Well then, ponies...

Yo, it's been a while hasn't it? Well don't expect too much because i have my family stalking me 24/7. makes it a little hard to just think. So without further ado, let's resume our journey.

Asking Draven for help is something I hate to do. Admitting that I’m too weak or not smart enough to do anything just rubs me the wrong way. I've always been the strong guy, adept at matters both of the physical and magical nature. But the woman’s mind is something no mortal, god, or anything in between could figure out. If Draven didn’t have the skills to make people’s inner demons vanish I wouldn't be castrating myself before him now, “Please brother, we can’t move forward unless you help us.”

He smirked knowing he had full control over me, “You know the procedure. Say it.”

I groaned, “Draven is the most powerful manly stud of a mage.”

“And?”

“And, I’m a whiny little girl who constantly cries and wets herself.”

He grinned and slapped me on the back, “See, that wasn't so hard was it?”

“If you couldn't help Rulia I would neuter you right here and now.”

“Such hostility, are you slipping brother?”

“You know how asking for help makes me feel.”

He chuckled and walked over to the bench Rulia was waiting at with me. I tried to sit down but Draven stopped me, “Since you are the main source of the block you can’t help here. I’ll resolve it by the end of the day, I promise.”

I looked to Rulia who nodded. I sighed in defeat and walked away, straight to the everfree. I walked into the forest and was immediately bombarded with the spirit of the forest. It felt my power and thought I was here to destroy it. While it wasn't sentient in a traditional sense it was alive. It knew what fear was and it had its own way of communicating. I let my mind connect with the very air around me letting the forest know I meant no harm. Slowly, it let up its mental attack and let me move forward. I walked through the forest for what seemed like hours before I came across a clearing. It had sunlight filtering from above and green grass serenely shifted from a small breeze. In the middle of the clearing there was a tombstone with a scroll on top of it. I picked up the scroll and slowly opened it.

To whoever finds this. It has most likely been a long time since I have passed, the Arcanum library is just beginning construction and the gods have come together to bring two new lives into being. Celestia, and Luna. They will rule this world, one being the goddess of day, and the other of night. They will not reach sentience for thousands of years but this is not the point of this message. Within this forest is a statue of the elder god, the being who created himself to create all things in all universes. He waits there for a hero branded villain. I saw into the future and I see this being. I see you reading this millennia from now and know you are not ready. Power you have, knowledge as well. Wisdom you do not. You are young, rash, and you are preparing to have your children. The task set before you will not be open to you for many years. Not until you suffer a devastating loss will your soul be raw enough to approach the elder god without fear of his wrath. He knows the same pain. So for now, keep this with you, and please don’t mess up my tombstone.

I looked at the tombstone and chuckled, that was the most ridiculous name I have ever seen. Zublaak the snuggler. I shook my head and sat down to meditate, clearing my mind of all problems and distractions. My soul slowly transcended my body and I connected with the world around me. The spirits of the deceased creatures that had not passed on gathered around my body curious to see how I had died. I greeted them and floated through the forest until I found what I was looking for. The spirit form of the forest. It took a form of a phoenix like creature, it gave a green fluorescent glow as it turned to look at me. It gracefully flew towards me and stared into my eyes. We stayed like this for several moments before I nodded and walked away leaving the sacred glade behind.

I returned to my body then to Ponyville. Just in time to see that captain pony hugging Twilight. I walked past and was hit in the back by a magical blast. “Stop right there! You blew my sister’s house up!”

I turned around and raised an eyebrow, “She’s lucky I just didn’t kill her. Or Celestia.”

“First of all Celestia is immortal! She wouldn’t be brought down by a second rate magician like you!”

my eye twitched as I took a step towards him, “Second rate? Second rate!? I’ll show you second rate!”

I focused on the pony’s form and soul. I saw every hope, dream, flaw, fear, and thought. I separated the good from the bad and duplicated it, making a whole new pony. The exact opposite of the original. It separated from the original starting at the horn and generated a body. It had a voice that came from the bowels of hell, “Hello Shining Armor, I am Dingy Weapon.”

His teeth were black and sharper than any blade, his coat darker than any black that had a right to exist, he didn’t wear armor like his counterpart but the enhancements I gave him made up for it. Dingy brought a hoof up and punched Shining square in the jaw sending him back a dozen feet. I grinned and walked over to my creation, “Amazing, isn’t it? I took your memories, your D.N.A., your thoughts, and your soul, twisted them until they were horrible and disgusting imitations of the original. And the result, was your equal. The complete opposite of you, your power of love won’t stop this guy. He holds the pure power of hate in his heart.”

Shining grunted as he got up and glared at me, “There is no way that monster came from me.”

“Oh, no way you say? And yet here he is, your son. He came from you, and you spurn him? That’s just cold. I’m an evil overlord and even I’m not that cruel.”

Dingy grew a cold grin and walked over to his ‘dad’, “What’s wrong father? Don’t like me? Just like you’ve always thought your dad didn’t like you?”

Shining took a step back and started to look worried, “Shut up! You don’t know me!”

I chuckled, just like a teenager. Dingy got right up close and chuckled, “Alright, let’s steer away from our daddy issues. And talk about your gay experiments in guard training.”

“Shut up!”
Shining pushed Dingy away and tears started forming in his eyes. From hate, fear, or embarrassment I wasn’t sure. I licked one of my canines and snapped my fingers, “That’s enough, let’s see how he feels about my power now.”

He trembled as I walked over to him and looked him straight into the eyes, “You’re nothing to me, a bug in the presence of a god. Now take your son and get out of my sight. You try to get rid of him and he takes a part of you away. Until he’s ready to take on the world on his own. Congratulations, it’s a boy.”

Dingy shrunk down to a newborn foal and I wiped his memories, “He’s new to this world, your memories are gone. He is a fresh start. Take care of him, for he is your son.”

I smirked as the foal crawled to the emotionally drained Shining. Shining looked down in fear for a moment before picking the foal up and placing him on his back. I didn’t envy the fact he would have to tell his wife he had a kid. What I would give to see that. I walked away with several more hours to burn, to the place with the techno! I walked into the club and licked my lips, “Bartender, your strongest drink!”

“One dragon fire coming up!”

the club was filled to brim and they were all staring at me as the bartender gave me a drink that was on fire. I took it down with one gulp and steam came from my mouth, “Not bad, but I have some whiskey that will turn your hair crimson.”

I flashed up some of my personal brew and poured it in a cup for the bartender to try. True to my word as soon as he swallowed his brown coat and yellow mane turned red. He fell over drunk as I laughed, “I would think a barkeep would have a larger tolerance to the drink.”

I let magic permeate the air and little dancers appeared in the sky. The moved to the music and gave the place a stronger feeling. More powerful, what did the kids call it? Ah yes, exhilarating. I drank for about an hour before Fine Forge walked up to me, “So, about turning me into a human again?”

“Ah yes, is there any particular body you would like? Any special powers you want?”

“You can do that?”

“Of course, I’ve studied magic for the better part of my life. Simple transformations like these are easy.”

“Can you make me kind of like the hulk?”

“The what now?”

“It’s a being of pure rage, the angrier he gets the stronger he gets. But I want to keep my rationality.”

“Ah, so you want to become a faux ID. Easy enough, so will your old body do?”

“Yes, thank you. I miss my fingers.”

I snapped my fingers and Fine Forge started glowing. He grew to about six feet, he was scrawny but his eyes held passion. He had brown skin and black curly hair. His hair was bizarre, it was all poofy. “What, what’s wrong with your hair?”

“What? It’s an afro.”

“I see, well I suppose I’ve seen stranger things. If you want to activate your power simply call it. When it comes out you’ll feel a burning in your chest. It will hurt but only for a moment.”

“Thanks man, I can’t wait to show Twilight!”

“Don’t mention it, it was really no problem.”

He ran off with his new, or is it old body? Either way he ran off leaving me to drink. I paid for my drink and teleported up into the castle in Canterlot. Surprising the sun goddess, “Oh no, what’s gone wrong now?”

I raised an eyebrow, “Nothing, I was just bored.”

“I thought you said nothing was wrong. Bad things happen when powerful creatures get bored.”

“Oh relax, I’m not going to destroy anything, at least not in this country. I was wondering if there was a place where I could get some entertainment.”

“Try the badlands, there is always something going on over there.”

“Alright, which direction should I head in?”

“Just go east till you reach them, they’re impossible to miss.”

I gave her my thanks and teleported a few miles above the castle and started flying. It didn't more than an hour going at a leisurely pace. Sure enough I saw a large stone coliseum with creatures of all sorts rushing in. I joined the stampede and managed to float in the air while the combatants were brought out. One was a large minotaur, and when I saw large I mean he was at least three stories tall. The other was a small pink blob. Knowing how the world worked, my money was on the blob. The blab would probably only go above my ankle if I was next to it which to my mild surprise made the next part so much freakier. It grew until it looked exactly the same as its opponent, but twice the size. Needless to say the minotaur ran like a little bitch.

The blob returned to its original form and I felt some powerful magic wash through the stadium. Sleeping spells. Smart, if nobody knows your abilities then you have the upper hand. They all just think they dozed off and dreamed the fight. The next thing I saw come out to fight the blob made my heart stop in fear. It was a shadow mage. A being of pure dark energy. At my best I could probably beat it but there was no guarantee. They fed off of your fears, they invade your mind and make you kill yourself. These things, are the only thing anyone should fear. I faced one once before, when Draven and I were young. We survived, just barely and dozens of other extremely powerful mages were killed. I remember seeing its face, its skin clung to bone and was a black color. The teeth were sharp and its scream, it sounded as if an innocent girl was being raped and murdered at the same time. But, the most terrifying thing about it was its eyes. Just an empty void where your hopes and dreams die. Not even its ability to suck out your soul was as terrifying as its eyes. It only has one weakness, near impossible to use. You have to laugh at it. Pinkie Pie would be the destroyer of worlds to them.

The thought made me chuckle but then it looked at me and the chuckles stopped. Wait, that was the same shadow mage from back when I was a kid. The red star on his robe was exactly the same. It stared at me for a few moments before I heard it’s whisper in my head, “Good, you remember me.”

I nodded, “You were the most terrifying thin I had ever seen. Still are.”

“And yet you are so calm.”

“I’ve become much more adept at magic, I can lock away my fear now.”

“I see, and that other one?”

“He’s the same.”

“How unfortunate, you held some massive stores of fear inside of you. I heard you are getting married to the dragoness.”

“I am, how did you hear?”

“We shadow mages keep in touch with the world. Have to feed somehow.”

“Ah, so not that this isn’t a riveting conversation but I need to leave before my fear overpowers my magic.”

“Do you really fear me that much?”

“More than death itself.”

“Why would you fear death?”

“I don’t know, I fear it so much I’ve made a way out. Kill that blob before it can transform or else it will copy your form and abilities.”

I teleported out of there before it could respond and as soon as I was back at the castle my dam broke. I started shivering and fell onto the ground, tears clouded my vision as I took deep breaths. “Jacob!? What’s wrong!?”

“S-shadow m-m-m-mage.”

I forced myself up and teleported back to Ponyville, more specifically my room. I curled up in my bed and just whimpered. I lay there all day, trying to bury the memories. It worked, but only after I used magic to help. Using mental magic on yourself was dangerous; you’re too close to yourself to accurately see the whole painting. One little oversight can make the entire spell go haywire and turn your brain to mush. Fortunately I was a badass at my job. The spell went off without a hitch and I shook my head, “Good, can’t remember a thing about the… thingy.”

Well whatever it was I probably had a good reason for getting rid of it. I stood up and stretched my back. After looking out the window and seeing the moon I decided to find Rulia. I teleported back to the park and immediately I wished I hadn’t. Draven, was forcing himself on Rulia. My eye twitched a couple times before I calmly walked over, grabbed Draven on the shoulder, and punched him, “Draven, you better have a good explanation for this.”

I stood over him and growled. “Now Jacob, don’t lose your temper. Things just got a little out of hand.”

I picked him up with my magic and pinned him against the bench, “Explain, now.”

Rulia who was twitching on the ground till now spoke up, “Jacob, help.”

Her dress was ripped and some blood was coming from her mouth. I gently picked her up and placed her next to Draven, “Alright, you don’t seem to be to hurt. Just a little weak. Now, what did he do to you?”

“I, I can’t remember.”

I clenched my fist and concentrated. I didn’t want to do this yet but, it seems like I have no choice. I snapped my fingers and in a white flash Celestia fell down from about ten feet waking her rather rudely. She groaned and glared at me, “This had better be important.”

“I’m using my favor. Keep Draven immobilized till I can figure this out. And if he tries to run, kill him.”

All three sets of eyes around me widened. “Are, are you sure?”

“Kill him by slamming him into the sun nuts first.”

“What did he do?”

I picked Rulia up gently and carried her to our room. I put her down on the bed and pumped some of my energy into her body. When she was able to stand up on her own I kissed her, “You have no clue how worried I was. Or how angry I am with Draven.”

“Who, who are you?”

My eyes widened and I dived into her mind. It was that parasite from before, only it was bigger. There was only one explanation for this, Draven was the one who put in there in the first place. It suddenly made sense, his eagerness to help Rulia, how he rushed to help me, and how he asked me to leave. I charged raw magic into my hands and grabbed the plant tentacle thing and it disintegrated in moments just like last time. But this time I placed wards to keep her mind locked from people who she didn’t want in there. I blinked and I was back in the bedroom with Rulia clinging to me. I stroked her hair and made sure she was comfortable. We stayed awake all night and in the morning she finally spoke, “Thank you, I was caught off guard. What are we going to do with your brother?”

I sighed and looked out the window, “I don’t know, without him our world will fall into chaos. But, right now I want to murder him.”

“He didn’t actually get in, you showed up just in time.”

“What do you want to do with him?”

She snarled her response, “Cut off his junk.”

I thought for a minute before I smiled, “Alright, let’s cut off his junk.”

“Wait, seriously?”

“Seriously, I know just the guy to talk to.”

“Can I tell him?”

“I would consider it hilarious if you did.”

I helped her up and repaired her dress. I would have done it earlier but, she just looked so hot like that. I kissed her and we walked back to the park. Rulia smirked as we entered my draconian brother’s view, “Hello Draven, we have decided on your punishment. Your genitals, are forfeit.”

I chuckled as the color drained from his face. I walked up to him and grinned like a madman, “I believe you remember our old friend Zouel correct?”

He shook his head frantically as I gathered the summoning spell in my hand, “He’s mean, he’s nasty, he’s all around cruel. He makes fire look tame and steam look cool. I summon master Zouel.”

In a pillar of green flames the old dwarf appeared, “How can I help ya youngin’?”

“Castrate my brother.”

“Alright, how should I fix it up?”

“So he can’t have it repaired.”

“Alrighty, I’ll just drop him off at his tower when I’m done.”

I nodded and they both disappeared in a pillar of green flames. I winced as I thought about what I just sentenced my brother to. Celestia yawned and flashed presumably back to her castle. I sat next to Rulia and sighed, “Our last day here. So what do you think of my vacation spot?”

She put her head on my shoulder and thrummed, “It’s nice, but I can’t wait to get back home. We should only have to wait a couple days to get married.”

“And our lives will be perfect.”

“Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We still need to raise our kids.”

“Our kids will be perfect you know why?”

“Why?”

“Because they’ll be our kids.”

“Shut up, I’m the one who’s supposed to get emotional.”

I smiled and put my arm around her, “What say you we just spend our day here?”

“That would be nice.”

We spent the day on that bench watching the world go on and talking about random things. It was nice, but eventually we went back to our room and went to bed. The last day of Ponyville life wasn't the most, desirable. But it was a day I wouldn't change for the world.

So, what do you think? It may not be quite the same but i kinda like it.