Nightshade: The Adventure Begins

Nightshade brought his hoof up to his face, a watch-like band lit up white as he barked at it. "Computer! What the hell was that?"

There was only static from the other end. The unicorn barged outside only to met with a peculiar sight, a pink dome seemed to encase the city. Suddenly a green flash caught his eye and another deafening explosion boomed. A barrier?! No wonder why I can't get a signal. Oh, this is bad.

"No. No. No no! This is too early! Gin, we gotta get Ace outta here pronto!"

"Don't have to tell me twice, come on a buttercup."

Ginger carefully trotted along with Ace sticking to his side, Nightshade's eyes widened as he realized what the green flashes were. The changelings were trying to break the barrier, at this point, the flashes were almost rapid and the barrier didn't seem to be holding up too well. It was only a matter of time, and hopefully when the barrier broke-

Nightshade was pulled from his thoughts as he ran into another pony and they both spoke simultaneously, "Sorry 'bout tha-"

Before he stood himself, a full-fledged copy down to the cutie mark. It was perfect, well very narrowly, but something was wrong about it. That's when he made eye contact, its eyes were glossy, milky green.

"-That. You're different... A defect in a changeling, if the situation was different I might've studied you. Ginger, go find Strike!"

Without warning, Nightshade smirked as a black bolt of his magic pierced the double. He shuddered as the bolt chilled him to his core.

"Dark magic, packs a hell of a punch doesn't it?"

Nightshade pelted through the streets, thoughts getting darker and darker as changelings rained down from the sky. While he ran he began to catch glimpses of something he didn't expect, the front of a concert hall was alive with yelling as a grey earth pony swung her cello like a battle axe while others around her put up a fight. They're fighting back! Haha! I gotta find Ace.

Ginger skid around a corner while Ace lagged behind, he tenderly assisted the prince.

"You heard what Nightshade said, we gotta go." Ginger prompted Ace.

"I know. And I'm sorry."

"For wha-!"

Ace dropped his head shamefully before grabbing Ginger by his muzzle, rapidly whispering apologies as the pony's pupils dilated. Ace watched as his eyes slowly shifted to a bright colour. Ace was thankful that Ginger didn't resist his influence. He could only hope that he wasn't hurting the other pegasus.

Said pony stood rigid, "We're going to locate Nightshade correct? I'll lead the way, my lord."

Nightshade grit his teeth as he struck down another changeling, I shouldn't have sent them off! I hope Celestia has this under control. He sniped another one out of the air with a huff of exhaustion, I can't keep this up forever.

A massive changeling crashed through a flower shop sending glass, dirt and foliage everywhere. Besides the size of this one it was different from the drones, it wore a sickly green suit of spiny armour. Nightshade grimaced as it glared at him with wild eyes before letting out a primal growl, Here we go again-

Nightshade's thoughts were interrupted as he spotted a familiar grey pegasus soaring past the changeling, the ginger pony following on his tail wasn't so lucky. Ginger didn't even have time to scream as the massive shapeshifter wheeled about, sending a powerful buck into his face redirecting Ginger like a rocket through the front glass of a French restaurant. Glass splintered and exploded in every direction. Pegasi were strong, but Nightshade cringed as he realized Ginger's fate. I did this. Nightshade grew numb as Ace's pleading rooted him to the spot, This is my fault! If I'd just played it safe and kept him in Ponyville...

"Nightshade," Ace's surprisingly calm voice snapped him out of his dark thoughts, "I can feel your exhaustion, let me help you."

"What do you- What did you do Ace?!"

Ace gave him no time to respond and could offer no response as he slumped over on the ground. Nightshade, on the other hand, had never been so energised in his life. Never so much untapped magic potential. And...

Rage.

He cast an invisible barrier on Ace's unmoving form with minimal effort as he began to advance on the changeling, his magic scorching the ground he walked. Nightshade felt as if he had a fire in his veins.

"You... you think you're so tough don't you?"

A sinister smile spread across the unicorn's face, his mane flopped over his eyes. The armoured behemoth roared in defiance, much to Nightshade's sickening glee as he let out a low chuckle.

"Now. Hold still."

His magic struck the changeling and its hooves infused themselves into the pavement, effectively immobilizing his enemy.

"How does it feel? To have your enemy approach you while you aren't even able to move? I could only compare it to needing air underwater and swimming up, and right before you can surface a hoof drags you back down. You have no IDEA how much I want to see you suffer, to watch you squirm and writhe. But you are less than filth, not worth my time. When I'm done, there won't be anything left of you to identify in Hell."

In a mere instant, the entire block was enveloped in a white flash.

"Doc says a fractured left orbital, broken jaw, multiple fractures in the wings and a multitude of scrapes." Strike repeated to Nightshade who was in absolute disbelief.

Maybe Ace's luck rubbed off on him? Nightshade glanced out of the hospital window thinking about the strings Strike must have pulled to get Ginger in so quick. He shuddered at the memory of them pulling Ginger out of the wreckage. He was a bloody mess with a wing bent the wrong way, his glasses shattered and a few meters from the front of the restaurant. It was nothing short of a miracle that he was still breathing.

Nightshade shook his head, "Tough little shit, huh. He wasn't too well when you guys arrived. Strike... I think I lost the kid. Ace, he wasn't moving when medical arrived."

Strike shook her head, Nightshade couldn't help but bristle at this. Something was really wrong, the power Ace had channelled into him was like nothing he'd ever seen before. He said his goodbye to Strike, wishing her well, and set his sights on the castle. Celestia wasn't dodging this, not this time. He sparked up a teleportation spell.

Nightshade blinked in surprise, He was right outside the princess's quarters. Probably some residual magic from Ace, my teleports are never this accurate. He sat outside the door checking the inside of his suit jacket, his hoof found a cylindrical object and he floated it out. With a whir from the object, the lock on the door clicked and he allowed himself inside. The princess sat on her bed, seemingly unaware of his presence. Nightshade's head of steam fizzled out and he drew a blank. He wondered if she had been expecting him.

"Did I ever tell you where Ace was from?"

"Las Pegasus- "

Nightshade was cut off and she motioned for him to come over and he did so. A strange chuckle came from the princess in response.

"That means that I lied to you. It's hard to explain in a way that doesn't seem cruel."

"Princess, where is he?"

Celestia finally looked at him and he was shocked by her tear streamed face, "He's dead Nightshade. How else do you think you nearly levelled downtown? I saw the flash from here... He did what I can only assume was the best course of action in his mind, giving you the power you needed."

Dead... Why are the details so fuzzy to me? I was there. The princess paid no mind to his internal argument.

"Ace was a product of... Nightshade he was my biological son. Discord and I, well... Nopony could know about such a thing, you've seen what Discord had done in the past. It would have been a scandal of the ages. Discord and I agreed to never speak of Ace as our own. Discord managed to pull a few things into place and there he was, 19 years later, I could finally see him, but it hurt every single time."

Nightshade couldn't seem to get any words out, this was too much. Did... Nightshade turned away, No wonder. She pulled out all the stops for him and he willingly laid down his life for somepony he only just met.

"I'm... I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It wasn't your fault."

Nightshade silently walked out of the princess's quarters, he needed to head home. Something in his heart twinged as he sparked up a teleportation spell, I miss the kid. How am I supposed to tell them that he's dead?

The mansion was silent as he poofed inside, Everyone must be asleep. Good, I can figure out how to break the news. He trudged into his living room, ripping off his tie and tossing it to the floor.

A deep and familiar voice sounded from the darkness, "Nightshade, been a while."

All the lanterns in the room lit up, Discord sat on the couch but he wore no smile or smirk. It almost made Nightshade's skin crawl, there wasn't even a hint of joy in his voice.

"Discord, my day has been shit enough without you adding to it. I already-," Nightshade calmed a bit, "We both lost somepony today."

"It's what I came to talk to you about. I know about your ability to travel time and space, I know you wish certain things in your life didn't happen. I'm offering you a way to... access those realities. In your ship, you'll find a new switch. A reset of sorts. Before you utter the words, no this is not a trick. No games. Not this time. Use it wisely Nightshade, and... Say hello to Ace for me, he'll remember."

Discord vanished faster than Nightshade could register, no poof of smoke or smug laughter. Nothing. He almost questioned if it had really happened. But he seriously doubted this, Discord never does anything out of the kindness of his heart, he's hellbent on creating chaos. Wait I thought he was still frozen in stone!

Nightshade crept up the stairs not wanting to wake his housemates, a weight seemed to slow his pace. If this is for real, this 'reset' switch... What happens to the world I leave behind? Do they cease to exist? Can I come back? Can I bring Ace here? Will Ace remember- He nearly flinched as he realized he was already in the attic, Pandora's doors open and awaiting his arrival.

"Here goes."

Computer didn't greet him, and Pandora was eerily silent. The console was partially darkened and a majority of the console room lights were off. They know. He sat down and laid his head on the console not realizing his hoof already flipping the switch.

"I can do better this time."

The world, everything, faded away and Nightshade fell away into the darkness.