The Endless War of Fate

by The Loner

Chapters

Chapter I: A Lost Hope (Final edits)
Chapter II: Trouble in Equestria
Chapter III: A Gathering Storm
Chapter IV: Shocking Developments
Chapter V: Past Truths
Chapter VI: The End of a Life (End Paragraph Edited 11\22\23)

Chapter I: A Lost Hope (Final edits)

Author's Note

"Blah blah blah" - Spoken words

'Blah blah blah' Silent thoughts

'Blah blah blah' Thoughts said out loud

Chapter I: A Lost Hope (Final edits)

Chapter I: A Lost Hope

I sit in this poorly lit prison cell of Canterlot Castle's dungeon accused of a crime that I did not commit. I hear the door to the prison block open up and turn my head to notice one of the prison guards enter, whose name I learned a few months ago was Honor Trail and had a scar over her right eye. She is fairly tall for a pony having a golden coat with a Strawberry Blonde mane and tail, blue eyes, a horn and a set of four vertical black bars with a police baton beside it for a cutie mark. I take a breath and sigh asking her, "What is on the menu today for lunch Honor Trail?"

She makes her way over towards him, using her magic to levitate a tray of food for today's meal with a scowl on her face as she slides it through the slot on the iron door saying, "Today's meal prisoner, hope you love grits, bread, pretzels and stale cider." She then turns and walks away saying, "Eat fast because you will be going to see the princesses in a half hour in the throne room."

I get up and grab the tray, then return to the bed and reply back, "Yes guard, is there a chance for me to shower before I see them?"

She chuckles and sarcastically calls back, "Sorry about that but they are out of order again, too many prisoners enjoy fighting there and made a big mess." She then looks at the guard on the other side of the window on the second floor overlooking the whole cell block, nodding her head. As he looks at her then nods and opens the door, she steps through and it slams shut behind her.

I sigh and hang my head at the obvious lie and eat my lunch, feeling depressed that I am unable to shower regularly. After eating my food I set the tray back in the slot for the guard to take and go back to reading a book by Star Swirl The Bearded that most ponies refuse to read because of its title, Dark Times. I read a passage that catches my attention that reads, 'I once had a dream that was like a nightmare, I was in Canterlot at the back of a very large angry mob of ponies that were actually wanting somepony to die. It was truly terrifying because execution is something that was banned throughout Equestria many years ago, yet for this one being, they brought it back for his crimes. I tried all I could to get the princesses attention so I could inform them that the being was innocent of the crime that they supposedly committed. It was all in vain because after they said their last words, the blade of the guillotine fell upon his head. That is when the true horror show started, I will never forget how red the moon became right after he died...or what happened after that.'

Just then I hear the door open and see Honor Trail approaching me with a set of chains suspended in her magic as she stops before my door and says, "Walk forward up to the door, prisoner. Don't try anything or I will use force to detain you."

I sigh and get off of the bed, then face the door and stop when I hear her say, "Now place your hands in front of you and stand with your feet close together." I do as she says and a few moments later, I can see and feel the shackles being clamped around my wrists and ankles, watching as the door slides open.

Honor Trail looks with disgust at the prisoner that murdered a pony that everypony across Equus will sorely miss, especially their parents and says, "Now exit the cell and turn right towards the door out of the block."

I shuffle my feet a little at a time, eventually getting in front of the cell and shuffle my feet to face the door out and then stop as I hear her say, "Now walk towards the door out of the cell block."

I begin to make my way forward towards the door at a slow pace until I hear her shout, "Move faster prisoner, we don't have all day!" I then pick my feet up and start jogging slowly towards the door, the noise coming from from the shackles around my hands and ankles connected by a chain that drags on the ground slightly reminding me of a movie I once watched awhile ago back on Earth. The title if I remember it right, was O Brother Where Art Thou.

As the prisoner reaches the spot in front of the door, she calls out, "Stop there prisoner." She then looks to the guard behind the window on the second floor and nods her head, then turns back to the prisoner when the door opens and says, "Now jog forward prisoner, we are falling behind and the princesses are in a foul mood already today."

I continue to jog forward through the prison halls in front of her and pass through the door and hear it slide and then slam shut. As I make my way through the halls of the prison underneath Canterlot Castle I think to myself, 'What did I do to deserve this?'

After about five minutes of jogging down the halls passing maids and royal guards who all scowl at me as some of the maids turn to look at me just to spit in my face and then call me a murderer or butcher and go back to what they were doing.

The guard walks after the prisoner jogging down the halls in front of her, ordering him to turn left or right. Guiding him to the throne room, she thinks to herself, 'I think Carl Knoxx was what he said his name is. The sooner this final meeting is over the faster I can return home to my darling little filly. I hate him for the scar he gave me after I saved him from the other prisoners that ganged up on him in the shower.' She comes out of her thoughts and tells him, "Turn left here."

I try to ignore the glares, the insults, and the few ponies that spit on me and turn to the left to continue jogging down the halls. I look ahead of me and watch where I am going as I make my way towards the princesses.

After jogging for twenty more minutes, I finally arrive at a pair of massive, double doors as I hear Honor Trail say, "Stop here and turn to face the doors." I stop and turn to face the double doors as the two guards demand the identity of who approaches the doors.

Finally arriving at the throne room, she calls out to the two guards, "Honor Trail escorting Carl Knoxx, he has an appointment with the princesses."

The two guards nod and open the doors for them and say,"You may enter, they are expecting you."

She looks back to the prisoner and says, "Jog forward prisoner and stop at the base of the steps, bow to them, then get down on your knees."

I jog forward into the throne room and make my way slowly to the base of the steps and stop, then bow to them and get down onto my knees. I then look up to them and see Princess Luna on the left seat and Princess Celestia on the right seat both are scowling down at me in disdain.

Celestia speaks up first saying, "We have listened to the statements of multiple ponies and discussed your case with each other, we find you guilty of murder in the third degree, Ponyslaughter." She then looks to her sister to continue where she left off.

I stare at her in shock when her sister begins speaking, but I can't understand a single word, because it sounds like she is mumbling. Princess Celestia is looking at her sister as her multicolored ethereal mane is flowing out to the right side over her near pure white coat with her tail sitting next to her rump, wearing golden hoofshoes with a Sun Cutie Mark on her flank and having Magenta eyes.

I then slowly turn to look at Princess Luna who is tapping her right forehoof angrily and says to me, "Did you hear a single thing I said prisoner!?"

I shake my head side to side and respond, "No Your Highness, I was in shock and couldn't understand you. My apologies." I watched her as she grimaces in annoyance, her cyan eyes complimented her dark blue coat and various blue hues in her mane and tail, having a dark purple splotch with a white crescent moon against it on her rump.

She sighs audibly in frustration and returns to glaring at him then says, "I was telling you that we argued over your punishment for the crime and have decided that you shall be executed by the guillotine. It was not easy to come to this decision, but was the only one fitting for the severity of your crime of murdering a pony that every citizen of Equestria knew and loved, and will sorely miss her. You have angered many ponies with your claim that she tried to kill herself, causing many riots and unrest in many cities that we are struggling to get back under control. The death penalty and executions have been forbidden in Equestria for nine hundred years. Even my sister and I shall dearly miss the alicorn that you killed, you shall be executed in two months. You have that time to get your affairs in order, now get out of our sight monster."

I sluggishly shuffle my feet and begin jogging back to the prison I was held in for several years while I went through many trials fighting to prove my innocence, I guess it was all for naught apparently.

Honor Trail moves behind him as he turns around and starts jogging back towards his new home in the prison, Death Row. Oddly, she feels some pity for him to be the first criminal to be executed in nine hundred years since it was forbidden.

I jog through the throne room doors and look at each of the guards' shocked faces as they watch me jog down the halls back the way I came. I pass by several maids who throw food or shit at me, some even spit on my face and call me names like monster, murderer, or even butcher.

She begins yelling to the guards and ponies to stay back from the prisoner, most listened but a few get close and spit on him. She guides him back down the halls the way they came, the minutes tick by slowly until the door to the prison finally comes into sight.

I stop at the first door and wait for it to open. When it finally starts to move, it lets out a screeching noise as a small rock becomes lodged underneath the frame.

Honor Trail looks at the prisoner and loudly says, "I am taking you to your new home in Death Row, when the door fully opens, jog to the end of the block and wait for that door to open as well."

As the noise dies down and the door stops, I turn my head to look to the side and call out to Honor Trail behind me, "Guard, permission to go to my cell and retrieve the book I have been reading?"

She sighs and blinks her eyes slowly saying, "Very well, permission granted. Hurry up though, my shift is over and I want to get home."

I turn my head and look forward once again and respond, "Yes ma'am, I will hurry as fast as I can in these shackles." I then try to jog as fast as I can without tripping and reach my cell within a couple minutes. I enter my cell and grab the book from beside the pillow and start grabbing the bedding next.

She watches the prisoner begin to gather up his bedding and says, "Don't worry about the bedding, you will get new bedding in Death Row."

I let go of the bedding and hold onto the book when the inmates begin talking among themselves loudly at hearing Death Row being mentioned.

A heavyset guard comes in called Heavy Shield, having green eyes, a short red mane and tail on a tan coat with a horn and a cutie mark depicting a shield with a whistle beside it. He holds a baton in his magic and yells out to the prisoners, "Shut up or its solitary for the lot of you!"

Honor Trail says to the prisoner, "You have your book, now get your cup then get moving to the end of the block prisoner, I don't have all day."

I then grab my cup off the sink and exit my cell then jog back down to the main floor of the cell block. Once there, I turn down the long hall away from the exit and start jogging past the cells when I see my girlfriend, Trixie standing by her door with tears running in rivers down her face as she watches me jog slowly past her cell, trying desperately to reach out to touch me with her hoof crying out, "Don't leave me my love, what will I do without you?!"

I then start to tear up and stop for a moment to tell her, "Change your ways for the better dear. If you do not, you will come to call this place home like Flim and Flam. You will be serving a life sentence like them if you do not stay true to your natural talents for entertaining ponies. I must go now, so this is goodbye my love." I then return to jogging down the cell block hall and tune out Trixie's wails for me to come back to her. I stop at the door leading to the guard room that connects the cell block and Death Row, with solitary confinement at the end of Death Row.

She looks back to the guard behind the glass that overlooks the cell block and nods her head, signaling him to open the heavy black iron door.

I wince in pain as the door screeches in protest as it opens, hoping the noise goes away soon. As the noise dies down a couple minutes later, I shake my head to rid it of the ringing in my ears and resume the jog towards Death Row.

She follows after the prisoner, nodding to the guard in the room to open the next door. Thankfully, it opens without a horrid screeching noise. She looks back to the prisoner and tells them, "Third door on the left prisoner, that is where you will spend the rest of your days until your last day on Equestria."

I nod and continue jogging down the alabaster white corridor answering, "Yes guard, at least I will get to have some sort of peace and finally be allowed to shower somewhat regularly."

Honor Trail follows him to the door as he stops in front of the sliding black door to his cell, looking to the guard in the guard room behind the glass and nods her head so he opens it.

I take a breath and watch the black iron door slide open silently, then hits the end and stops. I then jog through the open door and stop, then turn to face the door as it slides closed. I gaze through the glass at Honor Trail, watching as the door hits the end of its path with a soft bang.

She steps forward and removes the shackles around his hands and feet, then pulls them through the slot on the door and drapes them over her back. She then trots back towards the door leading out of Death Row, turning her head to look back at him and loudly says, "If you need anything, just wave your hand out of the slot or bang your cup against the door, since you are the only one in here. Normally you should keep quiet, but since these rooms haven't been used much, this place is pretty much ignored. So make some noise if you want something, you will have to get their attention if they don't check on you regularly. Dinner will be served in five hours, so this is goodbye for today, prisoner. Enjoy your peace and quiet here Carl, time will pass you by before you know it. Your last day will arrive when you least expect it." She then resumes trotting towards the door and nods to the guard to open it, then trots through it towards the main guard room to log out for the day.

As she re-enters the cell block where Trixie is still wailing in her cell on the second floor, and Flim is in his cell on the bottom floor on the left side of the block. She looks to the right and sees Flam is in his cell on the top floor at the front of the cell block so they can't scheme their way out of serving their time here. She arrives at the door at the beginning of the cell block and passes through it, then heads for the main guard room to log out for the day.

I turn around and take a look at what my new home looks like, having a slightly larger barred window at the back of the room with a metal toilet in the left corner with a metal sink to wash my hands, having a mirror above it. A chair sits in the other corner of the room near a desk that is against the wall with a lamp on top of it in reach of the bed on the right side. I make my way to the bed and lay down on it, then let myself cry over how things have turned out for me.

Honor Trail is glad to be going home after a long day of guard duty. She eagerly trots down the halls of Canterlot Castle and thinks to herself as a frown crosses her face, 'I can't believe that the princesses actually brought back the death penalty just for this one criminal, personally I think being banished to Tartarus or the moon for a few hundred years, or even life in prison would be more than suitable as punishment for killing an alicorn.'

Chapter II: Trouble in Equestria

Chapter II: Trouble in Equestria

Honor Trail arrives at her home to hear her little filly giggling excitedly at something, then walks through the door into her home to see her prancing and jumping about using her brilliant amber wings to add lift to her jumps. She closes the door behind her and smiles saying, "Hey sweetie, mommy's home! What has you so excited?"

Star Light giggles and stops jumping around and flapping her wings, hiding her flank from her mother's view and says, "Welcome home! I have a surprise for you mommy, guess what it is!" She looks at Fluttershy and makes a soft shushing noise to keep her from telling her mother.

She smiles and looks up in thought and answers with a smirk on her face, "You graduated early from school!"

Star laughs and lets out a gigglesnort and says, "Not even close mother! I have finally gotten my cutie mark!" She turns and folds her wings to show her mother what is on her rump.

She smiles widely and looks at the picture on her flank depicting four vertical black bars with a long red horizontal bar down below them with a whistle to the right of the black bars and races over to her daughter happily saying, "I am so proud of you sweetie, now we can ask Pinkie Pie to throw you a Cute-ceanera!" She throws her forehooves around her little filly in a big hug and says to her, "Why don't you go tell your friends, the Cutie Mark Crusaders the good news, mommy needs to tell Fluttershy something that I learned at work today."

Almost as if she could hear herself being summoned, Pinkie Pie pops up out of nowhere with a giant grin on her face and says, "Did somepony say party?!"

Honor Trail, Fluttershy and Star Light all giggle at Pinkie's behavior as Honor Trail says, "Hello Pinkie Pie, yes we will be needing to throw my little filly a Cute-ceanera. Do you think that it would be possible to schedule one a week from today?"

Pinkie Pie looks up in thought and says, "Let me check my schedule." She pulls out a notebook that she uses to keep track of the parties she has to throw, after some quiet mumbling she says, "Next week from today is oki doki loki!" She prepares to leave and is stopped by Honor Trail. She looks at her and says, "Hmm?"

She looks at Pinkie Pie and says, "Please hold on a moment Pinkie, you might want to hear this as well." She then looks at her filly and says, "Sweetie, you should get going if you want to be back by dinnertime."

Star giggles and laughs then responds, "Okay mommy, I am glad that you are keeping those awful bad guys in line when you are working at the prison. Boy this is turning out to be a great day! I got this a little over an hour ago, maybe someday I too will help you keep them in line. I will be back in a few hours, I love you mommy! Bye!" She darts out of the house and shuts the door behind her and runs off a distance so her mom sees her leave and then turns in a big circle, returning home to hear what her mom has to tell Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie.

Honor trail looks through the window to make sure her daughter isn't around to overhear what she is about to say, unaware that her daughter is just out of view by the door and turns to look back to Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie and says, "You two know that I work at the prison under Canterlot Castle right?"

Pinkie's mane and tail deflate a little at hearing that and looks back at her with squinty eyes and responds, "You mean where that monster is?"

She sighs and answers, "Yes, I do mean him Pinkie. The princesses asked me to bring him before them today, they came to a decision after a long series of debates with Carl Knoxx and other ponies. You will never guess what punishment they have decided for him.

Pinkie's mane reinflates as she jumps about and says, "He's going to the moon for a thousand years!"

She looks between Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy then answers, "They gave him the death penalty Pinkie, he has two months left before he goes to the guillotine. You two are supposed to be friends, yet you haven't visited him once."

Fluttershy gasps in shock saying, "Oh my, that is really bad. It is forbidden isn't it? So maybe they will change their minds once they realize their mistake."

She watches as Pinkie's mane and tail make a sound like a balloon popping and fall flat against her body then says, "It is still forbidden. They brought it back just for him because of the alicorn he murdered. There's no chance of them changing their minds Fluttershy."

Fluttershy hangs her head as tears start to make their way down her cheeks as she starts to sniffle and sob saying, "I will have to try to make things up to him and go see him soon. We have been so terrible to him since the day we watched her fall and hit the ground without a horn and only one wing."

Pinkie turns her head downward and looks at the ground saying, "Because of him, I won't be able to throw her a birthday party. I was so angry at him for taking her from us that I refused to throw a birthday party for him or even send him a card." Her eyes start to water, then turns to Fluttershy and hugs her.

Honor Trail recalls what her daughter said a little earlier and sighs saying, "I wish it was a happy event that caused you to get your cutie mark, Star Light. Now you won't have the chance to meet your father for the first time, now you can only meet him before he dies."

A few minutes pass before Fluttershy and Pinkie release each other as Pinkie forces her mane to go back to its normal poofiness and says, "Well Fluttershy, we should go and gather the others and notify them of the news."

Fluttershy sighs and says, "Yes, I do think we should gather them and tell them together. This is not happy news Pinkie Pie, but we should keep up appearances until we tell the other girls."

As Pinkie and Fluttershy wave and say goodbye to her, she watches them head towards the door as they both say, "Congratulations on your daughter getting her Cutie Mark!"

Star Light is floored by what she hears and takes off running to the Cutie Mark Crusaders' clubhouse to tell them what she heard and thinks, 'Oh my god, Carl Knoxx is my father, and the princesses are going to kill him! This isn't right, I need to get the Cutie Mark Crusaders on the case, maybe we can save him. I really want to see my father some day, I want him to come to all ofmy birthday parties and be a part of my life!'

Honor Trail smiles and says, "Thank you, I will be sure to tell her that. Today is Friday, visiting hours are over for today. Visiting hours are Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. But for Death Row they are Monday to Friday from 11 a.m to 3:00 p.m, be sure to visit him within a month. After thirty days from today, he won't be allowed visitors anymore as he has to get his affairs in order."

Several miles away hidden inside of a cave sits the Tree of Harmony, a robin sits upon the branch and takes off when the tree groans and one of its branches cracks and falls to the ground, shattering as the light coming from the tree darkens a bit.

A couple of hours later...

Twilight is at the friendship table with her friends sitting in their seats all wondering what news Fluttershy and Pinkie had to give them. She notices that Fluttershy's smile is a little bit off and Pinkie's mane and tail also look a bit odd saying, "Are you two feeling ok? Something is off about the two of you. Your smile is a bit off Fluttershy and Pinkie, your mane is a little too frizzy."

Applejack looks towards Twilight and says, "Ya noticed that too didja? Ah wondered mahself what was goin' on wit' those two."

Rarity smiles and looks to Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie then says, "Now darlings, please tell us what news you have that has you looking and acting that way?"

Fluttershy is the first one to speak and says, "We heard from Honor Trail that Carl Knoxx met Princess Luna and Princess Celestia earlier today and came to a decision on his punishment."

All eyes snap to Fluttershy as she lets her smile drop from her face and turn into a frown as her ears droop down a little bit as she looks towards Pinkie Pie to continue.

The eyes shift to Pinkie Pie as her mane and tail go flat against her body, making a sound like a deflating balloon. She then sighs and says, "He was moved to Death Row today, he will be facing the death penalty by the guillotine in two months."

Rarity is the first to speak up and gasps saying, "Good gracious darling that is just horrible!"

Rainbow Dash stands up in her chair and says, "Good riddance to that criminal!"

Twilight slams her hooves on the table as tears begin to trail down her face and exclaims, "He deserves it for taking a family member away from me!" She rises up from the table and starts to run towards her room in her crystal castle when a chunk falls off of the corner of the back of her chair and lands on the floor, getting everyone's attention as half of the back falls from Rainbow Dash's chair to the floor.

They all look at the chairs as the glowing emblems on the backs of the chairs darken a bit, instantly concerning Twilight as she stares at the two chairs that received significant damage somehow and says, "Uhm...girls, I think there may be a problem here."

Rainbow Dash looks at Twilight and says, "You think! Half of the back of my chair just fell off, and a piece fell off of the corner of your chair Twilight! We need to find out what is wrong and fix this."

Applejack looks to Twilight and says, "Ah agree with her, somethin' tells me this aint sposed to happen sugarcube."

Twilight stands tall and smiles saying, "Ok girls, let's go check on the Tree of Harmony and see if anything is threatening it. That is where the table and chairs get their power from." She then begins to lead them out of the castle and towards the cave deep in the Everfree Forest.

Fluttershy approaches Twilight and says to her, "That wasn't a very nice thing to say Twilight, you should consider how he feels about being punished so severely for taking her life. Maybe he was trying to save her life like he said, and it was just an unfortunate accident that she fell."

Twilight turns her head to look at her friend and replies, "Y-You're right Fluttershy, it wasn't. He took away a member of my family. I'm sorry, but I am not ready to forgive him for that yet."

Applejack listens to their conversation and says, "Ah hear ya, ah'm upset about her death too. Ah jus wish that the Element of Honesty would be able to tell if he was bein' truthful or not, maybe we can go visit him and try again?"

Rainbow Dash kicks rocks out of her way to the side of the path and says, "I was just really upset that I wouldn't be able to show her how awesome my latest trick is."

Rarity attempts to improve the mood a little bit saying, "I think it would be worth a chance to see if it would work, we should also visit him to try to make amends with him. You know we haven't gone to see him once since he was sent to prison, we weren't very good friends to him when he needed somepony."

Everypony except Rainbow Dash and Twilight agree to that immediately, as they hesitate and agree to get the truth first before they make a decision.

Pinkie Pie smiles and says, "We can take him a cake saying Sorry we weren't very nice to you, and it sucks that you don't have much longer to live, but we will try to make it up to you for not being there."

Everypony chuckles lightly at what she says as Rarity replies, "I think that would be a very nice gesture Pinkie, but I think the wording in the middle should be worded a little bit better."

The group make their way towards the cave where the Tree of Harmony is when they eventually arrive at the edge of the Everfree Forest as Applejack speaks up saying, "Is it jus me or does the Everfree look a little bit less intimidating?"

Fluttershy passes by the trees that once really creeped her out and says, "You are right Applejack, I wonder why this forest is becoming less terrifying? I will have to ask my friend Tree Hugger if she knows anything about it."

As they arrive at the cave four hours later, the girls all enter and gasp as their eyes spot the Tree of Harmony. They see that one of the branches is broken and laying in shards on the floor as the tree itself has a moderate glow to it, while the gem that represents Loyalty has a crack going through the middle of the gem, sitting in its slot with a moderate glow to it. The gem representing Magic moderately glows just like the others, but with a piece missing out of one of the points.

Twilight stares at the tree in shock and says, "Come on girls, we need to inform the princesses of this development immediately!" She then takes off running with the others close behind her.

Midnight, Back at Canterlot Prison

A barely noticeable black mist filters into the prison, making its way towards Carl Knoxx's cell unnoticed by others. It seeps under the locked iron doors and passes the sleeping guards in the guard room who are supposed to be on watch, making it's way towards it's destination. As it slowly creeps through the cracks around the door frame, it floats up towards the sleeping body of its target and enters through the skin. It keeps on funneling into the body with some dark purpose that has yet to be realized.

My body tosses and turns under my bed sheets trying to find a comfortable position. My dream started out peaceful, but now it is beginning to take a darker turn. I am dreaming that I am floating through the air invisible to any pony, I near the Everfree Forest and see that it is becoming more and more tame. I pass through various lands and notice that creepy looking places all over are starting to appear more welcoming, as I weave my way across the snowy lands of the Crystal Empire I can see a shadowy form fleeing from something that I cannot see. So I get closer to the shadowy form and I notice that it is King Sombra, but he turns his head to look behind him as he runs. I catch a terrified look upon his face as he continues to flee in terror of whatever may be chasing him and I hear him plead, "Please! I will do whatever you want me to, I will serve you oh lord. Just please let me LIIVE....AAHHH!!" His screaming is cut off as his shadowy form dissipates into the air as whatever was chasing him seems to have caught and taken him.

The scene changes around me and I find myself in the throne room before the Princesses once more as they pass down my punishment. My anger begins to rise as they start laughing at me, I raise one part of my lips in an angry scowl and clench my fists in return and yell back at them, "I do not deserve to even be in prison! By what right do you have to sentence me to death?!"

Nightmare Celestia looks down in rage at the puny human who claimed the life of one of the few remaining Alicorns in existence and answers in the royal voice, "WE ARE THE RIGHTFUL RULERS OF THIS LAND YOU PITIFUL APE! YOU HAVE TAKEN THE LIFE OF AN ALICORN, FOR THAT YOU MUST DIE!"

Nightmare Luna stares down at him then glances over at her sister for a moment and returns her gaze back to the one that has taken somepony dear to them saying, "THOU ARE A MONSTER, YOU KNEW THAT THERE AREN'T THAT MANY ALICORNS IN THE WORLD, AND YET YOU STILL KILLED HER!"

I shout back at them, "How many times do I have to tell you stupid whorses! I did not kill her, I was trying to pull her back onto the balcony. She was standing on the railing, when her back hoof slipped and she started to fall. I managed to grab onto her damaged wing and horn then tried to bring her back up, I wasn't trying to pull her wing off or break her horn!"

Nightmare Luna increases the volume of her royal voice and shouts back, "HOW LONG ARE THOU GOING TO LIE TO US YOU STUPID APE! IF YOU DON'T START TELLING THE TRUTH, WE MIGHT JUST KILL YOU RIGHT HERE AND NOW!"

My fists shake in rage as they continue to shout at me, I feel the desire to strike them rise from deep down inside of me. I tell them once more, "You are sentencing an innocent man to die, it was an unfortunate accident that she fell to her death."

Meanwhile...At Canterlot, in the Throne Room

Princess Luna is presiding over night court, when the last citizen exits the throne room. She takes a deep breath of relief at not having any more petitioners to deal with, so she can perform her nightly duties in the Dream Realm. As she makes herself comfy beside the throne she sits in, she puts her body into a light trance so she can hear what goes on around her and enters the Dream Realm.

She begins to wander around the Dream Realm and uses her innate ability to search for any nightmares that her ponies might be having at the moment, finding it rather peaceful until she senses a darkness pervading the space around her. She begins to hunt for the source of the darkness as it seems to be coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Then she catches a slight hint of fear and rage coming from further back in the Dream Realm.

As she hunts for the source of the darkness that pervades the Dream Realm, she eventually arrives at a door that is blocked by a prison door and sighs. She then unlocks it using her magic and slides it open, then steps through the first door and opens the second door. She enters the isolated dream room for the prisoners and after looking around the room, she notices one door that looks ready to fall off its hinges and approaches it. Seeing a plaque upon the door too dirty to read, she uses her magic and brushes the filth away and reads the writing, Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.

Letting out an audible hmph, she turns the handle and walks through it and finds herself inside the dream of Carl Knoxx, she is about to turn around and exit when she hears her own royal voice being used at maximum volume saying, "A CREATURE SUCH AS YOU DOES NOT DESERVE LOVE, LET ALONE A FAMILY! I SHALL HUNT DOWN ANY MARE YOU HAVE LAIN WITH AND SLAUGHTER THEM AND ANY FOAL THEY MAY HAVE HAD WITH YOU, YOU DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO HAVE YOUR BLOODLINE CONTINUE TO EXIST!"

She is shocked at watching a giant Princess Luna and Princess Celestia both laughing at the torment he is going through. She walks forward and shouts at the dream, "Enough! Begone!" but is shocked when nothing happens and tries again. She rears up onto her hind legs and slams them down on the ground using her power over the Dream Realm to force the dream to go away, but is thrown back by whatever is keeping this nightmare continuing on. She begins to feel a strange pull on her subconscious and tries to fight whatever it is trying to do to her and looks on in fear as the Tantabus she keeps in her own personal dream prison, is pulled from her and passes in front of her face with a look of fear as it desperately attempts to return to her.

She watches as it is drawn towards the prisoner, becomes mist and is absorbed, then she finally notices that tendrils of darkness are making their way towards him and are also being absorbed. She charges a spell to fight the darkness making its way into Carl Knoxx's body but is struck and sent flying along the floor, twisting one of her hooves. Looking up from her current position wincing in pain, she sees a form that is easily three times her height.

A storm rages behind the form and provides a better look at the form before her, showing her that the creature stands on two legs, has a skeletal body wearing a hooded pitch black robe, with small green sparks in the center of the eye sockets of the skull face serving as eyes. Another, even brighter flash reveals a large pair of black feathered wings and a massive harvesting scythe with a straight but crooked staff that he is holding with the staff part extended towards her with the blade on the other side of his body.

Luna looks at the large creature and starts to feel uneasy being before it then says, "Who and what are you and what right do you have to interfere with my royal duties!?"

The creature holds its pose and answers her without moving its jaws, "I am one of the mighty four, The Horsemen of the Apocalypse. I am known as Death or the Reaper, Kinslayer, Executioner, or even The Pale Rider. Most just call me Death, I am here because of recent events. I am not going to let you prevent this nightmare from finishing, after all...this nightmare is of both you and your sister's making. I will only tell you once, Do not try to interfere or I will force you to leave."

She looks at Death and scowls at them saying, "I am Princess Luna, I rule over this space where my subjects dream and make it so they can rest peacefully without nightmares interrupting their rest. You have no authority over me, begone you foul creature!" She once again uses her magic and tries to banish them from the Dream Realm, only to be bashed with the back of the scythe's blade, breaking a few ribs.

Death looks at her and says, "I warned you not to interfere again, it is time you leave." He watches as she coughs up some blood and tries to speak when he raises his scythe and swings it, cutting her dream form in half with the blade.

Moments ago near Celestia's bedroom

Twilight leads her friends down the halls of the castle, heading for Celestia's chambers to inform her of what they just learned and arrive right outside of her door as she says to the two guards beside her door, "Stand aside, I must speak to Princess Celestia immediately."

The guards move out of the way and allow her to approach the door as one of them says, "Very well Princess Twilight, you may proceed."

Twilight steps up to the door and bangs on it with a hoof loudly and says, "Princess Celestia, we need to speak to you! There is an emergency and we need to deal with it quickly!"

Princess Celestia wakes up with a start and rolls over and falls out of bed accidentally, she then hears a loud banging on the door as Twilight says, "Princess Celestia are you there?!" She tidies up her mane a little bit while she hurries to the door saying, "One moment Princess Twilight, I will be right there."

She waits patiently by the door when it opens and her former mentor stands before her and says, "I am so terribly sorry for waking you at this hour Princess Celestia, but we may have a major problem."

She blinks and says, "Come on in girls, what is this emergency that you speak of?"

The dutiful nerd leads her group inside and begins to explain herself saying, "Earlier today, we heard from Fluttershy and Pinkie that you brought back the death penalty just for Carl Knoxx. The girls and I were at my castle just outside of Ponyville when they returned from Honor Trail's house, when Rainbow and I commented on his fate. Just then, a piece fell off of the corner of the back of my chair and half of Rainbow's chair's back broke and landed on the floor. That is not the only thing that happened though, the glow that comes from all of the emblems darkened a bit. When we went to check on the Tree of Harmony, that is when we made a startling discovery. The Tree of Harmony is damaged and is glowing less brightly now for some reason we do not yet know.

Princess Celestia's eye shoot open wide and she says, "Did you tell anypony this besides me yet?"

Twilight shakes her head side to side saying, "No Princess, we didn't tell any other pony. What shall we do about this, has something like this happened before?"

She thinks back and is unable to remember such a thing ever happening before and says, "Unfortunately Twilight, I cannot remember something such as this ever happening. Perhaps we should go see my sister Lulu to see if she may have read anything about repairing the elements."

She then says to her, "Lead the way princess, I sure hope there is a way to repair the Elements. They are our only defense against strong enemies. If those are gone, we are helpless against anything that is stronger than the four remaining Alicorns."

Chapter III: A Gathering Storm

Chapter III: A Gathering Storm

Celestia leads the group to the throne room where her sister Lulu is either holding night court still or is looking over the Dream Realm. She makes her way closer to the room when she hears a scream come from down the hall ahead of them, causing her to panic and gallop down the halls to the throne room. She watches as the two guards ready their weapons and rush inside to protect the Lunar Princess and close the doors after them. Arriving at the throne room she stops in front of them when she hears another scream come from inside. Fearing for her sister, she uses her magic to throw the doors open wide and races into the room with the guards standing by Luna's trembling body and hears sniffling and sobs coming from her.

Luna hears and sees the doors open wide but cannot see who is coming in behind the guards and mumbles quietly, "I need help to defeat that monster, I just cannot do it on my own." She tries to get up and gasps as she discovers that she is wounded, having a long straight red cut running around her mid section, and wonders how a dream could cause harm outside of the realm.

The Solar Princess trots towards her sister and calls out an order for the guards blocking her view of her sister, "Guards, please move so I can check on the state of my sister."

The guards part to make way for the Solar Princess saying, "Sorry Your Highness, we do not know who the culprit is. Though we are going to check the area, but I don't think the culprit is around anymore."

Celestia looks at her sister and sees that she is sobbing and has a cut around her midsection, seeming to go all the way around. She rushes over to her sister with worry all over her face and says, "Sister who did this to you, whoponyever did this is going to pay dearly for harming my sister."

Luna sobs and throws her forehooves around her sister and tells her, "Oh sister, it was creepy. I finished dealing with the citizens that came to night court and was doing my duty in the Dream Realm when I sensed darkness all around me, it was coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. I started wandering around, hunting for the source of the darkness when I felt a hint of rage and fear that led me to a door that led to the isolated realm for the dreams of the prisoners, I passed through it and then noticed a door that was almost ready to fall off its hinges with a plaque on it that read, Abandon all hope, ye who enter here. I opened and walked through it, then noticed I was in Carl Knoxx's dream and was about to leave when I heard my royal voice. I turned to see where it came from and saw two giant Alicorn Princesses, one looked like me and the other looked like you sister. We then noticed Carl Knoxx kneeling on the floor in chains and laughed at him, making fun of him and how he found love. That isn't the worst thing we did though, the representation of me threatened to kill any mare he lain with and slaughter any foal they may have had with him. We also said that he didn't deserve to have his bloodline continue to exist."

Everypony stands behind Princess Celestia with their mouths gaping open in shock when Fluttershy speaks up saying, "Oh my, that has to be the meanest thing that a pony could ever say."

Celestia closes her mouth and hugs her sister back saying, "We never said anything like that or were that cruel to him during court! The meanest thing we ever did was call him a monster. What happened then sister, how did you get that cut from a dream. Nightmares cannot cause harm outside of the dream realm."

Luna frowns at her sister and hangs her head a little and continues the story, "I tried twice to take control of the dream and rid it of the nightmares, but it had no effect on it whatsoever. On my second try, when my hooves slammed down on the ground trying to take control, I was thrown back by whatever was keeping the nightmare continuing. Then a strange pull affected my subconscious, I fought against it in vain when I saw the Tantabus that was imprisoned in me being ripped out and looked right back at me with fear on its face as it tried desperately to return."

Twilight steps a little closer in curiosity and says, "What force could have done that Princess Luna?"

She looks at Twilight with sadness in her eyes and replies, "Something stronger than me I'm afraid, it then was drawn towards Carl Knoxx. It transformed into mist and was absorbed, I then noticed that other tendrils were flowing into Carl's body. I charged a spell to try to stop whatever was happening, but was struck by something and thrown back across the floor. I tried to get back up and learned that I had twisted a hoof, I looked up from where I was and saw something that was easily three times my size."

Rainbow shifts anxiously back and forth, really wanting to know what it was that she saw so they all could fight it and says, "What did you see, Princess? We all will fight and defeat it together!"

Luna looks back and smiles at Rainbow Dash saying, "I am sure that all of us can beat that thing together, there was a storm raging behind the form and gave me a better look. It stood on two legs, had a skeletal body wearing a hooded pitch black robe, with small green sparks in the center of the eye sockets, serving as eyes. An even brighter flash revealed a large pair of black feathered wings, and a massive harvesting scythe with a mostly straight staff with a few twists in it in his hands. The staff part was extended towards me with the blade on the other side of his body."

Rarity gasps and says, "What a hideous appearance, that creature needs to feed itself more!"

She chuckles at Rarity's response and says, "It is a little late for that Rarity, with his body being mostly and quite literally bones. I started to feel uneasy as I stared at the large creature and said, "Who and what are you, and what right do you have to interfere with my royal duties!?" It looked back at me, keeping its pose and spoke without its jaws moving, "I am one of the mighty four, The Horsemen of the Apocalypse. I am known as Death, the Reaper, Kinslayer, Executioner, or even The Pale Rider. Most just call me Death, I am here because of recent events. I am not going to let you prevent this nightmare from finishing, after all...this is of both you and your sister's making. I will only tell you this once, Do not try to interfere or I will force you to leave." I then scowled at them and replied, "I am Princess Luna, I rule over this space where my subjects dream and make it so they can rest peacefully without nightmares interrupting their sleep. You have no authority over me, begone you foul creature!" I once again tried to use my magic to banish them from the Dream Realm, only to be pushed back with the back of the scythe's blade, breaking a few ribs. Death looked back at me and said, "I warned you not to interfere again, it is time you leave this place." I then coughed up some blood and tried to say something when he raised his scythe and swung it, cutting my dream body in half."

She then lets go of her sister and looks at them saying, "I fear that this one is too strong for me to handle. Can all of you help me banish this creature from the Dream Realm?"

Meanwhile, in the Dream Realm inside of Carl Knoxx's nightmare...

Death smiles as the last few tendrils seep into Carl's body, leaving only one step before everything is in place and thinks, 'I sure hope that she brings them back here with her soon, I am getting bored and there are so many souls that I need to start collecting..'

Back in the throne room

Everypony stands tall as Rainbow Dash replies first saying, "Heck yeah, let's go teach this Death guy a lesson!" As the rest of them voice their responses, agreeing to go help her fight the new threat to Equestria.

Celestia steps back and stands tall with a determined look on her face and says, "I am going with you sister, if we created this thing, it is only right that we both be there to face it together."

Luna smiles as hope fills her body and says, "Okay everypony, lay down in a circle and hold each others hoof so I can put us into a trance to enter the Dream Realm." She watches as they find a spot to lay and hold each other's hoof in a circle and wait for her to hold theirs. She takes hold of the two hooves in front of her, Twilight to her left and her sister to her right and says, "Okay, here we go everypony. Close your eyes and I shall guide you all there."

As they arrive in the Dream Realm, Celestia looks around and feels an uneasiness all around them saying, "Is this the darkness that you were feeling sister?"

She feels the sensation around her and replies, "No sister, this is something different. This is not what I was feeling, what I felt earlier was darker, more sinister. Let's see where this will lead us, please follow me."

After she leads them down the path for a few minutes, she finally finds the dark sensation she was looking for and replies, "Ahah, there is what I have been searching for. We are going in the right direction, keep following me everypony."

Twilight fights to ignore the creepy sensation that is surrounding her body and says, "It feels like it is darker in here, it is similar to how the Everfree Forest used to feel. Is this what you were talking about Princess Luna?"

Luna is shocked at what she hears, whipping her head around saying, "What do you mean Twilight?" stopping in her tracks and waits for her response.

She sighs and says to Princess Luna, "Earlier today, the six of us learned from Fluttershy and Honor Trail that you saw Carl Knoxx for the last time and sentenced him to die. He is going to be the first one to be executed in nine hundred years. After we heard that he was going to be executed, Rainbow and I were happy to hear that. After saying what we did, Rainbow's chair back broke in half and fell to the floor. The corner broke off of my chair back and also fell to the floor, right after that the emblems dimmed a bit. We then went to see the Tree of Harmony and were shocked to see that it was damaged, and there was a crack through the gem that represented Loyalty. There is also a chip missing from the corner of the Element of Magic. Just like the emblems on our chairs, it was also dimmed. We came straight to the two of you to see if you could do anything to fix that."

Her eyes widen at hearing what Twilight said and looks to the floor briefly then back to her saying, "Will the Elements of Harmony still function? We need them to work if we hope to banish Death from this Realm."

Twilight holds her head high and says, "I believe they will, the crack is not all that big. So the Elements should still function when we need them to. We plan to visit Carl Knoxx in Death Row to try to repair our friendship with him, maybe if we repair it, the Elements will also be repaired."

Luna sighs and says, "I sure hope you are right Twilight, and that it does repair the Elements. They are our main defense for facing enemies that are stronger than you, me, and my sister. Equestria is in trouble if we should lose those." She then turns to look back down the path and continues to follow her sensation that guides her towards the right door.

Celestia follows closely after her sister and says, "Worry not, dear sister. We will do whatever we can to repair the Elements of Harmony, we will also try to repair our friendships with Carl Knoxx. Though I doubt that it is at all possible to fix that since we sentenced him, but we will still try."

Luna stops in front of the barred door and looks to the others and says, "We are almost there everypony, I will unlock this door and we will enter the isolated realm for the prisoner's dreams." She unlocks the door and slides it open with her magic then opens the second door and waits on the other side for them to enter.

Pinkie Pie gets another tingle down her spine, a twitchy tail & hoof, then a squinty eye and says to the others, "We need to be careful around here girls!" She continues to walk down through the door and starts to look around nervously.

Applejack walks beside her and asks, "What in tarnation was all that supposed ta mean Pinkie, and why do ya say that?"

She looks to Applejack and says, "Those signs tell me that there is danger here." She changes her voice to sound deep and like a pirate then says, "Here, there be monsters!"

Luna closes the doors after Applejack and senses a pony in despair coming through a different door, she heads for it and is about to turn the handle when she hears the pony's voice yell at her, "Stay out you monstrous Princess, I HATE YOU AND I HOPE YOU DIE!" and then she watches as bars fall down and lock her out of Trixie's dream. She then hangs her head in sorrow as tears make their way down her cheeks, and continues down the path towards the door that is barely hanging on the frame.

Celestia drapes a wing over her sister's back and pulls her close then says to her, "Don't listen to her Lulu, she is just upset and brokenhearted right now. She does not realize what she is saying just yet, give her time and she will come around and apologize for what she said."

She stops in front of the door and says to her sister, "I still think we should have just sentenced him with banishment to the moon for a few years, but the guard that entered her room after hearing the argument seems to show that he did push her over the balcony rail." She then opens the door for everypony and says, "Okay everypony, be on your guard inside here as well. Celestia and I will keep him occupied while you prepare the elements."

They all step through the weak and rotting door as Rarity says, "EEW, what a disgusting door! It is absolutely covered with mold and algae."

Death watches the group as Luna closes the door behind them and turns around saying, "How dare you return here after I forced you to leave the first time! No matter, my preparations are almost complete. All that is left to be done is...well, that is a secret I won't tell you. Let's see if you can fare any better than last time with your new allies beside you." He then twirls his scythe through the air and lays it across his shoulders, draping his arms over the handle.

Applejack looks up at the creature and gulps loudly and says, "Well girls, he ain't lyin'. We need to hurry up and beat this guy, he looks very strong."

Celestia walks towards the creature as her mane and tail begins to smoke in anger and says to him, "How dare you harm my sister foul creature, prepare to meet thy maker!" She then prepares to charge a magic spell to fire at him.

Death laughs and says to the strange white being, "Hold on a moment. I just want to talk, what are you creatures anyway?"

Luna cocks her head in curiosity and says, "We are called ponies, what are you and why were you so rude to me before?"

He looks back at her and says, "Interesting, I have never met a species such as you. I am what is called a Nephilim. I was doing something that required a lot of concentration, how would you like it if I interrupted you on the pot?"

Rarity scoffs and looks at him in disgust saying, "Such a disgusting, vulgar brute, where are your manners?"

Death looks to the one who spoke and loudly grumbles out in anger, "The majority of my manners died with my six billion brothers and sisters."

Twilight clears her throat at Rarity and the other girls saying, "Don't lose focus girls, we have to use the Elements against him. Ignore what he says, he is only trying to buy time."

The other girls go back to focusing on what they have to do, looking inside themselves and activating the element that each of them possess.

Celestia looks at the creature and says, "What are you trying to accomplish here Death?"

Death looks back at her and says, "I was just ordered to come here to prepare this world is all, but that is all I am going to tell you right now." He looks behind her and sees that they are being connected together by a rainbow to use something against him and chuckles saying,"Well looks like the time to talk is over, I will see you ponies again at a later day...farewell little ones."

Luna doesn't like how he said that and thinks, 'It seems to me like he was waiting for something to happen, but why would he be waiting unless....he wanted some......thing to........' She comes out of her thoughts as she realizes he was waiting for them to come and throw something strong at him and says, "Oh no." She then turns her head around and looks at Twilight and sees that they are connecting to her and uses her royal voice to yell, "NO TWILIGHT, STOOP!! HE KNOWS ABOUT THE ELEMENTS OF HARMONY, DON'T USE THEM ON HIM!!"

It is too late because Twilight doesn't hear what Luna says as her eyes open wide glowing white as she rises up into the air and fires a rainbow beam into the air to come down and hit him.

He holds his scythe in front of him, resting the staff on the ground as the blade sticks out to his right with his head angled forward as he looks menacingly at the group. He then points a bleached white finger bone out at the ponies and shouts, "Repent your sins, for the....."

Luna watches in horror as the rainbow rises up into the air and falls upon Death as he strikes a pose and starts speaking, but is cut off as he slowly turns to stone and vanishes from the room. She breathes a sigh of relief as it seems to have worked and says, "It seems to have worked everypony, thank you for helping me in getting rid of them."

A loud rattle of chains announces that they are still not alone as all eyes turn to see Carl Knoxx fighting the chains to stand up.

Celestia begins to walk forward towards the prisoner as she starts to hear him sobbing and sees his shoulders shaking and says to him, "Carl Knoxx, I apologize for what you have gone through. I still cannot forgive you for killing Flurry Heart, and you shall still be executed."

Luna is the next one to step forward and says, "Carl Knoxx, I apologize for what the false princesses said to you. I wish that there was something that I could do to get rid of them but was powerless to stop him."

Twilight steps up next and says, "I am sorry for not visiting you once I learned that you killed my niece. I just cannot bring myself to have anything to do with someone that killed one of my family members." She then turns around to head back when she feels a slight pain coming from her entire body, then grows and explodes into excruciating pain for a brief second when it disappears as the Element of Magic appears before her and explodes into powder and falls to the ground.

Carl Knoxx turns his head and looks right into Applejack's eyes and says, "How many times do I have to tell you stupid fucking whorses that I never did kill Flurry Heart! She was about to jump off the ledge because she was confused and thought I didn,t want to be with her, and I tried to stop her. When her hoof slipped and went over the edge, I caught her by one wing and her horn. When I tried to pull her back over, the mutilated wing tore off and her horn couldn't withstand the weight of her body and broke off. I had nothing else to grab onto to hold her and watched as she plummeted to the ground from the balcony that night."

Applejack collapses to the ground as the Element of Honesty finally proves to her that what he said is the truth and appears before her and shatters, causing her to cry out in pain as it falls to the ground in pieces. She struggles to find words for a little bit but finally says, "Ah can't believe it, he was tellin' the truth after all..., but what just happened right there with the element?"

Luna watches in horror as the elements appear from their representatives, causing them to scream in pain momentarily and fall to pieces in front of them, leaving them all speechless. After a few moments, she finally says, "Oh...My...God, what have we done...?"

Celestia stares at the destroyed elements on the ground and says to the others, "We must check on the Tree!" She then looks to her sister and says, "Please lead us out of here, dear sister!"

Twilight and the others race after her as Luna leads the way out to the door. She is the last one to jump through the door when it slams shut behind her and falls into a pile of dust, she then races down the hall after the others and passes through the door as it also closes behind her and locks itself.

Luna grunts in pain as she races down the path with a limp, when the door out comes into sight saying, "Just a little bit farther now, we are almost out of here!"

As Twilight watches them reach the door, Luna opens it up for them and jumps through as Luna and Celestia pass through last, returning to the waking world and says, "Somepony please tell me that the Elements of Harmony...didn't...just...break..."

Applejack looks at Twilight, and sees that her mane is starting to frizz out and her eyes are beginning to shrink and says, "Twilight, ya can figure out what happened when we go check on the Tree of Harmony."

She shakes her head clear and looks back at Applejack and says, "Thank you for stopping my freakout Applejack, you are right, we need to ensure that the tree is okay first."

Twilight then looks to Luna and says, "Here Princess Luna, allow me to heal your hoof for you." She then casts a spell on her hoof to heal it.

Luna sighs in relief as Twilight heals her injured hoof and says, "Thank you Twilight, but why did you abandon your friendship with him like that? Couldn't you just try to work it out and try to become friends once more?"

Twilight hangs her head and sadly says, "I'm sorry Princess, but it would take too much time to repair the friendship. Time is something that he does not have much of right now. I have read the laws and it says that once the verdict is passed, it would require significant proof that the individual is indeed innocent to stop or delay the execution. I am sorry to say, but both you and Celestia's hooves are tied in that matter."

Chapter IV: Shocking Developments

Chapter IV: Shocking Developments

Celestia sighs and holds her head low and then says, "That is quite unfortunate to hear, Luna and I can only do so much within our power as rulers. Even though we know the truth now, it is too late to do anything about it now."

Luna looks back at her sister and lays a hoof on her shoulder and then says, "We will have to live with the guilt, knowing we could have done things differently. Maybe things could have been better if we had listened to what he was saying and not have relied so heavily on the element of honesty to show if he was truthful or not."

Celestia starts to make her way through the throne room and calls out, "Maybe things would be better if we had sister, but that is all in the past now. We can only keep moving forward or watch as life moves on as we get left behind to dwell about what we could have done. We need a guard to prepare a chariot for a journey to the Tree of Harmony immediately!" She watches as a guard hastily exits the room to get a carriage ready and then walks through the large double doors and makes her way to the front entrance to the castle with the girls following after her.

A little while ago...at the Cutie Mark Crusaders' clubhouse

Apple Bloom rushes to Star Light's side and places her hooves on both of her shoulders saying, "H-hey there Star Light, ahm sure we can figure this out. C'mon an calm down, stop an take a deep breath. Hold it fer a few seconds, then let it out an talk a bit slower. Yer talkin' as fast as Scootaloo was when she drank some Red Bull."

Scootaloo blushes a bit at being reminded of that vain attempt a few months ago when she tried to make her wings bigger after she saw the commercial and heard how Red Bull gives you wings. She then turns her head to look at Apple Bloom and says, "Hey, when are you two going to forget about that embarrassing experiment?!"

Sweetie Belle chuckles lightly and says, "Somewhere in between ne and ver, but we don't blame you for that experiment though. We all have done something just as embarrassing, do you still remember our entry for the talent show a few years ago?"

Scootaloo chuckles and feels a little bit better and says, "Oh yes I definitely still remember that embarrassing nightmare. I still can't believe that I thought that commercial was real and thought that drinking Red Bull would somehow improve my wings a bit."

Apple Bloom sighs and squints her eyes for a moment and says, "Thank ya two so much for helpin me remember that night." She opens her eyes again and looks Star Light in the eyes and says, "Anywhooves, what were you tryin to tell us Star Light?"

Star Light takes a deep breath and lets it out then slowly says, "It all started when I was with my foalsitter Fluttershy when I got my cutie mark and asked Fluttershy to keep quiet about it to surprise her with it myself. I then asked my mother, guess what happened today. Then she was being funny and guessed I graduated school early. I answered her back with no, I got my cutie mark today! After I said that she said we will have to plan a Cute-ceanera then. She then asked me if I could go tell the Cutie Mark Crusaders the good news because she had to speak to Fluttershy about something she learned at work. Pinkie Pie appeared suddenly then like she could hear the word party mentioned a mile away and started talking to my mother about it and are going to hold it one week from today. She then asked Pinkie to stay to hear it too and told me I better get going If I want to be back by dinnertime. I exited the house then and was curious about what could be so important that she didn't want me to hear and made sure I was out of sight, then circled around and kept hidden so I could listen to what they were talking about."

Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle have big smiles on their faces and congratulate her on getting her Cutie Mark and ask to see it saying in unison, "Let us see what yours looks like!

Star Light angles herself a little so they could all look at it. She sighs and then says, "Now someday, I may be able to help my mother keep those bad guys in line."

Sweetie Belle and the other two crusaders look at the image on her flank depicting four vertical black bars with a long red horizontal bar down below them and a whistle to the right and then says, "You don't seem too happy about it Star, why is that?"

Star Light begins to tear up a little and says, "Because when my mom started talking about them knowing she worked at the prison under Canterlot, Pinkie vaguely mentioned a particular prisoner without saying the name. My mom then confirmed it and said after a long series of debates between the princesses and a prisoner named Carl Knoxx, they came to a decision on a punishment for him. Pinkie then got excited and took a guess saying he's going to the moon for a thousand years. My mom then said they gave him the death penalty and that he has two months left to live, she then said that they were supposed to be friends but they haven't gone to see him once. I think Fluttershy spoke up next and said that was terrible and how it was supposed to be forbidden. My mom then said that it is still forbidden, but they brought it back just for him because of who he killed and there is no chance of them changing their minds. They then started talking about the day they saw her fall with no horn and missing a wing. A couple of other things were said but that isn't really important, but what is important is what I heard next and is the reason why I'm here seeing you girls."

The three girls all stare at her, eagerly waiting to hear what she says next as Apple Bloom speaks up and says, "C'mon an tell us, the suspense is killin' me!"

She then blinks slowly and hangs her head and looks at the floor briefly and raises her head slightly to look at them and says, "I heard my mother say these exact words next, I wish it was a happy event that caused you to get your cutie mark, Star Light. Now you won't have the chance to meet your father for the first time, now you can only meet him before he dies. I came here today to talk with you girls about saving my dad who I have never met before. I want him to be a part of my life, can you please help me?!"

Star watches as the crusaders hang their heads one by one as Sweetie Belle speaks up first saying, "I'm sorry Star Light, but that we cannot do."

Apple Bloom lifts her head quickly and scowls at Sweetie Belle for a moment then says, "Listen Star, ah know the importance of family, believe me ah do, but we can't just break yer dad out of jail. I mean, even if we're successful, we're gonna have to be on the run for the rest of our lives."

Scootaloo raises her head high and looks at the other two and then looks at Star and tries to think of what could be done when she says, "Aha! That is what we can do!"

Star, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle all look to Scootaloo as Apple Bloom cocks her head to the side and says, "What can we do to help Scoot without breakin the law?"

Scootaloo smirks and says, "We may not be able to help out with saving his life...but we can help her to meet her father!"

Apple Bloom looks to Sweetie Belle as she looks right back at her with a smile and returns the smile and they both say in unison, "Mission accepted!"

Presently...Inside a chariot heading to the Tree of Harmony

Twilight rides in the chariot with Celestia, Luna and the other girls to check on the Tree of Harmony to figure out if anything has happened to it. She looks to Fluttershy with worry on her face and says, "Oh Fluttershy, I sure hope that the tree is ok. If it was damaged any more, I fear that the Elements may become utterly unusable. Why didn't I stop myself from killing the friendship? Now because of me, the Elements may be gone forever."

Fluttershy looks back at her and gives her a hug to try to cheer her up a little bit and says, "Now now Twilight, don't be so hard on yourself. You aren't the only one who thinks that they are to blame for damaging the Elements of Harmony. I too think that I had some part to play in the Elements being damaged."

Applejack then looks to Twilight and joins in the hug and says, "Aw shucks sugarcube, we all had some part to play with them being damaged like that. Don't worry, we'll find some way to repair them and get them working again."

Rainbow looks at Twilight, then joins the hug and says, "Oh heck yeah we will! We will get them right as rain once more and we will be back to kickin' the bad guys' butts!"

Celestia looks at the group of hugging Element Bearers and smiles softly as the chariot begins to descend towards its destination. She turns her gaze to her sister and secretly casts a spell she hasn't used in awhile, she then uses her thoughts to communicate with her and says, "Sister can you hear me? Please cast telepathy secretly so the others don't see and ask questions."

Luna quickly turns her head and casts the spell and answers her sister back with her thoughts, "Yes sister I can hear you, what is the problem that has us being this secretive?"

The sun princess looks down to the floor and then back up at Luna and replies, "You saw the same thing I did with the Elements leaving their representatives right?"

She looks her sister in the eyes and answers nervously, "Y-Yes I did, why do you ask that Cece?"

Celestia mentally sighs and says, "I think that the Tree of Harmony might be either dead or in great danger for that to happen."

Luna lifts her head a little bit higher in alarm and replies, "I surely hope that isn't the case Cece. If it is in danger, I sure hope that we can handle it without the Elements. I do not think they are able to be used at this time, if they are gone and we can't save the Tree...Equestria is doomed." A tear falls from her eye and makes a trail down her face and eventually falls from her chin.

The sun princess sees her sister begin to shed tears and quickly pulls her into a hug to help her calm down and whispers into her ear, "Don't worry dear Lulu, if the Elements are gone, we will find a way to make it through the troubling times ahead."

Just then the chariot lands on the ground and rolls to a stop in front of the cave as Twilight looks out the window and sees that they have arrived and says, "We're finally here everypony, Let's get going and check on the tree!" She then eagerly hops out of the chariot and waits for the others to join her.

Celestia and Luna follow the element bearers down through the cave towards the Tree of Harmony. When they arrive at the tree, they all gasp at what they see before them.

Twilight steps forward and says, "W-What's wrong with the tree? I-It is not glowing like it should be! I-Is it sick, can we heal it somehow?"

Just then a voice comes from the shadows as a large figure floats into view and chuckles softly saying, "No young one, it is not sick. Nor can it be healed because...this here Tree of Harmony. IS DEAD!"

Twilight lowers her head threateningly at Death and says, "What are you doing here! The elements turned you to stone, how are you here?! You destroyed the Elements of Harmony! How did you manage to do that?! We need the Elements to defend Equestria from enemies stronger than us!"

Death chuckles and then says, "What you have seen is Death's true form, you did not really turn him into stone though. This is my first time seeing you here in person, I am just here to warn and observe. Please call me Crow Father, I know and see everything that happens in the shadows. There is no secret that I do not know. Oh no I did not destroy them, it was YOU that cast the final stone. Drove in that last nail that spelled the doom for the elements, when you refused to take the time to repair the friendship. You all are to blame for dooming the elements, you all had a role to play in their destruction. For this is where the magic of friendship dies..." He then taps the tree and then watches as cracks wind their way throughout the tree, then taps it one more time, causing it to shatter and fall to the ground in millions of pieces. He turns to look at them before he vanishes and says, "Now, you all shall just enjoy the ride. For it shall be your last if this world is deemed ready for the end, I still laugh when I recall the guy who once said, 'Though I walk through the valley in the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil.' He then got turned into a pancake by a loaded semi."

Celestia steps forth and squints her eyes and asks, "You said the four horsemen are coming, who and what are they?"

He then answers her saying, "They are the sole four survivors of the nephilim race, no mortal being or any angel nor any demon can defeat them. You see, there was once a world where the offspring of angel and human or human and demon lived together peacefully for a time. Many years passed and they threatened the balance of the Universe, conquering world after world with nothing standing in their way. Even the angels and demons had their hands full in dealing with them, until a third party decided to intervene and selected four champions that were respected by all nephilim. The third party was known only as the Charred Council, for they were far older than the angels or demons combined. Enough of that story for now though, because there are seven signs that you all should watch and prepare for. Strife will be the first of them to arrive. When suffering runs through the world, he shall appear. Suffering and confusion are his trade, and he cannot be defeated by any mortal. The second to arrive shall be War, war and chaos are his tools of trade. He shall come when war and chaos come to this world, he too cannot be defeated by any mortal. Famine will be the third to arrive when natural disasters plague the world, either directly caused by it or not. Disease and disasters are his tools of trade, there is one that is older than them. Even war is younger than him, but they all respect him most of all. He is the fourth sign and his name is Death, the tools of his trade are death and despair. Did I mention that those four slaughtered all 6 billion Nephilim to restore the balance and maintain the order at the Council's command? The fifth sign is the mortals' cries for justice against who've wronged them. The sixth sign is a great quake or calamity that effects the whole world. The seventh and final sign is the judgement that is sent down to the planet, the outcome is decided by whoever wins the battle in the end. Have a nice apocalypse, goodbye!" He then bursts into a cloud of crows and flies out of the cave, vanishing into the night.

A few minutes pass by in silence when Fluttershy and Luna hang their heads and start to sob, speaking incoherently. Twilight's mane frizzes out of control as her eyes shrink to pinpricks as she rapidly says, "Oh it's no big deal, it's that the Tree of Harmony is dead and it's just the end of the BUCKING WORLD! But no, no, everything is going to be just fine, cause we'll grow a new Tree of Harmony and fix everything. Those guys will come here and stop all this craziness when they see how nice and peaceful this world is."

Rainbow Dash facehooves herself and says, "Well Twilight's become a basket case, Luna's crying her eyes out and Fluttershy is rocking back and forth mumbling something nopony can hear. Now what do we do, any ideas anypony?"

Twilight looks at Rainbow Dash with a crazed expression on her face and frantically says, "We can try to reassemble the tree and glue it back together and pour all of our magic into it and hope it comes back to life!"

Celestia sighs sadly and then pulls Twilight over to her and Luna with her magic, then wraps her hooves and wings around them both. She hopes that holding them both like this will help them to recover the heavy loss they all felt when hearing that the Tree of Harmony was dead. She then sighs again and lets herself cry along with them, needing to let out her feelings of helplessness that are sinking in right now.

Rarity sees Celestia pull Twilight in and sees her break down and cry and runs to Applejack and Rainbow Dash. She then pulls Fluttershy to them and wraps her hooves around them all in a group hug and lets herself start crying along with Celestia and Luna.

Pinkie Pie's mane pops like a balloon and falls flat as she runs towards the large group of friends and says, "Let's go join the other group hug, okay everypony?

The smaller group makes their way over to Celestia, Luna, and Twilight, then mash their bodies up against them. They then all hold each other and start to cry and bawl their eyes out over the days events, hugging each other tightly.

An hour later

Applebloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Star Light wander around the castle, searching for the door to the prison underneath Canterlot as Applebloom says, "Ah think we may have to find a different approach to this if we are gonna help Star Light meet her pa."

Just then a pony behind them startles them and says, "I'm terribly sorry for eavesdropping, but who's her pa? What are you fillies doing here in the castle?"

Star Light steps forward and says, "I am hoping that the cutie mark crusaders can help me meet my father before he is executed, though we are trying to find a way to convince the princesses to change their decision so he can be a part of my life."

She then beams a huge smile at the story she can whip up with this scoop and says, "My apologies, I am Chatty Gossip. I am here to interview a certain famous criminal that murdered an alicorn named Flurryheart, there are many rumors out there, some say that he did nasty things to her. Some say that her own parents mistreated her or abused her, a few even suggest that the father had relations with her after she turned 18 and that she wound up pregnant. So little fillies, would you care to come with me to chat with him? You will have to wait your turn outside of the room during the interview though."

Chapter V: Past Truths

The Crusaders follow Chatty Gossip to the prison entrance, finding it much easier than trying to lie or sneak their way into the prison. They stop outside when Applebloom says, "Well ah would like ta go with ya ta see him, but it would draw a lot of attention if we all went with ya. So unfortunately, this is where we must part ways Star Light. We hope ya git the answers yer lookin' for, good luck BFF."

Star Light stops, turns around and then smiles saying, "Thanks for helping me get this far Crusaders, it means so much since you came to Canterlot with me. I wouldn't have been able to make it this far on my own, I will meet you all back at the clubhouse after I am done talking to him. I will see you all later BFF Applebloom, BFF Scootaloo, and BFF Sweetie Belle, thanks again." She waves a hoof at them as they turn around and start to make their way out of the castle to return to Ponyville, then turns back around to continue following Chatty thinking, 'I sure hope my mother doesn't notice that I am here without her, she will be so mad that I came here to this place.'

I sigh and finish eating my lousy meal, then set the empty tray into the slot for the guard to take yelling, "Guard! I am done eating, the tray is in the slot for you whenever you decide to take it!" I make my way to the sink to wash my hands and look in the dirty mirror, get my hands wet and then clean it off so I can see how much uglier I have gotten lately. I wash my hands, and then shake the water off of them and look into the mirror. Seeing a tanned Caucasian with green eyes, long black hair, a beard and a mustache look back at me and then say, "My face looks like shit with this mustache and beard on my face, I hope they will allow me to make myself look better than this when they remove my head." I then return to my bed and lie down, hoping to go back to sleep and make the day go by faster. I place my arm over my eyes, hearing the door open and watch the hall through the glass to see who is coming. Noticing that it is Honor Trail, and then just ignore her and go back to trying to fall asleep.

Honor Trail takes the tray in her magic, takes a breath, then coughs saying, "It smells back here, you really need to take a shower." She looks inside the cell and watches him for a little bit, actually feeling guilty for how mean she was to him.

I then continue lying on the bed and then rudely answer her, "Well, there is only one pony at fault for that. I wonder who that could be, do you know who it was by chance? Oh wait, why am I asking you such a stupid question. You don't have a heart, therefore you can't really give two shits about some fucking monster who murdered an alicorn."

She hangs her head and then sighs saying, "I'm sorry that I treated you so badly, I guess that I still am angry about that scar you gave me when I tried to get those thugs off of you."

I then chuckle and sarcastically say, "Well hell has frozen over ladies and gents, did you hear that? She said she's sorry. I guess the wicked witch does indeed have a heart, but I don't need or want your pity. So you can just take it and shove it up your ass, so take that tray and leave me alone witch."

A tear worms its way out of her eye and down her chin as she starts to head for the main door, then stops and says, "I just thought that you would like to know that you have a twelve year old daughter, I will bring her by some day soon so you can meet her. For her sake, please clean yourself up and make yourself look somewhat respectable."

I then roll my eyes and say, "Uh huh, sure, I'll get right on that. Like anything you say to me has any value to it after all the bullshit you put me through, I will not take anything you say seriously."

Honor Trail shakes her head and then sighs regretfully, wishing she wasn't quite so mean towards him. She then walks through the gate and heads into the prison's kitchen that is through the door between the two cell blocks, handing the tray to one of the staff members before preparing to walk the fenced and warded yard outside.

Chatty Gossip passes through the last gate, then makes her way towards the cell the guard told her that belonged to the criminal she is looking for. She stops outside their door and then looks into the room through the glass and says, "Excuse me, are you Carl Knoxx?"

I lift my arm to look through the glass and see a grey unicorn with a bright copper mane, deep blue eyes behind narrow librarian glasses and then answer her saying, "Is there anyone else here in Death Row, if not, I guess it is pretty obvious that I am indeed Carl Knoxx. If you are going to ask stupid questions, save your breath and just get out already."

She then giggles and says, "Ya are quite a feisty one, aren't ya? My name is Chatty Gossip, and I am here to interview ya for the Equestrian World Herald, do ya mind answering a few of my questions?"

I then sit up with a sigh and then say, "Of course I mind, but the fact that you are a press pony intrigues me miss Gossip. So ask your questions, and I will answer them honestly and truthfully. Don't worry about the possibility that they may be lies, because I have nothing to lose since I'm gonna die in two months."

Chatty begins asking her initial questions, starting from when he first found himself here. She pays close attention and writes down what he says word for word, then continues to ask her other questions. After writing the responses down to each question she asks, she then asks, "Now for the big question... Why did you kill Princess Flurry Heart?"

I look at her through the glass, shake my head and answer her, "I Pinkie Promise that this is the whole truth, just to make it official..." I start to go through the motions to make an official Pinkie Promise and then say, "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." I then resume where I left off and say, "I did not kill Princess Flurry Heart, she killed herself. I was there and I witnessed the whole thing from the start..." I then go back to that day and recount the days' events for her to write down.

Flashback recount to 9 years ago

I am just exiting Twilight's castle after a nightly social call when Derpy slams into me ass first, causing me to chuckle and then say, "In a hurry there Derpy? I have a wonderful view from up here."

Derpy blushes and then chuckles in embarrassment saying, "Umm...yeah, sorry about that. I tried to slow down but my hoof caught on the edge of a building and sent me tumbling through the air, thanks for catching me. Can you please put me down, or are you looking to have a little more fun? Is Twilight and Starlight not enough of a workout for you?"

I give her a swift lick and a nip, getting a slight moan then an exclaimed 'ah!'. I then set her down on her hooves and chuckle saying, "There you go, you are welcome. Do you have any mail for me today or are you just being a naughty pony?"

She smiles and giggles some more then says, "I do have one letter for you from Princess Flurry Heart, it is marked urgent." She digs it out of her bag and then says, "I would stay and continue, but I have other deliveries to make. See you some other time, lover boy." She then takes off into the sky, trailing her tail across his face.

I open up the letter and then look at it, reading what it says, 'My dearest friend Carl, my life is suffering from rather troublesome and sensitive matters at this moment. I demand that you come and see me at once so it can be dealt with, be on the next train to the Crystal Empire. Make sure to burn this letter after reading it, lest it come to light and draw unwanted attention to reveal a scandal, bringing ruin to the empire's royal family. Always yours, Princess Flurry Heart.'

Flashback recount interrupted

Chatty Gossip interrupts the tale and then asks, "Wait wait, so you and Princess Flurry Heart were special someponies then? Why did she request you destroy the letter she wrote you, don't you treasure each and every item you get from them?"

I stop and then answer her, "No we weren't special someponies. She did only have eyes for me I admit that, but with her being close to 19 and me being 33... My relationship with her would be as you say, frowned upon and greatly discouraged by many ponies. I was about to get to that point, if you would just listen and not interrupt me. She was a royal princess and an alicorn, so if she gave me an order or requested something of me, I would obey it to the best of my ability. As for that other question, would you treasure a shopping list written by your special somepony on some toilet paper? During my time here, I may have had relations with a few mares, but I always made it known to them that I did not have eyes for any mare and have not yet been able to adjust my state of mind to taking a pony as a wife or a girlfriend instead of a human."

She then continues to write it down in her notebook, getting a really big story and new facts to spread around to the populace saying, "Okay, my apologies mister Knoxx. Please continue with your story, I just had to know a couple of facts first."

I then nod and continue on telling my story saying, "Now where was I... Oh right, I read the letter..."

Flashback recount continues

I then pull out my zippo lighter and set fire to the letter as requested, making my way back to Twilight's castle to inform her and the other elements of a potential issue. As I walk swiftly to her home, I look up and see the beautiful full moon in the sky tonight and say, "It's another gorgeous night sky Princess Luna, the clouds don't cover the moon's beauty on this night. May your watch be without any troubles, and sometime I shall pay you two a visit when I return, Your Highness."

Twilight is just getting out of the shower now, feeling nice and refreshed after the exercise earlier. She pulls out a vial of Carl's fresh semen, then puts it through a series of tests to determine if it is possible to procreate with Carl. After a few minutes of tests, she finally gets a positive reaction. She then studies the reaction time and gets the results back exclaiming, "Finally a positive answer after studying Carl, these results do indeed prove that it is possible for Carl to have foals or 'children' as he calls the young humans back on Earth. I can't wait to inform him of the results when I see him again, I look forward to our next encounter to get a fresh sample to run further tests on!" She hears somepony knock on the front doors to her castle, then makes her way to find out who it is at this hour of the night.

I stand in front of the double doors to her crystal tree castle, looking at the sleeping town of Ponyville during the final hours of Hearth's Warming Day. Looking at the beautiful decorations the citizens used to decorated their houses reminds me of the hometown I came from. I smile as snowflakes begin to slowly fall, showing that a light snowfall was planned to begin tonight and last through tomorrow night. The light, slow snowfall inspires me to hum a song from Earth called Silent Night.

I finish humming the last notes of the song when I hear one of the double doors open, creaking in protest from the cold temperature. I turn to see Twilight on the other side with a curious look on her face saying, "Hello Twilight, I got a letter from Princess Flurry Heart, can we go inside and talk?"

She then nods and opens the door wider for Carl to come inside out of the cold, wondering what the letter said replying, "Come on in Carl, I just finished running some tests after taking a shower. I hope you will be delighted to hear that you can indeed procreate with ponies! In order to know more details about it, I will need to take another sample and run a few more tests."

I then walk through the doors as my eyebrows rise in surprise and then say, "Why would you want to breed with a being not the same species as you? Are you some sort of mad scientist that would do anything to get new knowledge, or do you just really enjoy our exercises that much?"

Twilight then giggles and closes the door saying, "A girl must have her secrets, don't you know that Carl? A princess like me needs to hold a few secrets of her own as well, but please tell me what my niece's letter said that has you coming here at this time of night?" She then leads him to the friendship table and takes a seat in her chair to listen to what he has to say.

I follow her to the table and sit on the edge of it then say, "Well from what I read in the letter, there seems to be a potentially big problem that needs to be handled carefully. Even though she asked for me to come, I thought of coming here to bring the issue to the Elements of Harmony, as you are better at friendship problems than I am. I am sure you remember the debacle in Appleloosa between the tribe and the Apple clan, it took you a week to get the mess cleaned up after you sent me there on a friendship mission."

She then giggles nervously and then says, "Umm...I do indeed remember that particular nightmare. Okay then, what do you need the Elements to go with you to the Crystal Empire for?"

I then sigh and then say, "I would just like to have you all there to find out what you can, so nothing is missed when I talk with her to find out why she wanted me to come."

Twilight then smiles and nods saying, "That is a great idea, let me send Spike to notify the girls of this development. We will get a chance to catch up with Flurry Heart on how things have been." She then calls for Spike to come to her, quickly writing letters to all the other girls.

Spike arrives downstairs yawning and then says, "What did you need Twilight, is there some emergency?" He then listens to what she tells him and then says, "So there is something going on in the Crystal Empire and you need me to deliver these letters to the other element bearers?" He then sees her nod her head, confirming the request and yawns once more then takes the letters. He then puts on a warm sweater that Rarity made for him last Hearth's Warming Eve, then quickly goes on his way to deliver the letters.

I then look at Twilight and then chuckle lightly and then say, "Do you mind putting on some coffee, Twilight? I think that the others are going to need it when they get here, don't you think so with midnight being an hour away?"

Flashback recount briefly stops

I then sigh and say, "Well after that, she put some coffee on and we waited and talked about the experiment until the others arrived. We then talked the plan over and shortly after the discussion, we set out for the Crystal Empire." I then think back on that day and get lost in remembering the train ride.

Flashback being remembered

After the train leaves the station, I sit apart from the girls. I kick back on a small mattress to catch some sleep when Rainbow Dash joins me on it, causing me to then ask, "I am not in the mood to scratch your itches on a train Rainbow, you are too loud and can't stay quiet to save your flank." I then hear a few giggles and snickers as the others hear what is said, then turn to look at her and see a blush on her face.

Rainbow Dash looks away and then coughs saying, "I am not here for that reason, I was just thinking that we could cuddle because you know I have trouble sleeping on trains."

I then roll over and then be the big spoon for her and then sigh saying, "At least you don't bite like somepony I know, but can't seem to place a finger on the name. Say Applejack, do you know the pony I am talking about?"

She then lays down next to him, with her back facing him. She then feels the heat from his body beside hers and then sighs and then lays her head down on the mattress, her rump being in front of his knees and her shoulders matching his shoulder height saying, "Goodnight and sweet dreams Carl, thank you for doing this."

Applejack then glares up at where he is sleeping and then says, "Sorry pardner, ah can't say ah do. It's a 8 hour ride to the Crystal Empire, ah suggest we catch some shuteye."

I then hear a couple more snickers at the exchange between us and then slide my arm underneath her head and then whisper, "Not a problem Rainbow Splash, just don't get an itch while on the train alright?"

Pinkie Pie then joins Carl and Rainbow on the mattress and then says, "My hooves get really cold at night, can I cuddle with you two?"

I then chuckle in amusement and then say, "Sure you can Pinkie, you can be behind me. Snuggle up into me, then place your back hooves between my legs."

She then laughs and says, "Of course I will place my back hooves between your legs, I learned from that silly mistake the first time we tried to cuddle. I nearly tore a hole in the blankets to escape the stench when you farted, I will never forget the smell of rotten eggs thanks to you!" She then bursts into a fit of giggles at remembering that night, then snuggles into position behind him underneath the covers.

I then laugh, then wrap my other arm around Rainbow and hold her close as Pinkie snuggles in beside me and then say, "Goodnight girls." I then drift off to sleep, finding myself inside of a peaceful dream. I wander around the town of Ponyville and then visit Canterlot via train ride, having some tea with the two Princesses as we discuss what things were like back home. I am woken from my dream at the sounding of a whistle, and a pony sucking on my ear. I look to see if it is Rainbow, seeing only a blue feather laying in her place. I then presume it is Pinkie Pie, then chuckle and turn around when I feel her hooves sandwiched between my legs. I then her a pop as my ear lobe is pulled out of her mouth, situating myself on my other side facing towards her as she then continues to search for the lobe she was suckling on. I chuckle and then place a hand behind her head and then pull her in for a kiss, when she latches onto my lower lip and then continues sucking on it. I then grip her mane lightly, forcing her mouth to release my lip. I then take her ear in between my fingers and lightly massage it, then kiss her nose and release her mane.

Pinkie Pie then sneezes at feeling something touch her nose, then opens her eyes to see Carl in front of her. She then feels him massaging her ear and then giggles saying, "You sure know how to wake a sleeping mare mister Knoxx, thanks for keeping me warm through the night." She then hops out of bed and returns to the floor, following the others to the station platform. She stops when she reaches the door and looks back saying, "Well are you coming sleepy head, or do I need to come back there and wake you up some more?"

I then chuckle and then sit up, slowly getting my bearings before standing up saying, "Oh I don't think that would help at all Pinkie, you know that I wind up exhausted after entertaining you. I think we better get heading to the Crystal Empire to take care of what this issue is, you girls will be searching the town for any clues while I go talk to Princess Flurry Heart about what is going on. I will then come back to you girls and then tell you about the problem we are facing."

She then grins widely and then pronks on out of the train car saying, "Oki doki loki!"

I then make my way out of the car, shaking my head while thinking, 'I may just end up having a heart attack trying to keep up with a crazy nympho like you Pinkie, your current record is 20 times to my 4!'

Flashback remembered ends

Chatty Gossip then blinks a couple of times irritably and then says, "What happened after you all got onto the train to the Crystal Empire, Carl Knoxx?"

I then shake my head free of the memory and then chuckle at first, then sigh sadly saying, "Sorry, got lost in the past is all. After the train ride, we all got off the train and then the girls started to look around the town for any information that they can find while went to talk to Princess Flurry Heart..."

Flashback recount continues

I then make my way through the halls of the Crystal Castle, then head up another flight of stairs towards Flurry's room at the top of the castle. I arrive after several minutes of walking and knock on her door saying, "Flurry it's me, Carl. You wished to see me, I got your message."

Flurry Heart sobs and then rushes to the door, opens it and then says, "Hurry up and get in here you idiot!"

I then hurry through the door, seeing that she has been crying due to the redness of her eyes and then say, "What's the problem you are having Flur?"

She shuts the door quickly and then looks up at him with tears running down her face still and then says, "What's wrong you ask? I will tell you what is wrong Carlton, YOU ARE THE PROBLEM!" She then casts a silence barrier around her room so their conversation can't be overheard by others and then continues screaming at him while tears continue to flow down her face saying, "YOU KNOW HOW I HAVE FELT ABOUT YOU SINCE I WAS 16, YOU PROMISED ME THAT YOU WOULD BE MY FIRST AFTER I TURNED 18! WHEN I TURNED EIGHTEEN, I CONTINUED TO WAIT FOR YOU! BUT YOU NEVER CAME, NOW I AM FOREVER RUINED BECAUSE OF THE PROMISE YOU BROKE!"

I then hold my hands up in a placating manner saying, "Now hold on Flur, how am I the problem when I don't know why you asked me to be here? I promised you that I would consider being your first. I told you that you should find somepony your own age, I am 15 years older than you. I am almost old enough to be your father."

Flurry's voice goes up an octave as she bellows, "DON'T YOU EVER MENTION THOSE BUCKING DISGUSTING WORDS TO ME YOU BASTARD, I WANTED YOU HERE SO YOU CAN MAKE THINGS RIGHT!"

I then scratch my head in confusion and then say, "What went wrong, how did I screw up. I don't understand what you are saying, please explain it to me Flur."

She then hangs her head and sobs and then quiets down quite a bit and then softly says, "You are such a totally ignorant guy, you don't understand a mare when it comes to feelings. You are even worse at connecting the dots when you are given plenty of hints, how did your species even survive if every male is as dense as you? I will help you understand what happened because of you breaking your promise to me, you remember how I told you that my father began taking an odd interest in my activities ever since I turned 14?"

I then chuckle lightly in embarrassment and then say, "We get by...somehow, not all males are as dense as I am. I am smart in other areas though, so I make up for what I lack in that area with my wits in other areas. Yeah, I remember that you told me how he used to watch you in the shower, and when you changed clothes."

Flurry then cleared her voice of the anger that is building inside of her at how ignorant Carl is being and says, "Okay well, after I turned 16, things escalated to him starting to casually brush against me inappropriately. Then after I turned 17, he started to grope me when nopony was around. Then things got even worse a few months after I turned 18, I was in the shower one morning and he joined me in the shower." She then struggles to keep her anger in check and then huffs and then says, "While he was in the shower, he...he...HE MOUNTED ME AND FORCED HIMSELF UPON ME! A week later, it happened again! Two weeks later, he did it again. It continued happening until two months ago, do you know why he stopped?"

I then stare on, completely dumbfounded at what her own father put her through. I then blink as my brain fails to come up with an answer and then dumbly ask, "Why?"

She then glares daggers at Carl and then stomps up to him and then says, "He stopped because I became with foal...I AM CARRYING MY FATHER'S FOAL INSIDE OF ME RIGHT NOW, AND YOU ARE GOING TO FIX THIS!" Tears overwhelm her eyes and she then collapses to the floor bawling saying, "I don't want to carry this foal to term, it will destroy what good my parents have done for the empire. I wanted you to have my virginity, NOT MY FATHER! I WANTED YOU TO TAKE MY CHERRY, NOW BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T UPHOLD YOUR PROMISE, I AM FOREVER TAINTED BECAUSE MY FATHER TOOK BOTH OF MY FIRSTS TO BE A GROWN MARE YOU JACKASS! THAT IS WHY I WANT YOU TO HIT ME, TO HIT ME SO HARD THAT IT CAUSES ME TO LOSE THIS FOAL! THIS IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AND BURDEN TO BEAR FOR BREAKING YOUR PROMISE TO ME!" She then rears up and flaps her wings to hold her upper body there, waiting for him to obey her order.

I then stumble and fall back against the door, floored by what she told me and then struggle to find words. After a couple of minutes of silence, I then finally say, "I-I can't...On Earth, every life is considered precious. It is a sin and against the law in some places to kill an unborn life once it is created, regardless of who's child it is. How can you be sure that you are pregnant?"

Flurry gets closer to him and strikes him with her hoof and then says, "You are not on Earth anymore Carl, I have read numerous books on the causes of being sick at certain times of the day, going to the bathroom every few hours, an annoying headache that won't go away, and my teats are hurting! Every single book I read points to one conclusion, that those signs mean pregnancy. If it is one thing that I know for sure, it is that foals always share traits from the mother and the sire of the foal. You look nothing like Shining Armor, so there is no possible way for other ponies to believe that you are the sire. That fact, leaves only one possible solution. I don't know about the rest of Equestria's view on incestual pregnancies, but I know for sure that it is not allowed in the Crystal Empire. SO HIT ME AND FIX THE PROBLEM THAT YOU CREATED!"

I then move away from her, trying to calm her down and then say, "There can be another way around this, I can hide you away for a few months until you give birth. I then can take the child and leave it at an orphanage, saying I found it on my doorstep"

She then makes a buzzer noise with er mouth and then says, "Errr...Wrong, because 1. All births must happen in a hospital by law, no exceptions whatsoever, and 2. Try all you can, but there is no way in Equestria to fully conceal the presence of an alicorn giving birth! Any other bright ideas, Carl?" She then goes up to him and then strikes him harder and then says, "Come on and hit me you coward!"

I take the hit and then raise my hands to block her attack and then say, "Stop it, this isn't the Flurry that I know." I continue to try to move away from her as she strikes me harder and harder with her front hooves while telling me to hit her, calling me various names like twat, pussy, coward, pansy, yellow belly, and chicken.

Flurry continues to follow him around the room, wailing on him with each of her front hooves. Causing a few cuts and gashes to appear on his face from each of her strikes as she desperately tries to get rid of her father's foal, starting to openly cry with how badly she is hurting the one she cares for just to save the Empire from being ruined. She then turns around and bucks him with both her back hooves to the head, trying any means necessary to get her way. The strike sends him flying across the room into a bookshelf of hers, breaking it from the impact. She then hurries over to him and continues to strike him with her front hooves, continuing her efforts.

I pick myself up off the floor and then cough up some blood and then wince as she continues to smack me with her hooves when something snaps inside of me, causing me to stand up and then glare down at her yelling, "Stop it you stupid whorse, are you trying to kill the one you love? That is what's gonna happen if you don't stop attacking me!"

She then smiles manically and then shouts, "Yes, thats it my love. Get mad and defend yourself from this desperate mare, this room is magically locked so there is no way out of this room but through me." She then rushes at him, continuing her attack against him.

I push her away from me as hard as I can, watching in horror as she crashes through her bedpost and slams into the wall. I watch cracks form in slow motion as she then collapses to the floor, with time returning to normal and then back myself up against the wall and wrap my hands around my head and then say repeatedly, "Oh, what did I do... Why did I do that, I just wanted her to stop... Why wouldn't she stop..."

Flurry coughs and then pushes herself up off the floor, immediately feeling a painfully deep cramp in her lower abdomen. Her eyes dilate watching dark blood pool underneath her rump, then softly starts to giggle and then says in a seductive tone unnatural to her soft and sweet voice, "Oh Carl, you did exactly what I wanted you to do. Now I am no longer tainted, we can be together and have a big, happy family. So come here and give me a big hug and kiss me deeply." She then starts to saunter towards him with blood running down her legs, leaving a trail from the wall towards him.

I then sob and then shake my head and then say, "I don't know who you are anymore, get away from me you monster!"

She stops right in front of him, jerking back suddenly as she hears him call her a monster. She then backs further away from him and then says, "I-I don't understand, you-you don't like the way I look? I can fix that, just give me a moment." She then looks for a letter opener and then begins hacking away at her left wing, intending to damage it enough to destroy her ability to fly so he likes her. She then stops hacking at it as it hangs limp and laying uselessly on the floor, connected by some muscle, bone, skin, and a few nerves saying, "Do I look better now my love, I rearranged myself now. I hope you like what I have done for you, please look at me and tell me what you think."

I continue to sob and lift my head to look at her and, seeing her bloodied wing lying uselessly on the floor in a growing pool of blood and then say, "Oh my god, what have you done! We need to get you help, I am going to go get a guard right now!"

Flurry Heart backs towards her balcony, tossing the letter opener aside and then yells, "Don't you dare do that and leave me alone, if you do I will jump off the balcony!"

I then start to walk towards her and then say, "I need to get you help if you have any hope to fly again, please let me go get help for you!"

She then throws the balcony doors open and backs out onto the railed platform saying, "Y-You don't ever want to be with me, is that what you are saying?"

I then hold my hands up, trying to negotiate with her and then say, "I never said that I didn't want to be with you, I want to get you healed first. Then later, after you recover, we can talk about it alright?"

Flurry then gets up onto the railing, balancing herself precariously on the edge and then yells, "You either want to be with me, or you do not want to be with me. You will not string me along anymore, so which will you chose?"

I then walk further towards her as tears form in my eyes as I then say, "Please listen to me, I do care deeply for you. This is something that can't be decided lightly, let's talk about this in a safer spot away from the ledge. If you were to fall before hearing my decision, wouldn't it upset you if I do want to be with you but couldn't tell you?"

She then looks at him and then glances around her at other things, desperate to hear there is still hope for her to be together with him and then shifts her hooves nervously while saying, "Oh...okay...I guess...that it wouldn't hurt to just talk some more..." She then shifts her weight a bit to get down from the edge when her back hooves loose their grip and slip off the edge, leaving her to start falling off the edge towards the ground below.

I then watch in slow motion as her back hooves slip, sending me into action to catch her and stop her from falling to the ground below. I race towards the edge, barely making it in time to grab hold of her damaged wing that is within reach. I then yell, "Look at me so I can grab your horn, your wing is not going to hold your weight alone!"

Flurry Heart's pupils return to their normal size as she then screams in fear and pain and then looks up to him and then says, "Grab it, and don't let go!"

I latch onto her horn with my other hand, then wrap one leg around a support rail and then begin to pull her up and then say, "Cancel the silencing spell so you can get the guards in here, it is taking everything I have just to hold you like this!"

She focuses hard on canceling the silencing spell and then says, "There, the spell is gone. I will call for the guards now, so do not let go." She then takes a deep breath and then screams for the guards to help her.

I hear the door fly open and two guards rushing in towards me, when I start to hear a slow cracking sound mixed with a popping sound. My head then turns to look in Flurry Heart's direction as I then try to pull her up as the guards are just outside the balcony doors, when the wing tears free and her horn snaps off. I watch in horror as she looks me straight in the eye and then blink slowly as she begins to fall.

Flurry feels herself start to fall in slow motion and then says, "Don't blame yourself for my death Carl, I don't." As she continues to fall towards her doom she thinks, 'I will miss you Carl, may we meet again some day.' She then strikes something hard as her vision goes black.

I watch as her body strikes the ground, then back away from the ledge as tears form in my eyes while I say, "How can you say that I shouldn't blame myself for you dying, it is my fault that I drove you to take your own life." I then turn around to see two earth ponies aiming their swords at me with angry looks on their faces, instinctually raising my arms in surrender with a sigh.

Flashback recount ends

I then wipe a few tears from my face as I remember my greatest failure of my entire life and then say, "I do hold myself personally responsible for being one of the reasons she killed herself, and that is the whole story of what happened that day. Do you have any other questions for me to answer, Chatty Gossip?"

She then closes her notebook and puts her quill away and then smiles softly then says, "I am sorry for you losing a friend like that and for making you tell the painful story of how she died, that is all the questions that I have for you. There is a little filly here that would like to talk to you though." She then steps aside and then looks back at Star Light saying, "Alright little one, it is your turn to get the answers to your questions."

Star Light then steps forth and then clears her throat and then says, "Umm hello mister Knoxx, I heard my mommy say your name and mentioned that you were my father. I would like to get to know you so I can have a role model in life, do you mind if I ask you some questions dad?"

I then look at her and see a few similarities between us and then say, "Well I have two months for you to ask questions, what is your name and who is your mother little filly?"

She then looks up at him through the glass and then says, "My name is Star Light, and my mother is a guard here. Her name is Honor Trail, do you know her mister Knoxx?"

I then let out a groan and then say, "Oh so you are her little one, yeah I know her. I thought she was lying about me having a daughter with her, but it appears that she was indeed telling the truth because you do share some of her looks. She takes her job seriously, I assure you of that. I can tell that you are definitely my daughter because you have a smaller nose than most ponies, you also have my green eyes with a darker green ring around the outside. With the way your mane and coat look, it appears that you also inherited the naturally oily skin and hair from me as well as my black hair color. Before the death of Princess Flurry Heart, I had to shower every day just to keep myself from getting that light oily feeling on my skin. Do you do the same as me?"

Star Light then sighs and slightly hangs her head and then says, "Ugh...yes I do, it is such an annoyingly icky sensation. So do your friends visit you here at all?"

I then sigh and then say, "Nope, they don't. They hate me for the things I have said about Flurry Heart, and want nothing to do with me because they just can't bring themselves to believe that she would take her own life." I then hear the door slam shut and wonder who it might be when I hear angry hoofsteps coming towards my cell.

Honor Trail stomps her way towards the inmate's cell when she spots her daughter standing next to somepony and then yells, "Star Light, what in Celestia's name are you doing here talking to that death row inmate?! Get over here now little filly, you are in big trouble for coming here without my knowledge!"

Chapter VI: The End of a Life (End Paragraph Edited 11\22\23)

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