It was just after sunset at Canterlot Castle. Mystogan had returned from the Crystal Empire before the others by leaving the same night the events happened. He did not take the train, he simply flew there. Let time for him to travel and more time for Twilight to not be able to try and stop him from leaving. The mountain stallion walked down the corridor as the guard lead him directly to Celestia’s study where both she and Luna were doing some pleasurable reading. Mystogan opened the door and stepped in. His eyes looking down at the princesses in a rather slightly saddened state.

“What has happened, Mystogan? The Empire is safe once more. Is this not a time of celebration?”

Asked Celestia as she and her sister stood up with concern on their faces. Thankfully that wasn’t the case. But the faces went from concerned to sadness as well from his next words.

“The empire is safe. Everypony is safe. But how long will that last when somepony like me is around? I think...it is time I went back to the mountains.”

Celestia places a hand over her muzzle as she seemed to figure out what Mystogan was talking about. She approaches him and places a hand on his right arm comfortingly. She could see why something like this would upset the mountain stallion.

“You can’t let this fear rule your life, Mystogan. It doesn’t matter if you found out about it or not. It was bound to happen eventually. But you are strong. You fought against it and controlled it. And if you left now, I can tell you that a very specific group of ponies would be very upset with you should you just up and leave without even saying goodbye. And you know as well as I do that one of those fillies would be absolutely heartbroken above all of them.”

Mystogan simply turned his back towards Celestia and Luna. He simply glances back to them with a half-hearted smile.

“If it means I have to give up my happiness to keep her and every other pony safe from me, I will return home without any regrets holding me back. But before I take my leave, I want both of you to know I am grateful for you tolerating my presence here when you didn’t have to. Feel free to sell my home or something. I won’t need it anymore.”

Celestia simply crossed her arms in a stance of defiance as Mystogan began to make his way out of the throne room. All she said was.

“No, you will not be leaving. Because I know you won’t make that young mare cry because you are too selfish to let her and her friends help you. You may be an alchemist, but even Guren wasn’t as cold hearted as you are trying to be.”

Mystogan stops for a moment before throwing his hood over his head.

“Thank you, princesses. For the opportunity, you have given me for my kind.”

He said as he walked out of the room, leaving the two princesses to converse among themselves.

“Sister, how do you know that he won’t leave? He seemed pretty convinced that he is truly a monster that cannot mix in with other ponies.”

“You used to feel the same when you returned. Did you not, Luna? And yet those very same ponies befriended you and showed everyone else that the monster inside you is no more. You are their beloved princess of the night. No longer the one called Nightmare Moon.”

“But sister, the monster inside of him is something that cannot be diminished or removed. You know as well as I that this is something deep within the genetics of the mountain ponies. While they may be a peaceful bunch now, Mystogan has proven that they could very well reawaken that same side that many have feared in the past long ago.”

Celestia lowers her gaze to the ground and rubbed the side of her right arm, a look of hope coming across her face before her next words.

“That is why I hope that Twilight and her friends can help Mystogan with his fear of which he struggles against. Believe me, Guren struggled with the very same thing when he was alive. But he didn’t bottle it up like a fool and shoulder the burden without friends...and me.”

“You know you cannot compare somepony of the current generation to another from that time. Not to mention, he is a young stallion. The youth of today think they can take on the world on their own.”

Celestia sighs softly as her and her sister looks outside one of the windows of the throne room.

“All we can do is hope that Twilight and her friends can stop him before he makes the mistake of leaving. More regret is the last thing that young stallion needs right now…”

Back at Mystogan’s house, the stallion was starting to pack up everything he owned into that special void satchel of his. He was doing his best to get everything quickly before Twilight and the others came to try and stop him. Fortunately for Twilight and the others, they made it back on time and immediately made for Mystogan’s home. He was about to head down into his alchemy lab when the front door flew open and slammed into the wall behind it. Twilight and her friends came piling inside and Applejack kicked the door closed behind them and locked the door.

“And just where do you think you’re goin’?”

The farm pony said as she crossed her arms with a look of disapproval on her face. Mystogan sighed and closed his lab door to face the group.

“I had hoped to be packed up and gone before you six got here. No matter though. I have plenty of hidden exits in this home. Now if you will all excuse me, I need to finish up packing my things.”

“Oh darling, you don’t need to leave just because of what happened back at the empire. You did what you had to make sure that Sombra never returned. Sure it was a bit...bloody and disgusting. But I know that he will no longer return!”

Said Rarity trying to help with the situation. Mystogan’s gaze shifted back to the group and focused in on Dash who suddenly flies up in his face and pokes his chest with a finger multiple times.

“You aren’t going anywhere, bub. There are six of us and only one of you.”

“Funny, one of the ponies who called me a monster and wanted me gone is trying to get me to stay. Don’t even get started with me, little filly. You and many others are finally getting your wish. Besides, if I wanted to, I could toss all of you about like ragdolls. The only one here who would have little chance of stopping me would be Applejack. Now, if you’d all be kind enough to leave. I don’t need this to be any harder than it is already.”

“B-But you can’t leave! I haven’t gotten to throw you one birthday party yet! With cake and ice cream! And lots of ponies!”

“Pinkie, I don’t really like parties anyway. I am the type of pony who enjoys staying home in his lab and conducting experiments. Sorry.”

He wasn’t telling the truth on that matter actually. The first party she had thrown for him, he was enjoying himself. Especially with all the other ponies the party had. But those very words made Pinkie’s mane suddenly fall flat and her expression saddened. Mystogan opened his lab door started making his way below. He suddenly felt a hand grab at his cloak which makes him turn his head. He gazes down at the yellow pegasus who looked like she was on the verge of tears.

“Why are you so sad about it? I figured you’d be happy about it the most. Your little animal friends don’t have to worry about becoming subjects for my experiments anymore. Plus you seem scared of me the most.”

Fluttershy wanted to say something, anything to prevent him from leaving. But he was right, she was afraid of him. And that comment about her animal friends only made her shudder in disgust. But still, she knew why he was saying all these things. They all knew. His cruel words and cold attitude were all a plan to make them remember him as a mean mountain pony who didn’t care for any of them. Mystogan pulls his cloak away from Fluttershy who falls to her knees and begins to sob quietly. Twilight had enough of this. She follows him down into his lab and teleports in front of her with a gurt and angered filled expression on her face. That face is what Mystogan did not want to see.

“I know what you are doing, Mystogan. You want us all to think you didn’t care and that is why you are acting this way. You are wanting to make it easier on yourself to leave by leaving us with this...this image of you that is cruel. But I know that isn’t who you are! Why can’t you understand that I want to help you?!”

Mystogan lightly pushes her aside and continues to walk toward his alchemy station.

“You can’t help me, Twilight. No amount of magic can suppress what has been bred for generations. I won’t lie in saying I enjoyed my time with all of you. But I will not let myself be the one responsible for yours or their death.”

“You made Fluttershy cry up there. Is that what you really want out of this..? To have us think of you when you leave?”

“If it helps you forget about me more easily, then yes.”

“And what about the promise you made me? You said you’d teach me all you could about alchemy. How are you going to keep that promise by returning home? You are going to break that promise?”

Mystogan didn’t say anything after that. She caught him in a corner now. If it’s one thing mountain ponies struggled with, it’s that it is VERY hard for them to break a promise. He looked between the door and his alchemy supplies. He had plenty of money to restock. With one quick movement, his turns on his hoof and starts running up the stairs. Twilight was hot on his hooves as she followed him. He bursts through the door and smashes his way through the front which was locked. They all knew what was happening now. Applejack and Dash were the first to give chase with the others following close behind them. Mystogan began to flap his wings to get airborne, but Dash and Applejack were quick to catch up to him and leap onto his back to hold him and his wings down from at least being able to fly. However, they bounced around wildly as he kept on running from the others.

“Get off me!”

He shouted as he tried to shake them off.

“Aint gonna happen!”

“There’s no way you are getting outta here that easily!”

He continues to try and shake them off while running through the town. He suddenly lifts a mask up around his muzzle and stops before pulling out a small vial that held a soft blue smoke in it. He throws it to the groundbreaking it and with a loud ‘poof’ the smoke engulfs the three of them. Dash and Applejack become drowsy and hold onto him for as long as possible before giving in to slumber. Mystogan flaps his wings once more to make another attempt to fly away. But suddenly, his wings become encoded with a deep pink magical aura. He looks over to see Twilight’s horn glowing with magic.

“Please, Mystogan! Don’t leave us! Don’t leave me! You promised!”

Mystogan struggled against Twilight’s magic. He reaches for his satchel to throw another vial of the same kind of sleeping smoke he had used before. But he did not feel it there. He watches it float away from him in a light blue aura and lets out a low growl of annoyance while huffing from his nostrils.

“Give it back, Rarity. I won’t ask again…”

She grabs the bag and holds onto it in a defensive posture, her expression now the same as Twilight’’s was before.

“No..you aren’t getting this back until we find a solution to this!”

Mystogan stomps his large hoof into the ground and narrows his eyes in slight anger.

“You are really going to make me do this, aren’t you?”

“W-what do you-..”

Mystogan suddenly charges forward toward the white unicorn. Twilight may have stopped his wings from working, but she didn’t stop the rest of him. Rarity’s eyes widen in fear as she saw him approaching her in a hostile manner with a hand reached out towards her. She wanted to run, but her fear had frozen her in place. Mystogan’s large hand was now on Rarity’s shoulder. Thinking the worst was about to happen, she closes her eyes tightly and releases the satchel from her grasp. However, it did not hit the ground. Mystogan grabbed it with his free hand and released his other upon Rarity’s shoulder. He then turns away from her and the others.

“You think I’d intentionally hurt you? This is all the more reason why I can’t be here, Twilight. Now let go of my wings. I will walk out of here if I have to.”

Rarity fell to her knees with her hands on her chest which felt like it was going to explode at any minute. Mystogan turns back around to start walking when suddenly there was a blinding burst of light in front of the stallion. Then suddenly the feeling of arms being wrapped around his neck and the softness of a female form pressing against him was definitely made known. Once he could see again, he looks down to see Twilight’s eyes flowing with tears. This is not what he wanted to see at all. The whole reason he had left before any other pony knew he was gone from the empire before. But here he was with her clinging to him for dear life now with tears flowing down her cheeks like a river.

“Please, Mystogan..please! Let us help you! Is it so hard to believe that we care about you?! We want to help you, I want to help you! Even if the others are afraid of you, I am not! I love coming to see you and spending time with you in your lab! You..you are the first pony in forever that I can truly relate to and have so much in common with...please don’t leave and deprive me of that wonderful feeling!”

Mystogan’s heart was beginning to give in to the sadness in Twilight’s voice along with her painful expression. All he could do was lower himself onto his knees and gently cup her cheeks in his hands in a gentle manner. He closes his eyes and opens them up with a sad gaze of his own.

“You think I want to leave, Twilight? That I do not care about you or the others? I am leaving because I do care. I care about every single one of you. And the thought of me being the one to hurt any of you is too much for me to think about. You brought me back from the brink of genocide before it took hold. But what makes you think you can do it again should it try to take my mind once more?”

Twilight takes hold of one of his wrists with both of her hands and wraps her arms around one of his own after that. Her sobbing still present in her words as she spoke them.

“I know that we can be there for you, Mystogan. Because we all want to be. We know that you are a kind, protective and proud stallion who has a monster that cannot be removed from him. But we can be there for you to help you be yourself again should it ever come out again. My friends and I are the element bearers after all. And you won’t know if you decide to run away from this...from us if you don’t let us help you. I am begging you...please don’t leave…”

Mystogan thinks back on Celestia’s words from earlier that day. It would appear that she was right after all. They did care about him quite a bit, Twilight especially so. Mystogan gazes down at the ground for a moment before lifting his head back up to gaze into Twilight’s eyes. He brings his thumbs to ehr cheeks and wipes away her tears with them. Twilight still holds onto his arm with a hope-filled gaze in her eyes.

“Very well. I will not leave this place. I will keep it as my home. But I still have a job to do for my own kind. But Twilight, I want you to promise me this.”

“Wh-what..?”

“Should I ever lose control, and there is no way to bring me back. You are to end my life or find someone who will do it for you. As I said, I will not be the one to take your life or even bring any kind of harm onto you.”

She shakes her head multiple times quickly and presses her body against him.

“I will not allow you to slip that far. I will use every ounce of my magic to make sure that doesn't happen…”

Author's Note

What's this? Two chapters in one week? What the hell is going on here?!

Yes, not two of this story, I mean another one of my others. :P

May the darkness grant you peace.