Remnant of the Night

Chapters

Darkness Forgotten
A Kind of Magic
Castle in the Woods
His Secrets Have Secrets
Oh Brother There Art Thou
At the Turning of the Tide
Castle Crash Course
Belly of the Beast: Day 1
Belly of the Beast: Day 2
Belly of the Beast: Day 3
Behind the Curtain
Ultimatum Part 1/2: The Sun and The Stone
Ultimatum Part 2/2: Knightfall
(BC) Shining Armor Gets Hypnotized Again / Waffle's New Sleeve
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Public Education

Darkness Forgotten

Blackness. All of Kaiscillius's dreams were blackness. Sometimes things whispered in it, the barest hint of reality brushed softly against the edges of his slumbering mind, but only briefly, and so lightly it would not be noticed.

Sound. Sound in the darkness, that was wrong, that should not be. Noise, loud, clinging to him, dragging him. The world, the world was coming back, dragging him out of his sleep, a thunderous world of noise and pain! No! Send him back to his dreams of the dark!

Kaiscillius awoke.

Flying Colors was not a pegasus. A fact she had been teased about since the early days of her kindergarten years. "Flying's not flying!" "Your parents musta thought that if they named you like a pegasus, you'd be one!" Stupid bullies. No she was not a pegasus, but a unicorn, her cutie mark a test paper with a large A+ printed on it. Not that the rest of her body did anything to help the comparison between her and a pegasus. She had an light build, with naturally toned muscles and a firm ass that had no business being attached to a unicorn. So while during her childhood she'd gotten made fun of, now she got catcalls. Still, she was a unicorn through and through, and nothing made her happier than to complete a task to perfection. This is why it had galled her so when she had to be held back a year due to "disciplinary issues" in her advanced magical studies classes at Canterlot University. She'd barely constructed an elaborate automaton to throttle the guy! How could she have known he would've gotten hurt? But that one little slip up had put her a year behind, leaving all the best magical field research to be done by those insufferable idiots who were not in any way deserving of her glory. Oh sure there were still a few projects left half-finished by last year's class that she could pick up and complete, but then she would've looked lazy! And who knew how much research they'd actually done before giving up to go drink or beat a puppy or something. No, if she was going to get the recognition she deserved, she'd have to do something edgy, groundbreaking, and at least mildly controversial! So this morning, she'd put her bright orange butt into her hiking gear, and tuned a magical detection spell for low levels of dark magic. She was actually a little surprised to find a source so close to Canterlot, just a little ways down the mountain, but the amount of dark magic was so small it couldn't have been more than a gem or animal that had accidentally become imbued from a University experiment leak. But the source was close, intriguing and, most importantly, the safest option she had available.

So Flying Colors set off. It took her only an hour to carefully cross the face of the mountain to the area that she had detected the magical source to be. At first it didn't look like much, just normal mountain face, but then she noticed an irregularity in just how regular it was. It was a completely average section of rock, right down to the strata, for some reason this seemed odd to her. Flying took aim at the mysterious wall and blasted a concentrated burst of magical energy into the heart of it. The wall collapsed inward with a crash and clatter, revealing a small passageway behind. Swallowing her nerves, Flying crept down the stone tunnel, her shield and beam spell at the ready. Slowly she made her way down the long passage until the sun no longer touched the stones she walked upon, and instead her way was lit by beautiful small white crystals that on the dark grey of the stone, reminded her of a clear night sky. As she continued down the tunnel, those crystals became more and more prevalent, but gave off less light, and the stone darkened from slate grey to pitch black. Finally, when the small white specks dazzled her eyes against that void-like background, the passage opened up into a large dome shaped cave. Flying gasped at the beauty of it, so many white specks filled her vision that it should have been impossible to see anything else, but that only seemed to make the dark lines of stone between them assert themselves more. The perfect dome of the walls and ceiling looked like a constant battle of light and dark, swirling in an infinity of imagined patterns and shapes. Flying nearly jumped for joy, she could probably write a paper on the formation of this room alone, much less anything that might be found here. Speaking of which... Flying surveyed the rest of the room. The floor was much the same as the ceiling, except flat, giving her the uncomfortable sensation that she was walking on nothing, and that the floor was actually very far away from her. This magnificent optical allusion ended abruptly at a large black pool of... something at the back of the room. Flying noticed an oddity about the pool, it's surface was completely still. No drips of water from above landed on it, and now that she was thinking about it, no air from an underground geothermal vent or from the surface filtered through here, it was completely undisturbed.

Blackness. But not the same. Noise. So loud, so loud! Heaving breath, stomping feat, shaking his pool, his solitude. What is it? The water roared in Kaiscillius's ears as his head moved, his joints popped loud as firecrackers as he used them for the first time in centuries. Slowly, gently, he climbed for the surface. He wondered what it was like. More of his mind had clawed it's way out of the depths of the dreaming black, and he thought more now. No longer animal notions but real thoughts, well reasoned and intelligent. It would be... good to see the surface again, he decided. It had been so long. Still, he wished his Awakener had not been so loud. Even now he heard bone grind against bone, it must have bent over, and he assumed it was female from the frankly useless muffling of the heartbeat. A female, yes. But a female what?

Flying froze as the water rippled ever so slightly. She had bent over to get a better look at it's surface, but whatever it was made of it was so dark that she couldn't see past the first inch or so. She shrugged off the ripple as her own breath hitting the water, but it still put her on edge. Still, if something was really down there, the water would move a whole lot more than that. And then a massive dragon-like head slid smoothly out of the water, not five feet from her, and without a sound.

Oh good, it was a pony female! She looked very suitable too, light frame with an athletic musculature, small breasts, soft lips, and an interesting orange coat with a blue mane. And a unicorn to boot! This was going to be a very successful Awakener, he could tell already. Now he was faced with a choice though, feed and interrogate, or interrogate and feed? Oh, he couldn't help himself, he had to know about all that had happened while he was dormant. Also not all of his memories had returned from that endless dream yet, he still didn't know exactly what "feeding" entailed. He had a feeling she would like it though.

Flying did not panic. Panic killed ponies. She would not, and did not, panic. However a strong argument could be made for extreme spikes in her anxiety levels. Instead, she focused on surveying the new creature before she freaked out about it. The head was quite large, and definitely reptilian. A little too short in the snout to be a dragon however, and its coloration was off the charts. It looked like the room around her except more beautiful, more detailed, like its face had been carved from a living night sky. It rippled and shifted, whole galaxies flashed and wheeled, nebulas and black holes danced and intertwined. The scale of it was breathtaking and mesmerizing. She felt like she could watch it for hours, especially its eyes. Its eyes looked like shattered space, fragments of light pierced through inky blackness, but the more she gazed into them, the more she could see, the deeper the fragments went. Light like crystal materialized, shattered into points, and deepened into blackness to materialize again in endless whirling patterns, and the layers only became deeper and more complex the longer she gazed deep into those eyes. Something was wrong. She knew it, she was in danger... somehow, but those lights held mysteries and answers that she could almost see, if she just looked into them a little longer...

No! her instincts roared, and Flying realised this was a trap. With a supreme effort of will she hauled her eyes from the beast, and tore her body from the floor spinning completely around and squeezing her eyes shut tight. Her heart was pounding, her mind blank with fear. A few more seconds and she would have been gone, lost in those... lights... stretching, crystalline... beautiful-

Flying jerked her head back around to the entrance of the cave and gasped like she'd almost suffocated. Her eyes had almost opened, and she was sure she'd been halfway to facing the pool again. What was this thing?

Kaiscillius watched as the female struggled to cope with his gifts. He had remembered some now, enough to know the glorious purpose he was burdened with. "What is thine name, little beauty?" Kaiscillius watched as the mare shivered as his voice washed over her. Unsurprising, it was deep and low, sounding as if it came from the very air around her. He placed a powerful five-toed astral claw on the edge of the pool, but did not pull himself out. He wanted her to come to him.

Oh Celestia that voice! Such a deep timbre, such casual command! She had to be speaking to a king! What? That was ridiculous, why would she think something like that?

"Flying Colors, sir," the words were out before she could stop them. What was happening? Why was she doing these things? She could feel her muscles trying to twist, trying to face the creature again, but she defended valiantly against the urge. She felt her skin crawl and go cold at her refusal to turn, it was disrespectful to not give him her full, uncompromising attention! This isn't me! her mind screamed, I just want to go home...

Kaiscillius chuckled at the uncertainty of her address, she would know her place soon enough. "Thou shalt name us 'My Lord', and thou hast no need to fear us, we simply wish to ask thee after the matters of thine world. Tell us, how goes the war betwixt the Sun and Moon?"

"That was... a thousand and some years ago my Lord, Nightmare Moon was defeated, and restored back into Princess Luna. She now rules under her sister, Princess Celestia." Gah! Stupid body, stop obeying his commands! But even now she could feel her unconscious mind completely at peace, he had told her not to be afraid after all. She really wanted to look at those eyes, they were glorious, He was glorious...

Stop that! Stupid subconscious. But wait! He might have given away someth-

Her train of thought was promptly stampeded by a violent booming hiss from the creature behind her, sending her immediately into the fetal position on the floor, her heart racing and aching with shame at whatever she had done to cause him such frustration.

"WHAT! That vile wretch Celestia dares to insinuate herself as the ruler of this land? My mother lay under some sorcerer's trickery, bound to her lesser form?" Kaiscillius boomed, slamming his other claw down onto the floor of the cavern. If this was true then he must act fast, no more time for questioning, he needed magic, which meant he needed food.

"Flying Colors, turn thine gaze to us at once!" He commanded.

Instantly her body snapped around to face him. More of his celestial form had been dragged from the fathomless depths of the pool, and now all of her conscious effort was focused on staring at his chest rather than his eyes. His chest was beautiful too... maybe not as good as his eyes but... swirly, so deep... the longer she looked, the more she saw, new wonders to explore, marvels to trace her eyes across and down, down, down she went. She wanted to touch it, to draw her fingers across those ever-forming constellations, to stroke the newly formed stars as they aged and blinked out of existence.

No! No I don't, that sounds like a terrible idea! but her legs didn't seem to think her brain was in charge anymore, and slowly she shuffled forward a step. And another, another, until she was mere inches away from her Lord's titanic form.

Oh, so we're calling him "my Lord" now? She had decided that the person currently in charge of her body while she was out was actually a separate entity occupying the same space. It made it easier to cope with the complete inability to avoid certain death, though not by much.

"M-My Lord?" She asked shakily, "May I touch you?" Her tone was submissive, her hands already outstretched greedily, hovering an inch away from his chest. Her eyes were glazed with greed as the lights spun and danced before her, drawing her deeper into his thrall.

"Please do, little beauty. Remove your clothing and step into our pool. Bathe with us, and touch to your heart's content." Kaiscillius made sure his voice was pitched low and sultry, he wondered if he had overestimated his level of control over her before he saw a hot blush rise to Flying's face as she desperately tore at her clothes. Satisfied with her progress, Kaiscillius pushed back from the shore of the pool and drifted nearer to its center, admiring her smooth form from his reclined position.

Bad touch! Bad touch! Stranger danger! Flying's body took no heed of her mind's protests as it unbuttoned her shirt and bra, her nipples hardening in the cold air of the cavern. She ripped the button out of her pants in removing them when her fingers shook too much to get at it, and she tore her panties off with little regard for how she was going to get them back on when they were in half like that. She took time to, despite many mental protestations, stretch for her new Lord, who she knew watching, making sure to bend and rub her body in alluring ways as she prepared to dive into the pool. She felt her face grow warm, and a twinge down south as she looked at him floating in the pool. She couldn't see all of him, just his neck and head now, but what was really getting her going were those eyes that seemed to anchor his will to her. They were just so intense, so powerful... she just wanted to let them have her...

Grah! No! Can't... can't let it take me... need to... stay strong...

Flying slowly made her way into the black water, swaying her hips and stretching her arms like a cat as she locked her eyes on her Lord's. She hissed as the coolness of the water met her hot skin, then fluttered her eyelashes at him and covered part of her chest in mock modesty, drawing attention to her cleavage and her hard navy blue nipples. She paddled sensuously out to his neck, taking time to bathe her body in the water, only to find herself touching something solid when she was almost there. She looked down and saw what she had wanted all this time. Those whirling cosmic bodies moved beneath her wet fingers, and called like a siren to her failing consciousness. The enraptured part of her was delighted to find that his body actually reacted to her touch, spinning or creating or destroying entities where she rubbed. She ran her hands over every section of his chest in front of her, making the lights splay in new fashions, ones she was content to watch forever. Well, most of her anyway. She slowly reclined onto her back, rubbing his chest, along with her own, groaning as she stared into his bottomless eyes and licked her lips. Her mind fought against the enchanted gaze, and was unable to prevent her body from spreading its legs and arching her back to give her Lord the best view of her wet lower lips as possible. She unconsciously smiled coquettishly at him, and bit her lower lip as her cold fingers rubbed and pinched at one of her nipples in tight, teasing circles.

Haaa... No! S-stop! That's not what, mmmf, not what I want! I don't want him to... to... mmm, Celestia... It was almost to much for what little conscience that she had left to deal with the sexual stimulation and the relentless mind-numbing stare.

Kaiscillius knew he had her, and he decided it was time to claim his prize. He lifted his two other massive heads from the water, which had previously been limply attached to his back, and moved them over his chest to her body. He positioned them on either side of his new toy and began to lick long strokes up and down her body, lathering her in a thick dark liquid. As he licked he was delighted to find that her body tasted like a strange orange fruit his mother had given him once, it was sour and a little sweet. He also tasted salt, but he imagined that was her sweat.

Flying gasped as a new wonderful feeling began to course through her body. She looked away from her Lord's face to see another, slightly smaller one, next to her. Its smooth, long tounge rapidly covered and licked her body. They excreted some sort of dark liquid that soaked into her skin, making her feel hot and sensitive, which made her shiver with pleasure when one of the tounges passed over that spot again, cooling and relighting the fire. The tounges slid over her belly and back, and finally she moaned and twisted as they started rubbing and lathering her nipples in the thick fluid. After a few seconds of them alternating between flicking her nipples and retreading any spots that began to cool, she was soaked with arousal, her pussy lips were as swollen as if she were in full estrus and her breasts were heaving like a bellows. It felt like her whole body was on fire were his tounges had touched her. All except one place. She started to reach down towards her sopping pussy when one more the heads pulled back and cracked it's tounge like a whip against her flank. She cried out at the sudden cooling contact, and moaned as the heat redoubled in a line across her butt. The other head whispered to her in a singsong fashion, "Not yet, my pet, not yet..." Flying Colors put her arm down and whimpered noisily as the tounges returned to their new favorite spots, her tits. They circled and squeezed, tearing moans and gasps from her throat as she breathed raggedly from the intense stimulation. Her nails found no purchase on the wet smooth surface below her as she scrabbled for a handhold and jerked her head back grunting and moaning as she felt on the brink of a burning climax, when all of the sudden the tounges stopped their relentless assault on her breasts. She whined in unfulfilled agony as her Lord's twin heads slowly drew their tounges down different halves of her stomach, causing her to shiver and cry out as they cooled the burning on her skin, only to have it leap back in full force as they left. Her eyes were rolled back in her head, and her whole body was arched upwards, she bucked her hips towards the tounges, her pussy so blazingly hot she couldn't bear it.

"My little peeeet." Kaiscillius cooed down to her, snapping his tounges away from her just before they reached her soaking lips, causing her to squeal with frustration.

Flying moaned and panted hoarsely. Her thoughts were barely coherent, and her body was weeping with need for something to be inside of her, no matter the cost. "My Lord... please..." She moaned pathetically, her arms flopping onto his chest as her hips bucked ineffectually into to the air in hope that something would be there to spear her.

"Thou forgets thine place little one, is it not to please us? If thou should perform this task well, mayhaps a bargain can be struck."

Celestia I NEED it... No! Can't... can't let him... buck... buck my tight little pussy so hard I forget my own name, so hard even the ponies in Canterlot can hear my screams as I cum again and again, yessss...

"I'll please you my Lord! Anyway you want! I am yours, heart and soul, mind and body, please let me show you how good I can make you feel!" Flying moaned to him lecherously as her pussy started leaking down her already soaked thighs, doing nothing to assuage the burn of the thick aphrodisiac that coated her body.

Kaiscillius gave an approving rumble that shook Flying as she laid bare before him on his chest. "Then thou wouldst call us thine Master, and be a slave to our will?"

Kaiscillius knew that this was the real test, if she resisted now-

"Celestia yes, I am your slave Master, I would do anything for you! Anything!" Flying cried to him tearfully, her voice laden with desperation.

Well, that hadn't taken nearly as long as he'd expected. Or wanted. He was almost disappointed, his mother had said that his Awakener would be a special pony of significant stature and resilience, clearly the pony standards had fallen in the last thousand years. Oh well, he still needed a food source and this one was more than willing. "Thine first task then, slave, is to prove thine loyalty to us. The exact method of which is currently standing behind thou."

Confused at what he meant, Flying stood and turned around, at first not comprehending exactly what she was seeing. It was large certainly, thicker than her whole head, obsidian in color and strangely smooth. It seemed to be pulsating, and sort of...corded- with a gulp Flying colors realized what she was looking at. Her new Master's cock was huge, that was the only word for it, and she nearly wept with sadness that she knew she'd never take it all inside her, no matter how hard she tried.

Come on Flying think, her newly reprogrammed mind began, how can I still satisfy him if I can't fit it in me? She decided that foreplay was always a good place to start, and maneuvered slowly down his stomach and crotch. It was a daunting thing up close, it radiated heat and smelled like... well she didn't have a word for it, but her body burned hotter at its scent, and she decided to throw caution to the wind or she would die of arousal.

She moved her arms to either side of the head of the shaft and hugged it, actually reaching both of her arms around the monster. It felt like molten stone, only adding to her body temperature, and it twitched and shuddered at her contact, oozing a drop of precum about the size of her fist. Flying didn't care, and shoved her face right into it, slurping up the creamy goop and licking her way all around the head of his shaft, her tounge gliding smoothly over the fleshy surface. She shuddered and drooled at the taste of the secretion. It tasted like her favorite meal, sugar cookies with cherry soda, but somehow about 10% more delicious. She had an instant craving for more, and began licking and hug-rubbing his massive cock with gusto, sliding her arms up and down the shaft with what little mobility she had. Soon whole bucketfuls of the stuff was pouring from him like a faucet, gushing out of her eager mouth and down over her blazing body. Wherever it touched it brought a heavenly cold snap hat made her tremble at every inch it traveled down her body, until at long last a thick line of the stuff oozed it's way straight over her clitoris.

Flying came hard and messy, spraying her fluids all over her Master's crotch as she hugged tightly to his pulsating shaft and screaming into his thick meat as she guzzled as much precum as she could fit down her throat. Her muscles clenched so hard that she actually lifted her back end upward and slammed her pussy into a perfectly placed nub on his shaft, and her eyes rolled back into her head as she yelped and came again, wrapping her legs around the cock and vigorously humping the nub while she practically drowned in the gallons of precum being poured over her face and tits. Now using the readily available lubricant, Flying was working up a rhythm as she slid her entire body up and down his cock at once, constantly sucking on the tip with her mouth and grinding different parts of her pussy on the line of nubs that ran outward from the tip that were so helpfully provided for her. It was tiring work, but the precum she was guzzling seemed to give her a buzz every time she drank another load, as well as make her hornier with each gulp of the divine liquid.

"Yes my pet, that's it. Swallow as much as you can, isn't it delicious?" Kaiscillius whispered softly in her ear as his two heads hovered near her, occasionally licking up her spine or around her ear, much to her delight. Kaiscillius gazed hungrily at the small form of the mare as she continued her wonderful work. As she slurped and ground against him he found that, after at least a thousand years being pent up, this felt great. He also now appreciated how quickly she had succumbed, he didn't know if he would have had the patience to break her properly. He hissed as she licked over a particularly sensitive area, and heard her squeal in delight as he twitched and gushed more into her waiting mouth. His eyes half closed as he relaxed into the water, Kaiscillius murmured, "Just like that, my pet, yessss..."

Finally Kaiscillius began to feel the tell-tale signs of an orgasm from the wild full-body blowjob he was being given, and made no attempts to prolong its arrival, he had already won this fight.

Flying felt her Master's cock grow harder and larger in her arms, and put all of her effort into licking, sucking and rubbing the tip of his penis, and with a loud growl and thrust, Kaiscillius came.

If Flying had thought that there was a lot of precum, then she was in for a big surprise as the tip exploded with a fire hose's worth of pressure as rivers of thick white liquid flowed right over her stomach, tits, shoulders, and face. It was like being submerged in liquid bliss, everywhere it touched became as sexually sensitive as her pussy walls, which caused a vicious cycle of her orgasming hard and clenching her leg muscles as she screamed in ecstasy, which then made it impossible to let go before the next load hit her newly sensitive areas full force, and started the process over again. After a full 30 seconds of gulping, moaning, and violent humping, it was done. Flying collapsed trembling into the slurry of her and her Master's cum that had formed beneath her. Of course landing in his cum made her scream and moan as it electrified her back with pleasure in one last orgasm before she flopped sideways into the dark water to avoid the mind-numbing process.

Kaiscillius groaned loudly enough to shake the cavern as his first orgasm in a thousand years washed over him, and he felt as his cock shudder and jerk in pleasure as it bathed her in his thick fluid. He felt as she let go, and gave a chuckle at her alarmed help, before watching her cute flop into the "water" they floated in. He studied her carefully as she bobbed up and down in the light ripples of the water. It was not her ragged breathing, her twitching thighs, or the heavy scent of her arousal that he was watching. It was something that, as far as he knew, only he could see. Inside of her, swirling waves of energy danced, and blackness intertwined.

Not enough, he thought to himself, she'd barely make a half decent snack with what little she's absorbed. I'd have to wait for days on end for it to grow into a proper meal. However, depending on when she wakes up, I may be able to remedy that situation.

He was pleased to find her stirring within thirty heartbeats, and decided that with a little push she would be ready.

Flying Colors felt like passing out. As far as sex went, that had been the best chain of events of her life, and now she felt ready for a nice nap in this cool water. But something was bugging her, a sort of knot in her stomach and horn, an ache that felt like a soar throat. She tried to ignore it, but it pounded through her, spreading first to her chest and legs, then out to her arms. She grunted and huffed in frustration as she tried to relax, but this burning ache knotted her muscles, clouded her mind, made it feel like she had ants all over her. She felt restless, like she needed to move. With a frustrated growl her eyes snapped open and she righted herself in the water. The burning was taking over from the pain now, it was especially bad in her horn and crotch, but it didn't feel as bad as when those tounges had had her. All slippery and... long... and warm...

Sweet Celestia, I'm bucking horny, she managed to force the thought through her clouded mind, when she felt something absolutely massive pass underneath her. A jolt went up her spine as something long and thin brush against her thighs, and she moaned in anticipation of whatever it might be.

Just buck me. Whatever you are, just buck me bucking senseless! she thought. She assumed it was her master toying with her, but before she could look, she felt two long and thin tendrils tighten around her waist, and she was hoisted out of the water by a night sky-like appendage, confirming her suspicions. The two tendrils thickened as the wound down to the water before reforming into a single base at the pool's surface,and then she could see no more of it. Her Master carried her back over to him, and from here she was able to get a good bird's eye view of what she'd been sucking and humping like a slut earlier. The obsidian shaft looked even bigger from up there, but that was partially due to her being able to fully appreciate the length of the thing as well as it's width. It must have been at least as long as she was tall, maybe a little more, and she could see at least three more of those lines of ridges from the angle that she was at, besides the one she had clung to when she was under him, which meant he must have had five of them. She felt proud that she'd actually manage to get him off now, the job was supposed to be done by five mares at the same time apparently, and she'd done it all on her lonesome.

Kaiscillius held Flying up with his tail for just a little while, admiring her dripping wet body. And if his nose was right, not all of those droplets falling down were water either. His cock still hadn't softened from the last time, and it twitched at the hot splashes of fluid that landed on it. Kaiscillius's eyes glazed with lust as her observed her naked body, and the scent of her arousal also washed over his nostrils. He decided that, ready or not, he was going to be inside of her. And so, with a growl, he started the main course.

Flying squeaked with excitement as she saw the two smaller heads rising out of the water up towards her again, bringing with them their wonderful tounges. She was practically bouncing with anticipation as she was lowered down towards them by the tail that was holding her aloft, until they disappeared from her line of sight. She yelped and shuddered as she felt the first lick along the sole of her right foot, and then another on her left. The tounges slowly worked their way around the base of her feet and toes, coating every inch in the burning fluid, and occasionally flicking up the back of one of her thighs, eliciting a gasp and groan from Flying, who's tounge lolled out of her mouth as she shuddered and enjoyed the attention. After setting her feet ablaze they moved to each lower calf, moving up and down in synchronized rhythmic motions. As they rotated around her lower legs they sporadically tapped her inner thighs, just barely avoiding her drenched snatch. Flying was desperately trying to time hip thrusts with the random tounge flicks just so that they might accidently hit her where she wanted it, but luck was not on her side, and the painfully slow buildup continued, sending waves of molten heat through her with every lick. The tounges eventually finished with her lower legs and moved at an agonizing pace along her smooth thighs, dragging the tounges in unison towards her. Flying was hyperventilating as the fire had spread from her searing groin to the rest of her body, it was almost as bad as the first time.

When I crawled under his cock like a slut and sucked it until his thick, delicious spunk poured out all over me and I came, and came, and came... Flying shuddered and sighed happily at the recent memory.

Flying screamed with joy as she felt something long, forked, and smooth slide straight in between her legs her with no resistance. Flying moaned and bucked her hips frantically as she finally came after the tortuously long tease, the heat that had been building flooded out through her pussy as it drenched the new intruder in her own fluids. However, the tounge didn't stop because of something as simple as all of its surroundings doing their damnedest to keep it pinned in place, oh no. It seemed to have a mind of it's own as it pistoned, rotated, and actively searched out and exploited weak spots. Flying thrashed back and forth in the tail's grasp as she was assaulted with the most powerful sensations she'd ever felt. She clenched her teeth through the first orgasm which lasted unbearably long as the thing continued to fuck her as hard as it could. She screamed and groaned like a whore as she bucked her hips in tandem with the tounge inside her as she finally was able to unclench her muscles, but the buildup towards the next climax was fast progressing. And then she felt the breath rip from her body as the tounge stopped... and a second one forced its way in between her legs, shoving it's way in underneath the one already there. She went limp and merely grunted in a non-stop heat wave of pleasure as the two bodies inside her went buck wild, coating every inch of her in the fluid that only heightened the pleasure of what they were doing, and made that animal nature in her crave more. She was barely thinking anymore as the two explored her to her deepest limits. Several times she jerked and gasped as they hit her cervix, which sent a powerful tingle up and down her spine. She smiled blissfully as her body rocked back and forth in the tail's grasp as she was fucked into oblivion by her wonderful Master, she cried out to him several times as she was abused, wanting more, wanting it faster and harder the longer the tounges rubbed inside her.

Kaiscillius had to admit that he loved how she tasted. Her warm folds welcomed his tounges as he drank in as much of her scent and arousal as he could. Here she tasted like her skin had, except much stronger, with a salty sourness that he delved deeper and deeper to pursue. Her pussy was tight around his two tounges, and he shivered in lust every time he heard her cry out and moan. He wanted her more than he cared to admit, and he smiled cruelly as he knew that she was his. All his, and his alone, to enjoy fully, and he longed to make her squeal for him.

In such a state of bliss was Flying Colours that she didn't even notice as she was lowered down further, and the tounges switched tactics. They focused instead on coating the outer rim of her hole, and widening it, rather than going as deeply as possible. She did notice, however, when the tounges withdrew from inside of her. She frowned and cooed in disapproval as she groggily looked down to see what was going on. Her eyes widened and she gasped hopefully as she saw her Master's cock beneath her, gleaming black in all of the fluids that had coated it from her display above. Precum once again leaked slowly from the tip, and Flying longed to taste its sweet fullness once more, but her Master had other plans for her. She was lowered toward the gargantuan quivering mass, until her sopping pussy sat squarely on the tip. Flying yelled and grit her teeth in pleasure as she was rotated on the tip, smearing a mixture of her arousal and the precum all over the head of the shaft. Everything within the first two inches of her groin was ground against the member stimulating every area at once, and putting massive pressure on her as she was stretched to the breaking point.

It won't fit, she thought as tears of disappointment and shame flowed to her eyes, I've failed you my Master, it won't fit.

Suddenly she felt the ache that had nestled in her horn what seemed like ages ago drain completely out of her head, leaving her groaning in relief as the dull headache lifted. She juddered and twitch as her painfully tight snatch continued to be ground against the tip of something far to massive for her to take, and that would go no farther into her past the first two inches or so. The aching feeling sloshed it's way down her shoulder, then into her stomach, and finally it reached her crotch. Flying heard a pop and fizz, and yelped as she was suddenly jerked down another two inches on the shaft, then another, before she became stuck again. Still her master twisted and rotated her with his tail like before, and Flying felt a fullness that she had never imagined possible. She was sure that she saw black specks float upwards past her eyes, but then she considered that she might be passing out.

Kaiscillius observed the progress inside of her and was delighted to find that the dark magic was being generated at the perfect rate for him to enjoy her fully, as long as he was patient. He delighted in her gasps and groans as he turned her like a hog on a spit, and his eyes nearly rolled up as she slid slowly down his cock, inch by inch. He had missed the feeling of being inside a mare.

After a few seconds of unfeeling, suddenly the nerve endings in Flying's vagina roared to life, and she really felt those extra three inches as every possible surface was rubbed, twisted, and ground in the best way possible. She could feel so much liquid being pumped into her that she would have thought her Master was cumming already had she not had previous experience with the copious amount of delicious fluids that he produced. Strangely, despite the fact that much more was flowing out than she could handle, none seemed to be gushing out and running down her legs as it ought to. She seemed to be... absorbing most of it, her body greedily soaking it up like a cat with milk. She felt the ache build up inside of her again as more and more of the precum soaked into the walls of her pussy, until with another pop and fizz she was shunted down farther along the shaft, feeling like she probably should have been ripped in half. Until the new wave of pleasure hit her brain that was, and she clenched down on the new section of meat inside her as she screamed out her third orgasm. She felt now like she was at some form of final hurdle, though she couldn't see anything beyond the wall of tail that manipulated her body like a ragdoll. Apparently her master thought she needed extra assistance too, because one of his heads slowly rose into her field of view, and moved right into her face. He pressed his mouth onto hers, and she willingly opened the way for his tounge to slide in, wrestling with her own as she moaned loudly at the contact. Large amounts of the black aphrodisiac flowed into her mouth, and she guzzled as much as she could while wrapping her tounge with his much larger one, and pressing her face harder into the kiss. She felt the ache build up faster and stronger this time, and felt a small a pang of disappointment that he had kissed her to accomplish a goal, and not because he just wanted to. The tounge slowly withdrew from her mouth and she was able to stare straight into his eyes. She felt calmed by the gaze, and relaxed completely under it, smiling dazedly.

With a loud pop, Flying's pussy swallowed the edge of the tip, and with a loud hiss she slid straight down the rest of the shaft until it slammed against her cervix. She felt a wonderful tightness as the tail around her midsection squeezed her skin against the cock inside her, which was clearly visible from the huge bulge in her midsection. And then her mind exploded and she was unable to process thought for a few seconds. Her far overstretched snatch squirted anything it had left as the muscles inside spasmed against the unimaginable girth that filled every inch of her.

Kaiscillius groaned and gritted his teeth as she slid down to the halfway point, and a little farther before he slammed into a dead end. Then her snatch squeezed him even tighter, and Kaiscillius's eyes nearly bugged out of his head as an intense pressure threatened to end his lovemaking for the rest of his days. But with dark magic warping reality and leaking from her like a sieve it wasn't long before it just felt "really tight" inside her, rather than, "your dick is being compressed by hydraulic pistons".

Flying came down from the orgasm panting, and with tears of joy in her eyes. She stared into those of her Master's, and gave a firm nod. Without any further warning, her Master pistoned into her with full force, using his tail to force her up and down the shaft at a jackhammer pace. Flying screamed silently as she was tossed wildly up and down, her mind overloaded with sensation. After the first five seconds of unintelligible gibbering, her brain blanked, wiped clean in the constant tsunami of pleasure that roared through her body as she was fucked and used like a toy. Hisses and pops rang out through the cavern, unheard by her as she grunted softly and flopped limply in her Master's grasp.

Kaiscillius grunted and gasped as he held nothing back, and slammed repeatedly as hard as he could into her tight body, using both his hips and tail to drive her down as far as she could go, bringing her back to the tip, and repeating the process. He loved how good this felt, how helpless she was. Just laying there and taking it, being made to love it more and more with every thrust. He grinned like a madpony as he felt a tingling sensation return to him, and he used one of his heads to kiss her passionately as he slammed as deep as he could go, and emptied his balls into her.

Flying did not know how long her Master used her for. She only vaguely returned to her senses when she felt something on her lips and her Master came inside of her, ballooning her entire stomach and vaginal passage to cartoonish proportions, setting of a long chain of hissing as black specks swarmed around her body like bees. She could only gasp and shudder weakly as her mind faded from consciousness, utterly spent, and her abused body slurped in an enormous quantity of cum.

Flying Colors awoke to darkness. She blinked confused at her surroundings, seeing no light source and hearing nothing. She was laying on something solid, and she could feel her arms, hands, legs, and toes. She sat up and looked around. Everything was black, no light came from anywhere, but she could still see her body as if it were normally lit. She was wearing her normal t-shirt and jeans, but for some reason this struck her as odd. Hadn't she been wearing something else?

It all came back to her. The tunnel, the cave, that... thing. Everything it had done to her. She sobbed in horror as unwanted memories filled her head, assaulting her with sensation and feelings she knew were not her own. Above all she hated the overlaying theme of the memories... how much she'd loved it. Flying wept bitterly at her predicament, self-loathing, fear, and hatred balled into a knot in her throat.

"Well, we did not expect to findest thou here."

That voice. It made her lock up with fear as it rumbled like encroaching thunder behind her. But fear quickly bled into anger as she remembered the way he'd forced her to fall in line with his desires. How he'd used her. She slowly stood reaching for her magic, and touched upon a well of power so vast that she recoiled from it in confusion at first. Her power reserves were unbelievably huge, larger than they'd ever been, larger than she'd ever thought they could be. She grinned savagely as she poured power into a beam spell, and whipped around to face the bastard who'd done this to her.

Kaiscillius, in his mind's eye, saw his pet. What little speck was left of her original personality. He felt her drawing from the growing power within her, and suckled on her horn in the physical world, savoring the taste of pure liquid magic that flowed down his throat. She had much more to give, and he would take it all, in time.

Flying felt the spell she had been casting die on her horn, and felt a tingle run through her that gave her very unpleasant flashbacks. She was stunned, he hadn't even cast a counterspell or anything. He didn't even have a horn that she could see, he shouldn't have been able to cast magic at all, how could he have disintegrated it like that? Flying gulped as she then realised that with no spell and no plan, she'd just turned to face the most dangerous creature to gaze upon in all of Equestria. And for the first time she saw fully the beast's titanic figure.

Three heads rose from it, one from the shoulders, two from the back, giving it a hydra-like appearance. However it did not have scales. Instead it had broad, thick plates of some material that looked like black iron which covered every inch of the beast's body. Even around the joints the plates did not give way to pebbly skin as it ought to have, but rather the plates became smaller and smaller until they had passed the joint, where they became larger again. It's four legs were each as large as a tree trunk, and its whole body seemed to be almost 60 feet long, and 25 feet tall. The swirling faux cosmos ran the full length of the creature, playing across every surface, from the tip of its nose to the ends of its forked tail. Its dazzling three pairs of eyes shone down at her, but they didn't seem nearly as... enticing as before. Neither did the creature's body, it was interesting to look at certainly, but no more than that, and definitely not alluring in any way. Flying was greatly confused by this, but decided to take advantage of the lack of mesmerization to try and fire another bolt using her increased reserves.

Kaiscillius was impressed at her quick analysis of him, though a little disappointed at the lack of creativity on the spell choices. He quickly drained the magic from her horn again, feeling the hunger for more grow in his stomach, but he wanted to speak with the last bastion of Flying Colors, without his gifts interfering. He felt it would be... an interesting experience.

"Stay thine arms, little pony, they will do thou no good here. Instead converse with us. We are impressed at thine resilience, normally those who succumb as quickly as thou have no final line of defence. Yet when we tried to peruse thine memories, here thou standest, " Kaiscillius said.

Flying replied panickedly, "What do you mean my powers don't work here? Where are we? What are you?"

"If we answered those questions, thou wouldst knoweth o'ermuch, and then we must kill thou," Kaiscillius responded solemnly. "Instead we will offer thou this deal. Thou art a single barrier between us and our goal, thou mayest allow us to pass, or we may kill to achieve the same end. Should thou choose to let us pass by, we will build a world in which thou may live, perfectly constructed from thine own memory, happy and untroubled as long as thou may live. Thou shalt not know the ravages of time, nor the pain of death. However, should thou chooseth to stand against us..." Kaiscillius left off ominously. He didn't bother using body language to try and convince her. For one he wanted this to be her choice, he wanted her to willingly choose to submit. And two she wouldn't grasp most of the subtleties anyway if she were unfamiliar with his body structure.

Flying thought about the choice she had been offered. The first seemed incredibly tempting. Her body was already gone, her magic unresponsive, and she didn't want to truly die. But there was one question she had to ask, one question far more important than her own life.

"Answer me truthfully demon, if I let you have control, what are your plans after leaving this place?"

Kaiscillius considered his answer. He could lie, but that felt boring and unearned. Her body had served him well, he would set her mind at ease.

"I will destroy Celestia's authority, and restore my mother to her rightful place on the throne."

Flying closed her eyes and sighed. She searched deep in her heart, and found that she couldn't do it. She couldn't abandon Equestria to suffer this creature's wrath. She had no doubt he would fail, but if she didn't stand up to him now, she may as well have aided him.

"I'm sorry, creature, but I cannot allow-"

Flying Colors was vaporized before she finished the sentence, engulfed in three gouts of black magic that blasted from Kaiscillius's mouths. He was saddened slightly that she did not accept his offer, but he respected her steadfastness in her final moments. With Flying's death, the barrier to her mind opened and Kaiscillius gathered information on this new world, and feasted on the magic he had sown.

Author's Note

Well that was a doozy. This is the first work like this I've ever done, and unfortunately I had to write this chapter on sub-par hardware so I apologise for any spelling errors. Any tips, advice, and constructive criticism would be appreciated, aside from simply me needing to practice more of course. Anyway I just wanted to thank you for reading this, whether or not you liked it, have an awesome day!

Right, anyway, Kaiscillius has just begun his quest to destabilize Equestria, and reawaken Nightmare Moon! Where will he go, what plans will he forge, who will he force his massive... er, intellect upon? Find out, next time!

A Kind of Magic

It had been a busy week since Kaiscillius first left his cave. At first he'd been constantly paranoid about being discovered, believing that Celestia had eyes and ears everywhere. And while he still believed that to be the case, he no longer believed they were focused on him. He had made one or two trips back to his cave since leaving to acquire enough bits to finance getting started in his new life, he could have simply created all the gold he needed, but it would have taken too much time and magic for him to bother with. He had chosen to settle down in Ponyville, which was not only a short train ride away from Canterlot, but also the home of his next target, Princess Twilight Sparkle. He had spent the majority of his first week trying to come up with a way to get closer to her without letting slip that that was what he was doing. He'd managed to maintain a surprising level of correspondence with her over the week, keeping it strictly professional at first by asking about Flying Colors, Twilight's research, and menial matters of court. However the ponies were nothing if not expressive, and she soon opened up about her personal life as well as her past. It was strange to feign an interest in her friends when he already knew as much about them as she did, and had probably inferred much more.

All of that effort had come to fruition when one day she came to him with a meeting plan, sending him a letter saying that she was glad he had moved to Ponyville and to meet her at Sugarcube Corner on Saturday at 1:23 p.m. He'd received the letter on Thursday, and so spent the the rest of that day and the next exploring both his new home and his new time period.

He had to admit to a certain childish glee every time he saw some new contraption or invention not from his time. Trains, for instance, he had sat next to the train track for a full ten minutes with his jaw agape, admiring the smooth wheels and the gleaming metal cogs. What he wouldn't have given to see the engine at work, be had been told it ran on coal! Coal! He hadn't believed that a lump of rock could drive such a metal behemoth forward, but he was sure he could figure it out if he saw the process. And electricity! Wondrous little wires that ran between machines that let them cook, burn, turn, anything! He had been stunned at the advancements that his thousand year sleep had brought to this world. Medicine was 100 times as effective, everything was faster to make and receive, and there were currently no wars going on anywhere, as far as he had heard. That last one had come as somewhat of a consternation for him. No better time to topple a government than while most of it's defenders are off spilling their guts on a field somewhere, but he would cross that bridge when he came to it.

All in all, it seemed like things were perfect in Equestria. Better than they ever had been. Unreasonably good. Some might say... impossibly good. Kaiscillius was made more and more suspicious with each newfound discovery, something was wrong with this place. Very, very wrong... and it gnawed at him that he couldn’t figure out what it was.

He contemplated this question as he sat outside Sugarcube Corner facing the main square of Ponyville, and stirring a cup of coffee. Ah, coffee! Another wondrous invention! A drink the solved the one bodily function he hadn't been able to overcome with magic, sleep. It always galled him when he had to stop working or plotting because his brain felt like lead, and now, problem solved! He had not been to sleep since that nap in the cave four or five days ago, though he was pretty sure it was having adverse effects on his mind. He felt jittery all the time, and he had started seeing things the day before, things from his nightmares. He was pretty sure they were just trying to destroy his coffee, trying to make him fall asleep! Or maybe he was just hallucinating, he didn't know.

His hyperactive mind registered movement to his left. He snapped his head around to that direction and saw... something he didn't expect. It was Princess Twilight, but in much more casual clothing than when he'd last seen her. She was wearing jeans and a t-shirt that was a color a little lighter than her skin. A sort of whitish-purple. A whurple! HAHAHA! Was his nose bleeding?

Anyway, the main feature of the outfit was a comical mustache and large pair of fake glasses. He'd seen these many times throughout Ponyville, and were actually sold in Sugarcube Corner on a shelf labeled "Pinkie Pie Disguises". Kaiscillius hadn't been able to figure out if that meant that they were disguises mass produced by Pinkie Pie, or mass produced for the purpose of hiding from Pinkie Pie. Mabye more coffee would help him figure it out.

Twilight Sparkle pulled up short of Sugarcube Corner upon seeing Knight Radiant. At first she wasn't sure it was him, but as she'd gotten closer his unique coloration had been impossible to miss, however his demeanor had changed drastically. When last she'd seen him, he was calm and collected, with the assured confidence of a general, or diplomat. Now he was shaking so hard the cup of pitch black coffee in his hand was about to erupt like a volcano. His head snapped toward her with alarming speed, and he took a swig of the coffee in his hand, mostly missing his mouth and splashing the drink all over his face. He didn't seem to notice as his left eye twitched once, then twice. He then laughed out loud before splashing himself in the face again, not even opening his mouth. Twilight sighed and took off her Pinkie Disguise (made for the express purpose of hiding from Pinkie of course) and began walking toward Knight. She'd seen these symptoms before. She'd had them herself when Celestia was coming to visit, when Celestia gave her a test, when Celestia... well pretty much when Celestia was involved in any aspect of something. She sat down carefully in front of the unraveling stallion, keeping an eye on his cup to make sure it didn't start lurching towards her, and asked calmly, "So how many days?"

He slammed his coffee on the table (spilling most of the rest of it) and yelled, "FIVE!" at the top of his lungs, then slapped himself in the face with an empty hand, apparently forgetting that he had put the coffee down on the table.

"Okay," she said, "why?" She hoped Pinkie wasn't around, she didn't know what she would do if someone that bombastic interacted with him now.

"OH YA KNOW. CAUSE NIGHTMARES." He screamed, drawing some weird looks from passing ponies.

Twilight quickly cast a bubble of silence to keep him from startling anypony else before asking, "Okay, what nightmares?"

His arm snapped forward, and he had a finger pointed right at her face.

"You're part of them aren't you?" He demanded, "Y-Y-You're trying to get me to go to sleep! I WON'T GO! COFFEE IS MY SAVIOR!" He yelled at her before collapsing on the table with a thud.

Twilight sighed and decided to postpone their meeting until tomorrow, she was Princess, ponies could wait. She left a guard to escort Knight Radiant home, and a note that explained what had happened, and what he was to do in case he didn't remember anything. She'd ask him about these "nightmares" when he was less delirious.

Kaiscillius dreamed of his father. Except this time his father ripped out his throat. Kaiscillius failed to claim the pool for himself, and he watched the lifeblood flow out from his own body, adding to the dark well of life. His father carried him to the entrance of the cave, and threw his body out into the sunlight. Kaiscillius was unable to move, unable to scream as he felt himself melt and boil in the light. He felt his skin crack open, and smelled his own burning bones, and felt every iota of pain that could be inflicted upon him by such torture. And at the end of the dream, as ever, he saw his mother, shaking her head in disappointment, as her horn glowed and he disintegrated.

As before, he awoke calm. He was always calm after a nightmare. Part of it came from the knowledge that it was finally over, and part of it came from knowing that nothing in the waking world could compare to the horror of the sleeping one. His eyes slowly opened and he found that he was back at his home. A small place with only one of very room. One kitchen, one bath, one bed, etc. Not very good for having guests over. He was currently sprawled on the floor next to his couch in the living room. The caret beneath him was a garish shade of orange, and the walls of the room were yellow and white striped. He had planned to paint and re carpet eventually, but it wasn't really high on his priority list. This was really just a place for him to stay during the night, when wandering around town looking at every thing would be considered weird rather than tourism.

Kaiscillius noticed someone else in the room, a terrified earth pony Royal Guard who was crouched in the corner and shaking like a leaf. Kaiscillius hoped he hadn't been talking in his sleep because that would have blown his cover real fast.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked the guard, climbing to his knees. He was confused when he checked the clock in the room, which said it was 1:00. Hadn't he been at Sugarcube Corner at 1:23? He groaned as he realized that he'd slept for a full 24 hours, and then winced at the pounding headache he had. He didn't remember much from the previous day, it was all a blur. He hoped he hadn't said anything dumb, such as, "I'm here to kill your leader and restore somepony you view as a tyrant."

The guard finally spoke in a quivering voice, "P-Princess Twilight requests your presence at Sugarcube Corner again, at the same time as yesterday. When I attempted to wake you... well you... you backhanded me into the ceiling."

Kaiscillius glanced upward at the ugly popcorn ceiling and did indeed see a large, guard-shaped dent. He sighed and rubbed his face as his horn flared white and he straightened out the ceiling with magic. He then ripped all of the dirt and grime that had accumulated on his skin, clothing, and hair, completely off, and funneled it into the nearby trash can. A magical bath was extremely efficient, if not very enjoyable. Still, he wasn't certain he'd be willing to brave the bathroom for a real shower. There were some places even an ancient evil entity dared not tread. He turned to the guard, who had just stopped cowering and now tried to stand with some modicum of dignity.

"How do I look?" He asked, and effortlessly posed, flexing his perfect muscles and giving his most seductive smile. He saw the guard's jaw drop, and decided that he probably looked good enough.

"I'll be at Sugarcube Corner then, don't break anything else please."

The situation in Ponyville stood much the same as it had yesterday, save that this time Kaiscillius held a glass of water and ibuprofen rather than coffee and utter madness. Once again he saw as Twilight walked up with her "disguise" on, and once again she removed it as she sat, conspicuously inconspicuously, down at his table.

"Good afternoon, Princess." He said smoothly, keeping his eyes on her's rather than staring at the massive jugs her t-shirt struggled to contain. Alicorns, they got all the perks with none of the effort. Most would never be able to achieve the perfection she unknowingly flaunted, and all she had to do to get it was screw up, then cast a big spell to fix everything for her. Kaiscillius sniffed in derision as he took a sip of his water.

Twilight smiled at him and said, "Good afternoon! And please, call me Twilight. I hope that I can call you Knight?" She asked with a tentative smile.

"Of course, Twilight, I am at your disposal." He responded amiably. He was still surprised at the speed of relationships nowadays. It used to be that you didn't get on a first name basis until you had known a pony for a few years, and sometimes never. Now though, they handed out the things like candy.

"Actually I am at yours, that's what I'm here about. You saved somepony's life while I stood by helpless, and suffered personally to see that goal achieved. It is more than anyone could have asked of you, and you deserve a reward for your efforts. So I'm willing to offer you anything that is within my power to grant. Just name it, and it shall be yours." Twilight said solemnly. She also relaxed a little after her proclamation, perhaps indicting that she'd spent a long time coming up with it, and had been either nervous or embarrassed to actually say it.

Kaiscillius felt like this was sort of rediculous. He was a being offered a blank check by a monarch in a t-shirt outside of a small town sweets shop, and she was acting like this was perfectly normal. Nevertheless, humility was necessary, it was part of that ancient dance of giving and receiving gifts, so Kaiscillius responded in kind,

"No, Twilight, I couldn't possibly take something from you for doing what anypony would have done in my place! And besides, the burns are mostly healed now." He saw her flinch at the mention of the burns. He had had a suspicion that this was really the reason she was giving him a gift, rather than rewarding altruism, and now his suspicions were confirmed.

"Knight, we both know that that mare would have died without your aid." Twilight continued.

No she wouldn't have, but whatever. Kaiscillius thought with a mental eye roll.

"... and that sort of heroicism is much lacking in today's society. So I will not take no for an answer." Twilight finished proudly. She then she said a little quieter, "I also have a more... personal request." And whether she meant to or not she leaned forward as if expecting an answer and inadvertently squeezed her chest against the table, displaying an enormous amount of purple cleavage to Kaiscillius. It also gave him a full view of her beautifully splayed wings with their immaculately groomed feathers. In his day that would have been a scandalous breech of protocol for a pegasus to reveal herself so, but a princess?!

Is she... actively trying to seduce me? Or is she just that oblivious? He wondered.

"And... what might that be Twilight?" He replied suggestively, leaning in toward her so that their faces were, at most, inches apart.

Twilight seemed not to notice the closed distance, and she continued unfettered, "I want you to teach me about the power transference thing you did. I had experienced it once before, Celestia and Luna gave me all their power when Tirek came to steal their magic, and I defeated him with it."

"Yeah, I might have heard something about that." Kaiscillius said in complete deadpan, forcing himself not to roll his eyes like bowling balls.

Twilight blushed, still not moving away, as she continued, "But Celestia never taught me the technique, and with what looks like a new magic-stealer on the loose, and yes I do believe that is what lived in that cave, I might need to use it. Also, it seems like a good way to disarm a powerful magical enemy. I wonder how you know it?" She asked, gazing at him sidelong. Then the realization of how close they were caught up to her and her face flashed crimson as she pulled her head back.

"Haha, woo, is it hot out here or what?" She laughed awkwardly, glancing around.

It wasn't.

"While I consider your request, please allow me to extend my apologies for yesterday. I was... not myself, " Kaiscillius said, genuinely embarrassed for once, he hadn't thought there was anything that could make him lose control of himself like that. He would have to remain well rested, even if it meant nightmares.

Twilight laughed as the tension in her shoulders relaxed, "Yeah, I forgive you. You can lighten up you know. I know I'm a Princess but you don't have to be so formal. We're just two friends talking about magic."

Kaiscillius cursed himself mentally for unconsciously reverting back to higher speech patterns, this was an informal setting, he should have spoken informally.

"Anyway, what are the nightmares you mentioned? They must be pretty bad if you're willing to stay up for five days to avoid them." Twilight may have said this casually enough, but it struck Kaiscillius like a lightning bolt. What had he said about them? Clearly not too much because she wasn't trying to arrest or kill him. He disavowed coffee on the spot, that accursed drink had nearly made him spill his darkest memories to the enemy!

"I'd rather not talk about them, if that's okay. They're pretty personal, and I don't want to scare you." The last part was true, knowing how saccharine this place was she'd probably cry if he even said the word "blood".

Twilight frowned at him, seeming more concerned than angry, "If they're that bad I could talk to Luna about them. Sorry, Princess Luna. She could give them a once-over, tell you what you need to do to get rid of them. She's helped me lots in the past, and plenty of other ponies too."

Kaiscillius almost laughed. The last thing he needed was his ensorcelled mother to go through his incredibly telling dreams. Twilight actually knew what had happened though, somewhat. "Luna" had told him how to treat the nightmares. Live with them.

"Okay, maybe not that far, they don't keep me up or anything..."

Far from it, he thought dryly, can't wake up from the damn things.

"... they're just annoyances really."

Twilight nodded sagely in understanding and then stared at him. After a few seconds of prolonged silence Kaiscillius raised an eyebrow at her, wondering what she was doing. He sat there for a full minute as she said nothing, not afraid or angry at all just... not talking.

"Uh... Twilight?" He said hoping she hadn't had a heart attack. He didn't want to be implicated in her murder.

"Yeah-huh?" She asked, not seeming to be in any way concerned that she'd just shut down for a good sixty seconds.

"Whatcha doing?" He asked in a sing-song manner.

"Oh, uh, I'm waiting on you to decide your answer, on whether or not you'll train me." She said blushing a little. She'd actually just been admiring his face, but it felt a little creepy to tell him that.

Kaiscillius knew she was lying, and there was a 63% chance she'd just been staring at his face, but at least she wasn't dead.

"Well, I think that's a great idea! You're certainly capable, and I don't mind helping you out Twilight," Kaiscillius saw her blush a little as he placed just a touch of emphasis on the "you", it would make her feel special, like only she deserved it, "but there are some misconceptions of yours I'd like to clear up first."

Kaiscillius was cut off by a loud gasp from behind him, and he forced himself not to tense up. His mind instantly scrambled to find possible routes of escape and attack plans. He came up with 13 before he forced himself to calm down and admit that there was no way he had been discovered yet. He had done nothing suspicious or out of the ordinary, and no Royal Magee had been to see Flying Colors yet, so they couldn't have had time to pry into her memories. Twilight's next statement relaxed him much more mentally.

"Oh hey, Pinkie... what's up?" She asked with a strange inflection to her voice, almost like... regret, resignation?

Kaiscillius turned around in his chair to face the front of Sugarcube Corner, and laid eyes on what must have been a fashion model. Bubblegum pink skin showed everywhere through a small, oh so small, tank top, and running shorts that exposed so much thigh that it felt like she was wearing pants because it was a law rather than out of any sense of decency. The Earth Pony mare had been blessed with godly curves, large breasts, full hips, and the aforementioned thighs that glistened in the noonday sun. She had an adorable face with eyes so blue you'd think they were perfect reflections of the sky, and smoth lips that would give even the most stoic stallion more than a few ideas.

Just looking at her gave Kaiscillius a tight feeling in his pants. Extremely tight actually, he still needed to find a tailor to make pants that could fit his magically overlooked bulk. He focused a hefty computer's worth of brain power on not getting hard, because it would most definitely show, and he didn't want to freak the delicious mare out until she wanted him to get freaky.

"What's up?" The mare asked, her voice was a little squeaky, but in a cute way, "Oh. My. GumdropstwilightididntknowyouhadanewfriendineedtoplanapartyrightnowBYE!" And with that, the mare rocketed back inside the shop, leaving a smoke trail of herself behind that looked left, then right, before shrugging and poofing away.

Kaiscillius was not surprised, surprisingly, at the odd detachment of physics from the mare. He could see the chaos energy that swirled around her like rapidly convulsing rays of multi-chromatic light, and assumed that was the reason for such illogical behavior from the laws of nature.

"What were you saying?" He turned back to a Twilight in one smooth motion, not even missing a beat.

Twilight stared at the stallion in front of her with amazement. She'd never met anypony that was as laid back as him after meeting Pinkie Pie for the first time. Most ponies were incredibly bewildered,some even having a nervous breakdown, though that was normally after prolonged periods of exposure. But nopony had no reaction at all. She found herself staring at his face again. Moving her eyes across it and watching that wonderful optical illusion that played across his skin, until it ended in the black tips of his adorably messy mane.

Kaiscillius snapped his fingers repeatedly in front of the monarch's face.

"Twilight? Twilight? Come on girl, you can do it." At his intonation, the alicorn shook her head and blushed.

"Sorry, ummm... what were we talking about?" She asked, flustered. Normally she didn't get this distracted during conversation, she wondered why she was now.

"We were talking about training? Teaching you energy transfers, any of this ringing a bell?" She'd been staring at him again, he really must not have put enough energy into that spell it his gifts still showed through like that. Maybe that want a terrible thing, but he had to take control of the situation before it got out of hand.

"I'll say yes to teaching you. As I said before, you're capable of learning, and strong enough magically to execute it without horribly catastrophic failure. We will need a safe place in which to practice, it can be dangerous if it goes wrong so somewhere where nopony else would go would be perfect."

Come on naiveté, papa needs a new pair of shoes...

Twilight appeared think about it for a minute, before nodding and saying, "Yeah, I know a few places. I have plenty of laboratory space in my castle, there's the Castle of the Two Sisters out in the Everfree Forest, and, well there's plenty of open space between here and Canterlot that's uninhibited."

Kaiscillius did a little dance in his head as she listed such perfectly tantalizing options for her own downfall.

"Well your castle is out, if something goes really wrong it could explode. As in, the whole thing. Between here and Canterlot is too open, errant magic could travel for miles before slamming into something, or somepony. No, I think it'll have to be the Castle in Everfree." He finished this last part with a confident nod, lending his little speech an air of professionalism.

Twilight nodded back at him, smiling, "I agree, based on all the factors you've listed, it does seem like the best option. Oh, this is so exciting! I haven't learned any new magic in ages! It's all just combinations of the same theorems and equations nowadays. And the Castle of the Two Sisters is always a treat to visit! So much history there, it's kind of amazing that we live so close to the birthplace of the greatest mare in all of Equestria." She ended her sentence with a dreamy sigh, and Kaiscillius could practically taste the devotion and adoration in her voice.

Geez, maybe Celestia could teach me a thing or two about brainwashing. This poor mare is head over heels. Kaiscillius could also have sworn that her wings even puffed out a bit as she stared distractedly into the middle-distance.

"Ahem, anyway, speaking of castles, would you mind telling me why we're meeting outside a bakery and not in yours? And why, as far as I can see, you have no Royal Guard escort?"

She blinked at him a few times and then laughed, "Well, to be honest, the castle felt too formal for just a sit-down conversation, and I never travel anywhere with a guard silly. What's there to guard against that I haven't already faced?"

Jaw, you will stay closed no matter what this mare continues to throw at you. I know I didn't prepare you for this kind of abuse, but there was no way I could have foreseen. Kaiscillius was in shock. He could agree that there was a certain bizarre rationale in that way of thinking but... it was just... wrong-headed! At least use them as meat shields!

This was too easy! It had to be a trap, he was sure of it! Some plot by his enemies to lure him into a false sense of complacency! Well he wouldn't fall for that sort of thing, he would be more careful and vigilant now in his planning than ever. And if by some miracle the world had actually gotten this lax with its security... well, a monster could only hope.

All of these thoughts and resolutions flashed through Kaiscillius's mind in seconds, and he came out of his inner monologue just as Twilight was saying something else. She looked pretty uncomfortable, rubbing her arms, slightly gritting her teeth, if he had to guess he'd say she'd done something she felt guilty about. Possibly because it was wrong, but from the level of anguish he was leaning more towards that she had accidentally hurt a friend. He knew firsthand how much she cared for her friends, and what her exact ration was when she upset one of them. The advantages of stealing memories.

"Another reason why I didn't want to meet at the castle is because Fluttershy's been coming over at all hours, day and night, saying that she could have sworn the map called her to deal with a friendship problem. She's actually kind of driving herself crazy over it..."

Fluttershy... she's the quiet animal one isn't she? Wait a minute...

"What map are you talking about? And when did she start acting strangely?" Kaiscillius inquired innocently.

Twilight rested her head on a palm and explained, "Oh, I have a map that shows all of Equestria, and when there's a problem involving friendship somewhere, one my friend's cutie marks, or sometimes multiple, glow over the location where they need to be to help out. Fluttershy says she knows hers glowed about a week ago, but there haven't been any friendship issues that I can see since then. But now she's super nervous all the time and drops by the castle constantly to ask if I'm sure I didn't see anything andofcourseIdidntseeanythingbecausetherewasnothingtoseeand-" Twilight paused and inhaled a huge gasp of air before panting slowly back down to normal breathing.

"And it's, kind of stressing me out," she finished.

Twilight glanced inside the store and gasped, "It's almost 2:00! I only have a couple of minutes to get back to the castle before the court re-opens!" She began looking around frantically, Kaiscillius assumed for a means of transportation, before he rolled his eyes, grabbed her hand, and in a flash of white fire, teleported them both to the large crystal doors of the castle.

"Haha, right. Teleportation. Forgot about that." She smiled at him sheepishly and he rolled his eyes again.

"How about you calm down and try to help your friend while I go to the Castle of the Two Sisters and set things up for a lesson. Not to mention making sure it's even still safe to be in, who knows what sort of wild animals might have gotten in there while you've been gone." He already had a good idea for what sort of "preparations" he would make. As ditzy as she could seem at times, Twilight Sparkle had still saved Equestria without fail (so far), and that meant she was not a pony to rush, or underestimate. No, he would take his time with this one, and have fun doing it.

Three more days had passed since Kaiscillius had started to set the stage for the breaking of Twilight Sparkle's mind, and everything was very nearly complete. He still needed new clothes, and a barber. There was only so much magic could do for one's looks and personal hygiene. Obviously his choice of clothing store was the Carousel Boutique, not only the best establishment of that kind for miles, but also home of one of his eventual targets. He'd decided to take down each of the Elements, they were simply too dangerous to leave alone. The bond they shared had broken powerful magic time and time again in the past, he like use their bond to strengthen his.

Kaiscillius thought that the Carousel Boutique was an... interesting establishment, certainly more colorful than, say, any other building in town. In fact he was a little surprised that a fashion designer would go so far our of her way for a pony's first impression of her to be how much of a trend-breaker she was.

He knocked politely on the pastel door and was greeted with a slightly accented, "Just a minute please!"

A few seconds later an alabaster mare stepped through the entrance. Her skin was white as milk, and smooth as fine porcelain. Her violet mane was beautifully styled into one long curl, and her tail was done in a more corkscrew pattern. She had a regal face and bearing, which, in his well-versed opinion, she was trying far to hard to emphasize, and sapphire blue eyes with an extraordinarily large amount of detail focused on her eye shadow and mascara. Much to Kaiscillius's disappointment, that was really all he was able to see. She wore a dazzling purple dress that was extremely modest, showing nothing below the neck, or above her shoes. He recalled that she was the high-society one of Twilight's circle of friends, and so he put his formal Canterlot Court training to the test.

"Oh, hello there sir, how are you?" She asked politely enough, but he could see her already eyeing his clothes, which amounted to two of the most basic brown garments that could ever be worn.

Kaiscillius had to make an impressive impression, fast. So in response, he gently took her hand, kneeled at a perfect 89° angle, and brushed his lips delicately across her knuckles for 2.45 seconds, the exact amount of time necessary for a polite greeting. He then stood and bowed over her hand, saying simply, "Well, My Lady, and you?"

"O-oh! Haha, hahaha, haha... ahem. Um, very-very well thank you!" Her face was red as a ruby, and now she had eyes only for his, and not whatever he may be wearing. The technique he employed had worked without fail every time he had used it, and it seemed it had lost none of its power.

"M-My name is Rarity! I must admit, I did not expect a gentlecolt of such elegance to come to my boutique this fine day, do come in! I have the latest and most fashionable styles from all of Equestria!"

Three hours later and Kaiscillius strolled out of the Carousel Boutique a new (fake) pony. He wore a sharp black buisness shirt, with fine beige pants and a light lavender undershirt. He also wore the frankly bizarre addition of a rainbow colored scarf. Rarity had told him that it tied the hole piece together, but that didn't stop him from feeling a little ridiculous. He also had bought much more casual clothing, but Rarity had insisted on him wearing that outfit if he was meeting with royalty. His mane had also been styled in a much shorter way. Rarity had called but "suave-military" and he hadn't seen any problems with it. She'd actually been pretty distracted by the end of his visit, staring at him for prolonged periods of time, stumbling over her words. He really needed to find time to cast the transformation spell again and subdue his gifts, it could get him in trouble if he didn't get it under control soon.

In fact, as he walked through Ponyville, almost every mare he passed, and one or two stallions, stopped and stared at him. He gave them all his most charming smile and a polite wave. Maybe a few winks here and there. It gAve him plenty to worry about as he walked to Twilight's castle, the las thing he needed was to be instantly recognizable by everypony from here to Manehattan. When he arrived at the great crystal doors of the castle he expected to be stopped, questioned, and have a messenger be sent to Twilight to inform her that he had arrived. The came the usual humdrum of being escorted to a waiting room where he would be made to wait for 10-12 minutes before passing through two more security checkpoints and finally being allowed to see the Princess under guard. Standard Canterlot security protocol for one of the monarchs.

Except that fell flat at the first hurdle when he noticed that there were no guards standing at the entrance to the castle. There didn't even appear to be a lock or an alarm. As he stood there, slightly dumbfounded, the doors burst open and the Princess came running out full pelt, levitating a week's worth of supplies behind her in a vast sparkling cloud of food, clothing, and magical measuring equipment.

Twilight was so excited for her trip that she almost ran over Knight Radiant in her haste to meet him.

"Hey, hey, Twilight! Woah! Slow down!" She heard him tell almost the second she stepped out of the castle. She had been moving at a wing assisted sprint to get outside the castle in time to meet him, so "slowing down" was going to be a fun challenge without a runway and airbrakes. Twilight planted both of her heels in the dirt and flapped as hard as she could in the opposite direction, sending a powerful wall of wind out in front of her that bowled over anypony unlucky enough to be in its path. Or at least it would have if Knight hadn't lit up his horn and somehow rotated the air blast 180 degrees and instead used it to stop Twilight, who finally skidded to a stop about a foot away from crashing into her friend.

"Hey there Twilight, you all ready for our trip?" Twilight cleared the dust out of her eyes and her jaw dropped at the creature in front of her. Knight's skin looked incredible! Where as before it had gone from a soft yellow to a dark violet, now his skin shifted into every color of the rainbow, and all of them sparkled like jewels! She hadn't realized that those little white flecks, that she assumed were the crystal pony equivalent of freckles, were so prominent, being mostly covered up by the yellow. But now they shimmered and sparkled like stars against a myriad of color, gutting any sense of preparat ion she had for this meeting as she focused almost completely on how utterly beautiful the stallion in front of her was.

"Knight... what did you do?" Her voice portrayed wonder and awe for her friend. She'd had a hard time not staring at him before, now it was going to be impossible!

"Oh I just cleaned up a bit. Got some new clothes from Rarity. I take it they look nice?" Kaiscillius gently closed Twilight's jaw and gave her a worried smile. He had trusted Rarity completely with this, maybe that hadn't been such an amazing idea.

"You're made of rainbow!" Twilight blurted at him. She should stop staring. It would make him feel bad but... the colors were just so beautiful and complex! And the more she looked at them, the better they got!

Uh oh. Kaiscillius knew that look. That was the look he didn't want her to have until they were stuck alone in a castle for three days, not in the streets of Ponyville in broad daylight. She said he was... made of rainbows?

The scarf! he realised, and quickly removed it, bundling it up inside his cloak.Twilight blinked, shook her head and said,

"Aw. You were so pretty."

Kaiscillius resisted the urge to snarl at her and said with a mischievous smile, "Well, not that I mind your attention, but I think this is a bit public for us to be staring into each other's eyes like that."

He glanced behind him and forced himself not to freak out at the confused looking throng of mares that had gathered behind him.

That... was far too close. He thought with a relieved sigh.

When he turned back to Twilight she was blushing furiously and trying to change the subject, "That re-directing the air thing you did was really cool! You'll have to teach me about that too."

He smiled and let her off the hook, "Well I can't teach you anything standing around here, let's get going. I want to be there before nightfall."

And so, they set off from Twilight's castle to the Castle of the Two Sisters. Twilight waved goodbye to all her friends and gave her pet Spike orders for while she was away. They mostly made small talk along the two hour journey, discussing the amazing reflecting qualities of Kaiscillius's skin was a hot topic, much to his dismay, but as they drew nearer to the castle, conversation turned to what they would be doing there.

"So what spell combinations does this use. Transmutum Arcana? Firebald's Condenser? Tharizan?" Twilight had been pestering him like this for a good twenty minutes without letting him actually answer the question.

Kaiscillius huffed and said, "Okay, maybe now I should tell you that it involves no magical theorems. Period. It is one of the simplest and easiest magical actions a pony can perform. Just passing energy from one pony to another. However, depending on the amount of energy being transferred, things can get dicey. It takes concentration, control, and willpower to command your magic to stay its course." He would really need to look back through his Awakener's memories against our see exactly what is was she had learned in magic school, he'd kind of skipped over that part. Still it couldn't be too different now to how he'd learned over a thousand... years... ago. Hmmm.

"So what are the words for the spell?" She asked excitedly.

"Words?" He said, confused, "What do you... there aren't words in... what?"

She looked at him strangely and he began to worry she might leave if he didn't provide a plausible explanation. Luckily the truth would serve for now.

"Look Twilight, I'm from an entirely different time period than you. A different era even! I was trained in magic over a thousand years ago, I haven't gone back to magic school to re-learn the modern interpretations of everything I know. When you say 'cast a shield spell' I get confused because I don't cast a spell, I arrange elements and bind them to form a magical shield. It sounds like a minute difference, and I'm hoping it won't interfere with what I have to teach you too much, but there is a difference in thinking there."

"What's an element? I assume you don't mean atoms, " she tapped her chin in thought, "although you could I suppose- hey why'd you stop?"

Knight was stood still on the path a few feet behind Twilight, disbelief carved into his face.

"Twilight," he began with disturbing calm, "what's magic made of?"

This stopped her in her tracks. She'd never really thought about it before.

"I don't know. I guess it's just inside of you naturally like, um..." She big at her response, and she had been a student long enough to know when she had given the wrong answer.

I... I don't believe this. They can't have... nopony could... Kaiscillius desperately scoured he memories as fast as he could, searching for any evidence that he was wrong. He wasn't. They no longer taught about the elements, instead they used preset combinations that were proven to work most of the time that you just poured magic into. Those were what Twilight kept talking about, she expected to use them. It was more efficient and safer, but drastically less powerful than combining the base elements together yourself. They also weren't taught of the dangers of overdraw, because they physically couldn't go into such a state. This was all good for him, yay having an unknown advantage, but the question he had was how? How had this technique been lost? The entire basis of magic itself, gone from common knowledge? Replaced by some weak farce with an eighth of the power and capability as the original. It just didn't make any sense.

Knight Radiant had been very quiet since his explanation in the road earlier and Twilight felt nervous that her answer might have displeased him enough that he stopped talking to her.

Well, she thought, if I don't ask I'll never learn.

"Sooo, what is magic made of?" Twilight asked as she looked around, she was pretty sure she recognized this part of the jungle, they must be getting close to the castle.

Knight shook his head to clear it and said, "Very well, your lessons start now then, since this concept is vital to energy transference."

And the entirety of understanding magic in any way, shape, or form, his mind grumbled.

He took a breath to begin a new sentence but Twilight yelled,

"WAIT! I don't have my notebooks out, or my flowcharts, or graphing paper, or anything! If this is part of the lesson then we'll have to stop here for me to take notes properly."

Knight sighed and then gestured for her to continue walking.

About fifteen minutes later, they broke through the treeline to see the Castle of the Two Sisters. It's high grey stone walls thick with vegetation, verdant with green plant life and evidence of small creatures living in the glade that formed outside the large doors.

"You made sure there was nothing dangerous living here right?" Twilight asked as they approached the door. She didn't want to be mauled by a Ursa Major that had taken up the entrance hall as its den.

"I did, but I would feel more comfortable if you waited here for a second while I gave it a quick once-over. Something could have gotten here since I left this morning that I don't know about. Wouldn't want you to be unnecessarily hurt while we're here." Knight slipped inside the large doors of the fortress, barely making a sound. A few minutes later he reappeared and said cheerfully,

"Yep, everything looks great. Come on in and get set up. We should only need the entrance hall. I don't know about you, but I don't really feel like sleeping in a room that hasn't been dusted in... well in a really long time."

Twilight followed him inside to the grand hallway that once served as the entrance. Large arches lined the walls that extended high above into a curved ceiling. Banners displaying the sun and moon hung at intervals down the hallway, until it ended at a large and beautiful staircase leading up into the rest of the palace. She quickly got to work laying out and organizing all of her supplies, and was a little disgruntled that she had carried so much reference material with her now that she had been told it wasn't needed. Soon they had a camp set up in the far end of the room, Knight wanting to use the space in the middle and close to the door for practice. When they were done with the camp, the moved to the middle of the room where Twilight sat down with a notebook and quill.

"So, as I said before, energy transferring is the act of pushing the magical energy out of you and into somepony else, or pulling their energy into you. It is not, however, an effective means of defeating an enemy. It is easily resisted if the target actively denies the transfer, this causes pain to the caster, and normally power draining takes quite a while to empty a magic user fully." Knight's voice was clear and confident, almost rote in its recitation. Twilight wondered if he had ever been a teacher before. She thought he would be very good at it.

"I said before that knowledge of elemental manipulation was necessary for energy transfers, and I may have been wrong. It requires no magical calculation. Relying on more of a gut feeling of when to stop than any predictable measure. It's very difficult to know the exact amount of magic somepony has in them at any given time, and what safe levels to drop to are to avoid overdraw." Knight gestured for Twilight to stand up as her quill finished scratching against the paper.

"I'm going to need to put my hand on your horn for a demonstration. We don't have too if you're uncomfortable with it, but this is really the only way forward, and I am not letting you attempt a power transfer yourself without a decent example to go by." Twilight blushed but nodded her understanding and walked towards him. He was quite a bit taller than her so she had to press close to him to avoid having to stand on her tip toes. Face reddened further and her heart quickened at how close her face was to his, only two or three inches apart, and how she could feel his breath on her skin. He touched a finger to her horn and she fought the urge to gasp as a spark of sensation tingled down her spine. She looked at him for reassurance, and saw in his eyes no lust or malice, only patience and sympathy. He reminded her a lot of Celestia. This thought calmed her, and she nodded for him to continue, which was a mistake as it caused his finger to drag up and down her sensitive horn and she had to bite her tounge to keep from making any noise.

"Alright, watch closely and record everything you see. I can't explain the process as most of it is frustratingly intuitional, but you can record everything you see and feel." He said calmly. She saw him collect white energy in his horn, as if he were casting a spell, but instead of speaking words and there being a flash of magic, he did something she'd never seen before and moved the energy inside his own body, forcing it down through his neck, shoulder, arm, and hand until it reached his fingertips. There was a small crackle, and Twilight couldn't help but shudder as a warm glow filled her entire body, similar to the one she'd experiencedin the cave a few weeks ago. Her breath came quicker as she smiled fiercely. Her heart pumped adrenaline through her veins, and she once again realized how close they were standing. A few ideas popped into her head about what a wonderful student-teacher bonding session she could be having, and she didn't even feel embarrassed, only more exhilarated as she thought of all the things the powerful stallion sorcerer in front of her could do. With a jolt, Twilight was disconnected from the outflow of power, and whimpered as the wonderful heat left her body, and she felt cold and empty. It felt like all the blood in her body rushed to her cheeks, and her face fired crimson as she recalled all of the things she'd been thinking of doing those last few seconds, and she wanted to hide in a corner of a very, very dark room, preferably with a cold shower in it.

Seemingly heedless of her distress, Knight stepped away and said with a smile, "Did you get all that?"

Twilight nodded vigorously, and pushed down the growing urge to ask for another demonstration, just to be sure she understood everything. Totally scientific in its purpose.

"Great!" he smiled at her warmly, and suddenly she didn't feel so bad for succeeding, "think you're ready to give it a shot?"

"Oh yeah I am! Just watch, I'll have this down in no time, and then we can move to the more complicated subjects of your Old Magic. Like what it is for a start."

He laughed and said, "Okay, if you blow me out of the water with your first try, you'll get one hour to ask all of the questions you want."

Twilight clapped her hands excitedly and stepped up to his chest again, not even hesitating as she lay her hand softly on his horn. She'd never done this before, and found the texture quite pleasant. The lang black horn was smooth with rough swirls running down its length to the base. She copied as he had done, forcing magic into her horn, but without a spell in mind it felt like she was holding on to an orb of water, no, it felt like she had to imagine holding on to an orb of water, and not spill a single drop. It took her three tries and ten minutes, but she slowly drifted the energy from her horn to her hand. She jumped as she felt the connection establish, and grinned as the warm feeling flowed into her body again, this time flowing up to her hand rather than out from it. Every atom of her being felt like it was vibrating, a sensation similar to when her leg would fall asleep, but alot softer, less painful.

Thoughts returned to her mind, unbidden. The radiating heat of the magic was incredibly strong, and its restless energy battered at her internal resistance. She could see it affecting Knight too. At first, he had stI'll worn a patient smile, now though, his jaw and hands had clenched, and his face strained with a look of intense concentration. Part of her, the magically intoxicated part, wanted him to give in. It found it unfair that he always wore a mask of such calm dignity, her natural scientific curiosity wondered what he would be if he let the mask slip. How would he act? Hopefully he would act exactly like her hyperactive mind wanted him to.

Twilight noticed that, though the transfer had been going on only a few seconds, her heartbeat had elevated, ND she felt light-headed. From her perspective she hardly found it surprising seeing as how she felt so incredible! The soft buzz of power energized and refreshed her far more than the best spa treatment she'd ever had, surely her body was just naturally reacting to such incredible sensations in an appropriate manner.

"Twilight..." Knight croaked through gritted teeth, "Stop... now..."

He's just saying that because he's losing! She thought, and gave him a cocky smile. Hadn't he wanted her to impress him? No better way to do that than to exceed his expectations, and then mabye she could really show him a thing or two.

A small part of her mind whispered that this wasn't her, this was wrong. She ignored it with a fierce growl, unwilling to cease until she beat her teacher at his own game, and with a concentrated effort, she shoved more of her maginc into the connection, sending jolts and sparks of pure magic into the air around them. Her vision street to darken at the edges, but she didn't mind, her thoughts felt clear, clearer than they had in a long time, and she didn't need to see anything than Knight's starfield skin in front of her anyway. She'd never realized how muscular the stallion was, his brown shirt had hidden it before, but Rarity's black and purple outfit was much tighter fitting.

He's the most handsome stallion I've ever seen, she thought as the world faded from her sight.

Aaaaaand, she's out, Kaiscillius thought as his adversary flopped unconcious to the floor. He abandoned his look of struggle in favor of a satisfied smirk. Then, carefully looking left and right, he jumped into the air with a whoop, allowing himself a moment of childish celebration. His plan had been successful so far, but now he could really have some fun.

With a pop and a hiss, Kaiscillius released the transformation spell he had cast almost two weeks earlier, and his body exploded outward in a maelstrom of flesh and metal. His titanic form expanded to its natural size, nearly filling the massive castle entrance hall completely, the star-filled plates that covered his body ground and scraped against the walls and ceiling with a loud screech. His six eyes opened, and he rumbled in a satisfied manner, shaking the surrounding building and foliage, and stretched all of his unused muscles. He spared a glance for the unconcious unicorn with one of his lesser heads, and discovered a bit of Void in her. She had used too much magic, and would go into overdraw soon if he did not intervene. The head's eyes inverted in color, becoming black stars in a white sky, as he empowered her with merely a squick of magic to keep her alive, and carefully wove a sleeping aura around her to make sure she stayed unconcious.

Now little Alicorn, he thought with a deafening chuckle, you will enter my world.

Author's Note

So here we are. I apologize for the extreme lateness of this chapter as I meant to finish it two weeks ago, but then I got sick, and then had to leave the country and couldn't write a single word. Needless to say it was incredibly frustrating. However, I'm back now, so hooray! As a side note, this chapter and the next will be narrower in scope than the later ones I have planned, so I ask you to endure that until some real fun starts. I was going to make them both one chapter, but then it would have taken another week or two and been over 17,000 words, so I think this'll do for now. I'm also taking Rocko's suggestion and adding a break between perspective shifts, I hope it helps somewhat.

Anyhow, Kaiscillius now has in his clutches a princess who's mind holds more knowledge than most libraries, and who knows more about the inner workings of nations than should ever be allowed to fall into the wrong hands. She has faced darkness before, but can she stand strong against it this time, or will she fall into shadow? Find out, next time.

Castle in the Woods

A soft whispering flowed through Twilight's ears. A subtle, quiet sound, that flowed into, out of, and around her. She didn't want to get up. Spike would get the door for a few more minutes, and she needed to rearrange the bookcases again today, which she always looked forward to. It was so cold in her tree house, she needed to get a central heating system of some sort. Twilight went to pull the covers up around her shivering body, and discovered to her slight annoyance that her hands wouldn't move. What could have-

Twilight gasped into full consciousness and immediately groaned and squeezed her eyes shut. Her head pounded like a steel drum, her mouth was parched and chapped. What had happened? Where was she? Slowly the memories returned to her, as if drifting slowly out of a fog. She groaned again at her stupidity and lack of self control, she couldn't work up enough energy for proper self-loathing, and the headache made it too difficult to concentrate on any one thought for very long. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and then blinked with confusion. Her thoughts came slowly, breaking off into incoherent fragments most of the time before her taxed mind could even acknowledge them.

Dark... cold... spells... need... need something...

She weakly struggled to move her arm again, and found that she could move everything below her wrist, but not her hand itself. Any significance this may have had was lost on her stupefied brain, and she merely stared numbly, mouth open, into the darkness of whatever place she was currently imprisoned in. It was pitch black here. Eyes open or closed, it made no difference. She couldn't even see her nose, if she'd had enough presence of mind to try and focus on looking at her nose. She knew something was wrong, she shouldn't be here for some reason, she should be somewhere else. Her tree house? No, that was gone. Her palace? No, she had left there with... what's his face... Knight something. She felt that nor remembering his name was bad. Struggling to form complete thoughts, Twilight instinctively took inventory of herself.

Despite apparently being suspended only by her hands, she felt no pain in her arms as she would if she were dangling freely, she was really cold though. Twilight shifted her body and found that she could move unrestrained everywhere except her hands and feet, allowing her pretty much only to wriggle around aimlessly. She shifted backwards slightly, and felt her bare back and the base of her wings grind against some sort of stone. She hissed at the sharp cold contact between exposed flesh and the icy...wall, floor, ceiling? There was no way to know, too dark. As more of Twilight's mind drifted out from the pounding haze of pain, she began to worry about her situation, and in a few minutes (or what she assumed was minutes) she was theorizing.

She'd obviously been captured. But by whom? For what? Had they taken Knight too? As she thought of Knight she once again recalled her shameful display of disobedience that had no doubt led to this whole affair, and this time she was up to hating herself. If she hadn't been so stupid maybe she could have stopped whatever was happening before it had started. What was happening actually? She was naked for some reason. Were they searching for valuables in her clothing? Good luck to whoever tried that, she never wore jewelry. She now possessed the wherewithal to blush furiously at the thought that some unknown assailant had stripped her while she was unconscious, and her blood froze as she considered the thought that they may have... had their way with her. How would she know? Would she even be able to tell a difference? Why was she thinking about that of all things?

Okay, calm down Twilight. You've been in... well maybe not worse, but at least similar situations to this. You need to focus on getting out of here for now, and that means not worrying about anything else.

Twilight took a deep breath to calm herself, and just when she started to feel a little courage in her veins, she felt the very air around her tremble.

Kaiscillius, of course, could see perfectly. Even here, in the dungeons of the Castle of the Two Sisters, where no light had touched for centuries unnumbered, darkness bowed before him. He strode confidently between the large pillars that supported an ancient and crumbling roof. The cracked and split stone floor nearly shattered against his weight as he moved through the dungeon's stale air. Luckily for him this had been one of the few areas of the castle that was large enough to support his size in his true form. Ahead of him lay his prize, whom he'd allowed to collect herself for a moment before beginning his work. It was never any fun if they didn't struggle at first, when their minds were to exhausted from magical expenditure to even resist his advances. It was certainly useful when he had to be quick about it, but it wasn't fun. And he had many fun plans for this one, it was rare he got his claws on so delicious a prize as an alicorn, and he would not waste the opportunity.

She lay ahead of him, her lithe frame displayed perfectly against one of the long, grey stone walls that made up the dungeon. She looked beautiful cloaked in a darkness that only his eyes could penetrate. Her pale lavender skin stretched smoothly over the full curves and soft muscle of her stomach and hips. Her arms were stretched above her to either side, bearing her large, soft breasts to his greedy eyes. She was held in place by his magical restraints so that she could squirm under his attentions, but never truly escape him. Her slender neck gave way to an adorably confused face, her lips looked so smooth and perfect in the darkness... in his darkness.

You know... Kaiscillius thought as he stalked slowly towards his ripe new plaything, I could used to this place.

Twilight shuddered as lights appeared in the darkness. She should have rejoiced that she could at least see something, but it was the way the lights moved. The way they danced and called to her, it made her wary, unwilling to trust them as they erratically flickered on and off . She became nervous as they drew closer, and she heard no noise. There was only a great rush of air, as if something very large was displacing it all very quickly. As the lights drew closer still, she realized that they were not turning on and off, merely moving about. They flowed and rippled in amazing patterns across... something. The random movement of the points made it difficult to pick out a defined shape in the pitch blackness. There were, however, six points far above her that did not shift of swirl. And then they began to lower, smoothly, in one motion, and she realized that they were eyes.

Oh sweet Celestia help me...

Twilight whimpered and squirmed backward against the stone wall that held her, squeezing her eyes shut, desperate for some means of escape as the swirling maelstrom of lights drew closer. She had no idea what this creature was, or its purpose in being here. Surely her captors would not have gone through the trouble of stringing her up if they were just going to let her be eaten by some wild beast?

She mewled in terror as she felt cold breath flow across her skin, raising goosebumps all over her body. She opened her eyes slowly and gasped at the brilliance in front of her. She now recognized what she had once thought merely specks as actual stars, with whirling galaxies and nebulae rippling this way and that before her. Whatever creature that held the heavens bound to its skin was so large that the dazzling array filled every inch of her vision. And at the center of it all, were six wondrous orbs. She gazed into them, her mind completely entertained in trying to puzzle out the infinite spiraling complexity of the creature's eyes, wondering in awe at the incredible nature of its very existence. She was no longer very afraid, for it did not seem to be hostile, and the scientist in her had come forth, and she was one who would stand in front of the legions of Tartarus to take notes on the anatomical structure of the demons that composed it.

"What are you?" she asked in awe, turning her head and delighting as the points of light in the creature's eyes shifted to a different perspective, as if she were actually gazing at the image through many dozens of mirrors rather than straight into them.

"What am I? Well, I don't really know. What are you?"

Twilight shrieked and jerked against her restraints as a voice as deep and thunderous as the high seas boomed from naught but a few feet in front of her. Her ears rang and her headache pounded strongly in protest as she reeled from the cacophonous sound.

"Would (ow) you mind speaking a little (mmf) teensy bit quieter please?" She asked, shaking her head to clear it.

The eyes drew backwards, and she felt almost slightly saddened to see them pull away, before the creature asked,

"Is this better?" In a much more reasonable, though still quite voluble, voice. When she could actually hear it, rather than be blindsided by it, it was quite lovely. Elegant and sonorous, lilting and deep in its patterns. It spoke as if language were music, and its voice a perfectly tuned instrument, instilling a need to pay attention to every word spoken, lest you miss part of the song.

"Much better, thank you. I admit, I didn't expect to find so well mannered a..."

"Gentlecolt."

"Gentlecolt down here in these..."

"Dungeons."

"Dungeons that we're in!" So, she was in a dungeon. Where? The Castle of the Two Sisters? And who was this male speaking to her? A guard? A fellow prisoner?

"I suppose I should warn you," her new acquaintance said in a bored voice, which still was the most interesting voice she'd ever heard, "that if you try to escape, I will be the one to catch you. Not that you'd want to escape, knowing what you'll do you probably don't ever want to leave here again."

She stared at the creature confused. What was she going to do? Of course she wanted to get out, Equestria could be in danger! How long had she been unconscious, had she missed something important?

The creature leaned back down to her, and it soothed her to look into its eyes again, to focus on them instead of worries she could do nothing to fix.

"You get to stay here with me. I promise you we'll have an amazing time. Together, alone in the darkness..." This time the creature whispered, and it sent shivers down Twilight's spine at the dark tone it used. She wasn't opposed to it though, she might be able to convince this thing to be her friend, and then she could get out of here. All she had to do was excel at... whatever it was that the thing wanted to do together.

Twilight squeaked as she felt something smooth, warm, and thick slowly coil around her midsection. She quickly glanced down, and saw a fourth set of eyes winding around her, disappearing behind her back before circling around to her front. It felt wonderful to be warmed so. Especially after the cold embrace of stone, and the grip was surprisingly gentle. That did not stop Twilight from squirming in vain against the encircling head of the creature.

It must be some sort of hydra, even as she was possibly facing her final moments, Twilight analyzed her situation, attempting to figure out just what the creature was, why it was doing what it was doing, but it possesses an unmatched intelligence for one of its species, usually they behave like wild animals, but this one seems very vocal. A good thing too, it's voice is amazing. And the scales! I don't even know how it could evolve such pattern shifting, Reminds me a little of- eeep!

Twilight bit her lip hard, and grunted as the beast's heads squeezed her chest flat and she felt as each section of armor plating ground slowly against her painfully stiff nipples.

Okay, so not scaaaaaAAaales then, but raaaather some, mmf, sort of haaaAArmor!

Twilight shuddered and trembled as the head completed one more grating revolution around her warming body before the head stared her straight in the eyes, its cool breath blowing across her face. It leaned forward slowly, and her thoughts froze as she felt hard metal brush against her ear, and a warm, dark whisper,

"Alone, together, you... and me..." before the head scratched softly against her chin and cheek, and she felt a long wet tongue drag across her upturned neck. Twilight stuttered and gasped, stunned as the creature gave another deep drag long the other side of her neck, gently nudging her head aside, almost as a caress. She gasped and twitched excitedly as the forked tongue gave a flick and stroke to her inner ear, her shocked brain added "shame for undeniable hotness" to the queue of things to process when it returned to normal. Her breath came faster and deeper as mouth alternated between sloppy kisses and long licks across her neck and ears. Her face and chest flushed with warmth as her mind tried desperately to comprehend what was happening. The tongue was wondrously smooth, gliding across her flushed skin and wrapping around anything it could reach. The fluid it excreted wasn't caustic, and dried very quickly, leaving the place it had been hot, and sensitive. Twilight moaned shamefully as the effects of the fluid kicked in, and her body spiked with lust in response to the creature's ministrations. As the beast attended to her lovingly with its mouth, the thick neck of the creature was not idle either, it undulated and coiled, grinding purposefully against her tits, wrapping and rubbing the entirety of them in a smooth warm pocket of spastic jolting gratification.

Twilight continued to shiver and jerk unthinking in the creature's grasp for a few seconds, her body melting into the hydra's loving embrace, before her senses recovered from shock, and she jerked her head away from the beast.

Arrrgh! What is this thing, this is... gross, definitely gross! I need to make sure it understands that this is... not... okay... Twilight's thoughts trailed off as a fifth set of eyes leveled in front of her face, it rotated slightly as number four turned her head to get a better shot at her throat and collarbone, slobbering over them with wet smacks and slurps. Twilight panted in confusion as the fifth kept its eyes trained on her face... and pressed its lips to hers. She grunted in shock as she felt the kiss push against her open mouth, but as the tongue of the fourth labored at it's wonderful work, and the neck ground her chest to highly satisfied dust, her eyelids began to flutter, and she felt her tongue creep out to meet the creature's...

A crashing BOOM! reverberated through the chamber, shocking Twilight out of her half-stupor, and galvanizing her to whip her head away from the creature. It, apparently, had a similar idea, as both heads unraveled from her body, leaving her shivering and dripping with what she convinced herself was sweat. She was still breathing hard, and her virgin mind was nearly incapacitated with trauma at being so thoroughly violated. She quivered, with fear of course, at the thought that her adversary might do something like that again. And she knew there were worse things that it could have done, but at the time she couldn't fathom why it hadn't already done them. Not that she wanted it to, of course, she was most certainly glad that the hydra hadn't decided to use its many tongues in other places, shoving rough and thick into areas that she herself had barely delved, taking her brutally and completely before it really went to town on her-

...Twilight decided that she should probably stop thinking about it.

The hydra growled as all five of its heads now turned away from her and she heard it mutter, "Your friend has been causing lots of trouble for me. Let's see how rebellious he is after I start snapping his bones."

Even though the statement itself was horrible, the delivery method was entirely incongruous. It came out as a soft, lullaby-style whisper, that calmed her fraying mind, and softened the blow of the actual sentence, it made her even more confused than she already was.

"M-my f-friend? W-w-what f-friend?" Twilight was teeth were chattering from the dreadful cold, every inch of her body was now exposed to the icy dungeon air, and part of her wished that the hydra would wrap her back up again so that she could be warm. A few licks of it's tongue would do the trick too, especially if it gave a few long laps in just the right places-

Stop that. She thought to herself, shoving the perplexing knot of emotions she was feeling deep down into her. Really deep down into herself. Damn it.

"The crystal one. Yellow-y purple. Now you stay right here my little nightsong, and we'll have all the time together you need. Soon as I break some femurs..." With the end of the lilting, mesmerizing tone, the hydra stalked away, quite gracefully for its size, into the dark gloom of the dungeon.

Oh no, oh Celestia this is bad. Knight won't stand a chance against that thing, especially not if he's bound like I am. I need to get out of here,
what's the situation horn?

Twilight was surprised to find that she didn't feel magically exhausted, like she would have expected to after shoving all of her reserves into another pony. She wasn't up to full capacity, but she definitely wasn't running on fumes. Twilight struggled a bit to work up the concentration for the spell, her head pounded every time she pulled magic to her horn so much that it was hard to keep the words coming out right. She aimed her horn right at where she assumed her wrist was, and really hoped that whatever magical barrier that held her in place would absorb most of the blast so that she didn't blow her own hand off. As she forced energy into her horn, it didn't feel as if she'd been equipped with a nullifier ring, which she found odd, but irrelevant for the moment.

With a grunt Twilight loosed a jagged flash of sparking purple energy, and from the light it produced she saw that she had been right on target with her aim. What held her appeared to be a translucent dark blue... goop. It just clung to her hand, swirling like disturbed water on the surface, but staying locked tightly around the appendage. That was, until a spotty beam of purple smashed it to pieces. As the bolt hit, Twilight could have sworn the goop condensed slightly, as if forming a solid mass, that then shattered as the force of the blast transferred through it. Her other hand and both of her feet experienced an odd flickering sensation, where it felt like she was being suspended by nothing, before she dropped through the air with a strangled yelp.

Twilight landed on her hands and knees, and her head snapped up, searching for any movement or lights in the unending blackness of the dungeon that would indicate the hydra's return. After a few seconds of all being still, she stood up slowly, and heaved a sigh of relief as she realized that her headache had completely vanished! The restraints must have also been giving her a headache to keep her off-balance and make her think... in very unladylike ways.

She felt extremely clear-headed, and as such was once again disgusted at the weak-willed, earlier version of herself, who had so nearly fallen for the trap laid by her enemies. Whoever they were.

Right, I can berate myself and sort through my sexual identity later. Right now, I've got to find Knight aaaaand, I'm naked.

Twilight glanced downwards, towards a bare body that she couldn't see, and blushed furiously at the thought of willingly exposing herself to anypony else, especially if it were a stallion. Knight was different though, she knew he wouldn't laugh or try to take advantage of her. And from the sounds of things, he'd actually put up a heck of a lot more fight than she had.

Even if I am naked... it won't be too bad if it's him seeing me. And right now, escape is far more important than dignity.

Thus reassured, Twilight began walking in a random direction as, even after all this time, her eyes had not adjusted to the infernal darkness even slightly, and she had gotten entirely turned around while having her internal debate. It was, then, not entirely her fault as she slammed face-first into the wall she had been chained to.

Some brief almost-swears later and she was soon following the wall, hoping that it would lead her somewhere that she could actually see something.

Initiating phase two... now. Kaiscillius thought, as his little morsel shot a bolt of energy at her restraints, and it was promptly absorbed. A crack of dark blue power later and she slumped in her bonds, as if all tension had left her muscles. A light snore even trailed from her mouth, which Kaiscillius gave one of his signature building-shaking chuckles at.

He strode quickly over to where she slumbered, focusing on the radiating webs of multi-colored light that trailed from his first dream spell, triggered when she had cast magic in its presence. It had taken him most of the first 24 hours of his stay at the Castle to perfect the dream so much that Twilight would accept it as reality. In this state, she was incredibly easy to manipulate and subvert, especially to one such as Kaiscillius, who was as adept at shaping and traversing dreams as his mother.

Kaiscillius leaned down to his naked plaything and took her horn in his foremost mouth. He didn't need to, but a physical connection was less tiring, and less noticeable by... outside forces.

He dove into her masterfully woven dream as easily as a dolphin cuts through water, surfacing in his full form on a small grassy platform suspended in empty black space. In front of him was a large orb which contained Twilight's current viewpoint, as well as a few fractured images. Thoughts, kept away by the spell from interfering with her perfect dream. Kaiscillius filled the empty space around him with a clear night sky, a crescent moon hung far in the air above him, and all around every star shone as though it were brand new. His eyes inverted color as he tapped into the immense power the poor young filly had imbued him with, and he wove a latticework of white illusion around the dream and his island. He had made sure it was day before allowing Twilight to wake, but his mother could be unpredictable. And if she stumbled onto his plans while they were at this early of a stage, he was doomed. Lastly, he added a small tree to his little island, and settled down under it, with his heads on his claws, to watch the orb. Currently Twilight Sparkle was stumbling blind through the dungeon, hand on wall. She would continue to do this forever until he signaled the dream to give her the next set of enchantments. It was a little something nasty he had worked up in case he was caught before the spell ran its course. Every stage needed his magical say-so, or she would be trapped in the darkness, alone, forever, held as his hostage.

His eyes flashed again as he signaled the dream to continue, and he summoned himself some of this newfangled "pop-corn" to munch as he enjoyed the show.

Twilight nearly swore again as she stumbled sullenly through the black murk of her prison, it felt like she had been walking for hours and she hadn't gotten anywhere! Her hand hadn't even left the wall yet! Just as she was about to give up and take a rest, she felt exhausted, her hand brushed over a different section of stone. She gasped at the sudden change, and then excitedly continued forward, rubbing her hand frantically over the stone to enjoy the wonderful feeling of a different tactile sensation than the same one she'd had for hours. The stone here was not as large, in fact, with every step she went it seemed as if the stones became incrementally smaller and smaller, until they felt like a mosaic beneath her hand. Until it hit an arch. She inhaled sharply as her hand passed over some sort of raised, curved section, and then shot out into empty space. She jerked her hand back in fear, and then slowly, tentatively, as if going any faster might make the hole fill itself in, she stretched her hand out again. It touched nothing, She moved a little backwards, her hand hit a smooth lip of cold stone. And was it just her or did the air seem... lighter here? Not light, but... a brighter shade of blackness? Was that a thing? She really hoped it was a thing.

Twilight took a deep breath and stepped quickly into the opening, briskly walking forward, desperately wanting to sprint, but not daring to unless she made too much noise. The tunnel she was in was definitely lightening. She swore she could even start to see the grooves of the flat grey stone beneath her sore feet. And just as her heart started to flutter in hope, she stopped. What if this didn't lead to another cell? What if this tunnel just led... out? There would be ponies or... something guarding the exit, surely, but that wasn't what concerned her at that moment. She hadn't found Knight yet. Did she go back for him, or go get help and then return? Leaving would be the smarter option but... it just felt so heartless to do something like that to somepony she knew, somepony who had only ever shown her kindness.

Alright Sparkle, think this through logically, allow no emotion to cloud your judgement. Equestria itself could be in danger. If this group is kidnapping princesses, they're clear not here in its best interest. One pony can wait a little longer, so that the world may survive.

And with a tremble and a tear for the pain she would be putting him through, Twilight turned her back to Knight Radiant, and walked towards the light.

She realized almost immediately that she was still in the Castle of the Two Sisters, the stonework (now that she could see it) was the same, and tattered banners hung frayed from many places along the walls as she passed up and out of the dungeon.

I recognize this... she thought with growing joy, this is one of the branches off of the main hallway, I'm saved! Twilight giggled with bubbling mirth as she charged down the tunnel, seeing the outside world again after what felt like an eternity shrouded in darkness was the only thing on her mind. Until her foot hit the ground, and sunk slightly, a small hiss and click stopping Twilight dead in her tracks.

Ohhhh, horseapples. Twilight cringed and hunkered down as she waited for whatever booby trap she'd stepped on might be to activate. She wondered what she'd just set off. Poison gas? Arrows? Honeydews? She really hoped it was honeydews.

Twilight jumped as she heard a sudden crack, and what sounded like... electricity? She shot ten feet backwards as a horrifying scream ripped through the hall, and made herself as small as possible in the corner of the corridor. She quivered with fear as the scream continued, occasionally being horribly torn off, only to start back up when Twilight heard the electricity crack back on again. Something about that screaming voice felt bone chillingly familiar to her, her eyes widened in terror as it just continued on and on... until it abruptly stopped. She could still hear the hum of electricity, but the scream was... was just gone. Eventually the power turned off too, and Twilight sat in deathly silence, not even daring to draw breath. Twilight's legs felt like they were melting, and she took one trembling step backwards... and her foot sunk into the floor with a hiss and click.

"NO!" She shouted, looking around madly for a way to stop what was happening, but it was already too late, the malevolent hum rang through the air again, shortly followed by more throat-wrenching screams. These were much higher pitched, reaching ear-popping heights before stopping each time. But again, they kept that same felling of dreadful familiarity. Twilight could almost imagine... with a tone that high...

No... no...

Twilight sobbed in confusion and anguish as she slowly backed down the hallway, just trying to get away from whatever abominable machine of torture was in front of her, but even as she stepped away from it, her foot slipped on a loose stone, and she landed flat on her back to the dreadful sound of another hiss and click. The light screams had long since cut off completely, which allowed Twilight to hear fully, and unadulterated, these new cries of suffering. They were raspier than the others had been. It could not be mistaken. It was Rainbow Dash.

Numb with guilt, bile rising in her throat, Twilight ran. She ran back to the darkness, she would welcome it, she didn't want to see anything, didn't want to hear anything like those screams again. She ran to get away, but every step she took brought a new scream. How had she missed all these traps before? What was even... she couldn't...

Twilight sobbed and retched as she fled from the light, but the screams followed her. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity... by Celestia, her own mother! Her vision was dark and blurry. Or was that the dungeon? So many screams, so much noise. She wanted them to stop. They wouldn't stop . Something wet on her face. Tears? No, blood, she was bleeding. Oh, she was on the floor, couldn't move, couldn't think.

End it... please just end it...

Twilight faded away.

Kaiscillius stood and stretched from his previously reclined position on his little ethereal island. He sighed and paced back and forth, digging grooves in the dirt facsimile.

It had to be done. There was, is, no other way to get her to surrender and comply within the acceptable time period, you know this.

He had not liked having to mentally torture the poor filly, for she really was still just a child, into letting her mental defenses down. But it was the only way. He had convinced himself of that long before he had even started laying the groundwork for the dream spells. Yet here he stood, wasting time, convincing himself again. And he didn't expect this to be the last time either.

Oh well, my feelings have no part in this grand equation. Better set the stage for act 3.

Kaiscillius severed one of the links between his and his victim's minds', and opened his eyes back in the dungeon. Twilight Sparkle still lay flat against the wall, as she had for the whole experience. Kaiscillius brought four of his heads to the various bonds that suspended her in the air, and gave each a wide lick. They came away easily (and tasted like grape jelly) and he caught her limp form deftly with his fifth head. He was glad he'd made the investment for two new ones, it made things easier, and the more heads a hydra could have, the better.

As Kaiscillius carried Twilight over to a spot farther away from the wall, his thoughts turned once again to his ancestry, as they often did when he wanted to distract himself. His mother had told him that they had been descended from normal hydra that she had experimented on generation after generation, until she finally found the form that suited her needs perfectly. She had called them 'nighdra', which he found to be incredibly lame, but he was realizing more and more that she had been all about that sort of over-the-top style villainy, not really rooted in subtlety at all. He often compared his skills to hers, but they were really very different creatures when it came to most things.

He laid Twilight's unconscious body on the stone floor, and took up his pose around her, curling his body so that he formed a living wall of warm steel between her and escape. Each of his heads coiled individually about her body, seeming to be fussing over her separately, and yet together. He gave her a few preliminary licks and released her from her sleep.

Twilight was warm, even comfortable. She felt surrounded by heat, little trickles and puddles of it occasionally tapped on her skin. She did not remember why this was such a pleasant experience, she was often warm when she woke up from sleeping, her bed was one of the most comfortable-

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-

The screams! She heard them, they were still there! Twilight thrashed and arched on whatever warm bed she lay on, not daring to open her eyes to whatever horrors might face her, and being tortured as she kept them closed by the sounds of screaming.

"It is alright my dear, it is alright. Come back to me, come back to the world of the living."

A voice, no scream, soft and gentle and heartbroken as any she'd heard flowed like soothing honey into her ravaged ears. It stilled her mind somewhat, but she could still hear them, her friends, her teachers, her family, dying, burning! Her fault, her fault, her fault-

Twilight gasped as bliss and calm flooded into her from a point near her abdomen, and again on her shoulder. Her muscles relaxed slowly, one by one as the wonderful taps released the tension in them, but her mind paid them no heed as she now wept her sorrow, eyes still screwed shut, despite the pain it brought her. Or perhaps because of it. She deserved the pain it brought her, it was nothing compared to the unimaginable agony she'd inflicted on others. Those who had trusted in her! And because of her arrogance, her ignorance, they were all... all...

Twilight's brain shut down. It simply did not go farther with that thought, not a single neuron considered a word after the point she'd reached in that sentence. In fact, the longer she cried, the less she remembered of the event. She knew what was happening, her brain was repressing the memory to keep her from going into shock, if she let it happen it could cause immense problems for her later in her life.

But if it helped stop the screams...

"Shhh, shhh, my little flower, what have you done? I warned you that you should not leave. When I saw you had fallen, I brought you back from the brink of madness. You are fine, you are safe here. Forget what you should not know, come back to me little one, come back."

She needed to forget.

Forget what? What was she forgetting? Twilight opened her eyes and her jaw dropped in awe. All around her shimmered a universe. She lay on a bed of galaxies, her body illuminated by the swirling of a million, billion stars. Above her lay an even vaster heavens, hypnotically warping, cascading, colliding. And then there were those gorgeous eyes. She relaxed completely as all ten gazed down upon her, and she did not turn away. She was warm, and safe. This thing had saved her from-

She was warm, and safe. This thing, at least, was her friend, even if it was also her guard. She was not sure why she trusted it so much, but looking into its eyes, so full of wonder and care, she couldn't believe anything else was possible.

'This thing'? That's hardly an appropriate thing to call your friend, now is it? Twilight lightly chastised herself. She couldn't seem to get very angry, and she wasn't very anxious about that either. Although a little voice in her head was telling her she should be.

"What is your name, my guard?" She asked softly. She couldn't work up much energy, even as two of the heads lowered and began feeding her warm taps from, what she could now see was their tongues again, relaxing her further.

"My name, my sweet?" It replied lovingly, nuzzling her gently with a third celestial head, which she giggled lightly at.

"My name is Thrassimund. If that is too long for your tired body to produce, simply 'my Lord' will suffice. I only allow my closest friends to call me that, it is an honor." He finished by gently booping her on the nose with his tongue, which she lazily swatted at, laughing. Twilight moaned openly as one of her Lord's heads lingered much longer over one of her thighs than was strictly necessary, gently nibbling on it after it had licked its way up to as near her crotch as it could get without actually touching.

But even as the very embodiment of the night sky bent to please her growing desires, something was off. She felt she was bending far too quickly to what this thing, My Lord, she unconsciously corrected herself, wanted. Wait, what had she just thought?

Twilight was distracted from her shock as another prolonged cycle of blessed cool and searing heat ground its way up her stomach, starting just above her rapidly moistening pussy, and ending just before it reached her heaving chest. She growled in frustration as the heat inside her body began to grow very irritating rather than calming, and she felt her headache start to return. A heavy, dull crash of... not pain exactly, it felt more like she was pent up. Like she had felt when Celestia had once forbidden her to use any magic for a whole week. There was an identical tight ache in her crotch, and she had no trouble figuring out what that one meant. Twilight gritted her teeth and grunted laboriously as she felt two of the long tongues wrap fully around her ankles, and then begin to slither upwards, coating every inch of her legs in whatever it was they excreted, and sending wave after wave of prickling pleasure through her body. It felt very similar to her legs waking up after they fell asleep, except after the tongues left an area it exploded with wanton need of more cooling licks. two more did the same to her arms, while the fifth, keeping its eyes locked on hers at all times, continued to cover every inch of her smooth stomach in some form of black fluid. The fifth head also administered to her collarbone, and her cleavage, while deftly managing to not touch either breast as it navigated the narrow passageway with its tongue.

She was panting incredibly quickly, sucking breath in and out like a bellows, when the head above her mumbled to her, "Little pet, little pet, why don't we play? What were we doing before we were interrupted, I don't seem to remember..." Her Lord lowered his face (well, one of them at least) almost directly onto her's, it's beautiful eyes held a mischievous glint, and she whined through her teeth as she felt all of the wondrous licking stop as the heads lifted, and all waited for her response. She was surprised to find that her arms were unbound, in fact, she didn't think she'd even been restrained this entire time, she'd willingly kept herself in place, without even the slightest hint of a struggle.

And why would anyone want to get away from this anyway? She thought, smiling as she languidly gripped the sides of her Lord's face,my Lord is so kind, so... mmmh, generous...

Twilight pulled the massive hydra head closer to her own, a playful smile on her face, her eyes glazed with both lust and a flickering dark energy, as she unabashedly opened her mouth wide, and plated as large a kiss as she could manage on the reptilian lips.

Her body melted under the renewed attack from all of the hydra's heads, there seemed to be no speed boundaries now as they viciously lathered and body part they could touch. She squealed and arched her back hard as two of them seized her breasts and started licking and sucking for all they were worth. One mouth took one boob each in their mouths, and each tongue extended fully, and wrapped its way down her watermelon-sized melons. They massaged quickly up and down, coiling and uncoiling around her flushed tits as the whole mouth sucked on the teat like it was trying to milk her. Her entire body bucked and kicked as pleasure finally roared into her bloodstream, and she felt something incredibly powerful building already, all the pent up raging arousal of the last few minutes culminating into the brewing storm inside of her. Her eyes, which were currently in the process of trying to disappear into her skull, widened as an immense, slick object forced its way into her mouth, spewing what seemed like gallons of an amazingly sweet liquid onto her taste buds and down her eager throat. She choked and sputtered a bit as the tongue of her lover stretched her mouth open wider, but the more delicious fluid she gulped down, the more she was able to fit, she was not able to muster enough strength to wrestle with it inside of her mouth, though, as her mind was very quickly overwhelmed with sensation, and she felt the first orgasm crash over her.

Twilight screamed into her Lord's mouth and gripped hard onto anything she could reach as she messily squirted a huge amount of her own sweet fluids out into the open air. Every muscle in her body clenched hard as her mind was wiped clean by the experience, and pleasure rocketed through her inexperienced body. A full 28 seconds later she came down from her high, sucking in air through her nose like a drowning man, and still amorously Prench kissing her Lord.

And in the aftermath of her explosive climax, a voice was renewed in the blank slate of her mind, NO, THIS IS WRONG SNAP OUT OF IT!

Twilight lunged backwards, quickly scrambling out of the reach of the head that had held her locked in place, her headache vanished as she squirmed free from the writhing grasp of the hydra, and all five heads hissed at her simultaneously, as if sensing that she had somehow broken the spell. Twilight leapt backwards, beating her magnificent wings to clear the low barrier of the beast's curled body, and landed lithely on the far side of it, her horn flaring with power as she fired an incredibly large beam of energy straight at the creature, blasting one of its heads to smithereens. But as was the trick of all hydras, from the stump of the head she had blasted soon sprouted two more.

This is gonna be one heck of a fight, she thought as she grinned and leveled her horn again, nopony treats me like that and gets away with it you... bad... pony. Ugh, that was terrible. And with this parting thought, Twilight Sparkle charged into battle.

Kaiscillius rumbled triumphantly, as the flailing form beneath him finally came, revealing the mental pocket of resistance that still held sway over her body... and activating the second dream spell. He'd had to be very careful with his pacing, he couldn't let her cum before her unenchanted personality had time to accrue, and so he'd kept the pace painstakingly slow until he was sure of the signs of her beginning to resist. The second dream he'd devised was rather ingenious, as it only imprisoned the part of her mind that wanted most to be free, and since it was so real, it felt free, thus placating it. The true Twilight Sparkle would now fight a never-ending battle, in which she and her opponent dueled like in legends of old, neither wavering, neither faltering, a true test of might everlasting. Meanwhile, the remainder of her was completely docile and submissive, and wanted to show it.

"Ooh yeeeeeeeeeeesssss, my--my Lord, do me again please! Fill my aching cunt, batter me, rip me apart, oh sweet Celestia I want it so bad!"

Yes, it seemed that Twilight's final vestiges of restraint had been entirely focused on keeping her mouth shut. This new her was quite vocal, and lewdly descriptive. It was clear she possessed a poet's tongue, and had a penchant for earthquake analogies.

"My Lord?" He mumbled in her ear in a displeased manner, "oh no, that honorific won't do at all, I'm your Master now slave." The latter half he spoke threateningly, lightly biting her neck with the mouth she had been passionately kissing.

Kaiscillius, of course, had his own reasons for continuing with Twilight like this. Yes, they were... numerous and... very... well thought out. And totally not related to the fact that he hadn't had release for 2 weeks, and an alicorn whom he'd just dominated was begging for it rough. Nope, not only for that reason at all.

Kaiscillius saw her eyes visibly flutter as he bit her, and a wide grin split her gorgeous face, "Yes, yes my Master! I am your slave, your slut, I am anything you wish me to be! Claim me, make me yours, I want the ground itself to shake as I prove my devotion for you!"

Kaiscillius smiled approvingly down at her nubile form and said, "Very well slut, just this once I will give you what you desire."

Twilight squealed with joy as the heads of her new Master dove in for the kill.

There was no time wasted now, Twilight shrieked as two of her Master's mouths locked around her aching nipples again, and was immediately silenced as another plunged into her mouth and began pumping her full of the dark aphrodisiac. And, after nearly two straight days of teasing, a tongue thicker than any horsecock for miles shoved its way into Twilight's soaked snatch. She writhed and bucked, nearly cumming a second time from the penetration alone as unparalleled satisfaction roared through her body.

"Buuuuuuuuuuuuuck, Master, Master- Ah, Celestia! Yes Master, just like that, aaaagh!" Twilight moaned through the equally large appendage in her mouth that she suckled and lapped greedily, drawing as much fluid from it as she could. Her body was rocked back and forth as the tongue in her pussy drilled in and out at a furious pace, each pass feeling better than the last as her Master's secretions covered her inner walls as well as her outer ones. She came after mere moments, her pleasure building to an unbearable level before it crashed back down upon her, and every muscle in her clenched tight as it could go. Twilight assumed that this would be the pace for a while, her continuing to scream lust-maddened encouragement, and her Master pounding her into oblivion, but he wasn't anywhere near done with his surprises yet. As Twilight's confused mind tried to figure out how to breath and swallow saliva at the same time, the wind was knocked out of her, as with a loud crackling noise, she felt her pussy double in breadth. Her hips lunged forward wildly to receive the newcomer, and she realized that with two heads sucking her breasts, one in her crotch, and one in her mouth, she'd forgotten to account for the fifth head. And apparently it didn't want to wait its turn.

Twilight roared in slight pain, but mostly unholy stimulation as two massive members filled her at the same time. It felt like she would be ripped in half for the first two seconds or so, but as her body soaked in more of her Master's marvelous froth, it became less painful, and infinitely more enjoyable. Twilight languished for she knew not how long, her body limp as she drank in the juice poured into her, and accepted the wet pounding of her nether regions as if it were common. She came four, five more times? Each building to an unappreciated crescendo, as by that point her mind had long since faded, and all she could think or utter were animalistic impulses. She was revived somewhat as her Master shifted, still ramming her with both tongues at top speed, but moving to get a better angle somehow. And then she was empty.

"No! Stop! Feels... soooo... good. Want more... good." She slurred as all five heads pulled away from her. With failing strength, Twilight managed to barely prop herself up with one arm, and gasped in wonder at what she saw. A six foot long, two foot wide obsidian shaft, with a ridge pattern that ran all the way down the length, and dribbling buckets of precum on the dungeon floor already. The massive cock looked horribly engorged, as if it were already about to burst. The black skin stretched tightly over muscle and vein, and two head-sized balls hung heavily beneath the swaying length. Twilight's senses ignited as she smelled an aroma in the air that she couldn't quite describe, but it gave her the strength to crawl on her hands and knees toward the massive projection, before she was stopped as one of the heads flipped her onto her back, and said huskily, "Sorry, pet, I can't wait for foreplay. You will be mine now."

Suddenly thick bands of dark purple goo appeared around Twilight's hands and feet, binding her to the floor, just like the ones she had blasted off earlier. Why had she done that? She could have been her Master's slave so much sooner if she hadn't made such a silly mistake like that!

The dungeon and Twilight alike shuddered as her Master stepped forward over her, and her vision was once again completely filled by a whirling cosmos, but she had eyes only for the enormous phallic void in the middle of it. Her Master maneuvered into place with a practiced surety, and soon the monster was perfectly lined up with her waiting crotch. Twilight didn't even flinch as the Herculean shaft was hurled towards her waiting folds, and finally shrieked as the unreasonable task of swallowing it whole fell to her poor body. But from nowhere came a roaring hiss and boom, and a cloud of darkness blasted around her, as her legs parted wider than she'd ever thought they could, and the beast slid all the way past the tip, down the ridged shaft, until it slammed against her cervix, all without her feeling a thing. Twilight sat in confusion for four seconds, as she idly tried to clench her pussy, and found it unresponsive, before her brain melted into a puddle.

Twilight awoke some minutes later as she came from the vicious pounding she was receiving from her Master. Her brain, which had almost gained some semblance of clarity, was immediately thrown back to it's primordial stage as the massive creature atop her rode her like a common whorse. She bucked, and gyrated, and flailed in time with her Master, her only goal to allow him to feel as much pleasure as he could, while her own body was constantly assaulted with higher and higher levels of orgasm, until she nearly blacked out from each one. And finally, after what felt like hours, her vagina exploded with white-hot jizz, as her Master roared his own climax to the very heavens, and the entire dungeon shook with the force of it.

A day and a half later, Twilight Sparkle had been shattered. Her body was grotesquely stretched and warped, her once graceful beauty made cheap and whorish. She lay gurgling in a pile of her own fluids and hydra cum, her skin soaking it into her body, and adding to the mind-wiping headache that disabled her ability to think.

"Master... master... mmmmm cum..."

Kaiscillius watched as Dark currents of energy roared through her body, her physical form straining to its limit to keep the destructive energy in check. Now was the time.

As he had done many moons ago with Flying Colors, Kaiscillius strode over to his unthinking prey, and clamped his primary mouth around her horn.

Twilight blinked awake, confused, to utter darkness. She wore her normal clothes, odd seeing as how she'd been naked for the past few days, and could see her own body perfectly we. However, she could not discern a visible light source or... floor for that matter. She stood in empty black space, her sense of perspective messing with her mind as she attempted to puzzle out just how large... wherever she was actually was without any sensory input.

Darn hydra, another one of your tricks eh? Well, I've escaped them all before, and this one is no different.

Over the course of their fight, Twilight had grown to respect her enemy. He was her equal in every way. Brilliant, cunning, powerful, well-versed in every magical field she could think to throw at him. At first she'd just assumed it was some sort of sick parasite, like a changeling that could (somewhat) think for itself. After a while though, she'd grown to know it as an incredibly intelligent creature, almost managing to even outwit her on a few occasions. The fight between them raged still, just as intense and engaging as when it first started, and she longed to get back to her adversary face-to-face, and see what new tricks he might have up his sleeve. She quickly scanned the darkness more thoroughly, looking for some sort of trigger or wire that might indicate a trap. What she found made her grin in anticipation, her enemy himself.

The "ground" rumbled as he took ponderous steps toward her, and she stood with her hands cockily resting on her hips as she smiled at him.

"So, where are we this time hmm? Face it Thrassimund, there's nowhere you can send me that I can't escape from, and I'll always be back to hunt you. And eventually, I will kill you." Her eyes sparkled with delight as he made no attempt to immediately attack her. He too, it seemed, had learned to be wary.

Her confidence shook slightly at his five-headed smile, "Oh, but you see Sparkle, I've already won. Or actually, you don't see, which really is the beauty of it."

She cocked her head and took up a fighting stance, sensing a trap, "What do you mean 'you've already won'? You haven't gained an inch of ground on me since the day we started fighting."

Her smile melted as booming laughter erupted from the titan in front of her, and worry gnawed at her soul, "You still don't see? Well let me give you a clue Twilight Sparkle." The beasts ten eyes twinkled with delight, and she felt her stomach drop like a ten ton brick.

"What do you know, student of the Sun, of the nature of dreams?"

"Dreams? Why would..." and with that simple question, a thought occurred to her. A thought so terrible and unreal, that it could not possibly be true. Twilight slowly backed away from the grinning monster, and mumbled, "No... no... NOOOO!"

"HAHAHAHA! Oh yes, Sparkle, it's true. And you know the best part? How about I show you!" The monster's form warped and shrunk, Twilight flinched as she heard bones snap and limbs crack into place, and where there had been a monster, now stood the proud form of Knight Radiant.

"Oh you know, 'cause Nightmares?" He said to her, and then roared with laughter. It boomed from all around her, thousands of voices mocking her for her stupidity with a single sound. Twilight's mind quailed as revelation after revelation of just how expertly she'd been outmaneuvered stampeded through her thoughts.

"You... you! You were the creature in the cave! The one who drained that poor unicorn's magic! You were the one who was kind, and smart, and... and..." Twilight felt tears well in her eyes as the feeling of betrayal forced its way foremost in her heart. Here was a stallion she had trusted, a stallion whom she had admired, whom she had even... liked. And it was all a farce.

An enormous pounding wrecked her thoughts, and Twilight screamed and dropped to her knees, clutching her skull with both hands as the waves of pain drove away all rational thought from her mind. Then came the memories. Memories of a her, that was not her. Depraved acts of which she had never even considered in her wildest sexual fantasies. And there were so many. Days, weeks, years worth of time spent on her back, on her stomach, suspended in the air, upside-down, loving every... bucking... second of it.

Amidst the chaos, and the noise, and the avalanches of depraved orgasms Twilight experienced one after the other from her memories of the greatest time she'd ever had in her life, a single truth emerged.

He has won. I've been outplayed. He has taken my rooks, my knights, my bishops, my pawns, and now my queen has fallen too. I am nothing before this... this magnitude of treachery. The sheer vastness of it escapes me. He has won, and I am broken.

Kaiscillius stood in the library again, surrounded upon endless rows of books. But in front of him, was a very special book. Bound in white leather, with gold trim running expertly across the entire front and back, with a single word carved into it. Everything. Kaiscillius tapped it with a claw, and roared with joy as information flooded his mind. He emerged back in the dungeon two hours later. Normally the transfer took about ten minutes, but when this mare said Everything, she meant Everything.

New knowledge surged through Kaiscillius's mind, and he felt almost prophetic in his ability to know what would happen next. Twilight Sparkle knew almost everything there was too know, and what she didn't know she had made lists of, giving Kaiscillius an exact inventory of what he needed to figure out. But the feeling of it! He was on an entirely different level than he had been yesterday. He knew, with absolute certainty, that tomorrow at 1:37 p.m., the sack of flour Mrs. Cake had positioned outside of her bakery would catch fire from a magnifying glass Pinkie had usedforadiguisethepreviousweekand-

Kaiscillius took deep breaths as he calmed his racing mind, but there was still more. So much more. He felt as though he could see into the future. With all of the knowledge that mare had held inside of her head, it was a wonder she wasn't the most powerful pony on the planet. Personality analysis, random facts about every important pony in Equestria, shipping dates, bank payments, and somehow or another she had always seen things that were incredibly important wherever she went, she was like a magnet of essential information. But never would she act on it, or even notice it at times. But since she had seen it, he had seen it. In perfect detail, with unmatched clarity. Kaiscillius barely had time to register his own thoughts before he locked up, and planned harder than he ever had in his life.

Four hours later, his plan was complete, his path was certain. He would dance to the tune the very world had practically sung to him in his newfound genius. Everything was so clear now. The dungeon remained as dark and dank as ever, and for the first time in two and a half days, Kaiscillius snapped all of the links between him and Twilight, and opened his true eyes in the entrance hall to the Castle of the Two Sisters. This had been another precaution, should she have defied him more than he could handle, he would break the sleep spell and console her here as Knight Radiant, in the real world, telling her that the whole thing was simply a side effect of overdraw.

His three heads (he would miss those other two) all turned to gaze upon Twilight's unconscious form, her body completely untouched, but her mind irreversibly altered. It was not the same as it had been with Flying Colors. He had broken something in Twilight Sparkle, and she would never be the same. Not that he needed her to be. Her role in his grand design was much more tragic.

Fifteen minutes later, Kaiscillius strolled out of the darkened entrance hall into the cool night air of the Everfree Forest. Held aloft next to him in a nimbus of black magic, what appeared to be a simple glass case, inside of which a pure purple gemstone buzzed and hummed angrily. As if it were trying to force its way free of the prison. Behind Kaiscillius lay a scene of chaos. Scorch marks and blast craters littered the hall, scouring the ancient stone, some with smoke still rising from them. At the far end of the hall sat a crude black marble shrine, very obviously dedicated to Nightmare Moon. At the foot of the shrine lay the corpse of Knight Radiant, a massive gaping burnt hole in his chest, and the body of Princess Twilight Sparkle, a dagger driven through her eye.

Two days afterwards, Fluttershy, who knew the Everfree better than any of her friends and had been dispatched to find out what had become of Twi and her friend, found the scene of the crime, fainted, and then returned to Ponyville in tears, telling every soul she met of the tragedy she had witnessed.

The citizens of Equestria had all heard the news in two days time.

The riots began the following morning.

Author's Note

(Inception Bwaa)

Kaiscillius has gathered all the information he needs to implement his dark plan. More than that, he has murdered a princess, and such a thing has never before occurred in living memory. The world will reel from this shock, countries will tremble at its implications, and all the while, our delightful villain executes his moves from the shadows.

His Secrets Have Secrets

Canterlot Castle, the day after the discovery of the bodies of Twilight Sparkle and Knight Radiant -

Celestia looked up from her book, and glanced with a slightly furrowed brow at the other, empty, end of the long dining table she and her sister shared breakfast at. Luna was uncharacteristically late, and Celestia had become quite hungry, but she wasn't so ill-mannered that she would start eating without her sister, so she sat reading. Alone in the large marble room, occasionally glancing out of the large arched windows to her right, as her food got colder and colder. Finally, after what seemed like minutes after their carefully arranged time, she heard the footfalls of her sister running down the corridor that led to the room.

Suddenly Luna burst in, her eyes wide and her face streaked with tears. She dashed over to her older sibling and wrapped her in a crushing embrace, sobbing, "Oh, sister, I'm so sorry!"

Celestia was baffled by the behavior and said soothingly, "It's alright Luna, heaven knows I've been late to more important meals than this one."

Luna looked up at her sister in shock, and it was then that Celestia noticed a ball of parchment crumpled in Luna's hand, and asked, "What's that? The answer to the Gryphon Envoy request? I didn't expect it to come so soon." And before Luna could even speak, Celestia had already snatched the letter from her grasping fingers, and begun reading.

Celestia's eyes scanned the page once, twice, three times, each pass merely adding to her confusion as she read over the words, We regret to inform you that Princess Twilight Sparkle has passed on. Passed on from what? It couldn't-

And then she saw Luna's eyes, full of confusion and grief, pain and sorrow, and she knew it to be true.

"In my mother's name..." Celestia whispered, the truth of what she had just read now registering to her shocked mind, and for the first time in perhaps thousands of years, Celestia fainted.

Streets of Canterlot, two weeks after the first riots -

"End the Nightmare's tyranny! Don't let yourself be suckered in for a second time! For the good of all ponykind, rise up, and do not believe her lies!" A white pegasus stood on a marble plinth in the middle of one of Canterlot's larger thoroughfares right against the main gate to the castle, surrounded by a swarming mob of pony citizens. The pegasus, Loud Speaker, carried with her the same megaphone that was emblazoned on her thigh, and yelled these, and other such slogans, into it, broadcasting the message to the roaring crowd. Guards desperately attempted to maintain order, as they were assaulted, mostly verbally, and sometimes physically.

"Why do you protect the Tyrant?!"

"She murdered the Princess of Friendship!"

"You dare call yourselves soldiers while your ruler is locked up in that castle?!"

Loud Speaker nodded approvingly at the enraged ponies around her. She was doing good today, she was a shoe-in for that bonus.

Speaker once again raised her megaphone to her lips and yelled, "She imprisons our beloved ruler and has the gall to lie to us about what really happened! Nightmare Moon thinks we're all fools, like those faceless guards that protect her! Are you fools Canterlot?!"

"NO! DOWN WITH THE TYRANT! DOWN WITH NIGHTMARE MOON!" roared the crowed, surging forward aggressively towards the castle gate, only to be warded off by the brandished spears of the nervous, and some would say wavering, guards. Speaker glanced up as the sun started its lurching, horrible, jagged movements in the sky down towards the horizon, as the Princess of Night sought shelter in her domain. Speaker grimaced at the slight earliness of sundown, only the truly fanatic stayed at the castle after dark as most weren't crazy enough to insult Luna at night.

Loud Speaker quickly hurled a few more practiced inflammatory statements into her megaphone, before hopping off of her plinth and wrapping a mottled grey hoodie around herself, stowing her trusty device in an equally bland book bag, which she slung over her shoulder. She made her way inconspicuously through the crowed and over the ancient cobbled road until she reached the back, and made her way to a small bank that was located some ways down the crowded street. The bank was nothing special, in fact it was dwarfed by the other large banking buildings of Canterlot, and held none of their regal grace. This building was a squat brown brick, with white blinds drawn down over the two solemn windows, and a paper thin front door that looked as if it had been recently, and hastily, patched. Loud Speaker entered the bank, and saw that the inside was no less bleak. No lights were turned on anywhere accept over one of the five tellers' desks, where a brown Earth Pony stallion, whom Loud had never seen, lounged lazily in his chair.

Loud quickly crossed the stained marble flooring, approaching the sole open window, and knocking on the glass.

The teller turned an eye slowly towards Loud and asked , "Can I help you?" in a way that made it sound like she was in the wrong by coming up to his desk.

His tone worried Loud Speaker not, though, as she reverently pulled out her sole source of an enormous income over the last few weeks, a playing card. The King of Diamonds specifically, and she slid it over to the stallion.

Immediately his bearing shifted, and he stood up sharply, taking the card and inserting it into a slot on the far wall behind him. After a few seconds of waiting, he opened the steel hatch next to the slot, and removed an enormous bag of bits, the playing card, and a small purple silk bag. Loud Speaker's eyes widened as she saw the purple bag, and not the huge sack of money, because the purple bag was the bonus that she wore her vocal chords out every day trying to earn.

The brown stallion shoved over to her the sack of coin and the playing card, both of which she hastily shoved into her backpack, but withheld the purple silk packet, looking it over.

"Hey," Loud Speaker whimpered, an accent of greed creeping into her voice, "that's mine, I earned it fair and square! Give it!"

The brown stallion opened the bag, and his eyes went huge as he saw what was inside, "Holy shit! You get this much Dust for one day of work? Not bad, toots."

Loud Speaker was trembling slightly as her prize which she craved so desperately was being withheld from her, "Just hand it over already!"

The brown Stallion closed the bag and smirked at her, saying, "And if I don't? What are you gonna' do about it?"

"I... I..." Speaker, ironically, was at a loss for words. She couldn't imagine what she would do everyday if this stallion just took her Dust from her. That small bag in his hand alone was worth three times what she had earned today, and that's if you didn't immediately get mugged for it when you exited the dealer's place. She knew, she'd been there. This job was supposed to fix that, she wasn't supposed to ever worry about Dust again, but if this punk just took it from her...

"You know the kind of people I'm working for. I'm important, and if I complain, who do you think they're gonna' replace? A girl with a loud mouth, or a guy who knows what's goin' on around here?" He said triumphantly, smiling and showing her his too-white teeth. She had them too, everybody who used Dust did. Even if you only used it once. And nopony had ever used it once.

"What... what do you want me to do?" She asked timidly. Speaker wasn't an idiot, she knew blackmail when she saw it. And right now, there wasn't a whole lot she wouldn't do to get that small purple bag.

The stallion obviously knew this, and nearly tripped over himself in his haste to exit the teller's booth. He brought out with him the bag, which Speaker eyed hungrily, and a small silver spoon. He dipped the spoon into the bag, and held aloft the crystal contents. Small gemstones, the size of sugar and redder than a ruby, sitting in a glorious pile on top of that dented little spoon.

"On your knees," The stallion said, his voice cracking slightly with anticipation, and Speaker sunk to her knees slowly, eyes locked on the spoon.

"Open wide," He whispered, and Speaker complied, opening her mouth as wide as she could, and sticking her tongue out. The stallion gradually poured the contents of the spoon onto Speaker's waiting tongue, and she groaned as the ache in her bones slowly dissipated, and a wonderful sweetness flowed over her taste buds. As soon as she was sure no more was coming, She snapped her mouth shut around the heavenly drug, and spit flooded her mouth, soaking up the crystals which bubbled and fizzed, releasing waves of heat and euphoria into Speaker's mind. She groaned again with her mouth closed as she attempted to extract all the flavor she could from the Dust, and she flopped backwards, immediately dug her fingers into her jeans, immediately digging four fingers as far as they would go into herself as they could go. When she first started this job, she would spend days in her apartment in a Dust-high, masturbating furiously, cumming every few minutes until she passed out, and then hungrily lapping up any spare particles of heaven she could find. Her body now burned with the familiar heat, and her pants had already soaked completely through with evidence of her complete desire as she shoved two more fingers into her engorged sopping pussy.

The brown stallion had not been idle, he quickly grew rock hard as the once-reluctant mare in front of him melted as the Dust claimed her mind, and he desperately shoved his own pants off, almost dropping the bag of precious gemstones onto the floor. His cock was a measly four inches, pathetic for a stallion in his prime, but with Dust flowing through the mare's system she'd cum like a two bit whorse no matter what you shoved in her. The stallion's hand shook as he carefully maneuvered another spoonful of the precious substance to his own lips, and ladled the contents onto his tongue with an almost audible sigh of relief. His jaw clamped shut as the sweet taste he knew so well filled his body to the brim. His cock became painfully hard, and expanded another two inches, bringing it to just below average length for a stallion. Lust and instant euphoria consumed the weak stallion's mind, as he went down on the unknown mare without any additional rational thought or reasoning.

Loud Speaker involuntarily swallowed and moaned as the stallion roughly ripped her pants away from her sweat and arousal soaked thighs, and forced his cock into her snatch with her fingers still inside. He thrashed about wildly inside her as if he was possessed, howling in pleasure at the top of his lungs. Loud Speaker did the same, grinding as hard as she could into the meager stallion, and within five strokes she came, her tongue lolling out of her mouth as her hot breath steamed the air. She reached further drug-induced heights as the stallion refused to slow down, pumping away rabidly as her walls clenched tight around him. After coming down from the orgasm she only had time to wrap her slender legs around his back and pull him tighter against her before she came again, squealing with delight. Loud Speaker dug her nails into the back of the stallions head, and pulled him down on top of her into a lip lock, where both of their hungry tongues explored the other's lips and mouth for any traces of Dust left. Moans and sharp squeaks of pleasure often accompanied their successes, and Speaker clung tightly to the stallion who went at a vicious pace, slapping in and out of her like a dog who'd smelled a bitch in heat. After two more crashing orgasms from Speaker, the brown stallion finally blew his shockingly average load into the clenching walls of his partner's pussy.

Only then did their lips part, and Speaker said with a slight slur, "O-Okay, I let you do what you wanted, now-" her voice cut off into a lusty moan as another spoonful of Dust was expertly shoved into her open orifice by the grinning stallion inside of her. After a few seconds, the pleading look melted away, and she began humping and squeezing desperately on the stallions limp dick, before he himself took another spoon, and fucked her gushing snatch with entirely renewed vigor.

Outside Rolling Stone's Foundry in Canterlot, the day after -

Grey Shade's cutie mark was that of a foggy cloud, sometimes lighter, sometimes darker than the skin on which it sat. He'd received it when he was very young, after snapping the arm of a bully who'd been abusing a young filly friend of his. He found that he had a knack for operating in morally grey situations, they were his element. Which was why he felt no qualms about carting away the earth pony, Rolling Stone's, entire livelihood right before his eyes.

You see, to Grey, all of this stuff was going to defeat Nightmare Moon, which was a plus, but he was stealing from someone to accomplish that goal. He didn't actually ponder the question of whether this was right or wrong, he simply felt comfortable knowing that he was in the middle of a moral quandary. That was enough for him.

The sky was overcast today, nearly matching the bleak worn cobblestones of the dingy backstreet Grey Shade waited in. He watched as his crew of five carried hefty blocks of rock, he couldn't tell you which, he wasn't no Pie, and loaded them all into a shoddy cart that already looked like it was about to topple over from the immense weight it now supported. It started to drizzle, only a light mist, and Grey pulled his wide-brimmed hat a little lower over his face. Rolling Stone was an overweight and moderately unsuccessful buisnesspony in Canterlot, with a curdled milk colored skin, and balding light yellow mane. He desperately rushed back and forth, trying to plead with the hardened criminals of Grey's crew to stop, they paid him no heed except to occasionally curse him or shove him away.

Grey moved his eyes to the rotting wooden door frame to the back of Rolling Stone's Foundry, where Stones' wife, Precious Stone, stood watching with a mixture of horror and disappointment. It had always been a mystery as to how Rolling had snagged precious before any other stallion. The mare had grown well, with full hips and a huge bust that threatened to spill out of even a modest work apron. Her auburn mane was pulled back into a bun, not a strand of it out of place, as she watched her husband ineffectually flail about.

Grey's eyes rolled back over to watch the other direction, down the dreary back alley in which he operated. A few ponies had come out of their homes to watch the pitiful scene unfold, some merely looked on from windows, a bored expression on their faces. All that changed as two guards turned the corner into the alleyway.

Had it been any other era of history, Grey would have crapped his pants and legged it, leaving his crew to do what they did best, and disappear. But this time, Grey just kept leaning nonchalantly against the wall, even pulling out a smoking pipe and popping it in his mouth. The guards rushed down the alleyway to see where the imploring cries came from, barreling past the ponies standing around and watching.

"Sir, what's going on?" The taller one asked to the comically enraged Stone.

"What does it look like? They're stealing my merchandise!" He screeched in the guard's face, looking as if he were about to have a heart attack.

The guards pulled out spears, and the leader said imperiously, "Halt, in the name of Princess Cele- er, Luna, you are all under arrest!"

The ponies loading the cart barely slowed their pace, only pausing to look at the guards as if they were out of their minds, before continuing with their work.

Tall stepped forward, with his spear raised only to be stopped by Grey's chillingly calm voice,

"I don't think you want to do that boy."

The guard turned to Grey, giving him a quick once over, and asked, "You there. You lead these men?"

"Maybe I do, but that's not your concern right now boy. Your concern is how much shit you're willin' to get beat out of you before you decide that this aint worth your time."

It seemed then that the guard noticed what Grey had been watching, the crowd. Fists had been balled, teeth were gritted, and hateful stares were thrown like daggers straight at the two guards, and not the armed robbers. The poor guardstallion floundered slightly, looking for a single ounce of support from a crowd of good honest ponies to stop a robbery, and found none. All he received for his efforts were some curses, and even a snarl.

The ghost of a grin flickered across Grey's muzzle as he continued, "Now you two run along, your kind aint welcome here. We don't want an... accident, as well as a robbery, now do we?"

The two guards looked at each other, and then at the malevolent congregation before them. At least twenty ponies had gathered, and some were brandishing rolling pins, pans, even kitchen knives. They were outnumbered ten to one. With a look of shame and defeat, the taller one stuttered a mumbled an apology to Rolling Stone, and began to shuffle off, leaving the smaller one standing there with a betrayed look on its face, before it too scuffed into line behind the other. The crowd allowed the guards to pass, but not without more curses, a few "traitors", and some spitting on the ground as they walked by. Thunder rumbled in the distance as the guards turned the corner of the alley again, heads hung in defeat.

I can't believe it, Grey thought incredulously, Blood was actually right. What has this world come to?

Where was she?

Twilight was dead.

Where was she?

Twilight was dead.

Where was she?

Twilight was dead.

A door opened, then closed. Shifting footsteps, soft ones.

Where was she?

Twilight was dead.

"Sister, are you there?"

A voice, her sister's.

Where was she?

"I'm so sorry my sister. I have failed you, I have failed this kingdom. I... I... I don't know what to do. Please. I know I'm asking for a miracle, but please give me some advice..."

Her sister needed her.

Where was she?

"I'm thinking..."

A different voice, her own.

Where was she?

Twilight was dead.

"So you always say Sister. But only to me. Why do you not talk to your staff, your guards? Is it only me who brings a spark of life to your mind?"

Where was she?

"I'm thinking..."

"They have all turned against me. They think I did it, that I'm behind some sort of grand scheme, but I'm not! For once in my cursed life I am not! I don't want this power, I don't want to rule! I have never wanted it since renouncing my former self..."

Her sister needed her.

Twilight was dead.

Where was she?

"Please Sister, for the love of all ponykind please... return to us. I fear I will shatter under this weight. How could you leave me like this? I feel grief for her too, yet I am no wreck! How dare you let yourself become this!"

Luna was angry.

Where was she?

Twilight was dead.

"I... I apologize Sister, I should not have yelled. I am just so... powerless. Everypony hates me, three quarters of the guards have deserted, my own maids tremble at my passing as though I were already the monster I spent so hard trying to overcome. I feel it... difficult to maintain faith in them. How could they turn on me so quickly, in a matter of days! Twilight was my link to them, and they think I murdered that link."

Luna was wavering.

Twilight was dead.

Where was she?

"I am going now Sister. Please get better, mend your broken heart, think whatever thoughts occupy you so. I love you. Now and forever."

Luna was gone.

Twilight was dead.

Where was she?

Lost.

Royal Court of Canterlot, minutes after Luna's conversation with Celestia -

Luna sighed as she walked dejectedly down the magnificent corridors of Canterlot Castle to the Night Court. She had woken up unbearably early (it was only six in the afternoon!) to appease some of the nobles who complained that merely changing all the times on the schedule of the day from a.m. to p.m. would not be acceptable.

As Luna walked down the corridor, she passed a large arched window that looked out over the city of Canterlot and had to choke back a sob as the enormous burden of her situation threatened to drown her. In a way, it both helped and hurt to vent to Celestia. To see the pony she admired most in all the world be struck down so wholly, it boggled her mind and made her heart quail in fear. For if Celestia had fallen, then who was she to stand?

Luna took a shuddering breath and shook these thoughts from her head. No matter what, the upper echelon of Canterlot could not know that she harbored such doubts about herself, or they would inevitably pounce and devour her alive.

As Luna strode with a facade of confidence towards the Night Court, she stopped as she recognized the new captain of the guard. The old one had quit just yesterday, unable to bear the intense pressures that the lower classes now forced on them like steam in a blocked pipe. Guards assaulted in broad daylight, complete disregard for public order, and blatant slandering of Princess Luna at every street corner, these were but a few of the problems that faced this poor young guard captain, but one thing Luna loved about him was that he never seemed to be down about it.

The young captain greeted her with a brilliantly white smile, he must have excellent dental hygiene, and said cheerfully, "Good afternoon Princess Luna! Up early I see?"

She smiled at him in turn, admiring his earnestness, and replied, "Yes, I am. It seems that many of the nobles would rather not have to spend their partying time waiting for me to arrive at my court, so I make sacrifices for them." She grimaced and added, "I only hope they appreciate it."

The young stallion gave her another grin and a rather cute laugh as he said, "I'm sure they won't, they'll only say that you should have been doing this from the beginning."

Luna chuckled lightly at his remark and found herself looking him over more thoroughly. He was certainly handsome, especially in his gleaming golden armor that covered him neck-to-toe, and his eyes held a delicious look of devotion.

Luna smiled to herself as she thought, Well, if there's one thing I'm in need of it's stress relief. Perhaps I'll reward this little foal for being such a good boy these last few days.

"Ahem, Princess?"

Luna blinked back from her fantasies, not blushing even a tad, and said, "I didn't quite catch that, what did you say?"

The young captain gave her a somewhat apologetic look (he was just too adorable!) and repeated, "I said I'm sorry to bother you but there's been another spot of bother with the schedules. Apparently ten more men decided to er, take extended unpaid vacations as it were ma'am."

Luna sighed and nodded, replying, "Very well, schedule more patrols to be taken over by the night shift guards if need be. At least none of the thestrals have decided to turn tail. Now, and I really am sorry to say this, but I must get to court immediately."

The captain snapped to attention and answered, "Of course Princess, I'll have the changes made before the day is out."

Waving good by to the attractive young stallion, Luna took one last deep breath, and then stepped through the star-patterned double doors to the Night Court.

As soon as she entered the room, dozens of conversations ceased, and hundreds of eyes turned to her. She fixed a smile to her face, and walked up to speak with Filthy Rich, one of her loudest antagonists who had been complaining that merely her being put into power had decreased his profits per quarter by well over half a percent. Luna didn't actually have a solution for him, she just thought he deserved some teasing. All she had to do was walk up and talk to him, spending time with Luna, willingly or not, was social suicide nowadays, and even in her current state of pariah, she could still bring down her enemies one way or another.

As she approached she heard the last piece of his spoken conversation, "... Diamond will not be- hurk!" before he pulled up short and watched, bug-eyed as she veritably stalked toward him.

Oh yes, thought Luna, this'll be fun.

But she was stopped by a light tap on the shoulder. Luna turned, at first surprised, and then with an inner groan as she recognized Prince Blueblood. The most hated noble in Canterlot besides her. And he was a very close second.

Still, somepony was actually willing to speak with her, how could she refuse? "Yes, Prince Blueblood, how may I help you?"

Blueblood locked eyes with her, with a seriousness she had scarcely seen before from him, and said gravely, "Someone moves against you."

Luna forced herself not to roll her eyes incredibly hard, and replied, "Yes, Blueblood, try all of Equestria. That's who's against me."

Blueblood either missed her sarcasm, or simply ignored it, Luna didn't know which, and whispered, "No, this is too perfect, too planned. These events came too quickly. Your foe is smart, and indeed a great danger to you. There is a face behind this fear, the first pebble of this avalanche. Someone moves against you, and rest assured, I will do my best to find out who."

And with that Blueblood swiftly departed, immediately complaining loudly about the sorry state of the spotless chandeliers, leaving a baffled Luna in his wake. Blueblood had never been known to prank anypony, and he had sounded completely sincere. Somepony- no, someone he had said, moved against her. But who could it be?

Village of Hopping Springs, the next day -

Steel Heart wiped his sweating bow with the back of his forearm, and blew out a long sigh. In front of him his forge roared hungrily, consuming the latest batch of silver he had fed into it. To his right lay a pile of silver swords, all of them slightly darker shades than the one beneath them. Failures, from the last three days of making this darn prince's blade. He couldn't just order a normal iron sword, oh no, not for "Prince Blood Diamond", it had to be silver, and it had to be enchanted.

The aforementioned Prince stood behind Steel Heart as he kept his eye on the bubbling metal. Blood Diamond was tall, even for an alicorn, and had the breadth to match. Though his frame looked slender, you could see that his muscles were like steel cables underneath the dark grey skin, wiry, yet strong. His eyes and mane were both blood red, and the feathers of his wings, when lain together, formed the pattern of swirling smoke out of different shades and tints.

At first, Steel heart had been delighted to serve somepony as esteemed as an alicorn, and after being shown the diagram of the sword, which the Prince had drawn up himself, he had agreed to let the stallion work with him to complete the enchantment aspect of the smithing. That was three days ago. Now, hot, tired, and nary a single break for food or water later, they were on the seventh model of sword. Every single one so far had failed to meet the Prince's frankly unascertainable standards. He hadn't even hit anything with a single one of them before sighing and tossing it into the heap of swords that had built up in the corner. Steel Heart was going to keep all of them of course, these so called "failures" were some of the best swords he had made in years, and they were all at least semi-enchanted.

When Steel Heart had asked why the Prince never tried any of them, he only responded, "Because it's not the right one."

They'd talked a lot over the past three days being stuck in a room together, working metal 24/7, and Steel Heart had learned quite a bit about the young alicorn. Not that Steel Heart was old or anything, it's just that the Prince had a certain... abundance of energy that you rarely found in the elder ones. Steel Heart had actually been quite surprised to meet an alicorn he'd never heard about, but the Prince had explained that there were actually many more alicorns than was commonly believed, somewhere in the midst of one every hundred million ponies. So, not a huge number, but still, more than four.

Steal Heart's wife had come by many times throughout the three days, well the first two anyway, he had a feeling she'd given up on being accommodating after the man she was serving had practically robbed her of a husband. But for some reason, Steel Heart felt that it was almost over. He checked the bubbling silver again, it looked the same as always, and then looked to the Prince, who leaned on a wall behind him. it was a good thing the ceiling in here was so tall, otherwise the stallion would have had to crouch just to fit. On the Prince's face was a look of intense concentration, as he kept his eyes locked on the forge, and his horn glowed with a deep red light. Steel Heart jumped a little as the Prince moved forward quickly towards the forge, staring directly down into the bubbling liquid metal.

"Ah... there you are, old friend," the Prince murmured as a smile crept over his face.

Steel Heart blinked and thought to himself, Did... did he just talk to the forge?

"Uh, sir, you sure you don't want to take a break now, you appear to be... hallucinating," Steel Heart said uncomfortably. He'd asked this question many times before, sans the talking to inanimate objects bit, and the Prince had always turned him down, saying they needed to stay and finish the job.

"No no! Don't you see? We are closer now than we have ever been!" the Prince exclaimed, slowly reaching his hand toward the blazing forge.

"No sir! Stop, you'll-" Steel Heart's voice cut off as the alicorn moved his hand into the flames, and the fire bent itself around him, as if making way.

"Yes, old friend, you know me. You remember me. You may be fuzzy, I was too at first. Don't worry my friend, I am here. Let me wield you as I once did..." and with that, Prince Blood Diamond slowly submerged his hand in molten silver, seemingly grasping for something.

Steel Heart flinched as he expected a hiss of steam and the smell of burned flesh, but neither came. Instead, the Prince drew his hand out of the fire, a rod of white-hot rod of metal in his hand. As he pulled further back, the liquid silver leapt from the forge, molding itself in mid-air into the shape of a wickedly sharp blade. Steel Heart's eyes widened as the blade continued to grow, starting thin, then widening, then thinning, then widening, before thinning a third time into a razor point. Within seconds, the white heat of the blade had cooled, and the silver color darkened, and darkened, and darkened, until it was the color of pitch. Small white lines ran through the sword, moving in low slow arcs before crashing into the edge of the sword, or the top of the wide hilt, like waves in a tempestuous sea. And the hilt, it was one of the most beautiful works of art Steel Heart had ever seen. Six hydra heads adorned it, three on each side of the blade, all twelve eyes filled with pure onyx gemstones, their thick necks curved downward and intertwined to form the grip, upon which some form of shimmering cloth was already wrapped. The sword itself was massive, almost as tall as Blood Diamond himself, easily seven feet long from the tip to the handle. Steel Heart had thought he'd made broadswords before, he now stood corrected. With effortless ease, the Prince grasped the hilt with both hands and pulled, the blade separated like water, flowing into and forming two new, shorter swords, each adorned with three hydra heads apiece. The Prince slammed them back together and they molded seamlessly back into the gargantuan broadsword, which the Prince held easily, as if he had already known this weapon through many battles.

"Now just two more tests," the Prince said, and shoved the sword at the nearest wall.

Steel Heart screamed in horror, expecting the magnificent blade to shatter or bend, but instead it sunk up to the hilt into the stone, looking as if the solid two feet of brick and mortar had barely slowed its progress at all. The Prince pulled the blade away from the wall, and revealed a razor thin cut clean through the stone, and not even a scratch on the sword itself.

"You know Steel, I always wondered why my mother didn't make my powers to work the same on stallions as they do on mares. It has forever been a mystery to me. I tried my hand at it once, and found it a complete wast of good magic, I couldn't extract a single drop. I suspect it had something to do with the fact that I was bred to take down her sister, and she didn't want me tilling the other field if you know what I mean. But one day, I went to war, and found that after every battle I was exhausted, and you know, there isn't a whole lot of time for some good one-on-one when you're spending weeks bogged down in the corpses of your enemies. So I came up with this beauty."

With a blur of light, the Prince towered before Steel Heart, and his throat went dry. There was something horribly wrong-

And then he was stabbed.

Pain. Pure, unadulterated agony radiated from his chest, his arms, legs, and head crumpled inward towards the point where a seven foot sword stood lodged in his chest. Steel Heart's throat burned, his eyes were dry, his fingers and toes were numb. His hair fell off in waves, and he felt his body shrivel as not just the moisture in his body, but everything about him was pulled into the sword. He lost memories, color vision, his fear of what was happening even. But the pain never stopped.

"Neat isn't it?" Blood Diamond continued to his rather captive audience, "To bad it's a one shot deal, but it absorbs all the magic from a pony's body. Suddenly, the longer the fight went on, the more I killed with this blade, the faster I became, the stronger, the more ferocious. I could fight for weeks without rest and be better off than I was when I started."

At this point, almost nothing of Steel Heart remained. A shriveled husk, desiccated and lifeless. He would die if Blood Diamond pulled the sword from him immediately, but that did not mean that he had given all there was to give. With a final flash of power, Steel Heart's very soul was assimilated into the sword, and flowed up into Blood Diamond's arms as pure magical power.

"Ahhhhh. That was refreshing. Now let's see how the rest are getting on."

The village of Hopping Springs burned around Kaiscillius as he strode out from the blacksmith's house, his oldest, and shiniest, friend New Moon strapped to his back. Every house around him was either burning or already burnt out, dozens of civilians lay slaughtered in the streets, stallions, mares, and foals alike. One of his ten golems awaited him out front. Each one was made entirely of red crystal, and bore the shape of a pony covered head to toe in armor, and they had no face. All of them were incredibly complex arcane constructs that moved silently, struck with absolute accuracy, and moved with unholy speed and grace. The only reason one would prefer a normal pony over one of these, is that they didn't improvise well. They would always carry out the mission assigned to them, regardless of the damage done to themselves, but they would only do so in the specified manner, sometimes requiring lawyer speak in order to make sure they got the job done right. Over the last two weeks, Kaiscillius had made use of them as bandits, assassins, and enforcers to keep his lesser thralls in line. The Dust manufacturing was another brilliant idea he had come up with as a means of controlling the populace of any city in which he released it for sale, as he was the only one that could produce it. Every single member of his organisation was an avid Dust-user, he had made sure it was so, they would never betray him if he was their only means of securing a fix.

The golem approached its master mechanically, making no noise as it somehow communicated to him, "No civilians left alive. None have escaped. Shrines of Nightmare Moon made of transmuted stone being placed as we speak. Celestia remains in catatonia. Guard Captain Lance has increased the number of thestral patrols during the day time. Guards are being assaulted in the streets of Canterlot. Luna made no new shocking announcements at court. One of the criers was raped by the Fine and Son's Bank clerk."

"What was that last one?" Kaiscillius asked as he continued his way through the grim husk of the once lively, and now quite dead, village. He had ordered the golems to give him status updates in order from most to least important information, apparently it did not consider a potential disruption to one of his key operations that important.

"Loud Speaker, Dust user, town crier, lives at 34 Lanebank Avenue, was drugged and raped by Fine Son, Dust user, clerk, expendable, two days ago. They have since entered an arrangement wherein Fine is given sexual intercourse for the allotted amount of Dust Loud Speaker receives as her bonus. This behavior is incorrect, should I rectify it?"

"Yes, please do after we have finished here," Kaiscillius mumbled, "Loud Speaker is one of the better ones if I recall, she deserves at least some comfort. In fact... send her to me after you have punished, punished mind you, not killed, Fine Son. I will... console her myself."

"Of course, Master." The automaton bowed and began walking eastward, leaving Kaiscillius alone in the middle of the street, up to his knees in corpses, as the ash from the fires began to rain down from the sky.

Not a bad day, all in all, he thought, as he strolled from the town whistling a jaunty tune.

Author's Note

This chapter was a more shotgun based approach to storytelling that fills you in on the various things Kaiscillius has been doing all at once. A slightly shorter chapter, yes, but I feel it serves the purpose I wished. Next chapter will, again, be of narrower scope, and of greater detail. But, I'm not gonna lie, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. Maybe I'm evil. Also I don't know if I encapsulated how horrible Dust is. Imagine heroin, plus the world's strongest Viagra, plus those pills that say they'll make your penis bigger, except Dust actually works. We're talking that kind of addictive quality people. With a few added... side effects, that we'll get to later.

So, Kaiscillius has already begun playing a game his enemies have no idea they are a part of, Celestia is incapacitated, Luna is alone, the city of Canterlot is in turmoil, time for a... hero.

Oh Brother There Art Thou

The cart's thick padded wheels rolled smoothly over the gray cobbled streets of Canterlot. Whitewashed buildings lined either side of the wide thoroughfare, torchlight flickering forlornly on the stone walls and road. Fog hung heavily in the air, swirling and shifting through the streets. The Night was upon the city, and though most now feared its darkness with newfound conviction, those truly passionate, desperate, or foolish, still prowled the dark before the dawn. The luxurious carriage passed several such groups, a few racketeers, some Dust-addict beggars, immediately distinguishable from the brightness of their teeth, and parties of dissenters, who carried spray paint cans and makeshift weapons, eyeing any potential servant of the "Tyrant" that they could waylay.

The carriage itself was indeed grand, but not garishly so. It was a practical luxury. Padded wheels for smoother riding, tinted glass to keep out both a blazing sun and prying eyes, and ingeniously interwoven spikes and hooks lined the outside, that would make robbery of the vehicle a near impossibility.

Inside sat Kaiscillius, in his guise of Blood Diamond, who gazed upon the darkened Canterlot with dispassionate eyes, though for every act of unkindness or indecency they passed they sparkled with momentary glints of dark humor. In the last week since he had burned Hopping Springs and framed Luna, everything had gone to hell in a hand basket. Crime, poverty, and murder rates had all at least quadrupled statistically, but since they hadn't been very high to begin with, it wasn't too hard to accomplish. But the numbers grew still, and it was due, mostly, all to Blood Diamond.

Thunder rumbled ominously overhead, and small drops of rain pattered down into the solemn since of the night. It had been considerably more rainy in Canterlot after most of the Cloudsdale Air Force had refused to lift a feather to help "Nightmare Moon" out, which suited Kaiscillius fine. The less sunlight the better

The carriage slowly trundled it's way up the large street, towards one of the many fortified gates that led into Canterlot Castle. Once, it had been a beacon of light shining with the city to which it provided safety, and security. Now, its tall structure was dark, imposing, with only a few windows lit, giving it even more of a mysterious and secretive air from a distance. In the eyes of most pony citizens, it was a sign that evil now lurked, where once good had been. The gate itself was manned by ten thestrals, five on each side. These were no happy-go-lucky average ponies either, these were warriors, bearing thick armor emblazoned proudly with the symbol of their near-deity. These fools. Did they not see how it divided them so? How much worse the situation looked when they were imposing, rather than friendly? Assigning thestral guards during the day had been one of the worst mistakes that Luna could have made, Kaiscillius knew it would be. The whole thing had been marketed as an attempt by Luna to give power to her most loyal followers and further cement her control. Thestrals had long been regarded as odd, but now all were universally despised, and thestral guards? Doubly so.

There had been unconfirmed reports of brutal acts being carried out against thestral families, everything from rape to violent daily beatings, but they bore it unrelentingly for their goddess, and in return it only further dragged her image down. What a beautiful cycle he had created.

As the carriage neared the gate, one of the hulking thestral pegassi marched to the coach and grunted in a questioning manner. Kaiscillius, in a tired fashion, placed his hand out of the carriage window, along with his invitation to the royal gala being thrown that night. The guard snatched it from his hand and eyed Kaiscillius suspiciously as he read it.

"My apologies mister ah... Blood Diamond, standard protocol you see, go on through," the guard waved him through the gate.

Standard protocol would let me walk all the way to the door of the Princess's chambers before politely asking for my identity. This is high alert protocol, and as high alert goes, this is horribly lax, Kaiscillius mused to himself as his carriage trundled along the cobbled path past gardens and fountains, towards the resplendent entrance way of Canterlot Castle. Great marble pillars and fine rugs made a grand impression on the less initiated of Canterlot society, but to the well-versed elites they were admirably modest compared to the garish opulence that many mansions possessed. The Castle held a timeless air, it had stood for longer than any could remember, and its great hallways and balconies were as much a fixture as any national landmark.

Kaiscillius's carriage parked behind the rows of others that had already been driven here. He was fashionably late, by design of course, and so all the nobles that were anypony were already in attendance by the time he stepped from the carriage. He wore a dazzling red suit, with subtle hints of black and dark gray running through it, giving him a sharp look of keen intelligence and understated power. As he made his way through the exquisite entrance hall, in which some minor functionaries and unimportant hangers-on lounged, he exuded confidence and surety, drawing all eyes irrevocably to him. Flaring his impressive wings slightly, he gave to them only amiable nods and half smiles, but the fact that such a creature as this would even acknowledge them sent them into shivers of gratitude. All bowed at his passing, one even knelt.

As he entered the main gala hall, a huge space filled with lights, wine, food, and all those who enjoyed those things a little too much, the crier announced, "Prince Blood Diamond!"

Immediately eyes snapped to him in recognition of his name, and widened as they attached his devastatingly handsome features to it. This was his first public appearance and, as such, the first time anypony here had actually lain eyes on him. The entire room went from light chatter to dead silent as he entered. Normally this would be a terribly embarrassing moment for somepony so "new" to Canterlot society as he was, but he seemed to casually and comfortably address every single pony in the room with a magnanimous half-smile, and a flawlessly smooth bow, as though he were used to, nay expected to be a show stopper.

"Greetings," he said simply to the dumbstruck crowd, and then moved unhurriedly down the stairs into the throng.

Kaiscillius was immediately swarmed by the courtesans, sycophants, and nobles nearest to him, as those in the back scrambled madly to get closer and speak, whispering violently among themselves about this audacious newcomer. Some said that he was mocking them, others thought that he was merely bluffing his air of cool confidence, but everypony agreed that what he had done was undeniably impressive.

Half an hour into the gala and things were moving perfectly. Kaiscillius had spoken with almost everypony at least once, usually just an understated greeting or polite word, and most were coming back for round two with more personal questions, when Kaiscillius froze. At the time he had been speaking with a minor Baron who specialized in the cheese industry, who had grown quite fond of the Prince because he was the only pony who appeared not entirely bored after that stunning introduction, when Kaiscillius locked up mid sentence.

No... that aura... it can't have been, he thought to himself as he cleared his throat and said, "Pardon me Baron, it seems I've become rather parched. Do you know where some refreshments might lie? Though I really hate to leave you like this."

The Baron profusely denied that Kaiscillius was in any way in the wrong and helpfully pointed out a water-bearing servant. Kaiscillius moved towards it with a quick gesture of thanks, and laughed good-naturedly as ponies continued to assail him with questions, "Peace! Peace, my friends! What must a stallion do for a glass of water? I promise I'll answer all the questions I can as soon as my dry throat is up to the task!" His jovial tone and broad smile quickly earned him a few laughs and many smiles, effectively extricating himself from the public eye as he snagged a water glass and moved to a vantage point that allowed him to observe most of the room at once.

Princess Luna was located, unsurprisingly,on her throne, her eyes roamed around the room for the most part, but it was clear most of her attention was focused on Kaiscillius, no doubt wishing that she too could see what all the fuss was about. She looked undeniably resplendent in a full silver and dark blue dress, crown resting comfortably in her billowing starry mane. It made him pause as the realization came to him that this was his mother. This would be their first meeting in over a thousand years. He wanted to analyse her, as he had done so often before. He used to be so in tune with his mother's personality, that he could almost read her every thought simply by the way she walked into a room. His survival had depended on that skill more than once.

But now was not the time for such games, the presence he had felt earlier could not be ignored. If it truly was another nighdra, here of all places...

I did not just use nighdra in a sentence. Stars above I hate my mother sometimes, Kaiscillius thought as he scanned the room. Greed and pride wove thickly through every pony here, flashes of gold and red, and teal ribbons radiated off of all the jewelry in the room, forming almost a miasma of turquoise. Kaiscillius hissed to himself as he realized that if indeed another entity like himself were in the room, they would likely be doing the very same thing he was, and it's not like he had made himself hard to spot. But... that also meant they would be using the same cloaking technique he was.

Got you, Kaiscillius smiled as he disregarded all of the flash and gleam around the large hall, and focused specifically on finding a normal pony, one normal even to his eyes. After only a few seconds, he found something disturbingly ordinary in what should have been one of the flashiest ponies around. A tall and handsome stallion, with pristine snow white skin and a long blond mane, expertly groomed, made his way through the crowd, drawing many looks of jealousy and annoyance. He was clearly not very popular, but that’s not what Kaiscillius was concerned with. On the surface he appeared normal, vain, proud, and stupid. But this pony also knew advanced cloaking techniques for a school of magic that had been dead since long before he would have been born.

Blueblood, that was his name. Prince Blueblood. Apparently some relation of the royal family. Nephew to Celestia? That didn’t seem quite right, but If Kaiscillius's theory was correct, that relationship might just be "son of Luna". Kaiscillius began moving towards him, gut instinct forcing him forward. As he stalked towards the court pony, he thought frantically, How? How did one live? I killed them all, I claimed the pool, there are none left alive, how did this one manage to escape me for so long?

As he prowled nearer to the tall handsome stallion he began once more to attract attention from the crowd,and many eyes turned towards him as he strode with purpose in a singular direction. The white stallion ceased his bored and expression and assumed a look of calm for those around him, but Kaiscillius could practically smell the panic on his target as the veins on his exposed neck bulged and he swallowed reflexively.

"Ah! There you are, my dearest cousin! How have you been? Shocked to see me? My, it feels as if we haven't spoken in a millennium!" Kaiscillius flashed a charming smile to the socialites crowded around his "cousin". Now that Kaiscillius had a better view he knew for certain that this was one of his own siblings, he had had thirteen, six brothers and seven sisters, and he was 99% sure he had killed every one of them. He saw their faces often enough to count. Yet here stood an anomaly. There was, on the surface, everything Kaiscillius would expect. A layer of dirt, skin, muscle, bone, and then the outer personality ribbons of greed, vanity, a few that when combined were the equivalent of handsomeness in magical format, but when he tried to go past that, there were parts missing. Fragments remained of the first layer of inner personality, none of the fear layer or below was visible however. It was as if this stallion had had all of what made him up ripped out, and merely a hollow shell remained. Now, of course such things were possible, but Kaiscillius knew firsthand that the results of such a thing we're in no state to walk, talk, or feed themselves, much less attend court and hold condescending conversation with seven ponies at once.

"Oh yes, cousin! H-Hello, ha ha. How are you, clearly you are in need of a tailor, you must have just arrived in town judging by the state of the shirt you're wearing." "Blueblood"'s facade of oblivious offensiveness had reasserted itself, but for a moment he had slipped, and the fact that he had gone along with Kaiscillius's story at all proved he was not who he seemed, and he knew Kaiscillius wasn't either.

"Prince Blood Diamond, you are related to this stallion?" A brown pony, Filthy Rich if Kaiscillius was remembering correctly, asked hesitantly.

"Oh, we are cousins, but of distant relation. I was never a part of their family here in Canterlot proper, and it's been quite some time since I've seen my cousins here." Kaiscillius answered expertly. He both allied himself with an ancient Canterlot family, and distanced himself from the offensive oaf in one fell swoop. Filthy Rich nodded with a relieved smile, showing off his brilliantly white teeth, before returning to his conversation with an aged purple mare.

"Good ponies, I know this must be highly irregular, and I beg your great pardon, but may I borrow my cousin for a bit? As it has been so long since I have heard news of my family here, I would like to become once again acquainted in private, if your graces would allow me?" Kaiscillius finished his plea with a flawlessly executed humbling bow, which received a clap from one or two ponies, and many verbalizations of assent and well-wishes.

Kaiscillius watched as lines of fear began to break through the magical camouflage of "Blueblood" as he realized he would now have to spend an undefined amount of time with Kaiscillius, a prospect very few could honestly look forward to. Well, half the population anyway.

Gesturing for Blueblood to follow, Kaiscillius almost physically dragged him through the room towards a back hallway which led to several sectioned off balconies. The moon now shone brightly on the city of Canterlot, and the stars winked merrily in the sky, as if trying extra hard to display an inordinately large amount of whimsy. Come to think of it, the moon looked a lot softer around the edges than it normally did, saying, "Look! I'm cute and happy! Please don't rebel and murder me!"

Kaiscillius almost chuckled at the weak attempt of subconscious manipulation, but then got serious as his quarry shuffled it's on to the balcony behind him, “Blueblood’s” brow furrowed in thought.

Kill it! Tear its lungs out and eat its face! Kaiscillius's instincts screamed. This had been what had driven him to decimate his siblings as a hatchling, but he was no child now. He knew how to be patient.

"So brother, who are you, how are you here, and what plans have you set in motion to free Mother?" Kaiscillius was calm outwardly, but it was a struggle to contain the raging blood lust that roared through his veins. Why did it have to be Blueblood's that was one of his hidden siblings? He'd had plans for Blueblood.

"Ah ha ha," the fake pony laughed nervously, "Long time no see eh Kai?"

"Don't call me that," Kaiscillius spat with venom. He hadn't even meant to speak, but the raging fire in his veins made him testy, "Answer the questions."

"You probably remember me for my cowardice most of all, I was- am, Thrassimund."

Kaiscillius felt like he'd just been slapped with an iceberg. He blinked rapidly a few times, then shook his head and asked, "What?"

"My name is Thrassimund, you may not remember, you tossed me into a volcano?"

Oh, Kaiscillius remembered. The struggle of brute strength in the sulfuric fumes, dust and ash clouding his vision, his lungs crying out for fresh air as he shoved his brother over the lip and into the pit of magma. But even these haunting memories were but a light breeze to the deep disturbance he felt at the very sibling that had survived his wrath was the one whose name he'd use to deceive Twilight Sparkle.

By all the moons and stars, I pray this is not providence.

"Go on," Kaiscillius croaked weakly, clearing his throat.

The white stallion scratched idly at his head, a nervous tick, "Ah, yes, well I was able to catch onto the underside of the ledge, and so desperate were you to be away that you never noticed I'd escaped."

Kaiscillius blinked his confusion, "But... why did you not try to kill me? To claim the pool?"

Blueblood- Thrassimund, waved him off as if it were no big deal, "The pool, brother? I never had an interest in it in the first place. What was the word Mother used? Defective? I cared for one thing and one thing only, my survival. Which, I still care about, which is why I am acquiescing so nicely to your requests."

Kaiscillius grunted in acknowledgment, and was deep in thought as he asked, "And what plans have you already set in place to free Mother? We may be able to integrate them into mine," though it made Kaiscillius's blood boil to even consider the possibility of allying with one of his mortal enemies, if it would help free Mother...

"Mother? Why in all of Equestria would I want to free her?" Thrassimund asked, alarmed, "I still can't even fathom what might make you, her "favorite", attempt it, much less me!"

Kaiscillius stood, dumbfounded. For the first time in a long time.

"Because... be-because it's our duty!" He sputtered incredulously. How could Thrassimund not have attempted to free Mother? It was just... unthinkable!

"Our duty? Kaiscillius-"

"Do not use that name, Blueblood, not here!"

"Fine, Blood Diamond, she was the worst pony in all of Equestria, period. Well, perhaps besides a few that have popped up recently. She killed and tortured, and brutalized... everypony! Us most of all! Her "children" were nothing more than lab rats that she spat out, and set scurrying to work for her!"

"Do not dare speak ill of her!" Kaiscillius whispered so hard it was almost a roar, spittle flew from his mouth and he almost impaled his younger brother on a decorative fence post then and there.

"Why not? She can't punish me. Now that I know you are the one who has orchestrated these events, I'm working out a deal with you and getting as far away from this place as I can! I spent decades worming my way into the royal family, switching bodies, playing different insufferable roles! If your plans are already in action, I'm happy to do all of that again to be as far away from them as possible."

Kaiscillius narrowed his eyes at his yellow-bellied sibling, "What do you mean 'working out a deal with me'? You think I can afford to let a security risk like you just skip merrily off into the sunset? What can you possibly offer me that guarantees that I can't kill you to end the possible leak?"

Thrassimund blanched slightly, but continued on with a modicum of confidence, "You won't kill me because it's too much too soon for the royals. You may have the peasantry rioting in the streets, but the nobles aren't ready for war yet, that's why you were here tonight wasn't it? To mingle and make merry? I can give you my word that I'll never tell a soul of what I know, I could hardly do that anyway without blowing my own cover, and I will also play the part of any minor scheme you may need me in. That's something isn't it?"

It was indeed something, Thrassimund had made the one offer that reminded Kaiscillius why he couldn't kill him yet. He still would in the future, but not just yet.

"I still don't understand why you want to free her, she'll just betray you," Thrassimund said casually.

Kaiscillius whipped his head around and answered, aghast, "She would never! I was her chosen!"

Thrassimund shrugged, "So what? You being chosen got you tortured more than any of us. Constant "lessons", conditioning, experiments, that spell that gives you nigh-"

Kaiscillius blinked, a little dazed, and wondered what had just happened. He was sure Thrassimund had been talking, but now he wasn't, and he was smiling.

"Ah, but I suppose she won't let you know about that. Do you not see her evil Kaiscillius? What a cruel beast she has made you into?"

"I was born this way," Kaiscillius muttered, still a little foggy.

"No. No you weren't. You were different once, you just don't remember. Or can't. But I'll bet you do remember one thing, one thing she’d never let you forget. "Your greatest failure"?"

Kaiscillius eyes bulged as his heart was pierced by a flaming lance, cracking it open in a way he hadn't felt since...

"Do you remember Kaiscillius, when you made that fatal mistake, so innocent, yet so terrible for her plans?"

His pulse pounded in his ears, red clouded his vision. He heard the laughter, felt the warmth of the smile, knew the tears over a broken corpse.

"You dare..." he mumbled, his eyes focusing straight into Thrassimund's, but either his brother had not heard, or had suddenly developed a death wish.

"Lilac?"

A roar tore itself from Kaiscillius's very beating heart, "YOU DARE?!"

Kaiscillius lunged upwards, wrapping a hand around his brother's throat in a vice grip three times as strong as steel, and in the other hand the shards of black and grey in his suit ran down his arms in rivulets and melded together into a single, terrifyingly familiar broadsword. Kaiscillius slammed Thrassimund backwards into the stone wall, splitting the very mortar, luckily he had cast a bubble of silence before stepping onto the terrace, so no sound escaped a ten foot radius.

Thrassimund screeched as New Moon glinted wickedly in the pale light of its sister, and burned a hole through the front of his shirt as Kaiscillius pressed the point against his abdomen.

Kaiscillius breathed hard, fighting down his resurging past, and the natural call for him to gut any rival who lived like a fish, "You...will...NEVER... speak that name again. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!"

Thrassimund nodded readily, tears leaking from his eyes as he choked, and a new stain appearing down the leg of his trousers.

"Secondly, two days from now, you will announce a surprise visit to Ponyville, and demand only the finest and highest quality of celebration, and no matter what they do, you must hate it. Understood?"

Again, a frantic nod.

"Good... now leave my sight before I TEAR YOUR SOUL FROM THE MEASLY HUSK IT OCCUPIES!" With one last roar of rage, Kaiscillius sent Thrassimund scurrying away about his new work. He then melded his sword back into his suit, adjusted it as well as his mane, and resumed the party where he had left off.

Two days later, Sugarcube Corner, Ponyville -

Applejack breathed deeply in and out, calming her nerves before taking a swig of the tea in her hand, and said with a wide smile, "Well, welcome everypony. Glad y'all could make it. Been a while since we could be together all at the same time."

Around her, sat in different fluffy pink lounge chairs and sofas, were Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie. They currently occupied the downstairs portion of Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie having been granted permission by Mr. and Ms. Cake to close up shop early. Fluttershy... well, nopony really expected her to be there, but that didn't make it hurt any less to Applejack, who'd gone through all the trouble of arranging the meeting.

"So, Rares, how's er, Spike doin'?" She asked rather awkwardly.

Great topic to start on AJ, you're really great at this, she berated herself mentally.

Rarity, nevertheless, smiled and said a little meekly, "Oh he's doing well, better than I could have hoped after... well, after what happened."

The room descended into an uncomfortable silence, broken again by Rarity, as she added, "He tells me he's going to set off for the dragon lands soon. Says he wants to learn more about where he came from."

Several "Hmm"s and "Ah"s sounded from the other three ponies, before silence claimed the room once more.

All of the sudden, Pinkie asked, "Speaking of which, has anypony seen Starlight at all? She hasn't been in here for her favorite cupcake in weeks! And it's really starting to smell funny..."

Everypony looked back and forth, but it appeared that none of them had seen Starlight at all after the... incident a few weeks ago.

"Pinkie dear," Rarity said, sounding slightly disturbed, "You don't mean that you... kept the same cupcake for her, do you?"

Universe J42-068, Timeline Variant 346-Z, Equestria, Outskirts of Ponyville -

"Starlight, the Great and Powerful Trixie believes that this might be a bad idea."

Trixie glanced anxiously over Starlight's shoulder as Starlight grimaced in concentration, holding aloft with telekinesis a softly glowing yellow orb, about the size of a marble. It was suspended in the air over a bubbling blue beaker which rested on green grass.

"Quiet Trixie, I have to do this just righ- oops," Starlight accidentally dropped the marble sized orb, and it landed gently on the lip of the glass beaker. And then promptly exploded.

With a huge BOOM! the pair of magic loving ponies were vaporized instantly, as was everything in a twenty foot span of the contact point between orb and beaker. Every animal in a thousand foot radius either bolted or dived for cover, and the entire world seemed to go dead still for a moment.

And then, a gentle hum filled the air. Soft at first, it grew in strength, building and building until it shook the trees 50 feet away with the force of the vibrations. White runes appeared floating over the blackened crater in circular patterns, moving rhythmically up and down. A teal colored portal ripped itself open in the sky over the center of the crater, and with a slight pop, two familiar looking ponies dropped out of it, yelping as they fell farther than expected into the center of the pit.

Starlight Glimmer eagerly picked herself up off of the ground and said to her compatriot, "Alright Trixie, here we are! If my calculations were correct, and they were since you yourself checked them as well, we are now in a timeline in which Twilight Sparkle did not die, and we perished mere moments ago! So, all that's left to do now is resume our normal lives, and tell everypony we accidentally cast a spell that erased our memory of the last three weeks."

Trixie, a little shakily, also stood up and asked, "So, everything's back to normal?"

"Yep!" Starlight answered cheerfully, "Twilight never died, Celestia didn't ever go dark, Luna never took power, and... well, let's just say that I caught a glimpse of the future during the timeline shift, and we would have been totally screwed. More literally than you might think."

Trixie furrowed her brow, “But... does that not mean that you have condemned all those lesser ponies to a horrible fate? By which of course, the Great and Powerful Trixie refers to your personal friends, and not every brainless half-wit on Equestria.”

Starlight rubbed the back of her head with a forehoof and glanced at the ground, “Yeah, sorta. I was pressed for time okay? Did you expect me to find a timeline in which everything happened exactly as it did in ours, except that you, me, and all of the Elements of Harmony died except Twilight Sparkle, and she didn’t know about it? Besides, you know they would never leave, even if it was for their own good. Which it would have been.”

“The Great and Powerful Trixie sees your point,” she said magnanimously, “they are all very dumb, and the Great and Powerful Trixie is incredibly intelligent!”

Starlight rolled her eyes and said, “Come on Trixie, we’ve apparently got a blast crater to fill.”

Trixie shivered, “Well thank Celestia that it incinerated everything, could you imagine having to bury your own dead body? How horrid!”

Meanwhile, in our universe -

"Look girls, that's not what we're here to talk about," Applejack said sternly, bringing the girls' attention away from the moldy cupcake.

"Ah called y'all here today about this business with Luna. Now, y'all got your letters right?" Yesterday, every (living) Element of Harmony had received a letter from Luna, begging them to travel to Canterlot and speak to the people in her defense.

"Do we need those letters? I may have baked mine into a cookie," Pinkie said, scratching her head in remembrance.

"I don't think so Pinkie. Still, what are we gonna' do about it?"

"Well I would have thought the answer perfectly obvious dear," Rarity said, "we need to board a train as soon as we can and get our flanks to Canterlot!"

Applejack was a little surprised by her answer, "Really Rares? Are ya' sure that it won't hurt your fancy business bein' seen endorsin' somethin' like that?"

Rarity gasped, "Why, Applejack, you can't possibly see me as so heartless that I would choose success and acclaim over the needs of a friend!"

"Yeah, can't imagine that at all..." Applejack muttered under her breath, "Pinkie, Rainbow, what do you think?"

"Weeeeelll, I mean she was Nightmare Moon..." Dash said lazily as she lounged on one of the sofas,"I hate to say it, but, I wouldn't put it past Nightmare Moon to set up some sort of elaborate after-death thing. Not sayin' she's guilty, but I'm not sure."

"You can't judge somepony by who they used to be, silly!" Pinkie said as she fiddled with a balloon, "You can only go on who you know them to be now!"

All the mares stared at their normally oblivious pink friend in shock, "Wow, Pinkie, that was... surprisingly cool of you. I-I guess you're right, maybe we need to give Luna a third chance," Dash admitted.

"Applejack, what do you think dear?" Rarity asked, noticing that her friend had been a little quiet.

"Don't matter none, it's the right thing to do, so we're gonna' do it," she answered confidently. With what she hope was confidence anyway. She felt a little squeamish that she hadn't technically lied, but she had avoided the question.

"Right, we should get on the first train to Canterlot and support her as soon as we can!" Rarity announced.

"Hold your haystacks there Rares, we ain't got no idea what we're actually talkin' about when we get there. From the letter, it sounded like a real big to-do, like a speech."

"Oh, poppycock, Applejack, I've written enough grand speeches to the citizens of Canterlot to know exactly what they want to hear! Never fear, dear, as long as I, Rarity, am here."

Applejack glanced at Rainbow Dash, who also looked skeptical (Pinkie was trying to see if she could fit an entire cookie into a single nostril) and said, "Uh, sure Rarity, whatever you say. Just get that speech written in her defense and we'll-"

"Oh I can't wait to get started!" Rarity said as she bolted from the room in excitement.

"- look it over together. Horseapples."

Applejack impatiently tapped a foot against the metal walkway of the train station, as the old steamer slowly trundled into view over the horizon. They'd all gone home to pack, and Discord had assured Applejack that Fluttershy's every need would be tended to while they were away. “As they always are!” he’d added in an annoyed tone. Now She, Pinkie, and Dash all stood waiting for their fashionista friend to arrive.

Applejack huffed in annoyance, checking her watch again, as finally a highly dignified bouncing object rocketed through the streets to the train station and arrived panting and gasping in a flurry of suitcases and paper.

"I...(gasp)... just managed to... (heave)... finish... the... speech," Rarity collapsed on to the platform with a thump, her twelve-odd suitcases splayed around her, each packed nearly to bursting with clothes, jewelry, and parasols.

"Rarity, we're only gonna' be there three days tops, and it ain't even gonna' rain!" Applejack said, gesturing to her own, barely filled, single suitcase.

"Well," Rarity huffed, "I had to be prepared! As the pony giving the speech, I must be ready for any fashion trends that may occur while we're there to maintain maximum chic! There's even a duck suit in one of these things!"

What, in all of Tarnation, is a duck suit? And do ah really want to know? Applejack glanced up from the fabric pile as the train pulled up, and was very shocked to see none other than Mayor Mare and her secretary frantically waving for Applejack to wait as they hurried through the busy station.

"Is that... Mayor Mare?" Applejack asked the others, pointing to the scrambling ponies.

"Why yes, I believe it is, darling," Rarity said, still slightly dazed.

"Wonder what she could want?" Rainbow asked.

"Man, that was the slowest train ever to arrive in Ponyville Station! It's almost like fate that they caught us in time!" Pinkie said in a chipper tone as the Mayor reached them.

"Oh, girls, oh thank goodness we caught you. There's a crisis happening and Ponyville needs your help!" The Mayor cried as she reached them.

"We'll be happy to help Mayor Mare, what seems to be the problem?" Applejack answered immediately.

"Oh it's just terrible! Apparently there was a book keeping mishap," she gave an angry glance at her secretary, who wilted slightly and gave an apologetic smile with her pristine teeth, "and one of the highest ranking nobles of Canterlot is coming here! Today! Prince Blueblood could arrive any minute and-"

A very loud squee sounded from the floor of the train platform, and Rarity lept to her feet, "Prince Blueblood is coming here? To Ponyville? Right now?" With each question Rarity's voice rose in pitch, until she was practically squeaking at the mare in front of her.

Applejack tapped Rarity on the shoulder, "Um, ain't that the same pony y'all nearly had a meltdown about at that first gala we went to? Didn't you say that he was one of the most horrible ponies y'all had ever met?"

Rarity waved a hand dismissively in her friend's direction, "Oh please darling, that's old news. Ponies change, we all know that!" Applejack didn't like the hopeful airiness of Rarity's voice, and shook her head at her friend's fickle nature.

"Regardless girls, if the Prince comes here and doesn't have a fantastic experience, it'll spell the end of tourism here for a long time! And you all have met him, you know how high his standards are..." The Mayor tapered off, wringing her hands nervously.

"Well, we really want to help Miss, but we already agreed to help out-" Applejack stopped herself from saying "Luna" and instead finished, "a-another pony. In Canterlot."

"Well, girls, I'd hate for you to break a previous engagement but this is the entire town we're talking about here! Can't a single pony wait?" The Mayor asked helplessly.

"It's fine Applejack," Rarity said decisively, "Pinkie Pie and I will stay here, and plan a grand banquet, the likes of which will surely make the Prince fall in lo- I mean... have a wonderful time! I'll give you the speech, and you and Rainbow will deliver it in Canterlot!"

"But Rarity I-"

"Now, now, now, no buts! We must be strong and resolved to face the task ahead! Oh, I can only imagine the toll planning such a grand affair will have on me, but my trials with be worth it to save our beloved home! Come Mayor Mare! We haven't a moment to loose!" So saying, Rarity left all of her bags on the train platform and nearly dragged the Mayor and Pinkie Pie with her back into town, heedless of the gaping Applejack behind her.

"You ladies gettin' on or what?" said the bushily-mustached train conductor, who now stood directly behind them, tapping a hoof impatiently.

"Dash, ah ain't got the slightest idea what half of these daggum words mean, and the other half just sound like puffed-up nonsense!" Applejack and Rainbow Dash occupied a train car alone together, one of whom flew around in lazy circles, as the other frantically tried to piece together the stacks of hastily written speech.

"Are ya' sure ya' can't read it instead of me? I'm no good with this sort of schmoozing stuff, you know that!"

Rainbow continued to backstroke her way around the room and replied, "Nope, can't do it. I've uh... got a fear of public speaking!" She smiled cheesily at Applejack's entirely unconvinced expression.

"You, the most attention obsessed pony this world has ever known, have a fear... of public speaking."

"Yup!" Rainbow responded cheerfully, before settling down and saying, "You'll do fine AJ, you're way better at this than you think! And besides, you've got a whole day to practice, what could possibly go wrong?"

A cold sweat broke out in the back of Applejack's neck, and for some reason, she felt like she should memorize the speech as fast as she could.

The rest of the train journey passed in almost complete silence, save for a yawn or two from Rainbow as she napped on one of the chairs. Applejack, meanwhile, felt like she was more nervous than she had ever been in her life. She wished desperately for an orchard to plant, a field to till, a hay to bale! But all she could do was stare at words she didn't understand, and try to force her brain to accept them as rational, sense-making arguments. She thought about all that hinged on her getting this right, Luna's future, the future of Equestria itself even. This only made the feeling worse, and it didn't help that somewhere in the back of her mind, she felt the Element of Honesty grumbling like a workpony’s stomach at high noon.

When the train finally came to a halt, Applejack took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves. She had a full day in one of the palace suites to-

The door slammed open as what seemed like a battalion of thestral Royal Guards stormed into the cabin, immediately flattening themselves against the walls and snapping to attention. Applejack sat slack-jawed in both amazement and terror as Luna, dressed in full regal regalia strode into the room, her turquoise eyes coldly sweeping the whole chamber in one glance.

"Good, you're here. There isn't much time. A demonstration in one of the public squares went bad, two of the protesters were injured somehow, and now they've all come out of the woodwork demanding blood. There's no time to waste, whatever you're going to do, I beg you, do it now."

"Uhhhhhh..." Applejack was having a hard time right then. She wanted to be reassuring, calming, confident, but she was really just trying mostly to not pee her pants.

Luna glanced around the train car again as if just noticing her actual audience, "This is it? Where are the rest of you?" She sounded... upset, hurt even.

"They had to stay behind to prepare for a visit from Prince Bluedouche, but don't sound so elated that the most awesome ponies in Equestria showed up to help or anything" Rainbow said, irritated.

Luna immediately blushed,"Oh no! I didn't mean it like that, I'm so sorry! It's just... wait, Bluedouche? Oh you mean... Blue... Blood," Luna's face went slack for a moment, before it came alive with realization and rage, "That's why he was ordered to go there! Damn that crafty-" Luna struggled to get herself under control, "Forces move against me in this city. Everywhere apparently. I can tell you more after the riot is calmed down, but you must come immediately! I fear that this day may be the one I've dreaded for a long time."

Applejack sat with chattering teeth on a wooden platform, hands clutching the papers she held with white-knuckled terror. In front of her stood a hastily constructed podium, but it was what lay beyond that truly terrified her. A sea of outraged, grief-stricken, and mad as all hell ponies shuffled and grumbled like a low earthquake as they waited for her. The plaza they occupied was usually quite nice, white marble bricks and bustling wooden shop buildings lined each side of the road, and a tall statue of Celestia stood proudly in the center, raising the sun in one hand. Mere moments ago this plaza had nearly become a blood-soaked battleground, with the raging ponies just barely calmed by being told that the Elements of Harmony were on their way to sort out the matter. And now all eyes were on Applejack as she quivered silently at the back of the wooden dais, feeling sweat run down her forehead and the back of her neck, cold shivers running up and down her spine.

Tell the truth.

She heard her Element hammering the back of her skull, the dull whispers now rising to a crescendo as the hour of the speech drew upon her. She struggled with herself as she took baby steps toward the speaker's podium, and glanced back at her friends for support. What she saw did not reassure her. Luna looked almost as afraid as Applejack felt, and even though Rainbow flashed a cocky smile, Applejack could still see the worry in her eyes.

Oh Sweet Celestia help me, I ain't ready for this!

TELL THE TRUTH.

Applejack gulped down the bile rising in her throat one last time before she arrived at the microphone, and gazed out over the sea of hatred and pain. She cleared her throat weakly, and stared straight at the shaking papers she clutched in her hand.

"My fellow p-ponies," she started, doing her best to suppress her accent, and talk more like Rarity would, "these are troubled times. A ruler has been lost-"

Suddenly a loud blaring shattered the silence of the plaza and Applejack saw a white and orange pegasus hefting a similarly colored megaphone yell, "YOU'RE ONE OF THE ELEMENTS OF HARMONY! THE TYRANT KILLED TWILIGHT SPARKLE, CAN YOU DENY THE EVIDENCE OF THAT? AND OF THE MASSACRE OF HOPPING SPRINGS? WE DON'T WANT A PREPARED SPEECH, WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?"

The crowed roared assent with the pegasus's statement, chanting, "WE WANT THE TRUTH, WE WANT THE TRUTH!" Applejack's head throbbed with the same message that they screamed to her, she couldn't help it, she couldn't lie. It was why she was what she was.

Megaphone girl yelled, "IS LUNA INNOCENT?" and Applejack snapped.

"AH DON'T KNOW!" The square went dead silent, as they all regarded her in shock. Applejack didn't have to turn around to feel the same expression coming from behind her. But this was the truth, and she would speak it.

"Ah don't know if Luna's innocent or not. Twilight's death... and, as you said, that horrible atrocity committed on those ponies in that poor town... it's hurt us all. Badly. Now ah can't prove to you that Luna didn't do it, but y'all, is this how ponies act? Do we turn on one another, hate each other, kill each other, at any time? Not in the long history of the Apple family has somethin' like the fracturing of ponies today occurred. Now I don't know if Luna's guilty, but this ain't the way a true pony would deal with it. Y'all are actin' childish and completely out a' line! You don't like how things are, so you throw a tantrum about it, but do nothin'? That's not how a pony should act and y'all know it. We work together, build together, love together, to create a stronger future for ourselves, rulers and tragedies be darned! Now are y'all gonna' keep actin like spoiled children, or are y'all willin' to work for a better future, and not just for yourselves, but for all the races of our world?" Applejack finished her impromptu speech with a glare that would have stopped a stampede in its tracks. She was a little out of breath, and felt fiercely proud that she had spoken her mind through her own words. And best of all, it was the truth.

"YOU'RE RIGHT APPLEJACK, WE SHOULD WORK TOGETHER FOR A BETTER FUTURE!" Called out megaphone girl, and Applejack's heart swelled, "ALL THIS TIME, WE'VE BEEN COMPLAINING, AND NOT DOING. WELL THAT ENDS RIGHT NOW! COME ON PONIES, YOU HEARD HONESTY HERSELF SPEAK THE TRUTH, IF WE WANT OUT FROM UNDER A MURDEROUS TYRANT, WE GOTTA DO IT OURSELVES!"

Parts of the crowed roared their assent, brandishing their makeshift weapons and torches, and Applejack's heart plummeted again as she saw a domino effect ripple through the crowd as it riled itself up, just as fervent as before.

"No, that's... that's not what ah meant..." Applejack said softly, but her words were drowned out by at least three different megaphone bearers as they cried havoc and let slip the ponies of war.

Almost all of it was noise, angry, but hesitant, not wanting to make the first move. A small stallion, probably only a teenager stormed at a guard on the left hand side of the barricade that had been set up to contain the protesters, a roll of paper in his hand. The guard mistook it for a club, and struck in self defense.

With a thud and cry of agony that seemed to echo around the whole city, the boy slumped over the sword, blood flowing freely down the impalement, dead. Silence once again descended, as the body slowly fell to the ground. And all hell broke loose.

The massive crowd split in four different directions, with the largest contingent surging straight for the wooden platform, and the smallest of about ten ponies were fleeing the way they came. Guards immediately began dragging Luna away from the scene, despite her protests, which left one pony between a bloodthirsty mob and their target, and who could that lucky pony be?

Applejack's whole body went slack as a wave of rage and weapons roared towards her, she particularly fixated on one mare, who was dressed like some sort of accountant. She wondered briefly what her story was. Why was she here? So hurt, so angry? There was no pity in the mare's eyes, not even a glint of remorse for the helpless pony that stood in her way.

She's got beautiful teeth, Applejack thought, before she was pummeled to the ground. Nopony actually hit her, that was something she noticed, most even did their best to avoid the fallen mare. To Applejack, it seemed as if she were submerged in a sea of thundering limbs, occasional flashes of blue sky pierced the dark and flailing tide. Distantly, almost as if she were merely imagining it, she heard the raspy voice of Rainbow Dash calling her name. An accidental kick to the rib cage punched the breath out of Applejack's lungs, and her head spun as two more landed on her shoulders and face. Applejack curled into the fetal position, and shrank to one basic instinct, survive.

Applejack woke slowly, her eyes blinked unfocused at a grey sky, as the world seemed to rock back and forth. No, someone was shaking her. What was that in the air? It smelled like smoke. She could hear crackling, and... something else...

"...jack, Applejack, AJ! Come on we gotta get out of here like yesterday!"

Applejack stared in confusion at the cerulean pegasus hunched over her, until it all came crashing back.

"Applejack! Oh Celestia, you're okay right? Oh man! I couldn't get to you fast enough before the- I tried to- I'm so sorry..." Rainbow cradled her friend in her arms, who gave a weak hug back in response.

"AJ! You're alive!" Rainbow's face exploded with relief and joy, and she hugged her companion even tighter, causing Applejack to wince as she pressed down on something that wold probably leave a nasty bruise.

"Yeah, I'm fine... did Luna..."

Rainbow nodded her head vigorously, "Yeah, she made it into the castle. But AJ... this place has gone insane! They're makin' battering rams right now to bring down the outer gates, and there aren't enough guards or soldiers left to detain them all. And there are... other things happening. Stuff that... that you can't unsee." Rainbow's eyes held a haunted look for a moment, before she shook her head, "But first things first, we need to get you out of her, back to Ponyville, and warn the other-"

"Well boys, what do we have here?" Slow, clanking steps sounded from behind Rainbow Dash, who jumped a bit, before whipping around, allowing Applejack a better view.

Advancing slowly across the grey cobbled square, was a gang of about eight ponies, each dressed in similar garb. Most wore boots, with long leather coats, and wicked smiles. The one who had spoken, and the leader by the look of him, wore a wide-brimmed stetson, and held a long brown pipe in his mouth. Each of the males carried professional equipment, meaning these were no desperate victims of the latest riot. Long chains with metal balls on either end wrapped around their waists, and each lugged some sort of quad-pronged harpoon launcher. They spread slowly in a semicircle around the two mares, pinning them against the front of a large marble building, some sort of museum it seemed.

Desperate, and recognizing an attack pattern when she saw one, Applejack cried out, "Now look here fella's, we ain't got no money, and we ain't got no jewelry, me and my friend here just want to move along, we ain't worth whatever trouble you're about to cause."

The crew of stallions grumbled to one another, their eyes still fixated on the two mares, until the leader snapped his fingers, and they went dead silent.

"No valuables you say?" His voice was gravelly, and had a drawl similar to Applejack's, but not quite the same. She was having a hard time making him out, but then she realized that it was because his skin was completely grey, the same shade as the sky, the same shade as the ground. He practically belonged here.

"That's right, sir, no valuables here."

"Well, shoot, that's too bad. But... hang on a minute now," Applejack quivered in fear as the menacing stallion took one or two steps closer, and Rainbow Dash hunched protectively over her injured friend.

"You two got good taste! Who made them clothes of yours, if I might ask?" The bandit's tone had completely changed, rather than intimidating, it sounded genuinely curious, even pleasant! Applejack was a little thrown off by the shift. She glanced at Rainbow Dash, who was wearing hand tailored jeans and a Wonderbolts t-shirt that Rarity had made in honor of Rainbow making the team. Applejack was wearing her usual red plaid shirt, but she had also gotten it from her friend as a birthday gift.

"Er, my friend Rarity, sir."

"Rarity.... Rarity, Rarity, Rarity... but surely not... the Rarity? The one who owns the Canterlot Carousel, that Rarity?"

"Oh, you know her," Applejack's mood brightened considerably, if this stallion knew her friend then he might let them-

"My, my. Original, unique clothing, designed and hand crafted by one of Canterlot's most famous tailors!" the stallion stalked forward another pace, looking both of them up and down with a strange glint in his eye, and leaned down on one knee, growling, "Sounds to me like you two got somethin' real valuable. Ain't that right boys?" The gang howled and shouted in agreement, one cocked his harpoon.

The grey stallion gave a rough chuckle, and said with dead seriousness, "Strip."

Rainbow Dash and Applejack's jaws dropped, and they looked at each other in disbelief.

"Come again?" Applejack said, desperately searching for an opening in the defensive ring they were trapped in.

"Well, here's the deal, we take anything value that you own, which we have already determined is your clothing, and you get to live. And we can't very well have your clothing, if you don't take 'em off. Strip. Now. Or my boys’ll happily strip you themselves" He made a hand gesture, and all of the stallions yelled in agreement, and leveled their harpoons at the two.

"W-wait! Please, my friend is hurt. Can... can't you please just let us go? Maybe, I don't know, rob us on the way out of the hospital?" Rainbow asked, not sounding overly hopeful.

The gang leader actually chuckled, and replied, "No can do sweet cheeks. Now, take it off, or your friends gonna' be more than injured."

With a gulp, Rainbow Dash looked at all of the weapons pointed at her, and sighed. She bent down to unlace her shoes first.

"AJ, you thinking you're strong enough for an airlift?" She whispered quietly.

"I'm thinking that even if I ain't, it's better than this," Applejack glanced at the harpoons, "but what if you get hurt?"

Rainbow smiled at her, "Oh, please, if I can't outrun a harpoon, then my name isn't Rainbow Dash, the fastest flier in all of-"

"Yeah, yeah, save it for later okay?" Rainbow blushed slightly, then grabbed Applejack's arm and bolted straight up, accelerating from 0-60 in about half a second. For a brief moment Applejack both lost her stomach, and saw out over the rooftops of Canterlot. It was horrible. Huge columns of smoke billowed from almost every section of the city, thousands of tiny shapes stormed up the streets to the gates of Canterlot Castle, where a huge shimmering blue dome of magic was assailed by armaments both physical and ethereal.

Behind Applejack, the was a loud SNAP and Rainbow Dash screamed in pain as they both plummeted from the sky. Applejack twisted around in mid-air to see that Rainbow's wings had been forced shut by the same long ball and chain contraption that she had seen around the gang's waists earlier. As she watched, she could actually see it tighten itself more around the poor pegasus's ribcage, crushing her wings against her body. As it did, runes glowed along both the ball and chain, a magic bola.

Sorry Rainbow, but even you can’t outrun magic, Applejack thought with a strange detachedness from the whole situation.

Applejack heard a THUNK, and her velocity abruptly switched from downwards to sideways, as a large net wrapped itself around her, automatically tightening. She slammed hard into the side of a building, and was almost knocked unconscious from the force. She saw that she was about ten feet off the ground, and that they hadn't even been able to clear the square before being captured.

Gently, her net detached itself from the building, and floated gently over to the waiting smirks of the bandits. She glanced to her left, and noticed that rainbow Dash was similarly bound, and looked dramatically less happy about it. Her cyan companion ranted and cursed at their captors, threatening to do horrible things to their mothers if they didn't let her go. When Applejack and Rainbow touched down, the leader paced towards Rainbow, laughing, "Well, this one's got some spirit, " and then in a darker tone, "can't wait to break it."

"Buck you, you assblasting piece of shi- MMMMFFM!" The bandit leader roughly shoved a strip of grey cloth into Rainbow's mouth, and held her down with his boot as he tied it around the back of her head.

"Hey! Don't you dare touch her! You lay finger on her, and you answer to me!" Applejack roared defiantly at the dark figure, who jut smiled and stood up, keeping Rainbow's face in the dirt as he pulled out a small purple pouch from one of his coat pockets.

"Oh don't worry, she won't be hurt. Well, not for long. You're going first," Applejack blanched and started to tremble as the entire gang rushed towards her, pinning her onto the ground, hollering and jeering eagerly.

"Hey, get off! W-What is it you think you're doin'?" Her chattering teeth betrayed her brave intentions, as the bandit leader gently stepped onto her stomach and said,

"Tell me, girl, have you ever had Dust?"

Applejack blinked, "Dust? What's... Dust?"

She flinched back as the stallions around her howled in excitement.

"A first timer, a damn hot one!"

"Can't believe we're that lucky!"

"One of the Elements of Harmony to boot!"

"What, what is it?" The stallion above her did not respond, but simply took out a spoon and dipped it into the bag, raising out many finely crushed red crystals. Applejack squirmed against both the net and the bandits around her as the leader slowly lowered the spoon to her face, and those who held her down chanted,

"Dust, Dust, Dust, Dust, Dust-"

KRAKOOOM!

A huge wave of rippling blood-red energy viciously blasted the gang around her, sending them flying backwards and sprawling them at varying distances all over the brickwork of the street. They all groaned and rolled around as Applejack silently wept tears of relief, and behold the most beautiful pony she'd ever seen.

He was tall, and dressed in a slim grey outfit that was dazzlingly sharp. His toned muscles rippled visibly through it as he stalked forward, power and certainty radiated from him like rays from the sun. She got the same feeling from watching him that she did Celestia, a sense of both the powerful need to obey the orders of an obvious superior, and a deep feeling of awe. His skin was a light black, or a deep grey depending on how you looked at it, and his magnificent wings, splayed heroically behind him, were beautiful to behold. His eyes and mane were deep red, as was the immense fiery glow that shrouded his horn. Applejack was instantly smitten, and her first thought was,

I really hope he likes farm girls.

With another blinding red pulse, the restraints binding Applejack and Rainbow Dash fell away, reduced to ash, even healing the bruises and fractured bones that Applejack was sure she'd had. A lavish carriage raced into the square, the puller of which, a hugely bulky blue earth pony, yelled, "Master, don't do that! We need to get you out of here! This city has gone mad!"

For a second Applejack was scared the heavenly alicorn would leave, but then he locked eyes with her and her heart melted.

Oh sweet merciful Celestia, we’re saved.

"There are ponies in need Jaw, I'm not about to abandon them," His voice was like melted chocolate, and Applejack instantly felt warm and hopeful just from hearing it.

He walked toward the fallen mares, picking them both up in a gentle aura of red magic as the gang behind them slowly regained consciousness, and said soothingly, "Everything will be alright, go wait in the carriage, while I deal with these thugs. You will never have to think of this day ever again. Go."

The leader of the gang growled, “Nightmare Moon will have your head for this!”

Applejack started as she heard that, So it’s true! What a foal I’ve been...

Her alicorn savoir snorted, “I doubt it,” and shielded the two mares with his wings as he released another wave of power, blasting the gang over like bowling pins.

“You two should go, after what you’ve been through, you shouldn’t half to see more of this,” the alicorn spoke softly.

He was so kind, so considerate, it made Applejack want to kiss him on the spot. And the fact that he was drop-dead gorgeous.

"Uhhhhh... thanks. I'm uhhh... I'll um... I'll go wait in the- in the carriage, yup," Applejack walked in shock next to Rainbow Dash, who hadn't said a word, to the extraordinarily nice carriage that waited for them.

THAT?! THAT WAS YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION? Stupid Applejack, stupid, stupid, stupid.... She and Rainbow climbed into the carriage, Rainbow violently slamming the door closed, and curling up into a ball in the corner of one of the plush seats, wiping away dirt and... were those tears? Applejack moved to comfort her friend, stroking her hair, and waiting for their gracious host to join them.

Kaiscillius smirked and Grey Shade and his gang, "Well done gentlemen."

Grey Shade, who had just picked himself up off the smoking ground, bowed, and said, "For you sir? Anything."

Kaiscillius hefted an enormous bag of bits, and tossed it one-handed to a henchmen, who caught it in both arms with a grunt.

"Um, sir, a favor? If I may have one?"

Kaiscillius raised an eyebrow, it was unusual for Grey to ask for favors, "And what might that be?"

"Well it's just er, that pegasus was really cute sir, and I'd- well, me and the boys you know, after you've broken her..."

Kaiscillius smiled at the weakness of ponies. It gave him hope.

"Of course, come to my estate in four hours time, and you and your men will receive proper entertainment."

The gang of thugs kneeled to him, and Grey said humbly, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Kaiscillius teleported them all to a safe house he had arranged for them, and then turned back to his carriage, seeing straight through the camouflage of the golem pulling it.

“Status report?” He asked.

The golem bowed it’s head, “Confirmation of Thrassimund betrayal,”

“Called it.”

“Thrassimund warned Luna in advance that he was heading to Ponyville, though they were unclear why. Communications between Canterlot and Ponyville are down, as per your orders, it is unlikely he has heard the news of what occurred here today. Estimated arrival time in five hours. Celestia still out of commission. Distraction of the Crystal Empire using false changeling sightings successful. Project “Ultimatum” remains stable, though levels of playfulness have risen significantly since Zero Day. Castle shield strength at 82%. Guard to Rebel ratio somewhere around 1 to 100. Without intervention, the Castle will be taken in roughly 8 hours. This outcome is unlikely,” Kaiscillius climbed the stairs and opened the carriage door after the golem finished it’s report. It was nothing short of what he’d expected.

"To the manor," he said, stepping up into the carriage, seeing his orange prey look at him with unabashed adoration in her eyes.

I wonder how hard it'll be to get her to be honest with herself? He thought to himself with a mental chuckle, as the carriage pulled away.

Author's Note

100 years, Starlight and Trixie! This one was a doozy to write. For those of you who didn’t see the blog, I will be traveling a lot in the coming months, so updates may be delayed depending on when I have the time to work on them. Again, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, and don’t worry, the next one’ll be plenty of fun for you guys too.

Kaiscillius has played his hand, and his enemies reel from the blows he has dealt. But, a specter from his past has arisen, and the heroes have gained a powerful, and unlikely ally. But with two more of the Elements to stand trial by fu- er, fire before him, what hope could they have? Find out, next time.

At the Turning of the Tide

Applejack woke up as the carriage bounced slightly against a loose rock. Blearily, she looked around, and saw Rainbow Dash sleeping fitfully next to her, rubbing her arms and shivering, despite the fact that the temperature was quite pleasant. Applejack had been rather... distracted when first entering her hero's mode of transport, and so took the time now to observe it. The whole interior was made from a beautiful dark oak wood, and the seats were softer than Applejack's bed, and covered in some kind of rich red fabric. Applejack slowly sat up, stretching and yawning, before her breath caught in her throat as she saw her newest crush.

His eyes contemplated the view from the carriage window, his high brows furrowed in thought, blood red eyes drinking in the grey light that filtered through the curtained window. She flinched slightly as he noticed that she had awoken, he was just so intense, it was like she was staring into a hurricane, even though he had made no outward moves yet, his calm severity in the face of her crumbling world made her tremble. She lit up like a firework as he smiled at her, with one of the broadest, most genuine grins she'd ever seen.

This is really strange. I mean, he's a gorgeous stallion, but what do I really know about him? I've never felt this way even towards good stallions who I'd known for years! He did save mah life though. Could that have somethin t' do with it?

Applejack facepalmed herself after realizing that she hadn't thanked him for saving her yet, and quickly said, "Thank you-"

"Shhhhhhh..." Applejack blushed and assumed he was going to say something incredibly romantic before he simply pointed at the sleeping Rainbow Dash, "Let your friend rest, she's had a very hard time of it," he smiled at Applejack apologetically.

"Oh, no, of course you're right, ah'm just bein plain rude aren't I?" she whispered to him, "Ah just had to say... thank ya. Thank ya fer savin our lives in the square... and fer... fer not laughin at me,"

"Laugh at you? Why on Equestria would I do that?" He looked at her, concerned.

"Well, most ponies up here in Canterlot they... they like t' make fun of a filly like me. But y'all weren't like that. Ya helped us, even though ya coulda been hurt, and even though it wasn't any of yer business. Thank ya fer that, thank ya kindly," she finished with a smile, but noticed that the ghost of a frown touched his eyes for a second, before they went back to a warm look of kindness.

"You never have to thank me for what should be basic pony decency. And as for you being the way you are, we're not so different,"

"Oh really, did ya' grow up on an apple farm?"

He laughed quietly, a deep chuckle pitched so low it felt like it shook Applejack's bones, "Not an apple farm, no. I lived up north when I was young. A very hard life up there, nearly starved to death several times, but I got by. I earned my way to the top, even though, secretly," he glanced left and right before leaning in close, making her heart hammer in her chest faster than a rampaging apple cart, "I sometimes miss it. Things were simple then, less difficult to deal with directly."

Applejack understood exactly what he meant, and her heart soared that he liked the quiet country, and wasn't a no-good stuck up rotten apple like most from Canterlot.

Woah now, where did that come from? Ah made plenty a friends here in Canterlot, ah certainly don't think they're all stuck up rotten apples! Something else was bothering her too. It wasn't that he was... lying, it was more murky than that. She didn't really like it though, made her feel slightly queasy, of course that could simply be the proximity to the hero in front of her.

Now, hold on there Sugarcube. We gotta make sure he's on the up and up, what if he's a changeling or somethin' like that?

"Who was yer family?" She asked, trying her best to sound innocent. Her heart skipped a beat as another frown touched Blood Diamond's suave demeanor, before he appeared to be lost in thought.

"My family was small, and I only knew them at the start of my childhood. I was abandoned in the north not long after."

"D'you remember their names?" Applejack asked quietly. She could hear the heartbreak and pain in the alicorn's voice, and had few doubts that that feeling was genuine. It broke her heart to hear another pony, especially one as (possibly) virtuous as this one.

"My father was Tanavast, and my mother, well... let's just say, I didn't see her very often growing up."

Applejack nearly wept at the emotion trembling behind every syllable in the pony's voice, and it wasn't helped by the fact she still didn't believe him completely. Half-truths, and nothing more had he told her.

Well, if I'd had a foalhood half as bad as how his sounds, I'd probably not want to go around tellin everypony I met about it either. He doesn't want to lie, he probably even wants to tell the whole truth, but I guess he just doesn't trust me enough, Applejack sat a little straighter in her chair, Rainbow Dash groaning next to her as she rolled away from the light thrown on to her by the window, Well, nothin ah can do but try my best to earn it.

"Let me tell ya' a little about mah life, since y'all was kind enough to open up about yours..."

Something had gone very, very wrong. Kaiscillius didn't know what had happened or why, but somehow he had missed something. Unbeknownst to both of his lovely guests, he had been constantly casting what basically boiled down to an "obey and love me" spell for the entire carriage ride, but it wasn't working nearly as effectively as it should have, even though he'd doubled the power he outputted since the trip began, and it was almost over. That, combined with their proximity to Ultimatum...

"So, Applejack, we've been talking for quite a while now," He said with a charming smile, and he could practically see her defenses melting a little, "I want to know... what do you think of me? As a pony, I mean." This was really the test of how far along g the spell had broken through. Could it be that Twilight Sparkle was simply so much weaker than this Earth Pony?

Apple fidgeted nervously with her shirt for a few seconds in silence, and said, "Honestly? Ah think yer a good pony. Yer hidin somethin, yeah, but I hope that you can lean to trust me. And, ah hope you can work with me to save Equestria."

Kaiscillius blinked a few times, "Save Equestria?"

Applejack nodded, "Of course, the way you came to our rescue in the square? You were born to be a hero, and right now, me and the other Elements of Harmony need all the help we can get to stop all these mad ponies, and figure out what's makin' em go crazy."

Well, the spell clearly hasn't worked nearly as well as it should have. Time to put on a show.

Kaiscillius gave a pained look, and ripped his eyes away from the gorgeous farm mare in front of him, "I... could never be a hero,"

Applejack frowned, "But, in the square-"

"A brief moment of sentiment, nothing more!" Kaiscillius closed his eyes, turning his head away and wiping a tear, "Please... speak no more to me of this."

Applejack nodded, "Alright. Ah understand."

Oh no, my dear, not yet, but when you do it will already be too late.

Kaiscillius glanced over to the athletic pegasus in the corner, who yawned and sat up straight, her eyes glazed for a moment before she panicked, probably not recognizing where she was. He noticed that when she saw Applejack she visibly calmed, though... was that shame in her eyes? In a moment it was gone, but Kaiscillius knew she must have blamed herself for not being strong enough to save her friend.

Don't worry, it won't be the last time you'll fail at that activity.

But then something happened that Kaiscillius did not expect, the cyan pegasus growled in open hostility, and barked, "Who the buck are you, and where are you taking us?"

Kaiscillius's jaw actually dropped at the outrageous... outrage in the pony's voice! She should have been docile, submissive, begging him to let her do anything she could to aid him! Not cursing at him and assuming he was the bad guy!

What the... how did... is this a very good sign, or a very bad one?

Nevertheless, he kept calm and smiled, "I am Prince Blood Diamond, I understand your mistrust and confusion, you likely don't remember much-"

"Oh, I remember everything, and what I don't remember is an explanation for what you were doing in that street we were attacked in!" Rainbow Dash finished by pointing an accusatory finger into Kaiscillius's face.

"Rainbow Dash!" Applejack gasped incredulously, slapping her friend's hand away, "yer bein down right rude to this poor stallion! He saved our lives!"

"It's alright, Applejack. I must admit, I don't understand your reasoning for being so angry at me of all ponies, but I can respect that you've had a very difficult time, most ponies in your situation would be blubbering husks, I admire you two for your fortitude, even if it comes at a personal cost," Kaiscillius proclaimed graciously, internally seething with confusion and rage. Clearly this haughty bitch had resisted his spell too somehow, and no one not even his own mother got away with speaking to him like that.

Kaiscillius magically funneled his hatred of the cyan pegasus into a small magical "box" inside of himself, which he would unleash at a later time. Preferably before she'd been fully broken, and could appreciate the magnitude and depth of the revenge he was now constructing for her. Was a branding too harsh? Mabye just a tattoo. A large one. With enchantments that made her deliriously horny when insulted. Stupid bucking...

After a deep breath, Kaiscillius drew back the curtain on his carriage window a tad, "Ah! Excellent! We're here! Welcome my friends to my humble abode," Kaiscillius unveiled the window completely and watched with satisfaction as both of the mares looked stunned at the beautiful home before them.

The entire building was made of black marble, with red and white veins running through it in intricate patterns. Grand columns and stairways soared into the air, connecting with many terraces and balconies, each decorated with exquisitely comfortable lounging couches and chairs. The gardens out front were immaculate, with hedge sculptures and flowers every color of the rainbow gleaming as if still wet with dew, despite the resplendent glow of the afternoon sun blazing down upon them. All the grass was a verdant green, greener than grass had any right to be, and it was feather soft to the touch, and the long-bowed weeping willows which covered the grounds swayed in their mournful way, giving a romantic air to the space, as the west wind gently fluttered their leaves across the heavens. And that's when they saw that, as they looked up, the garden had a roof. This house, and these gardens, sat inside a cave mouth carved from Canterlot Mountain itself. Stunning views of the rolling green plains around the city could be seen over the grassy lip of the cave, and it even offered an unparalleled view of the city itself. It was still glorious, despite it's current smoking, riot-filled state.

"Oh mah stars..." Applejack said breathlessly, taking in the beauty of it all, drawing a hand to her chest.

"Dude, you just got 20% cooler in my opinion," Rainbow Dash said absentmindedly.

And there's the tattoo. "20% Sluttier", full body.

Kaiscillius cleared his mind, shoving all malicious thoughts into the rage box, and said, "I hope everything will be to your liking. Please, feel free to make yourselves at home. I have everything you could possibly want or need. It's not often I receive visitors, so stay here as long as you'd like while you plan your next move, or simply to relax." He himself held open the door of the carriage as the ladies stepped out into the enormous stone cave.

"Uh... Applejack, could I, uh, talk... to you, for a second?" Rainbow Dash said as she stepped from the wagon, dazed and awed at the immensity of the overlook she stood in.

"Uh, sure... sugarcube..." Applejack's voice held a similar tone as she looked at the picturesque splendor laid about her. Rainbow Dash gently pulled her to behind the cart, out of range of a normal pony's hearing. So, naturally, she completely failed to hide her whispers from Kaiscillius.

"Okay, I don't like this guy."

"And why's that?"

"I don't know, I just have a bad feeling about him, but it's hard to pin down why. Also I've got this, sort of-"

"Headache?"

"Yeah, like a heartbeat in my brain. It's making it a little hard to think right now."

"Yeah, ah noticed that too. Don't know what it is though."

"I'm tellin' you it's the guy! He's bad news, somehow."

"He did save our lives."

*Incoherent Grumbling* "Fine. But we stick together at all times, okay? Not getting separated in some creepy mansion place."

"Well, ah'm with ya there. Even though I don't think he'd do anything t' hurt us, better safe than sorry."

And with that, the pegasus and earth pony walked back around the side of the carriage, both smiling innocently. They were terrible liars.

"Well, now that your secret council is concluded, feel free to join me for dinner in the lounge, which Silver here can show you to," Kaiscillius gestured towards a golem who stood near the intricate front door of his house, but to the mares he would appear as an elderly butler, "or wander around the grounds here as much as you like. Just... ah, you know what? If I told you where not to go, you'd immediately seek that place out, so, don't go near the garden or the lounge. Have fun!" Kaiscillius turned from them and walked into the cool stone hallways of his home.

As he passed his golem, it asked, "Status update, sir?" He'd programmed them so that they would ask him if he wanted one when certain conditions were met. Having just arrived at the manor was one of them.

"No, thank you, I just received one," The automaton bowed its head in acknowledgement, and walked towards the two mares as they aimlessly wandered about. Kaiscillius himself continued into the massive four floor structure.

Though the upper section of Kaiscillius's lair was indeed spacious, it paled in comparison to the truly labyrinthine depths that extended underneath the house. It boasted hundreds of tunnels and rooms that were all enchanted to act as an unsolvable maze. Except to Kaiscillius and his followers, who could all walk through to exactly the room they needed to go to by opening any door they wished.

The blue one proves more troublesome by the second, and it is clear my plan isn't working... why? Why? WHY? Kaiscillius paced and snorted angrily, hands clenching and unclenching behind his back, What could I have missed? I'm a thousand times more prepared now than I was when I battled Twilight Sparkle, why isn't it-

Kaiscillius froze in the middle of the hallway that led to his study, a hand half raised to his mouth, Is that it? Could it be so simple? I'd need to examine them much more closely to be certain, and if I sought them out now after dismissing them it would seem strange. Grragh, I have to wait till dinner, Kaiscillius marched to the lounge. It was a comfortable space filled with bookshelves, fine couches, and a roaring hearth. Kaiscillius sat himself in a plush chair, taking a meditative pose, and revised his plan.

An hour later, the mare's stomachs finally forced them to accept Kaiscillius's offer of dinner. And he'd already thought of a way to separate them.

"Ah, welcome my friends, please, take a seat!" He greeted them as they entered the large sitting space. Both wore looks of slight confusion on their faces, as if they were searching for something and couldn't remember where they'd left it.

Finally, it begins to work properly, Kaiscillius thought equal parts relieved and annoyed.

The two mares took seats next to each other, with Applejack sitting up straight and giving him a shy smile, and Rainbow Dash crashing onto a long couch and shooting him suspicious glances. The golem whom Kaiscillius had assigned to follow them walked in shortly after.

Status update, sir? It communicated to him telepathically.

Kaiscillius frowned. Had he lost track of time? They weren't supposed to ask so soon after being told not to. He'd have to examine this one later to make sure that its constant proximity to Ultimatum had not somehow screwed with its delicate magical balancing mechanisms.

No, not now, he replied, before turning to his guests, "So! What would you like to eat?"

They glanced at each other, "What you got?" Dash answered with insultingly thinly veiled mistrust.

Kaiscillius's eye may have twitched as he smiled and said, "Oh, anything your heart desires! As I said, I don't really get much company and most of my time is spent in the city, so we are well stocked in any dish you could care to name!" He did his best to sound eager to please.

"Hmm," Applejack said, stroking her chin, "Ah'll take two apple pies, please."

Rainbow Dash smacked herself in the face, "Seriously, AJ? The guy offers you anything you could want, and you choose the thing you have, like, a bazillion times a day?"

Applejack merely shrugged, "What can ah say? Ah like apple pie. Just water to drink, if that's fine."

Kaiscillius smiled, being sure to add a little extra oomph to the broadcasting love spell as he did so (which he had maintained since they had entered the room), "And you Miss Dash?"

Rainbow Dash eyed him up yet again, and said slowly, "Yeah... I'll take two dozen zap apple fritters please. And a cask of Apple Family Cider."

Applejack gawked at her friend, "Rainbow Dash! Ya can't honestly expect him t' have all that! The fritters alone would cost more than-"

Kaiscillius held up a hand, and then sent the golem out of the room with the instruction, Make sure you keep Miss Dash's glass as full as can be at all times.

With a nod, it departed, and returned not ten minutes later with a steaming tray of pies and fritters, a large oak barrel clutched under one of its arms.

Both girls' jaws dropped as they saw the outrageously expensive rainbow colored items being carried towards them. Kaiscillius smiled, Suck on that Rainbow Dash, and said, "I hope you both enjoy your meals to the fullest, and if you need anything more just let me know. I'll have the usual if you please, Silver."

The golem set down its load in front of the appropriate pony, bowed to Kaiscillius, and left the room at a brisk pace.

"More?" Applejack said incredulously, "Even mah own family wouldn'ta been able to afford this! And ya say you have more?!"

Kaiscillius shrugged, "I'm moderately wealthy, and I hate to disappoint guests, so I try to have as much of everything in stock as I can."

Rainbow Dash immediately dug into the zap apple fritters with gusto, despite her previous misgivings. A good thing too, because Kaiscillius actually had booby trapped them, enchanting them so that they made whomever consumed them unbearably thirsty. Now, normally the strength of enhancement he had placed upon them would have sent any pony into immediate dehydration, but, as he had predicted, whatever was allowing the girls to resist both him and Ultimatum weakened the effect of this spell also. So Rainbow Dash was afflicted with a parched throat, instead of immediate terminal water loss.

As the meal went on, conversation was as light as snow in the desert. Kaiscillius tried to branch out as much as possible, but Applejack seemed keenly aware of his well shrouded lies. He had hoped that the slivers of truth in them would be enough to fool her, but on that front he was failing. However, he was succeeding very well on getting Rainbow Dash to down as much liquid as she could fit into her. Mug after mug of cider went down the hatch like water into a sponge, and so it wasn't long before the fateful question was asked.

"Hey, um... do you have a bathroom?" She had crossed her legs tightly, and it was clear she was incredibly uncomfortable.

I have you now, Kaiscillius laughed lightly, "Of course we do! Come, Silver! Silver!"

The golem appeared in the doorway as Dash stood, bouncing slightly from foot to foot, "Yes Master?"

"Lead this poor mare to the bathroom would you?" While she's in there teleport Grey and his gang here, initiate "Rough Rider" protocol, all safeties disabled, break her hard and break her fast.

"Of course Master, this way, please, miss."

Rainbow Dash impatiently hopped along behind the elderly butler, muttering under her breath, as the door to the study was shut.

Kaiscillius smiled at Applejack, on whom the departure of Rainbow Dash seemed to have an immediate effect. She blushed heavily at him, her orange cheeks reddening adorably as she averted her eyes from his, inadvertently casting coy glances his way.

And then there was one, Kaiscillius thought with a mental maniacal laugh.

"Ah, well, I hope you don't mind me being honest with you but... I'm really glad she's gone."

Applejack snorted as she laughed, her nose scrunching up as she replied, "Yep, she can sure be a handful once she decide's somethin's not how she likes it."

Okay... if my theory is correct the spell should be having much more of an effect now. Well, both of them. Kaiscillius smiled at her again, eliciting another immediate blush, and sat in silence for a few minutes as she stared at him.

"What's on your mind Applejack? If it's okay for me to call you that," Time to probe the waters.

She smiled awkwardly, "Erm... well, of course it is! Ya know, fer somepony who... saved mah life and... all that... ahem. I was, uh, jest thinkin that, uh, I was... so glad! Fer the food ya know! Mmmm, sure was hungry! Heh heh... yep..."

Oh boy was that spell working now! To bad I didn't get to actually verify the cause of the resistance, obviously it has something to do with the Elements' connection. I wonder if... no, that would probably amplify the effects if anything. Oh well, time to move.

"Applejack, would you mind if I sat next to you?"

Applejack blinked, feeling another early blush onset coming, "Uhh... sure! G-go right ahead."

Something weird was happening. Since Rainbow had left, it felt like things had become much more... focused. She was incredibly aware of the temperature of her body, how her clothes felt as they ground against her heaving chest. She felt like she was hyperventilating, but her breathing was normal. Her heart thundered in her ears along with a second drumbeat. One that felt so familiar, one that she'd grown used to hearing, but it was so much stronger now, she didn't know how she'd missed it before.

Her dark prince slowly stood from his chair, "It's getting rather hot in here wouldn't you say?" He stretched, showing off an incredible amount of rippling muscle through even through the clothing he wore. It had never occurred to Applejack before, but this alicorn must be absolutely ripped under all those layers. He was right, it was incredibly warm in the room, but Applejack thought that may have just been her. She was suddenly aware of the roaring fire to her right as Blood Diamond towered over her. She hadn't even noticed him move.

Sweet Celestia he's big! Big as... well, Celestia even!

Applejack had a minor panic attack as Blood Diamond removed his outer shirt, exposing his lithe arms and chest. She was enraptured with the subtle patterns of his skin. Different grey hues intertwined and twirled, like he was simply wisps of smoke trapped in an unbearably attractive form.

This ain't right... I gotta get outta here! Gotta... find... Rainbow Dash!

Applejack managed to sit up in her chair, even rising slightly before she felt a cool hand on her cheek. Her body shuddered and thumped heavily back down onto the chair, her eyes crossing slightly.

"Applejack, are you alright," The voice was soft, melodious, beautiful. She yearned to hear more.

No! Ah can't do this! Ah'm supposed ta... supposed ta...

The hand stroked its way down her cheek, causing her body to further sink into the couch upon which she rested, before it gripped her chin, and tilted it upwards. Applejack did not lock eyes with Blood Diamond. She locked eyes with Kaiscillius.

She gasped as she saw beauty and complexity that her mind struggled to comprehend. It was like looking into a maze of mirrors, but the longer you looked, the more mirrors there were, the more the light split and fractured. The crystalline gaze captivated her, as it had many before her.

This... will... NOT... be... the end of... me! With a surge of effort from an unknown place within her, Applejack shattered the link between her and Kaiscillius, shoving him away and lurching towards the door. She moved far more slowly than she should have. It was like walking in a dream, every step she took felt like she was swimming through syrup with a ball and chain attached to every limb. She stumbled and fell with embarrassing regularity, and felt as if she had gone blind. It was as if those eyes had been seared onto her retinas, and all she could see was their limitless possibility. She wanted so badly to turn and give in to the impulse, and she could feel whatever strength that had aided her was failing.

"Ha! It seems that an Element is a lot less easy to take while conscious. An important note for the rest of you. It also acts as a conduit! Of course, you should be able to cast spells anyway, but whatever Celestia wants to teach nowadays is her deal."

Applejack didn't hear the words so much as the voice. Her knees collapsed as it flowed into her like honey, and it felt like gravity itself pulled against her as she crawled forward on her hands and knees towards the... door? Was that where she was going? She stopped dead as the room spun around her, tables and chairs lurching and blending together, her mind raging with confusion. She'd been going... somewhere... Rainbow Dash! She had to... turn her in? No, that wasn't right. Where had she been going?

Forwards. Forwards... is... better... than... back... For some reason, she knew that was true.

She shuffled about as fast as a snail in the direction she thought was forwards. Was her skin glowing orange? That probably wasn't good. The glow was fading. She could see other glows. Red, yellow, blue, green, white, black, and... something else. Something darker than black, more sinister, more... intoxicating. Why was she going towards it?

Her head bumped into something. The door? No, it was soft, it felt like... cloth?

Oh no...

Her head shook with effort as her face pulled itself upward, and she squeezed her eyes shut as tight as she could, avoiding looking at... something. Something to do with lights. Bright lights. So beautiful...

Gentle hands gripped her flushed, soft cheeks, stroking her face and chin.

"Oh, my dear," A warm voice, hot breath blew down her neck. Applejack shuddered as her eyes threatened to flutter open.

Ah have to keep them closed... she thought, feeling somewhat detached from events, as if she were controlling events in third person. But the voice, that sweet, soft, beautiful voice. It wanted her to open her eyes. She should... follow its directions.

That... ain't... me... Applejack gasped as she felt something wonderful press against her cheek. She didn't know what it was but she wanted it bad. Her head turned, eyes still closed, as she sought out that feeling again, and it pressed against her lips. A kiss. Soft at first, and her mind quailed before it's might. Then the kissed deepened, she was pushed backwards (or had she sat down herself?).

"Keep your eyes closed for me if you would. I can see the struggle within you. I can hear it, taste it! You are delicious, and I want you to last just a little longer. Conscious, but powerless. Until, of your own choosing, you will joyously succumb to me."

The words weren't important, she would simply obey without having to understand the meaning. The voice soothed her, relaxed her, her eyes stopped struggling to open themselves. And the last remnants of Applejack fumed that she was following his commands, even if disobeying them meant her... death?

No, he doesn't want ta kill me. He wants to... to... Applejack's poisoned mind seized the idea with white knuckled fervor, she shivered and bucked unconsciously as visceral images of her bent over a table, chair, or laying on the floor and being dominated by the alicorn raged through her psyche. She whimpered as her pants began to soak themselves, as her mind tried to think of anything other than making love to her new mas... ter...

NO! He ain't no master of mine! As long as I don't open my eyes, if I can just keep 'em closed, ah'll be alright... ah'll be alrighAAAAHHH!!!

Applejack spasmed as Blood Diamond placed a hand on her back, and slowly drew it in a tingling line down her spine, as the other undid the first button of her plaid top.

"Applejack has permission to speak," A new command rolled over her, she obeyed like the good little slave she was.

"NO AH AIN'T! Y-y-you'll n-never get (gasp) away with this!" The hand on her back pressed more firmly, pushing out her ample chest as the second of four buttons was undone, revealing her frilled white bra underneath. She bit her lip hard and nearly creamed herself as the alicorn's knuckles lightly brushed over her exposed skin.

"Why am I so darn sensitive!"

...

"Wait, did ah say that outlou-ooooaaAHH!" Blood Diamond chuckled as he kissed the side of one of Applejack's breasts, leaving her panting and quivering beneath him.

"Yes, my dear, you say everything that comes to your mind until I tell you to stop, and you take all my commands as if they were holy writ. Such is the nature of the spell. It's also why you are so sensitive say... here," Applejack moaned and kicked in ecstasy as her ("Not mah master, not mah master," she heaved under her breath) prodded a nipple through her shirt and bra.

"BUCK, that feels good! No, No it don't! GRAHH! What're you doin' to me?!" Applejack squealed and sobbed in frustration as her third shirt button popped open, and more of her boobs were exposed to be touched. She was so close!

"Just... one more... bucking touch! NO! Ah, don't... ah- ah don't want... that," She was out of breath, and felt tired, so tired. Her body simmered on the edge of climax and it and her mind alike screamed for her to give in.

"I am transforming you, Applejack. I am transforming you into a servant."

"Why're you... talkin so... funny?" She asked, things were going dark, she felt like she was about to explode, but she couldn't move, could barely think.

"Because, if I were to give a direct order, a certain enchanted pony would have to obey it. For instance, cum as you please Applejack."

A howl tore loose from Applejack's throat as she slammed her hips upward, driving the rest of her body into the ground, as her legs clenched and bucked, her soaked snatch spewing marecum almost through her clothing, which was now stained beyond repair. For ten seconds she shook, clenched, and violently humped the air, hissing through her teeth as her eyes screwed painfully tight, before collapsing to the ground.

Perhaps thirty seconds passed, as Applejack caught her breath, before Blood Diamond said, "Does Applejack's resistance remain?"

"Yesh shhhirrr..." Applejack slurred and rocked back and forth slightly on the ground as the voice once again seized her mind in its velvety jaws, her body reveled in bowing to it's every whim.

"Bring her to the forefront please. And continue to make her speak."

"Ahhhhhhh..." mindless uncompromising assent slithered it's way from Applejack's lolling mouth, before a more collected voice took hold.

"Ohhhhhh mah stars... what in Equestria was that..."

"Sit up, Applejack, and don't move," Applejack groaned as she slowly sat up, her eyes still shut tight.

"Even... even if ya can do that... ah still won't give in! Buck that felt amazing..." A confused frown crossed her face for a moment, "Wait... OH GOSH DARN IT!"

Kaiscillius chuckled at his frustrated captive. He was having a lot of fun. He felt he deserved it, weeks of planning had gone into this moment, so he felt that he was justified in enjoying himself a little. He had basically decided to do the opposite of what he had done to Twilight, which was keep the aggressive part of the mind at the forefront and beat it into submission. He felt comfortable with this because, well, Applejack wasn't nearly as dangerous as Twilight was. While her Element gave her some rudimentary magical protection, it would not be nearly enough to protect her from the twenty different spells and enchantments he had cast that were pelting her with the constant desire to submit.

She looked beautiful. Truly, a credit to Earth Ponies. A large bust with a firm, workpony figure, wide hips, and tight fitting jeans. One thing Kaiscillius had come to appreciate in this modern era was the sparsity of clothing. Once, he had spent ten whole minutes undressing a mare he had seduced at a foreign court, and keeping her on her toes during the whole affair had been one of the most difficult tasks he'd ever accomplished.

Leaning over, Kaiscillius stroked Applejack's face and mane a few more times, enjoying both the disgust and longing that alternated back and forth across her face.

"Yes, touch me more please... sir! No! Stop... that... ya gosh darn coward!" She still didn't call him master, but he only had one of his charms working on that department, and Ultimatum's overall effect made him able to command her to say it anyway, but he enjoyed the struggle. It was one of the few things he regretted about what he'd done to persuade Twilight, he should have let her assertiveness out to play from time to time.

Very gently Kaiscillius unbuttoned the last of Applejack's red plaid shirt, and said, "Take that off, please, and entertain me while you do it."

Applejack glared at him through closed eyelids, "Ah'll do no such thing, if you want mah body, you'll have ta get it yerself!" She slowly stood up, drawing her hands up her calves and stomach, cupping her breasts and leaning over to give him an excellent view of her soft orange cleavage. It was almost comical when combined with her straining to scowl as her head was tilted to the side in the "do me eyes" position.

Slowly she slipped the garment off her shoulders, standing sideways and pushing her chest out a little to give him a view of her full figure. A brief dreamy smile crossed her face as she no doubt imagined him being pleased, before the scowl returned.

"Okay, well... ya still can't, er..." She sounded hesitant, and Kaiscillius chuckled, standing and slipping his arms around her.

She swallowed hard as his lips brushed against her neck, and he felt her whole body tremble. He glanced at her pants, but found that he would get no more indication from them, they were darkened from her inner thigh all the way down to her ankles.

"Now you see, don't you? You see that there is somepony in this room whom I can command to do anything and they will obey. But don't worry, they'll crave it soon enough," Applejack squealed in delight as he drew his tongue along her neck, ending with a single passionate kiss. She nearly buckled in his arms as her body went wild.

"Buck yes, please masssss- sir, I'll do whatever you want, I want mo- whoa, whoa, whoa now, let's n-not get c-crazy, a-ah think you should really st-t-top and consider just what it is yer doin!" Her teeth chattered with effort as she struggled to keep hold of her mind. Kaiscillius snapped his fingers, and his clothing evaporated into mist. As in, all of it.

"Oh, I have."

Applejack heaved in a breath as she felt something enormous tap against her leg, and stifled a moan as she felt it ooze something smooth and ice cold onto her body. It felt at least as thick as her fist, and anypony who had crossed her could tell you, Applejack had some pretty thick fists.

"What... in Celestia's name... is that thing?" She asked, she should really open her eyes to find out. Opening her eyes was great, she loved how the wind-

"Stop that, ah'm not openin mah eyes and that's that! You will if he commands you to. Shut up, no I- hhhhhnnng!"
Applejack strangled another moan of pleasure as a hand tapped just below her belly button, and slowly snaked its way around her stomach, causing every inch of skin to tingle with delight. She heard something move, and was unable to help herself as she whispered,

"Ohhhhh, yes masss- sir, please fill me up with that fffff- nope, a-a-ah don't want it, ah don't want it!" She moaned and grunted as the (she hesitated to even call the monstrosity a penis) slapped against her stomach, apparently Blood Diamond had moved around to the front. Heat radiated through the rod and pulsed through her body, which did not help her current identity crisis at all. The thing reach from the top of her jeans, nearly all the way to her breasts, which would make it, what? A foot long? Two?

"Applejack?" Oh, the voice called to her!

She clenched her teeth and answered, "Yes mmfff-sir?"

"You want this," Suddenly Applejack nearly threw herself onto the ground as her bodily orientation was set to "worship freakishly large member" mode and all the force behind what had been trying to persuade her had finally been given a purpose. She thought it had been a struggle to maintain sanity before, now she realized she had been punching a brick wall, now she was trying to punch her way though a brick wall factory, that had decided to steamroll her.

Her knees thudded against the floor as she wrapped both arms around the massive prick and shoved it against her face, squishing it into her boobs. She pressed herself as close to it as she could, and felt the throbbing rubbery texture, breathing in deeply through her mouth and nose. She gagged the first time on its incredibly powerful scent that she couldn't quite pin down. Regardless, she could feel her knees getting wet as the molten heat in her body poured out of her.

Gentle at first, she kissed around the pole of flesh in front of her, trying to get a real feel for it since she still couldn't see. But with every peck of her lips and twitch of the massive cock smothered against her body, she inhaled more of the oppressive musk, and her body, or whatever force now controlled her, took over far faster. She couldn't resist in the slightest as she gripped both sides of it and lovingly licked the member from bottom to as high as she could reach while doubled over on her knees. She moaned and rocked her body against it as she kissed and suckled all around the shaft, rubbing her saliva and his massive amounts of precum up and down it with her arms and hands. She jumped as a shock ran down her body as the massive balls of the thing slapped against her embarrassingly sensitive breasts.

She spoke everything that went through her mind, but it came out as nothing more than slutty slurps and groans as she continued to service Blood Diamond. Her face scrunched up as she tasted the pre she was slathering all over the prick she was fellating, not because it tasted bad, but because of how good it was. It was like the most perfectly baked apple pie in the world, and her body instantly switched from working the shaft, to trying to fit the tip into her mouth.

She had to stand up to reach it, and she nearly came as her mouth plopped down onto the tip, her golden hair falling around her, as the wonderful taste gushed into her mouth, filling it up so quickly that it started forcing it's way down her throat. She gagged, and pulled away long enough only to swallow what she had, and then threw her head back down onto the cock, bucking her hips involuntarily as the buzz of pleasure began to overwhelm her mind-

"Stop."

She pulled away and swallowed what she had left in her mouth desperately, wanton lust no doubt written all over her ruined clothes. Once again, she was so close that if a light breeze touched her the wrong way it would send her over the edge.

"Oh, Celestia, why? Ah- ah want it so bad, couldn't ya just let me... just let me finish..." Applejack panted, out of breath. She didn't try to take back her words, didn't try to explain them away as part of whatever was happening to her. She felt like she was going to loose her mind if she didn't cum, and that would be much worse than degrading herself for sweet release.

"What do you want, Applejack?"

"Oh, Celestia, sir, ah want you to make me cum, please! I beg ya! Ah'll do anything, ah'll dance for you, ah'll suck your dick, ah'll buck like a rodeo bull, just let me cum!" Was she crying? Or had some pre somehow gotten onto her cheeks? Her tongue lashed out, desperate to recapture the taste, but she couldn't reach far enough.

She heard a snap, and her body stood to attention, her senses straining for any hint of approval from her... her...

"Yer... ah'm not..."

"Alright Applejack, you no longer have to say everything you think. You will cum when I do, and I'll only cum when my cock is as far down your throat as possible. You will achieve this goal, and then you will inform me if your defiance remains."

She didn't say thank you, she didn't have time, but she would have screamed her gratitude for being allowed to suck him off from the roof of the royal palace if she could have. She launched herself at where she thought he was, running into his chest. She didn't apologize, she madly reached her hands out, finding his massive rod wasn't overtly difficult, and slammed her head down onto the tip. To her heartbreaking disappointment, it was dry as a bone, with none of the delicious precum remaining. It also felt different, as if covered by some sort of skin-tight seal.

She tried her best, but it really was like trying to fit a whole fist into her mouth, and it was slowly driving her crazy. She still felt it's pulsing warmth flood through her body, still had the electric tingle as her breasts rubbed gently against it, but her body had locked itself on the threshold of bliss, and she was withheld from it. A feeling started to grow inside of her. A dull throbbing, like arousal but less intense, began thudding like a heartbeat in her head and crotch.

Ah just want to swallow it, ah just want to swallow it, just swallow... swallow... Her thoughts broke down slowly until her task before her was all-consuming. No other distractions or emotions clouded her mind but pure, unadulterated lust. She heard a popping noise, and felt pressure relieve itself from her skull as her mouth opened wider, and the two foot rod slammed down her throat all at once.

At first all she felt was a sense of surprise, then, a few seconds later, feeling returned to her throat and she choked on the shaft, her muscles working it unconsciously in an attempt to force it out, but her body keeping her locked in place as she felt drool trickle from her lips. Her mind was dark as she stood there, no thought crossed it. She shook slightly, made another choking noise before it felt as if her body acted of it's own accord.

Slowly she pulled herself backwards, gurgling and coughing until she could breath again. She sucked in air like it was life itself as her tongue automatically licked and suckled the member in her mouth. It twitched and pulsed, as though trying to force more of the unbelievably delicious liquid into her, were it not for the seal, and she enjoyed it for a few moments, before impaling her self on the meat spear again, taking the entirety of the cock down her throat, feeling as though it had punched straight to her intestines.

She repeated this process many times, becoming more and more adept at handling the dick as it lodged its way deep into her core, using her hands to massage the outside of her throat and stimulate it even farther as it pulsed pleasingly inside her. With one final push, she filled herself entirely, until her nose pressed up against the bare skin of her dominator, and she felt something melting inside her.

"MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMHHHH!!!" Applejack screamed as gallons of white hot cum pulsed straight into her waiting stomach, her own sticky fluids gushing out from her ruined jeans, harder and faster than last time. Her mind fried with the intensity of her climax, and she screamed into the meat barrier in her throat for a solid minute as more cum filled out her stomach, some running out of her mouth and nose, bloating it so she looked like she'd gained a few pounds.

Blood Diamond gently lifted her off the cock, and cum exploded out of her mouth. She collapsed, coughing and hacking, onto the floor of the study as her body expelled most of the jizz from her system, a puddle of thick white goop forming around her head. After a minute or two she caught her breath and said in a slurred voice, "The reshishtanshe remainsh... sssshhhir..." Another cough and more thick liquid gushed from her mouth, Applejack shivered in ecstasy as the puddle of fluids she laid in stimulated her further, already building her up for her next trial.

Kaiscillius grinned down at his prize like a madpony, her body and spirit breaking and bloated before him. So he'd decided to keep his incredibly large penis, what did it hurt? In fact, he'd still downsized from what it had been as Knight Radiant, and Applejack had clearly enjoyed herself. And he wasn't nearly done yet, oh no, she had a lot more coming to her. Briefly, he wondered why he'd decided to do something different with this mare than he had done with others. As weak as she was right now, all he would have to do was enter her mind and breath on her and she would fall. But he had to admit he found this method much more fun. He always loved one-sided fights, especially when the other side still believed they could win. She was stronger than she looked, but that was only due to the Element of Honesty giving her that little extra magical resistance.

Which reminded him, he needed to check his theory on the girls later since he hadn't been able to do it at dinner. If he was right then it was a good thing he hadn't gone with one of his earliest plans of kidnapping all of the Elements at the same time and breaking them one by one. Not that he couldn't have done it, it just would have taken forever.

"Undress fully, please," he said as the husk in front of him regained some semblance of life.

"Yes... sir..." Applejack stood and unclasped her bra which was soaked and stained with spit and cum, before pulling down her pants and panties at the same time, along with her shoes, and throwing them to the side. She stood before him, her ample chest and the entire right side of her body drenched in milky white liquid. It oozed it's way down her, making her tremble at its contact, and he stopped it with magic right before it reached her engorged sex. He didn't want her getting any release she didn't earn, now did he? Her eyes were glazed over, as mares looked when they had given up their will to fight, but she had said that the resistance was still in there somewhere. And Kaiscillius was excited to see it react to the next phase of reconditioning.

"The resistance will take the fore. But first, a few things."

Applejack's eyes rolled forward in their sockets as she came to, immediately sensing that something felt wrong. She bit her lip at the state she was in. Her stomach felt warm and full, radiating a sense of calm, contentedness, and (of course) a burning desire for more sex. Her face felt sticky, and the scent of drying jizz wafted into her nose, making her shudder and smile in spite of herself. Her arms and legs ached slightly, as well as her throat. The dull pain in her crotch and head that had allowed her to swallow something that, by rights, shouldn't have existed had returned, and her butt felt... cold? Applejack gasped as she realized what the true problem was, her eyes were open.

She was about to close them again when she noticed what she was looking at, the black and red marble floor.

"Well, ah guess ah can't see his eyes if ah'm starin at the floor... oh, ah'm sayin everythin out loud again, aren't ah?"

"Indeed you are my dear," came the immediate response from behind her. Her head snapped up in recognition of the voice, but Applejack found she couldn't move. She was on all fours, and clearly had, at some point, removed the rest of her clothes as her breasts now hung freely from her chest. She shuddered as her painfully stiff nipples brushed against the cold stone, sending a shock and another unwanted smile of lust through her body. She blushed a tiny bit more than she already was (which was quite an impressive feat) as she realized her bare ass was sticking straight up into the air, completely exposed. That meant that her captor could see everything. She'd known this was the endgame, she'd just hoped it wouldn't come to this.

"Oh Celestia, and there's nothin ah can do about it! Heck he could even make me beg for it if he wanted to!" She exclaimed with frustration, hearing a deep chuckle from behind her.

"It seems you finally understand your position. You invoke Celestia's name quite a lot. Haven't you ponies developed any more interesting deities in the last thousand years? Surely there has to have been at least one crackpot who claimed something was divine other than alicorns."

"Ah wouldn't know sir, history was never mah strong suit. Say, would yah mind er... not doin what yer doin?" she felt so stupid for what she was about to say, "Now before ya laugh hear me out! Ya see ah've... ah've been savin mahself for that special somepony ya know? So, ah'd do anything you want. Willingly! As many blowjobs as you can handle, and ah'll never tell a soul! Just... just don't take that from me. Please," Not her strongest argument, and Applejack really didn't expect it to help anyway, but she had to try at least.

"Suckin yer cock weren't that bad anyhow... wait... BUCK! Ah mean uhh... ah didn't mean that... buck," Applejack was having a tough time thinking straight, it felt like her every word was being twisted and perverted to be used against her. For some reason, she felt that she wasn't just imagining that. Something was actively confusing her, befuddling her, and she knew how to make it stop. All she had to do was give in.

There was a long silence, before Applejack heard another chuckle. It was different from the last one, more gradual, until it built into a thunderous bellow of laughter. Applejack started to cry because she knew what would come next. But, to her surprise, this was the answer,

"Oh, my dear, you are far too close-minded! I grant your request! Your virginity shall remain yours, and you don't even have to give me another blowjob to keep it!"

Applejack was overjoyed, she didn't know Kaiscillius well enough yet to be worried, and said, "Really?! You'll let me go?!"

A shorter bark of laughter, "Now, that's not quite what I said, is it my dear?"

Applejack's face screwed up as she felt something strange happen to her backside. The temperature of it dropped, and she felt something slick run down her legs, setting her to shivering again, her mind clouding slightly at the sensation.

"Then... what do ya me-eep!" She squeaked to a halt as she felt the familiar massively engorged rod smack loudly onto her ass, covered in an incredibly slick substance that felt like it was almost entirely frictionless.

"Don't worry! I've been sure to take the necessary precautions! You may have trouble walking around after this, but you'll be on your back and knees most of the time after today anyway."

"Uhh... yer not sayin that... in mah..." Applejack stuttered, her brain very much struggling to wrap itself around the idea being presented to her.

"Would you rather i didn't?" She heard. She immediately wanted to tell him to do it, and to be extra rough, but she held herself in check. Barely.

"No... a-ah d-don't... want... want..." She couldn't seem to make herself say the words. Her breath came in shorter and shorter gasps, there was a powerful pounding in her head and snatch, both screamed at her to let him, to give in.

"Oh, and it's the only way you'll cum for the rest of the day. If you refuse, I'll still play with you, in other ways, but you'll never achieve satisfaction," The room went quiet. Five seconds passed. Ten seconds. A whole minute without an answer.

"Yeeeesssss... mmm-maa-maaasssster..." She groaned, her eyes crossed from effort of trying to both agree and refuse.

"Does the resistance remain?"

"A-ah... am... the res-resistance..." She droned, her voice sounding robotic, droning as though she could not even muster emotion.

"Then you will break," he said simply, and she heard a loud hissing noise, and felt a sudden intense pressure inside of herself. Strange black motes floated in front of her eyes, she wondered briefly what they were, before feeling returned.

Applejack immediately creamed herself as the dark magic released it's hold. It had already prepared the way for him, and she felt no pain. She felt the most pleasure she had ever felt in her life as Kaiscillius's solid two foot prick slid fully and smoothly into her backside. He felt it contract around him, feeling as tight as his hydra form had in Flying Colors' snatch.

I gotta stop doing this before I break something, He thought with a slight grimace before working his way slowly back out of her ass, driving into her hard once more, his fist sized balls slapping her thighs and snatch in tandem as she screamed in bliss. Kaiscillius wasted no time in getting to work, and grinned from ear to ear at her primal grunting as he pinned her under him.

He'd gone for the definition of doggy style, her on all fours, ass in the air, as he lay on her back and pounded her into sweet, merciful oblivion. Since he was so much larger than her, she was completely trapped underneath him, practically unable to move, save for rocking back and forth as he slowly began to thrust in and out of her painfully tight asshole.

She was wordless as Kaiscillius fucked her, head hung low, panting hard with each slap of his balls onto her legs and pussy. Slowly she brought a hand up to rest on his neck, her orange finger digging into his flesh and hair, and forcing his head closer to her neck. Kaiscillius, being the gentleman that he was, obliged her wishes, and began to bite and nibble her ear and throat. She groaned at the special treatment, craning her head back to allow him easier access to her whole body, and giving him a magnificent view of her tanned cleavage.

She grunted rhythmically in time with his slow thrusts, until she whispered, " Faster..."

"What was that, my dear," He growled to her, lightly biting her neck.

"Ah said faster! Please, master, give it to me hard! Ah want ya t'buck me like ah never have been before!" She squealed.

Finally, she is broken. And all it took was some patience.

Kaiscillius immediately sped up drastically, causing Applejack to scream and moan loudly beneath him. She threw her head backwards and howled as she came for the second time, rising in pitch as Kaiscillius continued his rear assault, never slowing for a second. Her body shook and lurched as she fucked him back, building a rhythm, and a third climax for her. Kaiscillius himself was feeling close, there's not much a tight mare's ass didn't do for him, and while he knew he could prolong the experience, he decided there was no need to wait.

Applejack grunted when Kaiscillius's full weight settled on her as he stopped propping himself up, and instead used his agile digits to massage her breasts. He skillfully took one in each hand, pinching and kneading the hyperactive flesh, and increasing his speed to a jackhammer pace. The room filled with the loud sounds of Applejack's shameless moans of pleasure, and the sound of wet slapping as Kaiscillius's hips connected over and over with Applejack's reddening cheeks. The force of the pounding at this speed made Applejack's head flop up and down as if she were a doll, her tongue dangling, and her breath short.

With a roar, Kaiscillius shot his seed into her stomach once more, but from the other end this time. The tight passage was quickly filled, and the thick fluid gushed out of Applejack's gaping ass, as Kaiscillius pulled himself out, and shot ropes of seed all across the mare's legs, butt, and back.

Applejack collapsed onto the floor, and shivered every time a new splash of cum landed on her, she came twice more before Kaiscillius was done, shakily murmuring her gratitude to her glorious master as every inch of her was defiled. She was so happy to be broken.

About one hour previous, hallway of Kaiscillius's estate -

Stupid Rainbow Dash! Stupid, stupid, stupid! She'd gotten distracted for one second, one! And now she was doing the potty dance behind an old guy (Celestia knows how far away from Applejack!), trapped in some creepy rich guy's house!

What did you say Rainbow Dash? You said, 'We shouldn't split up!' and what did you do? You split up. Great buckin' job there idiot, Rainbow Dash hated this manor. It's black and red hallways seemed to press down on her, as if trying to confine her. She hated tight spaces, and this place felt like it was trying to get tighter than it already was, she could almost feel the weight of the mountain on top of her. They'd taken she didn't know how many turns, and gone up and down just as many staircases! She'd never be able to find her way back! And the worst part was she had to pee worse than she ever had in her entire bucking life!!! It felt like if she didn't get release in the next five seconds, she was going to explode!

"HEY, OLD GUY, HOW FAR FROM THE BATHROOM?!!" She screamed at him, waving her fists in the air. He hadn't spoken to her since they'd left the lounge, he just kept walking at that same calm, unhurried pace no matter what she yelled at him, like he didn't even hear her!

Which is why Rainbow Dash was so surprised when he stopped dead in the middle of the hallway and turned around, "There it is madam, through that door, first corridor on the left," he sounded completely unflustered, as if he hadn't just spent the last twenty minutes getting screeched at by an irate pegasus.

After the initial shock, Rainbow Dash yelled, "Finally! I'm glad we got some-whoah..." She balked as she observed what lay in front of her. It was... a door. A massive wooden double door that was painted a purple shade of crimson, with two large silver knockers. It wasn't so much the door itself, it was what it felt like. The door radiated a sense of hatred and dread, it made Rainbow's blood run cold just looking at it, her hair and feathers standing on end.

"Uhhh..." she gulped, "you sure there's not, I don't know, a different bathroom I could use?"

The old stallion gave her the most deadpan look she could imagine, and replied, "No. I'm afraid not. Miss." He took a deep breath and added, "I will await you here so that I may return you without incident, my master would be most displeased if you became lost in this place. We still hear Billy screaming sometimes, most annoying indeed," and with those... charming words, he gestured toward the ultra-nope door and stood to the side with his back facing her. She couldn't have gotten a stronger "I hate you and never want to talk to you again vibe" if she tried.

"Okay, I guess. I mean, what could be so bad about a door? And it's certainly nothin I can't handle," she said confidently, only feeling marginally silly that she was basically talking to herself at this point.

With a gulp, Rainbow Dash slowly edged towards the foreboding door, hand tentatively outstretch, and a pained look on her face. She grasped one of the silver rings gingerly and pushed... and the door opened. Rainbow blinked in surprise, honestly having expected some monster to leap from the doorway to devour her. With a nervous chuckle, and one last glance at the uncaring butler, Rainbow Dash slipped inside.

The hallway she found herself in was immediately distinguishable from the one outside the door, this hallway was made from red marble, a similar color to clay, with black veins running through it, rather than its inverse in the main house. She followed this new corridor for about twenty feet before getting a glance at what it was leading to. The room in front of her was octangular in shape, with a middle floor and a small step that led to each of the eight corners of the room. The middle of the octagon was brightly lit, with eight red braziers burning at each intersection, along with eight white marble columns that supported the tiered ceiling. Each of the corners of the room were heavily shrouded in shadow, but these normally suspicious places were not what caught Rainbow's eye.

In the center of the octagon there was a pedestal. It was... strange to behold, blacker than black, it almost seemed to draw in the light around it. And that was as far into the center of the room as she could look. It was like her eyes slid around whatever lay in her last remaining blind spot, subconsciously not letting her look at it. This didn't feel odd to her, in fact she didn't even notice it happening, to her there was the pedestal and that was it.

Rainbow got very mixed emotions from the room, particularly from the blind spot. On the one hand just looking near it made her muscles tighten in fear, the same feeling she got just before she crashed. In fact, the first few seconds the blind spot had been in view, she could almost see herself crashing, the ground rushing towards her at terrifying speeds, her childhood bullies already jeering as they saw her plummeting from the sky again-

Rainbow Dash gasped and shook her head, bringing her back to the present. The other emotion she received was almost a sense of... familiarity? Like, she knew something about this room, what was in it. This was aided by a pounding (not quite) headache in the back of her mind. It'd been there for a long time, that feeling, she'd just gotten used to it. But here, near this... thing, it was incredibly strong. Rainbow raised a hand to the back of her skull and pressed down on it, almost physically feeling the drumbeat that thrummed through her mind. She felt dread here for certain... but also... the possibility of peace...

I'm... I'm just here to use the bathroom... for some reason that seemed much less important now, but she still really needed to take care of business, and so she slowly shuffled forward into the octagonal room, skirting the very edge to keep as far away from the middle as possible. It almost felt like it was... watching her. The way the gap in her vision bobbed up and down as it floated on the pedestal, like it was nodding, or... contemplating.

This place, is bucking weird.

Rainbow shivered as her hand which had been pressed against the wall found another hallway behind her, and though she very much wanted to get away, it took a lot of effort to pry her eyes away from the black stone. Once she managed it, however, she wasted no time in sprinting down the new hallway, almost sobbing with relief when she finally saw a toilet.

Despite her fears, nothing stalked down the hallway as she used the bathroom, none of the walls opened up to swallow her, and the ceiling didn't collapse on top of her. Not that she kept an extremely close eye out for any and all of these things, but... ya know. Just in general.

Rainbow and nearly jumped out of her skin as she heard stone shift behind her as she washed her hands. She whipped around to see that a small tray had popped out of the wall, and inside of it was what looked like breath mints or cough drops. Shiny red crystalline spheres that seemed innocent enough. Rainbow glanced left, then right, peering down the darkened corridor she had come from.

Weeeellll... one can't hurt, right? Something seemed fishy about this, but it was really hard to think right now. The beat inside her skull had gotten more forceful since... well she couldn't remember exactly. It still wasn't painful just... ever-present.

Rolling her eyes at her own suspicion, Rainbow picked up one of the red sweets and popped it in her mouth.

"MMmmmmmmm... that's so good!" Rainbow's eyes rolled back as pure ecstasy rolled over her tongue. The candy immediately melted in her mouth, and it tasted amazing! It was super sweet, almost sweeter than something Pinkie would make, but it wasn't sticky and didn't leave a bad aftertaste. It liquefied almost immediately and felt like she'd just drank a cool glass of lemonade on a hot summer's day after working out for hours. Rainbow ignored the flushing of her arms and chest, and the intense heat she now felt warming her entire body, mostly because she was distracted by how awesome that thing was!

She almost sighed in disappointment as the taste left her tongue, and smiled devilishly as she looked at the five more that lay in the black stone tray.

Rainbow got on her knees on the floor of the bathroom and greedily brought another to her mouth. As she did, she noticed a faint blue glow around her skin, and hesitated as she placed the candy on her lips, before a red wall of force came barreling hard and fast down the corridor. It slammed into the blue barrier around her skin and washed it away, leaving her unguarded for the next wave. With almost a grim finality, this one washed over and she shoved the candy in her mouth with a slurp.

"Aaahhhhh... so... tasty..." She rolled the incredible liquid around her tongue and mouth, forgetting what she had seen immediately, eyelashes fluttering as sweat began to dot her brow, and her cheeks took a very rosy tint. Again, she failed to notice as her nipples stood out in sharp relief to her thin Wonderbolts shirt, and that her clothes were becoming clingy with sweat.

Panting with need as the substance seemed to evaporate completely from her mouth, her hands trembled as she grabbed the whole tray and lifted it to her face, intending to pour all of the sweets in at once. As she tilted the tray to swallow all of them, she heard a voice. Not a spoken voice, and her fevered mind remembered hearing it before, though she couldn't recall where.

Not all at once, you should savor it.

Rainbow trusted the voice (why did she trust the voice?) and put the tray down with shaking hands. Gleefully, she picked up another of the red candies and placed it gently on her tongue. This time her reaction was much more pronounced. Rainbow collapsed to the floor and shook with pleasure as her body electrified, and her pussy began gushing with moisture. She didn't know why she was only aware of it now, as it appeared she'd been wet for some time, her shorts practically dripping with musk. Her entire body felt feverish, and she struggled to not desperately finger herself then and there, instead settling for vigorously massaging her snatch from the outside of her sticky clothing with the flat of her palm.

This one seemed to take longer to disappear completely, and left her barely conscious when it left her senses. Mindlessly, she reached for another as she lay in a fetal position on the bathroom floor, breathing hard as she rubbed her sodden crotch with her other hand. Upon finding the platter, she delicately brought another ball of bliss to her lips and slipped it inside her mouth.

Her jaw clamped shut and silenced a scream of pleasure as Rainbow arched her back, her eyes snapping open wide as she thrashed on the stone floor. This time she instantly came, her mind shutting down as she spasmed and flailed, base instinct keeping her from opening her mouth, lest some of the fluid spill out, and she lose the incredible sensation.

She continued to be locked in this state of bliss-induced seizure until the liquid melted away entirely, whereupon she collapsed again with a heaving breath. Her clothes were dark with sweat, and she had no restraint as she tore off her shorts and panties, and jammed two fingers into her soaking cunt and hammered away as fast as she was able, moaning aloud, and laughing giddily as she did it. Her other hand flopped over to where the tray was, and her laughing stopped dead when she couldn't find it.

Rainbow rolled over, fevered, panicked eyes searching for her source of fulfillment, and unable to find it. Where had the candy gone?

You know where you need to go to get more. Where you can always get more. Where you can have it forever. The voice rolled over her mind like a ton of bricks, speaking in time with the drumming beat in her head.

"Forever?" She asked in a daze, smiling widely as she violently fingered herself and pictured the scene. Just her, laying in a pile of those orbs, and cumming from dusk till dawn. It would be a dream come true for her. And the voice was right. She did know, somehow, where in this labyrinth to go to get what she wanted. What she needed.

Rainbow scrambled to her feet, and tried to jog down the hallway, her efforts somewhat hampered by the fact that she was still masturbating furiously with both hands now. She passed back by the pedestal. It was no longer menacing. It felt sort of like an... overseer. It was telling her where to go, what to do. And she was fine with that, 120%.

As she exited the octagon room she neither noticed nor cared that the stallion who had led her there had not waited for her, and had apparently disappeared. Her breath came in shorter and shorter gasps, and she angrily tore off her shirt (one of her favorites) as it felt like the thing was strangling her. Her bra quickly followed it. On and on like this she went, until she had dispensed with every article of clothing she had been wearing. It took her a long time to reach the room she knew she had to go to, though it was mostly her fault. Every few minutes while running she would collapse to the floor and cum her brains out, before getting back up feeling no more satisfied than when she'd gone down. Her wings were completely useless in speeding her along, as they stood at full attention the entire time, and were very sore when she finally reached the room the voice spoke of.

It was through a door that was not in any way special, it looked just like the hundreds of doors she had passed in the hallway in her mad drug-induced scramble. This just felt right for some reason.

Wasting no time, Rainbow shouldered the door open, and frantically searched the room for any sign of that which she desperately craved. The room was a rather large one, rectangular in shape, with the same color scheme as the octagon room. This one however, held six ponies. Stallions to be precise. All of them were tall and buff, and all of them were buck naked, save one who wore a cowboy hat like Applejack's. Cocks stood proudly at attention with surprising variety. The was a chode present, a pencil, two fairly average, and two impressive specimens, with the largest going to a red-skinned fellow with a full-body tattoo of a busty naked mare. Rainbow had never been much of a stallion girl, sure she'd had a few rolls in the hay, but she generally preferred members of her own sex.

Which showed how truly far gone she was as she promptly charged up to the largest one, pressed her dripping, naked body against him, firmly gripped his cock in one hand, and breathed lustily, "Rut me now stud, or I'll get one of your friends to do it for you," she stared straight into his eyes without shame, her mind too far gone for that. This wasn't her though, something was telling her to say those words. Like she was a puppet and they had their hand shoved up her ass.

Celestia buck me, I want somepony to do that, she thought with a lecherous smile. She'd come here for a different reason, but this was what mattered now. The voice told her so... her Master told her so. He spoke through the drums in her head, through the pounding of euphoria in her veins. She was sooo horny, this was the only way to stop it. Her own ministrations did nothing. She loved cock, so the voice proclaimed, and so it was.

Rainbow Dash smiled gratefully as one of the men brought out a silver spoon laden with red powder. She didn't have to be told to know what it was.

Kaiscillius arrived a little after, followed closely behind by his newly tamed orange servant, who was still naked and covered in dried hydra semen. He was unfazed by the heavy stench of sweat and sex that saturated the room, and barely smiled as he saw that Rainbow Dash had succumbed as easily as her orange friend. She was currently taking it up the ass from Grey Shade, and two members of his gang occupied her mouth and pussy as she jerked off two others. One masturbated dejectedly outside the frenzied melee of sex, eyes riveted to the scene. From the look of the small mare's body, they'd already gone several rounds, with cum coating her almost from head to toe. Beside them lay several small violet bags, which Kaiscillius did crack a smile at. But he'd come here to do more than just watch some sex happen.

"Applejack, stand over there next to your friend please," he said as he peered into both of them. It took him a while to find what he was looking for, especially with all of Rainbow Dash's bouncing, but with enough persistence he was able to stare straight down to rock bottom, and it was as he'd thought. Around each of Rainbow Dash and Applejack's core were two protective shields, one blue, one orange, bearing their cutie mark symbols. These didn't bother him at present as, even though the shields were there, they were at their weakest. He really wasn't sure how they remained in tact at such low power, he'd probably have to manually detach them from their Elements to turn it off.

He noted with amusement that another shield blinked on and off as Ultimatum's power rolled over them, grinding down the shields provided by their Elements.

"Boys, I think she's had enough," this statement was met with several groans of complaint (most coming from the mare who'd grown quite attached to having large objects inside her) but the henchmen pulled out and stood to the side regardless, with Applejack and Rainbow Dash doing the same.

"Sir, would you like a status update?" Kaiscillius heard from behind him.

"In a minute..." he replied absentmindedly, observing his latest catches. There was no doubt of their beauty. While it was slightly marred now, it still shone through. Applejack's full frame and heavy breasts and Rainbow's taut build and perky chest made a very nice complement with the each other. Kaiscillius noticed that, despite the last hour of orgy, Rainbow was still dripping wet, and eyeing Applejack's body hungrily.

Kaiscillius laughed, and decided to reward his two newest acquisitions, before remembering Rainbow Dash's previous temperament "Applejack, pleasure Rainbow Dash as best you know how. Rainbow Dash, you can't cum," Perhaps a meager punishment for all the lip given, but it was always an effective one. There was no hesitation from either party, though Applejack had almost certainly not expected such a command. She was instantly upon her friend, grinding her hands and fingers against the other's crotch and kissing sloppily, both enamored in a way they had never quite been before.

"Sir, would you like a status update?"

Kaiscillius paused. The air seemed to grow still around him, and slowly he turned from the lovemaking mares to look at the nonexistent face of one of his golems.

"Why do you keep asking me that?" Kaiscillius was puzzled, he'd sensed nothing major himself (though he had been rather distracted) and nothing should have come up for the next hour or so.

"You asked us to notify you if plan instability reached 15%," the golem droned.

"Yes?" Kaiscillius said, and ominous feeling of dread settling in his stomach like a stone.

"Plan instability at 85%, classification: Catastrophic Mission Failure."

"WHAT?" Kaiscillius bellowed, "HOW?"

Two days earlier, at the end of Luna's Gala-

The hour had grown quite late indeed, so late that it had become incredibly early. Luna watched from her dais as most of the ponies she had invited left through the large double doors leading into the throne room. Among them was Prince Blood Diamond. She had finally gotten to speak with him near the end of the event, and he seemed quite charming, if a bit distant. He was certainly quite the physical specimen, and carried himself well for an alicorn of no aspect.

As she took count of the remaining ponies in the room she was surprised to find Blueblood still among them. He was not often among the last to leave, usually going out when the majority of the crowd did. She wondered what could have kept him so long.

As she watched him from her throne, they made brief eye contact, and his face once again revealed that look of grave severity that she found quite incongruous with his usual nature. Something must be wrong.

I need to get off this throne. It's so uncomfortable up here. And it can't help what people already say about me that I sit on the royal throne during meetings and social events, Luna quickly hopped up from the chair, feeling as if she stayed on it a second longer it might bite her. She quickly made her way through the throne room, as there were much fewer ponies and servants to dodge and weave through than there had been about an hour ago. Blueblood must have noticed her approach, he said a few words to the elderly earth pony he was speaking to and then gestured towards the corner of the room.

"Good evening Blueblood," she said nonchalantly when she arrived, "you're not usually one to stay this late."

The white stallion smiled, "Ah, yes, well I simply had to correct a few fashion issues I saw amongst the nobles, I mean, some of them were even wearing beige, honestly what are we, commoners? And if I had the right..." Blueblood continued his mindless chatter, but Luna had long since stopped listening. Shame. She'd been sure he had something important to say going by the emphatic look he'd given her earlier. But all he he was doing was explaining, quite loudly, the incredibly trivial faults of the outfits of every pony still in the room.

One by one they caught word of what he was saying, and then would storm off in a huff of outrage and indignation, until at last there was only him, her, eight guards, and two rather bored (and incredibly tired) looking servants.

"Dismiss the rest," he said out of nowhere, in a much more serious voice.

"What?" Luna said, confused. He'd just been talking about how somepony's earrings were a slightly different shade than they should be, and he'd completely lost her with the train of thought swap.

"I've cleared out all the remaining nobles, you order the rest to leave," he looked her dead in the eye with an intensity she would never had believed existed, "We can trust nothing and nopony. The information I have acquired tonight must absolutely be between the two of us, and nopony else, understood?"

Luna nodded in relief, finally Blueblood's searching had turned up something!

"Everypony! You are all dismissed! Blueblood and I have a family matter to discuss!" She heard Blueblood mumble,

"Far more apt than you could ever know."

"What do you mean?" she whispered to him as the last of the ponies in the room left either through servant's doors or into the main hallway.

"I'll tell you if it ever becomes important," He said, glaring at the last guard to leave the room. Finally all doors were closed, all corners were empty, and the hall was silent.

"This night," Blueblood began, a slight tremor of fear in his voice, "I have discovered a great many things. I have discovered who is working against you, I have discovered how he is doing it," he paused for a moment, "and I think I know how to cure your sister."

Luna blanched, she'd told no one about Celestia's condition out of fear for what it might prompt the populace to do. Of course, now they thought she was Luna's prisoner, so, maybe a bad judgement call on that one.

Luna said after a few seconds, "Well then, tell me! Tell me how to get Tia back! I don't want to rule, I hate it-" she cut herself off before she said more. Truly she did hate it, she felt that ruling again... she was too close to the nightmare. Fear haunted every step she took, fear that she would begin to enjoy the power too much, and fall once more into darkness.

Blueblood held up a hand, "The way to get your sister, my aunt, back, and the way that Kaiscillius has been whipping the population into a frenzy are connected. I'm going to attempt to show you what I mean. Hopefully he does not detect this, or any plan we make from here on out will be doomed."

Blueblood took a deep breath, and his horn glowed with a soft blue light.

A thunderous roar surrounded Luna, and she dropped to the ground and covered her ears as they whined in pain. All around her was a light blue magical bubble, similar to the bubble of silence. But outside the shell was... it was chaos!

Massive waves of red energy pounded into the shield, slamming hard against it before the wave scraped past, throwing hundreds of sparks into the air, and moving on seemingly unphased.

BOOM BOOM, BOOM BOOM, BOOM BOOM

The magical bombardment reminded her very much of a heartbeat, if the heart was about the size of the moon. Strangely, though, the sound wasn't abrasive. It was as if she'd heard it before. She'd heard it many times in fact, she'd heard it so much she'd gotten used to it. But it was usually so quiet, so subtle, not this pounding maelstrom of power that raged against the exterior of the shield.

With a pained scream, Blueblood's horn pulsed again, and the sound of the thundering beat diminished. He collapsed onto the ground, wheezing, his eyes unfocused.

"Oh, Celestia, ow my ears!" Luna rushed over to him and helped him stand. She was able to get him up, but he clutched at his side and hunched as if he had been stabbed.

Her eyes locked in terror to the outside of the shield she asked, "What is that?"

Breathing hard and sweating lightly, Blueblood replied, "That... is what my brother has wrought. The Dust... is just a, a distraction! This! This is his true plan."

"Dust? What dust, the Castle's as clean as it's ever been," Blueblood looked at her with such disdain she blushed and looked at the ground.

"Dust is the drug he's been addicting your citizens with for weeks!" He breathed in and out slowly, "Though I suppose... it is not your fault you do not know, it is that things fault," he gestured to the maelstrom of red energy around them.

"What does it do? How has it not been detected?" Luna was worried for the safety of her people if this thing had been washing over them for... how long even had this magic been active for?

"Wait, did you say your brother? You have a brother neither I nor Celestia knows about?"

Blueblood glanced at her, eyes full of pain and sadness, "It's... complicated. As for what this thing does, well let's see."

Luna jumped in surprise as Blueblood's eyes inverted in color, the whites turned black and the blues turned orange. It was rather frightening to see. He stayed like that for a little while, dead silent, staring into the red storm, unblinking.

As Blueblood began to answer, Luna began to feel something strange. Not something new, but... something old being removed. She felt... stronger, more confident, more capable.

I... I'm an idiot! What have I been doing these last few weeks?! My citizens are rioting in the streets, and I did nothing? Not even ask for aid from my niece or the Elements? What is wrong with me?!

Blueblood cleared his throat, "Yes... yes, that's what he's done. This... wave, this force, it acts as a... as an amplifier. It enflames feelings of anger, fear, anxiety, cruelty, each of these waves promotes them, makes them more pronounced. Celestia, and the power of them! It's a testament to the citizens of Canterlot that they didn't all murder each other in a few days! I've no idea where he managed to find a broadcaster of such magnitude! If a pony were to stand next to the source of this thing, they'd go insane in seconds! Driven mad by their own demons come back to haunt them."

Their own demons... come back to haunt them.

"It's like the Tantabus," Luna said in understanding, "except it works when you're awake too. Constantly reminding you of your failures and... and your fears," Luna recalled the thousands of times each day for the past weeks, anytime she would go to make a decision she would be seized with dread that she was slipping more and more into the nightmare with each passing day.

"This is... this is evil!" She said, horrified at what it must be doing to all the ponies in her city. All of their guilt and fear and anguish... amplified, made manifest before their eyes. She knew what that was like, more than she cared to. And she would rather die han let it happen to anypony else.

"Oh, that's not all it does either. Ha! Clever bastard. Pardon my Prench, he also implanted in it a, um, a sort of magical obedience collar. It's not quite mind control, but it's highly suggestive that you obey his wishes and commands. That would explain how he's been such an effective coercer..." Blueblood trailed off, looking back at the energy pulses again.

"What manner of mage is so powerful as to accomplish all of this? How have my sister and I not heard of him? And you say he is your brother?!"

Blueblood smiled wanly, "Yes, he's my brother. Unfortunate for him, then, that I'm his brother."

Luna looked at him in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"Well, I only mean that it seems he's forgotten that I too know the old ways, from before Celestia's Reinstitution!" Blueblood smiled proudly, before his smile dropped at Luna's blank face.

"The Reinstitution? Largest magical overhaul in Equestria's history? Thousands of tomes burned or rewrit- oh that's right, you weren't there for that."

She grimaced sadly, she didn't like to think about her imprisonment much, "No I was not. However, that doesn't sound like something my sister would do at all! She was, and is, a proponent of all knowledge, a scholar if there ever was one!"

Blueblood scoffed, "I assure you, she was not a fan of knowledge as dangerous as this. In the early days it was called thaumaturgy, but then that label was shifted to mean something else. Remember anything under the name thaumatics?" He asked the question as though it were supposed to be rhetorical, but Luna genuinely did not know what he was talking about.

"How about you give me a refresher? I... don't remember much from before my imprisonment either. And certainly nothing involving my schooldays," She smiled, embarrassed, at his shocked face.

"Oh. Well that's a pity, you were one of the best there was at it. Well, other you. Evil you. Okay, refresher, right. Centuries of magical theory and exploration, condensed into a few sentences, right. Okay, before thaumatics, magic was considered much like it is today, unicorns possess it and cast spells. However there were a few far-sighted individuals who took it upon themselves to study how magic worked, why it worked. These few, after many decades of study, discovered that there are six elements that make up magic. Well, technically there are eight, but that's advanced thaumatics. These six elements combine together, much like atoms in chemistry, to form magical bonds that affect the physical world. Unicorns who specialized in thaumatics could break and create the bonds between these elements, essentially making them able to manipulate all matter in the universe, if they were powerful enough. The problem came when we looked past the physical, and into the conceptual. There were... other groups of ponies, who took thaumatic study past what they could accomplish in the physical world, and found that they could influence things beyond our perception. Appearances, fears, thoughts themselves, these ponies dove into self discovery using thaumatics as a medium. They discovered that they could... change things within themselves, implant abilities, new powers. And eventually, through astoundingly unethical means, discoveries were made about what was required to create sentient life itself. Nightmare Moon was really the first truly powerful pony to expand on this concept, creating horrid monstrosities of immense power from her magical tampering. My brother was one of those experiments," he paused for a moment, as if considering whether or not to say something, before shaking his head and continuing, "After Nightmare Moon's defeat there were a few other prominent sorcerers who sought to use thaumatics as a way to gain control of Equestria, and as time went on they became harder and harder to defeat. You see, while thaumatics does depend on a certain level of magical power, one's proficiency in it is almost entirely dependent on their strength of will. When you use thaumatics you literally bend the universe to serve you, and those who were strong of heart and mind were nearly unstoppable. Of course, Celestia herself was also very gifted, but she could not be everywhere at once. Once, she nearly failed to protect the city from something... truly terrible, created by the dark wizard known only as "The Grey". After she barely managed to fend it off... well she decided that thaumatics was too dangerous to survive, and began a crusade. Destroying and rewriting history so that it never even existed," Blueblood finished his story with a sad look in his eyes, as if he were remembering something he had lost.

"So... you're saying that your brother, Kaiscillius, is using this ancient forbidden magic to slowly turn every citizen in the city into rioting revolutionaries?" She didn't add the, and it's all my fault because Nightmare Moon made him in the first place, but she felt that it was implied.

He turned to her, "Yes. As you said, this field acts much like your Tantabus, except much much stronger. No doubt even the peasants of the Crystal Empire have been waking up grumpy for the last few days, but it is strongest here in the city, driving these (mostly) good ponies to rash action. Most everywhere else it merely paralyses with indecision so they do not help you. And Kaiscillius has been working very hard to direct all of that anger towards you, and not elsewhere. The attacks, the town criers, the robberies, everything left the the hint of Nightmare Moon about it so that their rage is pointed at you,"

"Do you know why he wants the kingdom? Other than power of course," Blueblood seemed surprised when she asked him this.

He replied, "Ah, yes, I suppose I haven't told you, he doesn't want the kingdom."

"What?"

"Crazy, I know, he wants to reawaken Nightmare Moon, claiming that she should be the rightful ruler. No doubt this idea was imprinted on him by her before she put him to sleep, keeping him as a backup in case she was defeated," Luna thought the idea was insane, who could possibly think that Nightmare Moon was supposed to be in charge?

"How on Equestria could he think such a thing?" she asked.

"I told you already, in a way. Thaumatics can influence one's thoughts, and Nightmare Moon was the best there was at the time. He's been brainwashed from birth to believe it."

Blueblood grunted and the blue shell around them shrunk slightly as a particularly vicious pulse cracked the magical bubble slightly.

"We don't have much longer in here, this thing will destroy the shield eventually if I don't put my full power into it. We need to talk strategy," He looked her dead in the eyes, "Send messages to the Elements of Harmony and call them here. I'll place tracking spells on each of the letters so that if one of them is captured, we know where he's operating from. I can create a shield bubble around the city that will both cancel out the effects of this mega Tantabus, and dispel any Dust addictions within the city, but I will be out of action while I'm doing that and it will more than likely kill me, so that part comes last. When I dispel this bubble I can make us magical long distance communicators. Inform me immediately if something happens while I'm in Ponyville, and I can come back and help, speak to no one of anything I have told you, he has eyes and ears everywhere- GAHHH!"

The shield cracked again, larger this time, and shrunk so much that Luna had to lean over to avoid her ears poking out of the top of it, "I expect him to make his move soon," Blueblood's continued, wheezing with blood starting o flow from his nose, "and it is imperative he does not find out we know his plans until as late as possible, or he will simply change strategies and we will once more be in the dark, understand?"

Luna nodded, "Thank you Blueblood, for all you've done to help me. I never would have thought that... you of all ponies would be the one I said that to," she frowned at him, "And after this is all over we're going to have a serious discussion about who you really are, because you are not Celestia's nephew."

Blueblood looked like he was about to say something again, before simply smiling sadly and saying, "I mean.. I technically am. Anyway, are you ready?"

She nodded to him.

With a flash of his horn, Blueblood's shield evaporated and Luna squeezed her eyes shut as the mind-altering magic washed over her again.

Present day, immediately after the speech -

"Blueblood? Blueblood are you there?" Luna was being hurried into a carriage by two of her guards, the other two blocked the entrance to the side road she had parked in. She heard screams and the sounds of metal hitting flesh from that direction. Gurgles and clatters shortly followed before she was hurried inside of her dark mode of transport.

It set off immediately, silver studded wheels clattering hard against the cobblestone road, as it made a mad dash for the safety of the castle.

Luna winced as a high-pitched whine pierced her ear, "...ello? Hello? Luna, Luna, come in Luna, did you call?"

She smiled in relief at hearing the other pony's voice, glad that no trap had been set for him in Ponyville, "Yes, it's me. Kaiscillius has made his move. There was a riot in the square, just now. It's the first time... well it... it turned violent, and," she took a deep breath, quelling her inner screams of panic and worry, "Rainbow Dash and Applejack were caught in it, whether they have been captured or killed, I do not know."

The carriage thundered past the first gateway into the castle as it slammed shut behind them, the palace going into lock down. Her brave thestrals charged out into the middle of the day to man the portcullises and battlements as she passed the second gate, and was safely inside the castle walls.

We fight against our own ponies? They rebel against us? We have to surrender, have to show them we mean no harm-

She shut off her traitorous thoughts in an instant. It had gotten easier to control now that she knew what was influencing her. Even that she was being influenced.

"...lright I'm...y way, going to... with me..." The spell crackled and popped in her ear. Clearly it disagreed with the solid stone castle that now surrounded her, "Blueblood? Blueblood, you're breaking up!" She heard no more from him, desperately hoping he was alright.

She jumped in her carriage as a bright blue flash of light exploded next to her carriage, bringing with some very dignified "well I never"s and some much less dignified "do it again!"s.

"Where are we Blueblood, where- where have you taken us you villain!" Rarity coughed, waving smoke from her face.

"Are we at the climax yet?" Pinkie asked, though no one paid her any mind.

Blueblood ran to the carriage and threw the doors open, grasping Luna's hand.

"Wait, wait!" she cried, "Where is Fluttershy, is she alright?" Luna asked him.

"I have absolutely no idea, but when I tied to teleport to her house it was surrounded by cotton candy clouds raining chocolate milk, and there was no way I was messing it that."

Luna nodded, "Well, if Discord's looking after her then-"

"No time for talk!" There was another blinding flash, and in an instant all four ponies were in a dark room inside the castle. It looked like a bedroom, with lovely purple drapes on the windows and four elegant stone columns rising to meet the ceiling at each corner of the room, but all the furniture was missing. Where there should have been a nightstand, work desk, bed, there was nothing but a thick layer of dust. Thought the dust was strangely absent from some places. In fact, it looked like this room did have a bed, just not a... persistent one. The markings of a very large four-poster bed were scattered at various points throughout the room, though it was nowhere to be seen.

Luna glanced around and raised an eyebrow at Blueblood, "You must be powerful indeed to teleport an Alicorn by surprise."

He grimaced, "It was the most expedient way out of danger, now you two," he pointed at Rarity and Pinkie Pie, "stay here, do not leave this room through any means, and do not separate. No matter what any voices in your head, or otherwise, tell you to do."

"Aww," Pinkie pouted, "but they sound so convincing!"

"What on Equestria is happening?" Rarity huffed, "Princess Luna, could you please explain-"

"I'm sorry Rarity, there's no time. Please, do as Blueblood says and I promise we will explain everything later. For now... we must try and avert a disaster," She smiled apologetically and turned to leave, before noticing another of the room's oddities, there was no door.

"Blueblood, what even is this place?" Blueblood blushed and coughed loudly into a fist.

"It's a uhhhh, a secure... space! For times of emergency, yes. Come on, must be going now!"

With another flash of light Luna and Blueblood were teleported back to the throne room where they had had their discussion two days prior. Blueblood glanced around frantically, looking for something.

"What's wrong?" Luna asked, placing a hand on his shoulder to calm him.

Blueblood took a few deep breaths, steadying himself, before falling silent. The throne room felt eerily quiet to Luna's ears after the noise and bustle of the city. And of course, the subsequent rebellion.

"It's him I'm scared of," Luna turned back to Blueblood, who stared off into the distance, clenching and unclenching a fist, "Kaiscillius. I've ruined his plan to take all of the Elements separately, and when I cast the spell... it will disable the Dust's addictive properties, and block the signal from that thing that he has turning everyone into a rage-fueled lunatic. That's really every element of his plan that we know of completely blocked. But that still leaves him," Blueblood sighed, pacing back and forth as he shook his head.

"You seem very afraid of him," Luna said, to which Blueblood nodded, "Why?"

Blueblood laughed bitterly, "Why? He's nearly killed me once before, and that was when I could fight him! Casting this spell, I'll be locked in place. It'll take everything I have in me to maintain it, to fight against his hold over your people. And Kaiscillius... he likes to work from the shadows. He likes to orchestrate others to do his work for him... and this can often give the impression that he is weak," Blueblood chuckled again, and gazed off as if remembering a time long past, "He isn't. Kaiscillius is one of the most formidable fighters I've ever known. Physically and magically. He's devious, quick, and damned slippery if you don't corner him. And on top of that, he's got his sword," Blueblood threw his hands up in exasperation.

Luna was tired of feeling in the dark about things, nevertheless she asked, "And what's so special about this sword, then?"

Blueblood sat down, putting his hands in his head, "It rips out your magic, and uses it to feed him. And due to him being a master of thaumatics, it doesn't just steal magic, it steals everything. Your personality, dreams, hopes, fears, memories, it tears them all away, converts them into power, and uses it to fuel him. If he kills you with it... you become nothing. All that was you is annihilated,"

Luna shuddered at the thought of a weapon that powerful. Before she remembered something, and asked thoughtfully, "This weapon... what does it look like?"

Blueblood huffed, "It can take any form, but it's standard appearance is that of a massive black broadsword, with six hydra's heads adorning the hilt," he glanced up at Luna, "Why?"

Luna smiled knowingly down at him, and strode towards the door of the throne room, "Cast your spell Blueblood, I have something to fetch from the vault."

The present, streets of Canterlot -

Peach Cobbler was a cobbler. His calling in life, was to make shoes. He loved every second spent doing so, and took great joy and pride when a pony left his shop with a brand spanking new pair of sparkling clogs or shiny slippers. His greatest fear was that his shop would be in some way damaged, causing him to be unable to perform the one task he'd been born to do. And today, his worst fear had come true.

He'd been behind the counter at his shop in Canterlot, when he'd heard a great ruckus from outside, and before he knew it, his shop had been broken into by bandits and ruffians, who had stolen everything they could get their greedy little mitts on.

And you know whose fault it was? Princess motherbucking Luna, that's who! The streets of Canterlot had never been dirtier since she had killed Twilight Sparkle and imprisoned Celestia, at least that's what he'd heard anyway, and he was very much inclined to believe it. It was all her fault that his beautiful, perfect life had come crashing down around his ears this morning, and so he'd decided, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!" He now marched with a good twenty of his loyal friends to join the siege of Canterlot Castle, filled to bursting with righteous anger.

There was, in the back of his head, a small voice that was trying to convince him of something. Something about how none of this was in any way rational. He didn't listen, he was too angry to care, especially now that his goal was in sight! The tall towers of the castle loomed before him, and at its gates thronged hundreds of raging ponies, all frothing at the mouth and battering at the metal bars to the palace. They'd been whipped into a frenzy something fierce, and it only made Peach's blood run hotter seeing all these like-minded fellows doing the same.

Streaks of color flashed every which way, as unicorns on both sides of the barrier slung spells back and forth at each other. The only difference being that the guards were aiming to stun or incapacitate, the peasants were aiming to kill.

Just as Peach was about to charge into the fray, a hush fell over the city as a blinding flash of light consumed all who inhabited it, stunning all who had gazed upon it, and leaving their ears ringing with a high-pitched whine. Peach, along with most of the others, were thrown backwards as a wave of energy passed through them, and he slammed to the ground thirty feet from the castle gate.

Something had changed, he could already tell. He felt... calmer, more at ease. He groaned and sat up, blinking away the harsh spots that flashed in his eyes as he looked around. All around him was a shimmering blue energy, it formed a dome around the city, not unlike the shield that guard captain had used to fend off changelings. It could be seen over every rooftop, and across every street, and looking at it gave a sense of peace and comfort.

Peach looked at himself and was surprised to find that he was clutching an awl in both hands, as if he had intended to use them as weapons.

What on Equestria just happened to me? He wondered, hearing confused groans and murmuring from ponies around him. He looked to his friends, they had similarly befuddled facial expressions as well, and after a few seconds their faces looked horrified. Had they really been about to storm the palace?

"Boys," Peach said slowly, and his friends turned to him, "how about... we go home, and never speak of these events, ever again."

After a moment nods and grunts of assent followed, and those nearby that had overheard Peach muttered similar suggestions either to themselves or to the ponies around them. Many began weeping as they recalled terrible deeds they had done while unreasonably angry and frightened.

A grey Earth Pony who looked vaguely familiar to Peach walked up to him and said, "Er, Mr. Peach? Sorry about breaking that window to your store... I'd be willing to pay for repairs of you don't mind."

Peach smiled and shook hands with the pony, "Not at all, sir! I just proposed to my friends here, and they seem to agree, that we forget any events that may have occurred just now."

The grey pony smiled, "Aye, sir, I do believe you have the right of it. Let's go see about that window."

And the two formerly bitter enemies walked off together, chatting amiably about their families and lives, as good ponies do. Around them, much of Canterlot did the same. Ponies awoke as if from a coma, in a daze, and smiling happily at their friends around them. Most had forgotten what they'd been doing, and some chose to forget. However, there were still some who remained loyal to Kaiscillius. These few, seeing that their support had evaporated with the spell, slunk away into the shadows, or pretended along with those around them that they, too, were "cured". Either because they had truly believed in deposing Luna, or had been taken in by Kaiscillius's power, these few decided to bide their time, and wait for their master, believing that this was all part of the plan.

The present, Celestia's rooms -

Where was she?

Twilight was... Twilight was dead.

She was... where was she again? In her room?

Twilight had died. How long ago?

I'm... I'm in my room. How long have I been here? Celestia gasped, How long has it been since I last thought?

Her mind was sluggish, thick as syrup, and clinging to the dark miasma that had entrapped it. She heard screaming, and clashing of steel, she smelled smoke upon the air.

What happened? she wondered, Why am I still here?

Celestia gasped as a single memory returned to her from the dark.

"They have all turned against me. They think I did it, that I'm behind some sort of grand scheme, but I'm not! For once in my cursed life I am not! I don't want this power, I don't want to rule! I have never wanted it since renouncing my former self..."

Celestia knew one thing, her sister needed her. The time for mourning was over, and she feared she had spent to long in it already.

Celestia opened her eyes.

The present, Kaiscillius's manor -

Kaiscillius's labored breathing was the only thing he could hear as blood pounded in his ears. A strange mix of rage and fear wreaked havoc on his system, and the irony of that sentiment was not lost on him.

"Remaining Elements of Harmony have been secured in an unknown location inside Castle Canterlot. Thrassimund has erected a shield wall that prevents Dust addiction cycle, and Ultimatum Control Matrix. He and Luna have holed up in the throne room, which is now guarded by her personal Honor Guard. All citizens inside the bubble have ceased violence against the crown, and some have been gathered via the use of the Royal Canterlot Voice to form a militia to search for, and destroy you. Celestia's status is unknown. Golems remain undetected. Dust Obedience Matrix remains unaffected."

Kaiscillius stopped pacing, "What was that last one?"

"Dust Obedience Matrix remains unaffected. All who have consumed Dust will obey your commands as if the addiction cycle were still in full effect."

Kaiscillius stared thoughtfully into space, neither elating nor despairing. He remained like this for some time, so long, in fact, that Grey Shade spoke up, "Um... sir? What are you going to do?"

"I'm thinking," Kaiscillius replied, and think he did. He pondered, considered, and predicted. He thought carefully over all the details he knew about his brother, what the enemy knew, what he knew. He calculated probability, made educated guesses with larger margin for error than any sane man would accept, reviewed thaumatic algorithms, and weighed the validity of a magic as old as time.

"I will..." he began slowly, "Do exactly as they expect me to," with a devilish smile he added, "With a few minor alterations, of course."

Author's Note

Once again, finished the chapter forever ago, and then was swamped and could not edit for weeks. It was incredibly frustrating. Also, I may have accidentally published this chapter a while ago before it was finished, and immediately taking it down, resulting in the fact that when I went to publish it again, it didn't show up anywhere, because it thought the whole thing was just an edit. I fixed it though, s'all cool now.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I hope it answered a few questions, and set up a few interesting things to look forward to. Let me know if you would like a more in-depth explanation of the magic system because I've actually put a lot of thought into it, I just didn't want to bore everyone with magesplainery.

Kaiscillius has at long last been caught, and his enemies now actively move against him, unhindered by his machinations. What plans has he concocted for the future? What will happen when these forces finally clash? Find out, next time.

Castle Crash Course

Kaiscillius left his estate quite quickly after he discovered the ordeal he had been plunged into, and the subsequent furious planning session. The messages had been sent, the golems knew their task, and soon the castle would become a bastion of mistrust and suspicion.

As his carriage rocketed down the mountainside towards Canterlot, Kaiscillius felt his midsection clink and jangle, and he grimaced at the upcoming pain he would have to endure for his plan. The things one did for one's mother.

The long winding road that linked Kaiscillius's private abode with the rest of Canterlot turned into a side street when it hit the main city, and then opened up directly onto the thoroughfare that led to the castle gates. The blue dome that surrounded the city looked peaceful enough as it shimmered away, but Kaiscillius could see and hear the furious battle now raging over his head. Wave after wave of blood red energy poured over the mountain, reaching higher than the peak, and slammed into the city, crashing with a deafening boom and shower of sizzling red sparks that rained down upon the land like meteorites. Luckily Kaiscillius's golem could see these, and swerved to avoid them when possible. As they neared the dome, Kaiscillius had a moment of doubt, was his plan too risky? Would it fall apart right at the end, as this one had? Would he become paste against the shield wall before he could even begin anew? Kaiscillius braced for impact and waited for the answer.

He let out a relieved sigh as the carriage hurtled straight through it, meeting no resistance whatsoever. Kaiscillius had theorized that this was the case, but he had theorized many insane things these past few hours.

Stop, he commanded the golem, and slowly his carriage rolled to a halt, just outside Main Street.

All the preparations had been made, the risks had been calculated. The battle was about to begin. With a deep breath, Kaiscillius exited the vehicle and strolled confidently down the high street of Canterlot, palace directly before him. Shops and large buildings crowded in on his left and right, their occupants trembling as his footsteps thudded against the stone road.

Kaiscillius still wore his Blood Diamond guise, but he had added a few things to prepare him for the fight ahead. Beautifully crafted black armor covered every inch of him, adorned with spikes and wailing faces that shifted into different pictures across it's surface. He wore no visible helm, though the air around his perfect head was thick with invisible shield spells. Even his wings were armored, each feather covered by its own silvery light weight metal shroud. And in his hand was the shining centerpiece of the upcoming carnage.

Seven feet long, with its black serpentine blade and magnificently adorned hilt, was New Moon. It had been a thousand years since the massive broadsword had last tasted blood, and it radiated its own aura of power, separate from its master. The blade was hungry, it had been forged to drink the souls of its foes, to serve its master unfailingly on the field of battle, and all things living felt themselves as much drawn to the sword as they were repulsed by it.

Now that Kaiscillius had bypassed the large blue shield around the city, it not being a physical barrier anyway, meant only to hold Ultimatum at bay, he approached the castle. As he drew nearer its gates, much more corporeal threats presented themselves. There was the much smaller and thicker dark blue shield for example, which Kaiscillius Sight told him belonged to Luna, then there were the outer walls of the castle. These fortifications were ancient, their stones thick and weathered with age, so old they had nearly developed emotions and minds of their own. Lastly, and most definitely least, were the forty odd thestrals on the other side of the castle's iron gate. Kaiscillius hated thestrals, they had always been his mother's favored children, despite the nighdra's obvious superiority. He had once commanded an army of them, and found them the least capable soldiers he'd ever known. Barely worth anything during the day, and so busy giving praise to the moon at night that they never got anything done. Seeing them all lined up like bowling pins with only two measly barriers between them gave Kaiscillius shivers of joy.

"Halt! In the name of Princesses Celestia and Luna, you are under arrest! We have you surrounded and outnumbered!" The thestral with the most bedazzled armor, presumably some sort of lieutenant, called out to him from behind the gate. Kaiscillius glanced left and right, seeing two guards on each side with crossbows trained on him. He stopped walking forward, a few inches from the shield, and spoke.

"In the name of Nightmare Moon, surrender the castle! You are outmatched and outgunned!" Kaiscillius's voice reverberated off of every surface, and shook the very ground. Several of the guards behind the gate clamped hands over their ears. Pathetic, he hadn't even yelled.

In his panic, one of the guards to the left of Kaiscillius loosed his bolt, and the missile shot towards the lone stallion's torso with a bloodthirsty whistle. Kaiscillius didn't even bother blocking, the serrated metal tip of the crossbow bolt disintegrated micrometers away from hitting the armor, leaving the wooden haft to snap like the twig it was against the black covering.

A hush fell around the battlefield, and a faint, "Oops," could be heard from the man hastily hiding his crossbow.

And so it begins.

Kaiscillius leapt into action immediately, appearing before the offending crossbowman and ramming New Moon straight through his face, before turning sideways into a backhand slash which cut clean through the other guard's midsection like paper. Both of the bodies crumpled as the sword touched them, compacting and disassembling into raw magic that flowed through the blade to Kaiscillius, making him stronger and faster than he already was. Both bodies tumbled to the ground continuing to stream power into Kaiscillius though the sword had departed their corpses, as he covered the sixty foot distance between him and the other set of two guards in a single magnificent leap.

He landed hard, blasting the stone around him into fine powder, and sending both of his opponents flying. Before they could even hit the ground Kaiscillius separated New Moon into two shorter blades and, with a dash, drove them through the bodies of the falling stallions, piercing one's liver and severing the other's spine. They convulsed as magic ate their bodies and more rushed in to fill the void. With a flash of light, Kaiscillius stood once more before the gate, four piles of deforming meat feeding him energy, the whole exchange having taken no more than six seconds.

Kaiscillius reformed the full broadsword and drove it into the blue shield, which sputtered for a moment, before sinking into the blade. The sword guzzled the magic like eggnog on Hearthswarming, and the bubble began to tear and rip apart, before fading from existence entirely with an audible scream of pain tearing loose from somewhere inside the castle. Behind the gate, the soldiers all had readied their arms, but stood slack-jawed at the being before them as he shredded through the Princess's defenses.

The lieutenant snapped out of it first, "Alright men, be ready for when he takes down the gate!" he called out. Perfectly sensible advice, except that the only reason Kaiscillius had destroyed the shield was because he couldn't teleport through it. With neither a light nor sound he appeared behind the formation of men, and laid into them all with gusto. Three fell before anyone knew what was happening, two more before they knew what to do about it, and then the real fun began.

Kaiscillius didn't bother to block, he laid about himself with sweeping strikes, his enormous blade passing through enemy flesh and armor as though they were air. There was no blood to this fight, all that poured from the gaping wounds he inflicted was converted into power. All the bone, muscle, and viscera of those he struck down became fuel. His strikes were faster and faster, more accurate, more devastating, and his enemies could not touch him. Though it was not from lack of trying, they parried and thrusted and swiped as well as any other man. Unfortunate for them, then, that they fought a master of thaumatics.

As their blades touched his enchanted armor, a field of magic broke the metal down into stone, a second destabilized stone to dirt, and a third divided the dirt into dust. Those who scored a hit and lived long enough to pull the offending weapon away found themselves suddenly without a blade, it having dematerialized into fine powder faster than they could blink. Under such conditions, it did not take long for panic to set in.

Kaiscillius roared with glee as he tore through his enemies like tissue paper, at least a dozen streams of hazy darkness flowed to him from decaying corpses, and more were soon to join them. He concaved one man's chest with a gauntleted punch before spearing him through the skull, driving the blade true into the soldier standing behind the man's chest. With a heave the blade carved it's way free and cut clean through another's abdomen. With a spin Kaiscillius elbowed an unfortunate stallion in the face, snapping the man's neck, and buried New Moon into the eye socket of the guard next to him.

Those closest to Kaiscillius quickly realized that they wanted to be nowhere near this untouchable monster of whirling flesh and metal, and backed away into their fellows standing behind them, who urged them on, while the men who had been expecting to be the front line were still slightly confused as to where their enemy had gone.

Screams began, and were cut off almost as quickly by New Moon. This battle was eerily quiet. The blade moved through armor and bodies as easily as through water, and thus no clanking was heard from it. Those who were struck down made no sound, as all of their noise was drawn to the point of impact and converted, so there were no wails from the dying. And all the swords that fought back were turned to dust, so there was no sharp contact of metal on metal. The only sounds were labored breathing, the shuffling of terrified feet, and the whistle of the black blade as it hurled towards new foes.

Kaiscillius extended the blade to nine feet long as those around him fled, and cleaved five with one sweep, even the scratch he grazed a sixth with proved fatal in time as his life drained away. Half of those left charged forward with a yell, while the others froze with indecision. Three swipes and one face-to-gauntlet reunion later, and there were only eight left standing of the original forty. These men were the ones he was supposed to have fought first, the front line. They stared in horror as their friends were slowly consumed by darkness, and what had been taken funneled towards their enemy, who grinned from ear to ear. Kaiscillius took a step forward, and then grunted as he was held back.

Around his body appeared a dozen different magical auras, and a glance backwards told him that the Battlemages had finally arrived. Twelve highly trained and incredibly powerful unicorns stood about a hundred feet away, on top of the secondary gate into the castle, each one's horn glowing brightly with telekinesis in full effect. The soldiers in front of Kaiscillius looked incredibly relieved that backup had arrived, which only made Kaiscillius chuckle. With a mental command, New Moon flowed up his arm and molded around his body, then it did what it did best.

Agonizing cries of pain ripped from the throats of the mages as their magic was pulled out of them, devoured by the material that suddenly covered Kaiscillius's form. Within seconds they fell to the ground, clutching smoking horns in their hands, and leaving Kaiscillius free to move about the courtyard once more. The eight remaining soldiers valiantly raised their weapons again, and Kaiscillius saw them smile as he heard the distant grinding of the metal gate, no doubt signaling more reinforcements. They didn't make it in time.

With a flash Kaiscillius teleported next to the line of men and punched through each of them in succession with a tendril of New Moon. Though the wound was only the size of a penny in each man, none were able to hold their feet, and they collapsed to the ground shivering and writhing in agony as darkness overcame them.

"NOOO!!!" He heard from behind him, followed quickly by a choked sob. As Kaiscillius turned around, his eyes passed over the smoking corpses of his enemies, and he felt a surprising twinge of regret. These men could not have harmed him, he need not have killed them if not for the sake of appearances. Perhaps if he had known more about what Luna knew, they could have been spared. Maybe the reason he felt this way was because of their souls. They were still there, without the sword being present for the entire exchange all but the last of the beings touched by it were burnt away, and now they floated, all forty, over the killing field. Different colors, all, each bearing the cutie mark of their recently deceased body. In the olden days, in the times of thaumatics, these ponies could have been brought back, the soul would have been enough. Flesh and sinew could be rebonded, memories remade, but now...

Damn you for this, Thrassimund. So many needn't have died today if not for you.

Then he remembered that they had been thestrals, and Kaiscillius shook off the moment of sentiment and returned to the battle at hand. Another squadron of twelve troops had arrived, wielding longspears and high tower shields, each bearing the standard of Luna. It seemed that his work demoralizing the guard had not been without some payoff, he should have been facing a lot more resistance. Not that it would have done any good. He'd been toying with the other set of soldiers, he didn't even have to touch any of these ponies to strike them down.

Now what was the formula for poison... Kaiscillius looked into each of the soldiers slowly advancing towards him, he didn't need to go any deeper than the musculature. In each of them he saw the heart, where water and life flowed out in rhythmic beats. It was with the barest of efforts that he slipped in another element to the mix. It did not take more than four seconds before a thick green stream worked it's way around through the heart and out into the body. One of the soldiers in the back of the phalanx formation they had taken doubled over and began hacking and wheezing, blood flecking the ground underneath him. Kaiscillius calmly walked up to them as one by one they fell and began to cough and vomit, some unfortunate enough to start foaming at the mouth. With a few quick strokes he ended their misery, and their heads did not stay long upon the ground before being devoured by the blade's effects.

By this point three of the more willful battlemages had managed to stumble to their feet, and all, seeing that this horrifying juggernaut was nearing the gate, shot a myriad of offensive spells in rapid succession. Fireballs, rays of frost, and lightning bolts galore rained down upon his head, and all were cheerfully devoured by New Moon as Kaiscillius, with unholy speed, struck them from the air one after the other, until the unicorns panted for breath, staring uncomprehending at the force of reckoning in front of them.

"My turn," Kaiscillius said and, with a well placed tug and cracking of bone, tore the horns from the head of every mage, standing or not. They were such flimsy things, he wondered why they put so much stock in them. The mages were unconscious instantly, their bodies having felt more pain than they had any right to, which left the castle, the princesses, and Kaiscillius's traitorous brother Thrassimund, utterly defenseless.

Luna breathed slowly in and out, trying to keep her nerves in check as she awaited the battle to come. She had heard the screams from outside, and had the sinking feeling that her guards had failed. How her heart cried to go out and join them, but she forced herself to remain as the last line of defense. The only thing that stood between her and this "Kaiscillius" was her Lunar Guard. Her elite. If they failed... well, then she would face her creation. Luna sat currently in the throne room next to Blueblood, who had his arms outstretched, horn aglow, with a look of intense concentration on his pale face. She'd been there for some time, waiting for her foe. She and Blueblood had agreed that Kaiscillius, with all of his plans beaten, would be forced to confront Blueblood and slay him personally to bring down the shield. It was Luna's duty to both her friend, and her people, to make sure that Kaiscillius's goal was not accomplished. So she sat, heart pounding, blood boiling, and teeth grinding in anticipation.

There was a shout from the hall outside, and Luna was instantly tense, her ears pricked for any sign she could hear of the battle. She wouldn't have to wait long. There was a loud explosion, followed by muffled grunts and cries of pain. A weapon clattered against the floor. Somepony shouted her name, as if in defiance, before the entire castle fell silent. Luna stood, magic at the ready, as she stared down the double doors leading to the throne room, her heart hammering in her throat.

Footsteps. One set, approaching the door. They were loud, clad in metal, and steady, unhurried. Luna charged a bolt of magic as she surveyed her own personal armaments. Her armor was made of enchanted silver by the best smith in Equestria thousands of years ago, her sword had killed more horrors from Tartarus and other foul places than anypony could ever had guessed, and her shield had saved her skin more times than she cared to admit. Seeing these things, assembled again after so long, it gave her a sort of resigned confidence. A relief that this battle was no longer being fought in the shadows. The knowledge that whatever this was, and however it ended, it would end today.

After a few tense seconds of dead silence, the doors flung open, and the sight behind them made Luna gag. Corpses littered the hall, all of them smoking like the last mournful embers of a fire long dead. Blackened flakes and tendrils of inky fumes drifted towards the creature in the doorway, the being known as Kaiscillius.

He's... he's beautiful, Luna thought with surprise. Her enemy, this... monster of a pony, was not at all who she'd envisioned. She'd imagined some dark masked figure with black smoke pouring off of him trying to fill her mind with visions of things that didn't exist, that wasn't the case... in fact she recognized the pony in front of her.

"Prince Blood Diamond?" She said, confused, but knew it could be no other. He stood at least a head and shoulders taller than her, clad in beautifully crafted black armor that fit him like a second skin. His ruby red eyes shone with mirth and mischief, if the door had been closed she never would have guessed that he'd just murdered a dozen ponies in cold blood.

"Why hello Princess!" He said, waving with a playful smile, taking a few steps down the stairs into the room.

So off-putting was his cheerfulness that Luna briefly wondered if this was a minion of the beast, and not Kaiscillius itself. And then he looked at Blueblood. Luna almost stumbled backwards as the most intense look of hatred she'd ever known blazed across the pristine visage of the prince, before his eyes snapped back to her with another smile. This one, however, was far more predatory than its predecessor. Luna raised her blade and shield before speaking, "Your name is Kaiscillius, is it not? Blueblood has told me much of you, do not expect that you can simply roll over me like you would a common citizen."

Luna blinked as Kaiscillius shuddered in place, a genuine smile lighting his face as his eyes crossed slightly, "Oh mother..." he breathed (was that a tear in his eye?), "it is so good to hear your voice again. Worry not, I will have you out of that wretched thing in no time! Just a little longer mother, I promise."

His tone chilled Luna's blood, it was wavering, on the border between depressed and manic, "There is no more Nightmare Moon, Kaiscillius. She was ended when the Elements destroyed her! I am Luna, Princess of the Moon! And I give you one chance to back down and surrender. Or be destroyed."

The ruby eyes stared at her. There was a noise, a slight wheezing, before Kaiscillius began to chuckle. The chuckle built into a laugh which, though low at first, rose and rose in volume, until the dark warrior threw his head back and cackled louder than a thunderclap, eyes and mouth wide.

By the stars he's... he's mad! Luna stepped to her right, shielding Blueblood with her body, when the laughter stopped, and Kaiscillius disappeared.

"What the?" Luna was baffled. Where had he gone? One moment he was there, and the next he wasn't! There was no spell, no magic, no movement, just... vanished!

"You have lost your edge Princess." Luna screamed and swiped as his voice came from directly next to her. Her blade stopped in mid air, along with her arm, and she stared directly into the face of Kaiscillius.

For a moment, everything went still. Confusion bled across his expression, before a light dawned in his eyes.

"Oh... OH! You don't remember!" he cried, a shark's grin splitting his maw, "Oh Princess you don't remember! I will have such fun with you!"

Luna grunted as a force shoved her backwards, but she caught her feet quickly and lunged at her foe, her blade only missing by an inch as he swayed out of the way.

Got you now! She thought, and fired an enormous beam of magic straight into his chest. She felt a moment of triumph before her entire body went cold. There was a sharp pain in her horn, and an unnatural tugging sensation, like someone was yanking the appendage free of her skull. Within milliseconds she realized she had another serious problem, the beam wouldn't turn off. Magic poured out of her, strong enough to turn the stones of the castle to magma and blast away entire legions, and she couldn't stem the tide. She gasped as all of her muscles locked up, pain raged through her body and she felt exhausted.

You... will... MOVE! She wrestled control of her body and slashed the beam of magic with her sword, physically cutting off the spell. She dropped to one knee, but was immediately up again thanks to a helpful uppercut to the chin that sent her flying across the room, pulverizing the section of wall she crashed into. She'd lost her grip on her shield, but now it was her turn to laugh.

"If you think that some magic absorption and a punch are going to beat me, then you are sorely mistak-" Luna stopped gloating as her vision cleared. Blueblood stood unguarded, unaware of his surroundings, as Kaiscillius loomed over him, a seven foot broadsword of eerily dark metal held over his head, about to strike. Without thinking, Luna stepped forward, tossed her sword into the air, caught it, took aim, and threw in one smooth motion. The blade flew end over end straight at her enemy, and struck true, piercing deep through the armor into Kaiscillius's back.

"GAAAAGH!!!" he gargled, dropping to a knee and cracking the marble underneath him.

How heavy is that armor? She wondered as she dashed towards him. She heard him mutter, "... not be made of metal alone," before she delivered a devastating kick to the back of his skull. A loud CRACK rang out as he faceplanted into the floor. She wrenched her sword from his back, and struck at his exposed neck, but the creature rolled away from the blade before it could strike true.

Luna readied her stance again as Kaiscillius blurred to his feet, standing as though nothing had happened. Luna glanced at her sword which dripped with a black liquid which felt... off. It wasn't the right consistency for blood. More like water. And it had no reflection, almost like no light shone upon it at all. She realized too late that taking her eyes away from her foe was a mistake, and look back just in time to see a metal fist crash into her stomach. All the air was driven out of her lungs as she skidded backwards again, carving deep grooves into the floor as her pointed boots scraped her to a halt. Luna ducked under a follow up jab and swung her sword at Kaiscillius. With another blur of motion she found that her blade had been caught it mid air, with the stallion looking at her with a ghost of a smile about his face.

He's just playing with me! She realized, before there was a deafening thud and she couldn't see for a few moments. She blinked a few times and found herself on the ground next to Blueblood with a loud ringing rattling around in her skull. She managed to stumble to her feet, but felt off balance, and struggled to raise her sword at her incoming foe. She gave a halfhearted swipe which he slapped away with a gauntlet, before diving a knee into her sternum. Luna doubled over as pain crashed through her chest, she could feel a few ribs crack, and felt bile rise in her throat as her vision swam slightly. She felt pressure on her back, and was heaved into the air, the world spinning around her, before she crashed back down to the floor. She'd lost her blade. That wasn't good. She felt really dizzy, and struggled to climb to her feet again.

It was almost the same as last time, with Kaiscillius standing triumphantly above Blueblood, about to deliver the killing blow. With a roar, Luna squeezed out a teleportation spell and drove herself into the metal behemoth with an alicorn's strength. She screamed in pain as she drove him to the ground, hearing her shoulder crack, but she managed to topple him. She heard a growl, and felt a blinding pain shoot across her face as her head whipped backwards. Blood poured from somewhere. Her nose, it was broken, that didn't matter right now. Luna balled a fist and made a return blow on the monster pinned beneath her, and gasped silently as her fist connected hard with some sort of invisible shielding around Kaiscillius's face, cracking all of her knuckles and jamming them horribly.

Kaiscillius twisted underneath her as she pulled her hand back, and bucked like a rodeo bull, sending her soaring over his head and landing hard on the cold stone floor.

After this fight... the repair costs will be immense, Luna thought tiredly, jumping to her feet somewhat more assuredly as her ears stopped ringing. She turned quickly to face her opponent, to find with horror that he had again turned to strike at Blueblood.

My ribs and nose are broken... I can't use magic on him... and I've lost my sword... time for the secret weapon, Luna charged, and pulled a large black orb out of her pocket as she did. In moments the ball molded, shifted, and elongated until it too stood in the proud shape of an impractically long two-handed blade. With Kaiscillius's back turned, he never saw her coming. She gripped the weapon with both hands, and rammed it as hard as she could into the enemy's back.

Kaiscillius grunted and stumbled forward, nearly knocking into Blueblood. All fell still for a few moments.

Is that it? Is it over? Luna stood, breathing hard through the blood from her broken nose, hearing her heart pound in her ears as she waited for the sword to work it's magic. Instead she heard a sound she never wanted to hear again, the sound of Kaiscillius laughing.

"Haha... hahahaHA... AH HAHAHAHAHAAA!!! Foolish girl! Do you know what it is you hold?!" The sword began to melt in her hands, and she quickly dropped it, her brain automatically thinking that it must be hot enough to melt when really it was ice cold. The dark material flowed through the crack in Kaiscillius's armor she had made earlier, and another blade formed in his right hand, the old one clutched in his left. He regarded the newcomer with a nostalgic look, almost loving in a way.

"My oldest friend... wherever have you been all this time?" He whispered to it, seemingly enamored. Before he was clocked in the back of the head by the hilt of a sword. Luna snatched her blade from the air with a flourish, having used telekinesis to launch it at him. She'd hoped desperately that it would strike blade-first, but beggars can't be choosers. She didn't hesitate this time, and went into a blinding flurry of attacks, moving faster than the normal pony eye could follow. Unfortunately her opponent also knew this trick, and had twice the swordpower. She was able to land nothing more than glancing blows at best, and even those, she was almost sure, had been let through because Kaiscillius knew they could do no real harm. Though the stallion was a beast, and had tried to destroy her kingdom, she could not help but respect his fighting style. His form was fluid and graceful, he fought with those two massive cleavers as though they were the most tempered of rapiers. He danced along with her strikes, never missing a beat as he parried every blow effortlessly, though she struck with unerring accuracy each time.

Eventually he must have decided that it was time to show her who the real master was, and went on the offensive. Luna immediately lost ground as she was pushed backwards towards Blueblood, her enemy moving so fast he was nothing but a dark smudge on the fabric of reality. A thousand years of training and muscle memory, perhaps with the tiniest bit of luck, were the only things that kept her alive through the vicious onslaught. It seemed that her luck had run out, though, when Kaiscillius landed a hit on her wrist guard and caused her to drop the sword. It clattered to the ground, and Luna in that moment compared the sound to that of the castle bells ringing at a funeral, for it most certainly spelt the end for her. She could see it in those red eyes, while it may have been fun to toy with her at first, she'd now become an annoyance, a thorn in his side.

Well, I suppose I- wait... wait a minute... he- he can't kill me! A smile split Luna's face as she remembered the most important aspect of this fight, the entire reason for it having happened, Kaiscillius wanted Nightmare Moon, and he couldn't do that if she was dead.

Kaiscillius looked at her confused as he raised his blade and she laughed at him, "What are you laughing about?"

Luna snorted and replied, "You can't kill me! You want your mother, so I have to live for that!"

Her smile faded at Kaiscillius's grin, "Truly, you are ignorant of the ways of thaumatics," and with that, he brought the sword down.

Stars, I wish I had my shield, she thought, strangely calm about her impending demise. And it was in that moment that something clicked. She did remember something from thaumatics, she remembered when the concept had first been explained to her somewhere in her 700's. A very bright young unicorn had been terribly excited by his discoveries of what he called the, "Key to the Universe". He'd said all things were made of six elements, Fire, Water, Air, Earth, Order, and Decay. Through the combination of these six, theoretically anything was possible, but one of the most fascinating facts was that these elements were self-sustaining, requiring no constant magical flow to keep them running. One effect of this would be the usefulness in advancing magical shields, as they were one of the easiest things to create using the six elements, and thaumatic shields did not require a continuous cast. All it took to make a thaumatic shield was one of each of the six foundation, or "primal", elements bonded into a layer around the object to be shielded.

In what were almost certainly her final moments, Luna wrenched from the murk of her memories the power of a magic long dead. It felt like pure magical muscle memory as she assembled the six elements into a shell around herself, and forced the warring pieces to bond into an unmatchable state of balance. It took nearly no effort, and as soon as it was done she felt disconnected from her creation, although there was no doubt she could alter it if she could only remember how. Time slowed as the swords plunged toward her heart, and she made another shield. And another. And another, faster than thought could process she created ten, twenty, a hundred, five hundred, two thousand! Each as thin as a sheaf of paper, yet as strong as if it were two feet thick. Her body began to feel tired, and her horn grew intensely sore as power poured out of it at an enormous rate, and she prayed her last desperate gamble would work.

The sword broke the first shield, she felt the snap as the bond between elements disintegrated. She felt as it broke the second, and so on as it plunged through the layers of power she had erected around herself, slowing it's progress further as it moved through the barriers toward her. Until finally, it stopped dead in the air at shield 1,279, unable to continue forging ahead. Luna sighed in relief, and then fell to her knees, the immense toll of all that expelled magic catching up with her. Her body was lead, her mind was syrup, every part of her ached with pain. She heard a voice.

"Well now, it seems you've not forgotten everything. A decent attempt, Princess, but I doubt you've much left. Goodbye."

Luna looked up, swaying on her knees as she saw the swords arc down towards her face. She tried to move an arm to stop it, but it could barely reach halfway up her chest before the effort became too much for her.

This is it, she thought, I'm going to-

BOOOOOOOOM!!!

Luna was thrown to the ground as a blinding white light seared her retinas, and waves of pure heat rolled across her back. Somehow she knew that she wasn't the one who'd borne the brunt of the attack. She forced her now dry eyes open and looked back across the throne room to the staircase that led to the upper halls of Canterlot Castle. And there, standing leaning heavily against the marble door frame, was her sister.

"Celestia!" She cried out in joy (though it came out as little more than a hoarse croak), tears springing to her dry eyes as she saw her sister safe and well. The mare in question gave a big, warm smile that invigorated Luna down to her bones, and gave her the strength to stand again, though she suspected for the last time. She hobbled over to her sister, but the warm feeling vanished as a harsh laugh rang out across the hall.

"HA! I should have known you'd wake up!"

Luna turned around to see a smoking black crater carved into the throne room floor where Celestia's sunbeam had hit, and standing at the other end of it, blackened and singed, was Kaiscillius.

"Surrender demon!" Celestia yelled, standing straighter and readying a second beam, "You have no chance of defeating two of us!"

Kaiscillius gave another spine-chilling chuckle and replied, "I suppose two heads are better than one. But what's better than two heads I wonder?" He took another breath, as if to continue, when a ring of purple magic blasted outwards from him, taking Luna and Celestia by surprise, and knocking both of them to the floor.

A black smog filled the room as horrible cracks and rips reached Luna's ears, like the sound of a hundred corpse being mangled. The noises became louder and louder until an earthshaking roar echoed through the palace. And through the thick black smoke, Luna saw six shining eyes, and a galaxy in the shape of a monster.

Celestia had woken from her room in quite a sorry state. Not having anything to eat or drink for the past few weeks had taken a serious tole on her body. Luckily, due to an alicorn's natural hardiness and her own powerful well of magic from which to feed, she was not as dead as most ponies would find themselves in her situation. It had taken her many long grueling minutes to shakily make her way through the palace halls, hearing screams and explosions from outside, until all went dead silent for a few minutes. Shortly after, she began hearing the same things, except echoing through the corridors of the castle itself now.

Finally, she had reached the throne room, leaning heavily against the door frame and sucking air in and out of her lungs like an iron bellows. Much to her horror, she'd arrived precisely as Luna was about to be beheaded, and unthinkingly fired the wrath of the sun at the dark invader about to claim her sister's life, and, while her sister had been saved, Celestia was in no shape to fight. She was weak and delirious, and her despair grew as she saw the pony transform into the beast that now stalked toward them. Something about it pulled at her memory, but right now the whole picture was not yet clear, and she was distracted by the power she felt radiating from it. It was unlike normal magic, which one could feel like static electricity, like lightning in the air. No, this power was felt in the bones, in the determination of a stance, in the hardness of the eye. This was the power she had felt in the presence of the Grey 600 years ago.

By the sun... if this thing can use thaumatics then I don't know what I can do, Celestia lied to herself. She knew what she could do, but it would leave her sister vulnerable, possibly comatose, but if it came down to that or both of them being dead...

"Luna," she croaked, her voice a parched whisper, "please, come here, quickly!" Luna blinked in surprise, and stepped closer to her sister. Out of the corner of her eye, Celestia noted that the shadowy creature paused in interest as Luna approached her.

I just need it to stay back a little longer, then I can defeat it, Celestia's current beam of sunlight she held over her head was a complete bluff, there was no way she'd be able to do another one of those until she had more power.

"What is it, sister?" Luna asked, and Celestia's heart missed a beat as she saw the horrible state of her Lulu. Blood poured from lacerations all over her body, but two notable flows ran from her broken and heavily bruised nose. It was clear at least two of her ribs were cracked, and several of her fingers were broken. Bruises were thick on almost every inch of her body, several pieces of armor had been either shattered or smashed into unrecognizable shapes, and Celestia could see her awareness of the situation flicker on and off in Luna's eyes, no doubt she was incredibly disoriented. Celestia steeled herself, and grabbed Luna's horn.

There was still a large well of magic left in the princess of the night, so much so that Celestia wondered what had prevented her from using it all. With a brief, "I'm sorry, I'll explain later," she emptied Luna of her power, using it to fuel herself. In Luna's condition, she was in no state to combat the unexpected assault, and slumped to the ground a final time, her eyes sliding shut, and breathing a peaceful sigh as she drifted off to sleep.

Celestia cast a brief pained look over her sister, before turning back to the massive beast in the room. She was running at about half a tank now, which was more than about thirty battlemages put to- was that Blueblood?

Celestia did a double take and looked in shock as she confirmed that Blueblood standing in the middle of the room, completely unaware of the towering behemoth behind him. In fact, Celestia now recalled seeing Luna shielding him bodily as she was about to be cut down. So whatever he was doing, Luna had thought it more important than her own life.

"Princess Celestia, a pleasure," three slightly different voices rumbled through the smoke, each deep as a thunderclap, and almost as loud. The room shook at the force of them, and Celestia heard the cracking of stone as the gigantic thing lumbered towards her. She smelled a pungent odor wafting through the room, though she could not place her finger on the exact scent. Nevertheless she quickly ripped a piece of cloth from her gown and wrapped it around her mouth and nose, not knowing whether the scent was some kind of poison or not, "Beware, creature, I am the Princess of the Sun! And should you fail to surrender, you will feel my wrath."

The throne room quaked as the thing chuckled, "I highly doubt it," and the beast vanished. Eyes, starry silhouette and all. Gone, without a whiff of magic.

Damn I hate thaumatists, she cursed to herself and, by pure instinct, dropped to the floor. A roar of air shortly followed as the air she had, until recently, occupied was cleft in twain by a massive five-toed claw that took out one of the support columns like it wasn't even there. Celestia quickly rolled onto her back and saw the monster. It resembled a hydra of the Everfree, but it was definitely larger, and most definitely varied in coloration. Entire galaxies and nebulae wheeled across it's massive chest and legs, extending all the way down it's long forked tail. It's three heads drooled a viscous black liquid, and it's six eyes shone with a deadly intelligence that seemed proportional to it's size. Celestia took great pleasure in watching those eyes widen in pain as she fired the second ray of light into it's chest. Such a large target at such close range, how could she possibly miss?

The creature's triple-throated wailing pierced Celestia's ears like jagged glass, and shattered all the windows in the surrounding 500 yards, knocking loose stones from the walls and ceiling, and causing the beautiful chandelier that hung in the room (specially commissioned from Saddle Arabia at a ludicrously high price) to explode like multi thousand bit prismatic firework. Still Celestia poured it on, unrelenting n her assault of searing heat. The entire castle shone with light at the power of the blast, and the heat of it scorched the rock of the hall around her black. With a final keening shriek, the beast disappeared again, and Celestia's ray cut it's way through the roof of the castle in a nanosecond, leaving a gaping smoking hole halfway through the mountain.

Instantly she was on her feet, scanning the area. The smoke had been burned away by the fire, and now the beast huddled, clutching at it's chest, in the corner of the room, shivering. A twinge of pity punched Celestia in the gut as her eyes fell upon the mewling creature. Black blood poured like oil from it's body onto the cracked ground around it- wait. No, the black liquid looked far too thin for blood, almost like water. And it was coming from the cracks in the ground. Celestia took a step back as more of the stuff pooled all throughout the room, dripping upwards into the air in void-like globes of darkness, disobeying the laws of gravity.

"Hahahahaha... haHAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" The creature leapt to it's feet with unholy speed, it's eyes ablaze with darkness, laughing in a hollow, manic fashion. More and more of the liquid flowed into the room, up the creature's body, and into it's three mouths. Pulsating orbs of dark energy hovered in all three sets of jaws as Celestia created a shield around herself, all the while the hollow, sickly, crazed laugh built until-

GROOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHRR!!!

Darkness engulfed her. A halo of light, so feeble against the inky cold, flickered around her body. Her shield. Kaiscillius was using his last attempt. He was nearly beaten. He had one trick left. The Last Laugh. Designed by his mother to be used as a suicide maneuver. When he was done half the castle would be missing or engulfed in a black flame that burned on anything, even water, even magic. Celestia would live of course and, he hoped, so would he. This was the gamble. This was for all the marbles. Had his guesses been correct? Would they buy the act? Would he live through it? He didn't know. His bones were burning, his eyes and throat were dry. His body ate itself alive, but there was no stopping the spell now.

Kaiscillius fell. It was hard to see. It was so dark in this place, but not black. Above him, a mighty storm roiled and thundered. Lightning flashed amongst the clouds, illuminating the black sea below. Jutting from the white-tipped frothing waves and wrenching tides, was a single island of jagged razor sharp rock. Kaiscillius tumbled, end over end, battered by freezing rain and hurricane winds, tossed around like a piece of cloth, but always staying above that small rock. He'd clung to this island before, he'd been smashed by those icy waves, he'd been struck by this lightning. But never had these things, this place, claimed him. His mother didn't know. He hadn't told her what he'd seen. No one who came here survived. No one survived overdraw.

Suddenly it all vanished. The sky, the sea, the rock. Everything was white, and a soft hand guided him back to the world of the living.

"There there Master. Let's get you back on your feet."

Author's Note

Kaiscillius's desperate gamble has been set loose. Defeated by the Sisters of Day and Night, he now stands at their mercy. Or does he? What plans has he made? What means of deception has he already set in motion? Find out, next time.

Belly of the Beast: Day 1

Slowly Kaiscillius wheezed his way to consciousness, and immediately gasped in pain. Never before had he felt such an intense shortage of magic, his brief stint in overdraw had taken everything from him. His stomach rumbled heavily, failing to find anything digestible now that the well had run dry, and his throat clenched painfully as his sandpaper tongue hung listlessly from his mouth. The hunger he could deal with, he'd felt as such many times before, but the thirst... it was killing him.

"Ah, so you're awake now, are you?"

A voice reached Kaiscillius's dull ears that sounded as raspy as his throat felt. Slowly he broke open a grime-crusted eye and rolled it around until he faced the speaker.

There wasn't really much to see. The room Kaiscillius was in was meant to be pitch black but night vision negated that as a factor. It was dome shaped with large bands of iron running around the room every ten feet up or so, which meant that at it's tallest point in the middle it was forty feet. The pony who had spoken to him was the only other living thing in the cave. It was a grey pegasus, bound in stone that covered most of his body. Around the stone were patterns of the six elements carved into the rock that glowed strongly with energy. An anti-magic shell. Kaiscillius doubted that they'd be able to build one big enough to contain him, if that had been their plan.

"Well... hello... there," Kaiscillius grimaced at how scratchy and unappealing his voice was. He wasn't going to be seducing guards anytime soon unless they had an unhealthy attraction to frogs.

The pegasus's blue eyes lit with the spark of amusement, "Ah, it speaks! Good! I thought Celestia had finally found some way to kill me besides waiting me out, but no. You're just another prisoner here aren't you? Well, the only other prisoner," the pegasus frowned for a moment as Kaiscillius surveyed himself.

Chains bound his three necks to a far wall, as well as his two front limbs. He tested the bonds and received a sharp zap for his efforts, as well as determining that he was in no fit state to be ripping iron out of walls. His hind legs were merely bound to the floor, leaving him in a rather uncomfortable upright position which brought his head almost to the ceiling. He noticed with amusement that a cloth had been slung over his genitalia, he wondered who'd drawn the short stick for that job.

"Wait a minute," the Pegasus called, "If you're here then that means... no! Could it be? After all this time? Tell me, boy, are you a thaumatist?!" The Pegasus seemed very excited, shifting against his stone prison as though he couldn't help himself.

"Boy?" Kaiscillius snorted, "I do reckon I-" he swallowed laboriously, "-am older than you, pony."

The Pegasus gave a dismissive eyeroll, "Older, perhaps, but there is not as much Time in you, the years you have spent have passed you by, while I have known every one."

Kaiscillius blinked as he realized that, with the depletion of his magic, his traumatic shielding had fallen, but in order for this pony to see what he was that would mean...

"You possess the Sight? Impossible! Ponies are not born with such gifts!" Kaiscillius devolved into a dry wheezing cough after this declaration as his fellow prisoner laughed.

"Any thaumatist can possess the "Sight" as you call it if they are experienced enough! I suppose that's as good an answer as any, but I must here it directly! Are you a thaumatist?"

The pegasus's voice was strange. A mix of barely contained excitement and eager hope. As though he'd been waiting for news of this sort for a long time. Kaiscillius briefly considered withholding the information to be churlish, but dismissed the thought. Any new allies that could be added to the plan were welcome. And he could be removed later with little difficulty.

"I am," Kaiscillius attempted to sound proud and majestic, but again his desert of a throat betrayed him and made him sound sad and tired. He really needed some water.

The Pegasus howled with joy, "Oh, finally! After all this time, I had thought none would be able to decipher the manuscripts! I thought the language had been lost! Or burned," he spat out this last line with no shortage of vehemence, clearly the subject irritated him greatly.

Kaiscillius began to recall some interesting facts he had learned from his spies in the Canterlot Archives, and from Twilight Sparkle's own compendium of knowledge. Records of a great crusade against magic that rose up some 500 years ago. Details on it had been sketchy at best, and nothing had any hard evidence behind it. Most were simply folk stories, if what this pony said was true, then perhaps this was when Celestia had abolished thaumatics.

"I hate to... be the (cough) bearer of bad news but... I did not learn the arts from any manuscripts, and I have never heard of any such existing. I was instructed before the days of Nightmare Moon."

The pegasus's eyes widened, before disappointment settled in, "Ah, a shame. Nightmare Moon, you say? Truly ancient history then, even for one such as me who has been alive since... uh, since... oh I can't remember, but Nightmare Moon was but a foal's tale even when I was a child."

Kaiscillius grunted in acknowledgement, then asked, "I have seen no other thaumatists in this land since my arrival a few weeks ago, why, then, does Celestia have a prison for them?"

The pegasus chuckled, "You're looking at "them". Whole thing was built to contain me, and so it has! For the last few hundred years or so. She had deemed thaumatics too dangerous sometime before I finished my instruction in it, and burned my order and it's hall to the ground, along with my kind master, who'd never hurt a butterfly in his life. My master helped me escape, for the sole purpose of disseminating knowledge of thaumatics to the people. Of course, I had to write in cipher, and hide it so that Celestia wouldn't be able to destroy it easily. Alas, after too long a time alone, I went slightly mad, and sought vengeance for the countless murders she had committed. I rose up a great army of metal and the dead and marched on Canterlot," the pegasus got a faraway look in his eyes, "Ah, what a battle that was. My greatest machine, which stood about 80 feet tall, assaulted the shield-wall of the city as my ground corps slammed into the enemy. Celestia and I did battle personally, and I suppose that me going crazy and nearly destroying the city didn't really help me prove that thaumatics was worth keeping around. But enough about me, what about y-"

A loud rumble reverberated through the chamber as one of the smooth stone walls slid open, revealing a staircase and three ponies. Two fresh-faced guards stood looking from side to side nervously, half hiding behind the third pony. Princess Celestia.

Kaiscillius was glad that his throat couldn't get any dryer as his eyes locked on to her. Celestia had been one of the most difficult ponies to keep composure in front of ever. His chest tightened as she took a few sashaying steps forward, and he realized with a start that he'd been straining the chains around him as tight as they could go, and he forced himself to relax.

She was, in a word, perfect. Flawless milky skin, smooth muscles, and a matchless natural figure that put even the most talented of shapeshifters to shame. Her rainbow hair flowed brilliantly in some non-existent wind, and the severe look she gave him didn't help anything. Kaiscillius could practically feel the primal part of his mind struggling to take this mare for itself. Kaiscillius didn't, as many might speculate, hate Celestia. Quite the contrary, she was the only pony he truly wanted. He'd been created for her, she was his perfect fit, the object of his greatest fantasies, she was the reason his mother had created him. To be with her, to have her be his... was his life's greatest purpose. In the long-term, for now, other things took the forefront. Holding himself in check was nigh impossible, but he wanted to make a good impression. Well, at least better than the first, in which it appeared he'd been trying to kill her.

"Hi there, Tia! This must be a very special guest you've brought me indeed if you've come all the way down here yourself!" The Pegasus called with cheerful familiarity.

Kaiscillius repressed a surge of jealousy. The thought of another male, of any species, being so friendly with her in front of him made him quake with fury. Luckily neither party seemed to notice his reaction. That, or his three different reptilian faces were throwing them off.

Celestia cast a dismissive gesture towards the other prisoner, "Wheel him out to the garden."

Both of the guards snapped to attention with a, "Yes, Princess!" before scurrying to be about her orders. The pegasus, for his part, looked incredibly perplexed, and his mouth opened and closed several times with no sound. He cast a final questioning glance towards Kaiscillius before he was pushed out of the room and up the stairs. The wall slid closed behind him.

Kaiscillius was now alone, in close quarters with no way out, with Celestia. And his body was doing a damned good job of making sure he knew it. Her her scent of vanilla and clean linen soon reached his nostrils, and he held himself back from drinking in as much of it as he could. He was straining the chains again, and received another zap to the spine. He barely flinched, and remained locked in position, transfixed by her beauty.

Celestia regarded the creature in front of her with a cool gaze, and said, "What is your name," it wasn't a question, but an order.

"May I have some water, before we converse?" Kaiscillius asked politely. This time true lightning shot down the chains and ran all throughout his body. No doubt this was meant as negative reinforcement, but his body naturally digested some of the spell as it passed through him, and he'd experienced much worse pain than this before. It did, however, irritate the deep gash burned into his chest from when he'd let Celestia spear him with a ray of sunlight. He'd healed most of the damage shortly after the injury, but it had stopped as soon as he'd started the "if I'm going down, I'm taking you with me" spell. He would have let her hit him a few more times to sell the lie, but the first had nearly pierced his heart, and he didn't want her getting any more lucky shots like that one.

A momentary look of surprise flashed across Celestia's features at her captive's lack of reaction to the punishment, but it was so fast that no pony would have been able to pick up on it. No pony that is.

"The rules here are that I speak, and you answer monster, understood?" Her voice cracked with the sharp whip of confidence.

Kaiscillius focused all of the energy he'd ingested into soothing his parched gorge, and gave a three-mouthed grin, "Of course, Princess," that was more like it, a sinister purr that visibly had an effect on the target.

Celestia hesitated only but a moment before continuing, "What is your name?"

"Kaiscillius, your majesty," he kept up the purr, but made it more soothing this time, although that too could be unnerving when it came out of something so large.

Celestia nodded in gratitude out of habit before stopping herself. Clearly she hadn't had to interrogate a prisoner in a while. At least not personally.

"What are you and where do you come from?" she asked, a pen and paper snapping into existence in front of her as she jotted down notes.

"I thought this place had an anti magic shell?" Kaiscillius said to nopony in particular.

"Oh, it does," Celestia responded absentmindedly as she glanced back and forth between her paper and Kaiscillius's body, "nothing cast in here can get out, but that doesn't-" she stopped herself and glared at him right in the eyes. Another arc of lightning slammed into his spine. Kaiscillius felt that the information was well worth the momentary pain. And it eased some of the clenching in his stomach.

"I asked you a question," she said smoothly, but Kaiscillius interjected,

"Yes, all questions you already know the answer to, unless Nightmare Moon has been keeping secrets," another two bolts of electricity. He must have been getting under her skin.

"This is for the record, what are you and where do you come from?"

With an unconcerned smile he replied, "I am a nighdra, created, along with thirteen other siblings, by Nightmare Moon for the express purpose of taking you down," he grimaced and added, "granted, I haven't done a great job of that..."

"Luna told me you came here to "free" Nightmare Moon,"

"I thought it would be beneficial if my true intentions were unknown. I was about to impale her with a sword when you walked in, no?"

She jotted down a few more notes, more than likely unaware that Kaiscillius could see every word she wrote. Words were strange in thaumatics, which was why it was incredibly hard to make a book using magic alone. Every word, every syllable, every letter was it's own complex layering of emotional meaning, but this also meant that they were easy to read without having to look at them. Even inexperienced thaumatists could get the general feel of a book just by looking at it, while masters could recite the whole thing and give detailed insights into the author's thoughts at the time.

Unfortunately, Celestia held no ulterior motive in interrogating him, at least not as far as he could see. She'd only written what he'd told her along with some question words like "when?" and "where at?"

His attention was brought back as she spoke again, "Where have you hidden the device currently bombarding the city?"

"Oh, I ate it," he replied with a bored look.

More lightning? (Sigh) I would have gotten this information out of me in a few seconds. Ooh! My galaxies are back on!

He'd passively absorbed enough energy from the torture spell that his armor patterns started to shift on their own again. Celestia looked at them, puzzled, then wrote, "Spirals related to pain?"

Ooh, that could be useful, he thought for a moment, Well, maybe not really.

"Tell me, if you would, where the source of the bombardment is," she said icily, but Kaiscillius could tell from the page in her hand that she knew this wasn't going to work, torture rarely did against a fanatical enemy.

"Look," Kaiscillius said, "I have lost, I concede that. More than likely, there's no way I leave this prison for thousands of years. But I still have to try, you understand? I've been planning this since Nightmare Moon's defeat, and it all came crashing down right as things were working out. I guess that's no different than any of the other villains you've fought. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not Thrassimund, I can't weave intricate, century long plans the way he can. Tartarus, I can't even take a castle! So I won't fight back, this was my last ditch effort, but I won't help either. Not yet, at least," he sounded downhearted, defeated.

Celestia wrote a small bit, and looked up, "What do you mean not yet?"

Kaiscillius looked her in the eyes with all six of his, "I'll tell you where it is... later this week, sometime. 3-5 days from now."

She raised an eyebrow, "And, why the time limit?"

"Like I said, I can't just give up. My plans may have fallen apart, my claws may be blunted, but that doesn't make me dead."

Celestia sighed, "You realize that I could just kill you and look for it myself?"

Kaiscillius snorted, "Good luck, you won't find it with a detection spell, and it could literally be anywhere. And in the place where it is hidden, are traps and enchantments that only disengage with my say-so. You're stuck with me until I give up the information. Unless you want to wander the countryside searching for it for the next few hundred years."

In response to her sigh, he said, "I will tell you where it is sometime this week, that I give my word of honor on. A word which, I am proud to say, I have never broken."

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" She asked suspiciously.

With a small, honest smile, Kaiscillius replied, "You'll just have to trust me."

Celestia tapped the pen she held on her jaw, giving the large creature a questioning look, "Really? Trust you? I'm afraid I don't quite find myself inclined to do that after what you've done. I think what will happen is that I will find and destroy your device without the need for your assistance. I will then leave you here, in this room, without food or water, for all time."

With a cold glare she drew herself to her full height (which still wasn't that tall compared to the four story mass of steel and muscle in front of her), "So you can either endure that, along with increasingly horrible levels of torture each day, or you can tell me, now, what I want to know."

The creature snorted in derision, "You cannot break me, mare. My will is stronger than the mountain which sits atop me. You will have the information, and it will be true. But you will not force it from me, only when I decide to give it will it be given."

So that's what this is about, Celestia thought as she chewed her lip, It's about pride.

She hated this. Torture was so barbaric and terrible a practice, most especially with animals. But this thing was no animal, it was intelligent, brilliant even, and cunning, and-

"You are undoubtedly a genius, Celestia, being an alicorn it is impossible for you not to be, and you will have had magical detection spells running since the day that you figured out that the unicorn's horns could be reattached. Another kindness of mine,"

"Kindness," she said with exasperation, "was it kindness, then, when you murdered forty guards that posed no threat to you?"

He leveled a stern gaze at her that gave her shivers, "You know they could have been resurrected. You made the choice to let them die. And I'm sure that poor Princess Celestia has never ever killed anyone that couldn't fight back,"

One thing Celestia would enjoy about the coming days was just listening to this thing speak, even if its words were poison. It's voice was deep and sonorous as an ocean in a storm, and rich as dark chocolate cake. Unfortunately she could guess what its next statement would be, as he'd been correct in all his assumptions so far.

"The attempts to locate it will fail. The... device as you call it has countermeasures that prevent it from being discovered magically. Using traditional methods or otherwise."

Darn, Celestia fumed. That had been one of the reasons she'd dared to let the Grey out of this room, so that he could locate the device, and maybe he could, but she was starting to doubt they would find it without help from the creature, though she was loath to ask for it.

"Very well," she said, unconcerned, "if that is how you wish to proceed then I will be back tomorrow. You will not enjoy the visit," the last proclamation sounded threatening enough to her, but she found herself very much showed up as she turned to leave.

"Oh, I don't know. I think I just might," The statement, for whatever reason, sent chills up and down Celestia's spine, in a good and bad way. Her breathing quickened and the hair stood up on the back of her neck at the ominous (and suggestive) chortle that followed the words. Remaining strong, Celestia refused to turn around, and walked to the smooth stone dome that surrounded the prison. With an activation frequency, the wall slid open with a grinding rumble, revealing the torch-lit stairwell behind it.

Without so much as a backwards glance she ascended the narrow flagstone steps as the entryway scraped to a close behind her. Once safe in the flickering torchlight, she breathed a massive sigh of relief. She didn't know why, but for the last few seconds she'd been tense and held her breath. Maybe it was because of the strange smell that had permeated the room. She couldn't quite place where it was from, or even what it was exactly, but it set her on edge.

Celestia, after a moment spent fortifying herself, scaled the drafty stairwell, which she eyed with disgust. This whole section had been built recently (around 600 years ago, which was recent when compared to the rest of the castle) and the time period showed. It hadn't been Equestria's Golden Age by any stretch of the imagination, and so cheap stone had been in high demand. Bare mortar held most of the aged and molded bricks together, and most had been weathered by time, if not through frequent use.

Finally Celestia escaped the dark clingy air of the passage, and exited into the Hall of Elements, undoubtedly one of her favorite locations in the entirety of the castle. She sighed with contentment as her Sun's warm rays shone upon the pristine white marble through the intricate stained glass windows. With another magical command sequence, a powerful illusion locked into place over the previously exposed doorway, ensuring that no passersby would be tempted to venture down below the castle. Celestia praised Faust that the creature's black fire hadn't hit this section of the castle, it'd been focused mostly on the other half. That said, though, a very very large chunk of the castle was missing. The most notable losses were the main storehouses and kitchens as well as several servant's quarters, barracks, a laundry room, and...

Celestia stopped in the hall and drew a deep breath in and out, in and out. She'd nearly lost it again when she saw the state of Twilight's old room. Thick toxic smoke roiled from the blasted off windows, and everything, books, quills, glass, and even the rocks that made the room itself were burning. Water hadn't put the fire out, neither had magic. It took them five hours to discover that the only way to stop it was to start a larger fire next to it, and by that point... it was beyond saving. But Twilight's death was something she had spent far too long dwelling on, and she would not let herself be bogged down in despair again, unable to aid those who needed her.

Shaking herself out of the momentary stupor, Celestia started down the hall towards the Royal Gardens. The Gardens were one of the best parts of the castle, always bright, safe, and teeming with life. Any door that led to them had rose vines carved onto them in mind-numbing detail. Celestia wondered, though not for the first time, if the artist had hidden anything in the vines. A child's name perhaps, or spouse's. Opening the door, her eyes were bombarded with color.

The Royal Gardens held some of the largest assortments of plant life that could be found all over the world, even carnivorous ones, though they were safely contained. Celestia knew where the attendants would have wheeled the Grey, but she stopped by her favorite patch of sun daisies before continuing on. Bending over, she lightly touched each of the gold and white flowers, and they began to shine brightly, making Celestia smile at their simple beauty.

If only the world could be more like a flower garden, she thought, so many colors all mingled together, and each only wishes to find a spot for future generations, content to leave the others be.

"And all watched over, clipped, and pruned by one all-seeing authority? With those individuals who are unique or different being removed for the sake of purity?" Celestia shook her head with a smile at the aged voice that rang out through the bushes to her. Funny how much the Grey had come to sound like Starswirl in his later years. He was wise for only being 623.

Still, she supposed, that is many times longer than any normal pegasus. And I've known many of them who were very wise.

"But none quite so handsome, eh?"

Celestia laughed, and walked toward the voice. Zenith Terrace held one of the most famed views in the city, having perfectly clear access to gaze down at Canterlot, and out onto the wide plain that stretched away from the mountain. Even after hundreds of years of this view, Celestia's breath could still sometimes be stolen by it, especially during the sunrise, as was the case at the moment.

The Grey sat, encased in his stone as he always was, but he curiously had his eyes closed. Celestia looked at him in confusion, one of the grandest views in the world and he closes his eyes.

"Try it," he whispered reverently, "Feel it."

Celestia looked around to see if anypony else had walked here, but she confirmed that they were alone. Taking a deep breath, Celestia closed her eyes, and felt. Things she had missed became clearer, the birdsong whistling through the trees, the warmth of the sunlight, and the cool tickle of a breeze over her skin, the soft grass pressing against her shoes the smell of hundreds of flowers mingling, not forcing her attention, not smothering her, just there. Waiting, hoping for her to notice. Celestia sighed as contentment washed over her in shallow waves. With each deep breath she felt more calm, more relaxed. For several minutes, though she knew not the exact time, she stayed like this. At peace, breathing in and out and letting the nourishing sensations comfort her. Unfortunately, though her body ached to stay, she had work to do.

Opening her eyes, and surprised to find them slightly bleary, she said, "What puts you in such a good mood today?"

He snorted, "How about that it's A) the first time I've been out of that cave in 583 years 3 months 4 days 5 hours 7 minutes and 50 odd seconds? And B) that I get taken here of all places when I am allowed out. Magic is heavy here, not just strong but heavy. The air is thick with life, care, love. You should give your gardener a raise, Tartarus, just give him my salary."

Celestia chuckled again, "I wasn't aware that you were being paid to stay with us."

The Grey returned a wan smile, "Why am I here Celestia?"

She sighed, "You're a smart stallion, you may be able to guess."

He grunted, "It's something to do with that new... thing isn't it? A new thaumatist, after all these years..."

"Don't get too excited," Celestia gently admonished, "He tried to take over the city, came pretty close. Still is pretty close, actually."

The Grey grunted and tilted his head at the shimmering blue dome that simmered around the city, "I imagine that's what this is all about then. Looks nice, very efficient. Expert level I'd say, but the real masterpiece is the thing you probably can't see."

"I know it's there," Celestia replied pointedly, but The Grey was already on a roll.

"I mean wow, that is an intense field. I can't believe I didn't feel it in my cell! Just look at the intricacy of the Hatred, and the Fear! So subtle it could slam in to you at hurricane speed and you'd barely feel a breeze, almost 100% of the power is emotionally converted! I have to meet the mage who- oh," he curbed his enthusiasm when his mind reached the obvious conclusion.

"I really must ask him more questions," he mumbled, dissecting the invisible spell with his eyes.

"I'm afraid you won't get the opportunity," Celestia said sadly.

His gaze swiveled to look at her, "Why not? Are you going to try and kill me again?"

Celestia laughed, "No, silly, you're being moved. Here, in fact. I'm going to ward off Zenith Terrace so that you can remain here while the situation is sorted, consider it a reward for 500 years of good behavior."

He stared her dead in the eyes with a look that said, Really? That's all I get?

She laughed lightly again, before tentatively approaching the reason for her unscheduled kindness, "Can you see where it's coming from?"

He shook his head, still distracted by it, so it was unlikely he'd guessed her intentions, "No, too well hidden. Too too well hidden. In fact, I'd almost say that the thing is actively shielding itself from detection. You think it's some sort of contraption? And don't try to hide things from me Celestia, I can read your mind. I know this is the real reason you're playing nice. I also know you're now worried about the creature being able to do the same. Don't worry, he can't."

Celestia glared at him indignantly, "Have I not been kind to you while you were here?"

The Grey opened his mouth, but Celestia interrupted, "I know you'll say I only kept you comfortable because I couldn't kill you, but you don't think I could have made your life the embodiment of misery? Are you in pain every hour of every day? You don't think that, if I kept at it, I could have eventually found a way to end your life?"

She finished with a huff, and the gentle whispering breeze took the place of silence. The Grey didn't say anything, and Celestia couldn't read emotions like he could, so she couldn't tell if he was furious or ashamed. The silent breeze kept each to their own thoughts for a while, and Celestia wondered if she'd been too harsh.

"You could have set me free," she heard him whisper. Looking over she was surprised to find a tear in his eye. In all the years she'd known him, he'd never cried before, never even been sad as far as she knew.

"Did you know that pegassi hate confinement more than any other in ponykind?" His voice raw, and she saw now it wasn't the spell far in the distance he was staring at, it was the sky, "To be free, to soar, to race! It is our birthright. For 500 years I've been denied the sky's touch, and now... now I do not know which was more terrible, suffocation, or being so close that I can taste it, only to be chained."

"You know I can't free you," Celestia had been touched by the speech, but she remained unswayed.

"Even if I swore off thaumatics?" He sounded desperate, like a drug addict.

Celestia shook her head, "You use it passively, even you can't control that, it's a part of you. And as such, you have no part in this world."

"Hypocrite!" He spat at her, visibly angry. The colored runes carved into his prison glowed brighter, and began smoking, "You dare spout such drivel as you propose to use thaumatics to imprison me? You are as dependent on it as I! What do you think kept you alive those two weeks as your grief over Twilight's death robbed you of your self control, your will to even move!"

"Get out of my head," it was Celestia's turn to be choked up, indignation and shame rose in her throat, as well as the intense black pit of grief that threatened to swallow her again.

"You weak, pathetic girl! You could not even aid your sister as your world burned around you, so subdued by the spell was that feeble will of yours! You call yourself a thaumatist, you are a liar! You know our forms, our techniques, but our secrets? Our inner workings? You are still as ignorant of them as you are of who is actually assaulting your kingdom!"

The righteous fire of Celestia's oncoming retort died in her throat with a vengeance. After several moments of stunned silence, Celestia croaked, "W-W-What?"

But he was already gone. It had happened often when their arguments became heated, it was too much for his fragile mind to handle. He began to thrash in earnest at his restraints, teeth and eyes clenched he growled, "Said too much, too much. The ticking clock must, on it's own, tock. She burns, red as- ahem, excuse me, old insanity acting up again, what were we saying?"

The Grey actually cringed as Celestia towered over him, her eyes ablaze with god-like power and purpose, "Do not play games with me about such things, something else powers the device? Not Kaiscillius?!"

"What are you talking about woman?" The Grey cried, suddenly seeming much more his age than he had only a moment ago, Celestia knew (though she wished to deny it), that this was the second stage, "I don't even know who you are! Where am I? Why is it so bright here? So many colors! Too many, take me away from this place, whoever you are, there's too much red."

Seething with rage, though she knew it wasn't the old stallion's fault, Celestia could only stand and tremble until his episode of forgetfulness was finished. She heard a hissing noise, and whipped around, ready to take out her anger on whoever happened to be standing nearest. To her horror, she saw that the garden had begun to steam, and, looking up, saw that the sun was incredibly bright, she must have overloaded it with her emotions. She got a hold of herself, sat down, though it strained the fabric of her dress to do so without showing herself off to anypony in front of her, and began counting doubles, tens, meditating, anything to calm herself down.

Eventually her heart and breathing slowed, though it was difficult with The Grey mumbling to himself and occasionally shouting about random things in some foreign language. Whether it was real, or a figment of his shattered imagination, she had no way of telling.

Eventually, inevitably, came the third stage, and he passed out in the earthen harness. Celestia growled in frustration and kicked at the grass in an incredibly undignified manner. This sort of thing was bound to happen if they argued, but never had it happened at such an inopportune time. It could be hours before he was awake again, much less able to talk, which usually took about a day.

Celestia clenched at her dress for a few minutes, alternately fuming and being stricken with embarrassment at losing her temper so. Glancing once more at the aged pegasus, she sighed, and stood up. Digging deep into a well of magic that had long lain dormant, she conjured the powers of thaumatics, binding the soft air around her with the flame of the warm sun, the cool water of the morning dew, the quite order of the well kept grounds, and the slow decay of all living things. Pulling all of the elements she needed to Ward the area from her surroundings, the only real magical effort Celestia had to expend was to bind them together into a double sided anti-magic shell. She repeated this process several thousand times, each taking no more than a nanosecond to complete, as the formula was so simple. With a sigh of contentment, the magical exercise having calmed her quite a bit, Celestia made for her third appointment of today, and the one she was looking forward to the most.

"So you think he's lying?"

"Oh I know he's lying. The trouble is to figure out how much he's lying, and what, specifically, about."

Celestia, after her rather stressful conversation with The Grey, had returned to the dining room in which she and Luna always shared breakfast. Luckily this had been one of the few parts of the castle left standing when the creature blasted away half of it with that beam of his.

She and Luna now sat, as they often had, at either end of the small table. A steaming coffee sat in front of Celestia, which had remained untouched for the entirety of their meeting.

"I think he's telling the truth about wanting to kill me. I don't care what he says, that sword would have ended me according to Blueblood," Luna said.

Celestia sighed. Luna had often talked about Blueblood's advice and information when describing the events that had transpired while Celestia was under the influence of the spell. Celestia didn't like that a thaumatist had managed to evade her for so long, two in fact. It made her doubt whether or not it was really dead. She would have to do something when this was all over. She couldn't kill him, she wasn't that sort of pony anymore, and after sacrificing so much to save the city she couldn't imprison him either. Maybe she could get Twilight to...

She swallowed as the pang of loss clogged her throat and eyes for a moment, before forcing herself to move on.

"Something he said still bothers me..." Celestia began, getting her mind back in gear, "He mentioned another. A Thrassimund, was it?" She directed the question to her sister, who shrugged.

"As I said, I remember nothing of these creatures, none of them. He said he had thirteen siblings, this elusive Thrassimund may have been one of them. He's no doubt long dead by now, no?"

Celestia shook her head, her face heavy with concern, "No, the way he talked about him, it sounded as if he knew that Thrassimund was still alive. This unnerves me greatly, as you can imagine."

Luna nodded, before turning to her own untouched cup of coffee. She'd seemed very distracted of late, often staring off into space and prodding the air. Perhaps the battle had shaken her more than Celestia knew.

Looking at her sister more closely, Celestia noticed the dark bags under Luna's eyes, and an occasional twitch of her fingers that indicated some form of either lack of sleep or unease. Possibly both.

Reaching out and grabbing her sister's hand, she said, "Sister, you and I have faced far worse than this together. When all of this is over, the plague of thaumatics will no longer threaten you, me, or anypony else."

Luna smiled, but Celestia noticed that she seemed even more on edge now than she had before the "let me cheer you up" speech. Not saying anything, her dark blue sister looked away to the tall windows that had recently been re-installed.

Celestia pulled away with a small frown and said, "So what do you think, can we afford to kill him?"

Luna started a bit, before she realized who they were talking about and shook her head, "No, so far the unicorns we've had searching for the device have turned up nothing. Which is truly incredible when considering its size and scope that it is hidden so well. I wish you could have seen it sister, the power inside of it rivals that of an alicorn focusing with all her strength on a single spell!"

"Luna," Celestia spoke quietly, hearing the edge of eagerness in her sister's voice, "You know that magic is dangerous, yes? That it is not to be tampered with?"

Especially not by you.

Luna gave Celestia a forlorn look, "I know sister. But think of the things it can do! If it were only allowed use by those who were pure of heart-"

"I tried that once," Celestia snapped, "and it ended with the city besieged, and me half dead while you rotted in your lunar prison!" She shook her head, "I will not allow that foul thing to creep back into this realm of peace, do you understand?"

Celestia flinched when she saw that Luna had begun to cry, and she realized what she'd said.

"Oh Luna, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean that- it's not your fault that-"

Luna held up a hand and shook her head, but didn't speak. Celestia sat, speechless for a long while, before there was a knock at the door.

"Oh, that'll be the Restoration Committee, I-I'll um..." she sighed heavily with regret, and the knowledge that they still needed to discuss a lot more of the information she'd gathered today, "I love you Luna, and I'm incredibly sorry that I let my feelings get the better of me. It seems I've been doing that a lot today. I'll see you later, alright?"

Luna nodded, poking at the tablecloth.

Celestia nodded, walked a few steps, looked back at her sister, nodded again, and left the room. Waiting for her outside was a brawny pea-soup green earth pony with a five o' clock shadow beard wearing full workman's clothes, complete with hardhat and a stained sleeveless white t-shirt.

"How's it goin Princess? Yeah, I's just comin to inform ya that me and the boys is nearly done fixin the throne room like ya asked. We're gonna be movin on to the corridors here real soon," He spoke with a thick Manehattan accent and seemed to continually chew a piece of gum, though it didn't impair his speech.

"Thank you so much Mr..."

"Mover, Hearth Mover at ya soivice," Celestia raised at eyebrow at the phrase, quite certain she'd never heard anyone actually use it who wasn't making fun of Manehattan speech patterns.

"Mr. Mover, charmed. I am relieved to hear that the room is nearly rebuilt, may I come and see it?"

He chewed a little more before responding, "Oh, sure, it's ready to look at, may be a little dusty from all the stone bein moved around, but don't worry about it, me and the boys'll have it spotless in no time."

Celestia gave him a warm smile, which made him blush slightly, "Ehhh, uhh, I-it's right this way miss," He said, gesturing down the hallway.

Celestia giggled, "Yes, I suspect I would have gotten quite lost if not for your help."

The earth pony looked confused, and then his face cleared and he let out a loud laugh, "Sorry Princess, I suppose you's is the one that lives here, eh? I'll, uh, I'll let you get to it in due time, I gotta go check on the rest of the crews. Er, farewell your, um, highness?" He finished with an uncertain bow (which in no way suited him) and then awkwardly shuffled back down the corridor.

Celestia laughed to herself as she started down the path to the throne room, her usual mischievous mirth dulled somewhat by the sting of lingering regret over what she'd said to Luna.

No use thinking about that now, she told herself, you'll just have to remedy the situation when next you meet, which would mean tomorrow morning more than likely. Luna rarely ever got up after sunrise and, though she hadn't said it, Celestia knew that the weeks of the reversed schedule had probably taken a hefty toll on her sister. Just another thing for Celestia to feel guilty about.

Reaching the throne room, Celestia was quite impressed with the restoration of the doors, which had been blasted off of their hinges, and could hardly tell the difference between them and the original. The only way she could tell, really, was that
it just felt new. It was slightly too shiny, the hinges too smooth to be the real deal. Still, nothing that couldn't be fixed with the oldest of both remedies and curses, time.

Behind the doors was everything she could have hoped for. The scorch marks and deep gashes in the floor were all but disappeared, only a trained eye would be able to spot the subtle changes in the marble pattern. All of the stained glass windows had been replaced, as well as the clear skylight, and the far end, which had been completely obliterated, stood as proud as it ever had been. Celestia motioned to one of the new guards standing in the interior to come speak with her.

"Aye, ma'am, what can ah do for ya?" Well he was certainly very candid. His accent reminded Celestia much of the Element of Honesty, Applejack, though his was slightly less pronounced, and gruffer.

"What is your name soldier?" Celestia liked to call all of the guards by name, it made them feel special, and did no small part in improving her reputation as Princess.

"Grey, your majesty, Grey Shade," It certainly seemed apt, his body was a motling of different grey colors, and his eyes were like stormclouds.

"Grey, would you mind fetching the two Elements who are staying with us for me? Tell them that our appointment can now be held in the throne room."

'Of course, ma'am," with a crisp salute the guard walked at a determined pace towards the guest quarters. Celestia wondered how he might have already known where the Elements were staying without being told.

I suppose he's just doing his job, she thought, walking to the large dais at the fat end of the room, and I would guess that news gets around when the Elements are in town.

She didn't have to wait long. At 9 on the dot a vibrant pink earth pony was practically shoved into the room by a very elaborately dressed white unicorn.

"But I'm tiiiiiiirrrrrred!" protested Pinkie.

"It doesn't matter, the Princess has requested we meet her now, and so that's when we're meeting!" Rarity told her flatly.

"And neither of you have disappointed," Celestia called out to them with a smile.

With an, "Eep!" Rarity turned to face her and executed a nearly perfect curtsy. Pinkie Pie on the other hand, with speeds that rivaled teleportation, appeared next to Celestia and gave the alicorn a crushingly strong hug.

What is this pony made of? Celestia thought with gritted teeth. She returned the hug, although more gently, and squinted in pain at the ear shattering, "CELESTIAAAAA! I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE BETTERRR!!! Ohmygosh, we need to throw a party right now! A 'Celestia Isn't So Sad That She Can't Speak Anymore' party! I've never thrown one of those before, it's gonna be so fun!"

As fast as she was there, the pink whirlwind was gone, bouncing off of the walls and stringing streamers that Celestia hoped she was pulling out of her jean pockets and not... somewhere else.

"I'm sorry Pinkie, but I don't believe we'll be hosting... that, um, particular party anytime soon."

Pinkie Pie screeched to a halt, making Celestia wince in sympathy for the brand new floors, and deflated next to Rarity, "Awww, no party? You guys need a party after all you've been through!"

Celestia laughed lightly, "Thank you for the sympathy Pinkie, but I have another job for you and Lady Rarity."

"Oh!" Rarity spoke up, "Whatever it is, Princess, we'll be happy to do it!"

"Yeah!" Pinkie affirmed, back to her full volume.

Celestia smiled, "I'm so happy to have such dedicated ponies at my side. I've ordered the mandatory evacuation of Ponyville due to the magical circumstances in the surrounding area-"

"Excuse me Princess," Rarity interrupted, which made Celestia blink in surprise.

If Rarity of all ponies is willing to interrupt me then it must be important.

"Yes, what is it Rarity?"

"Is that... Blueblood over there?" Celestia looked over to where she was pointing and jumped with a start. Standing there was indeed Blueblood, in the same position he'd occupied for days, hands outstretched, horn aglow. Celestia didn't know how she could have possibly missed him... or the state he was in. Every inch of him was drenched with sweat, his skin was grey and clammy, and his once impeccable blond hair was now hanging over his face and sickly as straw. Seeing him like that made Celestia's chest clench. He may have lied to her his entire life, but she'd still thought of him as family not too long ago, and now he seemed a corpse. He practically was, all fat had melted from his body, and a good deal of muscle too, Celestia didn't know really how long he could keep this up.

"Yes, Rarity, it is. He is currently powering the shield around the city. It is a valiant sacrifice that will, more than likely, claim his life," Celestia said soberly.

Rarity looked shocked, "Oh! Oh my, I had no idea!"

Celestia nodded gravely, "As I was saying, I have ordered the mandatory evacuation of Ponyville and a few other hamlets. You two will be in charge of organizing them as they get to Canterlot. Between Miss Pie's planning skills and your multitasking, Miss Rarity, I believe you two are perfectly suited to the job. We will, of course, be housing them here in the castle, I just need you to make sure that everyone is organized into their rooms. Are you up to the task?"

Rarity took a breath to answer, but Pinkie bounded into action first, "Are you kidding me Princess? We could organize the pants off a fully grown dragon! A few rooms will be no problem!"

"I'm... not quite sure what that means, but I'm relieved to hear it. They should begin arriving by train later tomorrow evening. Now, if you'll excuse me ladies, I have a public appearance to make. I wish you both the best of luck, and stay safe. Oh, and the gardens are off limits for now, if anypony asks."

Rarity nodded, but Pinkie looked confused, "Why's that?"

Celestia descended from the throne as she chuckled, "A matter related to the case Miss Pie, and, while not immediately dangerous, it is still inadvisable to admit anypony back there. Don't worry. After we fix the remainder of the issues it will be opened back up."

"Okie-Dokie! Bye Princess!" Pinkie called out to Celestia.

"Oh yes, farewell!" Rarity added, she seemed somewhat distracted by Blueblood. Celestia could imagine why, he wasn't exactly the picture of health he'd once been.

On her way out, Celestia spotted the new Guard Captain. Well he'd been in his position for a few weeks while Celestia was... out of action. If she remembered correctly Luna had said his name was Golden Lance.

His smile was wide and welcoming when he saw her, one of the reasons that Luna had recommended him. That, and the fact that he was very cute. Celestia was almost jealous.

"Princess, how lovely to see you today! Are you ready for your visit around town?" He was incredibly upbeat, and his smile was bright. Almost blindingly so, in fact.

"Yes, I believe I am," she replied with a gentle expression.

He looked even more excited, "Great! Then it's time for your safety briefing!"

Celestia hesitated, "Safety briefing?"

Nearly three hours later, Celestia stumbled out of an impromptu briefing room beleaguered and half asleep. The amount of information thrown at her had been both astonishingly dull and nail-bitingly anxiety inducing.

"And don't forget to come by tomorrow! Should be a great round two!" Celestia almost hissed at the accursedly excited pony, his enthusiasm for board meetings and flow charts made her want to go interrogate the Machiavellian monster in her basement again.

"Oh yes... tomorrow. Well I suppose I-'ll see you then!" She desperately attempted to flee, but the huntsmaster of boredom ensnared her once more.

"Ha! You're funny Princess! You know I can't let you wander the streets all by your lonesome!"

"I'll have a team of guards," she growled with disbelief and a slight hint of fear.

"Of course you will! I've hand picked them myself, and I just so happened to meet my own standards! Come on Princess, I'll escort you to your carriage! We can discuss some of tomorrow's briefing on the way!"

You vile, unholy creature! What sort of demonic cult conjured you into being? No pony can enjoy fact checking that much! Even Twilight would have gotten bored and done some form of experiment!

Celestia smiled, "Oh... of course! The more we speak of today, the less we have tomorrow yes?"

She should have known her tone was too full of hope, too full of desperate dreams!

"Haha! No, silly, it just means we can spend more time tomorrow on the next day's briefing!"

WHAT KIND OF CYCLICAL HELL IS THIS?

It was well past three in the afternoon by the time they actually reached the royal carriage. Luckily it seemed that Golden Lance had a sense of humor, or a sense of self preservation, and had refrained from discussing anything else to do with her safety on the way there.

"Alright boys, thunder up!" He called out to the guards pulling the carriage as he ducked inside, "Where to first, your majesty?"

"Oh, just to the center of town I think, I'll ask you to stop on the way if I see anything that requires my attention," she knew there would be at least a few things that would. This was a public relations mission. When the shield fell, she wanted to be in the ponies' good graces so that it took longer for them to be seduced. Celestia was surprised with the speed at which they got going, usually it took a while for the guards to stretch or adjust their armor. A glance out of the window told her that the guards pulling her carriage were also new, which reminded her...

"I'm very impressed with the caliber of guard you've found in such a short time, Captain Lance," she began.

His ever-present smile widened a bit when he looked to her, "Oh of course, ma'am! They come with the most shining recommendation I can think of. I trust it's the speed at which we set off which grabbed your attention? Yes, these men are professionals, and of course we've as many of the old guard back as we can but... well, shame prevents some from returning, which only makes the problem worse of course," this was the only time she'd seen the Captain look slightly down, so she refocused the conversation to its original topic.

"And I trust you've taken care of the special prisoner as I requested?"

His smile returned, though it was more a knowing smirk now. He'd been one of the three ponies who'd been informed of the arrangement with Kaiscillius, and Celestia had asked him to whip up a special task force to keep him under control.

"Oh, indeed ma'am. All rough and ready soldiers with... let's say previous experience with such matters. They'll keep him locked down, especially with the new armor you supplied us," he grimaced, "That damn sword of his tore us apart last time. Er, pardon my Prench, Princess."

Celestia waved it off, "No Captain, I quite agree with the sentiment. And I'd make more but... frankly I'm strong enough to forge suits of armor for an entire army by myself. Ooh, stop here please!"

With a chance peek out of the window next to her Celestia had managed to spot a situation that would, no doubt, appreciate some official governmental aid. Stepping lightly out of the carriage she approached two ponies, one a peach color, the other more of a grape. Both of them were earth ponies, and seemed to be trying to decide how to fit a too large piece of glass into a smashed window.

The grape colored one noticed her first, "Princess Celestia!" he cried, and immediately gave her a deep bow, the other, after a moments confusion, followed suit.

"Am I correct in assuming that you two could use assistance?" She asked regally.

The grape on scratched the back of his head in embarrassment, "No Princess! It's just... well, during that time when everybody went crazy I smashed this fine stallion's window, so I was going to help him repair it."

This, more than anything she had seen today, gave Celestia hope. So soon after a cataclysmic event where they were all ready to gut each other like fish, common ponies were willing to make reparations, to help rebuild and renew. It warmed her to her core, and the world seemed just a little brighter.

"But the problem is, you see," he continued, "The glass piece we ordered is too big."

"My fault," the other one mumbled, "I took the measurements in the wrong units."

"Never you mind who's fault it was," the purple pony chastised lightly, "Anyway Princess, we just need to get a unicorn to resize it for us, no biggie."

She laughed lightly and said, "While I may not be a unicorn, I believe that I may be able to suffice."

Gripping the window frame with her magic she quickly ascertained its measurements, then it was a simple thing to separate out the extra glass and teleport the correct piece directly into the storefront.

The two earth ponies looked at each other, slack-jawed, before the peach one stuttered, "T-t-thank you Princess, you're more than kind, you didn't have to come help me out! Us, I mean, us out."

"It was a very simple thing, my little ponies, nothing a Princess shouldn't be able to handle. And I think it is very admirable, what you two are doing. Keep up the good work," she turned away from them with a warm smile.

"Oh, and uh, Princess!" One of the called out.

"Yes?"

"You might want to check the square where the riot happened, we aren't there because we were fixing the window but... you'll like what you see."

She gave him a questioning look, but he didn't say anything else, "Well thank you for the information, I certainly will, should I have the chance."

The ponies nodded to her and then turned to examine the window, Celestia climbed back into the carriage just in time to spot something curious. She was just in time to catch a small white pegasus with bright orange hair retreating from the other side of the carriage. She only caught a glimpse through the open window on the other side before the pony disappeared down a side street that was far too dark to follow. Her greatest surprise, however, came from Captain Lance's stormy expression, and the tiny part of her brain that thought, He's even more attractive when he's angry!

"Who was that?" She asked, carefully watching him.

He shook his head, "An old acquaintance delivering bad news. It's a personal problem your Majesty, I will... handle it later," his smile was slow to return, but it eventually worked its way back, "Where to next Princess? Still the center of town?"

Celestia glanced at the sky and saw that it was getting late, around five or six in the afternoon if she was right, "No I don't think so, I was recommended to go to the square by those fine gentlecolts over there. They said I would enjoy the sight."

He nodded, "Very well, on to the square boys!"

Celestia gazed out of her window for the rest of the journey, wondering only a little what could have transpired while she was helping the two ponies. She was mostly worried that the streets seemed to be deserted, she saw not a soul on the way to the square. Normally Canterlot was bustling with life, perhaps it was still subdued due to the tragedy of a few days ago. This was what she believed, until she heard the noise.

It was the sound of thousands, no, tens of thousands of ponies, all talking at the same time, moving in tandem. She began to see a gigantic crowd, though they hadn't even yet reached the square. The streets were absolutely packed with bodies, all of them moving, talking laughing, and... exchanging gifts?

"Stop here," she said distractedly, immediately departing from the carriage, looking this way and that at the massive throng of ponies, many of whom noticed her approach, and ran to greet her.

"Princess Celestia everypony, Princess Celestia is here!" The call rang out, and soon she was swamped into a sea of happy faces and hopeful expressions. She laughed aloud at the wonderful feeling she received from this place, and she asked the nearest pony, "What is going on here? Hearth's Warming isn't for another few months!"

The pony in question, a storm cloud colored unicorn shuffled uncomfortably at being addressed so directly and answered, "Well, a few ponies felt so bad about... what happened that they organized a small Apology Day between themselves, but then word got out around town, and," he gestured around himself, "everypony just got really into the spirit of things."

Somepony tapped him on the shoulder and jangled the present they held in their hand.

"Oh right!" He said, and then held out his present to Celestia.

She gasped, "Oh, that's incredibly kind of you, you didn't have to get me anything. I didn't even know this event existed until just now!"

There was a general wave of laughter that rolled out from around her, and Celestia looked to Lance, bewildered. He shrugged with a similar expression.

"Ahem, with all due respect Princess," the unicorn said nervously, "they're not for you. They're for Princess Luna. We all treated her awfully durning the time when that spell messed with our minds, and so, we know this probably won't go all the way towards forgiveness, but we think it's a good start."

Speechless, Celestia looked out over the veritable sea of shining faces. There must have been at least twelve thousand ponies gathered together, each held a gift. Some were as small as a fist, others were larger than the pony carrying them. Celestia held a hand to her mouth, and began to cry tears of joy.

Maybe... maybe there's hope after all.

Author's Note

A nice day in Canterlot, when all is said and done. Double meanings are fun. Can you figure out this one? And perhaps, a snipet of conversation.

"You're late."

"I know."

"Here, take it."

"What am I supposed to do with this?"

"You know what to do."

"I don't like the taste anymore."

"When the shield falls, you'll feel it. He assures us."

"All of it?"

"Every grain."

"... Fine."

Also the breaks this time represent time jumps, not perspective switches (well, except for the one that isn't :D ). The next two chapters will be the same. Oh, and the reason for the delay of this chapter? Hurricanes. Lots and lots of hurricanes,

Kaiscillius is chained beneath Canterlot, Equestria's staunchest protectors stand vigilant, ready to defend their home, and this time of peace has brought a resurgence of faith and good will. Things seem safe, stable, unshakable. So why, then, does he laugh?

Belly of the Beast: Day 2

Disclaimer:

Soooo, in the description of the story it says how violence will never be used during sex, and by that I meant cutting, brutal beating, or stabbing. All I'm saying is, whipping is kind of tame as far as these things usually go, and not something I personally include in my "bad/don't do" list. If you do consider this unacceptable behavior, then feel free to skip... certain... things. Not that I'm guaranteeing whipping of course, nope not one bit!

Deep breath in, deep breath out, deep breath in, and out. Luna opened her eyes.

Good, they're gone, they wouldn't be for long, she knew it. Better enjoy the clarity while she could. Luna sat up in her star spangled bed and stretched, yawning. Outside, the twilight of evening was just beginning, and a dull grey light filtered in through the large glass doors that led out onto her balcony. Piled high inside of her room, stacked any way they could fit and taking up nearly every cubic inch of space, were presents.

Yesternight had been one of the busiest of her life, with hundreds of ponies streaming to the Night Court for actual advice and assistance and the veritable plague of nightmares spawned from the infernal device outside the walls. She must have saved hundreds of ponies in total who were no where near Canterlot, with some of the most distant even reaching as far north as the Crystal Empire, and as far south as the Dragon Lands, geographically speaking, though she hadn't aided any dragons during their slumber that night.

Needless to say that Luna was probably more keenly aware of just how much this object threatened the entire world than anypony, even her sister.

As such, when she'd gone to bed yesterday morning she was so tired she completely forgot about dinner (or breakfast in Celestia's case) and had only noticed the veritable mountain of presents when she'd tripped over one and slammed face-first into her bed. This had, unsurprisingly, woken her up quite well, enough to notice the tag on her door that read:

Luna,
I was out in town today and the most incredible thing happened. I won't spoil it,
and I hope I was able to keep a straight face at breakfast, but behind this door is a wonderful surprise from everypony, and I mean that literally,
Love,
Celestia

After reading the note, she'd stood in shell-shocked amazement for twenty minutes at least. There must have been thousands of presents piled into her rooms, nowhere was safe! The next ten minutes had been spent reenacting a scene from a book she'd once read and done a few swimming moves in them like they were a pool. She had been very tired, and had basically giggled like a schoolfilly the entire rest of the time that she was awake.

Now she encountered the far more logistical problem of all the presents. She had no way of getting to nearly any point in her room, every avenue was blocked. No doubt this was a small prank on her sister's part who simply couldn't resist messing with Luna just a little bit, even during what had to be one of the happiest occasions of her entire life.

Whelp, she thought with a repressed smile, no way to get out of this mess but to open all of them! Gleefully she started to tear open all of the lovingly crafted wrapping on the present nearest to her. As the minute turned to many many minutes spent unwrapping gifts, Luna found that they generally had a formula. There would be the wrapping layer, and inside would be the name of the pony who sent it (usually with a note of apology) then a layer of paper around the gift itself. Luna had to stop several times to have a short cry at the most touching of letters (which was really almost all of them, as she was quite sure she'd never received so much positive attention at any point in her life) and after what felt like hours, even with both of her hands and full magical capability unwrapping as fast as they could, she only managed to unveil nearly half of the parcels. Most of them were what you'd expect ponies to get for a Princess of the Night, lots of stars and moons and there were several incredible paintings that really belonged in a museum, but Luna couldn't resist hanging them on her bedroom wall.

There were also gifts that very clearly came from unicorns, such as a host of telescopes of various makes and models, many sextants, somewhere close to thirty individualized star charts (which Luna also hung all over her walls that were not still blocked by the great present mountains), and a single device whose purpose and overall design was 100% impossible to discern. It looked like somepony had fixed a non-functioning nightlight with a massive battery to a vacuum cleaner, what it did was anypony's guess.

With Luna feeling slightly guilty about taking so much time to open all of the gifts she had, she quickly hopped over to the now accessible bathroom door and quickly got ready for the night ahead. Feeling much more refreshed, and happy, than she normally did, Luna chose one of her more modern outfits to wear. It was a long not-quite-translucent dress that started sky blue at the hem and gradually darkened and added stars up to the shoulders. It showed off a little more of her than she would normally like, in fact it showed off quite a lot of her hips and bust, but she didn't imagine she'd have many more opportunities to wear something like this in the near future.

Feeling ready enough to fight a dragon, Luna stepped out of the bathroom and carefully picked her way through the present carpet to the large glass double doors that led onto her balcony. Breathing in the cool evening air, she watched as her sister's magic pulled the sun from the sky, and it slowly sank towards the horizon. Doing the same, Luna reached out and felt her namesake far below her, and a little to the left. Taking a deep breath, she focused and pulled, the action as natural as blinking to her. She watched as the Moon slowly and silently slid into the sky, alone for now, tinted by the sizzling blue shield that enveloped the city of Canterlot in its embrace.

As they did often these days, her thoughts turned to thaumatics. Her sister condemned the study as an evil, wretched thing, but she didn't follow that logic. A point of major contention, over the past days. Luna was not a filly anymore, she understood that really nothing in life had a straight answer, and her sister probably had good reason, but it still frustrated Luna. Especially since it was being used all around her right now in such a positive way! Blueblood was sacrificing himself to save them! No matter how a pony achieves such a goal, it is always the noble and right thing to do.

Luna began to paint the stars onto the sky, little, big, twinkling lights to give her Moon company in that big empty room of its.

Maybe Celestia has forgotten that, she thought pensively, maybe she has forgotten that ponies are the ones with the choice, to be good or bad. Some ponies are just not kind, or honorable. It's not the means through which they destroy that make them evil, but the emotions inside themselves. I think that, instead of admitting that, she outlaws the magic, because she is afraid of bad ponies, not bad magic.

Though Luna understood the intent, and the excuse, she did not agree that it was the right thing to do. Had she remembered any of it, she would have more than likely have brought up the issue much sooner, merely on principle. Should they not also, then, ban swords? What of knives? Pans? All could be used to disastrous effect in the wrong hands, but none were evil in their own right.

With a sigh, Luna finished decorating the sky. It seemed her distractedness had showed, it certainly wasn't her most beautiful, but it would do.

Luna paused, and shook her head, When have I ever thought That will do? If it is sub-par then it is unsatisfactory Luna, no excuses!

Rousing herself to greater effort, Luna corrected a few of the parts of the sky she found garish, or that didn't fit. She added a comet or two, some more stars that actively winked, and a shooting star field for good measure.

There, now that is what will do, Nodding in affirmation at the improvements, Luna turned from her balcony and went to re-enter her bedroom when the tooting of the train whistle interrupted her. Luna turned back around, and, instead of looking up, gazed down upon the land.

The city was beautiful at night. Thousands of lights, either fueled or electric, hummed and flickered like a reflection of the stars above. Hundreds of ponies mingled, moved, and made merry with others. The streets were alive with music and joy, fun after a hard day's work. The train had just arrived and there was jubilation as family members received each other with open arms and wide smiles.

This is my domain, Luna thought, taking all in, while Celestia may have the bright warm day, full of hard work and bustling business, my time is in the cool air of the falling stars. In the cries of joy from hundreds that the day is done, and that a long, wild night is ahead, and the peaceful murmurs of those already asleep, content that they can rest safe, under my care.

Luna watched as a particularly vibrant pink pony greeted a serious-looking mare with an audible, "MAAAAAAAAUD!!!" No doubt Pinkie Pie's family had also been evacuees from the surrounding area arriving tonight. Luna wondered if she would get the chance to meet them, but doubted it unless they had a problem moving into the castle.

She sighed as the start of a headache built up. She knew what it would lead to, but it wasn't that big of a problem right now. She heard a clock strike eight and realized that she'd been sitting outside for a lot longer than she really ought to, and so she started her way to the Night Court.

It was not overly far from her bedroom to the throne room, and she left later than usual, even so one of her favorite ponies still managed to find her. Captain Golden Lance awaited her arrival like clockwork, standing dutifully by the door to the court, just as he had been on the day they first spoke.

Upon seeing him Luna broke into a light jog, a smile wide on her face. She flung her arms around him without saying a word, an embrace which he eagerly returned, before pulling her into a deep kiss. Her beautiful captain. She'd begun the relationship very shortly after meeting him, stress and hard times tended to do that to ponies, and they had worked very closely for several days before "first contact" as it were. She hummed contentedly as his agile hands ran down her back.

"You look incredible," he whispered to her as the kiss broke.

"And you should be asleep," she answered, giggling, before pressing her lips to his again.

He ended it with a laugh, "A guard captain never sleeps, Princess, but I find time to be unconscious enough. Though i'd prefer it'd be with you in my arms."

Luna blushed heavily and bit her lip, "Perhaps when all this is over, Captain. I have no wish to endanger you by risking the discovery of our relationship," Luna winced as the headache she'd had grew worse, an uncomfortable pressure just behind her eyes.

Lance frowned, "Everything alright?"

She shook her head dismissively, "Just a small headache, it'll get worse for a while and the disperse. Thank you for your concern."

He laughed, "Well, I'd think myself a very poor coltfriend if I didn't ask if my mare was in pain."

Luna giggled like a schoolfilly at the word "coltfriend". Of course, she'd had many official courtesans before, and had lain with many more ponies than them besides, but the start of a new relationship was always special, and since her return she'd lost much of her former confidence in her "dating" abilities.

Stepping apart from each other, Lance said, "You've many ponies to see you again in the Night Court, Princess. I've tried to do my best to ward off the stupid or the unreasonably antagonistic, so the ponies waiting to see you should be honest ones with real problems."

Luna gave him a grateful smile, "Thank you, Captain. I suppose I should be off. Please, try to get some rest, I know you must have been on your feet all hours of the day doing..." she stopped awkwardly, what did he do all day?

He chuckled at her pause, "Guard Captain stuff?"

She laughed with him, "Yes, all manner of it, I'm sure. Go! Off with you, go get sleep!"

He made a deep and gracious bow, "As my Princess commands," he turned from her with a smile and a wave goodbye and jogged off down the corridor.

She blew him a kiss and turned to her own destination, the large set of double doors in front of her. Giving them a firm knock, they were swung smoothly open by a pair of guards on the other side. The room, which had previously buzzed with the low hum of many conversations, quieted, before a thunderous round of applause started up. Luna strode, smiling into the crowd of cheering ponies, even receiving a few wolf whistles, which she smirked and rolled her eyes at. Climbing to the throne and taking her seat, she declared, "The Night Court is now in session, who is first?"

The Night Court passed quickly and eventfully, with most of the problems brought to her attention having to do with the ingress of ponies and shortages they were causing, which was easily resolved with some simple rationing from the Royal Storehouses. A record low of actual disputes between ponies was brought to her that night, only two cases of disagreement, and in both of them they had already decided the blame and had merely come to her to divvy up the reparation dues. Of course there was one problem, one major problem.

At a juncture when it appeared most of the ponies had either taken their leave or were working up nerve, Luna called out, "We will now have a half hour recess, and reconvene at midnight, where we will continue for two hours more."

The record keeping pony, situated near the side of the room nodded and made note of the pause. Luna stood and made her way out of the throne room to her personal antechamber, a large octangular area decorated in a very similar manner to her personal rooms. Made entirely from black marble, with a floor covered in exquisitely soft wild Ursa pelts (all of whom had been threatening settlements around the kingdom at time of their deaths). Smokeless braziers stood in each corner letting off a soft orange glow, and back lighting the many cushions and couches strewn about the place. Many navy blue side doors led to different parts of the castle, and could only be opened by her.

A servant appeared in the doorway she had left open to the throne room, "Anything I may acquire for you, my lady?"

With a grimace of pain, she responded, "Just a glass of ice water if you please, maybe some coffee. Black."

The servant bowed and silently left.

What were they again? The pure ones? Dirt, Fire, Water, but I can't find the others naturally, too much interference, then, all of the sudden, it was upon her.

It started as an intense pressure, small at first, but building quickly inside of her mind. As the pressure became more and more forceful, it became more painful as well. About halfway to one if the couches Luna sunk to her knees, gripping her skull and started to sweat.

I must attempt to control it! Perhaps if I can learn to control this, then other things will become clearer, She attempted, without really knowing what she was doing, to combat the force expanding outward inside her head. There was a thump of involuntary magical release and all the cushions around her were shoved backwards, the torches flickered and the room rumbled ever so slightly, and Luna knew, before even opening her eyes, that she had failed. She could see them even with her eyes closed.

Colors. Hundreds of colors, thousands of them, ebbed an flowed around Luna. It had first happened just after she'd awoken from her bout of unconsciousness after the fight. Assuming it was just a result of her getting knocked around, after it went away she hadn't thought anything of it. It was when it had happened again, a few hours later that she began to worry. Wishing not to alarm her sister, she'd consulted a doctor about the problem after it wore off the second time. After an intensive brain scan he'd told her that there was no physical damage he could detect, and that the problem was either psychological or magical in nature. The next day she'd arranged another clandestine meeting with her psychologist, who had also confirmed that Luna wasn't suffering from any new issues (Luna had given her the most withering look she could for that comment) so the problem must be a magical one.

The only problem with that theory was that she had also consulted a battle mage medic and he'd said he'd never seen anything like it, and asked if she'd taken too hard a knock to the head.

Efforts thus thoroughly defeated, Luna had then decided to do what anypony would do and eaten a very large amount of ice cream to calm down.

Now, as she lay on the floor of the antechamber, she sighed as a lazy haze of yellows, reds, purples, and blues passed above her. She was almost useless when in this state, unable to see anything but muted color. Now, that wasn't entirely fair. The colors could actually be incredibly specific and beautiful, often flowing into one another or creating stark contrast depending on what they were. Looking at the carpet under her, Luna could see a vast range of whites, grays, purples, and blues, as well as undertones of brown and some kind of pea-soup green.. Luna decided to try and stand, at least make an appearance of normality.

As she stood, Luna realized that it was actually getting easier to tell what was what in this state. For instance, the stone floor was always solid grey, with a few other random pieces thrown in. Using that as a baseline, she was able to work her way over to a sofa and sit down on it, stretching out and closing her eyes. Not that that did any good. She saw the servant, even before he re-entered the room. Through the masking grey haze of the walls she could see the enigma that was a pony.

Ponies were undoubtedly the most complex things to look at when in color-vision. They came in layers, almost like circles, but not quite. The same as how the colors were not quite colors, but Luna had nothing else to describe them as, like trying to tell of the sunset to a blind man, the necessary references just weren't there. For some reason Luna felt that they weren't just colors though. They were more... weighty than that, more substantial. For instance, the servant's colors on the surface, or the top "layer", looked almost like what he'd been wearing before, clothes-wise, but beneath that was all manner of things that she couldn't guess at. A complexity she could barely comprehend, let alone discern meaning from.

But you do know the meaning, a part of her whispered. A part long thought dead, long unheeded, and even longer buried by sorcery.

Luna shivered as a feeling of cold passed over her for a moment, before sitting up straight as the servant entered the room.

Luna heard, though she couldn't really see, the pony gasp in alarm, and felt a brief stab of panic. What could it be? A changeling? A spider?

Luna whipped around, and saw nothing but the reds and yellows that made up the air around. And purple, there was always a tinge of purple, no matter where this malady overcame her. She wondered why that was.

Turning back to the aide, she asked, "Why did you gasp so, my little pony?"

She could see a deep indigo bleed across one of the layers if the pony, and heard the stutter in his voice, "F-F-Forgive me P-Princess, but... your eyes!"

Luna nearly had a moment when she tried to look at one of her eyes to see what was wrong, but of course that was physically impossible, so she settled for rolling them.

"How would you describe my eyes?" She asked in a placating manner.

The server gulped, "W-Well, um, th-the, uh, the whites are, uh, now black, a-and you know your iris's, which are normally such a wonderful shade of blue, are, um, orange."

Luna blinked, and then laughed, though she tried to hold it in, for the sake of the terrified pony in front of her, "Is that all?"

She witnessed as light shades of lavender and pink begin to blossom inside the servant in front of her, before he asked, "Ma'am? What do you mean?"

"Well," she said, still stifling a laugh, "The way you were talking I had imagined I was near death. This is merely a side effect of the recent magical battle in which I fought, and I would appreciate it greatly if you didn't speak to anyone of my... disability."

A few seconds of silence, before she heard, "Oh no, my Princess, of course I won't say anything! Oh, how terrible! Um, here are your drinks Princess, should I fetch a doctor?"

Luna carefully took the glasses, luckily they were made of actual glass so they were made of a baby blue to her eyes, and said gently, "No, no, I'll be fine. Um, what is this?" Luna pointed to the glass of water, except that it wasn't just water. Water was an ocean blue color, and Luna distinctly saw a neon green ribbon running through it.

"Uh," the servant said confused, "That's, uh, water ma'am. Are you sure you don't want a doctor?"

"No, no" she tittered,"There's something wrong with it."

The servant leaned in and took a closer look, "Can you, um, see me Princess?"

"Uh, heh heh, no not really, but I can still tell that there's something in the water," Luna wondered why he had asked that. Then she thought about it a little more, the circles were more than likely at the center of the pony, at least from what she'd seen of them so far, which would put his head... nearly directly over her cleavage.

"And I would very much hope that you're not taking advantage of your physically disabled Princess young man."

"Oh! Er- of course not! That would bring shame to my house and... so forth. If you're sure there's something in it, I can pour this out and get you new water."

"Change the glass too," she said, leaning back onto the pillows behind her, "You may go."

The attendant bowed (or at least Luna assumed he did, she was only aware of a little bobbing motion) before stepping out of the door.

Sighing, and now unable to drink her other beverage as it had left the room with the servant, Luna cast a glance about the place, looking for something to entertain her until this spell or whatever it was wore off. What she saw surprised her greatly.

As mentioned before, there were many doors that led from this room, each had labels that told of their final destination. Obviously, in her current state, Luna was unable to read. Every door was just plain, undecorated, uniform brown. Every door, except for one. On this door, incredible patterns in different shades of vivid green moved and pulsed along the surface, each ending in a vibrantly red rose.

Luna quickly rose and walked over to the strange door, and discovered, to her amazement, that the green lines often broke slightly from the rose stems and curved to form part of a letter. When taken altogether, they formed sentences, a secret message hidden in the door!

And not only that, Luna thought, eyes burrowing into the message, a message that can only be read by those who share my condition.

The message read,

Chapter V,
Greetings Prospect, and congratulations on making it this far! Through this door you will find the necessary components to complete the ritual found in Chapter II. Once completed, head immediately to where the moon touches the spine, farewell, and good luck,
Thunderboom

Luna had many questions. She recognized the pattern on the door though, it was the same as every door that led to the garden.

Strange substances in my drink, hidden messages in the doors, what next? A giant lizard invades the castle? Luna snorted at her joke and, after but a moment's hesitation, opened the door. Grey as far as the eye could see extended down the corridor in front of her, dotted occasionally by the light yellow and red of torches. Nothing moved in the passage, no traps triggered, no assailants jumped out to capture her. In fact it distinctly appeared that no pony had been here in a very, very long time.

Taking a breath, Luna started down the corridor, forgetting that she had asked the servant to bring her anything, and instead completely focused on the task at hoof.

After quite a while of jack squat happening, Luna finally reached the other end of the hallway, to find a second door. Same green lines, same patterns, same message, and this one Luna knew led out into the gardens.

Pushing open the door with no small amount of trepidation, Luna gasped at what was on the other side. It was the garden, as it always had been, but with this new way of seeing... it was absolutely splendid!

The pale moon was suspended high in the sky, emitting the same yellow aura as the sun, but seeming so much more at a contrast to it. The plants beneath her feet radiated and swirled in a bed of chromatic wonders, and Luna could see every star in the sky brighter and more clearly than she ever had.

Almost entirely forgetting that she had come here for a reason, Luna stumbled through the garden like a drunken guardspony, ogling every flower and blade of grass in sight, until she noticed something really strange.

Where Zenith Terrace had once stood was now a large bubble of multi-chromatic energy. Moving to examine the sphere, Luna noticed that all of the colors here seemed... different, pure. It was pure red, pure blue, pure black, nothing seemed derived, and it was all held together by the same golden light. The same light that made the sun.

Celestia, Luna thought in shock. Luna looked around as if searching for another culprit, but no other explanation presented itself, it had to be Celestia's magic.

But, but... it can't be! She abhors this magic! She nearly called me a monster naught but two days ago just for suggesting its use, all the while SHE uses it for her purposes? We shall have a serious discussion with our sister about whom she goes around blaming! Fuming with frustration it didn't even occur to Luna what the bubble was, a barrier, meant to keep ponies out, and so, seething with indignation, she walked right through it. The magic of the barrier passed harmlessly over her in a wave, and allowed her inside.

Within the bubble, she did not find what she expected to. A pony sat there, a very old pegasus by the look of him, with grey skin but alarmingly blue eyes. They reminded her much of Lance's.

"Oh! Goodness me, don't sneak up on old ponies like that, young lass, any breath could be my last!" He chuckled at his words as though it were a joke, but Luna didn't think so.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, I was following a trail, you see, and I believed this bubble was made by my sister, but I must have be-"

"What bubble?" The old pegasus interrupted.

Luna paused and looked around, before realizing, "Oh, you can't see it! Right, that makes sense, I suppose I should have assumed that-"

"What, exactly, do you think you see?" Luna huffed at the second interruption, and looked down at the old pony with suspicion.

"Well, I have a condition from the fight recently, no doubt you've heard of it. There's a bubble around us of magical energy. I... I can't quite remember but I think somehow it has to do with thaumatics, a very, very old school of magic that has been lost to time."

"Lost to time?" The old pony chuckled and shook his head, "Girl, I don't know where you've been getting your facts, because thaumatics wasn't lost to time, it was destroyed! Obliterated! Erased from existence by Princess Celestia, along with anypony who knew anything about it! Though I suspect she wouldn't want you to know about that, Princess Luna, and you especially don't want her to know about the extent of your thaumatic reawakening. The Sight has already returned to you, and soon you will remember more than just how to make a rudimentary shield."

Luna looked shell-shocked at the old pony, her mouth hanging wide open, before a thought occurred to her, a thought so obvious she didn't know why it hadn't occurred to her earlier, "Why can I see you when I can't see anypony else?"

"Princess?" a voice called from her left, and, with an intense sucking sensation, the world snapped back to normal vision. Luna stumbled and grasped around for something to hold onto as her eyes adjusted to the dark, and her stomach somersaulted like it had entered in the Equestria Games.

"Oh my! Princess, are you alright?" A hand was there to help her up, and she gratefully took it. Looking over at the valiant pony, she discovered the same servant from earlier, looking very distressed.

"Oh, don't worry I'm fine, coming out of that state always makes me queasy, now then, you were saying, sir-" Luna stopped as she turned back to the old pony, only to find that he was no longer there, "Oh! Where did he go?"

"Well, ma'am, you were talking to thin air," the servant told her, looking worried.

"No, I'm certain there was an old pegasus here but a moment ago," Luna looked around her, hoping to find the old pony again.

The servant backed away slowly and said, "Alright Princess, I'll, um, I'll just leave you to that."

Eventually Luna realized it was pointless, and that she should probably return to the Night Court before she was missed.

I have to come back when I'm like that again, maybe I'll be able to see him then, Casting one last look around the garden, Luna sighed, and returned to the Night Court to serve her last two hours.

These were much less eventful than the first four, almost nopony was willing to stay up until 2 in the morning to have a minor issue resolved, and so Luna had plenty of time to think on what she'd seen.

That servant said that my eyes were orange and black, and I could see all the colors of objects around me. It all sounds very similar to what Blueblood did when he showed me the device's effects, he was able to see the magic in it. I wonder if I could do that? She didn't really feel like talking to Celestia about the bubble in the garden anymore, she suspected that she might get in more trouble for having discovered it than was worth the catharsis of chastising her sister for being a hypocrite.

A much more corporeal matter is, what was in that glass? It was almost definitely poison, but why? Does Kaiscillius still have fanatics under his sway in the castle? Or is this a new enemy, come to strike us when we are weakest? Luna shook her head and sighed, glancing at the clock for the millionth time. She could swear that it'd taken eleven months for the last hour to pass.

"The Night Court is now officially closed!" She announced at 2:00 on the dot, to basically only her guards and the minute keeper.

"I thank you all for standing so steadfast in the face of great drowsiness, please, go rest," The ponies in the room nodded and bowed gratefully, eventually filtering out and leaving her alone. Well, nearly alone. There was always Blueblood.

He stood in the same spot as he had on the morning of the attack, stance wide, arms outstretched, magic flowing strong from his horn. He'd never looked worse. They'd removed his shirt for fear of gangrene and the doctors had wanted to move him as well, which Celestia had expressly and, quite ferociously, forbade.

He now stood, bald, gaunt as a corpse, and near as grey as one. Deep grooves were carved under his eyes in black, and they had a sunken look to them. His lips were peeling, his fingers were bruised somehow, and Luna couldn't imagine the Tartarus he must have been going through.

And yet, still he stands, she thought with no small amount of awe, What kind of drive must a pony have, I wonder, to be completely and utterly alone, drained of all semblance of life, and still stand as though no time had passed, Luna shook her head, you have a stronger will than me, my friend. When this is all over, I will see that you are well rewarded.

Sighing (she seemed to do that an awful lot lately) she turned from the husk of a pony she had once thought selfish, and made her way back to her rooms to begin her other nightly task, clearing out nightmares from the minds of ponies and other creatures alike.

It was only a short way to her quarters from the throne room, and Luna, though a bit melancholy, attempted to make her way there quickly.

"... telling you, he put something in it!"

"I'm sure it was nothing, miss, now if you would excuse me?" A body pushed passed Luna with a surprising amount of force. Turning on her heel she saw that it was a guard dressed in standard sergeant's gear. His skin was a dark grey, and his face was obscured by the wings of his helmet.

"Well, I never!" Luna looked to the side to see a very fit young orange unicorn with ocean blue hair staring at the guard with a look of irritation and indignation. The servant's outfit she was wearing fit her figure quite well, the white frilled undershirt hugging tight to her body with the help of the satin black outer one.

"Is something the matter?" Luna asked the two. The guard ignored her entirely and kept walking, while the unicorn seemed to be noticing her for the first time.

"O-Oh my! Princess Luna!" The unicorn blushed heavily and bowed, which Luna cocked her head at. Perhaps she'd mistaken the young unicorn for a- but no! There was a definite bust and the legs were too petite and toned for a stallion.

Standing back up, the pony intentionally avoided Luna's gaze, "That was just Grey Shade, one of the guards. I was trying to tell him about something I saw in the kitchen but SOMEPONY IS AN ABSOLUTE GRUMP!" She yelled this last statement down the hallway at the diminishing form of the guard, then returned to sheepishly standing with her eyes averted and her hands clasped firmly together in front of her.

"What was it you think you saw, young one?" Luna wondered if it had anything to do with her drink being tampered with.

"Well Princess, I saw somepony dark and mysterious looking that I'd never seen before hanging out near one of the prep stations, and he left as suddenly as he came. I went over to where he'd been but I didn't find anything out of the ordinary. Still, I thought I'd report it in case something had been done."

Luna smiled at the mare, who's floor-staring intensified, "Well, you've done a lovely job. I shall personally see that an investigation is started. Thank you miss..."

The pony stood up straight as an arrow, "Eep! Flying Colors, Princess, and really you don't have to thank me! Why would you thank me? I was just doing my job is all and really anypony else would have done the same thing in my place in fact I-"

"Ahem," Luna coughed, grinning as the mare immediately stopped talking and went redder, "So, I take it you are new here?"

The cute orange unicorn nodded, "I am! I, uh, I was going to be a battle mage but something drew me to this place instead, not really sure what," Flying Colors looked at Luna for probably the first time in their whole discussion, "Oh wow! I love your dress!"

Luna laughed lightly, trying to capture the same air of easy confidence her sister always had with other ponies, "Why thank you, your clothing suits you as well."

Colors looked down at herself, "You really think so? I had to borrow Tuck's because they hadn't sorted mine out yet. He's a stallion who's even slimmer than me! So I guess this does show off a bit, huh?"

Luna nodded, appreciating the time she was being given to admire the lithe unicorn, and how snugly the clothes molded onto her supple body. Then she noticed that Flying Colors was watching her with a small smile on her face, and it was Luna's turn to blush.

"Well miss Colors, it has been wonderful making your acquaintance, and perhaps we may... get to know each other more intimately at a later date. For now I have business to attend to, but you can be sure that your matter in the kitchens will be looked into. Have a lovely night," Flying remembered to do a proper curtsy this time, which looked especially fetching as the thin black fabric of her uniform stretched over her thighs.

Luna turned quickly before she became anymore distracted and headed off down the hallway with a wave.

Well tonight has certainly been eventful! I'll have to see what Lance thinks about multiple partners, some ponies can be so possessive, but that Flying Colors is just too tempting a morsel not to at least have a taste! Giggling at herself, Luna finally made back to her room, and promptly took great pleasure in flopping down onto her bed, face first, and in the most undignified manner she could imagine.

It's the small things in life that you enjoy the most sometimes, she thought with a sigh. Sitting up straight amidst her blankets and sheets of black and blue, Luna began her second and final task of the night, and certainly the one she deemed most important, the protection of dreams.

Closing her eyes, Luna slipped into the dream realm as easily as a fish into water. She stood alone, a small shape amidst the vast cosmos of the Night around her. Here, there was no ground, no up or down, left or right, there was the Night.

And I am the night, and so it was. Luna was no longer a small pony against the infinite void, she was the void. She was the stars and the moons and those distant suns, her eyes were supernovas, her mane a galaxy, her body finite and infinite together. Around her were shimmering bubbles of consciousness, each looked like a soap bubble that showed something different on the inside than the out. Luna cast her heavenly gaze over the sea of them, growing and growing until they were but grains of sand adrift on solar tides.

Luna looked around, and sadness touched her heart of pulsars. So much disturbance, so much hate and fear.

Let it be no more, a wave of magic more vast than the universe rolled from her skin, she had no need for a horn, such a silly device. She was existence, her will was law, as inescapable as a black hole, as undeniable and inevitable as the slow march of time. She visited those dreams, fractions of her. Pieces, enough to comfort, enough to heal, but so many. So much work to be done, so many terrible dreams. She sought the source, in every crevice of every nightmare she saw it, watching. When she arrived, it retreated, more than the Tantabus had been, this was intelligence. This was planning and mastery of resources, this was devious, crafty, sorcery.

Almost done now, her decree of peace had reached the farthest corners of the dreamscape, none alive could hold back the swelling tide of resolution anymore than a leaf could a hurricane. Still she felt disturbed, still she felt her work was not done. One more, there was one dream that yet eluded her. Where?

Luna saw all of the conscious thoughts of ponies, each at peace, each content beneath her. Where could it be?

Each pony... beneath me... Luna looked up from the waves of Night and turned her eyes of eternity upon something... horrible.

Standing directly in front of her, though far removed from the other dreams and thoughts, was a bubble near as vast as she. It's surface was red as fresh blood, and undulated in spiked waves, throwing off gigantic quantities of chaotic energy into the shapeless void around it.

What is this? What sort of Nightmare has possessed somepony so, that they resemble Our own power? Luna drew all of her strength to her, and expanded. No mere fragment would save this pony from Nightmare, Luna would be delving into that pit of darkness herself.

Luna was falling, falling through red-tinged clouds, above her hung a horribly gruesome crescent moon, painted the shade of blood.

"No mother, please!" She heard a small voice shriek, immediately her wings snapped into action, and she pounded towards the call of distress. As she breached the cloud line, what she saw shocked her.

The ground beneath her was rent and torn, as though some great calamity had shattered this place, save for one circle of clear grass, green as any ever known. On this grass, a small creature stood over the body of an unconscious pony, and above the both of them towered Nightmare Moon. She was massive, several stories in height, her teal eyes filled with disgust, disappointment, and malice.

"THIS IS YOUR GREATEST FAILURE," the voice ripped with gale force from the giantess, nearly bowling Luna from the sky as she blurred towards the scene.

"Nooo!" The small creative's voice was shrill and hoarse, curling itself into a protective ball around the pony.

"REMEMBER THIS. YOU. HAVE. FAILED." The giant raised an arm, pointing a single finger the size of a small building straight at the pair, a dark energy began glowing on her horn.

Luna got there just in time. With a roar of rage, Luna blasted the giant version of her other self straight in the face. To Luna's surprise, the image shattered immediately, chunks of it falling all over the ground of the grassy hillscape. Then came the force.

A cataclysmic shriek filled the air, the wind howled and raged, and Luna was bowled from the sky by the sheer intensity of it, and even as she fell, the actual shockwave slammed into her, and sent her careening even farther off course. She hit the ground with such a massive THUMP that she threw up debris for hundreds of feet, and plowed a deep gash into the "earth" for several hundred yards before grinding to a halt. Still the wind howled around her like a typhoon, she wouldn't be flying anytime soon in this weather.

And... it was strange, it was almost as if she could hear something on the wind, a whisper in the gale. Straining her ears, Luna began laboriously climbing out of the hole she'd dug for herself. Reaching the top, she gasped in surprise as she found the pony and creature from earlier, what shocked her was that she recognized one of them. The creature was Kaiscillius, except he was much smaller, he looked only about as long as a pony would if they laid down flat.

Through the screaming winds, Kaiscillius asked, "Who are you? What's happening?"

Luna was so shocked she couldn't answer, this was the being whose power over dreams nearly rivaled hers? Impossible!

The pony next to Kaiscillius, a small lavender unicorn, hugged him tight and pecked one of his heads with a kiss, Luna saw him involuntarily shudder and smile, before shaking his main head. Through the growing force of the howling storm, he cried out, "It's not supposed to end this way! I-I can't be happy! I'm not allowed to- to... I... I know you! You're-"

Luna felt an intense moment of vertigo as the floor beneath her vanished, along with the sky and the wind and the dark, red moon. She stood blearily, and only further confounded her self when she tried to get her bearings. Everything here was black, her night vision did nothing to banish the darkness. Although there was at least a gravity here by which she could judge "down".

She stumbled slightly in place from the dramatic shift, then turned about to see her surroundings. That was a serious mistake. Behind her towered Kaiscillius as he was now, a thirty foot tall monster, who resembled what Luna looked like when she was in the dream realm. But there was something about him that she would never be able to match, his fury.

He looked at her with eyes that spoke louder than any voice, with screams of murderous rage, and the howls of madmen. His armor trembled, and the very floor beneath her shook as his eyes grew brighter and brighter in anger.

"You have seen what you should not have," his voice was quiet, like how the world stills before a great calamity, "That was private. That was sacred."

"Sacred?" Luna scoffed, "You attack my kingdom and harm it's people, and you expect me to respect what you call sacred?"

She could tell immediately that she had said the worst thing possible for the situation. Kaiscillius's three mouths opened, and a purple smoke began to roil out of them. From his back sprouted more heads. Two, four, eight, ten in total, all spewing purple smoke and sparks.

They spoke in unison to deafening effect, "YOU WILL NEVER ENTER MY MIND AGAIN," his mouths opened wider, and Luna could see a vibrating magical energy growing in the back of his throats, but something made him hesitate. Then Luna heard it too, a low whine, but it was gradually building.

"What is this?" He demanded of her, slamming a claw down in front of the pony, "What more destruction have you wrought upon me?"

Luna shrugged, "I have no idea! I assumed you'd conjured it-"

Luna heard a distant explosion, or perhaps an implosion, and the whining gave way to an eerie silence. She felt a tremor run through the blackness on which she stood, which was usually not a good thing when inside someone's head.

Turning towards the sound, Luna's jaw dropped as a wave of dark blue force, easily taller than a mountain, ripped its way through the space, leaving the darkness shattered, torn, and jagged in its wake. It was moving so fast that Luna could barely blink before it was on her.

Luna and Kaiscillius both were thrown from their feet, and the dream entirely.

"GrrrrRRRRAAAAAHH!!!" Kaiscillius released the pressure he'd been applying to the chains, the smell of ozone and scorched metal thick in the prison's air. He blinked in the dim light of the cell, shaking his heads to clear them. What... had just happened? Some kind of... chain reaction. It had started when that bitch had entered his nightmare! What had she done? It had to be her!

"Sir... what are you doing?" One of the guards assigned to watch from the circular doorway asked, much to the perturbance of the other guard.

Something was different, something was wrong. Kaiscillius felt it in his bones. He was off-balance and his head swam, he felt lighter and heavier than he had before, his brain was scrambled like eggs on Sunday morning.

"Dammit Spear! We aren't supposed to talk!" The other pony had a nasal sort of voice, which might make one think him weak if they were unable to see his paradoxically muscular body. His skin was a dusky blue, with swirling yellow highlights. The other was much shorter, with brown skin and a white mane. Both wore pure white suits of armor with fairly decent thaumatic protection spells interwoven into them. Nothing major, but it would prevent Kaiscillius from snapping their spines by looking at them funny, which he was inclined to do at this point. He'd been too careless, falling asleep at night and not during the day, but there was no way to tell time down here! Not for certain!

"Well I want to know! Why does he keep hurting himself, there must be a reason!" Clearly the brown one, Short Spear Kaiscillius remembered him being called, must have received most of the brain cell handed out to this duo. What had he been thinking about? So hard to remember, something about a dream?

"Maybe, and this is just a possibility, but just maybe, he's a bucking lunatic!"

They'd been arguing on and off for their entire shift before he'd fallen asleep, Kaiscillius wanted to scream, "Just kiss already!" But unlike these goons he could actually keep his trap shut when it suited him. He wondered how long it had been. Obviously it was sometime early in the morning, say 5 a.m., if Luna was still up fixing dreams before the sun came. He'd had three different shifts of guards, all wearing the armor, all pairs of males. What had that pegasus said? Something about Seeing Time? That would be useful in more ways than one. Kaiscillius had pondered that for a long while. In all of his years he'd never heard of being able to see Time. What elements would even form it? Order, definitely, and Void perhaps? Intelligence, Mechanics? He didn't know, but he dearly wanted to find out. Crack Pot and Thick Face had started up again, so Kaiscillius slowly leaned forward in his manacles once more, and hummed pleasantly as the low buzz of magical electricity began to run through him again, slowly filling him back to his full strength. The more he pulled, the more painful, but the more powerful. As such, he could expedite the process if he wished, but there was really no hurry until about 20 hours from now. He didn't have any way to tell time in here, except for his calculations of how long it would take Thrassimund to run dry, but even those were iffy, and didn't give him exact measurements.

Kaiscillius shifted, stretching his hind legs. They were horribly stiff after this forced standing position, and he did his best to keep them from cramping. The lightning helped somewhat, in both soothing his muscles and the grinding ache of his stomach. He hoped the stones were okay, a lot would go wrong if they became damaged in some way.

Kaiscillius whipped his heads up as the doorway ground open, and the two buffoons stopped bickering and snapped to attention. In walked Kaiscillius's Warden. A tall, beautiful stallion, with golden skin and mane of the same color, though splashes of a more white-gold ran throughout it. He was dressed in silver armor, a wide royal blue sash ran across his breastplate, and his helmet he carried under an arm. The sash perfectly matched his piercingly blue eyes that resembled sapphires in the way a tiger resembles a kitten. If ever there was a stallion Kaiscillius would waste time seducing, it'd be Captain Golden Lance.

"Rise and shine, gentlecolts," Oh, this stallion was good. His voice was like butter, as if it was somehow barely containing mirth, but his tone was serious, which gave the statement more gravity than a simple how do you do normally would.

Also, hah! My calculations, it seems, were right on the money! Thank you ever so much Captain.

"Morning sir!" The two chattering idiots called out like penguins with a collective IQ of 5.

"Status report?"

The brown one, ever eager to spill the vomit that passed for his speech out of his mouth, answered first, "No sir, nothing to report! Prisoner remains docile and unresponsive!"

"I have a name you know," the rumble echoed around the room like distant thunder, and all eyes turned to the black hydra. The black hydra's eyes turned right back, each head looking at a different pony, with the main one facing Captain Lance of course.

The captain turned a raised eyebrow to the brown one, "Docile and unresponsive, was it sergeant?"

Sergeant? Ponies have lower standards than even the rock bottom I believed them to.

Kaiscillius was in a considerably better mood, not that it was helping his petty bitterness much, but he'd just caught sight of the gift the lovely captain had brought him.

"Well anyway, you two are off the clock, Cloudy, Mira, you're up."

A pair of female guards, dressed in the same gear, walked into the room as Relative Intelligence of a Half-Dead Crab 1 and 2 stepped out, and began following the captain up the stairs. As the two lovely ladies settled in, the only competent pony in the room cast one final glance back at Kaiscillius, to which he responded with a wink. The captain grimaced, turned, and followed his subordinates up the stairs, as the wall slid shut behind him, and the two nice gals with swords stared full steam ahead in a very no-nonsense manner. Kaiscillius leaned forward again, and let the lightning power his armor back on. He took time in examining his new servants. Well, his soon-to-be servants anyway. He was very goals oriented today. And he really wanted to figure out what had bothered him so much about whatever dream he'd been having, but the plan came first, and these fabulous and fortunate females had now become part of it.

One, the one presumably named Cloudy, was a petite girl, seemed to be an earth pony with exceptional coloration. Deep blues and milky whites mingled across her skin like a three dimensional painting. Her long white mane hung down to the small of her back, and she had deep blue eyes, perhaps even with a purple tinge. She seemed nervous, and her posture shifted from side to side, although subtle. She had almost no chest to speak of, but Kaiscillius didn't mind, he wasn't really the sort to judge somepony for that. Besides the rest of her looked great. She definitely had a guard's physique, with small but muscular arms and legs. She was an animal lover, he could tell by how much Animal was spread over her skin, likely she owned several pets. He could infer, then, that her discomfort came not from fear, but rather from pity. Either would suit Kaiscillius just fine.

Having summed up the other guard and found her far from lacking, his much-seeing eyes turned to the other watcher he'd been assigned. Mira, she'd been called. Kaiscillius's lip curled in disgust when he saw that she was a thestral pegasus. Still, it's not like he couldn't hatefuck with the best of them, many he'd use her as a stress relief ball and treat the other one as an actual creature deserving of respect.

Looking past the, frankly, pretty big deal that she was a thestral, Mira was pretty, in a generic sort of way. She had the same skin tone that almost all of them had, cobalt blue. Her eyes were teal (how original), she had a dusky blue mane (yawnorama), and big tits. Whoopty freakin doo. Actually her face was quite pretty, you could tell she spent a lot of time on her makeup. Her normally bland eyes were made exotic and dangerous by the expert smoky shading she'd done of them, and her lip gloss made them seem fuller and much more appetizing than they normally would be. Mira was taller and less muscular than her normal pony counterpart, giving her a softer, pillowy quality that just made you want to squeeze every part of her to feel the flesh mold in your hands.

Kaiscillius could feel himself getting more excited by the second looking at these two prizes, which really showed how desperate he was becoming. Neither of them were particularly beautiful, especially considering that he'd last had sex with two elements of harmony, arguably the epitome of beauty among their pony types.

Stop that, this isn't a fashion show, you just need them to do one job, cracking his mental knuckles, Kaiscillius began to weave his spell. Celestia had been foolish not to completely prevent him from using magic, though the guards' armor would stall his efforts for a while, they could, by no means, halt them.

He began earnestly, ponies were so quick to trust a friendly face, "Well, I suppose it would be rude of me not to introduce myself since we'll spending the next several hours together without interruption. I am Kaiscillius-"

"We know who you are, prisoner, and what you've done. I'm only informing you just this once that we are, in no way, permitted to converse with you, or each other, while on duty," This was the earth pony, Cloudy. She had some surprising steel to her, despite her small stature.

Kaiscillius carefully measured both of their reactions to the statement. Cloudy definitely meant what she said, far from the nervous position she had taken upon first entering the room, she now stood unbendable as an iron girder, with just a hint of danger in her eyes. She was a good actor. Unfortunately, Kaiscillius saw through all facades, and her outer arrogance was to cover the inner hollowness, and perhaps even dread, she felt at having to stand there for hours watching an animal be tortured and unable to say anything.

Mira, on the other hand, was much more forthcoming with herself. Her disdain for standing around in the pitch black unable to speak was quite evidently written across the sneer she wore on her face.

So we've found our weak link... just... why did it have to be a thestral?

Quickly the spell was formulated, a simple pathway to the mind was not so difficult, and the lovely Celestia had apparently forgotten some of the rules of thaumatics. Such as that it is a contact sort of magic, and the helmets had visors. Were he to fire a beam at these two he wouldn't harm their brains or hearts, but he'd sure as Tartarus melt their faces off. Clearly she'd been in a rush while making these. Good, hopefully his agents on the outside were following his instructions to the letter and giving her headaches.

Focusing on the spell framework he forced the necessary elements into it. Mind, Sense, Sight, Sound, and Travel assembled in front of him, though invisible to the lesser ponies,. Though right before he fed it through Mira's visor, Kaiscillius hesitated, and added a Memory-Void pair, as well as a host of several other emotions. He didn't feel like scarring her for the events he was about to make her commit. Satisfied, he pushed the vaporous magic through the open faceplate and into Mira's eyes, embedding it into her mind. The pony shuddered, looking around.

What was that? Kaiscillius heard her wonder, though Cloudy heard nothing. She had a beautiful voice, soft and supple just like the rest of her, and naturally husky. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. Slightly curious now, he used the connection to gently probe her memories, in case Celestia had been smarter than he expected. She hadn't been, and Mira's mind was completely exposed. Mira was a twenty three year old thestral, mother of two, though not in a committed relationship from the looks of things, she worked late (early morning) shifts so she could spend the night with her sons. She had a close circle of friends, Cloudy being one of them, though they'd been more in times past. Things had been tense between them since the riots, Cloudy having been a fervent believer of Kaiscillius's propaganda, which Mira, obviously, believed none of. She had been hoping to use this time to talk things over, albeit quietly, and was now slightly annoyed that she wouldn't get the chance.

Kaiscillius felt a surprising pang of guilt for nearly forcing the pony to do a good many things that she would have been averse to, and he might still have to do them, but he wondered if there was another way.

Of course there isn't, how else am I going to get them to do what I wish? Mira's never taken Dust, and I doubt that even if Cloudy had she'd be able to convince her to do something I said. And I need magic, fast. I just don't know if I'll be able to get all I need from my chains.

Still debating what to do, he stalled by assembling a similar spell to the last one he had cast, and fed it into Cloudy's thoughts instead. Cloudy was twenty two, and with much less responsibility than Mira. She took early shifts because she was a morning pony. She lived in a tiny apartment on the other side of Canterlot near the honorary "Thestral Quarter". This is how she and Mira had become friends, and even lovers at one time, though that had ended swiftly. She had three dogs, and would much rather feed them than herself. She was also no stranger to bestiality, happily enough, but Kaiscillius wasn't really in the mood to pry into that gem of a memory box. She'd been called in even earlier than usual for this assignment, and had been incredibly awkward the entire time. She remembered the events of the riot much more vividly, and was much harder on herself, than Mira. They'd had several arguments, and Cloudy had declared them over as friends forever. Afterwards she'd crawled back to Mira like a beaten puppy and begged forgiveness, which, of course, she had gotten, but she also still thought there were some things that hadn't been said. Interestingly she had lied when she said that she knew who he was, neither of them knew why they were here really, or why security was so tight for this one prisoner.

Then an idea occurred to him, it was no less twisted, but it's result would not mean the abandonment of Mira's children, or Cloudy's already alienated friends.

A chuckle resounded around the chamber, shaking the ponies in their boots. Kaiscillius twisted to of his heads around menacingly, placing them low to the floor, eyeing the two with a predator's eyes. Both smiled cruelly, as if in on a joke which the two mares had yet to realize. The third head mimicked their actions by splitting its maw in a similar fashion. Kaiscillius's eyes shone, and the darkness around him grew thick, almost heavy with the weight of his malice. He radiated a new air. Far from the beaten prisoner, it seemed that the guard captain had left two snacks for a cunning beast rather than two well-trained guards. The silence in the room grew palpable as the two waited, unconsciously holding their breath, and their swords, each watching one of the serpentine appendages that observed them, eager for a chance to strike. Kaiscillius spoke.

"You are a good liar, Miss Cloudy, but there are none better than I. And none more able to tell the truth, also. You do not know who I am, or why you are here," Kaiscillius paused for effect, waited to hear one of the girls gulp, and turned out the lights, including his own.

Three snaps echoed through the chamber like hammering thunder, followed swiftly by the thump of metal on stone. Kaiscillius watched the two poor guards clutch their flimsy swords in white-knuckled terror. To their credit, they did not scream. Mira was close to wetting herself, though. To be unable to see in the darkness must have been very disconcerting for a thestral, for one so used to the shadows of the night. But these were not Luna's shadows. Pale imitations of Darkness, one of Kaiscillius's favorite elements, and nothing like what he had plunged the room into now. True Dark was something you could feel, almost touch. It weighed heavy on the soul and mind, and terrified those not attuned to its whispers.

The hydra's voice came from everywhere and nowhere, emanating in the ponies' ears themselves almost, with no indication of direction, "So let me tell you some lies, and some truths, little ponies. I am Kaiscillius, the first of my name, Breaker of Greystone, Chosen of Nightmare Moon... and an excellent cook, or so I've been told," He chuckled at his joke, though it seemed his audience just wasn't up to his standard of humor, "I'm the one that started the riots, I'm the one that stormed the castle, and nearly killed princess Luna, and they've locked you in here with me," He let out a long, rasping laugh, which slowly soured into a growl.

"W-W-we should call for backup," Mira said, trembling.

Kaiscillius answered in Cloudy's stead, "Oh should you? And how were you planning on doing that? These walls are thick stone, and I've already stolen the magical horns they gave you."

Both ponies frantically grabbed around their waists, searching for the summoning horns they'd been given in case of trouble. As the monster had said, they were gone, which meant that the hulking creature had gotten close enough to both of them without being spotted to actually take the horns.

"Cloudy?" Mira whispered.

"Yeah?" She answered, putting on quite a brave face for her friend.

"Hold me," Mira was doing a much less impressive job of keeping her cool, which Kaiscillius found strange. Thestrals were supposed to be unflappable, independent, aloof, but this one was cowering behind a wiry earth pony three-fourths her size like a scared filly. No matter, really, that meant she'd be easier to turn.

"So, do either of you wish to leave here alive?" Cloudy choked on her own spit and started hacking up a storm, and Mira resolved her bathroom problem and stood rooted to the spot in fear.

After Cloudy was done coughing out a lung, she asked, "You won't get us to do anything for your sick plans, creature!"

"Oh I don't know," Cloudy yelped and flailed as the voice seemed to come from directly behind her, "I convinced an entire city to tear itself apart based on a happy coincidence, including you miss Cloudy, if I remember rightly. It should be no problem for me to sink my hooks into your psyche a second time."

Kaiscillius had struck a nerve, he could see the floods of Shame and Anger from where he stood, Mira was still paralyzed by Sorrow and Fear, so he decided to loosen her up next.

"And I know one of you has a very personal reason for needing to leave here alive. After all, I hear foster care is dreadful for a child's upbringing," this part of his new plan Kaiscillius was not proud of, he felt like absolute scum by threatening children, but the plan had to succeed!

Mira hissed in surprise and finally began to move with outstretched arms, probably hoping to hit a wall, "I swear if you harm one hair on my kids' heads..."

"Oh Mira!" Cloudy groaned. Kaiscillius let out another chuckle that made Mira cease her moving until the room stopped rumbling.

"What? He clearly already knows about us, so what's the point in hiding anything?"

"Because there's no way he could know anything about us because we were picked for this job a few minutes ago!"

"Actually Cloudy," Kaiscillius interjected, "I know quite a lot about both of you. But more on that if we need to discuss it later. Now, we were discussing what you'd be-"

"Pshh, prove that you know a single thing about either of us," Cloudy said, her voice heavy with mockery. She squealed as something long and thin cracked like a whip across her flanks, and immediately moved her hands to cover the sore raw flesh. She looked around as involuntary tears prickled at her eyes, trying to find the source of the punishment. She cried out again as the same thin appendage grabbed hold of a leg and toppled her face-first into the stone, striking two more sharp cracks on her exposed rear before repenting.

"Do not interrupt me again, understood?" Kaiscillius was no longer being mysterious, his tone was commanding and stern, brooking no argument.

"M-m-mhmm," Cloudy nodded her head into the floor, not trusting herself to speak as she shivered from the sudden pain.

"Now, as I was saying, you two will perform a service for me, two in fact, and I will let you leave here with your lives. You do not get the choice to agree or disagree. It will be done, or you will be punished severely. Do I make myself clear?"

"Mhmm," Cloudy whimpered, still a little dazed from the impacts.

Mira spoke softly, "E-excuse me s-sir, but what do you, um, want us t-to do, exactly?"

Afyer a long period of silence, in which Mira began to sweat from the tension in the air, Kaiscillius said calmly, "That is not your place to ask,"

Mira's eyes widened, "No sir, I'm sorry- AH!" Three more strikes cracked off around the room, connecting with such speed that Mira hadn't even had time to cover exposed hunches before they landed. She gasped with pain, and had the wind driven out of her as she too was yanked to the ground, shivering as she lay on her knees.

"You do not make demands of me. Ever. Now, stand up. Both of you. And follow my instructions to the letter. I don't want to make you two more uncomfortable than is necessary."

Shellshocked, Mira immediately stumbled to her feet at the behest of her unseen tormentor, but Cloudy, ever the stronger of the two, did not rise, instead spitting onto the floor, "I'll not do anything for you bastard. Not until I'm too bloody to be of use."

Another crack broke the heavy dark, and both girls cringed and cowered, but neither were actually hit.

The voice held a cold superiority as it boomed down at them, "So you prefer to huddle on the ground like a dog and take the whipping like the masochistic bitch you are? So be it then, cur, I approve of your submissive cravings."

Cloudy's face lit up like a firework, "I-I didn't mean that I-"CRACK! Cloudy whimpered in pain and struggled to decide which was worse, standing in compliance or taking it to the ass like a slut. Eventually, silent and defeated, she stood shakily, hanging her head.

"What good little servants I have, standing so nicely for me. Perhaps a reward?" A drop of some foreign substance fell on both of the ponies. Cloudy suffered whatever it was in silence as Mira quietly tried to wipe hers off with a sleeve.

CRACK CRACK CRACK!

Three rapid blows landed across Mira's ample breasts and ass, when the echoes died down Cloudy still cringed with fear and Mira huddled on the floor in tears saying, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..."

A displeased growl rumbled them both, "It is very rude to throw someone's gift away, and I am one you do not wish to disrespect. Now, stand back up, and follow my directions."

With some shuffling and muffled squeaks, Mira climbed back to her feet and touched a hand to her stinging breast. She was shocked to find that whatever Kaiscillius had used to whip her, it had torn clean through the white leather she'd been wearing.

Oh this shit is so useless! She thought angrily. They'd told her it even had some kind of "special" protective spells on it, but if she'd been wearing her usual plate mail none of this would have happened. It covered her damn ass better for one thing.

Cloudy was experiencing something a lot less unpleasant. As the liquid inched down her back it stilled her shivering body, and gave her a sense of calm. When it left, a warm tingling sensation followed which made her gasp as it soothed the burning whip marks across her butt and thighs.

"Should I have to tell you what to say, dog?" The creature's voice purred in her ear.

"Thank you," she replied breathily, whereupon she received another droplet of the whatever-it-was which made her shiver involuntarily with warmth, which coincided perfectly with the whispered, "Good dog."

She felt, rather than heard, something move near her, and her tormentor spoke again,

"You two are learning well, soon you will be the perfect servants for me. What you should remember is that I am being kind and merciful to you now, and not enslaving you permanently with magic. Instead I am training you to complete a single purpose. The single most important purpose in your sorry, unimportant lives. And you will weep with joy at being able to fulfill my desire for you. Mira, turn to your left and take two steps forward. Dog, to your right and one step back."

Neither of the females protested, and neither queried their commander on what he would be having them do. They both started as they touched each other's bodies. Then Mira grasped onto Cloudy with a grip of iron, and began to cry. Cloudy pulled her friend in for a silent hug, any previous animosity forgotten through their shared suffering.

"Oh, good girls! It seems you've already defined my intentions for you, somewhat. Another reward, then, and soon you will have more of it than you know what to do with," two drops fell from above them, slipping smoothly past their clothing and heating the girls' breath and bodies, cooling the stinging bites of whatever lash had struck them.

"Cloudy,"Mira whispered as she trembled and her body started to tingle, "I'm scared."

"I know Mira, it'll be alright, as long as we have each other, it'll be alright," Cloudy clutched her friend harder, a fraying piece of her mind marveling at how soft her friend was, how good it felt to press against her.

"I'm glad you feel that way Dog, because you two are going to be getting very comfortable with each other for a long time. Dog, you will strip your friend for me. You will do it in the most... entertaining way of which you are capable, and for every time I am not satisfied with your performance, she will be whipped. Do you understand?"

A light came on. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Cloudy and Mira could see each other. Their eyes were puffy from crying, Mira's beautiful eye shadow work was ruined by tears, and both had reddened marks crisscrossing their legs from the impacts.

"Monster," Cloudy muttered so quietly it barely reached her own ears.

CRACK! Mira howled in pain as a... something whipped out of the darkness around them and lashed her. It was long and thin, split into two like a snake's tongue, but tiny sections armor covered it.

"No! Oh, Mira, I'm so sorry!" Cloudy caught her friend as she stumbled, and a chill ran down her spine as her friend stared at her with shame-filled eyes and said, "Just do what he wants Cloudy..."

She started, surely Mira hadn't given up all hope yet? She was stronger than that, surely...

CRACK CRACK! Mira didn't cry out this time as her ass took the beating, she just groaned and hung her head. Cloudy stared on in shock. What had she done wrong?

"That punishment was twofold. Mira, it appears you were talking to someone that does not exist, and I will not abide by daydreaming servants. The wretched creature in front of you is called "Dog", though any serviceable noun could apply such as "bitch", "slut", "whore", or any others you may make up. The second was for said bitch not being fast enough."

Cloudy jumped into action as soon as his impatient tone reached her ears, "Come on Mira, I need you to stand up."

Slowly and humiliatingly she undressed her friend for their unseen audience. She hoped to Celestia that Mira was coherent enough to remember their cheerleader days together, and lock her legs, as Cloudy wrapped herself around Mira's waist and worked to undo the leather straps of the white and torn armor she wore.

Under Cloudy's dexterous and well-practiced fingers, Mira's top fell away to reveal her plain white bra underneath that held up two smooth orbs of dark blue flesh. Remembering that their captor had said to make it entertaining, Cloudy kissed all over Mira's neck and shelf of mountainous cleavage as she worked off the bra.

The thestral shivered under Cloudy's touch, the drops that rolled down her smooth skin had left their mark, and when her friend touched one of their trails Mira could feel her groin convulse with growing desire, and her breath became a little more ragged for a few seconds. Her bra was quickly discarded into the dark void , and she gasped aloud as another splash hit her directly at the nape of her neck. She squealed quietly as it slowly, tortuously, rolled its sluggish way down her whole spine, and slid like molasses across her two reddened cheeks.

Grunting with effort, Cloudy bent over backwards and undid Mira's belt and pants while still hanging from the mare's waist by her legs. Her mind frazzled and she nearly lost focus for a second as a drop hit her directly on the face. She thanked Celestia that none of it got in her nose while she was upside down, that would have been pretty bad. Her breathing got heavier as the strange substance melted into her skin. It held a certain smell that she couldn't exactly pin down, but she wanted more as her skin flushed with heat and sweat began to dot her brow.

"Very good, you are just full of wonderful surprises slut, keep this up and you'll be earning a more substantial reward in no time,"

Cloudy could barely hear the creature over the sound of the blood pounding in her ears. That last hit to the face had not been a good thing, and it was made worse by the close contact that her moistening nethers were having with another warm body. Particularly that warm body. One she'd once often lain next to, brimming with hormones and smelling of sweat and sex. Was it just a trick of her addled nose, or could she smell it still? That scent of Mira's damp lips pressed close to her nose, quivering with need as Cloudy teased her over and over, sometimes not letting her finish for hours.

Without realizing it, the earth pony had almost entirely stopped moving, and her hands only twitched feebly around Mira's legs. Her eyes were rolled into their sockets, and her tongue lolled in the direction of her nose. Her long white hair hung disheveled to the ground, and a clear dark stain was spreading across her open crotch.

CRACK!

Cloudy jerked awake as Mira whimpered, and hastily resumed tearing off items of clothing, a furiously hot blush adding to the already quite substantial redness in her face, she couldn't believe that she'd gotten distracted by thinking of the sex she and her friend had shared at a time like this! Though maybe it was easy to see why, the back of her head almost perfectly covered Mira's front door at the moment, and those thighs! She wondered if they were as smooth as she remembered them, so toned and muscular, yet soft enough to squeeze and feel it mold around your lips-

CRACK!

Mira, on the other hand, was getting very confused. Every time another whip lash landed, she received a drop of "reward". So she was being rewarded for being... punished? It didn't make any sense, and what confused her the most was, it was starting to feel really good. She'd thought it had been her imagination the first time when one of the whips struck an area that the liquid had passed over, and she'd nearly creamed herself, but after the third time now, it was clear she was getting turned on by it. The sensation was like nothing she'd ever experienced, it was sharp and hot, and just so... intense. It felt like her ass cheeks were a cunt all to themselves, and each strike was like a good dicking straight to the cervix, completely fulfilled in a way she hadn't even imagined. Only Cloudy, her sweet long-lost lover, prevented her from sticking her ass out and begging for more like a street whore.

CRACK!

Oh, buuuuuuck that's good, she thought, drooling a little as her butt jiggled from the impact and stimulated the harsh lances of pleasure further. It was like she had a fever, nothing really felt quite real, and her bod was just so hot. It was when she received the next drop that she lost it.

"Oh, buck! Cloudy!" she screamed as she came hard into her half-off pants. Her knees buckled and she collapsed, writhing, on top of her friend as her marehood gushed like a loose faucet and she trembled uncontrollably.

CRACK CRACK CRACK!

Mira's mouth dropped as she screamed wordlessly into the abyss, and reveled in the hard lashes across what was now her most sensitive area, "Guuaaaauughhh! Yes, buck yes, please buck me! Smack my ass harder, whip me till I'm bucking cumming like a two-bit whore, BUCK!"

She heard a growl from beneath her and looked down to see Cloudy going feral. Her eyes were clouded with lust, and her face was redder than Mira had ever seen it. Her friend hoarsely, desperately, snarled at her, "Get down here you bitch," before pulling Mira into the roughest and most passionate kiss they'd ever shared. Cloudy rammed her tongue as far down Mira's throat as it could go, Mira chocked on it a little bit, which made her tingle in a new special way. Complying with her fucktoy's request, Cloudy proceeded to pound Mira like she was a bongo drum, and smacks, followed swiftly by unearthly screams of raging orgasm, slammed across the cavernous space. And all the while drops trickled onto the two aggressively mating ponies.

It is really annoying to hold a mouth open for this long, Kaiscillius thought to himself. He did indeed have one of his necks craned over the two mares in heat, constantly dispensing his aphrodisiac saliva onto them. He also had an absolutely raging boner, which the tarp that had been slung over him failed vigorously to contain. Also his tail was really sore. Cutting through that armor through sheer kinetic force with the thinnest part of the tail was very painful, he hoped they appreciated the effort he had gone through to make them more comfortable.

"Get on your BUCKING knees Mira, I want that ass in my mouth, NOW!"

*Incomprehensible Groan*

But now... Kaiscillius faced a dilemma. He was pent up, very pent up. He imagined that he hadn't cum for at least an entire week at this point. And here in front of him were two mares whose mental defenses were more than lowered enough to give him what he wanted without anything resembling a struggle. And it would give him more magic to work with when the time came, and it had been in the original plan.

Or... he could just... not. As he'd thought, their shields were almost fully down. With minimal effort, he could slip a short fused obedience spell in, say three days or so, and they would forget about everything he'd done to them and their part in this. It would be quick, simple, and painless, for all involved.

Plus, he thought to himself, chewing on the inside of his cheek in concentration, I want to save up a good amount in case everything does workout as I intended. I don't want my first showing with Celestia to be disappointing.

But he really wanted to fuck something. Very, very hard. And the two writhing, sweating bodies on the floor were looking tastier by the second. A sudden realization snapped him out of it.

Am I not better than this? For all my claims of how base and stupid ponies are, I now fall prey to the same urges as they?No... NO, I am better than my carnal desires! Besides, the mating would have unforeseen consequences, and could damage them permanently, why did he care about damaging them so much? This had been his initial reason for going the punishment, rather than persuasion, route in the first place, less long-term side effects.

Well... it could arouse suspicion, if they were to act strangely after leaving their shift, more eyes would be directed my way, excuses often made sense to those who used them.

Kaiscillius snorted and shook his head, his inner query unnoticed by the two enthralled ponies beneath him, But if everything goes to plan it wouldn't matter if it was noticed, it might even help some! So why? Why the denial? Why the self-doubt? I've never cared about such things before!

...

He'd cared once. One time before, had he abstained, for fear of what it might do to the other.

Kaiscillius's breath caught in his throat, his eyes slowly slid down to the ponies. They were so small. So fragile. So... pitiful.

He sighed through his nose and closed his eyes.

So that's why. Just this once. For her.

Kaiscillius ended the dream.

Cloudy and Mira blinked slowly, regaining consciousness was a struggle for them. They both felt very strange, and looked, near simultaneously, down at their bodies. Their clothes were fine, nothing was ripped, torn, or in any way distressed. They looked at each other, vivid memories of a vague dream they'd just had caused them to immediately look away, blush rising faster than a hot air balloon. They looked at the prisoner. He remained, as he (always?) had, hung with great iron chains by his three necks. They did not notice, for they had no reason to, the extra weight on their belts. A new pouch hung from each, the pouches both contained a gemstone. Had they searched for the memory, they may have recalled the hydra vomiting up the stones. But again, neither had a reason to remember this event. One gem was a deep navy blue, similar in color to Mira. The other was an amber gemstone, of reddish-gold hue. They were to hide these objects, in the safest place they knew of. Somewhere that nopony would find them. Neither of the mares thought of these inclinations as odd, they simply were there. Feelings, intentions.

The dream was quickly, and thankfully, forgotten, and both mares continued on their shifts, unaware of the kindness they had been granted.

And I suppose that's a wrap, Kaiscillius thought through lidded eyes. He felt tired, almost as if he'd... overcome something. He didn't really want to sleep, but didn't see how it could be avoided, especially with nothing to do until his morning conversation with ol' 'Lesty.

I suppose it was nice, he yawned, while it lasted.

And slowly, he drifted to sleep.

A breeze blew on the moonlit hill. A short acacia-like tree with blue leaves grew here, Kaiscillius sat under it. A hand brushed his claw, and he opened his eyes. In front of him sat his young love, with her beautiful smile like syrup straight to his soul.

"Thank you," she whispered, and cuddled with him under the tree. The moon was full. And there were no stars this night.

Kaiscillius's eyes slowly opened, something had awoken him. Realization, for the first time, truly dawned.

What... the fuck... was that.

Author's Note

Man, this was a pain to write. Especially that last part with the two guards, I must have erased and re-written that whole thing like five times.

The last day dawns on Equestria, and Kaiscillius seems unconcerned about his apparent defeat. What machinations has he wrought, what destruction does one such as have in store? And why now, of all times, do unknown things befall him? Find out, next time.

Belly of the Beast: Day 3

Celestia sighed as she stood outside the entrance to the prison, the long, cold stone staircase winding up to the surface behind her, the cold wall of rock in front. Over the last three days she'd learnt to despise these visits. She always felt like she was giving away more than she was gaining. Not for the first time (or the last, she suspected) she cursed Nightmare Moon's devious ingenuity. Never before had one of her creations given them this much difficulty, and one of them had been a giant spider for Faust's sake! And still there was that ever lingering worry, that the city would re-descend into madness at the very moment the shield fell. She'd seen Blueblood's condition, and expected it to happen either today or tomorrow. That hydra had better deliver on his promise soon.

He can't deliver if you aren't there Celestia, she chastised herself. Rubbing her forehead in resignation, Celestia opened the wall. Grudgingly, it complied. Stone dust rained upon her shoulders from the corridor, and she held back a sneeze. On the other side of the new opening, two guards snapped to attention. The smaller of them called out, "Good morning Princess! The prisoner was docile the entire time, no movement or complaints!"

Celestia raised an eyebrow as she stepped into the room and looked at Kaiscillius. Something was wrong.

It was subtle, but Celestia could see that the creature was tense, muscles coiled like giant springs, its necks like steel cables straining against the collars he wore. His breathing was heavy and his eyes looked wider than normal. And most telling of all, he wasn't even looking at her.

This may have sounded quite vain, but that made it no less true. Every time Celestia entered the room he couldn't take his eyes off of her, it was quite flattering really, but now... he stared straight at the ground, not moving a single muscle.

Celestia waved a hand at the two guards, "You may leave, Captain Lance will be arriving shortly with your replacements, I will keep watch in the interim."

The two ponies bowed low, and left the room in respectful silence. The balance of which shifted first to awkward, then to tense as time went by.

"Kaiscillius?" Celestia called to the frozen hydra, who started as though just noticing her presence for the first time, "What has gotten into you today? No greeting for me when I walk in the door, and not even a nod of the head since then? It is very unlike you."

Her worry deepened as she saw his main mouth flap open and closed without saying anything. She'd definitely never seen this creature speechless before, he always had a clever phrase or witty retort lined up.

Finally he said something, "I... I had a... dream."

Celestia blinked, "Is that all?"

Clearly this was not the response he wanted. He thrashed against his chains like mad, send giant bolts of lightning pounding into his back, "No, No, NO! You don't understand, something's wrong! So very wrong! I thought it was mercy, I thought it remorse! Perhaps it was, but never before! Why now? Why a dream now, with mercy as well? Does one good turn deserve another? She was not so sentimental as that!" The mad ravings ceased for a moment, breath caught in the creature's throat, "I... I can't feel her! Where has she gone? WHAT HAS THAT WITCH DONE?!"

The chamber trembled as Kaiscillius roared and raged, Celestia merely cast a small shield around her ears, guiltily sneaking a little bit of Sound into it to block out the worst of the noise. She was not one to be scared off by a temper tantrum. She did start to worry when the floor began to crack, though.

She backed away slowly from the howling beast, the electricity doing nothing to stop it as the walls, ceiling, and floor all started to fracture apart, lines spreading outward from Kaiscillius to reach around the entire cavern. She eyed the chains nervously as she saw the metal straining, the links beginning to bend, she readied a spell to protect herself before realizing that she needed the information this creature would provide.

And then it stopped. Like an earthquake it was there and rough and devastating, and then it was over. Slowly, Celestia dispelled the ear shields, taking care not to dispel anything else by accident.

The creature wasn't even breathing hard as it said, "I'm sorry, I was agitated. Please pretend that you have just walked into the room, and we will begin from there. Ah, Celestia! How lovely to see you again, you look unbearably fetching in that dress."

Stunned, Celestia looked down at herself. She actually thought she'd dressed quite plainly today, or at least in a predictable manner.

Turning back to him she said, "This is what I always wear Kaiscillius."

His smiles never failed to both unnerve her, and flush her with a dirty feeling of pride at being appraised like a particularly juicy candy in a sweets shop.

"Yes it is, Princess," he purred, and his meaning made red rise in her cheeks, but it was not long until she wrangled control of both the situation and herself.

"You will not brush off a fit of madness so easily Kaiscillius, what dream did you have that disturbed you so?" His smile didn't waver, but his one of his eyes twitched, and it seemed like he knew it too.

He sighed, "I dreampt I was on a hill, with a pony. The pony said, 'Thank you' and that was the end of the dream. Now, can we get back to our usual business of questioning?"

"Oh I am," Celestia said, beginning to pace, "Did you recognize the pony?"

She saw his eyes narrow, and his tolerant smile began to wane, "Be careful what questions you ask, Celestia, for some you may not wish to know the answer to."

"And why not?" She laughed, any information was good information, as far as she was concerned.

His tone may have changed her mind, "Because then you would pity me, and pity may stay the executioner's blade better than any argument. So when the time comes for you to drive a dagger into my heart, you may find yourself hesitating," he leaned forward, his voice a harsh whisper, "and you would be a fool to do so Celestia, because it is when you are weakest that I always strike," with this foreboding statement leaving his interrogator speechless, he leaned back in his chains, "Return to me in exactly six hours, and bring whomever you wish to. I have no more to say to you until then."

Celestia knew, then, that the conversation was over. She'd learned the previous day that Kaiscillius was either a chatterbox or had a jaw of iron depending on his mood. Still, no harm in trying, "Are you sure? Normally we talk for much longer than this. An hour or two at least. What is a princess supposed to do with two hours of free time?"

No response, just a measured stare.

"You'd be helping me out if you talked, I'd have to work if I leave here and I'd rather talk. You might learn some new tidbit of information!"

He snorted, "I knew everything I needed to know about you before I was imprisoned," the silence that followed was weighty, she could tell he was about to ask something.

"How is Twilight's friend, Fluttershy?" Celestia blinked in surprise. That... was not where she'd expected this discussion to go, she hadn't even known he knew about Fluttershy's condition. Though he had been hunting down the elements, it was no surprise that he-

Celestia stopped. She stopped and thought. She froze in place, she didn't move, didn't breath, only thought.

"How long," she started shakily, "have you been planning my defeat?"

He sighed, "I didn't kill her Celestia. I don't know who the nutjob that did it was, but I simply acted when the opportunity arose. It happens much more often than you might think, though it is a sad occurrence. And yes, I know its coincidental that the timing of my plans happened so soon after her death, and I went after the other elements, but you must admit that it's standard fare for villains these days. The initial event, the one that started this all, was not mine to perpetrate."

Celestia still didn't move for a while, before sighing and releasing all the tension in her muscles.

Damn, she thought, for a moment there I... but no. The body was found at the scene. I don't know where that came from. I suppose I'm still just trying to find someone to blame.

"I apologize Kaiscillius, for assuming you had a hand in it. But were it not for the body found at the scene of the crime, you would be the prime suspect. And it still could have been one of your agents, but no. You didn't have hooks in at the time, I would have discovered a shadow" Celestia rubbed her face, "Now I think I'm ready to end the conversation. Very well, I'll be back in six hours wi-"

"You didn't answer my question," he interrupted lightly, "How is Fluttershy doing?"

"Oh," Celestia said, "Much better, I believe. Discord's a better caretaker than he lets on, and he does love her so. You're very fortunate that it is not she you managed to apprehend, else you would have roused the ire of a creature much less patient than I. In turn I would ask you if you are aware of Applejack and Rainbow Dash? You obviously instigated the riot in the square to acquire them, are they safe?"

He smiled one of those smiles again, "Safer than you might think."

She nodded in thanks, and turned for the door. Today had been very interesting indeed, so far. It was only a while after she left that she realized she had forgotten to ask how he knew about Fluttershy at all.

Ten miles outside of the Canterlot Shield -

The carriage held a very awkward silence as it slowly trundled towards Canterlot. Cadence sulked in the corner, sticking her head out of the window to avoid looking at Shining, watching the rolling hills flow by, like a river of grass and flowers. They'd had another argument, they seemed to be getting more frequent as Canterlot approached like a dismal spire stretching up to the bleak sun. She'd already yelled at the driver to hurry up twice, which she also felt bad about, and was infinitely grateful that they were able to find a sitter for Flurry Heart in time to leave, for she had no doubt that a screaming baby would help absolutely nothing.

When Celestia had written to them of the danger that now surrounded Canterlot, Cadence and Shining had both brimmed with confidence that love would out. But it didn't feel like a spell. This anger, this frustration that made her want to just make gargling noises and flop around on a bed, it was hers. These were her moods, her complaints. Her fears. They didn't feel unjustified or extreme, they looked perfectly reasonable on paper, and Shining Armor was just being a ridiculous wall, not communicating anything he was actually-

Cadence let out a squeak as she felt something tickle her ribcage. She smiled angrily, the smile you give when you want to be mad, and shifted away from the touch. Another poke and she snorted, though she tried to cover it, and with another she was giggling. Soon she was rolling around the seat crying with laughter and desperately (half) trying to fend off the assault. Shining leaned down and she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss. She couldn't stay mad at him, no matter how much she tried.

"Hey," he said, looking into her eyes, "We've been through worse, we'll get through this, somehow-"

"We're here!" The driver called,and a wave of blue energy passed over the two.

They both froze as relief flooded them like a dam had broken.

"Great Celestia..." Cadence said, "Was I really that angry about the choice of countertop we were going yo install?"

"I was that sullen about the milk delivery being too perfect?" Shining echoed.

They looked at each other, and both collapsed into fits of giggles at how ridiculous they were being.

"I was about to start crying out of the window!" Cadence laughed through the tears in her eyes.

"I was about to say that I wasn't going to talk to you for a week!" Shining chuckled.

He kissed her again, more playfully, and pulled her back up onto the seat.

"Don't want ponies to start getting the wrong idea, now do we?" He whispered to her as she started to wave at ponies out of her window, which made her hunch over with laughter again.

"Oh, I love you," she told him.

"I love you too," Shining hugged around Cadence's waist and kissed her cheek, before joining her in waving out of the window.

Just outside Ponyville proper -

"You know Fluttershy, we would be a lot faster getting to Canterlot in we went my way."

"And how do you want us to get there Discord?"

"Well, you see that pumpkin patch over there? Wouldn't they just make a lovely fleet of little orange air balloons?"

"They would also be nice to sell, which I'm sure is what that farmer waving at us plans to do."

"Doh, he can grow new ones!"

"Discord..."

"Oh, fine! Have it your way."

...

"We can buy one pumpkin."

"Oh, joy!"

A guard interrupted Golden Lance as he gave his report, whispering something in his ear, before saluting the Captain and Celestia, and leaving the room.

"Princess, it appears that Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor have arrived. We have also received word of a... pumpkin colored... airship."

"Oh, that'll be Discord and Fluttershy then."

Celestia had decided to visit the garden again. It felt much more calming than usual for some reason, a place she could always go to collect her thoughts. Somehow the Captain had found her, as he always did. He was very good at his job, and he and Luna were just so adorable together! She breathed in the rich air of flowers and grass, listened to the birds chirp and chatter, and breathed deeply out. Calm, cool, collected. She snorted at the irony.

"Continue your report Captain, they'll find us when they're ready, the same as you."

"Well ma'am... now we get to the bad news. There's been another missing ponies report. The forth one so far, but Red Tape thinks we could be dealing with more, or that there are some that already haven't been brought to our attention."

Deep breaths, in and out, you don't want to burn the city down to smoke out criminals, you don't want to burn down the city to smoke out criminals.

"Continue," she said coolly.

"Well, we believe its still the Smoke gang. They've gone nuts since just before the riots started, but none of the usual channels are coughing up any information. All we know is that their leader and a bunch of the higher ranking members have gone missing as well, so they could be trying to swell their numbers. As I said, though, we don't have that much to work with, it's all theory right now. Mages still haven't turned up anything new in their searches-"

"And what about the old, Captain?"

"Again, nothing dangerous, a very low level of dark magic, but they think it's just runoff from the Academy."

"Has it been investigated?"

He scratched the back of his head, "The Mages advised against it, but I sent a dispatch. I know how important finding the source is. It was detected a few miles outside of town, a ways around the base of the mountain."

Celestia nodded, "A closer proximity would make sense, and I don't believe the mountain would provide too much interference, magically speaking. It's a good start. Thank you Captain."

Lance saluted smartly, gave an informal bow, and jogged off to continue his work, leaving Celestia a little alone time to contemplate. Everything was in hand, the only issue left unresolved was finding the source of the magic, and that would be accomplished eventually. She could even ask Blueblood what exact elements he had used to counteract the spell and take up shield duty herself until it was found. So why did she still have such a strong sense of foreboding?

I think it's his confidence, she mused, Kaiscillius. Why so unafraid in the face of life long imprisonment? Surely there is no fate more terrible than that. Today is the first time I've ever seen him slip, and all because of a dream. Perhaps more doubt besets him than I thought, if he's begun to have nightmares of failure.

Then something happened that made Celestia's heart stop and go cold, something that struck such terror into the regal pony that she would have screamed if she could force air past her choking throat.

The shield flickered. For but an instant, the blue barrier that surrounded the city was no longer there, the rolling hills around the city no longer held an azure tinge, and a gust of wind blew freely into the city, and then it was back, like nothing had happened. But something had happened. Celestia could hear it, almost feel it. Silence. Absolute, deafening, terrified silence. It was the sound of a city gripped by the icy hand of fear, and only after many minutes did sound return, muted and diminished.

Drops of cold sweat ran down Celestia's face, and she gulped down a lungful of air. No... no... it wasn't fair, they didn't have enough time, they were running out of time!

That's why six hours. The shield will fail in exactly six hours. Faust help us all!

Celestia turned to sprint for the Throne Room when a voice stopped her,

"I wouldn't be too worried about the device, it doesn't serve his final plan. Your ponies will only be afflicted for a short while, until She reigns again."

Celestia, wound as tight as a spring, turned testify towards the Grey, who sat still on Zenith Terrace, overlooking the city.

"I have seen his plan. I know his mind. He will win, one way or the other. Truly, he is genius, I wish I had met him in his hay day. The things we might have accomplished. Might still, depending on... but no. He is genius, but blind. Blind to the nature of where he comes from."

Celestia viciously snarled at the pegasus, "If you know his plan, why don't you help us, why don't you tell me?!"

He turned two old, tired eyes on her, "Everypony I knew and loved is dead and gone. Most by your hand. Why would I ever help you?"

"Because any option is better than letting Nightmare Moon rule!" She cried desperately.

His expression soured into a frown, "Is it? What proof do you have that she is a terrible ruler? That she is a tyrant? You have none, but it is you that is unwilling to relinquish power, any power. And in any case, Nightmare Moon would have enough self-confidence to release me, believing she could keep me on a tight leash, and even servitude is better than indefinite imprisonment."

Celestia growled at the obstinate pony and turned on her heel, dashing towards the throne room. She felt that she had to personally check Blueblood's condition. It didn't occur to her that the throne room would also be the place that the other ponies she had arranged to meet would most likely find her, but it was an added bonus.

As she slammed her way through the castle, several attendants attempted to stop her and ask why she seemed so agitated. Clearly they had not been outside when the flicker occurred. She realized that she would have to apologize later, as she was quite unreasonably short with a few of them. She finally found the door she'd been after and entered through the front, where a few early risers had already begun to gather for the Day Court.

"I regret to inform you all that the Day Court is cancelled, due to recent events. I would advise that you all go home, and be with your families. As of now, I am declaring a state of emergency. Stay close to those you love, and remember that you are all good ponies. Good luck."

The dozen or so assembled ponies looked at each other in shock, and most with fear. Silently they stumbled from the room, some bowed to Celestia as they left, though most were too shellshocked.

"Uhh, Princess?" She heard from behind her, and turned around to see one of the guards shifting nervously, "I, uh, I have a wife and child. If... If it really is going to happen again, do you think that I could... go? Be with them?"

Celestia hesitated. She wanted, needed, as many trustworthy staff here that she could have, but at the same time it seemed overtly cruel to keep a guard around that could do precisely nothing against the coming danger.

Celestia nodded reluctantly, "Very well, you may go, and tell others you know with families they may also. On one condition, should you see anything after the shield falls, swear to me on their lives you will stop it."

The guard nodded with a grateful salute, "I swear on my love for my family that I'll defend your kingdom to the last, Princess. Thank you."

Celestia didn't watch him leave, she didn't have time. She has to check on Blueblood, who was only a few steps away.

Celestia could see why the flicker had happened, Blueblood had dropped to his knees. His legs were severely atrophied, looking more like sticks than limbs, and the rest of him was doing the same. He looked horrifying, his grey skin pulled tight against skull, dull dishwater eyes unfocused and hollow, body, arms, legs... all far too thin. His horn was the only thing that remained unchanged, retaining its pure white sheen and perfect manicured look. It still glowed a strong blue, but it was clear that the process was killing him.

Celestia, against her better judgement, placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly, and said, "Thank you nephew. Even if you were not one of us, you have more than earned the title," she gently kissed his grayed forehead and backed away slowly, sadness clogging her eyes and heart. It was then that Cadence and Shining Armor found her.

"Celestia!" Cadence called, "There you are, we've been- oh good heavens! Is that... what is that?" Horror and pity mingled in equal measure on her face as she saw the drained husk.

"That, my dear niece, is all that remains of Blueblood. The noble soul that stepped up to defend Equestria at the cost of his own life. He is the one generating the shield around the city that keeps the darkness at bay. One of the reasons I recommended that you travel here and not teleport is so that you could feel its evil for yourselves. That is what threatens my city, my people."

"Our people, dear sister," Luna's voice carried regally as she slipped from the shadows behind the throne. Celestia noticed that she had deep grooves under her eyes, she had clearly not had a pleasant night. Luna noticed her sister's concern and flashed her a "I have something to tell you later" look.

With a smile, Luna stepped up to the royal pair, "Cadence! So wonderful to see you again. And Shining Armor, lovely to have you back with us, perhaps you could give our guard captain a few tips while you're in town, I'm sure he'd love that."

Celestia hid a smirk at her sister's antics as Cadence recovered somewhat, "O-Oh! Yes, lovely to see you too Luna, and you're quite right Celestia, we had no idea how bad it was out there until we ourselves had to cross through it. Why, had it not been for Shiny's extraordinary diplomatic skill, I don't think we ever would have recovered!"

Celestia and Luna gave each other raised eyebrows as Cadence and Shining shared a brief kiss. He'd been a decent enough Guard Captain, but never a diplomat. Celestia just shrugged it off, she doubted that she needed to know what had gone on.

"Speaking of diplomatic representatives," Celestia said, "the Elements will be joining us soon. Well, those that are accounted for,"

And not dead, a grim part of her whispered.

Cadence nodded, some confusion spreading across her face, "Yes, that reminds me, do you know what the giant pumpkin blimp was all about?"

Celestia shook her head, "Discord's work, I'm sure, though I don't know what he meant to accomplish from it, or if he was making some kind of statement."

"Why Celestia, if I wanted to make a statement, I wouldn't just use a blimp, I'd plaster it across the sky in neon fireworks! And how!" A very spotty and low voice quality version of Discord popped into the room with the sight and sound of a camera flash. After Celestia's eyes cleared she saw the draconiquis standing in cepia tone, complete with film grain, wearing an aviator's cap and goggles, as well as a scarf and leather gloves. In his arms he carried Fluttershy, who was dressed, quite suitably Celestia thought, with a fur jacket and trousers, and was colored in a similar manner. The young pegasus waved shyly to the assembled crowd, before whispering something to Discord, who then put her down gently.

Celestia nodded, "Well then, now we just await Rarity and Pinkie Pie."

"Oh! I think I'll just go fetch them," Celestia have Discord a flat stare. For some reason that sounded suspicious, perhaps it was the way he hunched over and rubbed his hands together while glancing maniacally from side to side as he said it.

"Oh, uh, I mean," Discord's form warped until he stood tall and dignified in a tweed jacket with spectacles and a pipe, "I shall fetch them forthwith from thine, thines? Theirs? Yon abode, right ho."

Fluttershy's clothes also warped into a frankly alarmingly fetishized version of a schoolfilly's uniform, with black knee-high socks and a plaid miniskirt that, were it hit by a light breeze, would immediately expose her to any onlookers, and a black jacket with a white undershirt about two sizes too small with the top three buttons undone, leaving a massive shelf of cleavage squeezed into two scrumptious fleshy yellow loaves of boob.

Celestia's cheeks immediately heated at seeing Fluttershy's rather large... assets being crammed into such a perversely small space, and something about the way her long pink mane curled over the front of the uniform and over one of the beautiful teal eyes really got to her.

"D-Discord! That is highly inappropriate for the conversation we are about to have, something more serious and less... distracting, if you please,"

Fluttershy gasped as she realized what she was wearing and immediately, and ineffectively, tried to cover her chest and rear with her small hands. She blushed heavily and looked like she was too embarrassed to speak, which didn't help at all.

"And why might that be Celestia, I think she looks stunning! Surely you don't mean to insult the poor dear!" Discord puffed next to Celestia as he said this, jabbing her in the side with an accusatory claw.

"DISCORD!" Fluttershy yelled at him.

"Ugh, fiiiiine," he snapped his fingers and Fluttershy reverted back to wearing a sweater with a scarf and loose jeans, effectively covering herself. Still, the image of he wearing such clothing would be seared onto Celestia's brain forever.

Now in emo mode, Discord poofed to the other side of the room and turned his fringe haired face away from everypony.

"Um, have we interrupted something?" Rarity asked as she walked into the room.

"No, not at all Miss Rarity. Please, come in. Where is Pinkie Pie?" Celestia summoned a table and chairs as she spoke, teleporting them in from the dining room that she and Luna shared.

Rarity looked surprised, "Oh, she left far before I did, I assumed she'd already be here."

As she spoke, the door that led out from behind the throne to the kitchen area was flung open, and Pinky's vibrant voice called out, "There better be a table ready in there, or things are gonna get reeeeeal messy!"

With a sound similar to the popping of a balloon, Pinky squeezed herself through the servants' door, along with a twelve foot tall cake. Everypony's jaw dropped and Celestia began to salivate heavily as the massive frosted monster was heaved out, Pinky Pie holding it aloft on her back with Herculean effort. She sighed with relief as she saw that a table was indeed already set up, and with a mighty heave set down her burden. The table itself, which had not been prepped for such an occurrence, bent heavily under the weight of the gigantic pastry.

Pinky stepped back and brushed off her hands, smiling up at her creation with pride. Five white layers, each large enough to be their own separate cake, stood on columns that imitated marble, each laced with ribbons of white, blue, and yellow on the sides. Pinky was oblivious to the fact that she was spattered with all manner of ingredients, from batter, to icing, to flour.

For a few seconds there was only stunned awe at the sheer scale of the sugary monolith, then Rarity asked what she believed to be the most pertinent question,

"Pinkamina Diane Pie, why have you not properly cleaned yourself off, you're in the presence of royalty!"

Pinky huffed, "Sorry Rarity, but I didn't have any time between waking up and baking the cake, why do you think I left so early?"

Rarity looked at her, bewildered, "You left not ten minutes before I did!"

Pinky nodded and slumped into a chair, "I know! It was really a rush to get this whole thing done, but I'm satisfied with the product. And what's worse, to be dirty, or to bake an unsatisfactory cake?"

"Ummm," Cadence interjected, catching Rarity's eye, "Giant... cake?"

Rarity shrugged it off, "She does this, but what she has never done is be unprepared for something!"

Pinky seemed about to defend herself again, when Celestia held up a hand, "It us fine Miss Rarity, heaven knows I've been less that spotless when attending some meetings I've had, and the cake is a lovely gift-"

"Oh, sorry Princess, but it's not for you."

Celestia stooped talking and blinked a few times, "W-What?"

Pinky continued, "Yeah it's just for Cadey and Shiny, ya know, since they didn't really get to have a wedding cake, and every other time we've been with them has just been such a rush! This is the only time I've had to stay in one place for an extended period of time with the proper equipment! And, no offense Cadence, but your castle is seriously lacking in cookware."

Cadence's jaw moved up and down for a few seconds before tears sprung to her eyes, "Oh, Pinky! That's so sweet!"

Pinkie cocked her head, "Insulting your lack of cookware?"

Cadence laughed, "No, the cake! You didn't have to do that, really!"

Pinkie gave her a dismissive wave and turned her head away dramatically, "Oh pah, I totally did. And the best way to thank me is just to dig right in!"

Celestia also seemed on the verge of tears, though for an entirely different reason, as she stared longingly at the towering treat that she was forbidden to touch, "W-Well, I suppose they can eat while we have our discussion. I hope it tastes lovely."

She blinked as she felt a tap on her side, and found Pinky standing there with a knowing smile. The earth pony dug around in her fluffy pink mane for a second before pulling out a second, though much smaller, cake, decorated to look like the sun, "I had just enough time left to whip this up for you, you don't think I'd forget about how much you love cake do you?"

Celestia squealed and gripped Pinky in a hug with the strength of an alicorn, before regaining her composure and slightly sheepishly nodding in thanks. Luckily it seemed that the earth pony was quite squishy.

After all had eaten, and with a mountain of cake still present on the table, Celestia called the meeting to order.

"So, I would first like to thank Everypony-"

"Ahem!" Discord called.

"Everyone for being here today, your haste is appreciated, as we have less time than I thought. I will start from the beginning. Sometime around three and a half weeks ago, Twilight Sparkle was murdered, and a strange magical device was activated, the effects of which you have all personally experienced. This device, created by a creature called Kaiscillius, disrupted the fabric of our very souls, and caused the city to go mad with directionless rage, which Kaiscillius cleverly pointed at my sister, who ruled while the device kept me in a stupor. Then, about a week ago, he struck. The bubble of rage exploded into a full blown rebellion, it was then that the city was saved by Blueblood," she gestured over to the emaciated pony, "who deployed the large shield that now surrounds the city, and stopped the riots. Seeing that his plan failed, Kaiscillius then assaulted the castle, successfully I might add, and fought his way here to dispatch Blueblood, luckily my sister was able to keep him busy until I arrived, and we defeated him together. Since then I have kept him in a secure containment cell under the castle, and have thus far failed to acquire the device's location, hence why it is still active. He has pledged to voluntarily hand over the location in about... three hours or so, I would like us all to be there to witness it, Fluttershy especially as her unique talents may be very useful if we need to pry at all."

"Now hold on a minute there your Highnessness, just how dangerous is this Kaiscillius?" Discord asked concerned. Fluttershy laid a grateful hand on one of his arms.

"Not so dangerous anymore, he will be depleted of most of his magic without a source to get more from,"

Rarity raised a hand, "Excuse me Princess, but, that doesn't make any sense. I've never had to have a source to drain from when I become magically fatigued, why should this 'creature' as you said?"

Celestia nodded in acknowledgement of the fair question, "It is a peculiar part of the beast's anatomy. You see, ponies, and a select few others, have the ability to passively regenerate the magic they use, while most others, Kaiscillius included, does not. Instead he must charge from somewhere else," she paused for a moment, "I'm not really sure where he gets magic from, though I'd jump at the chance to find out."

Everyone else seated around the table was silent, contemplative. Luna was giving Celestia a strange look, but it quickly disappeared. Silence hung over the room, no one seemed to know what to say, until Shining Armor spoke up, "So... what's our plan?"

Celestia nodded at him, "Well, our hands are tied until we find and destroy the device, no doubt his previous helpers will crawl back out of the woodwork as soon as the shield goes down. We need teams of us, the ponies we know we can trust, the ponies we love. The times ahead cannot be weathered, not for long. One team will seek out the device, another must keep control of the city, while a third stays here and assures Kaiscillius does not escape."

Shining stood, "Well, as a former commander, I believe I can delegate well enough. The most powerful of us, Celestia, Luna, Discord, you should stay here and defend against the fiend. The elements are well known and well loved among the people, they should be in charge of holding the city together for as long as they can. Cadence and I share the strongest bond, we should be the field agents and destroy the device. I could use a team of guards to accompany us, and make certain they are either truly in love or family members, we don't want them to fragment and start killing each other."

"I believe I have the perfect team," those at the table jumped as Golden Lance's voice called out from behind them. He stood at the foot of the throne, helmet tucked under his arm, passively watching over the group.

"Lance!" Luna said, laughing, "I didn't even see you enter, you say you have a team?"

"Excuse me, but who is this," Shining Armor asked, hand already on the hilt of his sword.

Lance saluted, "Guard Captain Golden Lance, sir. I was already privy to this information prior to this meeting. Thus far it has been my job to keep Kaiscillius under lock and key, search for the device, and keep the city together. Glad to see I'll be getting some much needed assistance."

Shining eyed Celestia, who gave him a nod of affirmation. Slowly he settled back down to the table, allowing Lance to speak.

"I have a team, siblings all, three brothers, three sisters. It'll take me two hours to contact them all, but it sounds like that's exactly the amount of time we've got. I'll get right on it."

With that, Lance bowed to the assembled company and swiftly exited. On his way out he ordered another guard to take his place as lookout. An equally handsome black stallion with sparkling green eyes stepped in, nodding to the Captain as he left.

Celestia raised an eyebrow at the new guard, Where does he find these people I wonder? At this rate I'll have to make sure the recruiters aren't basing their judgments on looks alone.

She turned her attention back to the table, "Very well, Shining, I agree wholeheartedly with your way of doing things, it does seem to make the most sense."

Celestia noticed that Discord and Fluttershy were whispering amongst themselves, and she saw the small pegasus give the Lord of Chaos a reassuring pat on the arm and a kind smile, saying, "Well, I think it's a good idea too. I wouldn't want anypony to get hurt before we can stop whatever's happening."

Discord nodded, though he was clearly not happy about something, "Yesss, I suppose all we've got to do now is wait until the appointed hour. How about yahtzee? No? Anyone for charades, I'll tell you it's real fun with a shapeshifter doing the impressions."

"Actually, Discord," Celestia said dryly, "I believe that if we left now, we'd reach his cell on time."

Discord, who had already half transformed himself into some kind of balloon animal, and Pinkie Pie both exclaimed their disappointment in not being able to play party games, but were quickly overturned by the others' desire to meet this Kaiscillius.

"Trust me," Luna said, "It's not an experience you fondly remember afterwards."

A mile around the base of Canterlot Mountain from the city -

Six guards clattered along the bottom rim of the imposing mountain, one held a device, all argued.

"I told you, we should have gone the other way around the mountain!"

"Now what kind of bucking sense does that make? The mages said that the dark magic signal came from the eastern side of the mountain, and you want to go west?"

"Look, just bucking ask Nicker! Oy, Nick! We there yet?"

"Buck off, all of you! I've answered that question every time you've had this argument! Six times! I've counted!"

"Am I the only one who sees that?"

"And anyway, Prance is right, we had to go east, not west you idiot-"

"GUYS!"

"I'm not a guy Waffle, quit making fun of my chest!"

"No, look, there! What's that?"

The bumbling party of guards, all wearing a set of Celestia's thaumatically protective armor, pulled up short and turned as a group to face a crevice in the mountain. They'd all almost missed it, it was so small. It barely seemed as if a pony could fit into it. Nicker looked down at the magical detection device he'd been handed by the battlemage bigwigs and said, "Huh, uh, yeah, that's the place."

Holly Barrel shivered, "Are you sure that's the place? I mean, it looks pretty tight in there, what if we get stuck?"

"Oh, I don't know, I've seen tighter," Edge Prancer held up a hand for a high five, which nopony was inclined to return.

"Faust, I hate you Prancer," Bold Brass said as she rubbed her face in disgust.

The lanky guard frowned,"Hey, how come none if you guys use my first name?"

"Because none of can believe your parents named you bucking "Edge"," Waffle Stack replied as he snatched the magic detection device from Nicker and held it up to the small cave entrance,"And Brass, when have I ever made fun of your chest?"

"Yeah, when there's nothing there to make fun of! Hayoo- Hey, hey! It was a joke alright, just a joke! Ow, shit, stop it!"

Waffle ignored the rapidly deteriorating argument behind him as he observed the detector in his hand. It was really nothing more than a black half-sphere, with white lines radiating out from the center. A silver handhold attached to the back so that a pony wouldn't have to grab the machine itself. As Waffle held it, a purple blip blinked rhythmically dead ahead of the center of the half circle. The blip was quite small, and, as far as Waffle could see, there wasn't anypony else around to guard this place. Both of these factors made him seriously doubt that this was what they were looking for, in the overall sense. He hadn't been told exactly, but he could guess why the mages were scouring the land with magic detectors like his, and sending out platoons in special armor to secure locations. They were looking for the big one, the one that made everypony go crazy. And while he felt proud to help, he also felt like this wasn't the place they were looking for.

"You okay Waffle?" While the others were arguing amongst themselves, Summer Trail had come over to speak to him. He liked her the most out of their little group. Nicker and Prancer were both idiots, Brass was an insecure bully, and Holly was a coward. Summer was was brave, and had a head on her shoulders, and she wasn't half bad looking either.

Of course, you're a judgy know it all, he thought dryly to himself.

He smiled, "Yeah, I just don't think this is the place. But, not like that matters, we have to search it anyway, better get a move on," he turned to face the rest of the group, "Hey, knuckleheads! We're going in, single file. I'll take point, Summer behind me, then Prancer, Brass, Holly, and Nicker. Let's move it ponies!"

Grumbling, they all lined up, only Prancer showed any defiance, and he was just miffed that he didn't get to be in charge. Slowly, they crept their way into the crevice, "Be on the lookout for anything dangerous," Waffle said, "We are hunting dark magic after all," he rolled his eyes as he heard Holly gulp audibly.

It was a tight fit at first, they had to really squeeze themselves sideways to fit, but the tunnel gradually widened as it continued. There was a point that they reached where the daylight from outside was almost completely gone, and Waffle was about to call for torches to be lit, when he noticed something ahead, more light.

"Come on guys, just a little farther. I want to conserve as much as possible, and I can see more light up ahead. Doesn't look like sunlight though, I wonder what it is?"

Nopony had an answer for him.

The cave they were in grew ever wider as they moved through it, now large enough that two ponies could stand in it side by side and not bump into each other. Waffle found this strange, as caves tended to get less roomy and hotter as one explored them. Finally, Waffle saw where the light was coming from, crystals. At first they were almost indistinguishable from the light grey rock around them, but the rocks darkened, and the tiny gemstones brightened.

There were few of them near the entrance, the occasional gleam or pinprick of light, about the size of a grain of sand. But as their light grew from a dull grey to a monotone glow, so too did their numbers. Dozens of the pinpricks were scattered against the darkening plateau at a time, then hundreds, then thousands. Deeper inside the cave the group went, all awestruck by the beauty of the tiny white crystals shimmering brightly betwixt an oily void. The stone around them was blacker that a moonless night, but the tiny fires were so bright that the ponies had no problems seeing anything at all.

"This is amazing," Holly said, moving to stand beside Waffle and Summer. The tunnel had grown much wider, now they might all be able to stand side by side, though without much elbow room. The cave had gotten no taller, but had started out high enough that it didn't feel claustrophobic. That all changed when they rounded a final bend. Hushed gasps were made and heard by all as a wide, tall room expanded out around them, with hundreds of thousands or tiny pieces of light shining. At the far end of the room lay a pool of pitch darkness, whose surface was entirely still save for the gentle lapping of black waves upon the shore of stars.

"This place is beautiful, "Summer said breathlessly.

"Well, I'm glad you think so my dear."

Everypony froze, and the hair stood up on the backs of their necks.

"Uh," Prancer said quiveringly, "What was that?"

"Why, only your host my good stallion. Your most gracious host," the voice answered again. It was deep, deep as a barrel chested stallion. Waffle saw Summer and Holly shiver.

"What are we to do with our guests, brother?" Now it was Waffle's turn to shiver. That voice! It was tempting, salacious, seductive, it made his heart pump and his nostrils flare, along with a choice few other organs.

"Patience Inveyah, we will all receive our guests properly first."

"Form ranks!" Waffle shouted as six creatures molded out of the darkness around them. Quickly, the group scrambled to form a tight circle, back to back facing outward. The creatures were incredibly strange, and seemed to want to give the ponies a good view as they too formed a circle, and prowled around the six ponies. The were about as wide as two ponies, as long as two were tall, and stood at about head height. Their bodies were incredible, living reflections of the cave in which they resided. Small clusters of stars raced their way across the bodies of the creatures, and around each of the three heads. These were very clearly some kind of hydra, nothing else had a body structure like this. Their eyes were the worst, or perhaps the best, brighter than any other part of the body, they blazed with power and authority, a natural air of command.

They stopped moving, six creatures facing six ponies. The one in front of Waffle spoke, "Greetings, ponies, I am Karscus, firstborn son and heir of Kaiscillius and the Great Mother. You stand in the midst of royal blood."

Waffle was barely paying attention to the prattle, still taking stock of his "hosts". He noticed a difference between them, three were bulky, with armor, muscle, and sinew thick about them. All along these were ridges and spines, flaring plates and intimidating angles, then there were the other three. Waffle's eyes were practically locked to the one sitting patiently next to this "Karscus". It was sleek, slim, curvaceous, and utterly beautiful. It's eyes were thinner, more slanted so that its looks were always coquettish. It's muscles were smooth and toned, with a multitude of scales flowing across it's perfect form like a water over a statue. Waffle was very confused, bewildered even! What sort of animal could... make him feel this way?

"Ah, I see my sister has caught your eye, leader of the ponies. We shall all introduce ourselves then."

Waffle was jolted out of his staring by an elbow to the ribs. He looked down in surprise to see Summer glaring at him, and he blushed, but all his embarrassment was ripped away as she spoke, "Greetings, ponies, I am Inveyah. First born daughter and heir of Kaiscillius and the Great Mother. I look forward to getting to know you all personally," her voice was as soft as her body, but with a bite of natural sexuality to it. It titillated the ears and stoked the passions of all stallions that heard it, and Waffle was no exception to her sanguine ways. He felt his stallionhood stirring at the sound of her, and his eyes were drawn further in to her curves and bulges, watching as small stars rippled their way over her lithe body.

The creatures continued to introduce themselves, and all subtly shifted one pony to the left. Now Karscus faced Summer, and Inveyah locked eyes sidelong with Waffle.

"I am Tenaan, son of Kaiscillius and the Great Mother."

"I am Niolithis, daughter of Kaiscillius and the Great Mother."

"I am Zarakis, son of Kaiscillius and the Great Mother."

"And I am Tychandris, daughter of Kaiscillius and the Great Mother."

Each intoned separately as they stared down the group of ponies like a pack of hungry wolves. Waffle perked up at hearing the other females speak, but it seemed that none had her voice, her resonance with him. Had his mind been in a fitter state, he might have noticed that the others in his group seemed to share his feelings about their chosen hydra.

Waffle was hypnotized as the beautiful female swayed forward towards him, a suggestive smile played across her primary set of lips, and she lowered her head, blinking at him as though bashful. Before he knew it the object of his desires was upon him, pressing her warm body to his. Unable to move, he was slowly pushed to the ground by a claw. He heard gasps coming from somewhere around him, he needed to look after his squad! But his temptress banished all those thoughts with her words.

"Oh, my handsome knight," she said leaning down onto his chest. He could feel her soft warmth through his clothing, and was trying desperately not to get off as she laid down on top of him, "I am ever so lonely, perhaps a brave hero such as yourself would be willing to aid a princess?"

His eyes stared into hers, he was unable to speak for her beauty, her head tilted down, and their lips met. The kiss was blissfully soft, and fulfilling. Waffle felt fire run in his veins like never before, he wanted this mare more than any other he'd ever met, and she didn't seem to be complaining. A long, thin tongue slowly breached their locked lips, and his eagerly leapt to meet it. His mistress proved to be the more adept fencer, however, and soon her longer muscle had entwined with his in another loving embrace. A sweet liquid flowed through Waffle's mouth, he moaned as the nectar gushed from the tongue of his lover down his throat, and felt a fire rage in his body. His loins were already stirring when he felt a breath of warm air flow across them.

"Mmmm... and what is this, my love? A gift for your princess?" He groaned as the voice tore through his heart and straight to his groin, which now stood at half mast. That was soon fixed with a lusty nuzzle and the sound of her inhaling his scent.

"Aaaahh, such a wonderful stallion you are, getting so hard just for me! What do you wish, my prince? Would suck like me to stroke it? Suckle it? Take it into me until you fill me up, time after time after time? All you have to do is ask, and heavenly pleasure shall be yours forever..."

Waffle had the most raging boner of his life, and desperately tried to move his arms into a position to undo his pants, but they were pinned under the lithe muscular legs of his tormentor. He would have screamed for her, "Yes! Take me now!" but he would have choked himself to death on the wondrous liquid still flowing into him from her tongue's constriction of his.

His hips bucked and shook violently and his hands clenched into fists of frustration as his seductress slowly nuzzled her way up and down his length through the heavy pants he wore. Every touch felt so distant that it was just tantalizing enough to drive him crazy, but give him no real satisfaction.

After many muffled moans and tears of need, he finally snapped. A pressure which had been building up in his skull popped and hissed like steam from a boiler, and with a loud RIIIP he felt cold air brush his raging erection. Waffle screamed as best he could with a mouth full of snake tongue, and his vision went nearly white. He hadn't cum, oh no, not yet, but he felt hornier than any point in his life. Had he been let loose, he would have pounced the first mare in sight, rape or not.

"Oh! It seems he's out to play. But you know, he looks awfully dry, and what are those two little things down there I see? I wonder if they might appreciate the attention more."

Waffle screamed again as his partner slowly dragged her reptilian tongue across his balls, which caused him to buck and spasm, frothing at the mouth. They churned wildly, clenching and releasing, as the skilled temptress slurped her way around them, covering every inch in a fluid that cooled the raging fire at first, but reignited it the second she parted from his lonely body. Her tongue wandered it's way around each of his balls in turn, occasionally she slipped one into her soft, warm mouth, until it seemed he was about to burst, then she relented with a parting flick. She then became more adventurous, and strayed farther south with her ministrations, tonguing the area underneath his sack and just above his rear entrance. It felt like ice lightning jerking down his spine as his eyes rolled back and he let out a long suffering groan.

Waffle spasmed and choked again as another hiss and release of pressure made him even more feral. He was little more than an animal with this point, and his cock had swelled to four times its original length, his balls expanding to be more than three times their size, and fit to burst with the amount of cum they were desperate to spray... anywhere! Waffle would have cum in a dog at this point, and his mistress was sooo much better than that.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!" He screeched as his lover simply ran the very tip of her tongue quickly up his length, and he almost lost it, he wanted to loose it! But his mistress had other plans.

"Oh, my loyal knight, its not time yet! I will help you maintain your valor, until you may fill me with your incredible seed!"

The act was somewhat lost upon the near comatose pony, and he missed a rather interesting point of female nighdra biology, one which he would soon come to hate. The very tip of a female's tongue splits into two thinner pieces. On the end of each of these is a large bulb, resembling a pink sphere. The female widened her tongue split, and used the large circle she now had to completely wrap around the area just under the tip of his penis, squeezing tight, and quickly plugging the one eyed sergeant's one eye with one of the bulbs.

Waffle howled in pleasure as release finally came! Except that the she-devil had completely cut off his ability to ejaculate, and he yelled in frustration, attempting to pump his hips and cum harder.

"Hahaha, silly knight. You can't be going at a time like this! There's a time and a place for everything," she bit his ear and whispered harshly, "And wouldn't you love to cum inside me instead?"

Waffle want absolutely buck wild, losing his mind over his lust of his lover, his provider, his Savoir!

Inveyah dipped down her third head, which had been the one doing the talking, and began to cover the now massive cock in nighdra secretions. Needless to say, her captive roared and raged and ranted, cumming several times, but never releasing. His prick was turning an alarming shade of dark red by the time she played her final trick and, without warning, deepthroated him.

Waffle passed out as his lower half became autonomous, and began thrusting mindlessly on its own. Inveyah took it in stride, closing her eyes and slurping down the engorged monster as though it were a smoothie. Her throat was warm, and softer than velvet, it felt like Waffle was fucking a cloud. Her tongue was completely wrapped around his shaft, squeezing and milking as her head bobbed rapidly up and down, the one that was now free of his cock cooed softly in his ears.

"Ooooh... my prince! But your cock is ever so delicious! I could suck it day and night, jut letting you pound my throat until you were nothing but an animal, fucking my mouth out until the day you died of old age. And never releasing once. Speaking of which, it would be ever so generous of you to have a little more stamina..."

There was a blinding flash in Waffle's eyes, and his bestial growls and huffs died as a tiny bit more of the pressure was released from his head. He gasped like he'd just been dunked into ice water as the feeling- no, need to cum simply vanished! A wellspring of time had been added to his sexual ventures, though he didn't know it. What he did know is that his head was so much clearer that it was much easier to think.

She's so bucking soft... he sighed dreamily, before a more rational part of his brain took over and he began to scream in panic rather than in pleasure.

I'm being raped by a sexy mind controlling lizard! Waffle heaved with his arms, and managed to shift Inveyah again, before her head slammed back down onto his hyper-sensitive shaft, taking the entire thing down into her warm, wet mouth, massaging it both with the tongue and all of her throat muscles, which undulated like a snake.

Ooohhh, buuuuuck that feels good... Waffle collapsed back to the ground and began to pant from the extended deepthroat session, failing to not pump his member into her once or twice. He faltered further when her soft body nestled atop his again, clouding his mind with the haze of great sex, warm bodies pressed close, and the pressure that still built inside his mind.

"You know my prince, pony bodies are so hard, don't you think? I'm sure you wouldn't mind being softer, for the sake of your princess," Waffle groaned again as a hiss pop thunked into the side of his brain, and his whole body shivered, and Celestia damn, was she still taking the whole thing down her throat?!

His body began to itch all over and he scratched the only part he could reach, the sides of his legs, but it didn't seem to help much. It was then that he noticed that his dick wasn't the only thing to grow, he could feel his calf muscles bulging like he'd stuffed them with beach balls, and he felt that his arms were probably the same way.

Shit, she turned me into a muscle-bound freak, and I still can't get away? How strong is my mistress? Wait... I mean, this chick? Waffle was now blushing in confusion at his brain's Freudian Slip, when he suddenly felt a lot warmer. He blindingly tilted his head down to look at his body, to find it covered with fur. Not hair, fur. Short, and, he imagined, soft. Needless to say he would have screamed his ass off if it hadn't meant choking to death.

"Ahh, much better. Now, I quite liked you resisting, maybe I'll give you a little more bite to your bark," another hiss and Waffle howled in pain as his fingers and teeth felt like they were on fire, he tried to touch them to see what was happening, and found that he was growing claws!

Waffle felt something shift, and realized with a start that he was incredibly close to his limit again, the head on his dick not having been idle during his mutation process. It stopped suddenly as the creature on top of him seemed to shift in order to get more comfortable, this was his chance!

Waffle surged upwards, toppling his mistress-

The hydra, he corrected himself.

and slammed her onto her back, bringing her face to face with him, their hot breaths intertwining in the cool air. His eyes locked to hers. In them he saw the thrill of the hunt, of being pinned, of knowing she was in control, of lust. They were... so... beautiful...

"P-p-please, my knight," she huskily cried, "be g-g-gentle..."

Waffle struggled, he snorted and fought, he kicked and screamed and roared, and plunged his massive beast of a penis straight into her waiting, quivering slit. She cried out with joy at the penetration, giggling as Waffle wept. He thrust fast and hard, no restraint, no self control, he was an animal, breed to fuck, bred to breed. Molded by his mistress to be her perfect fit!

Her pussy was tight, tighter than Waffle thought he could stand, and so hot it felt like it was burning him alive, but he didn't stop, couldn't stop, wouldn't stop fucking her! Not till the day he died he would be there, in her slit, in her ass, in her mouth, on her back, in her claws, he would fuck and fuck and fuck!

With a roar of submission, he came like a fire hydrant, spewing what must have been gallons of white hot spunk straight into the guzzling maw of his mate, who moaned salaciously at her slave's newfound conviction.

"Ooohh, my knight in armor! I will give you so many gifts! You will be a part of me! An expression of what I am, what I can create! Now, I want you in every hole, take me!" Waffle awaited the blinding , popping hiss, and roared like a lion as a second cock, the same size as his old one, sprang to life just underneath his partner, making Waffle, or whatever it is he had become, incredibly front heavy. To balance this, and to fulfill her desire, Inveyah gave him a tail. A long, thick tail, with three massive cockheads breaching from the end.

Waffle didn't pull out, or wait for his spunk to drain. Inveyah was already on her back, so her creation rammed the second dick in her rear door with no thought of lube, not that she needed any, and whipped his trident of a tail around to Inveyah's three eager mouths.

The pressure Waffle was feeling was unbelievably intense. His two crotches were both being squeezed harder than they physically should without bursting, and those three up front were getting deepthroated as hard as his first one was... was it only a few minuted ago? It felt like an eternity, and it felt like he had an eternity to fuck his mistress. Just him and whatever hole he could fill, forever. His tongue lolled at the thought of being eternally one with his mistress, and he increased the jackhammer sawing of her nethers, ramming in and out of her pussy and ass at the same time, rubbing violently against any surface that he could touch. He was bent over double, grinding as hard as he could against his mistress' body, when he came again with a roar. This time, the seed ejected was much more reasonable. About twice what the most virile stallion would be able to manage, from five different bulging, thrusting heads. Inveyah, cooed and sucked happily as warm jizz filled her every orifice, as per her command.

"Inveyah, stop playing with your food and dominate him already," Waffle's ears perked up, but it was one of the masters, not his mistress, so he began again to thrust, humping as spooge gushed out around his massive pricks and down his legs.

"Karscus, he is dominated! I promise! Look, slave, stop at once," Waffle whimpered, but stopped fucking her in the ass.

"See? Perfectly trained," Waffle's ears registered a derisive snort, but it wasn't a command to start thrusting again, so Waffle just dribbled out some more cum into his mistress' holes.

"Ooooh, thank you my dear... what is your name?"

Waffle couldn't really talk that well any more. The muscle expansions in his chest and shoulders had somewhat constricted his vocal chords, and the longer, sharper teeth meant that he couldn't close his mouth completely, so it came out as, "Aaaulh..." then he drooled a bit, and came some more.

"Mmmmm, so warm. Anyway, his name in Auul. A fitting name for a personal slave," Auul registered the name change, and thrusted once in thanks for his recognition.

And Auul the Slave was definitely not Waffle Stack the Guard. He was nearly twice as tall, and three times as muscular. His entire body was covered in soft, downy brown fur, and he had wickedly sharp claws and teeth. Not to mention that he now had five penises, each the size and length of an arm, and balls about the size of a grapefruit each, magically enhanced to keep pumping out lots of extra warm semen. This was the quirk of female nighdra, while their male counterparts tended to focus more on subtlety and mental manipulation, females made physical changes to better suit them, and were unconcerned with the wasted magic, as the amount they could harvest from a personal slave, which they usually kept until it died, easily made up for the cost.

Karscus snorted at the monstrosity as he slowly eased in and out of Summer Trails' front gate, her face a mask of hazy confusion and small shuddering gasps.

"Honestly, Inveyah, I don't see how you could find any enjoyment in that thing, It can't even think for itself anymore!"

"And why would I need him to? Auul's just a sweet little boy that gives me what I want, when I want it. And I don't go through him like he's just a condom. How many times are you planning to fuck that same mare?"

Summer stirred as a voice seemed to be speaking at her, "W-w-what? Where... What's... happening again? I feel... warm... so hot..." her eyes focused briefly and saw an unfamiliar creature towering over her, but it bore a face she recognized, "Waffle?"

Karscus sighed, "Now look what you've done! Completely disrupted the magical loop I had her in, give me a moment," still gently, painstakingly easing inch after inch of his massive dick into the smaller mare, he leaned down and began whispering in her ear. Summer blushed lightly, and her eyes unfocused, before she shuddered, her shoulders shaking as her midsection clenched, and she quietly mewled. Karscus leisurely inserted the very last of his leg-thick cock into the mare, before beginning the process anew and dragging his way back out of her snatch so deliberately you could practically hear it grind against every nerve it touched, leaving no part of her too quick to notice.

"There's an idea Karscus, I could set mine loose on her. It would be ever so much fun to see how she handles it!"

One of Karscus' heads, which had been laboriously teasing one of the mare's small breasts, snapped towards her, "Are you mad? With this delicate of a process? You have the benefit of our magic to keep that thing from ripping you apart! My poor, sweet filly has none of that..." his words were followed by a rain of lavish licks and kisses that made Summer's eyes lose focus even more, and her dazed smile grow wider as her clear mare juices gushed from around the nighdra's obsidian member.

"Ughh, fine. Now I'm bored, and frisky. Hey, Tychandris!" Inveyah called across the burgeoning orgy to her sister, who looked up from her own creation with a, "Hmm?"

Auul's head turned at the new being his mistress spoke to. She was very pretty. Not quite as pretty as his mistress, but close. He felt all five of his perpetually engorged cocks twitch and spurt more scalding fluid at the sight of her. He was more confused about what she rode though. It looked to be a giant translucent blob, a perfect half sphere that seemed to be incredibly soft. Protruding from the sphere were a multitude of tentacles, a very light lavender in color, that swarmed around Tychandris, each slathering her in a shiny fluid and rushing madly to cram into any hole they could fill. Tychandris herself reclined on the blob as though it were a sofa, and let the bed of tentacles have their way with her, which they happily did. Auul could here many satisfying schlick noises emanating from both of Tychandris' lower orifices.

"How about a swap, we don't do anything to the others' pet and compare styles after?" Auul understood the words his mistress spoke slowly, the concepts forcing their way through his devolved brain. She wanted to have sex with the blob-thing, and wanted him to fuck her sister. Simple enough.

Auul, eager to impress, ripped his arm length shafts completely out of his mistress' pussy and ass, leaving them wide and cavernous at his sudden departure. His cocks were swiftly followed by a massive outpouring of hot white cum, and many lusty moans from his mistress, which had him dribbling on the floor in anticipation. He presented himself, in a stance he knew from... somewhere. It seemed almost like a past life now... something called parade rest, he didn't care where from, he felt it made him appealing.

"Oooooooh, Auul, we have to do that again sometime! Just letting it build and build, until you rip out the cork and I pop like Prench champagne! Anyway Tychandris, what do you think?"

Tychandris' main mouth was slightly occupied by three of the slimy tentacles at once, so one of the others answered, "Sure! Sounds fun! I'll miss my little Jelly though," she patted the whitish blob on the... head? Back? Whatever it was, and it slowly, almost reluctantly, let her go.

"Okay now Jelly, go and play with Inveyah for a little bit. Oh, I know, I know sweety, but it's okay! Mommy's gonna take good care of you the second you get back. Go play, go play now!" She talked to the creature as though it were a puppy, and a few of the tentacles did waggle in such a way that they looked like dog's tails, and it slowly slugged its way over to Auul's mistress.

Auul, being slightly smarter, already knew what he was supposed to do, and began walking towards Tychandris in a predator's stance, before his mistress whispered in his ear, "Be rough." Auul gave as black a smile as he could with his newly sharpened teeth, and instead stalked on all fours over to his new target. Upon passing the blob, the coloration of it almost made him remember something. Something before his mistress. A very annoying pony, with a stupid name, Auul couldn't really remember that well. Besides, that wasn't his mission, his mission was to fuck his mistress' sister harder than any other living thing could.

"Uh, hello there Inveyah's pet. My what big teeth you hav- shit!" Auul pounced his prey the second she was distracted enough for him to take her. He bull rushed on all fours underneath her legs and threw her head over tail so she cracked back down onto the stone floor on her back, driving the wind out of her. With no warning or preamble he immediately rammed his two lower appendages into her snatch and crack as far as he could on the first pass. He then came up with a wonderful little idea, and yanked himself out, all the way out, tip and all. Tychandris shuddered for breath and coughed a little, her eyes widening at the beast's sexual ferocity, before she screamed in both pain and pleasure as he shoved in again, deep as he could go. Auul then struck like a scorpion with his trident of a tail, ramming the three monster cocks down all three of her throats at once. She was so tight, in Auul's opinion, the blob had not been pleasuring her correctly if her throats were still this tight after all this time. Auul aimed to fix that. From there the plan was simple, draw all the way out, leaving her gaping, and slam your way back in like a wrecking ball. Each time his hips connected with an almighty slap and the intense heat and pleasure in all five of his cocks made him spew cum like a geyser inside and outside of his newly ravished mate. Her throats guzzled the worst of it, since he did not once pull out of them, endeavoring to push deeper, in fact, nearly blocking off all air that Tychandris was receiving. Her eyes fluttered as she groaned at being filled so much, vowing to give her Jelly similar properties after all was said and done. But Auul wasn't satisfied with just having her muzzle drinking his cum like liquid gold, on no, he wanted it deep in her. With every thrust of his pelvis he rammed his way farther and harder into the mare, spraying her insides white with the force of a fire hose. And when he pulled out before each thrust her entire stomach, chest, face, and both her of her orb like ass cheeks were drenched with steaming white liquid, before he battered back in and filled her to bursting all over again. Tychandris would later say that it was like being in a one man bukake party, and she enjoyed it greatly.

Finally, after several minutes of ear shattering roars and orgasmic screams of pleasure from the female pinned under him, Tychandris managed to pry one cock from one mouth, which was instantly blasted with cum, and cried, "Inveyah! I yield! Get your fuck machin- mmph!" She had been slightly distracted, and the saliva and cum coated cock slipped from her grasp and quickly bulged her moaning whore throat.

"Auul, cease! And return to me!" Auul immediately tore his body from his temporary mate, his mistress called! Poor Tychandris looked about six months pregnant, with a frankly stupid amount of jizz coating her and the area around her. The problem only grew as, with a shuddering sigh of release, Auul's seed that had been trapped inside her ass and vag burst forward like creeks of thick milk. The nighdra moaned and convulsed, rolling in more of the still tepid spooge that lay in a massive puddle on the cave floor. Her holes, all five of them, were stretched nearly beyond recognition, with her asshole clenching and squeezing wildly as it attempted to close the forearm's gap of space not left in it.

"Inveyahhhhhhh... I- fuuuuuuck, I-I can't, ooooh fuck, there's just too... too much cum..." All of Tychandris' tongues lolled at the abusive way her body had been used and tossed aside, her eyes rolled back as she digested the massive quantities of magic she had consumed. She came several more times before it was over.

Inveyah smirked, apparently having "won". Auul was happy to help his mistress. Fucking felt good.

"Very, very good boy Auul, now come here, I learned a thing or two from Jelly as well," Auul jealously glared at the blob as it oozed its way back over to its owner, and, though it had no eyes, Auul felt the look was mutual.

A reassuring purr from his mistress, and her pressing her body to his, made his doubts evaporate," He wasn't half the pet you were, but I like it rough. His tentacle mucus did shine my armor quite nicely though, so guess what you'll be getting, ohhhh... six of," Auul shuddered as more pressure relieved from his head, and six sharp stabs of pain erupted on his back. He only had time to grunt before the pain vanished and he now possessed six long, oozing purple tentacles. He wondered how strong their grip was.

"Now," his mistress whispered lecherously, licking his tail, "who's ready for round three?"

But an echo through the chamber stopped all merrymaking. Someone was at the entrance.

Here she was again. Standing staring at the slab of cold grey stone at the bottom of a long, bleak grey staircase. Celestia didn't know why visiting this prisoner felt like so much more of a burden than visiting her other one, especially since the Grey made her angry much more often. Perhaps it was the oppressive hold Kaiscillius still held over her city. A hold that, she hoped, would soon be broken. The walk here had been pleasant, if tense. Some small talk, slight banter from Discord, but she sensed mostly worry. Worry for what would befall the city, and the world, if they failed. And now here they were, at the precipice looking down. Celestia could feel it, the tightening in her gut as the storm gathered to break.

"Princess?" Fluttershy's soft voice pierced Celestia's brooding contemplation. In that voice she heard worry, yes, but also compassion, determination, hope.

She blinked, smiled, and shook her head, "Thank you Fluttershy," the young pegasus probably didn't know what she was being thanked for. Celestia's horn flashed gold, and the thaumatic lock on the door disengaged, rolling the stone away from the cave, and revealing the black hearted beast inside. Several of those behind her gasped, but Celestia would not falter now, and boldly marched forward. A corona of light shed into the dark chamber around the stone door frame, throwing into sharp relief Kaiscillius' shadows and scales. His six eyes shone in their black recesses, his three heads cast down against his chains, staring up with interest at his visitors.

One by one, each of the group noiselessly filtered into the room, it seemed as though the very air demanded their silence. All save one, Discord, who stood on the cusp, eyeing the half-globe warily at first, doubt playing across his face, before disappearing back up the stairwell. Leaving the ponies none the wiser.

The door rolled shut again, bleeding the last of the warm torchlight from the room, and casting all into darkness. Only the light of the simmering stars upon Kaiscillius' armor shone now, and still not a sound was made. Though the ponies had the numbers advantage by far, the energy in the room seemed at a standstill, evenly matched, each side waiting for the other to take up white in this new game of chess.

Celestia soon realized it only behooved her enemy for her to wait, and so she spoke first, genially, "Greetings, Kaiscillius. As you can see I've brought some friends along for this meeting, as you indicated earlier that it was special. Am I incorrect?"

Those who had never heard the creature speak before retreated a pace when he shook the room with his answer, "Perceptive, as ever, Celestia. This talk will indeed be very important for you, in fact I'd say the entirety of your civilization rides on it. No doubt this is why you brought her."

Those assembled looked at each other in confusion, all except for Celestia and Fluttershy, who, defying all expectations, stepped forward and spoke even before Pinky could, "Hello there Kaiscillius, if it's okay for me to call you that. My name is Fluttershy, as I believe you know. And you're right, I'm here in case the Princess thinks you're lying to us, and you wouldn't do that, would you?" Her tone was sweet, innocent, heartwarming. Kaiscillius' eyes were dead and cold as they turned their dreadful gaze to her, and a wolf's grin broke his maw.

"No, little one, I won't lie when I tell you the location of the "device" as you call it. Though I can't promise everything I say will be truthful," he cast a lidded and baleful glare over the rest of the party, "And what is the function of the rest of you, hmmm? What can you hope to achieve here? One easily broken unicorn and his two-bit mare, an ill-fitted fashionista, a psychotic party planner, a spoiled bipolar freak, and one conspicuously absent Lord of Chaos."

Shining Armor stayed his blade with the help of his wife, glaring daggers at the monster in front of him, as the three Elements looked around for Discord. Fluttershy visibly wilted when she saw he wasn't there. Luna remained silent, watching.

"Awww, poor thing. It seems your tamed monster has gone wild again without you. Who will protect you now that you are alone? Who will shield your mind from the horrors you saw that day, you pathetic, weak-"

"That is enough, Kaiscillius," Celestia snapped in the Royal Voice, Fluttershy nearly in tears, "antagonization was not part of our bargain. Tell us where the device is hidden now, or suffer greater than I have yet allowed you these past three days."

Kaiscillius huffed and raised himself up to his full height, all took another step back, and craned their necks upwards to look at him.

His voice boomed and surrounded, crashing like waves against the smooth circular walls of the cavern, "Very well, I am surprised you have not thought to look there. It is in the place where this all began. That should be enough to set you on the right path."

Celestia growled, "That was not our deal, I want details Kaiscillius."

His laugh reverberated louder than thunder, and the ponies hunched and clutched their ears to stop the calamitous noise, "Our deal, Celestia, was nothing more than words spoken between two royals in the dark. No contract was made, no binding magics. I have given you enough, and that is all you'll get."

"Fluttershy!" Celestia barked, and the frail yellow pegasus stood her ground against the monster, and looked it directly in the eyes,

"Tell us where the device is!"

There was a quiet that fell over the group, as an almost tangible power radiated from the two beings. A silent contest of wills was being waged, and neither side showed any hint of budging. That is, until it was almost too late. The shadows of the room were playing tricks on Celestia's mind, and it almost seemed like Fluttershy's eyes were beginning to glow, and her skin starting to darken. Until she remembered a letter that Twilight had written to her about a time when Fluttershy had attempted this trick on a bat, and had become a bat pony herself.

Celestia gasped in horror at her folly, and lighting bathed the room in searing heat as two great pillars of red arcing magic slammed down the chains around Kaiscillius' necks and into his armor. With a roar to shatter the mountain, and a magical detonation to match, all were thrown to the ground and blinded momentarily. When Celestia peeled her eyes open, her body aching, smoke hung thick in the air over a shallow crater, halfway between where Fluttershy had been standing, and Kaiscillius' triumphant smirk.

Panicked, Celestia whipped her head around, and breathed a sigh of tremendous relief as she saw the young filly's body unconscious but breathing in the corner of the room. Immediately the girl's two friends were on her, caring for her and making sure she was alright, Shining Armor and Cadence were slower to come to, and Celestia stood trembling in anger at the nerve of this putrid creature.

As she was about to delivery the most devastating torture of which she was capable, Celestia was halted by the opening of the door. Light once again spilled into the room, and in the doorway stood Captain Lance, a halo of gold shining around his armored form.

"Lance?" Luna said groggily, picking herself up.

Celestia saw the guard captain step in, and draw breath to speak, before the castle shook from an external explosion. Then another, and another, and then a wall of force roared through the room.

Author's Note

Show time.

Behind the Curtain

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Ultimatum Part 1/2: The Sun and The Stone

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Ultimatum Part 2/2: Knightfall

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(BC) Shining Armor Gets Hypnotized Again / Waffle's New Sleeve

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How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Public Education

Kaiscillius decidedly hated his new language. It was inelegant, uncultured, and far too demeaning for one of his stature. He'd trawled through Flying's memories and been completely baffled that even Celestia used the term "I" instead of the royal "We", and he hated to have to lower himself to her level, but it was all in the process of going native.

He still lay in his star-dome cave, fully emerged from his pool and feeling better than ever, using the magical cocktail from his first conquest to sate his hunger and thirst. Flying Colors however, was looking very much worse for ware.

Her orange skin had dulled to a slightly brownish color, and it no longer held its sheen. Her eyes were hollow and unfocused, her cheeks gaunt, and her limbs callow. Her horn was grey and shedding layers like a snake skin. All in all she looked like a corpse, save for her ragged breathing and fluttering heartbeat. Kaiscillius could feel her thoughts calling to him, begging to feel magic in her body again, that she felt incomplete without its presence.

Kaiscillius hated the parasitic way in which he had been forced to use her, it was not fitting for one such as him to leave so valuable an asset in such a condition. At the height of his power, he would have had a harem of potent magic-users and would drain a little from each one, giving his diet variety and giving whomever had the honor of being his meal a pleasurable high while maintaining their sanity. But now he was forced to slake his thirst with a single middling unicorn mare, but he'd needed the magic to live, and to transform. So he'd left her slumped in the corner of the cave and assured her that she would feel right as rain when her magic naturally regenerated. She hadn't wanted to wait when she knew that her Lord could give her more magic when he chose, but he knew that if he gave her another infusion of dark magic while her body had none of its own it would kill her or worse, so she just had to wait.

With that taken care of, Kaiscillius had started thinking, he needed a plan. His main goal, obviously, was restoring "Nightmare Moon", as the ponies called his mother, to her rightful place, but to do that he had to overcome several obstacles. First of which were the ponies themselves, according to his new memories every pony was nearly completely devoted to Celestia, not a hint of dissent was present in any of Flying Colors's thoughts. Either from her or anypony else, as far as he could see. He found this extremely suspicious, of course he found everything suspicious since his mother's lesson on food. That didn't mean that there wasn't dissatisfaction with the government, it just meant that it was very tightly controlled. Secondly was the "Elements of Harmony" a sort of peacekeeping task force deployed by Celestia to keep ponies and other races in line. Of course on the surface it was far simpler and more innocent than that, but unlike these ponies, Kaiscillius had a reason to question Celestia's motives. As far as Kaiscillius could see, the Elements didn't have limited jurisdiction, they would just waltz right into other countries and tear down governments to keep the populace in check with Celestia's wishes. Not to mention that it was headed by Celestia's protege Princess Twilight Sparkle, whom she had groomed from birth. Also, within the last, oh, thousand years there had been two new installed rulers, and both of them were firmly in Celestia's side of the court and occured within a few years of each other? Yeah, if that was a coincidence, then he was a mastodon. Thirdly, and perhaps most dangerously, was his mother herself, now going by the name "Princess Luna". If anypony were going to recognize him or his abilities, it would be her. So as much as he wanted run straight to her and free her from her shackles, any plan he made would have to include avoiding her at all costs until it's last possible phases. Lastly, was Celestia. And all that she entailed. He would have to hide his true nature very well if he ever went near her, luckily he'd been trained for that very purpose. He could make anything sound convincing, had perfect mastery over every aspect of his expression and body language, and possessed a photographic memory so he would never forget a previous lie. He'd learned that the hard way.

The first thing Kaiscillius would need was a new name and a new body. It would cost him but Flying's magic had given him enough for a transformation spell, and he would have to be a pony or he would immediately need another meal after the transformation. At first all he could think of was how to work around the cons of being a thestral, Kaiscillius hated thestrals to begin with, until he realized that it just wasn't a possibility. They were too loyal to "Luna" to ever let him persuade them to overthrow her, not to mention it would put him in far too close proximity to her, which caused its own set of problems. And the fact that they were normally social outcasts wouldn't help much at all with breaking into society.

So it was a normal pony for him... or was it? From Flying's memories he'd learned of a new breed of pony that hadn't been around in his day, crystal ponies. He knew of them of course, one could hardly make a study of great historical generals without running into King Sombra and his people, but now they were alive and well living in that forsaken land in the north. Since he would be operating nowhere near there, it should be perfectly simple for him to make up whatever story he wanted and, as long as he didn't attract too much attention, never have to explain it. Still, it would be smartest if he didn't make up people that didn't exist, or that there would be record of ever having existed. He would come from a backwater town, and had been the only one to escape when Sombra steamrolled the place without a second thought. Bam, instant sympathy and good will, and no one could disprove or discredit his past without seeming heartless. He would obviously have to be a unicorn since he wanted to cast magic without arousing suspicion, and he was sure that Celestia kept an eye on all potential ascendants, so a new alicorn popping up out of nowhere would immediately engender distrust.

So, a crystal unicorn then. A good choice, he seemed to remember that their strange construction gave them resistance to both physical and magical damage, things he would no doubt need eventually. Now, coloration. What would he be? Probably the opposite of what his colors were now, less intimidating, more calming. A soft yellow coat then, easy on the eyes, with an orange mane.

His name? Pony names normally equated to their cutie mark, he had noticed, so this would factor into that decision also. He thought long and hard on this, staring into the dark depths of his pool, which his eyes pierced as easily as an arrow through paper. Finally he decided on Night Radiant. Of course he would spell it K-N-I-G-H-T but for him it would hold secret meaning, that his mother's eternal Night would be shine Radiant once more. His cutie mark? A black crusader's shield emblazoned with the crescent moon of his mother, hidden behind a silver broadsword in the foreground. Never seen, but ever present, his true intentions would be. It pleased the poet in him.

Kaiscillius fixed this image firmly in his head, repeating in his mind every last detail of his new body. He calculated once, twice, thrice the exact amount of magic he would need to complete his transformation, and he decide that it would be far too risky to attempt it now. Shrinking his massive body down to regular pony scale would be hard enough, matter condensation was infinitely tricky to perform, and nopony should ever attempt it when running low. But, he could not risk Flying's life by drinking from her again so soon. He would have to be patient and wait for her reserves to regenerate.

So Kaiscillius sighed and paced around his cavern, checking Flying's energy levels and fleshing out his story for Knight Radiant more with just enough detail to provide cohesive ideas, without falling into the liar's trap of being overly descriptive. Finally he settled down near the entrance of his cave, and kept a sharp ear out for strange noises. And slowly he drifted into sleep...

Kaiscillius's dreams were no longer blissful darkness. Now, he had nightmares. His first in centuries. He stood on a black plinth, all around him blood-red clouds roared and raged, a blizzard of biting cold. A pale full moon hung heavily in the sky, far too large for its normal position. He was a child, a hatchling again, and around him stood his brothers and sisters, all of them fully grown with their faces shadowed in the half-light of the moon. He could see their sneers though. Glaring down at his weak form with utter contempt.

"Defeat us now, wilt thou brother?" Hissed his sister Niathandra, "thou art so weak!"

But she was not perfect either, she was missing an arm. The arm he had torn off in their final battle.

His brother Kaldriandis stepped forward, his skulls split from their first encounter in the hatchery. He uttered a horrible gurgling screech that pierced Kaiscillius's ears, and made him clutch at his head in pain.

His other siblings, each with the horrible scars and wounds he had ended their lives with, circled around his child-like body and pinned him to the floor. Far above in the sky, a kindly old pony stood like a giant, and smiled soothingly as he poured acid onto Kaiscillius's scales, making him scream in horrible burning pain as his plates popped and sizzled. He felt that he was already a corpse, the others held him down as he watched his body be eaten away by maggots and scavengers, and though his eyes were eaten he could still see until his bones were picked clean, and he could feel the wind itself grate against his insides. The last thing he saw was his mother, majestic and terrible in her true self, as she sighed in disapproval, and her horn glowed as pain lanced through every atom of Kaiscillius's being.

Kaiscillius awoke, but did not open his eyes. His breathing did not rise or fall abnormally. He had forgotten the nightmares. Forgotten his constant companions. Forgotten how blissful it was in that endless, dreamless sleep. Forgotten his reason for not wanting to come back to the light.

Kaiscillius was drawn out of his melancholy as his ears pricked up and he heard a faint voice, one he reckoned to be about half a mile away.

"... just don't think it's a good idea for you to come out here and investigate it all by yourself!" The voice was young, a little nasal, but not childish exactly, it possessed age.

Another voice answered, "That's what I have you here for Spike, see? I'm not alone. And besides, it was probably nothing, especially not this close to Canterlot. I just wanted some alone time, and this gives me an excuse." This voice was kind, calm, and sweet in its address. It made Kaiscillius want to puke.

"I'm no good in a fight Twilight, you know that, I just want you to be careful."

Twilight? There was no possible way it could be-

"Look Spike, you know who you're talking to right?"

"I know that you're an extremely talented alicorn, yada yada yada. But that doesn't mean that you can't be hurt, or trapped. Might I remind you of-"

"Spare me. We'll be fine Spike, trust me. Now, not another word, or you won't get desert today."

She was coming here. Twilight Sparkle, Celestia's protégé, head of the Elements of Harmony, Princess of Friendship, was coming here. Now.

Kaiscillius would have sworn vigorously if there had been time, but as it stood there was none. Quickly he called to him again the calculations of how much power it would take to complete his transformation, and began hacking off features with a mental meat cleaver. He could afford to be larger than the average unicorn, perhaps the coloration didn't matter as much as he thought...

No, no, no, still not enough! Kaiscillius thought anxiously. He had nowhere near enough power to defeat an alicorn in its prime, disguise was his only option unless some miracle let him reduce the power of both her and her companion drastically.

An idea came to him which made him pause mid pace. He grinned cruelly with all three of his mouths as his eyes sparkled with mirth. It was evil, it was diabolical, it could almost be called lemon-scented, and the Princess would never see it coming.

Princess Twilight Sparkle had had a pretty dull morning. She'd gone through her morning routine and been in court for three hours before she called a recess to go read something interesting so that her brain didn't melt with boredom. She loved the ponies of Ponyville, but sometimes she felt like they could definitely solve some of the problems that they brought to her by themselves. Somepony had come in today to tell her that their cat was stuck in a tree. And it was a unicorn!

But it was during the much needed recess, while totally not reading a book about the best places to vacation to, that she'd noticed that her table was glowing. It showed Fluttershy's cutie mark hovering over... Canterlot Mountain? But then Twilight had an idea. As far as she knew, Fluttershy was totally super busy today... definitely. Which meant that it was up to her to escap- er, investigate!

So she'd grabbed Spike and told her guards to say that court was closed for the day, and if anypony asked why, tell them that she was on extremely important friendship buisness.

With that settled, she'd considered taking the train ride to Canterlot, but she was still a little freaked out by how ponies treated her now that she was an alicorn, even if it had been a while since her ascension. So she decided to teleport as close as possible, and walk the rest of the way. She didn't know what sort of friendship challenge she would be facing, but since the table had called for Fluttershy, she assumed it was animal related. So she'd packed all manner of snacks, vegetables, chew toys, anything an animal could want. Since the disturbance was so close to Canterlot, she doubted it was more than a rabbit family stuck on a rock or something, but it gave her an excuse to stretch her legs and escape the horrible humdrum that she could already feel consuming her brain.

Twilight and Spike flashed into being half a mile from the source of Fluttershy's beacon, this was as close as anyone could teleport to Canterlot without hitting the anti-magic shell that surrounded it.

It was a beautiful day outside, of course it always was near Canterlot. Blue sky, birds chirping, small animals scuttling about. Twilight sighed as she felt herself relax for the first time all day. She and Spike shared some small talk, until they stumbled upon something that caught her eye. She noticed a section of the mountain that was blasted open. Excited, she teleported closer to examine it.

Not enough time, not enough time! Kaiscillius had already drained what little more he dared from Flying. And even still there was an unbelievably tight margin for error, but he was out of time. She was at the entrance to his cave right now, he could hear her poking around the outside of the tunnel. With a deep breath and a sigh, he began to cast the spell.

Energy swirled around Kaiscillius like different colored bolts of lightning, zipping around his body and cracking against his plates. It poured out of his mouths like waterfalls of light, binding him and squeezing him into a smaller and smaller size. His heads molded back into his body, his spine straightened into a more upright position, his front legs shrank and formed more complex joints, and his head became more pony-shaped. It was a battle of will now, he had to push the spell as hard as he could to avoid inefficiency, he couldn't afford any mistakes or breaks in his concentration or the results would be horrifying to say the least.

Kaiscillius could feel the magic running out before the spell was done. He wouldn't be able to complete the entire thing, he had to focus on the most important parts. Internal organs? Check. Anatomically correct skeletal and cardio-vascular structure? Check. Weird jewel skin? Check. The spell was slowing down now, he didn't have enough power to finish entirely. The cutie mark! He quickly amended the oversight, and spent the last of his magic constructing the horn, and basic clothing, when he let the spell fizzle and die, he didn't want to go through overdraw right now. What did he look like? Was everything correct? Kaiscillius stretched and bent his new body every which way, and was very relieved to find that he hadn't missed anything important, like a lung or knee joint. He quickly ran to the pool to checked his reflection.

Knight Radiant was most definitely taller than a unicorn, in fact he would have been more comparable to Celestia's height. As Kaiscillius had focused on more the transformation aspect of the spell, the matter condensation side had suffered. He was broad-shouldered, and thick with corded muscles visible wherever there was skin. Or... not skin exactly but... whatever he was made of. He still wasn't entirely sure how crystal ponies worked, he needed to make a study of one sometime. His... skin was yellow-ish. It started off yellow, and then bled into a violet filled with white dots which became darker and darker. The yellow showed wherever the observer's eyes landed on Knight, with the violet to black spectrum appearing in the peripheral vision, this effect applied to everywhere but a few places. His horn, for instance, started with a yellow base and ended in a black starry tip. And his mane's curls started off a fiery orange, and ended the same as the horn. He suspected the optical illusion effect was left over from his natural gifts not being covered up by the failing spell. It was a bizarre but... unique appearance. That coupled with the fact that he looked like he'd been carved from marble, like a living statue, made it actually look pretty impressive. His orange eyes were soft with a mischievous glint, but an underlying sadness and wisdom. He had an infectious smile, with almost perfect teeth, and a... chiseled jaw. He almost snorted as he noted the pun. He couldn't help but check one of his most important assets while he was at it, and found that he had ignored the area entirely too much, focusing almost no matter condensation energy there at all. It was still massive, not as big as before but still unreasonably large, looking slightly less thick than an arm, with a pair of baseball sized testicles to go with it. He was running out of time, so he finished his inspection with this and rushed to Flying's side yelling, "Is somepony there? Please help, I have wounded in here!"

Twilight had been admiring the amazing crystal formations in this new tunnel when she heard a cry for help from further down.

"Quickly Spike, come on!" She called back to him as she dashed through the narrow crevice, reluctantly slowing more and more as it got harder and harder to see. If there weren't ponies depending on her quick reactions, she would have loved to stop and just take in the geological formations of this cave, it was truly worth studying. All of these thoughts ceased when she stumbled into the main chamber, and beheld the sight before her.

In front of the doorway kneeled a very large crystal pony, holding an orange unicorn in its arms. The unicorn's breath came in wheezing gasps, and she looked to be on the verge of death. Twilight quickly slid into position next to the crystal pony, who she now saw was also a unicorn.

"How can I help?" She asked frantically, giving the female unicorn a once-over. It didn't look good, her skin was graying and her horn was flaking off in places. Her breath came in gasps and her eyes were glassy and unfocused. Twilight placed a hand on the fallen mare's neck, which was icy cold to the touch, and found that we heartbeat was fluttery and irregular. She knew these symptoms, she just hoped it didn't come from where she thought it did.

"Princess?" The crystal unicorn next to her said in amazement, his orange eyes widening in surprise. Then his face took a more serious tone and he turned back to the mare in his arms.

"Her magic's gone. Stolen by some creature, I was walking by that opening outside when I heard her call for help. I got here before she died, but not before whatever it was had left her... like this." He said sorrowfully. Twilight could practically feel the regret and shame beneath his calculating demeanor.

Kaiscillius was very impressed with the new Princess. He already generally knew what she looked like, long purple hair with the two-tone pink stripe, lavender skin color, bookish. But memories did not serve the Princess of Friendship, her skin was flawlessly smooth, her face delicate and gorgeous to look at. She wore a brown sleeveless vest with a white long-sleeved undershirt that was tucked into khaki cargo shorts, and she had on brown hiking boots. If her outfit was meant to discourage her figure, it was letting it's side down. Her heavy breasts remained prominent, despite the shirt's best efforts, and the shorts didn't even attempt to hide the tantalizing view of her slender, smooth legs that lay underneath. Kaiscillius could feel himself growing hungrier just looking at her, and, if she was as powerful as Flying's memories sad she was, he had no doubt that she would be infinitely fun to break.

"Twilight (gasp) ya' can't (wheeze) teleport without me like that. My legs aren't- oh." A dragon hatchling burst into the room, out of breath, and pulled up short when he saw the situation.

"Spike, stay here and help, I'm going to-"

"That won't work. Send your dragon for help, I can heal her but I need you here to do it." The crystal stallion said with a surprising steely command to his voice, his eyes fixed on Twilight's in a firm plea.

She didn't know why he needed her, but this mare looked like she didn't have much time, and if he promised that he could heal her then she had to give him a chance.

Spike glanced back and forth between Twilight and the stranger before she said, "Alright, if you're sure. Spike, go get help, signalling pegasi will probably be the safest bet. No, wait, this is restricted airspace, umm..." Twilight bit her lip indecisively as she weighed the options.

"Three hundred paces south of here is the road, head West and tell anyone you come across until you reach the city gates, then call for medics." The crystal unicorn tossed over his shoulder while laying his companion carefully on the ground. His voice brooked no argument, and it was clear he was focusing intently on how to save this mare, so Spike merely gave a sharp nod to Twilight and dashed out.

Twilight turned back as the stallion was shifting the mare to her side (why hadn't she thought of that?) and asked him, "Did you see the creature that did this? What's your name? What do you mean "heal her"?"

The crystal unicorn huffed and locked his penetrating gaze on her, replying, "Yes, Knight Radiant, and I don't have time to explain right now. Put your hands on my back."

She gave him a wired look and then complied with his request, placing one hand either side of his spine. He, in turn, stretched his hands out toward the prone unicorn and said, "Now I'm gonna need you to feed me magic while I do this, it's gonna take a lot out of me, and if I go into overdraw it won't be pretty."

Twilight looked at him like he was crazy. Feed him magic? Overdraw? Yet he said the terms with such confidence that it really felt like he knew what he was talking about.

"Uh, yeah... sure. How do I um... do that... exactly? Those things you said." She asked abashedly.

He turned his face to stare at her with utter disbelief before saying incredulously, "What do you mean 'how do I do that'? Aren't you an Alicorn? Just transfer power! This is no time for games!"

Twilight started to panic. Should she know how to do what he was talking about as an Alicorn? Was it a special skill? She was totally underprepared for this, Celestia hadn't ever mentioned anything about "transferring power". Twilight felt ashamed of not knowing an apparently basic piece of information at such a crucial moment.

Kaiscillius was very confused. This was not working out in any way like he had intended, how could she not about something as simple as a power transference? Wait a minute... they still... taught about power transferences didn't they? He did a split-second flip through of Flying Colors's school years and found nothing on the subject. He'd just assumed at first that she wasn't a very good student, and they hadn't taught her about it. But now he saw that, not only did they not teach it, she'd never even heard of the subject. It didn't exist. And if even one trained by Celestia herself didn't know about it... this could be both dangerous, and a great advantage.

"Why don't you just... take the energy you need? You can do that, right? I mean I'm willing to share..." Twilight said with a forced smile that failed to hide the confusion, shame, and desperation in her eyes. She was out of her depth, and so relied on the expert to take over the situation. If they managed to get out of this successfully, maybe he would even teach her!

Kaiscillius had not just heard that. He had not just been willingly invited to drain as much magic from an Alicorn as he wanted without negative repercussions.

By the Moon... I'm living in a world of idiots. Blind, naive idiots, he thought, dumbfounded for a second.

"Yes I can do that, it might take longer this way, and it'll feel a little weird, but her life will be saved." He said this to Twilight as if she were making a brave sacrifice, which only served to strengthen her resolve.

"Then do it. Take as much as you need, I'm ready and willing." She answered, voice full of heroic determination.

Hehe... hahahaha... haHAHAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-

The crystal unicorn returned an equally grave and admiring gesture, and the lightly touched her horn with a multicolored hand. Twilight was a little startled at the sensation at first, as it felt she was casting a spell without actually doing anything. A tingling sensation ran up and down her spine that didn't hurt at all, in fact it felt pretty nice. Knight was obviously not having the same experience that she was. His brow was scrunched in pain, and perspiration formed on his forehead. The finger on her horn was steady, but the arm it was attached to jumped and jerked like he had stuck his hand in a socket.

Twilight shuddered and goosebumps rose over her body as a warm feeling slowly descended from her horn. It permeated throughout her head and down her spine, filling her with a sense of warm lazy detachment. She liked it, her mind felt relaxed and clear, and she giggled at the funny face Knight was making. What was she doing? Something important. Didn't really seem to matter now, she just kinda wanted to sit here like this, it felt good. All warm and sleepy...

Kaiscillius was in heaven. He guzzled down as magic as he could while the dragon was gone, he reckoned he had maybe a quarter of an hour tops before it came back with help, and he had a willing, intoxicated mare trapped in his clutches for fifteen sweet minutes. It became harder and harder to keep up his "in a small amount of pain" face as he watched the great Twilight Sparkle lazily burble with her eyes becoming more and more unfocused. A beatific smile played across her lips and she giggled sleepily again, completely surrendered to him, whether she knew it or not. He should probably stop looking at her soon because he didn't want to have to explain a massive erection when she came back to her senses.

As soon as the first drop of magic had hit his system, the hunger that had been gnawing on his stomach faded, and the dryness in his throat had soothed. As more flowed in from his willing donor, he had been able to once again hear all of Flying's thoughts, which ranged from "Ow" to "Hungry", so a nice variety there. Kaiscillius started to probe Twilight's surface thoughts, not really expecting anything, and it nearly shattered his facade when he found that her mind was completely unguarded, no mental defences except a flank load of willpower, and he could finesse his way around that lump of pure brute strength.

What do they actually teach in school these days? he wondered in a happy daze, unbelieving of his luck, How to dress yourself? How to treat a boo boo? Cause it certainly isn't anything useful, like how to defend your mind from invasion.

Kaiscillius used a miniscule amount of magic to start up a little light show around his horn to keep Twilight in case she came back to her senses, and he quietly slipped into her mind.

Kaiscillius appeared in his pony form inside of a massive library. Rows and rows of books filled all the way to a filing shrouded in darkness hundreds of feet above, and ran in a straight, isle pattern that seemed very easy to navigate. The "floor" was made entirely of a rich brown wood. Floating magical light sources and marble benches alternated between the isles in a checkerboard pattern. Currently it seemed that h had ended up in the "P" section of Twilight's brain (the giant shelves were all labeled with gold plaques, he currently has one next to him that simply said "Ponies"), and he just stood there for a moment, listening. And then jumped for joy. No sudden footsteps of a mental guardian, or army. No blaring tripwire traps, or magical alarms hidden behind some clever defensive ward that he'd missed. This was the mind of one of the most influential ponies of the century, and he had unrestricted access for fifteen whole minutes!

Kaiscillius was at a loss for words. He had no idea what to do, where to look, what to dig up. Blackmail would be useful for later, but the real prize was everything he could learn about the personal schedule, habits, likes, and dislikes of every single one of his enemies. Celestia, Luna, the Elements, Princess Cadence, rulers of other countries, this mare had interacted with all of them, and as studious as Flying Colors had perceived her to be, Kaiscillius had no doubt that she memorized as much about all of them as possible.

[Oh thank you. Thank you my stupid, trusting, naive little pony. You've given me more of a headstart than I ever could have hoped for.

Making her fall in love with him would have been fun too, but he hadn't spent enough time with her to slowly tint her memories of him rosier. "Oh yes, from the time our eyes met over that dying body I knew it was love." That was really all he had to effect, so that idea was out the window.

He doubted he'd find a book labeled "Blackmail Material: Do Not Open" So he began searching for firsthand information on... well who was most prevalent? Celestia was his eventual goal, but if he had his way eventually he would have 24 hour access to this mare's head, so he could get to her then. He needed something in the short term to earn her trust, keep him by her side, so that meant the Elements of Harmony, as they were known to be close personal friends of hers. Kaiscillius did not understand this philosophy, why would you not only keep the most dangerous ponies to your authority unwatched and unguarded, but also actively seek their close partnership without suspicion? But whatever, ponies were dumb, just keep moving.

Here, Kaiscillius ran into a problem, where did he go? Did he go down the isle next to him named "Ponies", an incredibly vague topic at the best of times, or try to walk all the way down to the E's to try and find "Elements of Harmony"? Because "Ponies" would (or could) contain information on every pony Twilight Sparkle ever remembered, and it would take a looooooong time to look through all that reading material to find five names. More than... twelve minutes, crap he needed to move one way or another.

Kaiscillius decided on the E's plan, it seemed reasonable, and he knew exactly what to look for, rather than trawling through an, albeit informative, list of names.

A normal pony would have said the jog that Kaiscillius took was disconcerting, what with the endless rows and rows that extended off into the horizon all looking exactly the same, the pattern of benches and lights never changing once as she traversed the endless corridor. He would have said that too, had he not already been familiar with the monotonous way that untrained minds presented themselves. Flying's had been much the same, though hers were filing cabinets rather than books. It had been much easier to sort through everything. Kaiscillius's own mind, being trained to defend itself, was a labyrinth of ever shifting subterranean and underwater paths. He could have set physical (well, as "physical" as one can be when dealing with what amounted to a consciousness amoeba that latches on to other ponies' brains) traps as well, lightning, poison, flash freezing, that sort of thing, but it had been more fun for him to remain entirely psychological in his defense. His mind was, in essence, a sensory deprivation tank for any who tried to enter. Pitch black, no sense of up, down, or touch, and with deliberately psychotic whispers following you all the way. Scratching, clicking, clattering, soft laughter, hushed talk, things designed to drive anypony mad. His poor instructor had, at least. Spent two days trying to find the exit from Kaiscillius's mind oubliette before losing his own marbles and screaming about how the ball bearings had come for him at last. Nasty business, educational though.

So yes, Twilight's monotony was not disturbing, or really anything but boring for Kaiscillius. Finally, he found what he was looking for. A bookshelf, just as large and wooden as any other, but with only five books, and the label "Elements of Harmony" carved into the gold plaque. Each book had a symbol on it, butterflies, an apple, those floaty things... balloons! That was it, and other things as well. He only had two minutes to spare when he found them, and he heaved a sigh of relief as he quickly tapped the spine of each book. It was always a disconcerting experience to have new memories, but Kaiscillius had stolen so many that it didn't give him more than a moment's discomfort as his mind was flooded with five new ponies, who seemed to Twilight to be the most important in all the world. The amount of raw emotion associated with these five mares was staggering, and Kaiscillius had to fight a bit to strip the pathos from each of the memories that now occupied his mind, he didn't need to get all mushy over his prey.

With only a minute left, Kaiscillius retracted his consciousness back to his body and was delighted at the enormous wellspring of power that now flowed through his veins. He jerked his hand away from Twilight's horn as if eager to not be attached anymore, and he then placed both hands on Flying's horn and gently flowed magic back into her. This was actually new to him. He'd never given back anything after taking it before.

Oh well, he thought, desperate times and all that.

Flying Colors's coat immediately began to brighten in color, and her horn stopped shedding, now merely looking flaky, and growing less so by the second. She started to say something, but Kaiscillius interrupted her by way of mental command.

Flying Colors, you have been extraordinarily helpful to me, and I will not forget your service, he bEgan solemnly, but now we must part ways. Tell no one anything of me, or my plans, and act as the old you would have from now on. However, if I ever kiss you, you are free to act as you should, understood?

A moments hesitation occured, and he was afraid that maybe she had not heard the message, before he saw a single tear work its way down her cheek, and he heard her reply.

Yes my Lord, I wish you did not have to go, but I will be faithful to you, and follow your wishes, she thought back weakly, sounding sad, if thought conversations could hold emotions.

Kaiscillius was about to be done when he decided that he had to be safe. His horn was already glowing white, and it glowed no more intensely when he cast a second spell that locked her memories of him away, and that completely destroyed the ones of his transformation, that way if Celestia or anyone else went poking around, all they would find were repressed memories of an incredibly distressing time for the mare. And with that, he let go of his Awakener, not without his own amount of regret.

Twilight Sparkle slowly blinked her way back into coherence, still kneeling in the position she had been in when Knight Radiant had touched her horn. She now saw him hunched over the body of the unicorn mare, his horn surrounded in a white glow. Twilight also realized that she felt great, she was warm and far more relaxed than after the most expensive spa treatment she had ever endured. She briefly wondered if Knight wanted a job as a masseuse, because she would hire him in an instant. She also felt kind of tired, and decided that she could really go for a nap right then... before clarity returned to her completely.

The unicorn mare! She thought panickedly before staggering over to where Knight Radiant kneeled.

Twilight quickly wiped the drool off of her face as she plopped down next to over to him, berating herself harshly for forgetting one of her subjects like that, what kind of Princess was she? Knight's face was a frown of intense concentration, his dark, crystal eyes fixed firmly on the suffering pony. Twilight felt bad about it, but she couldn't help but stare a little at him. It didn't help that he was quite handsome, and currently engaged in a heroic act, but his skin had a shifting color illusion that looked dazzling on a crystal pony. His skin was a beautiful soft yellow that reminded her of Fluttershy, but in her peripheral vision it darkened to purple, then black, each with white specks like stars shining in the sky. It was a wonderful effect that distracted her to no end, until he turned around to say something.

"Princess I- waaagh!" His face animated with surprise as he found hers only a few inches away, and he quickly jerked his entire body backward a few paces.

"Sorry!" She shouted. "I was just, uh, seeing how it was going?" She finished lamely, her face's color darkening with a blush. Knight also blushed as he said, "Yes. Of course. I was just going to say that she's going to be okay if we can get her to a hospital. I've stabilised her now, thank you for your assistance."

"No problem!" She answered cheerfully, "It felt great! I would do it again anytime!" Then she remembered Knight's face during the procedure, in pain, like he was being electrocuted.

"But how did you do?" She asked, concerned, "it looked like that hurt pretty..." Twilight drifted off as she noticed that there were black burn marks on Knight's fingers that ran up his arm seeming to follow his veins. And they were still smoking.

"Oh my goodness, what happened?" She asked as he noticed her attention and hid his arm.

"It's nothing Princess. What matters is that a life was saved." He answered resolutely. But his fist clenched tight as his shirt brushed over the burns, in tandem with his jaw.

"I demand that you tell me how you were injured, and than tell me how to heal it, if I can." She said imperiously. She hoped the facade of command hid her nervousness for the poor pony. And her anxiety that she may not know how to help him again.

He sighed and answered, "You did not give me the energy to heal her, so I had to take it. Which hurts, badly. But don't worry about it, she was saved and my pain is temporary, I just hope that your dragon found someone."

As if on que, Spike stumbled into the room along with two earth ponies and a guard from Canterlot. They carefully, under the direction of Knight Radiant, carried the mare, who's name she learned was Flying Colors, out of the cave. He seemed to have a natural air of command and confidence, as well as an understanding of flattery that quickly calmed the panicking ponies and allowed them to work together as a team.

Twilight occasionally commented on the process, but mostly her attention was consumed by her guilt. Not only had her ignorance caused somepony else pain, but she had enjoyed the experience that had hurt another! It was unbelievable, and she decided that it could not be borne, she would make it up to Knight Radiant one way or another.

With that resolution she followed the rescue party out of the cave, with Knight Radiant covering their backs in case the magic draining monster struck from behind. She just wish she could have hurt that thing instead of a life saver like Knight.

Kaiscillius stood at the cave exit, the beautiful forested day in front of him. He stared at the sunlight as it trickled into his thousand year refuge, but he dared not touch it. A memory of the sun still haunted him. It assailed him every time he stepped into its cursed light. He was but a hatchling, a few days old, the first time the Sun's light ever touched him. It had looked so warm and inviting, everything practically glowed in its presence. He had bounded into the light, eager to join the grass and the trees, and it had burned him. He knew not for how long he had lain screaming under that white orb's glare, as his plates popped and smoked, his eyes blinded and throat retching in pain. He had been carried out of it by someone, he knew not who, and had ever since felt a shudder of fear at the Sun's touch.

And so now he stood transfixed at the edge of the light, knowing it could not hurt him in this form, and not daring to try and prove himself right. Soon the Princess and the others would wonder what was going on. He had to move. Kaiscillius slowly lifted a hand, and stuck a solitary finger into the halo of light. It was warm. It didn't hurt. Taking in a sharp breath and closing his eyes, Kaiscillius walked into the sunlight for the first time in a thousand years. He laughed in relief at his irrational fear, and followed the rescue party, with good cheer much renewed.

Author's Note

Over 16,000 words and we're still not out of this dag blasted cave. Not that that's a bad thing. I like the cave, it looks cool in my head. Again I compulsively apologize for spelling mistakes, auto-correct is buckets of fun! It even tried to correct auto-correct to "auto-rectangle", but I valiantly defend against just such technological ineptitude. I also apologize for any outfit I have described or will describe in the future. I don't understand fashion or how clothes fit together in any way.

So, Kaiscillius has a new identity, information on the Mane 6, and a debt owed to him by one of the Princesses themselves. I think we all know how he's gonna use it. Find out for sure, next time!