A thousand years have went by, many things have changed during those passing centuries – new frontier towns are being built, Celestia is the sole ruler of Equestria after her sister’s banishment, and peace has lasted for the last thousand years… but the day of her return is coming soon, and the night shall last for eternity.

Of course, Celestia has everything planned for the event to happen… she just didn’t expect for a particular being to make the situation… complicating.

Equestria; Canterlot Castle, Celestia’s Room; Morning – a day before the Summer Sun Celebration

Celestia busied herself, looking through different scrolls that listed requests and reports from her ponies; these requests were simple requests for support on different city projects – some useful, others not so much – while the reports have been the same for the last thousand years… but there was the occasional strange report of a disturbance, particularly in the outer cities, those far from the more controlled parts of Equestria.

This particular report reminded Celestia of a similar incident that occurred two-hundred years ago – the incident involved a hidden slavery ring deep in Baltimare’s underground system, and it was discovered when a mare who was practically beaten bumped into a private by the name of Vigil Sentry. What was worse was that a good number of the royal guard were involved, except for Vigil since he was recently transferred to the city.

After a large company of the guard were sent to raid the slavery ring, all they found was… disturbing. All those involved were dead to the point of being barely recognized, with the help of magic being used to reconstruct the bodies that weren’t obliterated or melted into a puddle of sludge. The slaves were freed and those involved who did survive were barely alive, terrified of something that attacked them… the only description was a one-eyed hairless minotaur being the culprit of the attack.

This description of one-eye reminded Celestia of similar incidents – both minor and major – throughout the years, going back to the first incident of this particular individual to 800 years ago. Each of these bloody and grotesque incidents were each labeled, but all of them were so different from one another the connection couldn’t be seen.

Celestia sighed, putting the report away that described an attack near the border of Equestria and the Minotaur Lands, just southwest was a fort made by Equestria that were attacked by a group of rogue minotaur soldiers. The incident would of gotten worse but the bandits were swiftly handled… but not by Celestia’s royal guard, but rather an unseen force that decimated the bandits, leaving bloody remains behind. A figure was spotted running into Equestria but what it was unknown, the only description was it slouched in a weird angle, and wore strange clothing.

Even though I managed to gain peace just a decade after my sister’s banishment, these small bouts of violence are barely contained… we haven’t had this bad of an incident for nearly two decades. The last time a major incident happened in Equestria was during an incident a century ago that involved a bunch of cultists kidnapping ponies; the ponies were rescued but some didn’t make it… but again, the same description of this mysterious figure popped up once more. Apparently one of the hostages had encountered a strange being, she assumed was a minotaur, but she couldn’t tell us much other than it came to rescue her.

Just as Celestia was about to check another scroll, a green smoke floated from the window to her, before it poofed into a scroll. With practiced ease, the scroll was caught in Celestia’s telepathy; reading the scroll, it detailed her student’s ramblings of the return of Nightmare Moon tomorrow. Celestia knew about this event and knew what she had to do, so with a smile, she pulled out a new parchment and pen. She began writing down her response and gave Twilight her orders; after done she rolled the parchment to a scroll and stamped the royal wax seal. With the same spell she taught Twilight for Spike to use when she needs to send a scroll or message to her, a cloud of smoke appeared that was once her scroll before it floated off outside to Twilight’s tower.

“Don’t worry Celestia, Twilight can handle this, you prepared her for this… She’s ready for every contingency,” said Celestia, telling herself this.

What could happen that I haven’t seen coming?

At the same time – Equestria; Ghastly Gorge; Morning

A lonesome figure walked through the dead quiet gorge; the gorge was quiet because the denizens it held were hiding out of terror. To the unseen eye the figure was shrouded in a cloud of malice, insanity, and pure bloodlust so strong, even the greatest of predators would turn tail.

The figure was wearing a gray fedora with a dark gray strap around it with a dirty gold buckle; its clothes were not in the best of conditions – the shirt was ragged ripped and had holes around it, the pants while okay were equally dirty with two metallic kneecaps on them – and the figure wore two sandals, showing his toes. Across his chest was a knife belt that held several knives, their uses unknown but their intent, deadly, and on his sides were two duel sword sheaves, and finally he wore an eye-patch on his right eye with the letter L, stitched on it.

Other details the figure had was he wore a metallic backpack that would occasional beep or have one of the lights on it blink out and back on. The figure smiled dementedly, before speaking to himself suddenly – this went from shouting to whispering, then back to shouting.

“SHUT IT YA WANKAY! ...I swear I’ll… Oh and screw you too!” said Locust, talking to himself.

Sir, we need to keep a low profile; I sense several creatures within these holes.

“Well they can bugga off… No, I’m not making one my pet, I got one already,” said Locust, ignoring Matthius.

The robot butler sighed, unable to catch his masters attention, but continuing to speak. Well sir, we’re approaching the destination, we should be there by nightfall or at best, evening, Locust.

Locust grinned madly; he waited for thousand years for this day… and he would taste sweet sweet vengeance… and the occasional bloodbath of course. The madman continued his walk, slowly leaving the gorge; once a far enough distance some of the gorge’s inhabitants, giant eels popped out and stared at the terrifying visage that was Locust, before retreating to await a better prey to hunt down.

Equestria; Ponyville; Afternoon

Twilight was still upset that Celestia hadn’t taken her warning to heart and decided to supervise the planning in Ponyville for the celebration. She had already met all the ponies in her list and was now in a bakery called Sugarcube Corner, enjoying some lunch with her assistant. The two were reviewing the list to make sure they haven’t missed anything important, and to see if there was anything left on the list to complete.

“Went to see Apple Family and food preparations,” said Twilight.

“Check,” said Spike. Spike scrolled down the list checking each thing that needed to be checked.

“Made sure weather was clear for the day.”

“Check.”

“Decorations at town hall are set up.”

“Check.”

“And music by Fluttershy and her birds are ready.”

“Check; that’s everything Twilight.”

Twilight sighed collapsing from all the stress today given to her; the last couple of hours being this town was getting to her, and it didn’t help that Nightmare Moon would return tonight of all nights… Nopony else believed nopony, not even Spike or Celestia, and she was the one to banish her.

Twilight gave up, going back to resting her head on the table and sipping her milkshake, with a somber look. This day can’t get any worse than it is now.

Several hours later – Midnight

“...AND THE NIGHT SHALL LAST FOREVER! AHAHAHAHAHAAHAAAA!”

Panic, absolute panic; ponies left and right were running in fear, bumping into each other, running over one another, and some simply fainted on the spot. Twilight stood in the middle, before she snapped from her stupor, running with a shocked Spike on her back.

I knew it! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it, I KNEW IT!

Twilight kept running, heading back inside the library that would be her home, to find a solution to this problem.

Everfree Forest; Everfree Castle; Midnight

Nightmare Moon awaited for Celestia’s student and those that would wield the elements, but she knew or rather was confident they would never cross the trials ahead. For a thousand years, she would have her vengeance and rule Equestria in forever darkness. It was during this wait she saw the group approaching, until she heard the loud clip clop of hooves climbing the set of stairs that led to the tower she was in.

Finally… they arrived. Nightmare Moon turned around to face the six mares, each one that would wield the Elements of Harmony… but of course none of them would have the chance to use them.

“We have you now Nightmare Moon! Give up!” said Twilight, holding her ground.

“You think you can stop me; you will fail, and soon this world shall be mine!” shouted Nightmare Moon, raising on both hind-legs.

But before either side could take action… a strange sound came upon them – it echoed across the castle, and repeated over and over. The girls weren’t sure what that noise was… but Nightmare knew what it was… or rather the pony that was trapped within. At that small moment, a bit of Luna showed, the fear returning to her on that fateful night all those years ago.

No… no no no no NO! He… he-e-e should be dead! It can’t be him, it just can’t!

Her suspicions were answered when a song slowly began to play… and it brought only suffering to one individual in the room. The metallic scratching against stone could be heard, the song started to grow overtime, but as it grew it suddenly stopped… and a voice was heard.

“Guess who’s baaaaacccck?”

Nightmare Moon was shivering where she stood, and that voice was the one thing that kept her constantly over the edge whenever she would attempt to rest and lower her guard. Those maddening gaze, the absolute beast of a roar, and most of all… the pure bloodlust that glowed from his visage was enough to shake her to her very core.

Before she could find where the voice was coming from… the music returned, and in full bloom. Crashing down from the window behind her was a sight that became ingrained in her and those nearby forever.

Instead of the two scimitars he wielded before, he instead held not two but several knives – each knife was held by each of his four limbs, one in each hand and another two on each foot, having removed his sandals at some point; a fifth knife was held by his teeth, with the final two knives gripped by two shadowy limbs that came out of his lower back like two tails – each posed for the kill, and ready to puncture her flesh.

With swift reaction time, Nightmare Moon turned into a shadow a delved into the floor, away from the sudden ambush attack. While Locust missed he kept sight on his prey; the song kept playing over and over, not stopping. The mares watched with shock and awe before Twilight snapped them out of their stupor.

“Girls, we need to finish this, now!” Each of the girls nodded preparing to blast the power of the elements at Nightmare Moon and whatever this other thing was. It looked dangerous alone and didn’t seem to like Nightmare either so for now it would distract the two until they can seal both of them away.

Locust thrust and stabbed relentlessly with his weapons, each managed to scratch or leave a light wound on her. Each attack was of course healed, but the rapid and frontal force was too much to keep up that some of the wounds were healing quick enough. Nightmare Moon’s fear had lessen but it was still there, and she kept on the defensive until she had enough and impaled Locust with an upper spike of physical shadows.

The attack impaled Locust through the chest but all it did was get him angrier, as he melted the attack with a touch of his palms. Once free he continued his assault; this battle continued for several minutes, neither side gaining an upper hand or hoof, but it was clear that Locust was winning through his sheer ferocity and impossible to kill.

“WHY WON’T YOU! STAY! DEAD!” shouted Nightmare Moon, firing place after place, now giving up on staying defensive.

“I eat stronger attacks for breakfast! Give me moar, ya daft horse!”

“I AM NOT A HORSE! I AM AN ALICORN, AND YOU SHALL RESPECT ME!”

“Oy Nightmare Moon, you want something, then take this!” shouted Rainbow. Nightmare Moon turned to face the suffocating pegasus until she saw it – a bright blast of rainbow-colored power. It was too late, as it engulfed her before she could escape, but it caught Locust in the blast too. Nightmare Moon screamed in agony before the Nightmare was stripped from her, all that remained was a small blue alicorn, Luna.

Shortly after that, the Mane 6 faltered down from floating up in the air, panting from the tiresome experience. Celestia arrived just in time to see her sister, rushing to her and helping her up; Luna once realizing who was holding her was shaking Celestia for forgiveness, and she answered in kind.

“I would never hate you dear sister… So don’t blame yourself for what has happened to you,” said Celestia, crying joyful tears for the first time in awhile.

The sight of two sisters reunited for over thousand years brought a tear to everypony… until it was interrupted by the shifting of something behind Luna and Celestia. Everypony turned to face what was causing the movement, before the rising form of Locust stood up. His form hadn’t changed at the slightest, the only difference being that his music earlier had stopped.

The psychotic being glared with furious eyes of rage toward everyone at sight, thinking of various ways of death and agony to each of them… until his gaze came to what was once Nightmare Moon. The look changed from one of rage to confusion then blank empty stare.

The look he gave to Luna and Celestia – particularly Luna – was disturbing until it got to the point when a static voice was heard.

Sir is something the matter?

Locust spoke to Matthius, ignoring the confused looks of the ponies and where the other voice was coming from. “Matthius, where the fudge nuggets is that black arse horse at?”

Sir, we talked about this, they’re called alicorns. As for her whereabouts, you are looking at her; it appears this is her true form, the form before being similar to a Nightmare form but one that is less corrupted and more of a dark influence at best.

“So like the flu?” asked Locust, confused still.

...Yes sir, the flu…

“Huh… aight,” said Locust, accepting that logic.

Celestia wanted to ask who or what this thing was, but then she saw her sister was hiding behind her and shaking like she came out of a pool of cold water. Before she could ask her what was wrong, a loud vworp noise later and Locust and Luna disappeared. Everypony looked everywhere and saw Locust had lifted Luna by the scruff of her neck and was across the room by the broken window he came crashing through.

“Welp, time to get this over with.” Locust put away his weapons, until another knife appeared from a wrist device, creating a loud clank as it sheathed out of its hidden compartment. The fear in Luna’s eyes as she saw the glint of the very sharp device, as it was slowly pointed at her stomach.

Celestia’s eyes widen in fear about the fate of her now-soon-to-be dead sister, when Luna began whimpering loudly, as tears and snot started flow out of her. The poor lunar princess had been through near death, having all her previous power stripped from her, and would be executed the most worst and possibly painful way ever. She finally gotten her sister’s forgiveness, and now she’d die right before her very eyes.

“P-p-ple-lea-s-se… do-don-d-n-n’t, hu-hu-hur-tt-ta… mee-aahha,” said Luna, unable to speak straight.

The sad but cute look Luna was giving would give any being instant diabetes… sad to say that Locust was immune to these cute creatures. However a closer look at Luna was that she was as thin as a stick, scratch that even a stick had more thickness than her. While Locust couldn’t find his favorite food these past thousand years, he did find out things to eat so he wasn’t starving… but Luna was absolutely hungry but because of her banishment to the moon and her being an alicorn, she was able to survive but barely.

The thin physique was somewhat adorable, not enough to catch Locust’s attention but something else did catch his attention. Sheathing his hidden blade, he began to poke and prod Luna surprisingly fluffy tummy, causing a eep or a silent ticklish giggle.

“Please… would you… stop...” said Luna, embarrassed from the sudden mistreatment.

Locust had random thoughts going through his head until he asked Matthius a quick but simple question. “Matthius… can we keep her?” asked Locust, the question surprising the robot.

You wish to have her as a pet?

“No… she make a nice toy.”

Oh… I suppose there’s going to be nothing stopping you, so whatever I say will be usel-

“Indeed! You are now mine pony!” said Locust, a gleeful grin on his face.

The look while not meant to be terrifying, only caused Luna to have her ears flop against her ears and eyes to water. She then looked at her sister for helping, whimpering out loudly. “TIIIIAAAAHHH! Help us!”

Previously, Celestia was ready to save her dear sister, but the outcome was better than she thought; the alicorn sister was trying her best to hold in a strong guffaw of laughter, snickering every time Locust would prod or beginning petting her. Not only was it cute but it brought a smile to her face… but that look changed to one of seriousness – falsely, in reality she was still found this situation humorous. With a quick flash, she teleported Luna from Locust’s grip, the maniac glaring at Celestia.

“Oy give my pony back!”

“You may have my sister later… But excuse me but what exactly are you?”

I may answer this…

After several minutes of explaining, Locust and Matthius finally introduced themselves to the rulers of Equestria and the future heroines of the country. Each having their own reactions – Twilight was absolutely livid that a creature she has never heard of before existed, Applejack and Rainbow were mistrusting of him, Rarity was horrified by looking at the shape he was in, Pinkie thought he looked fun, Fluttershy was as usual, afraid, which left Celestia and Luna either afraid or curious.

I love to explain more, but that is the basics about myself and my master, Locust.

“Sup,” said Locust, casually.

Twilight rushed forward, already summoning a quill and parchment to answer all her questions. “What are you? Where do you come from? Can you use magic? Who thought you to use these weapons? What kind of technology is Matthius made from?” Before Twilight could continue, Celestia had held back her student back, making her sit down.

“I am sorry about my student, she can be… ‘excitable’ sometimes,” said Celestia.

“You mean she’s nerd?”

Rainbow and Applejack started snickering at the comment about Twilight’s bookish personality, said mare looked at her new friends with mild anger. The two mares started whistling to get her attention back at Locust; the next pony to ask was Luna, but it was more of a statement at best.

“YOU! I saw you all those years ago, when I was Nightmare Moon! How could you have lived that long, only alicorns are the only beings that can live as long as us!”

Locust gave a confused look before answering, but the answer wasn’t what they expected. “What you talking about, I am dead.”

The fearful looks at most of the ponies present were staring at Locust as if he was some sort of abomination from Tartarus; however it was Matthius to answer next.

What my master means is that he is immortal, but not the way you think. It is complicating to explain but to put it simply, in the past an experiment was done on Locust that caused him to be given near immortality or rather a rapid regenerative power to make him see m immortal when his cells are rapidly being healed or repaired, no matter how much damage is done on him.

The explanation was enough to calm them down, but they were still off about the whole thing about what Locust being the equivalent of being a zombie.

“Well farewell, I got some traveling to get back ta,” said Locust, ready to hop out the window.

“Hold it!” shouted Twilight. “You can’t just leave, especially in the middle of the night; we’re in the Everfree Forest, one of the most dangerous places in Equestria!”

“Pah, this place is a cake-walk! The only things I seen were a bunch of stickdoggies, and this weird chicken lizard… still, it tasted like chicken, even the lizard part.”

Much of the mares didn’t get that last part, but before Locust could leave, Celestia stopped him. “Wait, there’s still something I must ask or rather request from you to visit me; the castle at the edge of the mountain is where I am. Once you arrive, I’ll send somepony to find you,” said Celestia. “I wish to better know you, and if it is true about you being an immortal, it be nice to speak somebody like myself and Luna.”

Locust thought of this, before going for Matthius opinion on the idea of visiting royalty. “What’cha think Matthius?”

The proposal does sound promising… but we must return to our camp, we’ll arrive through the train at Ponyville, and arrive at Canterlot around noon.

“That is fine with me; it was wonderful meeting both you and Locust. Have a safe journey,” said Celestia, bowing.

Luna followed with a bow, but it was a bit rushed causing her to stumble a bit. Locust simply gave a simple wave, before jumping out the window and landing outside. Standing back up, Locust wandered into the forest, as the ponies watched him from afar.

“Princess, are you sure its safe to let him go? We all saw what he’s capable, even that robot of his told us what he is,” said Twilight, a bit worried.

“Do not worry my dear student, I’m sure he isn’t that bad. I may even ask you befriend him once he arrives at Ponyville.”

“I hope to the both of us that he keeps his promise… I rather not want him to go berserk,” said Luna, still shaken by Locust.

“I’m sorry for interrupting,” said Fluttershy, speaking up. “But… he didn’t say if he was coming tomorrow, nor do we know which day he would see you.”

Celestia thought of this, but smiled back at everypony. “Don’t worry, I believe he’ll make an appearance sometime; we should return back to inform everypony that I am safe… and that Equestria may have another princess now.”

Everypony returned back to Ponyville, witnessing their first encounter with Locust… and possibly their next soon.

Author's Note

Next chapter preview: Twilight's attempts at befriending Locust feel more like he's being led to a trap.