The Mare in the Woods

The faceless colt hugged Trebass, "Ah, it has been a long time my nephew."

The two embraced after the long hiatus they had been separated.

"Tell me, who else have you told of my identity?" Trebass asked.

"I told your scientist friend. Say, he reminds me of good old Raymon back at the palace." Maneder replied.

"I'll admit, there is a striking resemblance." Trebass chuckled.

Notelie giggled, and the two colts began to laugh with her.

"I've seen the dark woods from afar, but never actually visited it. Also, I barely recognized you Notelie! I haven't seen you since I left this place." Trebass chuckled again.

Everypony looked upward, and an oddly shaped cloud sat in the sky.

"There's our home, and I always looked down on this patch of darkness, wondering what it was." Notelie said.

The cool wind blew through the grass, the orange sun was just setting as the three relatives silently reminisced about Cutopia. They exchanged stories and chatter as the time passed.

"So you harnessed the power of the 'Storm of Hearts' and used it to travel to our dimension?" Trebass asked.

"Yes, I was able to open up a 'Storm of Hearts' with a bolt from the storm that I harvested from the storm. I had watched you from afar. But I knew that the only way to bring you here would be through love." Maneder replied.

"I see, so you took Royal and brought her here... Clever. But what I'd like to know is why you brought me here in the first place. But why did you bring little Pip here? I barely knew about him until a few moments ago." Trebass questioned again.

"I've been monitoring your activity... and your brother's activity as well. As for the foal... I believe that was Richord's idea of a joke." Maneder replied again.

"So you could show me a way to get rid of him?" Trebass' tone lowered.

"Yes and from what I've heard from Mérstur, that blue pegasus left our world with that means of terminating your brother." Notelie cut in between the two.

"You deceived your friends, you've told them you know nothing of your brother. Why?" Maneder asked.

"I do not wish to involve my friends in any danger. But I today, I failed what I intended to do." Trebass sounded disappointed.

"Are you sure it's not to conceal what you actually are? Are you afraid that you might lose your friends if they find out what you are?" Notelie cut in, once again.

Trebass grunted, "If you don't mind, I think I'd like to get back to my own dimension please."

"I see, I'm sorry if I upset you my prince." Maneder apologized calmly, as he pulled something from his jacket.

Sin Maneder handed Trebass a line of bright light bouncing around in a jar.

"This is the bolt from the 'Storm of Hearts'?" Trebass took the jar and asked.

Maneder nodded, and turned to his daughter.

Notelie nodded to her father, "I shall go searching for my corrupted brother. Now if you'll excuse me..."

The mare turned around to walk into the dark woods, but stopped to turn at Trebass. She gave him a wink, then disappeared into the darkness.

"Well, give my best to Richord. To Notelie as well." Trebass said as he turned away from his uncle.

The faceless colt turned away from Trebass as well, "You'll have to tell them eventually. Did you really think you can keep your heritage a secret for long?"

Trebass didn't respond, instead he twisted open the jar of lightning. The bolt flew out at the speed of light, and exploded into a grey spiral. A large hole sat in the middle of the tornado. Inside the hole was the image of Alexander's laboratory. The sound of thunder, rain, and blowing wind flew around Trebass' ears.

"I'll see you later uncle." Trebass said as he jumped straight into the grey spiral's hole.

The white unicorn landed on the metal floor of Alex's lab. He looked behind him into the hole, Sin Maneder was walking into the woods after his daughter.

"Looks like you made it. Took you long enough." A black pegasus placed his hoof in Trebass' shoulder.

"Yeah, I was reminiscing for a while... Anyways, where is everypony else?" Trebass changed the subject quickly.

"Royal is in your room, resting. Shock Bolt is having a snooze on the couch. Pip is currently having a bowl of cereal, we'll send him to his mom tomorrow morning. It's getting pretty late, almost midnight in fact." Alexander yawned.

"That sounds like a good idea. After what we've been through, I think I deserve a week's rest at the least." Trebass chuckled.

"But... There's something I gotta do first." The white unicorn continued, as he walked into the corridor leading out of the laboratory.

His hooves echoed on the metal flooring of the hallway until he came out into the living room. Pip was at the kitchen counter, adorably chewing on a cookie. Sleeping on the couch was Shock Bolt, the tired knight was hardly snoring. Trebass walked over to Shock Bolt. On the floor next to the pegasus was a metal box with a handle on it. A key sat on the coffee table next to the couch, Trebass took the box, then the key, and trotted up to his room. He opened the door, and found a blond mane sticking out of the comforter. He gently walked over to his desk and turned on the lamp, making sure the brightness wouldn't wake Royal Flush.

"Now... Let's see what secrets you hold..." Trebass said to himself quietly, as he inserted the key into the keyhole. The box's lid swung open and nearly gave Trebass a minor heart attack. Inside the box, was a beautiful golden key. The key handle was in the shape of a harp.

Trebass opened his desk drawer and took another two keys, the handles were in the shape of a dove, and a rose.

"What do these even mean? I just don't get it... Father... Why is this all happening to me?" Trebass sighed.

The white unicorn heard the sound of shuffling coming from his bed, it seemed royal was having a pleasant dream as a smile crept onto her sleeping face.

"Hm, I guess I could sleep sitting in this chair." Trebass said, as he switched off his lamp; and the room was plunged into darkness.

Trebass thought to himself, "After all, she'd kill me if I slept there..."