Mystogan walked out the door of his home. The morning was cool and crisp. Perfect weather to begin his first journey out into the changed world that he had been tasked with to document from his home. He threw his hood over his head with his sword and satchel at his sides. He was ready. The question is. Where would he first start? Should he head more toward the western lands where it is mostly desert and small towns? Or head further into the green lands with thick and lush forests? That laid more in the south? Or maybe, in the east where the more oriental lands laid. He was more than excited to begin his exploration. With his satchel packed with both his experimental items and plenty of food and drink. He begins to make his way eastward following the map he had gotten from Twilight the more she had left his home from the onslaught of rain as a thank you. Once he got a good look at the map, his placed it in a pocket in his armor under his cloak and spread his wings and was about to take to the sky before he heard a voice call out to him.

“Mystogan! Wait!”

Mystogan turned his head to see Celestia flying towards him. She smiled and waved to him in the process of her descent as she saw him fully armored and ready to depart. She had caught him at the right time it seemed. She lands a bit away from him then walks up to him.

“Leaving so soon…?”

Mystogan gave a nod to the alicorn and pats the side of his satchel., indicating he was ready to go and gather as much information as he needed to take back home with him. However, Celestia was about to change his mind with an offer that sounded like a nice opportunity for him to have some fun and learn all he could about Canterlot and even the castle.

“Well, I was hoping you’d be willing to attend a wedding that we are going to have. Normally I wouldn’t bother you with such things. But, this is a wedding of my royal guard captain and the princess of love. And I would be happy to have you as a guest there as well, since you are the first of your kind to have come from your mountaintop in many years. Think of it as an unofficial official mountain pony representer invite to witness a once in a lifetime event for your information gathering. After all, it isn’t every day both a royal guard captain and princess get married.”

Mystogan could see she half telling the truth from her gaze. But something else seemed to be on her mind as well. He crosses his arms and arches a brow at the sun princess. Clearly, she wasn’t inviting him just out of the goodness of her heart.

“Princess, if you want me to come party down with you all and attend a wedding, I am all for that. And as you said, it is a special occasion when a guard captain and princess get married. But I can also see that something has you worried. Looking passed what is real and what is a lie is a specialty of every alchemist. I know I am a stranger to you and almost everypony here. But if we are going to trust one another. I need you to be honest with me. Even with small situations like this. Now, what is troubling you?”

Celestia blinked in shock at his skills to read people simply through gazing into their eyes. While it was true that the eyes are the window to the soul, his went beyond that point. He couldn’t read her mind, certainly not. But he did indeed see something was troubling her behind that smile and friendly gaze. She looks to the side slightly embarrassed by this and fidgeted with her hands.

“Gurren could always tell when something was troubling me as well. Not just me, but Luna too. Come, fly with me.”

Both Celestia and Mystogan fly up to a large cloud that they both landed upon and sat on. They both got comfortable sitting across from one another and Celestia lets out a sigh before meeting his gaze once more.

“Not only do we have this big wedding coming up. But, a threat against Canterlot has been made. So, you’d be a guest, yes. But at the same time if things went south. You’d be an...unknown countermeasure to the invading party. Your presence and raw strength along with you alchemic abilities would certainly throw the enemy or even enemies for a loop. So i was hoping...that you would...well…”

Mystogan placed a finger to Celestia’s muzzle to cut her off. He shakes his head and laughs lightly as he lowers his hand back down to his side.he lets out a sigh.

“I think you overestimate my abilities, princess. Should it be an entire army or something along those lines, I can only do so much. But, yes, I would be happy to help you while enjoying the festivities.”

Celestia was a bit surprised he’d agree to this rather quickly, but at the same time show was very happy to have him both attending and acting as a...secret weapon of sorts. They talk it over a bit more before Celestia leads him to the castle to offer him a place to stay during before and after the wedding. That way should things happen, he’d be close, and for his benefit, he could explore both the castle and the town below. Canterlot was on his list of places to visit either way. So why not enjoy staying as a guest in the castle and gather information? Two bird with one stone and all that. Celestia had also told him to keep this a secret from Twilight and the others, as they’d soon find out through invitation.

Once Mystogan got settled into his guest chambers at the castle, he stepped out of his room in a more casual dress style. Black leather pants, no shirt, but a black cloak that covered his back and most of his front. Like the one that he wore with his armor, just a bit more of a simpler design and leather arm guards. However, he had his potion bandolier that held his new experimental injections and his satchel and sword on him at all times which his nicely in his cloak. As he walked through the castle, he knew that eyes would be on him. Not only because of him being a guest or even a threat. But because of what he is. Monster sized pony walking among smaller ones like it was just another day. He was more than happy to speak to both guards and castle staff alike who had asked questions about him. While he was happy to give out some information, he kept the more juicy bits to himself. After all, the enemy could very well have spies within. Eventually, his wandering lead him to bump into the captain of the royal guard himself within the castle guards, Shining Armor. He spotted Mystogan walking passed the fountain writing something in a book as he glanced about.

“Ah, so the princess wasn’t kidding about your size…”

He said as he approached Mystogan gazing up at him with slight awe. While Shining Armor is built tough and strong. Mystogan has both muscle mass and height doubled over on him. Mystogan smiled at the guard captain and closed the book and slid both the quill and book under his cloak and into his satchel.

“Yeah, I have been getting that a lot. And I assume you are the lucky stallion in question who is getting married to a princess? How in all of Equestria did you manage to pull that one off bud? Reveal your secrets.”

Shining just laughed a bit and shrugged. He liked Mystogan already with how laid back and easygoing he was. They talked about mares and other guy things for a while until his soon to be bride approached from around the corner. Mystogan looked the mare up and down before looking over at Shining and giving him a sagely nod in approval before leaning in and whispering.

“Don’t fuck up bud. She is one fine mare. And I am leaving it at that.”

He leans up quickly and clears his throat as he watches her get closer and take her place as Shining’s side. Her eyes look Mystogan up and down and she couldn’t help but blush as she caught a glimpse of his body under his cloak as the wind blew it to the side slightly. But then wraps her arm around Shining’s and nuzzles into his shoulder.

“And you must be the princess who is going to take this lucky guy off the market for good. Princess Mi Amore Ca...Ca..”

She giggled softly and shook her head

“Just Cadence is fine. Aunty Tia told me about you though. Had I not seen it with my own eyes. A real mountain pony walks among us. Quite a sight to behold.”

Mystogan was about to respond before he seemed to feel a bit of familiarity with Cadence. He leaned in and knelt down in front of her with his sky blue eyes tracing her form. All of it. He reaches toward her mane.

“Forgive me.”

He said as he took hold and began to examine it. In fact, all her features pointed towards the resemblance of crystal ponies. He stands back up and steps away from the couple leaving them with rather shocked and slightly upset face, but then their faces just went to confusion as to what he said next.

“You resemble a long forgotten race of ponies called ‘crystal ponies’ princess. Much like Princess Aurora when she was in power before she was overthrown by King Sombra.”

Cadence suddenly knew why he did what he did and reassured Shining that all was well. Though she motioned Mystogan back down and whispered to him.

“Not many know that that empire ever existed. Even Aunty Tia’s knowledge is limited. But...you seem to know quite a bit more about it. Perhaps your knowledge may help us one day. But for now, could you please keep that knowledge between us and yourself? “

Mystogan wasn’t sure why she had asked him that, but he agreed and gave a nod in response. She smiled up at him as thanks before he stood up. He figured it was time to leave the lovebirds alone so they could spend a bit of time together. He waved goodbye to them before venturing into the gardens and even eventually making his way down to the city below, still getting those same reactions from nearly every pony that saw him.

The next couple of days, Mystogan went about learning all he could and writing it all down in his book. Having already finished filling up one with just how much he has learned within Canterlot Castle, he now had a full book on the city itself. However, the day of the wedding was that same day. Celestia had mentioned that he needed to stay hidden from the wedding, but remain close by just in case things went crazy. And crazy did things go. Mystogan gazed up to see...bug-like creatures pounding both their bodies and weapons against the magical barrier that Shining had put up over the city and castle. Mystogan closed his book and lets out a sigh of annoyance.

“I guess I will be needed after all. A great time to test out some of my new toys…”

He said as he made his way toward the chapel in a brisk walk towards the chapel. He was ready to take on the enemy. The question is. Would they be ready to take him on? One thing was for sure, he was going to be VERY hungry after this whole ordeal. Dinner was on the princesses tonight.

--An Hour Later--

WIth Celestia now encased in a cocoon-like prison and Twilight and her friends surrounded by changelings and their queen, it all seemed nearly hopeless as princess Cadence watched as her beloved Shining Armor’s mind was in complete control from Chrysalis’ magic. Things seemed to be going in all the wrong directions when the door suddenly flies open with a changeling’s mangled body rolled onto the floor. Everypony turned to see what was going to happen next to see a large hulking figure holding a changeling in his arms as he began to tear open its exoskeleton with ease, a loud shriek of pain coming from the struggling changeling.

"Quite a fascinating anatomy you bug things have..."

He said in a rather cold and calculating tone. He reaches into his satchel and pulls out a knife and slits the creature’s throat. Then proceeds to fill up syringe after syringe of the changeling’s blood for experimental use later. All this in front of every pony to see before dropping the drained body of the poor thing to his hooves. Mystogan approached through the aisle. He reaches into his cloak and pulls out his changeling blood covered sword as he locks his gaze onto Chrysalis who gazed at the mountain pony in shock. Not only because she watched him literally tear one of her children apart, but because of his size and mass. The changelings that seemed to have gathered in mass in front of the altar now focused their attention on Mystogan with their weapons drawn. Mystogan reaches to his bandolier and pulls out a golden orange syringe with a needle prepped and ready for use.

Send as many as you want after me..”

He said before jabbing the needle into his right arm. What happened next shocked everypony in there. Even Celestia could see what was going on inside of her prison that was hanging from the ceiling. As the liquid flowed into Mystogan’s veins, he lets out a shudder and grits his teeth hard. Nearly every vein in his body began to glow the same color along with his eyes.

“Yeeeaaahh...keep those eyes open…”

He said as his vision was now able to spot certain weak points on everypony’s body within his vision. This was his injection of exposure. Allowing him for a few minutes to see and use physical weaknesses against his opponents, but at a cause of quite a bit of his energy when it had worn off. Twilight and the others watched in pure shock and slight fear of what Mystogan was doing to the now charging Changelings. With a swipe and thrust of his blade, he was cutting vital veins and organs of each of them, making them drop to the ground in near instant death as blood gushed everywhere and pooled out onto the floor. This made the ponies with the more weaker stomachs feel like vomiting or pass out while the others were simply too in shock to look away as Mystogan slowly made his way up to Chrysalis who looked up at him. She was visibly shaking as she did her best to try and move away from him. But his gaze was paralyzing. Mystogan brought his blade up and ran it through Chrysalis’ hair before grabbing at her chin and examining her up and down like a fresh piece of meat ready to be dissected.

“Hmmm...what to do with you. Keep you alive and take you apart slowly? Or kill you where you stand and preserve your body for further experimentation? After all, you aren’t a pony. Creatures like you are meant to go under the blade of somepony like myself to further benefit the existence of ponies.The more we can learn about how you work, the more prepared we can be to face you down should your kind come knocking once more.”

Chrysalis couldn’t move. Every nerve in her body was telling her to run. Run and forget everything that had transpired here. Her thought process was interrupted when the hilt of Mystogan’s sword nailed her directly in the stomach. She was about to collapse to her knees when he grabbed her by the hair and lifted her up with one hand. He had knocked the wind out of her as she had trouble breathing with that last hit. Mystogan looked at her with a rather...disgusted look on his face.

“A creature that can take the form a someone who they love the most. A rather sad existence if you ask me.”

Twilight watched as Mystogan treated Chrysalis in such a...degrading and almost evil manner. She remembered back to that night from what he had told her. Did he really see the changeling race as subjects to further his own knowledge? Not to mention he’d really keep her alive and experiment on her? She hesitantly approached him at his side, gazing up at him.

“Mystogan..? Would you really be so cruel to her? I mean, she has done some awful things to me and my friends and family. But what you are talking about is beyond that.”

Mystogan’s gaze fell to Twilight which made her freeze in place as well.

“Why should this thing be nothing more than a test subject? Especially because of what she did. There is no greater use for her.”

Mystogan tosses her aside like a ragdoll and feels his energy starting to drain as the effects of the potion started to wear off. He collapses to a kneel, using his sword as a bit of support before looking to Twilight again.

“My time limit is up anyways. She is lucky….Anyone else hungry?”

Once everything was taken care because of Shining’s and Cadence’s power of love sending all the changelings to the outlands of Equestria. Things calmed down and the wedding was resumed with the REAL Cadence. Though Celestia and Twilight both had a great concern regarding Mystogan? Was he truly so cold when it came to his research? It was time for Twilight to reveal what Mystogan had told her to Celestia.

Author's Note

Now that we have all seen just how far Mystogan was willing to take things, let's get on with the story! :3

May the darkness grant you peace.