Keeper of Harmony

At night, all the folk of Ponyville were sound asleep, and so was Twilight, Spike, & Lynx.  Speaking of Lynx, he woke up in the middle of the night from his back cramping on the solid wooden floor.  He sits up and roughly rubs his back to ease the tension, but when out of nowhere eerie whispers could be heard echoing around him.   Another sudden pain spiked his brain and he refrained from making a grunting sound.

They whisper "Go... outside...".

Lynx straightened his nerves, knowing that he couldn't be manipulated by the unknown voices.  With that said, he heads outside holding his skull with his palms.

The pain peculiarly disappears right after he exited the house.

'Why does it keep doing that...'

He then noticed a dark, hooded humanoid-like figure standing before him.

"Who are you?" startled Lynx.

The stranger breathed deeply and creepily.

"Are you going to say something or stand there like an idiot?"

"Lynx..." the stranger replied in a dark, deep tone of voice.

"How did... - how did you know my name?".

"Do not be alarmed.  I mean of no harm, for I come here to bear a warning of an attack; an attack from monsters that far exceed your expectations...".

"Why are you telling me this?"

Then the dark figure reverts moving back into the shadows of the night.

"W-Wait!" Lynx stuttered in chase.

Yet before he could catch up to it, the mysterious being vanished to thin air.

"Just who was that...?  A figment of my imagination?". he stretched to yawn "Well, I'll worry about it tomorrow.  For now I need my beauty sleep.".

And he did just that.  He went back to sleep.

Morning arrives as the starry sky fades away from the sun's brightening aura.  And the roosters crow "Cock-a-Doodle-Doo!" to alarm the sunrise.  Upon hearing the fowls, Lynx murmurs himself in a way that nobody can hear.  Possibly having a dream.  The glaring beams light down on the man's face, gleaming ever so brightly, disturbing the man's peaceful rest.

"Grrr..." Lynx growled furiously.  Rolling over to avert the sunlight.

"Good morning!" says the purple unicorn rubbing her eyes.

"Yea- mmm.  Mmm." Lynx mumbled.

"The sun is rising.  It's time to get up."

"No.  I don't want to." Lynx protested.

"Okay... you asked for it."

The unicorn pulls his sheets away with her mouth, and then used her magic to pour a glass of water on the man's head.

"AHH!" he screamed.  "Have you lost your mind?!".

"Well, I warned you but you didn't listen.  Now that you're up, go take a bath or something.  You reek." Twilight muzzled her nose with her hoof.

"Do you have some sort of shower I can use then?".

"Fortunately I do, although I'm certain you might not fit.  Ponyville's restrooms and appliances weren't made specifically for your kind."

"Does it matter?" Lynx said regardless.

"It's just down the corridor passed the storage closet." Twilight coordinated.

Lynx carefully followed her instructions and successfully located the bathroom door and entered in.

"How do you use this thing?!" Lynx yelled.

Skipping to when the unicorn and the human are touring around Ponyville.  Twilight's expression teemed with a large, snickering, grin.

"What a story would it be to tell the girls." the unicorn giggled.

"You promised me you'll never speak of it again!" he said embarrassingly.

Twilight still snickered as they roam around Ponyville's markets and other things.  During their time in Ponyville they conveniently stumbled to come across Applejack who also had a market stand for her delicious apples

"Howdy there!" Applejack waved to the two.

Twilight was somewhat surprised

"Applejack, fancy meeting you here.".

"Yeah, but unfortunately I haven't made much of any sales today recently.  Plus Big Macintosh pulled out his back again from bucking the trees." said Applejack in little depression, whereas Twilight pitied

"Oh I'm sorry to hear that...".  After some moments in thinking Twilight brought up an excellent idea "I got it!  Perhaps Lynx can provide you with a lending hoo-, I mean... hands." she corrected herself.

Applejack's spirit elevated.

"That would be mighty proud!" she smiled.

"Perfect!" cheered Twilight.

Lynx stepped in to object.

"Hey, hey, hey.  I didn't say that I would.".

"Would you?  You'd be doing a huge favor for Applejack and I, and for Big Macintosh,".  She pushes herself against the man's legs and peered her glistening eyes up at his, "Pretty please?" she begged.

"Hmmm.  Oh, alright... only because you said please." Lynx gave in.

With that settled out, the pony and human begin their merry way to her farm to do some labor.  Meanwhile Twilight was proud for Lynx's generosity, and thus she gallops on over back to her house to write a letter to her mentor.

Before she could write, somepony was knocking on the door.  The unicorn lays her pen and scroll down and trots over wondering who it is.  Alas at the door is the benevolent mentor; Princess Celestia.

"Oh my, Princess!  What a coincidence!  I was about to write you a letter." said Twilight in total surprise.

The Princess thoroughly examines the room.

"Twilight... I'm hoping that the human is not outside where he's all by himself.".

Twilight sweated in nervousness.

"Well - well he's, um... he's helping Applejack gathering some apples."

"I ordered you to keep an eye on the human because, well, for one thing; I still have little trust in him, even though he's behaved most of recently.  Nonetheless, I want to make sure he doesn't pull up any schemes.  And second;  I need you and Lynx to meet me at my castle.  I have news you two probably should know about."

"In that case I'll go get him right away!" nodded Twilight.

Then the celestial mare trotted out and flew away gracefully.

Twilight knew a congregation with the Princess meant extreme importance, or trouble.  So in a rush the unicorn makes her way to Applejack's farm.

Back at the farm, Lynx was sweating from carrying and emptying baskets of apples into the small cart which was now full.

"Ah do say it was very nice of ya to help around.  My brother & Ah are most grateful." Applejack mightily shakes Lynx's hand.

"Okay, okay, that's enough shakin' there.  You'll rip my arm off."

"Heh heh.  Sorry." she apologized, letting go of the man's hand.

Lynx takes a breather and relaxes, however, his tattoo acted up.  It hums weakly, as a dim light oscillates pulsatingly.

"What the...?"

All of a sudden, strange manifestations of shadowy-like monsters rose beneath the soil's surface.  They're nothing that anyone or anypony has seen before;  Yellow Eyes glowing menacingly, teeth as sharp as a blade with deadly swiping claws.  These beings are like from a nightmare.

"What in tarnation?!" she gasped.

One spawned after another until they surrounded the two.  Blocking their escape and approaching all at once very slowly.

Applejack grabs an apple off the ground and tossed it at them.  Unfortunately it passed through their transparent bodies.

Closer and closer, they growled more aggressively; preparing to commence an all-out attack.

"Don't worry.  No matter what happens 'Ah'll stay by your side." she said bravely.

And thus the monsters made their move and piled over the two.  Covering them in a dome of everlasting darkness.

Before they met their fate, a shining ray of light shot out from within the darkness, releasing an explosion of light that eradicated the darkness completely.

Applejack blinked.

"Wha? Where'd they go?" she asked.

Lynx shrugged, letting out a long breath.

"As long as they aren't here, I'm happy," he replied.

"Applejack! Lynx!"

They looked up and saw Twilight galloping toward them.

"I saw everything!" she wailed, pulling the pair into a bone crushing hug. "Are you two ok?"

"Whoa! Easy there, sugar cube!" Applejack grunted, gently unhooking Twilight's foreleg from around her neck. "Don't cut off mah circulation. We're fine. Lynx saved both our hides."

"I did? But how? I didn't try to do anything!"

"Maybe Celestia would know," offered Twilight. "She sent me to look for you, Lynx. She wants us to meet her in her private quarters. Let's go see what she knows!"

Lynx agreed and followed Twilight to Canterlot, where Princess Celestia resides in.  Upon arriving at a castle's doors are two Pegasuses wearing shiny gold armor, standing guard at the entrance.

"Announce yourselves." a guard requested demandatory.

Twilight replied "Twilight Sparkle & Lynx."

"The Princess has requested for your audience into her quarters.  You are free to pass." said the other guard.

The guards strafed aside as the doors loudly creek open. Twilight and Lynx ran in as the doors closed behind.

Inside they finally meet the celestial mare of whom trots back and forth in a state of worry.

"Princess!  We're here at last and-,". She paused and noticed the teacher's frowning expression "Are you alright?" said Twilight in major concern.

"I'm glad you two managed to get here.  There have been "monsters of darkness" spotted in several locations of Equestria.  Attacking the civilians.  Luckily we found out that they can be-."

"Harmed by magic." Twilight finished.

"You've heard of this too?" the mare questioned.

"Yes, at Sweet Apple Acres.  Applejack and Lynx got attacked, but Lynx somehow fended them off."

Celestia widened her eyes in befuddlement.

"Really?  How?"

"With the mark." Twilight pointed to Lynx's hand.

Celestia trots over and examines the tattoo carefully.  Upon observing the glowing energies emanating from within the mare begins to understand.

"Just as I suspected. He certainly has a way to use the elements, therefore whenever he was in danger- they reacted." the mare explained.

"Yeah, except I didn't REALLY use the elements.  It went off on it's own." Interpreted Lynx.

"That is true. Which is why I must do this."

The mare rests her horn on his forehead.

"Wait- what are you-". Lynx paused.

The man could feel his body vibrate and tingle from the sensation from that of Celestia's magic.  Suddenly, his tattoo lit up and became brighter and brighter; electrifying energies enveloped the palm of his hand.

Lynx widens his eyes amazed.

"Whoa," he perks up at the Princess. "What'd you do?".

"I have awakened the power of the elements.  You're able to use partial of it willingly."

"Really?" Twilight butted in.

"Of course," nodded Celestia.  The magnificent alicorn trots backward a few feet from the human.  "Now... I want you to aim your palm at me and concentrate real hard." instructed the Princess confidently.

Lynx wasn't sure why but he did it anyway.  Gathering enough focus, the center of his palm conjured a very small orb of light, and instantly the orb enlarged exponentially and blasted itself towards the mare.

Considering it was hurdling at her the mare didn't make a budge or tried to avoid it.  Upon struck the blast dissipates without causing any harm or injury.

"Excellent.  As you can see, the elements are incapable of harming the minds and hearts of the innocent.  Normally this kind of spell would take years of studying to perfect.  However you've done it in a matter of seconds." says the impressed mare.

"Why the change of behavior?  Earlier you wanted me gone, but now you're helping me?" Lynx argued.

"Lynx!" snapped Twilight.

"Calm now, Twilight.  And yes, human, I am aware that you don't fare me very well.  However given the circumstances, my options are limited.  I'm truly sorry for being prejudicial towards you.". Celestia deeply apologized.

Lynx brought out a friendly gesture.

"Thank you.  I'm grateful to hear you say that.".

"So does that mean you'll help?" asked Twilight.

"If in the end I can go home, I'll do it." Lynx nodded.

Both Twilight and Celestia gave Lynx a heart-warming & faithful smiles.

"Bless you," spoke Celestia calmly.  "And now with that said and done, I'll go attend to some other matters at hand.  I'll kindly teleport you two back to my star pupil's house." And so the human and the little unicorn are transported back to Ponyville, whereas they wander around once more.

Although moving the screen back to the mare, her smile where it last used to be, converted to a petrifying frown.