. Nothing had changed. Nightwing shook away what he had saw and stormed out of the room.
Discord sat at his throne, once more he was reading his book while sipping a cup of tea. His peaceful time was soon interrupted by Nightwing, who stormed into the room. Discord sighed, placing a bookmark in his book and downing the last of his tea.
"Catch." Nightwing tossed the Element of Chaos at Discord.
Discord shrieked as the Element soared towards him. Upon instinct Discord darted from the throne and crashed on the floor. He looked up and saw that the gem laid neatly on his throne. He whipped his head to Nightwing and roared, "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THAT THING COULD'VE DONE TO ME?!"
"Do I look like I care?" Nightwing asked. "For your information I had to rip that thing from my dead Friend. Show a little gratitude."
Discord took a deep breath and stood up. "Yes. I understand that it must've been uncomfortable for you to perform such an act. So thank you."
"Don't mention it. But I do have to ask you a question." Nightwing said. "When I touched that thing I saw a vision."
"Yeah that'll happen. Most likely a memory of someone who once had the Element of Scorch. Nothing to be worried about." Discord said.
"But-"
"Now off you go." Discord snapped his fingers and summoned a broom which swept Nightwing out of the room.
Once Nightwing was gone Discord turned to the Element of Scorch. He frowned and snapped his fingers, disappearing in a bright flash.
The Great Library. A place full of stories and books as far as the eye could see. Discord appeared in the center of the library. Right in front of a desk where Storyteller was writing in his book.
"What?" Storyteller asked, not looking up from his book.
"I know it was you." Discord folded his arms.
"'You it was me' what?" Storyteller repeated.
"I know it was you who made the moon disappear. I know it was you who stopped time so that the moon could be sucked into a pocket of both Space and Time." Discord said.
"What of it?" Storyteller asked.
"Why?"
Storyteller stopped writing. He looked up from his book and at Discord, "What?"
"Why did you do it?" Discord demanded. "Why did you make the moon disappear?"
"I can't answer that." Storyteller went back to writing his book.
"The Hell you can't." Discord growled. "I want answers Storyteller, and I want them now."
"What if I don't want to give you them?" Storyteller asked.
"Fine. You don't have to answer all of my questions, but answer this one." Discord said in a firm tone. "What is happening to Time? Storyteller stopped writing. "Nightwing is seeing visions of the future. Which, according to your logic, shouldn't be possible. So I'll ask you again, what is happening to time?"
Storyteller looked back to Discord and sighed, "Very well, I suppose I can tell you that much. Nightwing is seeing the future yes. But he's only seeing parts of it that are destined to occur. Time is starting to become more and more unstable."
"Why?"
"I can't say." Storyteller continued to write in his book.
Discord slammed his fist against the desk. "THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" He roared. "I'm sick of you keeping secrets from me. Something is coming, that I already know, but what doesn't make sense is why you want to gather up the Element's of Chaos! What is coming?!"
"I can't say." Storyteller's tone started to get more angry.
"Can't say?" Discord mocked Storyteller. "Hi I'm Storyteller, and I can't tell anyone what I'm doing because I'm a lonely, sad, shutin, pathetic, nobody!"
"ENOUGH!" Storyteller boomed. "I will not be bullied by you Discord. What is coming is my responsibility and mine alone. Now begone. I have much work to do."
With that Discord vanished from the Great Library. Leaving Storyteller to continue writing in his book.
Everfree Forest. Once a land full of dangerous beasts, now a land of tame peaceful creatures. In the center of Everfree stood the Great Tree. A massive tree that stood as tall as the clouds. The tension between Ponies and Deer had been settled. Now the two races were at peace, and were, in a word, friends. Dirt paths were made in the Everfree which twisted and turned all throughout the forest. On one such path, Two guards were stationed on the road. One was a Buck with green armor and a long sword strapped to his side. The other was a Woodscolt, a creature that had the shape of a pony but was made entirely out of wood.
The two were laughing amongst one another, "And then, her head landed in a bucket, and she tumbled down our stairs!" The Deer bursted out laughing.
The Woodscolt did the same, "Whew...she is alright though?"
"Oh yeah, she hurt her head and banged up her legs, but she's doing fine. I tell you though, the reaction on her face when she saw the moon was priceless." The Deer sighed, looking up at the sky. "What do you think it means though?"
"Hm?" The Woodscolt asked.
"I mean...why do you think Nature took away the Moon? Only to put it back thirteen years later? Why would she do that?"
The Woodscolt responded, "Oh Goddess is a mystery. Her actions and why she does them is a mystery as well. 'It is not a good idea to question Nature. Not because she advises against it, but because there's simply no answer'."
"Famous quote by Treebeard, the second Arbor Susurro."
The Deer and Woodscolt whipped their heads around. The Deer unsheathed his sword and gripped it in his mouth. The Woodscolt summoned forth multiple stakes of wood from the ground.
Then the two got a good look at the one who spoke. The sight caused the deer to drop his sword, his mouth agape. The Woodscolt retracted his stakes, he too couldn't believe who he was seeing.
"San." The deer spoke, not looking away.
"Yeah." The Woodscolt San responded.
"Do you see what I see?"
"That depends. Do you see the Arbor Susurro?"
The deer nodded.
Before the deer and Woodscolt was Fluttershy. And also Thorn, who stood behind Fluttershy.
The Deer and Woodscolt did what any sensible creature would do in their situation. They got on their knees and bowed. "HailtotheArborSusurro,divinebeingoftheholyGoddessNature." The Deer and Woodscolt said, bunching up their words.
"Rise my Servant's." Fluttershy smiled warmly. "I have been gone for a long time, would you be so kind as to escort me to the Great Tree?"
The Deer and Woodscolt immediately stood up. "As you wish." The two said in unison, walking along the dirt road, Fluttershy and Thorn followed the two.
While they were walking down the dirt path the Deer looked back to see that Fluttershy was looking down with a sad expression. Thorn walked beside Fluttershy and whispered something in her ear. Fluttershy looked up and slightly smiled at Thorn.
"I don't believe it." The Deer said with disbelief.
"What?" San asked.
"The Arbor Susurro and-" the Deer stopped mid sentence. His eyes glowed green as he continued to walk. The green in his eyes faded. "Um...what was I talking about?"
"The Arbor Susurro." San answered.
"The Arbor Susurro?! Where?!"
Fluttershy glared at Thorn. "What did you do to him?" She demanded.
"I wiped some of his memory." Thorn answered, rubbing the back of his head, "Although...I might've taken more than I should've."
"Thorn...how did you do that?" Fluttershy asked.
"Well....remember when you gave me that gem?" Thorn asked, Fluttershy nodded. "Ever since you gave it to me...I've been able to do these...crazy things."
"What kinds of things?" Fluttershy raised an eyebrow.
Thorn looked ahead to make sure no one was looking. After he was sure that no one was watching he looked to the grassy ground on his left. His eyes glowed green, and the ground softly rumbled. The grassy ground cracked and a long, thick, vine erupted. It stretched all the way to the bottom half of a tree trunk. The vine wrapped itself around the tree and with a mighty 'yank', ripped the entire tree from the ground.
Thorn motioned his hoof down. The vine mimicked Thorn's hoof movement and sat the tree back where it once was. More smaller vines pushed dirt back around the tree and padded it down.
"Thorn...do you have any idea what you just did?" Fluttershy looked at Thorn with disbelief.
"I know, I know. I haven't been able to understand it myself, but I can control nat-" Thorn grimaced at what he was about to say. "I can control...the gifts from nature. I don't understand, you gave this Jem to me because Nature gave it to you. Only Nature herself should be able to control her gift's, not me."
"Thorn...I want you to keep this a secret." Fluttershy hushed.
"What? Why?"
"If anyone finds out what you can do, they'll exile you...I already lost a brother Thorn, I don't want to lose you too." Tears started to form in Fluttershy's eye's.
Thorn embraced Fluttershy, "No...no you're not losing me." Thorn whispered in Fluttershy's ear.
"Thank you." Fluttershy whispered."
"Um..."
Thorn and Fluttershy pushed away from the other, their cheeks crimson. The Woodscolt and Deer stared at Thorn and Fluttershy with wide eyes and mouths hanging open. Thorn's eyes glowed green, the Deer's eyes and the Woodscolt's eyes glowed green and then it faded.
"Follow us, Divine one." The two said in unison, walking away as if nothing happened.
Thorn sighed with relief. Fluttershy glared at him, "Um...hehe, last time I swear." Thorn rubbed the back of his head.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it!" Ranger continued to curse as he ran down the streets of Ponyville, an unconscious and hurt Applebloom on his back.
'This day couldn't get any worse' Ranger thought.
"Ranger."
Ranger skidded to a halt. His head frantically turned left and right to see who had called his name.
"Ranger."
The voice sounded weak and raspy. It was also coming from behind him. On his back to be specific. Ranger looked to Applebloom, who was now awake and trying to get up.
"Woah, woah. Easy there Bloom." Ranger said. "Don't over exert yourself."
Applebloom groaned, green magic started to mend her cuts and bruises. When her body was good as new, she hopped off Ranger.
"How...how did you-"
"There's no time for questions." This time Applebloom grabbed Ranger and sat him on his back. "Hold on." Green magic engulfed Applebloom. The magic took shape and formed a set of green armor that covered her body, legs, and neck. A green helmet appeared on her head. Applebloom ready herself and rocketed herself into the air.
Up, up, up, she went. Soaring high into the clouds. When she reached the clouds, a green flame erupted from the bottom of her hoofs, keeping her in the air. Ranger, thanks to the sudden change in atmosphere, was clutching tightly onto Applebloom's neck.
"Voluntas, can you tell me where Applejack is?" Applebloom asked to no one.
"A pleasure to speak with you again Host Applebloom. The one known as Applejack is currently wandering in the Apple orchard. Voluntas responded.
"Thanks Voluntas." Applebloom said, directing her hoof's to fly towards Sweet Apple Acres.
Applejack ran deeper into the orchard. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Everything was a haze. She couldn't believe what she had done, she had hurt her sister. The filly she grew up with and the one she held close to her heart. And she threw her into a wooden dresser. Her vision was blurred thanks to the uncontrollable tears building up in her eyes.
*WHAM*
Thanks to her blurred vision she was unable to prevent herself from colliding head first into a tree. She fumbled backwards, unable to stand up straight since it seemed that the whole world was spinning. Applejack fell on her flank, she leaned back against the trunk of a tree. She reached for her forehead and looked at her hoof.
Blood.
Applejack's blood dripped from her forehead and onto her hooves. Her blood mixed with Applebloom's.
"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry, I didn't...I didn't mean to." Applejack choked.
The image of her hurt sister flooded her mind. The way she look, the cuts on her body, the cold dead look she gave, and the way she seemed like a corpse. Applejack cried into her hooves, her tears mixed with the blood. Her whole world was falling apart. She lost her Granny and now her sister.
"Applejack!"
A voice, one that Applejack recognized, it came from above her. Applejack looked up, something was falling. Said something was falling fast. Said something then crashed into the ground.
A small pony sized crater was made by the something that crashed into the ground. Said something was Ranger, with an angry look.
"What the Tartarus do you think you're doing?!" Ranger demanded. "I told you to stay put! Damn it Applejack you had Applebloom and I worried!"
"...App...le...Bloom?" Applejack's lip quivered.
Another something crashed into the ground. This time it was Applebloom, who walked out of the small crater. "There you are." She said, her green armor turned into green dust.
"Your...you're okay." Applejack's eyes widened.
"And you're bleeding." Applebloom stated, she placed her hoof on the cut on Applejack's forehead. Green magic channeled through Applebloom and into Applejack's cut. The cut began to mend itself, until there was no visible trace of it.
Applejack embraced Applebloom, her tears dripped onto Applebloom's coat. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to."
Applebloom wrapped her hoof around Applejack. "Shhh, it's alright. I don't blame you for what you did. I should've been more understanding, I shouldn't have lashed out at you like that. Everything that's happened to you isn't your fault, I blamed you for leaving us when you didn't choose to leave us. You have nothing to be sorry Applejack, I'm the one that should be saying sorry, not you."
The word sorry is a hollow word. A word cannot fix what has been broken. Although it may still be hollow, the word does have meaning. And sometimes, to fix broken friendship and broken trust, all you need to do is simply say one word.
"Wow. It hasn't changed a bit."
Rarity examined her shop from top to bottom several times. And she kept coming to the same conclusion. The Carousel Boutique hadn't changed a bit. The inside and outside were the same. From the kitchen to Rarity's room, everything looked the same. Rarity went back and forth between downstairs and upstairs to try and find something out of place. But there was nothing to be found.
Silver looked to Sweetie Bell and asked, "Is there anything out of place?"
Sweetie shook her head, "No, I made sure to clean this place everyday. There shouldn't be anything out of place."
"She's not gonna stop until she finds something will she?" Button asked.
"Nope." Sweetie Bell and Silver replied.
Rarity walked down the stairs, and approached Sweetie Belle, "Sweetie dear, do you know where Opal is?"
Sweetie Bell avoided eye contact with her sister, "Um...about that."
Rarity gasped in horror, "Sweetie...no it can't be!"
"I mean come on Rarity, you were gone for thirteen years. And cats don't exactly have a high lifespan you know." Sweetie said.
"At least...tell me she died a beautiful death."
"Ummmm...sure." Sweetie Bell said awkwardly. "I suppose she did die in a...beautiful way."
"Hey Sweetie." Silver spoke. "There's been something bothering me for a while now."
"What's on your mind Silver?" Sweetie asked.
"The dragon known as Spike, why haven't we seen him?" Silver asked, looking around the shop for the small dragon. "I mean, I know he turned into a giant fire breathing dragon but you probably turned him back to normal right?"
Sweetie looked down, not wanting to face Silver or Rarity. Rarity noticed this and asked, "Sweetie. Where is Spike?"
Sweetie sighed, she walked into the kitchen and poured herself a cup of tea. She levitated her cup onto the table and took a seat, "Sit, please." She pulled out two chairs for Silver and Rarity. Button pulled out his own.
"What's this all about Sweetie?" Rarity asked, both her and Silver took a seat at the table.
Sweetie Bell took a sip out of her tea. "As you might've known...before you disappeared Scootaloo, Applebloom, and I fought against the Three Sin's, Timor, Odium, and...Cupiditas." Sweetie Bell gripped her tea cup. "We won the battle, but...Spike was never the same. He was under Odium's control. He used Spike's rage to control his mind. Once Scootaloo beat him though, Odium lost all control over Spike. But unfortunately that wasn't the end of it." Sweetie sipped her tea before continuing. "After we defeated the Three Sin's, the Moon disappeared. Discord took us, the Three Sin's, and Spike to Canterlot. There we were informed of what had happened." Sweetie Bell said, "Actually, I think I'd be easier if I just show you."
Sweetie's horn glowed pink and a pink circle appeared. The circle turned into a screen, from which it then played what had happened thirteen years ago.
*Flashback*
The room was dark and ominous. In the room was a very tall, stone, crescent shaped table in the center of the room. In the semi-circle of the tall table were three stallion Alicorn's. Their hooves were chained to the floor, the wings were bound to their body by chains made of brimstone, and a magical inhibitor ring was placed on their horns. The three stallion's were Odium, Timor, and Cupiditas. Behind the three Alicorn's were the younger looking ponies Scootaloo, who had a folded white cloth over her right eye, Applebloom, and Sweetie Bell. Sitting at the tall crescent table were twelve silhouette's.
The sixth Silhouette spoke, "Odium, Element of Rage. Timor, Element of Fear. Cupiditas, Element of Greed. You are charged with the assault of a royal Princess, allied leaders, nearly destroying all of Ponyville, and supposedly eaten all of the Twinkie's in Equestria. How do you plead?"
Odium and Timor looked to Cupiditas with a 'really' look. "What?" Cupiditas asked innocently. "I love Twinkie's. I can't help it if I have more than I'm supposed to."
"I like Twinkie's too. But all of the Twinkie's in Equestria?! Come on!" Timor shook his chain's.
The eighth Silhouette spoke, "Enough!" The Silhouette boomed. "This is not about who ate the most Twinkie's. We're here because you are a threat to Equestria. Which is why we have no choice."
The second silhouette spoke, "It is obvious that we can't kill you. Anything we do, you'll just simply walk off like it was just a scratch."
The tenth Silhouette spoke, "Which is why we have decided to imprison you."
"No!" Cupiditas shouted, squirming in his chain's. "You're not putting me back in that star! That place was hell! Hell I tell you!"
"Be silent Cupiditas!" Odium roared.
The fifth Silhouette spoke, "If we could we would, but unfortunately the star you were imprisoned in has been destroyed. And is in no way salvageable."
Timor raised an eyebrow. "So...you're gonna send us to Tartarus then?" Timor smiled, "Sweet, I hear Tartarus is pretty roomy now a days."
The seventh Silhouette spoke, "We are not sending you to Tartarus. That place is for those who have committed crimes far more vast than what you've done. No, you see, we're sending you to a prison known as Ractous."
Timor's eyes widened. "Woah woah woah, what?! You're telling me, that the Three Sin's, aren't Tartarus material?"
The first silhouette spoke, "That is precisely what we're saying."
Odium snarled, "This is outrageous! We have more than enough power to destroy Equestria!"
The ninth Silhouette spoke, "The High Council has spoken. The Three Sin's shall spend the rest of their days in the prison Ractous."
Timor looked to his left and addressed the elephant in the room, "What about him?"
Standing in the far left of the room, was Spike. A large purple scaled dragon with green scales on his neck, back, and tail. His claws were chained together, along with his body and neck chained to the wall.
The third Silhouette spoke, "Spike will be imprisoned in Ractous as well."
This shocked Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Scootaloo.
"What?!" They all shouted.
"You can't do that!" Applebloom shouted.
"It's not fair!" Sweetie Belle shouted.
"Spike didn't have any intention on attacking Ponyville." Scootaloo explained, glaring at Odium. "Odium used Spike and turned him against us. If anything he's a victim in all this."
The High Council discussed amongst themselves for a while. The eleventh silhouette spoke, "What you say is true, Spike wasn't in control when he attacked Ponyville. However this is twice now that he has turned into...that." The Eleventh Silhouette pointed to the giant Dragon. "Twice that he has caused costly amounts of damage. Twice that he has almost caused numerous casualties. The High Council doesn't give third chances, once you're at two you're out."
The twelfth Silhouette spoke, "However, Spike has been known to do many great and noble deeds. Because of what he has done, the choice will be his." Everyone turned to Spike. "Spike, the High Council gives you two options. Option one, you will be escorted to Ractous. There you will be imprisoned until you are no longer a threat to Equestria. For the second option, you will return to ponyville and live your life as you normally would. But know this, your mind has been taken over twice now. Twice now, you've gone on a rampage and nearly destroyed those you care about. I ask you Spike, what is to stop someone like Odium to come and turn you against your friends? What is to stop you from hurting those you care for and love?"
The sixth silhouette spoke, "The choice is yours Spike. Be imprisoned in Ractous until you are no longer a threat, or you can return to ponyville, where everyone you know will see you as a threat to their lives."
The seventh Silhouette spoke, "What is your decision, Spike?"
The room became scary quiet. All eyes were on Spike, who's face looked to the ground. Everyone waited with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. Spike looked up to the High Council and spoke in a deep and heartbroken voice, "I want to go to Ractous."
"Spike no!" Sweetie Belle cried.
"Spike please you can't do this!" Applebloom said.
"This isn't fair." Scootaloo said to the High Council. "You're playing with Spike's head just like Odium did! Saying that everyone will see him as a weapon, none of that is true!"
The fourth Silhouette spoke, "How can you be so sure? Spike is a dragon, a creature that Ponies have feared for generations, who's to say that Ponies will see him as a kind loving creature when he is a dragon."
"But-"
"Enough!" The First Silhouette stood up.
The Second Silhouette stood up, followed by the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, and finally the twelfth.
"Timor." The second Silhouette spoke.
"Odium." The third Silhouette spoke.
"Cupiditas." The fourth Silhouette spoke.
"And Spike." The fifth Silhouette spoke.
"By order of the High Council." The sixth Silhouette spoke.
"And the royal Princesses." The seventh Silhouette spoke.
"We hereby condemn you to the prison Ractous." The eighth Silhouette spoke.
"Where you will spend the rest of you days." The ninth Silhouette spoke.
"Until you are no longer considered a threat to Equestria." the Tenth Silhouette spoke.
"By the rule of the High Council." The Eleventh Silhouette spoke.
"And for the safety of Equestria." The Twelfth Silhouette spoke.
The pink circle faded, evaporating into pink magical dust. Rarity and Silver tried to process what they had just saw.
"Spike...how could you." Rarity whispered under her breath.
"Why would Spike choose to imprison himself? Surely he doesn't think that we would all hate him right?" Silver asked.
"Unfortunately that's exactly what he thinks." Button sighed. "Since you guys vanished on the moon...he hasn't been thinking straight. He believes that nopony is his friend anymore, that everyone hates him and thinks he's a monster. But it's not true, everyone in ponyville misses Spike. But he doesn't believe us."
"Why wouldn't you and all of Ponyville just all go up there and show him that you care about him?" Silver asked.
"Ractous is a high level security prison." Sweetie Bell answered. "The only ones permitted to enter it are Scootaloo, Applebloom, and I."
"What about me?" Rarity asked. "Am I allowed to go to Ractous and see him?"
"I...think you should." Sweetie Bell said. "But it's very far in the east, and very, very dangerous."
"Then we'll go tomorrow. All of us." Silver said.
"Um... I'm pretty sure that I'm not allowed anywhere near Ractous." Button sighed. Sweetie Bell gave him a hug for comfort.
*knock, knock*
All attention was drawn to the door. "Who could that be?" Rarity wondered, sliding her chair back and walked to the door.
"I've been selling some dresses ever since you disappeared. Might be a customer." Sweetie Bell suggested.
"Oh...I see." Rarity cringed, worried that an unhappy customer would be demanding a refund. She hesitantly reached for the doorknob and opened the door.
"Silver Darling. Could you come here please?"
Silver Platter scooted back his chair, and walked out of the kitchen to the entryway. His eyes widened when he saw the pony who stood at the doorway. A unicorn Stallion with a white coat who had a neatly combed light blue mane and matching blue eyes. A gold framed monocle sat over his left eye, he also wore a black tux with a purple bow tie. Behind the white unicorn was a unicorn mare with a white coat, a long brushed pink mane and tail, and purple eyes. Strapped around the mare's chest was a light blue satchel that held a small unicorn filly with a white coat, short dark blue mane, and purple eyes.
The moment the white unicorn saw Silver he ran up to him and embraced him. "You're here, you're really here!" The Stallion cried with joy.
The stallion pulled away from Silver, and grabbed his shoulders. "It's good to see you again, Brother."
"You don't have to be here you know?" Rainbow Dash said to Soarin. "Don't you have family or friends that you can go to?"
Soarin looked to Rainbow and replied, "My mom and Dad are dead, and I'm pretty sure my friends have forgotten about me."
Rainbow Dash had arrived at her house. She told Scootaloo and Rumble that she and Soarin would be fine on their own. With that Scootaloo and Rumble left Rainbow and Soarin alone. Rainbow was pouring kibble into her pet Tank's bowl while Soarin lied on the couch.
"How can you say something like that so easily?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Because it's the truth. Because it happened.......thirty years ago by now. Because I've come to terms with it and that I've accepted it." Soarin rambled off.
"But why would you think that your friends have forgotten you?" Rainbow asked. "I mean, they wouldn't do something like that right? They're your friends after all."
"Yeah, right. I called them friends, they called me their goofball." Soarin grumbled.
"Hey, I know." An idea popped into Rainbow's brain. "How about you and I go down to the Wonderbolt academy?" Rainbow Dash suggested, flying over to Soarin she dragged him off of the couch.
"Ugh. Fine, if you think that they'll remember me then I guess we can go give it a shot." Soarin sighed in defeat.
"That's the spirit." Rainbow Dash said, spreading her wings she took flight. Soarin flying behind her.
The Wonderbolt's academy wasn't that far from Ponyville. Well, not to Pegasus that is. The Wonderbolt's academy was a base on the ground designed for new Wonderbolt's candidates. It stood upon a high mountain that touched the clouds. There were several buildings, each with a designated purpose and design. On the far right of the mountain was an air strip, in which Rainbow Dash and Soarin landed on. Rainbow looked around until she saw the pony she was looking for.
"Spitfire!"
Observing multiple pegasi was the mare Spitfire. She looked behind her and lifted up her shades. Spitfire smiled, "Rainbow Dash, a pleasure to see you once again." Spitfire then noticed Soarin behind Dash and frowned.
"Hi Spitfire." Rainbow greeted, "Nice to see that you remember me, so it must be easy for you to remember this lug I bet." Rainbow ruffled Soarin's mane.
Spitfire frowned upon seeing Soarin. Her expression was a mixture of disappointment and sadness when she spoke, "Soarin Sky's. How've ya been?"
"Oh you know, trapped on the moon for thirteen years. So...who'd you pick as my replacement since I'm an ex-Wonderbolt now?" Soarin asked
"Ex-Wonderbolt?" Rainbow repeated what Soarin said. "You can't think like that Sorin, come on."
Spitfire sighed, "I'm sorry Rainbow, but Soarin's been gone for thirteen years. We couldn't have a vacancy forever, so we held auditions and we chose-"
"Me."
Soarin and Rainbow Dash looked behind them to see a black fur coated stallion Pegasus, with a short spiked back white mane and tail, who light had blue eyes land behind them. He wore brass goggles over his eyes and he also wore a Wonderbolt's uniform. The stallion lifted up his goggles and gave a cheeky smile at Spitfire.
"Speed Wave." Soarin groaned, recognizing the Pegasus. "Out of all the replacements you could've picked, you picked Speed Wave."
"Heck yes they picked me." Speed Wave continued to wear his cocky smile. "And why wouldn't they? After all I am faster and stronger than you ever were." Before Speed Wave was about to say something else his eyes locked on Rainbow Dash, "We'll all be." Speed Wave said, walking past Soarin and at Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow Dash, fastest flyer in all of Equestria. Name's Speed Wave, you've probably heard of me."
Rainbow Dash ignored Speed Wave and looked at Spitfire, "How could you replace Soarin? Isn't he your friend?"
"Hey!" Speed said, irritated that he was being ignored.
"Dash let it go." Soarin said. "I already knew that I was replaced the moment I found out I've been gone for thirteen years."
"But-"
"No but's. Look, I knew that I was going to be replaced. I've known ever since I joined the Wonderbolt's. If you want to stay here and argue with Spitfire over this I'm not gonna stop you. But I'm not in the mood to discuss something so...stupid." Soarin spread his wings and took off.
"Soarin wait!" Rainbow Dash yelled to Soarin. But Soarin ignored her, continuing to fly away.
"So..." Speed Wave walked up to Rainbow Dash. "Now that he's gone, I was wondering if you'd want to race or maybe-"
*FOOOM*
The air around Rainbow Dash was pushed away from her as she took off. Rainbow raced after Soarin. Her wings flapping faster than ever. Her target in sight she increased her speed.
"Soarin!" Yelled Dash, slowing down her speed so she flew beside Soarin
"What?" Soarin asked, irritated.
"Land!" Rainbow demanded.
"What?!" Soarin asked, this time confused.
"Land!" Rainbow demanded once more. "Or I will ground you myself!"
Soarin stared at Rainbow incredulously. The look on her face told him that she wasn't joking. He sighed, "Fine."
Soarin spotted a wandering medium size cloud. He change his flight so that he flew to the cloud. He landed on the cloud and Rainbow did the same.
"What is wrong with you?" Rainbow demanded.
"What's wrong with me?" Soarin repeated Rainbow's words. "What's wrong with you? Why are you so determined with...this?"
"This?" Rainbow repeated.
"This. All of this. Why should you care about me?"
"Because you're my friend." Rainbow Dash said sternly
"I don't have friends!" Soarin shouted. "I never had friends! The only ones that I ever had were Flash, Fluttershy, and Lightning Strike. Flash is too busy guarding the Princess to come and hang out with me, Fluttershy has to rule a kingdom twenty-four seven, and Lightning Strike is dead!"
Soarin panted. Rainbow Dash looked at Soarin with a mixture of concern and sadness.
"What about me?" Rainbow Dash started to walk towards Soarin. "I'm your friend aren't I?"
"That's what they all say. They say their your friends and then the next thing you know, they throw you away like a piece of trash." Soarin turned away from Dash and spread his wings. "You'll do the same thing Spitfire did, you'll choose Speed Wave over me."
Soarin took flight, and remained in the air for five seconds before Rainbow tackled him to the the cloud.
"Hey! Let go!" Soarin squirmed as Rainbow pinned Soarin on his back.
"I would never choose that Blowhard over you." Rainbow said sternly, causing Soarin to stop squirming. "Why would I choose someone like Speed Wave when I've got you? Who cares if he's faster and stronger than you. I choose you because your you. You're my friend Soarin, and I'm not gonna leave you like those others did."
Soarin stared at Rainbow Dash, he could feel his body heat rising and his heart beat increasing. "Do you...do you mean that?" Soarin said, his mouth dry.
"Of course I do, I'm the Element of loyalty aren't I? I wouldn't be the Element of Loyalty if I just traded friend for friend just because there's someone better?" Rainbow Dash slightly smiled.
"But why not? If there's something better than why not take the thing that's better?" Soarin asked.
Rainbow Dash got closer to Soarin, their muzzles barely centimeters away from touching, she whispered, "Because then I'd be leaving you, and I don't want to do that. Besides, it's kinda hard to replace you for something better," She leaned in and nuzzled his neck, "When your the best thing I ever had."
A cocktail of emotions spilled inside of Soarin. Joy, Confusion, Embarrassment, Love, along with a bunch of other ones. Soarin grinned at Rainbow, "That was unbelievably cheesy Dash."
Rainbow frowned at Soarin. "Yeah well excuse me for helping out a friend. Now shut up and let me nap." Rainbow muffled, burying her face in Soarin's coat.
"But...don't we have to-"
"What part of shut up didn't you understand?" Rainbow asked, her eyes closed.
Soarin couldn't help but grin. There was no point in arguing with Dash, and her fur was pretty comfortable. 'Ah, why not.' Soarin thought, he moved his body to his side and lied there hugging Rainbow Dash, who in turn hugged him back. The two pegasi drifted off into sleep, embracing the other.
"Hey Soarin." Rainbow Dash spoke softly.
"Yeah?" Soarin replied softly.
"This Speed Wave guy. Who is he?" Rainbow asked.
"He's a punk who's wanted to replace me for a while now. He's been on the Wonderbolt's reserve team for ages. Whenever a spot opened up he refused to take it, every time he'd say 'The only way I'm joining the Wonderbolt's is if Soarin Sky's is no longer a Wonderbolt'."
"And then you disappeared." Dash muttered. "Why did he have such a disliking to you?"
"I think it was because he found out that his fillyfriend had a crush on me and he took it very personally. Said something like, 'I'm gonna take you down and then I'll get all the girl's!'." Soarin mimicked Speed Wave's dorky attitude.
Rainbow giggled. "You got all the girls?"
"Tartarus no. I barely had any girl crazed fans compared to the rest of the guys. But he thought I was some kind of chick magnet and that he had to bring me down and then went on and on about some stupid speech." Soarin rolled his eyes.
"Wow. He sounds like a total dork." Rainbow chuckled. "Good thing you're not as dorky as he is."
"Yeah...but to be honest I was actually planning on giving him my position anyway." Soarin admitted.
"What? Why?" Rainbow asked.
"I was getting tired of just performing stunts after stunts after stunts. That's all the Wonderbolt's ever did. When I joined the Wonderbolt's I wanted to fight. I wanted to do something to better Equestria...that is until there was nothing left for me."
"So you decided to give him your position." Rainbow finished.
Soarin nodded. "I was tired of the Wonderbolt's, so I told myself that when I got back from the moon that Speed Wave could have my Position and he could do whatever he wanted with it."
"But then the Moon disappeared, and Speed Wave took it." Rainbow added it all up. "So that's why you didn't care about everyone at the Wonderbolt's academy." Soarin nodded. "So...since you're giving up on the Wonderbolt's what will you do now?"
"There was a hobby of mine that I did whenever I could take a break from the Wonderbolt's. I suppose I could go do that."
"Care to shed some light on this hobby of yours?" Dash asked.
Soarin cringed. "I'd rather not."
"Hmmm, hmm." Rainbow mumbled, burying her face in Soarin' fur she dosed off.
Soarin smiled, noticing how cute Rainbow looked when she was asleep. With no other option Soarin closed his eye and was fast asleep in an instant.
While Soarin and Rainbow were sleeping in each other's company they failed to notice that Speed Wave had been watching and listening the entire time. Speed had a sour and angry look on his face. With no other reason for him to stay any longer he turned away from the two, opened his wings, and took off into the sky.
Chapter seven. Question's
Nightwing was thrown out of the throne room like...a pile of leaves swept out of a room by a broom. The broom Discord summoned vanished, and the doors behind Nightwing shut. Nightwing stood up and with rage in his heart, he looked up and roared in frustration. And in doing so a bunch of dust fell from the ceiling and into his mouth. Nightwing choked on the dust and coughed.
*BANG!*
A loud noise echoed throughout the hallway. One that seemed very familiar to Nightwing.
*BANG!*
The loud noise was heard again. It shook loose dust that hadn't been cleaned on the ceiling and walls. Nightwing stood up and walked down the hall, following the loud noise.
*BANG!!*
The noise was getting louder, and with that it started to hurt Nightwing's sensitive ears. Nightwing folded down his ears as the loud noise echoed through the hallway even louder.
*BANG!!!*
The sound was starting to get unbearably loud. Nightwing pinpointed the sound's origin behind a wooden double door that shook with the unsettled dust. Nightwing approached the door, recoiling in pain each time he heard the loud 'BANG'. After what seem to be an immense amount of recoils Nightwing finally reached the door.
He lifted the ring handle and pulled the door open. The room walls were built out of stones embedded in cement. Some pony shaped target dummies that were stuffed with straw were strapped to some of the wooden pillars. There were racks of several weapons such as swords, spears, bows, crossbows, and what seemed to be strange gauntlet's.
*BANG!!!!*
The sudden and loud noise sent a ringing in Nightwing's ear. He looked to his right and saw the cause of his ears ringing.
On the far right side of the room was Flash Sentry, his right hoof deep into the stone wall. Chunks of hardened cement and rock were scattered across the floor behind him. The stone wall he was punching had an impact mark on it, a big one at that. It was as if Flash was trying to punch a hole through it. Flash reared back his left hoof, a lightning ball formed in it. He was about to punch the wall once more had a blue aura not wrapped itself around his hoof. Confused as to why his hoof was currently stuck in midair Flash whipped his head to his hoof, then to Nightwing.
"Something on your mind friend?" Nightwing asked, releasing Flash's hoof.
The lightning ball Flash had vanished, "What gave it away?" He asked.
"Normally whenever a stallion is going through a troubling times he usually starts punching something to make himself feel better." Nightwing explained.
"Really?" Flash raised an eyebrow. Nightwing pointed behind Flash to the wall with a major chunk of it missing. "Oh...right." Flash rubbed the back of his head.
"Flash, I'm your friend. So you can tell me what's going on." Nightwing's tone saddened, "Is it about Lightning Strike?"
"No, it isn't." Flash answered simply.
Nightwing was taken aback by what Flash had just said. "What?! How could that not be what's on your mind? He's your brother and he's dead! Don't you feel sad about that?"
"Of course I'm upset." Flash sighed, "But there are more important things to worry about right now than grieve over my dead brother."
Nightwing stared at Flash with his mouth slightly agape, "You're not Flash." He glared.
"Pardon?"
"You're not my friend. You can't be...the Flash I know would be bawling his eyes out at the news of his dead brother. Yet here you are, not a single tear to shed for him." Nightwing then realized what was going on.
"Twilight Sparkle."
Nightwing growled, he gritted his teeth and his eyes flash dark red. "This is her doing. She's messed with your memory again hasn't she? Don't worry Flash I'll fix this." Nightwing turned to the door, "Right after I got pay Sparkle a visit."
A lightning spike sunk into the ground in front of Nightwing, causing him to halt. Nightwing turned around to Flash, who had a pissed off look.
"I'm sick and tired of everyone blaming Twilight for giving me false memories." Flash growled.
"Flash what are you doing?" Nightwing asked. "Can't you see I'm trying to help you?"
"But I don't need help Nightwing!" Flash roared. "I've already gotten rid of the false memories that Twilight gave me!"
Silence filled the room. Nightwing stared at Flash with shock and confusion, "Flash. I know that you might think that those false memories are gone but-"
"When my family took you in we had to flee our home to protect you. We fled to Cloudsdale so that we might be able to keep you safe with our cousin, only for the Order to kill Soarin's parent's and captured my mom. We all then fled to Canterlot, where we stayed with my dad's friend Falling Star. There we met his two kids Comet Tail and Sunset Shimmer. Fallen Star betrayed my dad and killed him, he then took all of the credit for capturing you and sent you off to the city of Oraldon. You were kept as a slave in that city for three years until you escaped. You fled into a forest and waited to be eaten by some hungry animal. Only for Princess Luna to appear and took you in as her student." Flash told the backstory of Nightwing. "Ringing any bells?"
Nightwing found himself staring at Flash once more, this time with a mixture of awe, shock, confusion, bewilderment, and a tiny bit of joy. "You have all your memories back." Nightwing said.
"Yes. Couldn't you tell that I wasn't lying?" Flash asked.
Nightwing rubbed his ear, "I would, if Somepony wasn't causing such loud noises throughout the entire castle."
Flash rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, "Ah...right. Sorry about that."
"It's fine, the ringing will go away. Hopefully." Nightwing said, "So...if it's not Lightning Strike that's on your mind. What is?"
A sad expression crossed Flash's face. He sighed before speaking, "You know how Comet Tail said he needed time away from us because Starlight was posing as his lost sister?"
Nightwing's eyes lit up, "Oh that's right. We've been gone for thirteen years, I hope Comet Tail's been doing all right since we left."
"That's just it Nightwing." Flash choked, pain in his voice as he spoke. "On the moon...I met Comet Tail."
"You saw Comet Tail on the Moon? Flash that's not possible." Nightwing said. "For all you know it was probably someone who disguised himself to look like Comet Tail."
"No...it was Comet Tail. Our Comet Tail. I don't know why or how...but whoever orchestrated the attack on the Crystal Empire and the weapon on the moon...they did something to Comet Tail. They turned him into some kind of...monster."
"Monster?"
The room became silent once more. Fear loomed into the room like a thick fog. Nightwing and Flash's minds were on autopilot, slowly turning to the left they saw a black ooze dripping from the wall. The dripping turned into a stream of black ooze that formed a puddle on the floor. The puddle started bubble, black tendrils erupted from the puddle and wrapped around other tendril's. The tendrils started to take the shape of a pony.
The black puddle of ooze had turned into a unicorn Stallion with a pale yellow coat, crimson red mane with black tips, and he had crimson red eye's. His cutie mark was a light blue shooting star with light blue tail behind it. The Stallion's name was Comet Tail.
"Now is that anyway to address a friend?" Comet Tail asked.
"Comet...Tail?" Flash spoke with disbelief.
"The one and only, and I must say. You two haven't aged a day since I last saw you." Comet Tail smiled.
"Comet Tail...what happened to you?" Nightwing asked.
Comet Tail frowned at Nightwing, "What happened to me?" He repeated what Nightwing had said. "Moonstone is what happened to me. She used Sombra's horn on me, and turned me into the creature you see now. But there's no need to worry, I'm still the Comet Tail you knew. Or at least a part of me is."
Nightwing gritted his teeth. The thought Moonstone not only took away Lightning Strike, but now Comet Tail. The thought sent rage through his entire body. Nightwing took a deep breath and cleared his mind, "Comet Tail. Come with me, let me help you-"
"Help me?" Comet Tail laughed. "Trust me Nightwing, I'm far from being helped. In fact, the only reason I came here was because I haven't seen you guys in thirteen years. But don't get me wrong it's still splendid to see you. So how about you give good old Comet Tail a hug?"
Flash started to walk towards Comet Tail, his mane turned black the tips of his mane turned red. His eyes changed from sky blue to crimson red. The tips of his feathers turned red as well. "I don't know what you are, where you came from, or what you plan to do." Flash growled. "But I will only ask you once, let Comet Tail go. Now."
"Awww," Comet Tail cooed. "I appreciate your concern Flash, but your talking to the real Comet Tail. But if it's a fight you want then I'm gonna have to leave you empty hoofed. You see no one but you two know I'm here, and I plan to keep it that way. But before I leave I'll tell you a little secret." Comet Tail smiled, "Seven Demons of Tartarus."
And in the blink of an eye he vanished.
Silver stood frozen in place, his mind flooded with jumbles of random thoughts. The unicorn Stallion that had embraced him and called him his brother was Fancy Pant's.
"Wait...I thought he wasn't your brother." Button said from inside the kitchen.
Fancy turned to Button and said, "Well of course he's my brother, can't you see the resemblance between us?" He asked, standing beside Silver.
Button squinted at the two, "Well...yeah you two do look alike." Button gasped, "Silver Platter is related to Fancy Pants!"
"I...um..." Silver looked down ashamed. "Yes...Fancy Pants is my brother."
It was now Rarity's turn to gasp. "Silver is related to Fancy Pants! This is just simply splendid, I had no idea I was dating someone so famous!"
Fancy's ears perked up, he turned to Rarity and asked, "Miss Rarity, did I hear you correctly? Did you say that you were...dating my brother?" Fancy Pants raised an eyebrow.
Rarity, a bit nervous by Fancy's gaze, responded, "Why...yes. Yes I am."
Fancy frowned, "Miss Rarity, I know that you a generous and kind pony. But you wouldn't happen to be dating by brother for his status, would you?"
Silver glared at Fancy, "Fancy how could you? I never told Rarity that I was your brother or that I had a status. She saw me as what I told her I was," Silver's expression saddened, "just a lowly butler."
Fancy growled, "There you go again." He spoke in a hushed voice, "Calling yourself a lowly butler. Thirteen years, and you still call yourself a lowly butler."
"It's what I am." Silver said.
"No it's not!" Fancy shouted. "It's what She called you. But you don't have to do what she say's anymore Silver. She's gone!"
Lustrous Platter started to whine and cry due to Fancy Pants outburst. Fancy Pants eyes were wide with shock and regret. Tears started to build up in Silver's eye's.
Fancy reached for Silver, "Silver I-"
Fancy's body became entrapped in a dark blue aura. Fancy was lifted up off of the ground and thrown through into one of the dressing rooms. Fancy was rammed through the wooden door, smashing it to pieces.
"Fancy!" Fleur shouted.
Silver ran past Fleur and out of the Carousel Boutique.
"Silver wait!" Rarity shouted, but Silver was to far for him to hear.
A groan escaped from the dressing room. Button had rushed over to help Fancy Pants up.
"Thank you." He groaned in pain, standing on his own he started to make his way to the door. Only for him to collapse.
"Fancy!" Fleur rushed to her husband's side.
"I'm fine Dear. Just a bruise, nothing more." Fancy tried to get up, but collapsed once more.
"You're not fine." Sweetie Bell spoke. "Your back is badly damaged. I can heal it but it'll take some time."
Fancy turned to Rarity, "Miss Rarity...please...if you would be so kind...go catch my brother...I can't lose him...not when I just got him back." Fancy said in pain.
But Rarity had already bolted out of the door. Pegasi were starting to bundle and mash together dark and grey clouds in the sky. Rarity ran all over Ponyville searching for Silver, but wherever she looked he wasn't there. Rarity then felt something small drop on her back. Then there were more drops. It had begun to rain.
Countless droplets of water rained down from above. Ponies scattered out of the street, seeking shelter from the rain. Rarity however didn't seek shelter, her mane and coat were drenched in water, causing her mane to droop and lose its form. But for once, she didn't care. She didn't care that her mane was getting ruined, she didn't care that the temperature had dropped thirty degrees, none of it mattered. All that mattered was trying to find Silver.
Rarity walked across the bridge, the water stream beneath her had risen. She leaned against the railing and shouted, "Silver!" Rarity shouted his name. Her response was the sound of booming thunder. The railing Rarity was leaning on cracked and broke off from the bridge. Rarity lost her balance and fell.
Or, she slid I should say. Just as Rarity was no longer touching the bridge, a Crystal structure extended from the bridge and caught Rarity. The Crystal bent and warped itself into a slide, which carried Rarity all the way to the grass. Rarity stood up and faced her rescuer.
"What do you think you're doing?" Demanded Silver Platter, whose mane and coat were soaking wet.
"I came looking for you." Rarity said. "Why did you run off?"
Silver avoided eye contact with Rarity, "I don't want to talk about it."
"Well I'm sorry Silver darling but you're not going anywhere until we talk about what happened." Rarity said sternly. "I want to help you Silver, but I can't do that unless you let me help you."
Silver looked to Rarity, "You're not gonna let me go until I've told you are you?" Rarity nodded. "Fine." Silver sighed. "But first, let's get out of this rain." The ground rumbled, crystalline structures erupted from the ground. The crystal's warped themselves to form a bubble, which shielded Silver and Rarity from the rain. "There, now...I guess I'll tell you everything." Silver sighed, two Crystal chairs erupted from the ground. Silver sat in his chair and Rarity sat in hers.
"Like Fancy Pants said...I am his brother. I'm connected to him by our fathers blood. Our mothers however...that's a different story." Silver began. "You see...I was the first born in our family. But my mother died giving birth to me, and I...I was about to as well. I was born defectively, my lungs didn't form right. They had to hook me up to a machine that gave me oxygen. But my father knew that I wasn't going to live. So he sought out an old temple, and from there he found this." Silver extended his hoof and a grey oval gem hovered above his hoof. "The doctors placed this on my heart and just like that my lungs were properly formed."
Silver's voice was filled with pain as he continued, "When I was nine my father married another mare, and she gave birth to my brother."
"Fancy Pants." Rarity summed up.
Silver nodded. "Our mother adored Fancy Pants. But she hated me. She would dress me up as one of the servants and forced me to what they would do. Serve the nobles, clean the house, and sleep in the servants quarters. I wasn't even allowed to sit at the table with my family, she'd just pour me a bowl of food and throw it at me."
Rarity gasped, "How awful. Didn't your father do anything to stop her?"
"He couldn't. My mother casted a spell on him that made him obey whatever she said. And Fancy was to scared to do anything to stop her. And one day..." Silver's voice started to fill with pain. "My mother was in a foul mood, worse than her usual. She started complaining about every little thing that Servants did. I was in charge of serving my family at the dinner table. I don't remember what I did, maybe it was the way I set the table, or maybe it was the food that displeased her. Whatever it was...she completely lost it. She flipped the table over, shattering the glasses and spilling the plates and silverware. She looked at me with this...wicked look on her face. She demanded that I picked up the mess she made." Silver choked, tears started to roll down his cheeks.
"Silver stop." Rarity placed her hoof onto Silver. "I'm so sorry I forced you to do this. Please stop, this is clearly hurting you."
"No...I've kept this a secret for too long. You deserve to know." Silver rubbed his eyes before continuing. "I approached the table and picked up a cloth to use to pick up the glass. My mother yelled at me and demanded that picked it up with my hooves. I dared not disobey her, so I picked up the glass with my hooves. I cut myself several times...I ignored the pain and was about to start cleaning the silverware. But she grabbed me and pinned me to the floor. She levitated a knife in front of me, I can still see her face. The crazed look in her eyes, that haunting smile she gave. She wanted to kill me...she wanted to so bad. She played with the knife, twirling it around my neck. Then she started...started calling me names. Names that...I'd prefer you didn't hear. But then...she started insulting my mom, the one who gave birth to me. She called her names worse than what she called me. And then..." Silver's throat was dry. "Something inside of me...just snapped. Crystal's erupted from the ground, piercing her body and pinning her to the wall. I was filled with rage, and I channeled that rage into the crystal's. Then...my mother began to turn Crystal. Her body was turning into Crystal, she screamed and hollered at the top of her lungs, I could practically taste the fear in her screams. Soon her whole body was crystallized, a look of horror on her face. I walked up to my crystallized mother, picked up one of the metal dishes that had been spilled. I lifted up the dish...and I smashed it against her. Her body broke into pieces like she was made of made out of glass." Silver started to cry. "I killed her. I turned her body into Crystal and I shattered her like she was made of glass."
Rarity didn't know what to say. Here Silver was, open and vulnerable, and she was doing nothing. She wanted to say something but millions of words were stuck in her throat. She inhaled through her nostrils and then exhaled through her mouth. "You shouldn't feel sorry for her."
Silver looked at Rarity in bewilderment. "W-what?" Silver stammered.
"You heard me. If this 'Mother' of yours was truly as evil and wicked as you say she was...then she deserved what she got." Rarity said.
Silver shook his head. "You weren't there Rarity...you didn't see the look on her face. A look of horror and fright."
"And she should've been afraid. She should've been terrified if anything." Rarity said. "She was going to kill you Silver. You said it yourself, 'she wanted to kill you...she wanted to so bad'. You were young, scared, and didn't know what you were doing. I know this might seem... cruel of me to say, but...but she got what she deserved."
Silver stared at Rarity, his eyes red and pink from his tears. He didn't know what to say, a million words were stuck in his throat.
"But I must know...why do you treat yourself so poorly, when you don't deserve it." Rarity asked.
Silver found himself looking away from Rarity. "After I killed my mother-"
"Don't call her that." Rarity hissed. "A mother is someone who cares and loves her children. That mare isn't your mother, and doesn't deserve such a title."
"O-okay." Silver's lip quivered. "After the police arrived and inspected the body...my father took all the blame. He was arrested and was given the death sentence. The estate was...intentionally left to me. But I changed it so that everything would be left to Fancy. I then served as his Butler. There would be times when he'd tell me to sit at the family table and eat with him and Fleur. But I would refuse and eat with the rest of the servants. Fancy would offer me a room that I could sleep in every night, and every time I'd decline and sleep where the servants slept. I was a servant to Her , now I am a servant to Fancy Pants."
"But you're his brother." Rarity protested. "He wants you to be happy and enjoy everything that was promised to you. Why won't you let him?"
"It...it's because of what I did to her. I blame myself everyday for what I did. Forgive me for opposing what you said earlier, but your wrong when you said she deserved to die. She didn't deserve what I did to her, she didn't deserve to die. I shouldn't have killed her...there could've been another way." Silver choked. "Rarity...I appreciate you trying to comfort me...but right now I want to be alone."
Rarity wanted to stay. She didn't want to leave Silver's side. But she could see the pain in his eyes. She didn't what else to do, so she simply nodded and stood up. Silver used his magic to create a doorway out of the Crystal bubble. He also created a Crystal umbrella for her as well. Rarity took the umbrella with her magic and walked out into the rain. The crystal's filled the doorway back up. Rarity sighed, a pain pulsed inside her heart. She felt like she could've done more for Silver. But there was nothing else. She couldn't give him comfort or help him.
And Rarity hated that. She hated the fact that she couldn't do anything. She hated that she did nothing when Silver was tearing himself apart. But there was nothing else Rarity could've done. With sadness in her eyes Rarity walked away from the bubble, heading for the Carousel Boutique.
The rain poured down harder than before. Speeding downwards like it was hail. The rain dropped violently against the Carousel's roof. Rarity walked through the door. Fancy Pants was sitting on one of the circular model platform, Sweetie Bell was using her magic on his back, Fleur was comforting Lustrous Platter, and Button was in the kitchen making everyone snacks. Rarity closed the door behind her, everyone turned to her.
"Did you find him?" Fancy asked concerned.
Rarity remained silent, she took the umbrella that Silver gave her and leaned it against the side of the wall. Rarity looked to Fancy and nodded.
"Where is he?! Is he alright?! How-Arrrgh!" Fancy recoiled, as a loud crack cane from his back.
"I need you to be still Fancy Pants." Sweetie frowned at Fancy. "It won't heal if you keep moving."
"I'm terribly sorry." Fancy apologized, before turning back to Rarity. "How was he?"
"Not well...he's very upset." Rarity said, looking to the floor.
Fancy looked at Rarity before he came to realization, "He told you...he told you about Her didn't he?"
Rarity slowly nodded.
Fancy sighed, "I'm sorry you had to hear that......Rarity...if you don't want to associate yourself with Silver after what you've heard, I won't hold it against-"
"I never said I wanted to leave him."
Fancy looked at Rarity stunned.
Rarity turned to Fancy and looked him directly in the eye's, "Lord Fancy Pants, your brother is simply amazing. He's kind, gentle, caring, honest, and would rather die than betray my trust. He is a stallion that is to good for anypony to let go of so easy. Which is why I'm going to do everything in my power to help Silver out of this dark hole he's been plunged into. No matter what."
Fancy was at a loss for words. His eyes were as wide as dinner plates and his mouth was unhinged. His brother, Silver Platter, had told this mare that he had murdered his mother. And she didn't see him as a monster. She saw him as a scared and frightened little colt who had every right for what he did. "You...you really care about him don't you?"
"Of course I do. He's someone that deserves to be cared for." Rarity said.
Fancy smiled, he smiled harder than he had ever smiled before. An idea popped into his head, his horn glowed as he pulled a piece of folded paper out of his coat pocket. He levitated the paper to Rarity, "I've been holding onto this for years now. Our mother found a way to legally make Silver her property. She kept this in her safe so that Silver couldn't take it. It took me a long time but I figured out the combination." Fancy said as Rarity unfolded the letter. "I know that it won't solve everything Silver's been through, but I know that it will help a lot."
Rarity scanned the paper from top to bottom. She looked at Fancy and said, "This is..."
Fancy nodded.
Rarity gripped the paper, "Why are you giving this to me?"
"Because you care for Silver...more than I ever could. I wasn't there for him when our mother tormented him everyday, and I couldn't be there for him when he became my servant." Fancy said sadly. "But you don't have to be like me. You can do so much more for him, and it can all happen if you show him that paper."
Silver crawled himself into a ball, he was lying on the ground with tears streaming from his eyes. How could he have been so stupid? He had just told Rarity that he had killed somepony. That made him a murderer, Rarity would never love a murderer. Silver's chest was filled with pain and anguish. Every fiber of his being screamed at him, 'Don't let her go'. But Silver knew that this was for the best, he didn't deserve someone like Rarity. Someone who was kind, caring, generous, and not to mention she was drop dead gorgeous. But she was too good for Silver, she deserved someone better than Silver Platter.
'How could someone do pure and beautiful ever love someone like you?' A voice inside Silver's head hissed. 'Face it, you're nobody. Always have been and always will be. You're not even worth a hoofful of dirt. How could a goddess like Rarity love a lowly servant who's worth less than dirt?'
*knock, knock, knock*
A sudden tapping snapped Silver out of his trance. On the other side of the bubble was a pony figure. Silver used his magic and created a window. "Rarity?" Silver said, not believing what he was seeing.
Rarity stood firm and frowned at Silver. Her mane and coat were drenched in water, causing her mane to droop. Silver turned away from Rarity and said, "I said that I wanted to be left alone, go away."
"I'm not leaving Silver." Rarity spoke. "I'll stand out here for days if I must, but I'm not moving." Rarity smiled triumphantly, "Would you leave a poor mare like me out in the cold?"
Silver sighed in defeat, "Damn you chivalry." Silver muttered, creating a doorway in the bubble.
Rarity walked in and said, "I understand now why you didn't try to stop her when she had you as a servant." Rarity summoned the piece of paper. "It was because she forced you to sign this isn't it?"
Silver cringed in pain upon seeing the folded paper, "Where did you get that?"
"Fancy Pants was kind enough to give it to me. Silver, this is a blood oath." Rarity presented the paper. "A contract between to living things. I assume she forced you to sign it and made you her servant. Worse thing about a blood oath is that it can't be broken unless the two who've made the contract have decided to break it. But it can be passed down from pony to pony." Rarity levitated the paper over to Silver and unfolded it.
Silver read what was on the paper.
I, Silver Platter, do hereby agree that I shall serve my owner without any resistance or complaints.
I will do whatever is asked of me, whenever it is asked and wherever.
I will only accept the lifestyle that befalls those who are servants.
I, Silver Platter, do hereby agree that I shall serve my owner
Rarity
Silver finished reading what was on the paper and stared at Rarity with wide eyes. "You..."
"Yes Silver...I'm your new owner." Rarity said. "And starting today you will do everything I say without any hesitation or questions. Understand?"
"Yes ma'am." Silver stood up. "What is it you ask of me?"
"Well... the rain is going to let up soon. What say you and I go for a stroll in the park?"
"Your wish is my command." Silver bowed, eager to serve his new owner.
The griffon Empire.
Eagle Eyes walked down the halls towards a double doorway. Two large griffon guards wearing armor and equipped with spears stood guard at the door. Eagle Eyes stood in front of the door, the two guards looked down to Eagle Eyes. The guard on the right spoke, "He's been expecting you."
The guard on the left spoke, "You may enter."
The two guards look back towards the hall, Eagle Eyes walked to the door and opened it. Before entering she said to the two guards, "You two saw nothing." She said, entering the room and closing the door behind her.
The room was very spacious in size. Furniture-wise there was a wooden dresser, a large bathroom, a walk in closet, a bookshelf filled with books, the floor had a dark olive green carpet, and in the center of the room was a big griffon sized nest. In said nest was Gideon, who was reading a book with covers draped over him. "You're late." Gideon said, not looking away from his book.
Eagle Eyes removed her helmet and shook her head, letting her feathers get some movement. "Well excuse me your Highness . But sneaking past a bunch of your father's guards isn't exactly a picnic you know."
Gideon closed up his book and sat it down. He removed the covers draped over him and jumped out of the nest. He walked over to Eagle Eyes and stared down at her. He smiled and bent down.
And then gave her a tenderly kiss on the lips.
A soft moan escaped Eagle Eyes mouth as she pushed back against Gideon, returning his kiss. Eagle Eyes pushed Gideon down onto the floor, continuing to kiss him passionately. Eagle Eyes pulled away from Gideon, her eyes half open and a satisfied smile on her face.
"I missed you." Gideon nuzzled Eagle's neck.
"I missed you too." Eagle Eye's embraced Gideon. "How have you been doing?"
"Fine I guess." Gideon sighed. "I wish that father would've showed more praise for what I did."
"You don't need his affection and you know it. You did a good thing Gideon." Eagle Eyes said.
"But did I do the right thing?" Gideon asked. "I disobeyed father's orders and did what I thought was right."
"What's wrong with that?" Eagle Eyes asked.
"Father hasn't been wrong once. Everything he's done has been for the good of the Empire. What if disobeying father was a mistake?" Gideon said.
Eagle Eyes sighed, she hopped off Gideon and sat next to him. "If you're so worried why don't you go ask him yourself?" Eagle Eyes suggested.
"That's just it. It's impossible to please a Griffon like him because he never tells anyone anything." Gideon growled. "All he does is spend his days in his study going over books. It's...it's just so...so infuriating!"
"Infuriating?"
Eagle Eyes and Gideon whipped their heads to the double door. There stood Descend, wearing his royal attire. Eagle Eyes scampered off of Gideon and bowed before Descend.
"A-a-apologizes your highness. I didn't expect your arrival." Eagle Eyes hid her blush.
Descend smiled upon the small embarrassed Griffoness. "My dear Eagle Eyes." He purred. "There is nothing you need to apologize for. Gideon however," Descend looked to Gideon, "I believe you called your father...'Infuriating' was it?"
Gideon avoided eye contact with Descend, "Yes...infuriating is the word I used."
"Well it's normal for children to be angry with dads on certain occasions." Descend sighed. "But what you said before was correct, everything I've done has been for the good of the Empire. That includes its Citizens. While you did disobey my orders, your heart was in the right place. So I guess you pass or something." Descend rolled his claw. "Well, carry on you two." Descend said as he made his way to the door.
"Wait father."
Descend stopped and looked over his shoulder. "What boy?" He asked.
"Did you just come in here to say that?" Gideon asked.
"I was simply passing by that's all." Descend shrugged as he then exited and locked the door behind him.
He took a single step and his claw made a splash. He looked down to see his claw was drenched in blood. He lifted his claw and shook off some of the droplets of blood. "Can't you go five minutes without killing someone?" Descend growled at a giant snake like creature which was chewing on one of the body's of the griffon guards that stood in front of Gideon's door.
"I'm sorry your 'Highness'." The snake mocked. "Have I displeased you?"
"Watch your tongue Devorandum." Descend growled. "Did it ever occur to what might happen now that I've got two dead guards, who I have to now make up some random excuse for disappearing?"
"Oh please." Devorandum sighed. "Like anyone's going to miss two guards."
"Your becoming to reckless Devorandum." Descend warned. "If you're not careful you'll blow our cover and everything will be ruined."
"Fine, fine. But I did come here to tell you something." Devorandum smiled. "Inferum says that the time is drawing closer."
Chapter eight. Return of the Spook
Morning
It has now been two days since the moon had returned along with the return of those who had been imprisoned on it. In that time Nightwing was able to get a good understanding of what was going on and why things were happening. Thanks to the information from everyone he understood everything very clearly now. The next thing to be done was to figure out what Comet Tail meant when he said the Seven Sins of Tartarus. But before he could begin his investigation Luna gave him a very big surprise. She made Shade his new student.
At first Nightwing opposed the idea due to having no idea as to how teach Shade anything or what to do. But Luna was prepared, she had gone up to the moon and gave Shade a complex Crystal. The exact one that Moonstone used. Without anything to oppose his Teacher he gave in, and decided to teach Shade about magic.
Which is why he was currently in the training room pacing back forth talking to Shade who now had a complex Crystal strapped to her hoof.
"Okay, first rule of magic." Nightwing began. "Magic is everywhere, in the air, ground, and even in you. It surrounds us and binds the universe together. The complex Crystal is tool capable of taking in magic and expelling it in various forms. One of the most famous forms of magic is levitation." Nightwing demonstrated by using his magic to levitate a rock in front of Shade and sat it in front of her. "Now you try."
"Um...how?" Shade asked.
"Well first you need to understand that emotion is the fuel for magic." Nightwing said. "Rage, love, fear, happiness, sadness, these are all emotions that drive magic. However it is said that when one shows no emotion that is when magic is its strongest. Why you might ask? Because magic is a force of energy. There is no such thing as good or bad magic, there is only magic. To wield magic with a complex Crystal one must be void of emotion. Just remain calm and imagine lifting the rock with your hooves."
"Alright." Shade took a deep breath before closing her eyes, she concentrated entirely onto the rock and focused. Her complex Crystal began to glow, but the rock didn't budge. She exhaled suddenly and lost all of her concentration. "I can't." She sighed.
"That's quitting talk Shade. You need to really focus, and if it doesn't work the first time simply try again until you do." Nightwing mumbled, "That's what Teach taught me anyways."
"Alright...I'd like to take a break if I could?" Shade asked.
Nightwing sighed, he couldn't help but think he was doing this all wrong. He had no experience teaching anyone about magic. Luna was the one who taught him how to use the Complex Crystal, but he was doing the exact same thing for Shade and it wasn't working. 'Maybe she needs to learn how to do things on her own?' Nightwing thought.
"Alright Shade, I'll let you take your break. But first I'm gonna show you something."
"What?" Shade asked. "What are you gonna do?"
"Just watch and learn." Nightwing said grabbing Shade's hoof. "There's a famous spell that Shadow Knight's use called Shadow Stalking. Watch carefully."
In the blink of an eye Shade and Nightwing vanished. Then reappeared in the exact same room, only this time everything looked various shades of dark and light grey.
"What...what happened?" Shade asked, taken by surprise due to the sudden change in color.
"This is what Shadow Knight's call the Shadow Zone. A layer that has been spliced between space and time. As long as we are in this zone neither time nor space moves forward." Nightwing explained.
"How is this possible?" Shade asked.
"It's a zone that can be accessed anytime anywhere, and it's much more efficient than teleportation. Come on let's head over to Ranger's." Nightwing said walking out the door.
"If time and space don't move forward, then what about us? How are we not affected?" Shade questioned as she followed Nightwing.
"As I explained before, magic is everywhere. Even in this zone it exists, it's just stuck because there's no time and space. However, since we're here we are moving the magic particles and generating a personal time and space bubble around us. This bubble allows us to move freely throughout the zone with ease. Just be sure not to touch anything okay?" Nightwing said.
"Wait, why?" Shade asked.
"Sometimes whenever something comes in contact with the complex Crystal while in the Shadow Zone it has a tendency to...go crazy." Nightwing shivered, recalling an awful memory.
"So when can I take my break?" Shade asked.
"You'll get to take your break, we just have to walk there that's all. And what better way to get there than by traveling in a zone where time is stuck in one place?" Nightwing grinned.
The sharp winds carried dust and rock across the land. Two ponies draped in protective cloth that covered their entire body and were wearing gas masks were able to tread along in the unbreathable atmosphere. Both could be easily noticed as unicorn's due to their horns sticking out from under the cloth. The two had been walking along the harsh mountains for what seemed like hours before the large gate of Ractous came in sight.
There was a soft boom that echoed throughout the canyon. A figure could be seen flying towards them high up in the air. The figure was then sent into a free fall and landed harshly onto the ground. The figure was a golden Sentinel.
"Halt, who goes there?" The Sentinel ordered.
The unicorn figure on the left spoke, "We're here to visit Spike."
"We did receive any information about any visitors. State your name immediately or be terminated."
"My name is Silver Platter." The figure pointed to himself. "And this is Rarity." Silver introduced Rarity.
"Recognized, Silver Platter and Rarity. Authorization indicates that you are who you say you are. However you will be observed during your visit, so do not try anything."
"Wasn't planning on doing anything of the sort." Silver muttered under his breath.
The Sentinel guided both Silver Platter and Rarity towards the gate. There was a long clank and the gate split in two, creating an opening. The Sentinel, Silver Platter, and Rarity walked passed the gate and into the mountain. The gate then closed behind them, signaling that it was safe to take off their masks. Once her mask had been removed Rarity folded down her hood and shook her mane freely.
A satisfied sigh escaped her lips, "That suit is dreadfully uncomfortable." She said.
Silver removed his mask and spoke, "I didn't think it was that bad, besides I'd rather be uncomfortable than suffocating on pieces of rock." Silver joked.
"Point made." Rarity agreed.
"Follow me if you would." The Sentinel spoke.
Silver and Rarity followed the Sentinel down a hallway with various creatures trapped in cages from small to large. The inside of the metal bowls that stood on top of short stands caught fire, illuminating the room. Silver and Rarity walked along the hallway for a long time before they came in view of a large black metal door with thirty Sentinel's guarding it.
As Silver and Rarity approached, the Sentinel's rank split in half as one side moved out of the way so that Silver and Rarity could pass. The two unicorns walked past the rows of Sentinel's and to the large black metal door.
There was a loud clank and the door slowly opened. The room on the other side of the door lit up as the inside of metal bowls were set aflame. With the room now lit up Silver and Rarity walked in. Multiple Sentinels took guard in front of the for small cells as Silver and Rarity approached the larger one of the four.
"Spike." Silver spoke. "Show yourself Spike, it's us."
There was a soft rumble from the cage, it sounded like something was shuffling around inside.
"So it's true." A deep voice spoke from inside the cage. "The moon truly has returned." A pair of green eyes could be seen from inside the cage. "Rarity...you're just as beautiful as I remembered you were."
Rarity smiled, "And you've gotten bigger than the last time I saw you."
Spike's expression saddened, "I haven't been able to figure out how to reverse it." He said, staring at his claws.
"Spike," Silver spoke. "We've come to take you back."
Spike turned away from the cage, "Then you've wasted your time."
"Don't do this Spike." Rarity spoke, "Don't shut us out, were all your friends and we want to help you. But we can't do anything unless you let us."
"Help?" Spike laughed sadly. "You can't help what's been done." Spike glared at the small cage to the right of his. "As long as Ponies like him exist, I can never return to my home."
"That's not true!" Silver yelled. "You're stronger than that Spike. You aren't the monster you say you are."
"Are you sure?" Spike asked. "Ponies have feared Dragons for ages. The only reason that none of you feared me was because I wasn't a threat. I was just a small little dragon, how could I possibly be a threat to Equestria?" Spike growled, clenching his fists. "But then I grew up, and I became this...beast you see now. There's no place in Equestria for a monster like me."
"How can you say something like that." Rarity said. "Spike you're our friend. Not once did anyone ever think that you were a monster nor did we believe that you'd become one."
Two purple scaled claws curled around the cage bars. Spike leaned in towards the cage, revealing his face. There were multiple scars all over his face. Scars of slashes from a blade or burns from a hot piece of metal.
"What...what happened to you?" Silver asked, his eyes wide with shock.
"I did this. I do this to myself everyday as punishment for what I've done." Spike croaked.
Now Silver was furious, "How could you do something like that?!" Silver roared. "You're hurting yourself because of something you didn't do?! Wake up Spike, you don't belong here!"
"No, you wake up!" Spike roared back. "Why can't you understand that this is where I belong? Everything the High Council said was true. As long as I'm a threat to Equestria I can never leave this cage."
"But you're not a threat!" This time Rarity yelled. "Did you ever stop and think what everyone else thinks of this?! What would Twilight say if she was right here speaking to you?!"
Spike's eyes widened. He remembered all the moments he had with Twilight Sparkle. From the first time she hatched him from an egg, to the time when he had last spoke with her. A twinkle of sadness sparked in his eyes. "Go...leave me."
"Were not leaving Spike." Silver stood firm. "Not unless you're leaving with us."
Spike looked at both Rarity and Silver. He knew that the two wouldn't leave. Not unless something makes them. Spike inhaled deeply, and released a burst of green flames down onto the floor.
"Hostile!" The Sentinels shouted, readying themselves to restrain Spike.
"Stay where you are!" Silver roared, his eyes glowed grey as sharp pillars of crystalline jade shot up from the ground, constructing a wall between Silver and the Sentinels.
"Better run little ponies," Spike growled in a villainous voice, "before I burn you both to a crisp."
Silver and Rarity stood firmly against Spike, not showing any signs of wavering. "I'm not buying it Spike. You say you're a vicious monster. But we both know that you're not. You're our friend, and you would rather die before hurting us."
"Oh?" Spike arched his brow. "If I recall, you two are dating. I love Rarity, always have, always will. But you took her away from me Silver. You took the one I love away from me." Spike growled, his throat started to glow green. "I might feel some guilt from killing Rarity. But you Silver, I have no problem killing you."
Silver stared Spike down, "You lying." He said coldly.
Spike opened his mouth, his throat glowing brighter than before. "Since I'm feeling generous I'll give you two a chance. Leave and never come back, and I will spare both of your lives."
"Were not moving." Rarity said.
Spike knew that they weren't going to leave. They didn't see him as the monster he truly was. Not unless he showed them. Spike lifted his head up, only to bring it down, releasing a burst of green flames from his mouth. When the flames faded a new feeling entered Spike. It felt familiar, almost like he had felt it before.
Pain.
Spike looked down to see both Silver and Rarity completely unharmed. He didn't know how it had happened until he saw his arm. His left arm had involuntarily moved through the cage's bars and shielded both Rarity and Silver from the green flames. His left arm however had taken about sixty-four percent of the damage. His arm pulsed with pain, his once purple scaled arm was now charred black. He pulled his arm back into the cage and held it with his right claw.
"You call yourself a monster." Silver spoke, slowly approaching the cage. "But would a monster shield two ponies from certain death with his own arm?"
"Face it Spike." Rarity spoke, she too started to approach the cage. "You're not a monster. You're not a threat. You're our friend, and we won't leave you here like this."
Spike stared at both Silver and Rarity with disbelief. Then the very thing he feared happened. He had began to cry. Tears dropped from his eyes freely, plummeting down towards the floor. Spike was crying tears of joy. Joy that he wasn't a monster. Joy that he had friends who cared for him. His body then began to shrink.
The once towering tall dragon was now turning back into the little dragon he once was. Spike was now at his normal size. Or, the size he was originally at I should say. Due to his now smaller size Spike was able to leap out from the cell and run towards Silver and Rarity. With tears streaming down his cheeks he buried his face into Rarity's coat.
"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...I didn't...I was gonna..." Spike choked on his words as he buried his face deeper into Rarity's coat.
A foreleg draped around Spike, pulling him closer to Rarity, "Shhh, there there Darling, it's alright. You weren't thinking clearly. Besides, we weren't in any real danger."
Silver quickly interjected, "Because we both knew that you wouldn't hurt us. No matter what you called yourself."
"You don't need to lie to me." Spike sniffled. "I already know that Silver could've easily blocked my flames with his crystal's. But before you could've constructed your crystals I moved my arm to shield you."
"...yeah." Silver admitted, before his eyes saw Spike's burnt arm. "Speaking of which," Silver walked up to Spike and waived his hoof over Spike's burnt arm. Crystals formed over his arm, covering the burn mark on his arm.
Spike lifted up his arm to inspect it. The pulsating pain he felt was replaced with a cool feeling that washed over his arm. He looked to Silver and said, "Thank you."
Silver smiled warmly, "No problem. Couldn't just let you go through that after saving us."
"So...what happens now?" Spike asked.
Rarity smiled, "Now, we go home. All of us."
Silver turned to the Crystal wall, his eyes glowed grey and the crystals sunk back into the floor. "We're gonna need another gas mask." He said to the Sentinels.
Sweet Apple Acres. If the place wasn't the perfect spot for relaxation then the world would be upside down. Nightwing decided to let Shade spend her break on the farm while he tried to figure out how he could help Shade with her Complex Crystal. While Shade lied against one of the trees, Nightwing was pacing back and forth trying to figure out a way to help Shade.
"Why did Teach have to throw this on me out of nowhere?" Nightwing complained. "A little warning would've been nice. I don't know the first think about teaching someone how to use a Complex Crystal. I mean sure, when I first learned I was able to get an understanding of it very quickly. But I'm a Shadow Knight, I've got some weird Shadow pony's soul that's merged with mine, and she doesn't. She doesn't have a handicap like I did. Ugh! This is so frustrating!"
Nightwing looked to the sky and demanded, "Give me a sign of something for crying out loud!"
Nightwing's demand was answered by an object hitting him on the side of his head. "Ow!" Nightwing hissed, the sharp part of the object poked forcefully into his cheek. He looked down to see that what had hit him was a Crystal. A Complex Crystal, to be specific. One that looked
Exactly
Like
Nightwing's.
"Gotcha!"
A young colt with with light brown fur, a blonde mane and tail, freckles on his muzzle, and blue eyes. The young colt had pounced onto the Crystal like a cat onto its prey. The colt then saw Nightwing, "Oh, hey there Nightwing."
Nightwing stared at the colt with wide eyes and his mouth slightly agape.
"Oh shoot." The colt snapped. "You're not my Nightwing you're past Nightwing. Sorry for the confusion."
Nightwing grabbed the colt by the shoulders and looked him dead in the eyes, "You. Why are you here?"
"You sent me here, or rather, your future self sent me here. Geez," the colt shook his head. "Time travel is so confusing."
Nightwing then noticed something, "Appleseed, how many times have you and I met?" The colt was about to speak but Nightwing placed his hoof over his mouth. "And when I say 'I' I'm talking about past me, not future me okay?"
The colt, now named Appleseed, nodded his head. Nightwing removed his hoof and Appleseed spoke. "Once." He answered. "This is the only time you and I have met. And why are you calling me Appleseed?"
"Isn't that your name?" Nightwing asked.
"No, that's my-" the colt stopped himself, lost in thought, carefully choosing his words. "-er... I mean, yes. Yes Appleseed's my name."
"Okay then..." Nightwing said skeptical. "Why did future me send you here?" Nightwing asked.
"Actually the plan wasn't to send me to this timeline at all." Appleseed said. "The plan was to take me to the time when a crack in space and time appeared at Ranger's farm."
"So why are you here?" Nightwing asked.
Appleseed snickered, "That's a funny story actually. See you were about to send me to the timeline when you accidentally threw your Complex Crystal into the portal and it ended up here. Somehow."
"Why did I need you to go to Ranger's farm?" Nightwing asked.
"To study the crack of course. Speaking of which I should probably head back now." Appleseed sat up. "But before I do I need to know." Appleseed looked at Nightwing very seriously. "Have you checked on Granny Smith yet?"
Nightwing tilted his head, "Granny Smith? You mean the old mare with Alzheimer's?"
Appleseed shook his head, "I can assure you that she doesn't have Alzheimer's. Do me a favor and go check on her please?"
"I go check on her no matter what don't I?" Nightwing sighed, noting that there was no escape from his fate.
Appleseed shrugged, "All I know is that no matter what I do I can't change the future."
As soon as Appleseed said that a blue portal opened up behind him, "Remember this, the concept of reality is an illusion, our universe is a giant book, and msylcatac eht eraweb!" Appleseed shouted before he fell into the portal, which disappeared the moment he fell into it.
Nightwing stood motionless, the gears in his brain sputtered and groaned as he tried to process what just happened. "You know what? No, not even gonna bother." Nightwing gave up on trying to figure out what had just happened and decided to do what Appleseed said he was going to do.
Nightwing didn't understand what Appleseed meant when he said that Granny Smith didn't have Alzheimer's, and frankly he didn't care. All that he cared about was getting this done so he could get back to helping Shade.
Nightwing entered into the Sweet Apple Acres house. Inside the house Ranger was pulling out a pie from the oven. Ranger sat the pie on the window shelf for it to cool off.
"Howdy Nightwing." Ranger tipped his hat. "What can I do for ya?"
"Do you know where Granny Smith is?" Nightwing asked.
Ranger tilted his head, "Why would you want to see her?"
"I'm gonna check on her." Nightwing answered.
"A doctor just came by about thirty minutes ago." Ranger sounded like he was protesting against Nightwing.
"I'm better than a doctor Ranger. I'm Nightwing."
"That's what I'm kinda afraid of." Ranger muttered under his breath. "Okay let me take you to her." Ranger sighed, walking up the stairs with Nightwing following behind.
The two walked down the short hallway until they stopped at the metal door. Nightwing opened the door and took a step into the room. His hoof was wrapped in the white cushions that were sewn into the floor. Granny was currently resting on the bed.
"Hey Granny." Nightwing shook the sleeping Granny.
"Huh, wha?" Granny mumbled as she was stirred awake. "Who's there?"
"The name's Nightwing, I'm here to check on you." Nightwing introduced himself.
"Check on me? I don't need to be checked on I'm perfectly fine." Granny smiled.
"Now you say that, but I know that you're not. So I'm gonna have to ask you to take off that blindfold." Nightwing reached for the blindfold over Granny's eyes.
Granny Smith flinched backwards. "I'd prefer it if ya didn't do that Shadow Knight."
Nightwing froze, he looked at Granny with a frown, "What did you just call me?"
"Nightwing. That is yer name isn't it Youngin?" Granny smiled innocently.
"Yes that is my name, but I never said that I was a Shadow Knight." Nightwing glared at Granny. "Who are you?"
Granny looked away from Nightwing and screamed, "You! It's you, get away from me foul Reaper!"
Nightwing grinned, "Nice try, but I know there's nothing-" Nightwing turned to where Granny was facing, and his heart dropped into the pit of his stomach. "There..."
Nightwing went pale with fear. What stood before him, in the corner of the room, was a tall and slender pony. The pony wore a black suit and pants over its white coat that had black tendrils dancing from his back. The pony also didn't have a face, no eyes, no mouth, no nostrils, just a blank white face.
The sight of the creature sent fear into Nightwing's mind. He wanted to do something, anything. But his body remained completely frozen. Good thing Ranger was in the room, he did the smart thing that anypony would do in his situation.
Chuck a chair at it.
Surprisingly the plan worked. The chair collided with the creature and it broke into pieces. Ranger then grabbed both Nightwing and Granny Smith and ran out of the house. Once he was sure that they were far enough from the house he gently sat Granny against the trunk of a tree. He then glared at Nightwing and shouted, "What the Tartarus was that, Nightwing?!"
Nightwing, who was still shaken up by what just happened, wearily replied, "I don't know." He held his head. "I don't know what that thing is but...but I feel like I should remember it."
"Well whatever it is, send it back to wherever you got it from before it kills us." Ranger shot.
"Wait...you think I brought that thing here?" Nightwing asked.
"Well obviously you brought it here." Ranger pointed out. "How else could it have gotten in the house?"
"I don't know how but..." Nightwing paused, his eyes locked on the trees behind Ranger. "Ranger...did the Apple family ever have a forest of pine trees?"
Ranger raised an eyebrow and tilted his head. He then looked behind him and saw a literal forest of pine trees behind him. He turned back to Nightwing to see another forest of pine trees behind him. He looked all around and sure enough, everywhere he looked there were pine trees. Pine trees had surrounded the house in a circle.
"What devilry is this?" Ranger demanded.
"I don't know." Nightwing answered before his lit up. He then realized that there was someone he had forgotten about. "Shade!" Nightwing sat up straight in an instant. "I have to go find her." Nightwing was about to run off into the forest until something grabbed his wing and pulled him back.
"Now wait just a flabber jastin minute ya varmit."
A voice with a southern accent spoke. Nightwing looked back to see Granny Smith was the one holding back his wing. She looked...different. Her blindfold had been removed and she looked a lot younger than before.
"Granny Smith...you're alright." Ranger said in disbelief.
"I'm feelin' better than 'alright' youngin." Granny smiled, "and call me Smith."
"Okay then, could you please let go of my wing so I can go rescue my student Smith." Nightwing growled at Granny.
The creature with no face stepped out of the house. It didn't open the door, instead it walked right through it like a ghost walks through a solid wall.
"Listen to me, I.....don't know what that thing is or where it came from. But I do know that it feeds off screams." Smith stated.
"Scream once, permission to be seen. Scream twice, permission to be tagged. Scream three times, permission to be taken." Nightwing said in a robotic monotone voice.
"Hey ya know the rules." Smith tilted her head at Nightwing. "Have you by any chance dealt with this thing before?"
"I don't...I can't remember." Nightwing groaned, his head felt like it was on fire.
Ranger spoke, "Well you can remember later, that thing is closing in and I don't wanna know what happens when it catches up with us."
Smith, Nightwing, and Ranger all took off into the forest. But before disappearing into the forest Smith stopped and gave the faceless creature a final glance. A smile appeared on her face before she then disappeared into the woods.
Shade was at a loss for words for what she was seeing. Pine trees, as far as the eye could see, were everywhere. They surrounded the once apple orchard, and turned it into a forest of pine trees. What was really peculiar was that there seemed to be no end to the forest. No matter how far she looked or how high she flew up into the air, Shade could not see the end of the forest. It didn't make sense to Shade, how could a forest completely take over a farm in a matter of seconds.
It was seemingly impossible. Shade then landed, hoping that she'd be able to get a better understanding. As she walked through the forest of pine trees she learned two new things. The first, was that each tree looked exactly alike. Their bark pattern, the height of the trees, and the length of the pine needles. All of it looked exactly the same. The second thing she learned was that thanks to the fact that every tree looked the same she was now hopelessly lost. She thought about flying up and getting a bird's eye view of the place.
She unfolded her wings and arched her legs, readying herself to leap into the air. But before she could her body froze up. Her muscles tensed and her body refused to move. Her eyes went wide with fear upon seeing what was before her.
The faceless creature.
It stood there with an aura swarming around it that could make the bravest of ponies soil themselves. The faceless creature blankly looked at Shade, standing impressively still. The creature then took a step forward.
Then it took another step.
Step after step the creature took. Before Shade knew it the creature was only a couple of inches away from her. The tall creature leaned down and faced Shade. The creature's empty eyes bored their way into Shade's.
The creature raised its hoof over where the mouth should've been. A soft and ghostly, "shhhhhhh." came from the creature. The sound sent shivers down Shade's spine and made her want to jump sixty feet in the air and book it. But instead of doing that she remained still as a statue. The faceless creature then raised its head back up and simply walked past Shade.
Shade fell onto her rump and sat there, her eyes wide and her pupils dilated. She could see her entire life flash before her eyes as the creature stared her down. She didn't know what that thing was and she didn't want to know. Right now she just wanted to sit and not worry about the terrifying creature from Tartarus that just passed her.
"Shade!"
Shade yelped in fright as someone called her name. She hesitantly turned her head to look behind her, expecting to see the faceless creature once more. To her relief it wasn't the creature but rather Nightwing, Ranger, and Smith who had called her name. Nightwing quickly rushed to Shade and hugged her tight.
"Thank Teach you're alright." He said relieved, releasing Shade from his hug. "Come on we have to get out of here before it finds us."
But it was too late for that plan. As soon as Nightwing spoke black tendrils erupted from a part of the forest. They whizzed past Nightwing and Shade and wrapped themselves around Smith. The tendrils wrapped around Smith's body tightly, squeezing her like doll. Smith squirmed and shifted her body, trying to free herself from the tendrils grasp.
"Hang on Granny!" Ranger shouted, grabbing the black tendrils he tried to pry them away.
Ranger was able to pull Smith out of the Tendrils grasp. But in doing so, the Tendrils this time were aimed at Ranger. The Tendrils wrapped around Ranger's body tightly, binding his legs together. Before Ranger could try to break free the Tendrils pulled I'm into a dark park of the forest.
More Tendrils sprouted from the dark part of the forest that Ranger had been dragged into. This time however the Tendrils wrapped themselves around Nightwing. The Tendrils were about to drag Nightwing away just like they had done with Ranger. But before Nightwing could've been pulled into the forest Shade grabbed onto him and pulled against the Tendrils.
"Shade listen to me very carefully." Nightwing spoke, "No matter what happens you can't scream. This thing that's attacking us, it feeds off of screams. Under no circumstances are you to scream. Got that?"
"I'm not letting go Nightwing." Shade pulled harder against the Tendrils, only for the Tendrils to start pulling both Shade and Nightwing into the dark part of the forest.
Nightwing looked Shade directly in the eyes and said, "Shade let go."
"What?!" Shade shouted.
"Listen, if you keep holding on then we're both gonna get pulled in. I need you to let go." Nightwing said.
"I'm not letting go Nightwing." Shade said. "I just met you, I can't lose you now."
The touching moment was short lived as Smith yanked Shade away from Nightwing. Nightwing slipped through her hooves and was pulled into the dark part of the forest.
"No!" Shade shouted. "I just got him. I can't lose him, not now."
"Didn't you hear a word that Shadow Knight said." Smith hissed. "Keep your voice down or he will find us. Now come on, we have to get to the house and fast."
Shade didn't want to leave, she wanted to storm headfirst into the dark part of the forest. But she knew that it would provide no useful results. The only thing that would happen is she'd get captured by the Tendrils. With tears in her eyes Shade turned away and ran with Smith.
The Tendrils were hot on their tails as both Shade and Smith ran. Shade didn't know exactly where Smith was leading her to, but as long as it was away from the Tendrils she didn't care. Smith and Shade ran into a circle clearing of the thick forest, the house at the center of the circle. Smith bursted through the door, Shade entered and shut the door. The Tendrils banged against the door violently. Shade braced against the door, the force of the Tendrils pounding traveled through the door and hit Shade.
Soon the pounding came to an abrupt halt. Shade stopped bracing the door and her body slumped down. She rested her body against the door in exhaustion.
Smith eyed the worn out Shade like a cat eyed its prey, "It's a bit early, but I guess I have no choice." She muttered.
"Smith, we need to brace the house. We're gonna have to work together, but there might be a chance. If we can board up the windows and block off the doors, then maybe we can keep that thing out." Shade said.
Smith wasn't paying attention to Shade, she was too busy looking in the kitchen for a tool. She pulled out drawers and opened cabinets. But she couldn't find what she was looking for. Smith began to get irritated that she couldn't find her tool. Until she pulled out a drawer and she smiled. In the drawer was silverware from spoons to knives, but the utensil she was eying was a sharp steel kitchen knife with a wooden handle. Smith gripped the knife, her face was the picture of a giddy mare.
Shade continued to ramble on about how to fortify the house, "Smith, do you know where you keep some spare wood. If you have some then we can get started right aw-"
Shade was cut of as the steel knife sunk into the door, inches away from her face.
"Damn, I missed." Smith spoke, this time however her accent was now normal.
"Sm-mith...what are you doing?" Shade stuttered, thinking that there must've been a good explanation for what she had done.
"Trying to kill you of course." Smith answered calmly. "Can't have you alive now can I."
Shade's eyes widened. She immediately sat up and tried to run out the door.
"Oh no you don't!" Smith tackled Shade and pinned her down. "You're not going anywhere."
"Why are you doing this?!" Shade demanded, struggling to be free of Smith's grasp.
"What good will it do telling you?" Smith asked, pulling the knife out of the door. "You're going to die right now. Telling you what I am will mean nothing." Smith covered Shade's mouth, "Do me a favor and don't make to much noise."
Shade stopped moving. Everything now made sense to her. As Smith reared her knife into the air, Shade chomped down on Smith's hoof. Smith pulled her hoof away from Shade's mouth. Shade then lifted her head quickly and back headed Smith in the face. Smith stumbled backwards and landed on her back. The knife skidded across the floor.
Before Smith could get back up Shade pounced onto her and punched her in he face. She continued to deal blow after blow to Smith's head, her face started to bruise and turn read from the pain. Shade stopped, her breathing matched the speedy beating of her heart. "You're the one that creature's after aren't you? It's chasing you not me, Nightwing, or even Ranger, it's you. So if you so afraid of this thing," Shade sat up and grabbed Smith's hind leg and dragged her to the door, "Then I think it's time for you to face your fear."
Realizing her intentions Smith began to squirm, her hooves scraped against the wooden floor, desperate to stop Shade from taking her outside. "Shade listen to me, we're good friends right? I didn't mean what I said, I'm just...dealing with a lot of stuff. I overreacted okay, there's no need to take me out there. Hey, how about you let me go and we start boarding up the house huh? That sounds fun right?" Smith's confidence was fading, she frantically begged Shade to let her go, her voice was breaking and she along with it.
Shade ignored Smith, she didn't care what she had to say. Shade kicked open the door and dragged Smith outside.
"No!" Smith yelled, hooking onto the doorframe. "I won't let you!"
Shade pulled on Smith as hard as she could, but she would not budge. Shade became angry, her eyes glowed dark blue and she bared her fangs. "GET OUT!" Shade roared, ripping Smith and pieces of the doorframe outside.
Smith rolled on the ground, pieces of the wooden door frame rolled with her. Smith groaned, her body ached and burned with pain. She slowly stood up, and in doing so a black Tendril wrapped around her hind leg. Smith frantically tried to pull the Tendril off her leg. More Tendrils wrapped themselves around Smith's body. She struggled and the Tendrils got tighter.
Smith then froze. Her entire body was unable to move as she gazed in horror at a the faceless creature. The faceless creature approached Smith, the creature lifted her chin up, getting a good look at her face. Once the creature was satisfied it let go of Smith's chin and walked up to Shade. "Thank you for your assistance, Shade." The creature spoke, its voice was raspy and had an echo to it.
Shade pointed at Smith, "What is that, and what has it done to Granny Smith."
"That." The creature turned to Smith. "Is a Wanderer. A soul that has escaped the void. I was sent here by my Master to return this Wanderer back to the void. But she had put her soul in a living body. This made it difficult to find the Wanderer. But all is good and all is right. The Wanderer will be put back into void, and Granny Smith's soul shall be returned to its body."
"Before you do that," Shade spoke abruptly, "I have to know...are you the Spook that haunted Nightwing on Nightmare Night?"
"No." Was the creature's response. "But I do know of the one who did."
"Who? And why?" Shade asked.
"Who?...I cannot say. We do not carry names as you ponies do. But I know the reason why the one you call 'Spook' haunted Nightwing." The creature said. "We love to play the Game with ponies. The Game is fun, and ever so enjoyable. And when the Game is done, and we've had our fun, we erase the memories of those who have played."
"Then how come Nightwing remember's?" Shade asked.
"He remember's because we want him to. He will be the one to play a major part in the story." The creature then started to approach Smith.
As it walked it started to sing. ""All alone, forgotten and cold. Sleeping far away. Always watching, forever silent. Never go away. Say goodbye, to the light. That you all use to see. Let go, to the light, and let me hear you," As the creature sang, Smith looked to be on the brink of insanity. Her breathing was going at impossible speeds, and her heartbeat could be heard all the way to the house.
"Scream."
"That's when I found you all here, unconscious." Shade explained to Nightwing, Ranger, and Granny Smith. (Who is now back to normal)
After the faceless creature took the Wanderer back to the void, it returned Ranger, Nightwing, Granny Smith, and Shade back to the normal world. Shade took everyone inside and draped blankets over them, along with giving them cups of hot chocolate. Nightwing took a sip from his cup and said, "Welp, that answers all my questions. Good job Shade." Nightwing took another sip from his cup. "Also, let's all agree, right here right now, to Never speak of this to anyone ever again."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Night
After a day full of exhausting, not to mention strange, work. Nightwing found relief for himself the moment he came in contact with his bed. Part of him wondered what crazy new thing would happen tomorrow, the other part of him didn't really care about tomorrow but just wanted to sleep. Nightwing agreed with the idea of sleep and dozed off in seconds.
Two days had passed. Two days since the return of the moon, and once the clock struck midnight it would officially be three. So many things had occurred since Nightwing disappeared.
Shade was practically a mare now, Spike had been imprisoned in Ractous, Granny Smith was being possessed by an escaped soul from the void that was trying to disintegrate her brain, Flash now had his memories back, Dinkie grew up and seems to be doing fine, and then there was Comet Tail.
Nightwing instantly woke up at the thought of his friend. He rolled onto his back and stared blankly at the ceiling. His eyes gazed over to the Complex Crystal on the nightstand. Nightwing reached for the crystal and picked it up. He held it above him, staring blankly at it. The Complex Crystal Nightwing held was not his, but rather Moonstone's.
Nightwing couldn't help but remember what Moonstone had done. His friend, Lightning Strike, was dead, and he did nothing to stop her. After hearing that his Comet Tail was now some kind of dark evil pony, the guilt in his heart doubled in weight. Nightwing couldn't believe he had let this happen. He couldn't believe that he had lost two of his friends so easily, and the worst part of it all,
Was that Nightwing believed he was to blame. How could he have let two of his friends slip through his hooves so easily? Nightwing gripped the crystal tighter. Everything that had happened was all Moonstone's fault, not his. Moonstone was the one who had captured Comet Tail and turned him into the monster he is now. Moonstone was the one who ripped Lightning Strike's heart out. Moonstone was the one behind it all. From the attack on the Mountain kingdom, all the way to the weapon of Empyrion.
But Moonstone was dead, she was dead before Nightwing killed her that is. Which meant that she was the puppet, not the puppeteer. So the question that nagged at Nightwing's brain was the identity of the one pulling the strings.
Luckily Nightwing was able to politely ask (*cough, cough* force *cough, cough*) everyone to present him with a full report of everything new they learned, along with everything they learned on the moon. The reports mostly just described the members of the New Order.
With all the information he had gathered, Nightwing was able to understand a couple of things. Bloodwing, an undead Griffon, just like Moonstone, had the powers of a lightning caster. Which meant that either he or one of his relatives bathed in a pool of Nyx. Mortem, a Pony who seemed to have the power to raise the dead. Nightwing summed up that the pony 'Mortem' must've been the Necromancer. The other reports just contained information that Nightwing already knew.
All signs pointed to the Necromancer being the puppeteer. But that answer didn't sit right with Nightwing. He couldn't believe that someone who had the power to raise the dead would destroy Equestria. The logic just didn't add up.
Nightwing continued to gaze aimlessly into the Complex Crystal. He remembered how Moonstone said that there were others. Other Vampire Batponies that survived the Order. But Nightwing didn't know if she was lying or not. His ears told him that she was, but his mind said otherwise. If there was even the slightest chance that others survived the Order why not believe it?
Of course Nightwing was only saying this in his head because he hated to face the cold crushing truth. That he was the last. The last Vampire Batpony on earth. Nightwing hated that, he hated the thought of him being the last one alive.
"Well well well."
Nightwing jumped from his bed. He used the Complex Crystal to summon two blue magic aura swords. The swords pointed to the window, aimed at the Pony figure sitting causally on the window shelf.
"Who are you?" Nightwing growled.
The pony smiled, "Oh Nightwing. You may have been gone for thirteen years but surely you haven't forget me."
Nightwing cautiously levitated the blue sword towards the pony. The dim light that sword illuminated over the pony. The pony was a mare Pegasus with a dark coat of yellow fur, she had sharp bright green eyes, a long black mane, and a musical note as her cutie mark. Once the pony's features were now visible Nightwing recognized who the mare was.
"Melody." Nightwing spat. "Why are you here?"
Melody grinned, "Two reasons. Here's the first," Melody jumped down from the window and pushed off the wall. She collided with Nightwing and wrapped her body around his. Before Nightwing could process a though, Melody locked lips with his.
In shock, Nightwing tried to push Melody off of him, but Melody held him in a tight bear hug. Nightwing tripped and fell to the floor. With her new leverage, Melody went deeper into the kiss. Then a blue magic shield appeared between Melody and Nightwing.
Melody lifted her head away from the blue shield. She closed her eyes and sighed in bliss. "It's been so long since we've kissed. I've forgotten how wonderful you mouth tasted."
Nightwing, however, wasn't to happy with Melody's action. She spat out saliva from his mouth. "Why did you do that?!" Nightwing growled.
Melody's eyes were half opened. She looked down and stared deep into Nightwing's red eyes. A hint of red appeared on her cheeks, "Do you remember when our Mistress would give us 'toys' to play with?" Nightwing averted eye contact with Melody, a slight blush of embarrassment on his face as he began to remember all of the...'Exotic' things he and Melody did. Melody noticed Nightwing's blush and said with joy, "You do remember! Oh what joy, and here I thought you would've forgotten."
Nightwing used his magic to change the shield into a bubble. The bubble formed around Melody and floated away from Nightwing before stopping.
"Please don't remind me of those memories." Nightwing groaned in annoyance as he sat up.
"Ignore history and it is bound to repeat itself." Melody smirked.
"Oh trust me. Your Mistress made sure that I remembered every single thing that happened to me while I was there." Nightwing frowned.
"She's your Mistress to you know."
The blue blade of Nightwing's sword flew towards Melody and stopped just barely a few inches from her face. But instead of flinching Melody grinned, "Was that supposed to be intimidating?"
"Do not." Nightwing growled, the heat of his rage increased. "Call that Monster, my Mistress!"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Melody shook her head in disappointment. "You should know better than to call her names Nightwing. You don't want to be put in the corner, do you?"
Nightwing glared at Melody, the blade drew closer to her, "Before I throw you out of my room. What was the other thing you wanted to tell me?"
Melody's smile grew. "Our Mistress requests your presence."
"Tell her to go choke on her foot." Was Nightwing's response, he levitated the ball towards the window.
"Would you come if I told you we have Vampire Batponies?"
The ball stopped. The sword that was pointed at Melody's neck vanished. Melody couldn't help but smile upon seeing Nightwing's reaction.
"You're lying." Nightwing said, not believing a word Melody said. "You have to be lying."
"Am I lying?" Melody raised her left hoof. "Or am I telling the truth?" Melody raised her right hoof. "That's the funny thing about your power. I've been lying my whole life Nightwing. I've been lying so much that not even you could tell if I'm speaking the truth or not."
"But this time you are lying. You have to be." Nightwing said, refusing to accept anything Melody said.
"Believe what you want to believe." Melody said, casually walking out of the bubble and onto the window. "But you will be seeing our Mistress sooner than you might think." Melody spread wings. "Oh, one more thing. It's a terrible loss that Lightning Strike died, I hope he has a good funeral."
With that Melody flew out the window and vanished into the night.
Flash stood in front of the pony sized mirror. He wore a black suit and pants that had a white undershirt beneath it. Today was a day that he knew was coming. It was unavoidable and unstoppable. Part of his mind was telling him to stay in his room, to just skip today and do something else. However the other part of his mind was telling him that it was his duty to attend today.
The truth was Flash didn't really know what to do today. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to act to this event. He wanted someone to give him assistance, to give him help.
*knock, knock, knock*
"Come in." Flash said to whoever was tapping on the door.
The door behind him opened up, "Flash?"
The voice belonged to Twilight Sparkle. Flash looked at his mirror and saw that she was wearing a black dress and shoes.
"Hello Twilight. Wonderful weather we're having." He said half heartedly.
"Flash are you okay?" Twilight asked concerned.
"No Twilight. I'm not okay." Flash snapped. "I'm going to my brothers funeral, today's the happiest day of my life."
Twilight's expression saddened as her eyes fell to the floor. Flash turned away from the mirror to face Twilight. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to say that. I'm just...today's a difficult day for me."
"I understand." Twilight said, her eyes still glued to the floor. "I can't imagine what you must be going through right now."
"Yeah...I still can't believe he's gone." Flash said sadly. "You know what the most painful part of it is? It's that I hardly even knew him. We were the closest of friends when we were little. Then he left and went to become a royal guard in Canterlot, then he shows up out of nowhere a couple of years later, we go on tons of adventures, then we go to the moon to rescue Nightwing and then..." Flash's voice was filled with pain as he then spoke the last part, "He dies...just like that, and I couldn't do a single thing."
Twilight closed the distance between both her and Flash, wrapping her her entire body around Flash's she whispered in his ear, "I'm so sorry."
"What do you have to be sorry for?" Flash asked, returning Twilight's hug. "You've done nothing wrong."
"But that's just it, I have done something wrong." Twilight said. "I took away your memories, I made you believe lies that I put inside your head. I'm the worst pony you've ever met."
"Hey, hey, don't say things like that." Flash comforted Twilight. "What you did was wrong. But I forgave you for it, there's nothing to be sorry for."
"Fluttershy doesn't think that."
Flash couldn't hide his sadness upon hearing his sister's name. Fluttershy was the most forgiving, kindest, and loving pony he ever knew. But she was angry at Twilight. Angry about what she had done to Flash. Despite the countless times Flash had tried to talk to her, each time she'd shut him out and say 'Come back when you're my real brother. Not the...thing Twilight has turned you into.'
It broke Flash's heart upon seeing how easily his family was breaking. Soarin was in an existential crisis, Fluttershy was holed up in the Great tree, and Lightning Strike was dead. Everything that Flash had fought so hard to keep together was now slipping through his hooves. All because he didn't know how to fix it. What should he do? What could he do? How could he fix something that was so broken?
"Fluttershy will forgive you. She always does, that's what makes her so special." Flash said, trying his best to reassure Twilight.
Twilight shook her head, "For once Flash...I don't think I deserve forgiveness."
Flash pushed Twilight away and looked her dead in the eyes, "Don't you dare say things like that!" He snapped. "Everyone deserves forgiveness, no matter what they've done. I forgave you for what you did. Tartarus, I actually fixed it. All those fake memories that you had put inside my head are gone. I got rid of them all."
Twilight's eyes widened, "A-a-all of them?"
Flash nodded, "all of them." He expression saddened, "But...in doing so...Twilight I must know." Flash looked at Twilight with a firm and serious look. "Was any of it real?"
"Was...was what real?" Twilight asked
"Our relationship?" Flash answered. "Was any of it real? Our first date, that time we spent at the beach, when you and I went on a double-date with Cadence and Shining Armor?"
Twilight slowly shook her head, "I'm so sorry..." Twilight croaked. "No...none of it was real."
Flash sighed, a small smile appeared on his face. "Well then I guess there's only thing to do?" Flash released Twilight and bowed before her, "Princess Twilight Sparkle, would you be so ever kind as to accompany me to Donut Joe's?"
Twilight looked at Flash with surprise, "Are you...asking me on a...a date?"
Flash looked up and answered, "Well of course I am." Flash stood up, "But this time no mind altering magic. When this is all said and done let's just go and get to know each other? What'da say?"
Twilight couldn't help herself from starring at Flash. Ever after everything that done, Flash was on his knees asking her on a date. What else could she do but say, "Yes." She answered. "Of course I'll accompany you." She chuckled.
"Great." Flash stood up. "How about we both meet tomorrow at twelve?" Flash extended his hoof.
"It's a date." Twilight shook Flash's hoof.
Today was a day that Cheese had found himself in a rut. Everything had to be perfect for today. Which meant that there was no room for error. Going over everything on his checklist, he made sure that there was nothing out of place.
"Let's see." Cheese chewed on his pen as he scanned the checklist attached to his clipboard. "Cleaned runway?" He examined the long red carpet with a large magnifying glass. "Check. Clear blue sky's?" Cheese walked outside onto a balcony with grass, he looked up and saw that there were, in fact, no clouds in the sky. "Check. Area for everyone to mingle about once the event is over?" Cheese walked back inside and entered a room with foldable tables that had all sorts of food and drinks sat on them. "Check. What else am I missing?" Cheese chewed on his pen once more as he exited the room.
"Hey there 'Second best party planner'."
Cheese couldn't help but smile as something jumped on his back. He spun his head around to see that Pinkie Pie had jumped onto him and was grinning at him with half lidded eyes.
"Nice to see you too, 'Second best party planner'." Cheese said.
"Oh no you don't." Pinkie teased. "You're the second best, I'm the first."
"How about we both agree," Cheese pulled out a yellow rubber chicken with the number two drawn on its belly with a permanent market. "That Boneless is best Party planner?"
Pinkie pulled out a yellow rubber chicken that looked exactly like Cheese's but had no number drawn on it. "Now that's something we can both agree on." Pinkie imitated the Chicken's goofy voice.
The two ponies bursted into a fit of giggles as they dropped onto the floor. "Pinkie, you're so random."
"You're just as random as I am Cheesy." Pinkie laughed.
"You know it." Cheese chuckled before jumping up. "But in all seriousness, I need you to promise me something."
"Anything for you Cheesy." Pinkie sighed.
"I need you to Cheesy promise me that you won't do anything goofy today." Cheese asked.
"Cheesy promise?" Pinkie sat up and rubbed her chin, "What's that?"
"It's a little jingle I made up. Just repeat after me." Cheese lifted his right hoof and began to recite his jingle, "I solemnly swear,"
"I solemnly swear," Pinkie repeated, raising her right hoof
"To not break my promise," Cheese spoke.
"To not break my promise," Pinkie repeated.
"And if I should," Cheese said.
"And if I should," Pinkie repeated.
"I'll stick my hoof down my throat and vomit." Cheese finished.
"I'll stick my hoof down my throats and vomit." Pinkie repeated, sticking her tongue out in disgust. "Bleagh! With a punishment like that why would anyone ever want to break a Cheesy promise?"
"They don't." Cheese grinned. "Now Pinkie, I know this is going to difficult for you, but you can't be silly, not today. It's to important to Nightwing."
Pinkie lowered her head, "Cheese."
"Yeah?"
"I know you like to play jokes and everything...but I have to know..." Pinkie looked up at Cheese with the most adorable looking pout you'd have ever seen. "Do you actually have romantic feelings towards Nightwing?"
"What?! Pffft." Cheese waved at the thought. "Me and Nightwing, yeah right. Pinkie I was just doing that because it was funny, I have no romantic feelings towards Nightwing." He reared his head to the ceiling. "Ain't that right Storyteller?"
Stop breaking the forth wall Cheese.
"Yeah yeah, whatever." Cheese looked back to Pinkie, "Why are you so worried about me having romantic feelings towards Nightwing? What's the matter? Jealous?"
"Of course I'm jelly." Pinkie blurted, taking Cheese by surprise. "I like you Cheese. Like-like you. I mean come on. You're the perfect stallion for me, you're funny, random, the perfect amount of crazy, and you're a total goofball. There's no one I can think of for me but you."
Cheese pulled out a slice of cheddar and took a bite out of it, "It ain't easy being cheesy."
Pinkie pointed at Cheese, "You see that? That right there is what I'm talking about."
"Well...I suppose that it would make sense for the two of us to be a good ship." Cheese rubbed his chin. "So what the heck, lets do it."
"You mean it!" Pinkie smiled with glee.
"You bet I do." Cheese said with a smile of his own. "But you can't forget our promise."
"I won't forgot." Pinkie raised her right hoof and recited, "I solemnly swear to not not break my promise, and if I do I'll stick my hoof down my throats and vomit."
"That's an interesting phrase."
Pinkie whirled her head around to see a Batpony Stallion with deep dark blue fur, light blue mane that stuck up at his forehead, and yellow eyes with black slits for pupils. The Batpony wore a lunar guard armor uniform minus the helmet.
"Who might you be good sir?" Cheese asked.
"My name is North Star. Captain of the lunar guard, I was sent by Luna to inspect everything for today." The Batpony said.
"Well there's no need to worry. I've already gone over everything here, and there's not a thing out of place." Cheese beamed.
"Is that so?" North Star raised a brow and grinned, "Well if that's the case then you'll have no problem showing me everything?"
Cheese pulled out his paper and clipboard, "How much time ya got?" He grinned.
Inside the castle of the Griffon Empire, Descend stood before one of the windows. He looked down upon the many Griffons that soared around the city. Descend couldn't help but smile at how small they all looked from where he stood. Every griffon looked to be the size of an ant compared to him. He had spent thirteen years constructing the empire, and he didn't give a damn about it.
Castles, kingdoms, statues, idols. All of it meant nothing compared to what he had been offered. The empire was nothing more than an image for Descend. He didn't care for the empire, its citizens, the buildings. He didn't even care for his own sons.
Speaking of which.
The doorway to the royal throne was opened and Leone stepped in. "You requested my presence father?"
Descend didn't look away from the window when he responded, "Yes I did, I'm glad you came. There's an important matter I wish to speak with you."
Leone tilted his head, "and...just what is this matter father?"
"One that concerns the future of the empire." Descend answered, turning away from the window he approached the throne. "Tell me Leone, how old are you know?"
"Twenty eight, father." Leone answered.
"Ah yes. Twenty eight years old." Descend smiled. "You weren't born of royal blood when your mother brought you into this world. It wasn't until you older that I rose to power and in turn gave you royal blood."
"What are you saying father?" Leone asked concerned.
"What I'm saying, is that I'm getting to old and tired for the whole 'Empire' thing. So I've decided to make you the ruler of the Empire." Descend said casually.
Leone was taken aback. He sputtered as his brain immediately rejected what his father had said. "Um...*ahem*...c-can you repeat that?"
Descend looked unamused at Descend, "Did I stutter boy? I told you that I'm making you the emperor of the empire."
Leone landed flat on his rump, his claw raised to his forehead. "You...you can't be serious. Surely you can't make such a decision so hastily."
"Look Leone." Descend rolled his eyes. "Let's be honest. Gideon is a bastard, yeah I said it. I'm not proud of it but that's the truth, and I fear that the empire might rebel against him if I were to place the crown upon his head."
"So the responsibility falls to me." Leone summed up.
"Exactly." Descend plucked the crown from his head and tossed it to Leone, who caught it. "I Descend, emperor of the griffons, do hereby declare that you, my son, Leone, are the new ruler of the empire. Good luck."
Leone stared endlessly into his reflection on the crown. He couldn't believe what his ears were hearing. He couldn't believe that something so powerful was tossed to him like a ball. "You're serious about this...aren't you?"
"Well of course I'm serious. There's no need to worry, I have absolute faith that you'll make an excellent ruler. I'll inform everyone tomorrow about your ascension." Descend said, walking past Leone and out the room.
All while a wicked smile was on his face. Griffon's, kingdoms, empires, statues, idols, descendants, all were nothing compared to what was soon about to occur.
Nightwing stood before a pair of wooden double doors, a sad sigh escaped his lips. Today was a day that he didn't want to attend. He knew what would be behind the double doors, he knew what had to be done, he knew what would happen the moment he sat foot in that room. A hoof touched his shoulder.
Nightwing looked behind him to see that Luna, who was wearing a black dress, was giving him a reassuring smile. Nightwing took a deep breath, and pushed open the doors.
The room walls, ceiling, and floor were made of marble. A long red carpet that stretched from the doorway all the way to marble steps that led to a stand. Behind the stand was a stained glass window of the moon in front of the sun. Rows of wooden benches faced towards the marble stand. Candles, that were lit, where scattered all over the room in an organized fashion. Stretched along the right side of the red carpet were stallions adorned in golden solar armor. Along the left side of the red carpet were Batpony stallions that were adorned in dark blue lunar armor.
The rows of benches were filled with ponies Nightwing knew. Flash, Twilight, Starlight, Soarin, Rainbow Dash, Silver Platter, Rarity, Spike, Cheese Sandwich, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Ranger, Fluttershy, Thorn, Dinkie, First Base, Applebloom, Pip Squeak, Scootaloo, Rumble, Sweetie Bell, Button Mash, Derpy, Discord, Celestia, Shade, Cadence, Shining Armor, and a Alicorn mare with light pink fur, violet mane with a teal stripe, and teal eyes. There was also North Star. All of the mares wore black dresses, and all of the stallions wore black suits.
After Nightwing was sure that he no longer needed Luna's assistance, he asked her to take a seat. Luna complied with Nightwing's request and walked along the red carpet and entered a bench where she took her seat next to North Star.
Nightwing took a deep breath once more and started walking along the red carpet. When he passed by one of the sections of both guards they took a knee and knelt as Nightwing passed by. Nightwing walked up the marble steps and towards a wooden podium. To the right of the podium was a black metal casket with a yellow lightning bolt over a red shield symbol painted on it. Nightwing's hoof grazed across the surface of the casket before he stood behind the podium.
Nightwing stood behind the podium, his entire body nervous. Words crashed with others inside his brain. Nightwing cleared his mind and collected his thoughts before speaking.
"Thank you all for coming." He began. "Today.....is a sad day, for all of us. Today is the day we pay our respects to.....to a close of mine friend...to some he was a friend...to others he family...to many he was unknown.....and to everyone else...he was a hero." Nightwing spoke with pain and sadness in his voice. He wanted lie down on the floor and start crying, but his mind kept pushing him to continue speaking. "As many of you remember...the moon turned into a weapon known as Empyrion, a weapon capable of Equestria. It fired eight times...and each time it fired...something prevented it from reaching the earth." Nightwing's gaze shifted to the casket. "Or...'someone' prevented it, is what I should've said.....and that someone...was Lightning Strike. Who in turn...gave his life...so that Equestria wouldn't be harmed...... We all owe our lives to Lightning Strike...I do especially. I wish that there was more that I could've done for him, but...but there's nothing I can do." Nightwing stepped away from the podium and towards the casket, "Equestria will never know that they all owe their lives to Lightning...nor will they know of the sacrifice he made...I'm sorry Lightning Strike. You weren't there for me when the Order was still around...but you were there for me when you saved Equestria...so you better clean out your ears and listen good cause I'm only gonna say this once." Nightwing smiled as tears dropped onto the casket.
"Thank you." Nightwing spoke, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Thank you for everything...thank you for everything you've done, and everything that you did. Thank you Lightning Strike...I never thought of you as a friend...but now...after everything that's happened...I think it's safe to say that you were the best damn friend I ever had."
"Captain Nightwing." A sentinel spoke to Nightwing. "It's time for the burial."
Nightwing slowly nodded, removing himself from the casket. Three other sentinels approached the casket and each grabbed a handle. The sentinels lifted the casket above their heads and walked down the red carpet. Nightwing followed the sentinels as they opened the large door.
What Nightwing saw next, made his mind go completely blank.
On the other side of the room, on both sides of the red carpet, were ponies. Hundreds of ponies, possibly thousands. Every mare was dressed in a black dress and every Stallion wore a black suit. In the hooves of everypony they held a lit candle with a red shield around it. Nightwing stood at the entrance of the doorway speechless at what he was seeing.
"You said that no one would remember Lightning Strike for saving Equestria." North Star walked to Nightwing's side. "But you're wrong. You see, we told everyone from every corner of Equestria about Lightning Strike's heroism."
Nightwing smiled as he started to laugh. "What'da know...even after you died you can't help but prove me wrong."
A sense of pride and respect replaced the sadness and despair in Nightwing's heart. For once he held his head high as he walked behind Lightning Strike's casket. Everyone inside the room had exited and was now walking behind the casket. They continued down the red carpet until they reached a large balcony with grass as its flooring.
The balcony's grass had been neatly trimmed, and there were two maple trees planted behind a stone monument of a shield with a lightning bolt over it. On the base of the monument were words that had been chiseled into it. On it they read,
'Here lies Lightning Strike.
Friend, Brother, Hero.
Lightning Strike will never be forgotten
For his memory shall forever stay in our hearts'
Before the monument was a dug up rectangular hole for the casket. The Sentinels carried the casket above the hole and gently placed it inside.
"My, my, my. Such a depressing day this is."
A voice caught the attention of everyone as they looked up to the top of monument. Sitting comfortably on top of the shield was a unicorn mare with light grey fur, black eyes, long black mane, and she had a whip as her cutie mark.
Nightwing's body was filled with rage upon seeing the mare. "You!" He growled.
The mare smiled, "Hello Nightwing, surely you knew that I would be here. I told my servant after all."
"Get off of there right now before I throw you off." Nightwing demanded.
"Ooh such an angry tone. You should know better than to say things like that to me." The mare grinned harder.
"Why are you here?" Nightwing demanded.
"For you of course." The mare answered. "I'm here because I'm going to capture you and the elements of harmony."
"You're going to what?" Twilight spoke up.
"To capture you. Did I stutter?" The mare asked.
"What makes you think you can capture us?" Applejack asked.
"Because I've got a surprise for you." The mare answered.
Nightwing was about to say something but was interrupted as his body was engulfed in a green magical aura. The green aura then wrapped itself around Twilight, Pinkie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and First Base. The eight pony's wrapped in the aura were lifted into the air and flew past the mare.
A red portal opened up behind the mare and six creatures stepped forth and stood in mid-air. The creatures were two male alicorns, Descend, Chrysalis, Tirek, A snake like creature with wings. The mare leaped from the stone monument and took her rightful place beside the six creatures. Nightwing, First Base, and the Elements of Harmony hovered above them.
"Terraca." Celestia spoke, identifying the male alicorn with brown fur and green mane.
"Infernum." Luna spoke, identifying the male alicorn with black fur and red mane.
"Tirek." Discord growled at the somewhat bulk centaur.
"Chrysalis." Cadence hissed at the Changeling queen.
"Emperor Descend." North Star spoke to the griffon emperor.
The snake spoke, "None of you know who I am, so allow me to introduce myself. My name is Devorandum, I am the Demon of Blood."
The unicorn mare spoke, "My name is Libidine, Demon of Lust at your service."
Terraca spoke with pride, "I am Terraca, Demon of Earth."
Infernum spoke cooly, "My name is Infernum, Demon of Fire."
Tirek spoke, "I am Tirek, Demon of Gluttony."
Chrysalis spoke, "I am Chrysalis, Demon of Envy."
Descend spoke, "My name is Descend, Demon of Pain."
"Together we are the Seven Demons of Tartarus." They all said at once.
Discord gave them all a slow clap. "Bravo. What did you rehearse that speech in the mirror before you came here?"
Celestia spoke firmly, "Terraca, release them at once and we will show mercy."
"Mercy?" Terraca laughed. "I'm afraid that the situation is the other way around. See you're the ones here who are at a disadvantage." Terraca's eyes glowed green.
A loud rumble shook all of Canterlot. Everyone stumbled as they tried to keep their balance on the rocking city. Then there was an ear splitting crack. The ground beneath everyone began to slowly tilt to the left. Canterlot had been cut off from the mountain and was slowly sliding down.
"Probably wasn't smart of you to build a city hanging from a mountain." Terraca laughed.
Infernum stepped forward and spoke, "We leave you with two choices. Choice one, stop us and let Canterlot and everyone on it will plummet to their deaths. Or, you could use your magic to stop the city from falling, and in doing so you will allow us to escape."
"You made this far to easy Tia." Chrysalis chuckled. "I didn't think that someone like you would be so careless."
"To think that you'd put everyone in Equestria in one easy to destroy city." Tirek spoke. "It's almost laughable."
"We'll be taking our leave now." Devorandum grinned.
The Seven Demons turned to the portal and exited, the Element's of Harmony, Nightwing, and First with them.
After the portal closed Luna and Celestia were left with one choice. Celestia's eyes glowed yellow, as did her horn, and Luna's glowed blue, along with her horn. The City of Canterlot stopped sliding downwards and slowly went back up. Once the city was right back where it once stood Discord used his magic to summon a giant roll of duct tape which unwrapped itself and patched up the cracks from which the city had broken off from. Once the city was safely put back place Discord turned to everyone and said, "Well that just happened, who wants ice cream?"
Everyone gave Discord a flat look.
"What? Was it something I said?"
