Displaced Darkness

Entering into the former castle of friendship, Innocent took stock. The Doors had been hung with spiked shields, with the entryway a testament to taxidermists everywhere. A large Brown Bear stood menacing any that paused to long, a permanent roar, never uttered. Birds of all sorts stared mutely back, perched forevermore on various ledges, and for the centerpiece, mounted on the Friendship Map was the head of one, once, very fabulous sea serpent, it's glass eyes and Ivory fangs pulled back in a frozen snarl. Of his wondrous mustache there was no sign. Broken chairs sat lined against the far wall, each with an animal posed as if sleeping, waiting forevermore for masters that weren't coming home.

Shaking his head, Innocent turned to Dagur, "Excuse me, but I'm rather filthy, is there a place I might freshen up?"

Dagur smiled, "Indeed, just follow those stairs, the bath is on the left. If You leave your clothes by the door, I can give you replacements as those are cleaned."

Innocent's eyes narrowed. "Forgive me, but I'm kind of partial to these. Besides, I made them and as such I'll care for them," His Eyes Twinkling he continued, "It won't take long, blood doesn't stain me."

Rocking back on his hooves Dagur carefully replied, "In that case, take your time, I must prepare your reward anyway. Ring the bell within when you finish, one of my guards will bring you to me."

"Thank you, you've been most kind."

"You saved my life, it's the least I can do."

Scaling the stairs, Innocent traced the green veins intertwining through the red crystal. All windows were fitted with metal shutters, banners extolling male superiority framing them. The sunlight noticeable by its absence. Green crystals in mirrored sconces provided light, guards spaced every couple of feet, statues waiting to erupt into violence. Patrols rotated through the hallways, the clank of armor on weapons heralding their otherwise silent approach.

"A proper military outpost, feh!" Innocent thought. Striding to the bathroom, the silent sentries tracking his movements, Innocent gave no indication that he knew their eyes were upon him. He smiled, he would only be challenged if he went somewhere he shouldn't. Evidently, he was cleared for this bathroom. Chuckling at his own joke, Innocent strode in.

Urinals lined the wall, while stalls took up one corner, The sinks were more akin to basins, water ceaselly flowing through. Every other stall was locked, removable paper signs on those doors listing mare within's qualifications, as well as which stalls she serviced. Towards the back, shower stalls could be seen, with similar markings. Sighing, Innocent went to the closest sink, soreness and fatigue from the day working there way through him. Shuddering, his tears started to fall.

So, now the price is paid. Honestly, Bystander where'd you learn to fight like that?

Sobbing, as what he had called on took its price, Innocent shot back. Your'e in my head, you read my mind. You don't know?

A shuddering mental sigh echoed within his mindIt'll take me a while to get fully integrated, but even when I am, I think there are some places in your head that I shouldn't go, where even you shouldn't go. Places locked and dark for a reason. Merciful Darkseid, Innocent, what in hell were you thinking? Spiking your adrenaline to remove your pain limitters, having me integrate into your skin so that I can serve as both a secondary nervous and sensory system, and then to top it all off, using source energy to push yourself even further. It's no wonder you're crashing so hard!

Innocent raised his head, staring directly at the mirror he smiled. He smiled, despite the pain, despite the tears, despite the fatigue, He smiled and it was not a nice smile. "Aegis, you're forgetting one thing in your assessment. As you become more synced to my systems you will also act to boost my immune system. Which means......

That, in doing so I will be effectively removing the one limitation that what you just did has! By protecting you, and by extension myself, I will allow you to adjust to the increased effort! Innocent that's insane! Even one of the New Gods would eventually reach their limits. You're mortal, a gifted and driven one, but still a mortal. If you keep doing this, flesh and bone are flesh and bone, they will fail. You WILL break, and we will both die.

Closing his eyes, Innocent breathed deep. Calming his mind and by extension his body, he once again reasserted his control over himself. Aegis, all things break, all things die. I will live as I always have. To my own choosing, none tell me what I may or may not do, not even me! The last word echoed through his mind as a snarl. Looking once more at the blood that caked his hands and stuck within his beard, he once again spoke.

Aegis, why'd I eat that fallen Caribou's heart, in front of everyone? I'm normally much more circumspect about my feedings?"

"Yeah that Heart was yummy, I needed the fuel so I pushed your hunger a bit, you just chose the quickest source of protein. I'll take the blood from your clothes, tools and skin for the same purpose. Wait, that is some weird behavior for the both of us, Hold on I'm going to check...... Huh, I can't believe I didn't notice this! There's a low level psychic resonance reverberating through out Ponyville, in you it's barely noticeable, but among the ponies of Equestria it must be driving them bonkers! That's why the stallions and others are collaborating, it's low level viral harmonic mind control!

"But why can I still think fairly straight? I've just been slightly more grumpy and a touch more prone to violence. Well, not to mention hunger, but I think the heart incident speaks for itself.

"Because it targets those feelings humans have the most experience with. Anger, Lust, Aggression, as a functioning human in society you were taught to handle those emotions. Here the only ones that have anywhere close to the experience with those emotions as Humans are the Caribou. Ponies, have next to none at all, Dragons only have greed to really worry about, Griffins are just expressing dominance, Changelings only really have lust, and the hippogriffs/seaponies are no better off then the ponies! You are the only one that appears to have even a resistance, bordering on immunity, in all of Equestria. Hell, now that I recognize it. BAM! You just became immune.

Calm washed over Innocent, like a shower after cleaning out septic tanks. He looked around with his new clarity and made some decisions.

"Alright, Aegis, time to see a caribou about a reward."