On Wings Of Black And White

Chapters

Where Evil Grows
Shooting Stars
Virtical Point
As You Like
Gotta Go
Funk Goes On
Abyssal Time
Through The Fire
Bury The Light - Part 1
Bury The Light - Part 2
Vacant Surrender
Paint It Black
'Till It's Over

Where Evil Grows

The cold, harsh wind blew on the long road between Canterlot and Ponyville, the overcast sky shrouding it in a cold shade. The howling wind sends dead leaves tumbling across the icy grass, only to be blown back by the desperate dash of a mare with a deep purple coat with a vibrant sky blue mane and tail, her ragged cloak blowing behind her, obscuring her view as she looks back to see creatures of pure darkness chasing her, whatever she could make out of their facial expressions she could only see mad smiles and evil glares. Her gaze turned skyward to the white streak that tore through the sky visible through a large tear in the cloud cover. Before she could return her eyes to the road, she let out a yell as she tripped over an exposed root and slammed face first into the cold, rough floor.

Quickly righting herself, she immediately found herself surrounded by the creatures that had previously pursued her, a spine-tingling wave of terror shooting through her every nerve as they slowly encroached upon her. Looking toward the distant castle for a second, she then focused on the power in her horn with a bright purple ring filled with runes and other bizarre signs rupturing out of the ground beneath her.

“Hon Dii Rein, Vul Kendov…” She recited, a purple flame licking from the runes.

“Vokrii Un Gol…” with each word, a crack appeared in the very air above them, creating sounds as if the very fabric of reality itself was straining around its existence.

“Nol Fin Not Lid! Great Warrior of the Night, aid our fight!” The runes sent up a blinding flash of purple light into the crack, shattering it open to reveal a vortex of space…and a slowly increasing scream.

Out of the void fell an estranged figure to the land of Equestria, a girl who walked on two legs with dark skin, a wild head of purple and pink hair that covered one eye. As she fell, her usual clothes were covered by a swirling darkness that turned into a pure black suit that covered her whole body, adorned with silver lines and decorations. She slammed into the ground, knee bent and head lowered. A powerful, freezing wind covered the area as she stood, revealing her towering height over everything around her.

Without a word, she seemed to ignore the beings of darkness that surrounded her, instead scanning the environment with crossed arms, which were gloved with gold rings on her wrists. An annoyed grunt escaped her as she turned around, continuing to observe the area “Where the hell am I?” She mused aloud, her attention turning to the approaching sound of galloping hooves.

“I’m so sorry for the sudden summon to my world, great warrior!” The unicorn stared up at the summoned fighter, her revealed golden eye glaring down at her two purple ones “For you see…we are in grave danger! But-“

“Hang on.” The upright woman interrupted, turning around to take in the monsters before returning to address the unicorn “I’ll be right with ya.” She turned into a blur of black death, purple explosions detonating where each of the monsters stood that shook the ground with tremendous force.

The Unicorn struggled to maintain her balance as the blasts went off, the fighter she summoned reappearing in front of her as the smoke cleared, revealing the shadow monsters had vanished completely.

“Heh, didn’t even see me.” The woman then snapped her head to stare down at the unicorn, a brief spark of magic popping out of the Unicorn's horn as the glare hit her “Now, you got some explaining to do, missy.” Her voice went from confident to a chilling menace, the shade cast upon her face making the unicorn’s very bones go cold as ice.

Finally, the unicorn cleared her throat after backing up sufficiently “My…my name, miss, is Starburst Nova. I am a Unicorn from the nearby town of Ponyville and I need your help!”

“Great…” Her summoned aid rolled her eyes “Contract work…”

“I apologise deeply for interrupting your training!” Starburst Nova knelt down before her, the woman’s face contorting into a glower. “But please, hear my plea!”

The woman looked away for a second, dropping her disgusted expression before looking back to Starburst “Fine, fine, I’ll hear ya out.” She uncrossed her arms, putting her hands on her hips “And stand up, I hate it when people bow to me.”

“O-Of course. Thank you.” Starburst cleared her throat once more as she stood upright “This great land of Equestria is currently being visited by the great comet Hungaar, it visits only once every 20,000 years. However, something has infested its great name, as ever since it has appeared, those vile beasts that surrounded us have been appearing! I’ve been trying to warn others, I was on my way to ask for an audience with Princess Luna about the threat, until I was forced to summon you thanks to their attack.”

“So I presume you want me to help instead?” The woman tilted her head.

“Yes.” Starburst nodded “Now that I have summoned a being from outside this world, I have to bear the responsibility of my actions. If I went to the princesses now, they would certainly be able to detect what I have done.” Starburst looked away for a moment, then returned to direct eye contact with her summon “May I ask your name?”

There was a brief pause.

“Mysteeri.” Mysteeri replied sternly “Mysteeri York.” She glanced down to her suit “Witch.”

“Thank you, Mysteeri.” Starburst briefly bowed, squeaking as she realised her error and quickly correcting it “So…will you help me rid this land of that vile darkness?”

Mysteeri shifted her weight to the opposite foot, eyebrow raised “Considering I’m someone with an affinity with darkness, why summon me and not someone with the power over light?”

Starburst sighed “I will explain at my house. Please, Mysteeri, help me in defeating it and I will reward you generously.”

With a loud and very exasperated sigh, Mysteeri put her hands up “Fine, I’ll help.”

Starburst’s face lit up with pure glee at those words “Thank you, Mysteeri! Thank you! With the two of us together, we’ll win for sure!”

Mysteeri responded with silence and crossed arms.

“I shall lead the way to my home!” Starburst turned around and began trotting along the path back to Ponyville, only to come to a sudden halt a few feet away “Hang on…my house is quite far from the entrance to Ponyville from this path. And you’re…” She looked Mysteeri up and down, humming to herself.

“Huge? Yeah, that’s just me.” She shrugged “I could sneak in, considering I’m wearing all black, but…”

“I’ve got it!” Mysteeri’s thoughts were interrupted by Starburst’s sudden jolt of inspiration “I can’t believe I forgot, I know an invisibility spell!”

“Quite a bit of a scatterbrain, aren’t ya?” Mysteeri thought as Starburst trotted back over.

“Follow me to Ponyville, I’ll cast the spell when we get close!” She walked behind the witch and began pushing, Mysteeri grumbling as she broke off from the unicorn’s push. Starburst began walking alongside her, Mysteeri giving her another look and noticing a star with many pinks, blues and purples mixed together inside it upon her upper left leg.

“What’s that tattoo?” She asked, head tilted.

Starburst looked to the mark and chuckled “Oh, this isn’t a tattoo, those aren’t very common. We call these cutie marks, they denote a pony’s special talent!”

Mysteeri responded with a shrug, yet kept looking.

“In my case, this supernova is my ability to control extremely powerful magic. A summoning spell like the one I used to summon you isn’t something everypony can do, you know.” Starburst continued, proudly putting a hoof to her chest. Mysteeri nodded and looked back to the path.

The two continued the walk back to Ponyville in pure silence, Starburst trying to come up with conversation starters only to discard them before she could even speak a word. After a while, they eventually came close to the vibrant and lively Ponyville, its colours not impeded by the overcast, shadowy weather. “Alright! We’re here! Welcome to Ponyville!” Starburst beamed, Mysteeri scrunching up her face in apparent confusion “What’s wrong?”

“Something about this place…it feels off.” Mysteeri said slowly and quietly “I can’t put my finger on it.”

“Well, you are from another world.” Starburst shrugged “You’ll get used to this place eventually.” She then stood in front of Mysteeri, her horn glowing a vibrant pink “Now, hold still and I’ll turn ya invisible!” There was a flash of light and the next Starburst opened her eyes, the witch that once stood before her had completely vanished…somewhat. From where she was standing, there was a very faint outline of Mysteeri, creating an odd shimmer on the areas behind her “Well, it worked well enough! Now come on, it should last long enough to get to my place. Oh, and be sure to be quiet.”

The trek through Ponyville was a cautious one, Mysteeri following closely behind her equine guide as she weaved through the streets and around the small crowds of friends that gathered here and there, the witch narrowly avoiding tripping over an orange filly with a purple mane that pranced around her before dashing off.

“Kids, huh?” Starburst giggled as they walked up to a fairly standard house in the village, nearby stood the remains of a burnt and beat up tree, Mysteeri briefly giving it a glance until her attention was taken by a jolt of magical lightning, her body snapping back into visibility.

“Uh oh.” Starburst fumbled to open the door, slamming it open and forcing Mysteeri inside, throwing it shut with a mighty force “Phew…OK…I don’t think anyone saw you.” She then noticed the continued presence of Mysteeri’s full body black as night suit “Hmm, I didn’t see you come in from the portal wearing that, is it important?”

Mysteeri looked at her gloved hand and shrugged “Guess I forgot to take it off.”

Silence.

“Well?”

Mysteeri’s neutral expression turned to a frown “I’m trying, it’s usually as simple as just thinking that I want it off, but…it ain’t working.” She grabbed onto her shoulder and pulled, pulling up a bit of the suit before letting it go, where it loudly snapped back into place “Whatever, I don’t mind wearing this anyway.” She scanned the room for somewhere to sit down, throwing herself onto the large seat by the fireplace “So…your plan for this comet?”

Starburst hopped onto another chair “So, in Ponyville we have six ponies who wield the Elements of Harmony.”

“And I thought that necklace that channeled the power of love had a weird name…” Mysteeri muttered under her breath.

“They represent the elements of friendship and can banish any kind of evil with ease. So, my plan is for you and me to ask for the aid of each of the ponies who wield the elements so we can banish the evil from the comet on its closest approach!” Starburst explained, holding up a book that showcased six gems of different colours in its pages.

“And how long’s that gonna take?” Mysteeri replied, lounging across the arms of the chair.

“Five-“ She was interrupted by a knocking at the door, immediately dropping the book onto a nearby table “Quick! Hide!”

Mysteeri dashed into the shadow in the corner of the room, seeming as if she disappeared into it completely. Starburst cleared her throat and adjusted her mane as she approached the door, carefully placing her hoof upon it before swinging it open.

“Hi, Starburst!” She was met by a lavender coated Alicorn with a mane and tail of various pinks and purples who wore a large, friendly smile.

Starburst let out another yelp of shock and staggered backwards “T-Twilight! Heheh, wasn’t expecting to see you again so soon! What brings you here?”

Twilight gently tilted her head as she began to speak “I felt a very powerful magical power coming from the road to Canterlot just a while ago now, I went to where it came from and found odd tracks that lead back to Ponyville. I’ve already asked a few other Unicorns about it, but they don’t know anything.” She briefly glanced past Starburst, a cold wind running over her...as if she was being watched from the shadows.

“Really?” Starburst chuckled again “I…don’t know anything of the sort, I heard an odd noise but I haven’t left my home all afternoon!”

“Strange, the tracks were very elongated-“ Twilight froze as a wave of strange magic flew past her, narrowing her eyes at the spot she felt the presence staring at her “That’s odd…”

“What is?” Starburst stepped to the side, blocking Twilight’s view of the corner her accomplice was hidden in “Feel something?”

“Actually, yeah, I did.” Twilight nodded “It’s that strange magic again and it came right from in your house.”

“Shit…” Mysteeri curled her lip.

“Starburst, can I please have a look? It might be something dangerous. Just as a precaution.” Twilight questioned.
Starburst looked behind her to the corner, she couldn't see her, but she knew Mysteeri was staring right back at them. Looking back to Twilight, she hesitated for a moment before standing back.

“Thank you, this won’t take-“ She was interrupted by a small, cat-like…thing dashing from the shadows and up the stairs, sending books and cups flying across the room “Hey, wait!” Twilight called out, sprinting after the small creature. She saw a fluffy pure black cat with pink stripes on its head perched on the windowsill of the upstairs hallway, giving her a brief hiss before it jumped out and transformed into something with a jet black body, only to fall straight to the ground with a loud slam.

“What the hell?” Mysteeri groaned as she got to her feet, back in her human form “Why didn’t I fly?”

“Aha!” Twilight jumped from the window and landed beside the witch “Got you! …Wwwwhatever you are!”

Mysteeri immediately leapt back, assuming an imposing fighting stance.

Starburst poked her head out the window to observe the staredown “Sorry, Mysteeri!”

“For what?!” Mysteeri yelled back.

“Your powers, I put a dampener on them after you took out those shadows so you weren’t able to be detected as easy!”

“Well that sure fuckin’ worked!” Mysteeri snapped, turning her attention back to the Alicorn across from her “Listen up, buttercup, I ain’t here of my own free will, so it’s best you don’t get in my way.”

“Wow, you’re on edge.” Twilight eased up her stance “Hey, don’t worry, I won’t hurt you. If my friend Starburst was hiding you, then she must have a good reason!”

“Ehhh…” Starburst rounded the corner, gently dragging one of her hooves across the grass “About that magical stuff you felt…”

Twilight turned to Starburst “Don’t tell me, that was you?”

“Yeah.” Starburst nodded, a bashful smile on her lips “Sorry.”

Twilight shook her head “Starburst, I understand you want to try out all the best spells you can get your hands on, but you know it’s forbidden to summon someone from another world. Think of the consequences our world could have on them!” She briefly turned her head to Mysteeri, then back to Starburst “Please tell me you have a good reason for this.”

Before Starburst could answer, the same cold wind that followed her down the path earlier blew through the street, the same beasts of darkness that had previously pursued the Unicorn emerging from all the dark crevices and hiding spots they could, surrounding the three of them in an instant.

“Starburst…!” Mysteeri snarled “Could really go without that dampener right about now!”

“On it!” Starburst responded as a flash of pink popped out from her horn, Mysteeri’s body briefly crackling with bright pink electricity, swiftly followed by her dashing from monster to monster, disposing of them with a speed and brutality that left Twilight and Starburst awestruck, the Witch leaving no moment of hesitation to finish smash the beasts back into shadowy wisps.

Mysteeri came sliding to a stop beside them, crossing her arms as the remains of her victims disappeared into the ground “That should hold ‘em off for now. Clearly they got our scent.” She scowled “They’ll be back. And tougher.” She looked over her shoulder to Starburst “For now, we need to work on those elements you mentioned.”

“Elements?” Twilight asked “The Elements of Harmony?”

Starburst nodded “Yep! We were just talking about them when you arrived!”

“Why do you need them?” Twilight questioned, head once again tilted.

“Well…”

Mysteeri stood against the wall of the house as Starburst explained the situation to Twilight, feeling an odd itch appear on her back, but it vanished as quickly as it came.

“Well, Mysteeri!” Twilight jolted her out of her focus on the strange itch “Considering what I just saw in you protecting your new friend, you have my full support in this!”

“Really?” Mysteeri crossed her arms once more “No questions about why we want to blast a comet? Nothing about where I’m from?”

“Well, not right now.” Twilight smiled awkwardly “I’m afraid I have some matters to attend to, but I’ll definitely have to ask you about where you’re from when I have the time! Starburst says she’ll be your guide around Ponyville, my friends have the other Elements of Harmony and I’d love to help you, but like I said, I…have a ton of work to do. Way too much, really, but I know they’ll come around!”

“Riiiight…” Mysteeri slowly nodded “And this whole issue?” She gestured to her appearance “Not exactly seeing anyone like me around here.”

“Oh. Uhh…” Twilight hummed “Well, as long as you don’t cause too much mayhem, I’m sure if you just sneak around with Starburst, you’ll be fine. So long as the Royal Guard…” She trailed off before quickly returning to her full voice “Anyway! You two have fun! See ya later, Starburst!” She galloped off before taking flight into the night sky, the witch and Unicorn watching her go before turning to each other.

“Well, that one was easy!” Starburst smiled.

Mysteeri responded with a nod, then a yawn escaped her “Crap…that took more out of me than I thought.”

“Well, luckily for you my guest room should be able to fit you!” Starburst joked “Come on, I’m beat!”

Mysteeri scratched her head as she followed Starburst back into the house, unaware of the tiniest of feathers that had sprouted on her back.

Author's Note

Hey! This is my first MLP fic, but I have many, many years of prior experience. Mysteeri is a character of my own, as is Starburst. Unfortunately it didn't seem like there was an "original universe" tag for the crossovers, so I just had to leave it as is.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed that first chapter, I'm always open to feedback!

Shooting Stars

Mysteeri stared skyward to the body of water that stretched out over the horizon, the only noise in the field of pink flowers being the whistle of the wind that blew through the petals, the waterfalls that fell from the glimmering ocean hitting the ground with pure silence.

Mysteeri knew this place well at this point, as if she returned here almost every time she fell asleep. It allowed time to think…to contemplate. She broke her gaze from the ocean sky and looked down to her suit, once again the only noise being the wind as, even in a dream, it refused to vanish from her body. With a grumble, she crossed her arms and went back to looking at the ocean.

Only to be interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps.

“This is a strange dream.” A smooth, soft voice echoed through the field, Mysteeri lowering her head once more, glancing over her shoulder to see a Unicorn…no, Pegasus? Or perhaps it was both. Mysteeri shrugged the thought off, remaining unmoving as she approached. The pony had a deep blue coat, her mane and tail flowing, with stars like the night sparkling amongst them “You’re not from around here, are you?” She questioned, tilting her head.

“And you are?” Mysteeri returned “Never seen you in this dream before.”

The regal looking pony chuckled “Yes, I guess you could say that. My name is Princess Luna, I keep watch over the dream world at night.”

“Luna…” Mysteeri mumbled “Starburst mentioned you.” She said as she turned the rest of her body to face the Princess.

“Now…” Luna cleared her throat, taking on a much sterner stance “Your dream radiated an otherworldly energy, that’s why I’m here. I must ask, offworlder, what is your purpose for being here?”

Mysteeri reached behind her back with one hand, summoning a silver pistol into her grip “And what reason do I have to tell you? We both know I’m not supposed to be here. Who’s to say you won’t track me down and send me back?” She lowered her stance with a menacing scowl on her lips as she spoke, digging her foot into the floor.

Luna began pacing around Mysteeri, her eyes keeping locked on her as she walked, as if she were looking for something “It’s very rare for someone to come to our world from the outside of their own choice. I must assume your presence here relates to the large burst of magical energy that was detected by Twilight Sparkle earlier today.”

Mysteeri responded with silence, slowly rotating to keep herself facing Luna as the Princess observed her “Your silence is answer enough.” Luna frowned “In truth, outsider, you would be correct to assume it would be my duty to send you back to the world you came from. However…”

“However?” Mysteeri raised an eyebrow.

Luna stopped and faced Mysteeri properly “Your acquaintance, Starburst Nova, would not have summoned you to this world without understanding the risks, nor would she summon someone with such power within them.” Luna suddenly appeared mere inches away from Mysteeri, a blue glow radiating from her horn. Mysteeri’s body instinctively tried to jump back, only to find herself frozen to the spot with Luna staring right into her soul “Offworlder, you know of the darkness well, I feel that within you, too. I do not know the specifics of your mission, but I have felt something that it is an important one. I will allow you to stay in our world, but you must tell no one of our meeting tonight, understand?”

“Yeah…” Mysteeri grunted, her feet shaking as she tried to wrench herself free from her magical restraints “What happens if word about me gets out, then?”

“I’m afraid my sister will not be so willing to allow you to stay.” Luna stepped back, releasing Mysteeri from her grasp. There was a brief silence between them until Luna broke it with “I did not ask for your name.”

“…Mysteeri.” Mysteeri responded.

A soft smile appeared on Luna’s face as a portal opened up behind her “Well, Mysteeri, I hope I can meet you in person when you have completed your task.” She nodded and turned away, vanishing into the abyssal portal.

Just as the void snapped shut, Mysteeri jolted awake. She was still in Starburst’s guest room, no sign of Luna. Groaning as she stood up, her blurry vision was blasted by morning sunlight as the curtains suddenly swung open, causing the girl to flinch back.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” Starburst’s voice came from the doorway “I didn’t know it would be so bright out! Are you OK?” She rushed over to Mysteeri as she rubbed her eyes, hopping up onto the bed to get as close to eye level with her as she could.

Mysteeri lowered her hands to reveal a sky blue iris in the eye her hair usually covered, the huge mass of purple and pink itself a huge mess that spread out in every direction “Whoa…” Starburst blinked “Your eye, I’ve never seen that before..."

Mysteeri grunted as she realised her hair’s condition, turning to a blur for a split second as she righted it back into its proper shape “Morning, then…” She yawned.

Starburst dropped down from the bed “Heheh, good morning, Mysteeri.” She chuckled “Sorry about the sunlight.”

Mysteeri arched her back and rolled her neck “I’ve had worse wake up calls.” Her eyes shifted down to the suit…still there.

“So, um, I know we just met and all, but…why cover up your other eye?” Starburst asked with a small grin. Mysteeri looked down to her, then out the window for a moment until she just walked past her and into the hall “Ah…” Starburst muttered, trotting up to Mysteeri’s side “Sorry.”

Mysteeri just shrugged, her revealed eye opening fully when a sweet smell filled the air “What’s that smell?”

“Oh, ah, haha, that’s breakfast.” Starburst replied as they walked downstairs “I’ve had nothing but pancakes for breakfast ever since I got my own place. I made you some, too!”

There were still a few objects strewn about the lounge from last night, but the table had two plates upon it, both stacked with syrup-covered pancakes. Mysteeri took a glance to Starburst as she sat down, the Unicorn had dark bags under her eyes, almost slumping over in her chair

“You look exhausted.” Mysteeri spoke up as she sat down in the other chair, idly spinning the fork between her fingers.

“Oh, do I?” Starburst’s nervous laughter only caused Mysteeri to give her a more inquisitive look. The Unicorn sighed and shook her head “After you fell asleep last night, I couldn’t sleep myself. My mind was racing after those monsters just kept showing up. I considered going to the library to read up on if there were any records of them, but I didn’t know if they were…waiting outside.”

“And you kept watch the whole night?” Mysteeri responded before putting a large chunk of pancakes in her mouth.

Starburst shook her head “It wasn’t that it was more that I just…couldn’t sleep in case they showed up again. I guess we should count ourselves lucky they didn’t. Plus, I heard you sleep talking.”

Mysteeri froze.

“You sounded like you were talking to someone.” Starburst’s magic flickered around her horn as she began eating herself “You didn’t say a name, though.”

“First I’ve heard of me sleep talking.” Mysteeri shrugged “Aunt Rem never said anything, and she stays up ages making music sometimes.”

Starburst replied with a tired hum, the two of them eating the rest of their breakfast in silence until Starburst spoke up again “Hey, by the way, when Twilight spotted you, what did you turn into?”

A light flash of purple light surrounded Mysteeri, her form instantly changing to a black and white, long haired cat with pink markings running from her head down to her tail “I believe this is what you saw.” Her voice echoed in Starburst’s head, the Unicorn frantically looking around in response “That’s me, Starburst, I have telepathy in this form.” In another flash, Mysteeri was back in her regular appearance…and the suit was still there, along with the itch in her back returning.

“Oh wow…” Starburst’s voice was full of wonder “I’ve never been able to perform a transformation spell!”

Mysteeri shrugged and leaned back “You and I probably use different kinds of magic, I don’t think my abilities would transfer over to your type all that easily.”

Starburst responded with a simple “Oh.” Before taking the empty plates to the kitchen, stumbling along the way. When she returned a few minutes later, Mysteeri was simply staring out into the morning sky “Hey, Mysteeri?”

“Yeah?” Mysteeri asked, sitting upright and looking to the Unicorn.

“…I’m sorry about asking you why you covered your eye earlier. I didn’t know it was personal to you.” Starburst frowned as she jumped back onto her chair “Won’t-“ She was interrupted by a yawn “…happen again.”

Mysteeri shook her head “No, I shoulda just told ya I didn’t wanna talk about it instead of just ignoring you. Sorry if I’ve been acting a bit…hostile, too, I know you mean well.”

“Huh?” Starburst tilted her head “What do you mean?”

“I can be a bit…cold with new people. I just find it a little hard to trust someone I’ve never met before, but, well, considering that look in your eye, I know you want to do the right thing.” A small smile crept onto Mysteeri’s face.

“That’s…good…” Starburst slumped over in her chair, Mysteeri springing upright only to relax when the Unicorn released a light snuffle.

“Poor girl’s exhausted.” Mysteeri murmured to herself as she stood up, looking out the window again to see a whole rainbow of ponies filling the grass road outside “She said she wanted to go to the library…” The witch looked to Starburst, then returned to her bedroom and swung the windows open.

There was a brief flash of purple light and a long haired cat jumped out of the window and landing on the ground below with a light thump. She got a few glances from some passing ponies, but was left undisturbed as she looked around

“Now, where would a library be?” She thought to herself, weaving between ponies’ legs as she skittered through the town, yet found no sign of a library any which way she went. Bakeries, regular stores, even a bustling marketplace, but no library.

Mysteeri eventually found herself back where she started, sitting in front of the remains of the beaten up tree she had spotted the night before, tracing her claws around in the dirt with a fowl expression on her face.

“Hey, that’s not the library anymore, you know!” A familiar voice caused Mysteeri’s ears to perk up, spinning her head to see Twilight approaching from behind her.

“You recognised me?” Mysteeri asked, head tilted.

“Oh wow, telepathy?” Twilight smiled “You’re full of surprises, Mysteeri.” She looked up to the tree with a nostalgic smile, then back to Mysteeri “So, you’re on a book run for Starburst?”

“Kind of.” Mysteeri replied “She was going to get the books herself last night, but was too afraid to leave the house, or go to sleep. She completely conked out in the middle of a conversation.”

Twilight let out a sigh “Starburst’s been like that for years, if something’s on her mind she’ll even go as far as not eating until she gets what she wants to do done. I’ve never heard of her being afraid, though.”

“Why’s that?” Mysteeri asked.

A small distance away from the two, two other ponies watched Twilight conversing with the cat, faces scrunched up in confusion “Is she talking to a cat?” One asked the other.

“Definitely looks that way.” The other replied “She must be usin’ some kinda new magic…”

“Starburst’s special talent is wielding incredibly powerful magic, I’ve seen her reduce boulders the size of a building to rubble like it was as easy as lifting a piece of paper, but for her to be afraid?” Twilight looked to the Starburst’s house nearby “It feels so out of character for her.”

Mysteeri nodded “Those monsters were something else. They have her scent, and probably ours, too, she was surrounded by the things when she summoned me.”

“Well then,” Twilight took a step forward, then suddenly stopped “Oh, uh, is it alright if I lift you up?”

“I get people coming up to me all the time, I don’t mind anyone touching me in this form.” Mysteeri said as she licked her paw.

Twilight lifted the feline onto her back “Alright, well, we better get you some books before those monsters decide to show up again. On to the library!” She boldly exclaimed, happily trotting along down the streets. Mysteeri didn’t say anything, idly sitting on Twilight’s back as she walked through the town, getting a few glances from passerby ponies until one caught her attention. A regular, male pony with a deep grey coat, white mane and tail with cyan eyes, staring right at her. Yet just as Mysteeri blinked, they were gone.

“Ah! Here we are!” Twilight interrupted Mysteeri’s contemplation on the pony, the cat turning around to see Twilight pointing toward an extremely large maple tree, the image of a book carved into its trunk above the door “Deep Autumn Library!”

“Explains why I missed it.” Mysteeri rolled her eyes.

Twilight gently pushed the door open to reveal just how expansive the insides of this tree were, dozens of shelves stacked with hundreds of books surrounded them and looking up only showed there was another floor above them “Am I just seeing this because I’m small, or is there magic involved with how big this place is?” The cat questioned, rapidly turning her back and forth to observe the room.

“Nope.” Twilight chuckled “Just a really, really big tree.” She gave the receptionist a friendly wave as she passed by “So, you two would want books on Hungaar, right?”

“I presume as much that’s what Starburst was going to get, yeah.” Mysteeri responded “But I doubt you’ve got any books on an astral infection.”

“Can’t say I’ve seen one, no.” Twilight shook her head “But there is one huge book about Hungaar.” She said as she brought a book down from one of the highest shelves, a picture of the night sky with the white streak covering it on the cover.

“Studies of Hungaar…” Mysteeri hummed “It should do.”

“Let’s get a start on it here.” Twilight walked to a table and placed the book upon it. Mysteeri jumped off her back and onto the table, laying down beside the book as Twilight opened it.

The door to the library slowly swung open again, the deep grey Earth pony from earlier making his way in. He greeted the receptionist with a simple “Good day.” as he passed her, eyeing the room until he spotted Twilight and Mysteeri.

“…so Hungaar has a very elliptical orbit around the sun, how it remains in its sphere of influence is a mystery even now.” Twilight explained, Mysteeri responding with just swishes of her tail “But there’s never been any signs of something hitching a ride. Even right now there are people observing its main body and there’s no signs of this…infection.”

“Maybe the arrival of the comet awoke it from within the planet itself.” Mysteeri mused “Until we find the source of all this, we won’t know for sure…”

“Excuse me…” The grey pony approached the two of them.

“Oh, hello.” Twilight gave the pony a warm smile “Can I help you?”

“Yes, I was wondering if either of you have seen a pony called Starburst Nova.” The pony questioned.

“Hang on…either of us?” Twilight responded, “My friend’s cat can’t speak.”

A brief silence.

The duo were suddenly sent flying out of a nearby window by an incredibly powerful gust of wind, its incredible powering sending books flying all throughout the library. Twilight grabbed the falling Mysteeri and tossed her onto her back as the grey pony seemed to levitate through the window to meet them in the air, an almost dead gaze in his eyes.

“Who are you!?” Twilight bellowed, sparkling with magic.

“I’m afraid I cannot answer that.” The grey pony spoke, his voice monotone “But I can tell you I’m…an emissary.”

“Emissary?” Mysteeri looked to the floor below, a small crowd already gathered to observe the faceoff “For who?”

The grey pony’s eyes glazed over and turned entirely black, wings of sheer darkness rupturing from within his skin, his head falling limp as another one emerged from within it, just as pure black as the wings he had sprouted.

“What the…?” Twilight muttered in pure shock at the sight.

“Twilight, we need to lure him away from here.” Mysteeri’s voice turned serious as she climbed atop the princess’ head “This guy…you’re gonna need my help, and not only is fighting him here gonna get people killed, I can’t show my true form in front of a crowd.”

“Got it.” Twilight nodded “Hey, follow me!” She called out to the puppeteering beast, flying off to the mountains, the shadowy being smirking as it followed suit.

Twilight stopped in a canyon between two mountains, a raging river below them “This should be good.” She kept her eyes on the monstrous pony as it approached “What is that thing, though?”

“Like I said,” Mysteeri jumped off Twilight and turned back to her human form in a flash of purple light “those things have got our scent. But if we can save that guy…” The dark monster came to a sudden halt a fair distance across from them, Mysteeri’s body igniting with a faint purple flame “He should be able to tell us what happened to him.”

The dark beast let out an otherworldly screech as it charged for the two of them, the purple heroes letting out battle cries of their own as they rushed toward it.

Virtical Point

The shady monster was sent reeling back by the impact between it and its foes, its yellow eyes glaring at the human and the alicorn with vehemence. Mysteeri cracked her knuckles as she stared right back at the beast, purple lightning crackling around her.

PUPPET PONY

“Do you have a plan of attack?” Twilight asked, prepping an incantation at her horn.

“I have a plan.” Mysteeri said as she adopted a fighting stance “Attack.”

Before Twilight could say a word to disagree, Mysteeri charged forward with ferocious speed, slamming her fist into the dark creature’s face, the resounding THWACK echoing throughout the valley. The monster hissed as it put its puppet’s hoof to its cheek, responding to Mysteeri’s taunting smirk with an equally powerful headbutt directly into her stomach.

Mysteeri huffed as she came to a complete stop, Twilight flying into the fray from underneath her while blasting the creature with bolts of magical energy, the impacts on their foe shimmered like fireworks as the monster bellowed out under their force. Mysteeri smirked and dashed around to the monster’s back, igniting herself with a pink flame and ramming her full weight into the beast’s back, sending them hurtling through the ravine toward the rapids below.

The beast’s wings suddenly turned into giant claws that grabbed Mysteeri and forced her under it as the rapid descent continued, pinning the witch’s arms to her side, they struggled against each other’s strength as the floor continued to approach. Mysteeri’s hair then went alight with a lavender glow, firing thin streams of pure energy from the many points her wild style had, piercing through the beast’s chest.

With a tremendous screech, the beast slammed Mysteeri into the a hard, cold boulder that jutted out of the rapids – seemingly cackling to itself as it pulled back to prepare another blow before being rammed into the water by Twilight, the princess holding out her hoof to Mysteeri as their foe struggled in the waters below.

“…Thanks.” Mysteeri grunted as Twilight pulled her from the indent she had made on the rock.

“Your plan could have used a bit more thought.” Twilight quipped before the beast burst out from under the waves, its claws wings grabbing its foes and smashing them full force into the canyon’s walls “This thing’s vicious…!” Twilight growled, unleashing a pulse of magic that forced the beast back, Mysteeri groaning as she dropped to one knee. The shadowy beast charged for Twilight once more as she prepared to fire another blast of magic at it.

BANG!

The beast was sent tumbling out of the air and face first into the mud below as a powerful blast like thunder echoed throughout the walls of the canyon. Twilight’s gaze was taken by a large hole that had been torn through the wing of the beast, looking to Mysteeri to see her holding a sizable black as night firearm in her left hand, as she stood upright another one appeared in her right hand, though this one was a vibrant silver.

“You don’t see those every day.” Twilight mused, landing beside Mysteeri as their opponent staggered back up itself.

“Custom made.” Mysteeri replied, keeping the guns trained on the beast “Midnight and Moonrise.” She motioned with the black and silver guns respectively “To be honest, I’m surprised I could summon them…thought universal interference would get in the way.”

“Well, no time to think about that now.” Twilight’s horn went alight with magic as their foe began marching towards them once more, a menacing growl emanating from within it. It quickly turned to standoff between the fighters, Mysteeri remaining steadfast with her pistols aimed square at the beast, Twilight with magic swirling around her horn whilst the beast continued to growl at them.

“Hey, princess.” Mysteeri whispered “Think you can use your magic to get to that guy?” She gestured to the victim of their opponent, still as limp as he was when the fight started.

Twilight hummed as she put a hoof to her chin “It’s worth a try…I’m going to need an opening, though.”

Mysteeri spun the guns in her hands, finishing with aiming them skyward “One opening, coming right up.” A large gust of wind blasted through the canyon as Mysteeri broke into a full charge, slamming Moonrise’s barrel into the side of the beast’s face, not even giving it a second to recover before delivering a deadly kick into its chin, sending it flying onto its back, leaping into the air with a purple flame around her.

The beast’s look of shock quickly turned to rage as Mysteeri came back down, kicking its hooves up as Mysteeri got close with tremendous force, a sickening CRACK reverberating off the stone walls as hoof met bone. The force of the kick was strong enough to bring the beast back to its feet in an instant as Mysteeri slammed back into the ground, Moonrise vanishing into thin air as she clutched her left arm.

Twilight flinched at the sight of Mysteeri continuing to hold her arm as she stood back up, a storm of different colours swirling around her horn now “It’s almost ready, Mysteeri, just a little longer!”

Mysteeri nodded, releasing her arm and summoning Moonrise back into her hand. Before she could return fire to the beast, it broke into a mad dash for her. The pistols vanished completely as Mysteeri brought her arms up and braced for the impact, sliding back in the mud as the beast rammed into her. She grabbed onto each side of its face as she came to a stop, their burning eyes meeting mere inches away from each other as they pushed their might against each other.

The beast suddenly wrenched its head upward, forcing Mysteeri’s guard wide open. Shock covering her face, Mysteeri was forced into the mud with a hoof on her chest. The beast leaned down, breathing as if it was laughing at the witch. It lit up with a white glow, Mysteeri baring her fangs in response.

Just as the beast threw its head back down, it was blasted by a wave purple magic, sending it careening into the mud itself. Twilight immediately sprinted over to Mysteeri as she stood “Oh my god, I’m so sorry, Mysteeri!” She yelped as she helped the witch balance “I didn’t realise it was so powerful!”

“…I don’t understand.” Mysteeri said flatly.

“Huh?”

“…It’s clearly here from the comet, but – the fact it was able to read me so quickly…” She trailed off, muttering to herself eventually. Twilight looked to the now limp, shadowy monster. Just as she considered approaching it, it suddenly burst out of the pony’s body, revealing its true form like that of a void itself, still taking the form of a pony-like creature, it shrieked at the two victors before flying off, fading from view as it approached the faint comet against the bright blue sky.

Twilight then turned her attention to the pony it left behind, completely unharmed from the fight. Wings suddenly appeared on his sides “It must have been trying to disguise itself.” She thought aloud “But it can only change a pony’s race…hmm…” She hummed as she looked to Mysteeri, still holding her arm “Are you going to be OK?”

“Yeah…” Mysteeri nodded, releasing her arm “Hurts like hell, but it’s not broken.”

“Ugh…” The Pegasus groaned as he stirred, slowly opening his eyes “Huh!?” He bolted to his feet, eyes darting around “Where am I!?” He froze when he noticed Twilight standing across from him “Gah!” He immediately went into a bow “Princess Twilight!”

“Um…at ease, sir.” Twilight gingerly gestured with her hoof, the Pegasus standing upright “I take it you don’t remember how you got here?”

The Pegasus cleared his throat, his voice turning gentle “No, Princess Twilight, I’m afraid I don’t. I was simply observing the comet when I passed out…and now I’m here.”

“So it possessed him simply by eyesight.” Mysteeri crossed her arms.

“What’s your name, sir?” Twilight asked.

“Gael Force, Princess.” Gael nodded his head “It’s an honour to be speaking with you.”

“Charming fella, ain’t ya?” Mysteeri put her hands on her head, only to scowl upon realising she was covered in mud.

“Oh, hello.” Gael responded with another nod “I don’t believe, we’ve…” He looked Mysteeri up and down “…met.”

“You don’t need to worry about her appearance.” Twilight said, “We do need to know about your…encounter, though.”

“Encounter?” Gael questioned; head tilted.

Mysteeri stepped forward “This probably isn’t the best place to discuss things. Can barely hear myself think over the rapids.” She glanced to the rushing water, then back to the ponies.

Twilight nodded “Mister Force, would you be willing to discuss this back at Ponyville?”

Gael nodded “Of course, Princess Twilight. Although I still don’t know what you mean by encounter…”

Ponyville, some time later…

Mysteeri, Gael and Twilight were sat outside Café Hay, with Mysteeri now back in her cat form and sitting on the table near Twilight, Gael had the most perplexed expression on his face as Twilight recounted the fight.

“…Well, I’m sorry, but I don’t recall anything to do with a fight.” Gael shook his head “But the mention of the comet, I do have something I can tell you about that.”

“You do!?” Twilight’s face lit up “Please, tell us everything you can!”

Mysteeri just sat in silence.

“Well, it was very early this morning…”

5:27AM, Cloudsdale

Gael excitedly dashed out onto his balcony; his gaze so fixated on the comet in the sky above that he bumped into the railing. Quickly regaining his balance, he reached back through the door and pulled out a mounted camera, already pointed to the heavens.

After some adjustment, the Pegasus smirked “Perfect.” He nodded his head, inches away from pressing the button when a cold chill blew through the air. Gael immediately backed up from the camera, glancing around into the night sky. An odd feeling of pressure fell upon him, as if there were eyes boring into his soul from every direction.

The Pegasus shrunk away from the balcony, carefully backing up inside until he was frozen to the spot by a being of pure darkness slamming onto the railing of his balcony, opening two bright yellow eyes that drilled straight through him, the Pegasus unable to move a muscle as the creature took on a large pony-like form, slowly approaching him.

An almighty screech could be heard all throughout Cloudsdale that dawn, jolting many a pony out of their sleep in the waning hours of the sun.

Ponyville, Present

“And you don’t remember a thing after that?” Mysteeri asked, “Nothing at all, no dream-like state? The next thing you know, you were awake in the canyon?”

Gael nodded “Yep – the next thing I knew, I was face down in the dirt with you two standing nearby.”

“I see…” Twilight nodded “Well, thank you for your time-“

“GAEL!?”

Starburst’s voice pierced the air, Mysteeri leaping so far into the air she went straight off the table. Gael turned around to see Starburst making a dash straight for them, sliding to a halt mere inches away from crashing into them “I haven’t seen you in forever, where’d you go!?”

“C-Cloudsdale, you never thought to visit?” Gael stammered.

“I don’t know the spell to walk on clouds, Gael, I was so busy with university you were meant to come visit me, remember?” Starburst spoke so quickly it was hard to even pick up on what she was saying.

Mysteeri grumbled as she jumped back onto the table “At least you’re looking better.”

Starburst looked to Mysteeri and Twilight, the princess giving her a friendly wave “O-Oh. Sorry, I haven’t seen Gael in so long I didn’t notice you sitting there.”

“You still have that cloak I gave you at least.” Gael chuckled, observing the pristine condition it was in “You really took care of it, huh?”

“Of course, I would!” Starburst nudged Gael’s chest with her hoof “I’d never let my best friend’s Hearth’s Warming gift get damaged!” She took another look to Twilight and Mysteeri “So, ah, what were you guys talking about?”

“Gael was possessed by the black creatures.” Mysteeri said flatly.

“What!?” Starburst shrieked, Mysteeri recoiling with flattened ears. Starburst cleared her throat “Sorry…what happened?”

“Gael says he was going to take some pictures of the comet, only for this black creature to show up and possess him. It must have been sent to find Mysteeri after she took out those monsters last night. At least, that’s what I think.” Twilight explained, Starburst’s gaze quickly shifting between her and Gael “We had to fight it, and when we drove it off, Gael came to. He doesn’t remember anything between being possessed and waking up.”

“I just hope it doesn’t take another try.” Starburst shook her head “Do you have any idea where it went?”

“Nope.” Mysteeri replied “It flew off but the moment it got close to the comet, it vanished. Considering how far away the comet really is,” she looked up to the sky, only to see the comet hidden behind a large cloud “…that shouldn’t be entirely possible without some kind of teleportation. If they’re coming from the comet itself.” Yawning as she lay down, the cat tilted her head as she looked back to Starburst “How long were you out for?”

“I woke up just a few hours ago. Since you were gone, I thought you’d gone out to take care of some things yourself.” Starburst said, Mysteeri quietly nodding as she spoke “So, I went to find Fluttershy to talk to her about the comet issue.”

“Oh!” Twilight happily exclaimed “What did she say?”

“Well, her…boyfriend? Some…weird dragon-looking guy.”

“That would be Discord.” Twilight smiled.

“That’s Discord!?” Starburst’s eyes went wide “Well, ah, anyway, he said that whatever forces had been woken up by the arrival of the comet, he could feel them, too. Fluttershy also said that she had seen a lot of strange-looking animals amongst the trees, which may have been some of the comet’s creatures watching her.”

“They’ve already got a bead on the others, huh? Hopefully we’re not too slow.” Mysteeri shook her head “It feels weird, though.”

“What does?” Gael asked.

“I’m so used to fighting my way through problems, whenever I have to do something in these major events I end up getting involved with, I always end up fighting someone or something in order for things to proceed…it just feels weird for things to work out through talking.” Mysteeri mused, absent mindedly waving one of her paws about as she spoke.

Starburst chuckled “You must come from a pretty crazy place, then, huh?”

“I guess you could say that.” Mysteeri shrugged, letting out the slightest of giggles herself.

“Fluttershy’s always been a kind soul, it’s good to hear she understood the problem.” Twilight spoke “But that part about the comet’s effects being able to be felt by Discord, I can only hope this isn’t more powerful than we’re thinking.”

“Yeah.” Starburst nodded “If things get too out of hands, then I fear that we may end up with people who I don’t want involved…”

Mysteeri interrupted “Hey, you summoned me for a reason, didn’tcha?”

“Oh, yes, of course.” Starburst nodded “I’m sure you’re hiding a whole wealth of power from us even now!”

“Right, well,” Gael said as he got off his seat “I best be heading back to Cloudsdale. Everypony is probably wondering where I am.”

“That would be best.” Starburst replied, “Don’t go letting yourself get possessed again!”

Gael laughed, a hoof on his chest “I wouldn’t count on that happening again!” He spread his wings and took to the air, waving to the group as he took off into the sky.

“We have enough time to see if we can get another one of the Elements to help us out today, Mysteeri.” Starburst turned back to her and Twilight “I was thinking we could go and find…Applebuck?”

“Applejack.” Twilight corrected her “You know where Sweet Apple Acres is, right?”

“Mhm.” Starburst nodded “I may be bad with names, but I’m not that bad with locations!”

Mysteeri hopped over Starburst’s head and onto her back “You wanna come with, Twilight?”

Twilight shook her head “Sorry, the rest of my day is pretty full. I had some time off now, but my schedule is filled to bursting until night. But if you two need anything, though, then I’m sure Starburst wouldn’t forget where my castle is!”

Starburst playfully rolled her eyes in response “Yeah, yeah, I know.” She waved her friend goodbye and began walking back through town. Mysteeri gently raised her paw as Twilight waved them farewell in return.

As You Like

“That’s one hell of a sunset.” Mysteeri mused as Starburst approached the large expanse of Sweet Apple Acres, the sun’s golden glow illuminating the many, many trees that surrounded them on their path to the barn “Even the place I was born didn’t have sunsets like this. Well, not unless you went to the top of the volcano.”

“Hm?” Starburst hummed “What kind of place do you come from, anyway, Mysteeri?”

Mysteeri chuckled as she looked into the orange sky “It’s a place called Hawaii. Bunch of islands in the ocean, it’s an absolutely beautiful place. Tons of exotic plants and trees, beaches everywhere and the view from the top of the volcano is something else.”

“Woooow…” Starburst’s eyes sparkled at the sound of such a place – there had to be somewhere like that in Equestria, too, surely “Maybe after all this over, I could come visit your home!”

Mysteeri smiled at the idea “Perhaps, yeah.”

“Howdy there!” A southern voice called out to the two, Starburst whipping her head around to the find the pony responsible “Over here, y’all!”

Just by the door to the barn stood an orange earth pony with blonde hair, green eyes and a brown stetson hat upon her head, a trio of apples adorning her flank, Starburst mouthing an “Oh.” upon noticing her. Mysteeri poked her head out by Starburst’s side to get a look at the pony herself.

“Mighty fine lookin’ cat you got there.” The pony commented “What’s your name, sugarcube?”

Starburst cleared her throat “It’s Starburst, Starburst Nova. I assume you’re Applejack?”

“Yep, that’s me.” Applejack nodded “What can ah do fer ya?”

“Oh, ah, well, have you noticed any strange occurrences in the last week or so? Since, say, Hungaar appeared in the sky?” Starburst gestured skyward, Mysteeri jumping off her unicorn companion’s back and sitting on the floor beside her.

“That’s an odd question, but…hmm…” Applejack hummed to herself, rubbing her hoof on her chin. A moment or two of silence passed as the farm pony thought, Starburst and Mysteeri exchanging a glance “Actually, yeah, now you mention it, ah did notice some strange occurrences deep in the orchard.”

“Oh, really?” Starburst’s face lit up in apparent excitement “Oh, ah, I should probably explain why we- I’m here.”

Applejack nodded “Alright then.”

“Recently some strange, black creatures have been appearing. A lot of people don’t seem to be taking them seriously, but I do. So, I’m asking the Elements of Harmony for help in removing the source of them, which I theorize is coming directly from the comet.”

Applejack nodded as Starburst spoke “Right…well, ah wouldn’t say it’s too far fetched for the things ah’ve had to deal with. Maybe it would be worth havin’ a look, see if there’s a connection between the strange things ah noticed in the orchard and these things comin’ from the comet.”

Starburst stood proud in response “Worry not, Applejack, we- I’ll get to the source of this!”

Applejack blinked “Riiiight…” She slowly nodded.

Applejack led Starburst and Mysteeri through the many trees of the orchard, sunlight glistening through the leaves on their way through. Finally they came to a rather distant spot in the mass of trees “Was right around here that ah noticed the strange changes. First ah saw somethin’ weird crawlin’ through the leaves-“

Before Applejack could finish, Mysteeri leapt off the floor, springboarding off Starburst’s back and landing neatly one the branches of a tree. She turned to the ponies and gave them a mew before disappearing into the leaves.

“…Could she understan’ me?” Applejack asked, keeping her gaze fixated on the tree.

Starburst hesitated for a moment before responding “Mysteeri is a very…strange cat. I swear she does seem to understand me on occasion. Often to do exactly what I tell her not to do.”

There was a brief rustling in the tree, followed by a pair of pigeons bursting from within it and flying off. Mysteeri dropped from one of the unseen branches with an apple so black it was like it wasn’t even there dropping right by her. She mewed again and licked her paw as Starburst lifted the apple up with her magic, her and Applejack closely examining it.

“Yep, ah saw this, too.” Applejack confirmed “After ah saw the strange thing scuttling through the leaves, when ah came back the next mornin’, there was a few of these scattered around.”

“But what would some strange comet creatures want to do with an apple orchard?” Starburst wondered aloud.

Mysteeri briefly considered her telepathy, but pushed the thought aside, either choice of who could hear her was going to blow her cover. She jumped back onto Starburst’s back to get a closer look at the apple for herself as the ponies talked.

“Well, I already went to see Fluttershy, she said she had something similar happen.” Starburst said, eyes fixated on the black apple.

“She did?” Applejack replied “What did she see?”

“Strange creatures hiding in the woods near her house. And I think I’m starting to see a pattern forming.” Starburst’s expression turned serious “Fluttershy was being watched by the creatures, Twilight and-“ She froze for a second once more, Mysteeri gently nudging the back of her head “…a friend had a run in with a strong one of these black creatures that possessed an old friend of mine. Ever since I got my hoofs on this stuff, the comet creatures have taken a notice of the Elements. Perhaps they know my plan…” Beads of sweat rolled down Starburst’s forehead upon such a revelation, dozens of thoughts flashing through her mind.

“Hey, hey, snap out of it.” Applejack gently nudged the unicorn, snapping her back to reality “Mah friends are more than capable of handling a few little shadow monsters, ah’m sure if these things are gonna make a move, they won’t last long. If anything, I imagine the fact they have the power of their element is what’s holdin’ em back from going for ‘em, they’re too afraid right now.”

Starburst nodded in agreement, hoof on her chin “You could be right…surely by now the ones near Fluttershy’s cottage would have waited for her to be alone and struck then.”

“Wouldn’t underestimate Fluttershy if ah were you.” Applejack chuckled “Anywho, whatever’s here clearly ain’t a toughie, he’s got us alone and ain’t jumpin’. Heh, lil’ coward.” She looked up to the apples in the trees “Shame to lose a few trees to it, but they should be right as rain when your plan goes through.”

“Like they were never here.” Starburst smiled “So, ah, I’ll need you to show up at Twilight’s castle in 4 days, that’s when the comet will make its closest approach. When everything’s set, we’ll use the Elements of Harmony to hit them where it hurts!”

Applejack tipped her hat “Can do.”

Mysteeri looked away from the ponies and up into the slowly darkening sky, eyes fixated on the comet streaking through the heavens. The strangest of noises slowly filled her ears, a combination of something like a light gust of wind and a strange groaning, occasionally joined by bizarre beeps and pings.

Her vision suddenly flashed to dozens of shaking images she had never seen before, yet so many figures in them seemed so familiar…a shrieking noise slowly built as the visions flashed faster and faster, finally lingering on a large, white alicorn staring her down before Mysteeri’s vision flashed back to reality, Starburst walking back through the path they entered Sweet Apple Acres from.

“Oh, Mysteeri, are you alright?” Starburst asked upon feeling movement on her back “You went oddly still for a while.”

“…Yeah.” Mysteeri replied, slowly laying down “Just had some things to think about…but are you sure it’s alright not to deal with these creatures while they’re hiding out here?”

Starburst sighed and shook her head “No can do, unfortunately, I would use magic to draw them out but I don’t think such a spell even exists. And I couldn’t use Moonlight Greatsword in such a place like that, anyway, not without causing major damage.”

Mysteeri’s ears perked up at the mention of the sword’s name “Moonlight Greatsword?”

A large, shining blue sword of magical energy burst forth from Starburst’s horn, filled with stars like the night sky itself “It’s a new spell I’ve been working on. But…” The sword quickly shattered, its pieces disappearing into thin air “It’s difficult to hold together for long, even after months of trying I’ve only held it together longer than a minute once.”

“You’ll get it eventually.” Mysteeri replied, going quiet once more as she focused on her own thoughts. Those visions…that white alicorn, what did they mean?

Starburst’s house, several hours later

Mysteeri sat in silence in front of Starburst’s roaring fireplace, buried within a book. Starburst had gone out to pick up some groceries, leaving Mysteeri on her lonesome to guard the house. The witch hadn’t really needed to do the guarding part, though, leaving her to focus on the book in peace.

“Thinking about it, she does a grocery run awful late…” Mysteeri glanced to her side and into the night sky “Maybe the lack of people helps her get there and back faster…” She shrugged and returned to her book. Only a few minutes passed before there came a knocking at the door, Mysteeri sighed and rolled her eyes as she put the book down. Putting her revealed eye to the peephole in the door, she was met with none other than Princess Luna waiting patiently on the other side.

Mysteeri looked away with a face covered in confusion, then gently creaked the door open, her golden eye glimmering against the darkness “…What are you doing here?” She whispered in a hushed tone.

Luna looked to either side of her before responding “I can’t say it out here. May I come in?”

“…And who’s to say you’re not here to go back on what you said in my dream?” Mysteeri raised an eyebrow, gripping the doorknob.

“Because if I were here to do that, we would not be having this conversation.” Luna replied firmly.

Mysteeri grumbled something under her breath then pulled the door open, Luna making her way inside. She chuckled in amusement at the sight of the organised chaos that was Starburst’s home as Mysteeri closed the door behind her “Starburst has quite the way to organise things, doesn’t she?”

Mysteeri nodded as she walked back over to her chair “So, what’s so important that couldn’t wait until I fell asleep?”

The princess sat on the chair across from Mysteeri “Well, one of the comet’s creatures was spotted in Canterlot today. By my own sister, no less.”

Mysteeri crossed her arms and furrowed her brow “What was it doing near your sister?”

Luna shook her head “It ran off the moment it made eye contact with her, but I feel like it was scouting the area.”

“…Just like the ones that Applejack and Fluttershy encountered.” Mysteeri looked down, tapping her fingers against her arm.

Luna frowned at the news “So they’re going after Twilight and her friends already?”

Mysteeri grunted and reached to scratch that returning itch on her back, teeth grit in annoyance before she spoke “Yeah. Twilight and I had to fight one off earlier today. These creatures can possess ponies, too.”

“Oh no…” Luna gasped out as she put a hoof to her chest “What happened to the one it possessed?”

“Well, it took some doing, but we were able to drive the thing out of him. It took control of a Pegasus named Gael Force. Apparently, it had taken control of him only the morning before.” Mysteeri explained, the itch finally disappearing from her back “But I assume you’re not here to ask about that.”

Luna shook her head “I came to offer you my assistance.”

“Princess Luna!?” Starburst’s voice shattered the silent air of their conversation, the unicorn standing with her mouth agape, saddlebags filled to the brim with a large assortment of food on her sides. She bucked the door shut in a flash and immediately fell into a bow “It-it’s an honour to be in your presence!”

“Hey, how come you get all formal with Luna but when Twilight showed up ya didn’t freak out?” Mysteeri questioned the unicorn, head resting in her hand.

“I went to the same school as Twilight when we were younger, this is different!” Starburst turned her head up to look at Mysteeri, her shocked expression worsening when she saw Mysteeri’s lounging in the chair “And why aren’t you bowing!?”

Luna gestured with her hoof for Starburst to stand up “Please, Starburst Nova, formalities aren’t necessary right now.”

Starburst struggled under the weight of her shopping as she stood back up “So, um…what brings you here, Princess?”

“I came to offer you two my assistance in dealing with this growing threat. Since a comet creature was spotted in Canterlot this afternoon, it’s evident that they’re getting bolder by the day.” Luna explained as she stood up from her seat, Starburst letting out an even louder gasp as the princess bowed her head to her “Please, allow me to join you in your quest.”

Mysteeri shrugged as she stood up, a playful smirk on her face “Hey, I wouldn’t deny the help of a princess if I were you. We’ll need all the backup we can get.”

Starburst looked to Luna as she raised her head, then to Mysteeri and then out into the night sky through the window before putting the shopping on her table and bowing to Luna once more “I-I humbly accept your aid, Princess Luna!”

Luna breathed a sigh of relief upon Starburst’s approval “Thank you, Miss Nova.” Her horn illuminated with magic before a deep blue bell materialised in the air before her “I would love to take the fight to them with you, but I’m afraid my duties as princess make that difficult, if not impossible.” The bell hovered over to Starburst, who took it in her own magic “Should you ever need my assistance, ring this bell and I will come as soon as I can.”

“Th-thank you, Princess!” Starburst bowed once more “But, um, if I may ask, have you met Mysteeri before?”

Mysteeri and Luna exchanged a glance, then nodded at each other “I met Mysteeri in her dream the first night after she arrived.”

“Surprised it took ya only a day to decide the situation was so dire.” Mysteeri chuckled as she leaned against the wall.

“I knew the comet’s creatures were an issue soon after we spoke. When I returned to the waking world, I felt myself surrounded by eyes. In fact, I had to fend one off who would not vanish with his friends.” Luna explained, looking to the comet in the sky herself “But to think they would become to bold so quickly. The scout earlier today, and now Mysteeri has told me they’re stalking the holders of the Elements, even going as far to attack Twilight Sparkle, they’re learning. Fast.”

Starburst placed the bell on the table “From tomorrow, we’ll only have 3 days until the comet is at its closest approach. They’ve gone from just targeting people to know about them to stalking threats to their existence already.” Starburst began pacing back and forth, Mysteeri and Luna watching her “Things may only get worse from here. Mysteeri.” She looked to the witch.

“Yo.” Mysteeri uncrossed her arms.

“We’ll need to get the rest of the Elements in on our plan as fast as we can tomorrow. After that, there’ll be two more things we need. A chunk of Magna crystal from the Far mountains and white gold from the Canterlot mountains.” Starburst pulled out a map from her bags, putting her hoof on a collection of mountains on one side of the map, then to the mountains near the capital “With those, I can use my magic to create a focusing lens for the magic of the Elements.”

Mysteeri chuckled, putting her hands on her hips “You got this all figured out, don’t you?”

“Well, it is a comet. And as big as it seems to us, it’s incredibly far away.” Starburst turned from the map to the other two.

“Well, you two seem to have this under control.” Luna gave them a warm smile “I shall be present to help you on the day you launch your final stage. Of course, ring the bell if you ever feel like you need my assistance.”

“You got it.” Mysteeri nodded, opening the door for Luna.

“It’s been an honour meeting you, princess.” Starburst bowed to the deep blue alicorn “Thank you for helping us!”

Luna chuckled “Thank you for having me.” She walked out the door and took off into the night sky, Mysteeri gently closing the door as she left.

“Can’t say I was expecting that.” She crossed her arms once more “You always get so nervous when you even see one the royals?”

“H-Hey!” Starburst pouted.

Mysteeri chuckled “Ahh, I’m only teasing ya.” She walked past the unicorn, picking up her book from the seat “I’m headin’ to bed…and you guys got some good books in this world.”

The following morning…

Mysteeri groaned as she pushed herself up, rubbing her eyes as the blur in her vision faded, that itch in her back was already there today. She went to scratch it, only for her hands to grab onto something. It felt…soft and jutted out from her back for about a foot. Moving her hand slightly, she could feel another one near it. The teenage witch went to move her feet off the bed so she could get a better look at these things in a mirror, only to find her legs stiff and an odd numbness in her feet. She couldn’t even bend them. Running a hand down them, nothing felt strange…

She threw the covers aside only to be met with a sight that made her choke on her own breath. Her legs had changed completely overnight, where once was human legs, now were long, rigid legs like the hind ones of the same ponies she was stuck with. Her feet had vanished completely, replaced with deep black hooves of her own. It was like her suit had completely overtaken where her skin was, its patterns adorning her legs, the diamond pattern openings on the back of her legs even feeling like they had merged with her completely, too.

She stumbled out of her bed, using the wall to help support herself as she balanced on her transformed legs. Looking down her back, the witch’s shock elevated further upon finding the things she had grabbed before were none other than small wings jutting out from her back.

And even further down, there was a small tuft of a tail.

Gotta Go

The loud sounds of banging and stomping stirred Starburst from her sleep. The unicorn groaned as she rubbed her eyes, flopping out of bed with a deep breath, she looked around as the banging continued. Her horn glowed with magical energy, if this was some kind of thief, they certainly weren’t being very stealthy.

Just as she rounded the corner into the hall, something large and heavy tripped over her, forcing both of them to the ground. Starburst immediately looked to whatever had just crashed into her, seeing Mysteeri desperately scrambling to her feet.

“Mirror.” Was all the witch said. The way she moved, clinging onto whatever she could as she forced herself upright, Starburst didn’t need to ask twice as she dashed back into her room and brought out a small mirror in her magic, hovering it over to Mysteeri.

The witch took a good look at herself in the mirror, letting out a sigh of relief “Oh thank god…” She sighed.

“Uh, Mysteeri?” Starburst asked “What’s wrong?”

Mysteeri looked away from the mirror and simply gestured down with her eyes. Starburst tilted her head, eyes slowly creeping down Mysteeri’s body until she saw her legs “OH MY CELESTIA!” She shrieked, scrambling backward “What happened to your legs!?”

“That’s what I wanna know! And that’s not the only thing!” She showed her back to Starburst, revealing the small wings and tuft of a tail she was now sporting.

Starburst couldn’t move. She just stared with her mouth agape at the sight of her transformed friend and the more she stared, the more questions blasted through her mind. How did this happen? Was there a fix? Was it permanent? Could she even go back to her home now?

Was she going to fully turn into a pegasus?

“I…I need to sit down.” Starburst said weakly, eyes fixed wide open as she shambled downstairs, Mysteeri silently following her with the wall as a support the whole way. They sat in the same chairs in front of the fireplace. Mysteeri grunted as her wings pressed against the back of the chair, pushing herself further forward.

She stared at her legs in silence, the feeling of stiffness in them, the fact they were frozen in place with no way to bend them, it made her skin crawl…even running a hand over them, nothing felt right.

“We need to see Twilight.” Starburst said with an almost monotone voice “If anyone knows what’s going on, it’s her.”

Mysteeri sighed and nodded “Yeah,” She cracked an ever so smile smirk “She’s probably even expecting that she’ll have to get involved with us again today.”

Starburst chuckled “Hmhm, yeah.” She looked the witch up and down once more “Can you still transform?”

Mysteeri briefly flashed that same purple light…only for nothing to change. The witch was still there in her full form. Her expression turned sour as she flashed once more. Still nothing. She hissed out an angered “Shit…” under her breath.

“At least I still have the spell.” Starburst hopped out of her chair “Breakfast can wait, come on.” Her horn illuminated with its usual vibrant glow, covering Mysteeri in a shimmering light. The witch returned back to the same somewhat glimmering state she was in upon first sneaking into the village with Starburst “It should hold long enough to get into Twilight’s castle this time.”

“I should hope so.” Mysteeri replied as they stepped out of the door “Last thing we need is someone seeing me, especially with these…things.” She inspected the faint outline of her legs once more “Ugh…”

“With how early it is, we likely won’t run into many ponies.” Starburst began walking ahead, Mysteeri following right behind her.

What Starburst said held true, the only ponies they encountered in the waking hours of the day were a few younger ponies back from a night of partying and a small handful of very early birds. Other than that, the cold dew of the morning air was still fresh in the streets of the village.

Mysteeri fell victim to numerous trips and stumbles throughout the walk; Starburst’s yelps echoed into the cold air as each fall forced the invisible witch to grab onto her unicorn companion in a last-ditch effort to right herself. She scowled at what she could make out of her new legs, muttering a strongly worded insult toward them under her breath.

The pair soon arrived at the foot of a huge, crystal tree that nested a purple and gold castle in its branches. Before them stood a large gold a set of gold step that lead up to a matching door with a pair of purple hearts adorning it. Mysteeri huffed and crossed her arms at the sight of it all.

“Talk about gaudy,” she quipped “there’s a line when it comes to this stuff and whatever the hell this is has crossed it twice over.”

Starburst looked to the shimmering outline of the witch, then to the castle. She shrugged. Mysteeri had a point, the castle of friendship was a bit over the top, but considering what built it, it made sense “Well, c’mon, Twilight ain’t gonna know we’re here if we just stand around.” She walked up the stairs, Mysteeri gripping tightly onto the railing as she followed. The banging of Starburst’s knocking echoed throughout the castle halls…

And there was silence.

Mysteeri crossed her arms once more, being surrounded by another shimmer of light as she returned to the visible spectrum. Starburst scanned the environment as Mysteeri reappeared. Still nopony around to see her. The door, however, still remained closed.

“She doesn’t normally take this long…” Just as Starburst sent her hoof toward the door again, it was pulled open by a small purple dragon “Spike!” Starburst grinned upon seeing him “Is Twilight in?”

The young dragon yawned before answering “Yeah – you need to see her?”

Mysteeri stepped into view. To Spike, it was like staring at a giant, his pupils shrinking at the sight of the woman “J-Jeez…is that a friend of yours?” He asked Starburst.

“Yep!” Starburst nodded “Spike, this is Mysteeri. Mysteeri, this is Spike.” She gestured between the two.

Mysteeri cracked another small smile “Hey.”

“Um…hey.” Spike gently waved “I’ll go let Twilight know you guys are here.” He dashed off back down the hall, Starburst pushing the still open door further back to allow herself and Mysteeri entrance. The witch hummed once more at the sight of the insides of the castle.

“Much bigger than I expected, I’ll say that.” She said as she looked around at the cool, crystal blue interior.

“Even I don’t know how this works.” Starburst said, squinting as she, too, observed the room they were in “Did she remodel?”

They were soon alerted to the sound of approaching hooves, Twilight trotting up to them with her trademark smile on her face “Hi, girls!” She beamed.

“Bet you weren’t expecting to see us so early, huh?” Starburst joked.

Twilight shook her head “Any hour is fine to help out my friends. So, what do you-“ She froze when she laid eyes upon Mysteeri, immediately drawn to the transformed legs she was now sporting “Oh my.”

“Yeah,” Starburst rubbed one hoof against the other leg “That’s what we came to see you about.”

Mysteeri turned around to show her newly acquired wings and tail “And the legs aren’t the only part.”

Twilight sighed and dropped her head “I hate it when what I say when I panic is right.” She raised it back up “Come on, you two, I think I know what’s going on.” She lead Mysteeri and Starburst back through the castle and into an expansive library “I’m going to have to run some tests on you first to ensure what I think is happening is…actually happening.” Twilight explained “But it’s going to take a while. Are you OK with that?”

“Hey, Starburst.” Mysteeri shifted her gaze from one unicorn to the other “Go find Gael.”

“…Why?” Starburst questioned.

“If I’m going to be in here for a while, then you not going out to find the rest of the Elements is going to waste time, we have, what, three days until closest approach?” Mysteeri glanced out of one of the large windows that filled the walls.

“…That’s true.” Starburst nodded “But, are you sure? What if something only you can handle happens?”

Mysteeri smirked and bent down as best she could in her current condition “I doubt that would happen if you’re around, yeah? C’mon, you’re all about strong magic, right? You got this.” She patted Starburst on the back, then approached Twilight “Yeah, we’re good.”

Twilight smiled at that oddly warm display from someone who always looked so angry “Alright, please sit down in…” she scanned the room briefly “That chair!” She pointed to an old, rickety rocking chair. Mysteeri responded with a raised eyebrow “Oh, right, probably not the best choice for those legs…try that one!” She moved her hoof from pointing to the rocking chair to a larger, much softer looking chair.

Mysteeri threw herself into the chair, spotting Starburst walking about behind Twilight, flipping through numerous books before putting them back with an annoyed expression “Yo, Starburst, you alright?”

“Hm?” Starburst looked over to the witch “Y-yeah. I’m just looking for the spell that lets you walk on clouds. Can’t get to Gael otherwise.”

“Oh!” Twilight lit up her horn, levitating a blue book with numerous different traits of each race of pony upon its cover “Here you are, Starburst, it’s on page 132!”

Starburst gave her old friend a warm smile in return “Thank you, Twilight.” She took the book over to a nearby table, flipping it open.

“So, any idea when these…happened?” Twilight asked as she pushed a few tables closer to Mysteeri.

“Overnight is all I know.” Mysteeri shrugged “Didn’t feel anything at all. I just…woke up and there they were.”

“I think I know why you’re changing.” Twilight said, observing Mysteeri’s wings “Remember when we first met?”

Mysteeri nodded “Yeah, you freaked out about something happening to people not of this world.”

“Right.” Twilight replied, “You haven’t got any head pain, have you?”

Mysteeri didn’t answer, reaching up to her forehead area and feeling around. Nothing felt out of the ordinary, so she just shrugged.

Twilight continued as she continued to gather things from around the room, putting down numerous blank books, pencils and many other things atop the tables “At least it doesn’t look like there’ll suddenly be another alicorn around.”

“Alright, I think I’ve got it!” Starburst piped up from the back, closing the book “Gael probably knows Rainbow Crash, so I’ll start with her today.”

“Awesome!” Twilight smiled “I’ll get Spike to take you to Cloudsdale. Spike!”

The young dragon came barrelling into the library at a moment’s notice. Mysteeri whistled at his speed. As the dragon came running over to Twilight, he tripped on one of the books Twilight had left strewn about in her hurry to assemble the desks, spinning over himself before crashing into the side of Mysteeri’s chair. The witch chuckled at the sight, reaching down and gently pulling him free from the faceplant.

“Ugh…” The dragon groaned, hand on his head as he staggered back. His head turned to a blur as he shook it, then looked to Twilight “What do you need, Twilight?”

“Could you take Starburst to Cloudsdale in the balloon, please?” Twilight gestured to her friend “I’d take her myself, but I have some things that…require my attention.”

“Can do!” Spike playfully saluted his alicorn sister figure, turning to Sunburst and bowing “This way, my fair lady.” He ended with a chuckle.

Sunburst waved to the other two as she followed Spike, running a free hoof through her ragged morning mane.

“So…you don’t mind if I take a feather from you, do you?”

“…What?”

The skies above Equestria, 45 minutes later

“Sure does take a while to get there, huh?” Starburst thought aloud, staring down at the landscape below “The view is to die for, though.”

“Yeah, heh,” Spike said “No matter how many times we go up here, it never gets old.” He joined Starburst in looking to the horizon “So, your friend, what was up with her?”

Starburst put her head in her hoof, shrugging “Really, neither of us know. She would scratch at one spot on her back a lot, but I thought that was just her. Never saw any traces she was growing wings, or a tail. The legs just…happened.”

“Wow.” Spike blinked “Never heard of someone turning into a pegasus before. At least not in that matter.”

Starburst cocked her head “Not in that manner?”

“Yeah.” Spike nodded “Twilight has friends from another world, too. When they came through ours, they were all turned into ponies instantly. Perhaps the mirror caused that and the fact your friend didn’t come through it make it a slow process?”

Starburst hummed at the thought. In truth she didn’t have a clue about whatever friends, other world or mirror Spike was talking about, but the theory on the sudden yet incomplete transformation…that may hold some weight behind it. The lofty city of Cloudsdale crept ever closer, not long now.

The balloon finally touched down on the fluffy clouds of the city. As Spike opened the door, a glow of magic slide from Starburst’s horn down onto her hooves, first gently placing one upon the clouds.

She didn’t fall through.

With a sight of relief, Starburst hopped out of the basket and onto the clouds “Oooh, it’s all fluffy!” She grinned, bouncing on the clouds like a trampoline, each bounce releasing small puffs of the poofy white floor into the air “Shame I can’t normally walk on it, this would make amazing bedding!”

“I best be heading back to the castle, Twilight need me for her…” A bead of sweat rolled down Spike’s head “experiments…when do you want me to come get you?”

“Hmm…” Starburst hummed “Well, I’m only here to see Gael and Rainbow Crash.”

“Rainbow Crash?” Spike mouthed.

“So, unless Gael somehow flies me back, around lunch should be good!” Starburst said “I can hold this spell all day if I want, it’s pretty simple.”

“Alright, well, enjoy yourself!” Spike waved as he closed the door, blasting a puff of green smoke into the balloon, which gently took off and took to the winds.

“Cute little guy.” Starburst commented, turning around to the large expanse of the cloudy city “Alright, I’m sure finding Gael shouldn’t be too hard.”

Finding Gael was hard.

Starburst only realised that fact upon the revelation that, to this day, she didn’t even have the foggiest idea of where Gael lived beyond just “Cloudsdale.”

Finding the rainbow pegasus bore no fruit, either. You’d think someone like her would be blasting all over the sky leaving sonic booms in her wake, but there neither hide nor hair of the mare. A unicorn standing on clouds certainly got a few odd looks from the residents of Cloudsdale until they noticed the glow of magic at her feet, Starburst felt her coat stand on end as each one looked at her. She’d never entirely felt out of place around others, but this time, something felt…different. And it wasn’t just the fact she was a unicorn standing on clouds. They were seeing something else in her, something she couldn’t pin down.

Starburst looked to the distant weather factory, its pipes jutting out amid the skies “No, Gael wouldn’t be there.” Starburst thought “He hates places like that.”

“Well now, who else would I expect to see besides you?” Gael’s voice came from above her, large gusts of wings blowing Starburst’s mane around. Looking up, Starburst saw her long time friend hovering above her, his large wings sending out the incredible gusts “I hear people talking about a purple unicorn in town and it takes me this long to find you? Awful good at blending in for where you are.”

“Hm, you just have bad eyes.” Starburst frowned, turning her head away. She then opened one eye to see Gael still smiling down at her “…I was looking all over for you.”

“I guess we were just running in circles after a while. I was sunbathing on my roof and there were these old ladies talking incredibly loud about you.” Gael dropped down to the floor, landing neatly beside the unicorn “Made sure not to look at the comet too much this time.”

Starburst playfully punched Gael in the forearm “Eavesdropper.”

The two of them began to walk through the streets as Gael rolled his eyes “C’mon, you should have heard them, how could I not listen in?”

“We met because you were eavesdropping on a conversation I was in!” Starburst protested “You’ve got big wings, not big ears!”

Gael let out a hearty laugh, to which Starburst herself rolled her eyes “Anyway, haha…” Gael said once his laughter died down “What are you doing in Cloudsdale?”

“I need to find that rainbow pegasus, the one who has the element of loyalty.” Starburst said, she and Gael stopping their walk beside a tree-like cloud “Unfortunately I haven’t seen any trace of her.”

“And where have you been looking?” Gael questioned, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh, you know…places where pegasi would live.” Starburst spoke slowly as she looked around, still hoping for any chance of spotting the pegasus she was searching for.

Gael shook his head and tutted, gesturing for Starburst to follow him. He lead the unicorn through the outskirts of Cloudsdale, weaving through a few small walkways and above a river of rainbows until they came to a collection of clouds positioned like platforms, all leading to a large, liquid rainbow adorned house further down “That’s where you wanna go. Why didn’t your escort just take you straight there?”

Starburst shrugged “It was really early, to be fair, but I guess my insistence on Cloudsdale made Spike assume I knew something he didn’t.”

Gael ruffled Starburst’s mane in response, the mare responding with an annoyed grunt as she cleaned it back up “If the pony you’re looking for is anywhere, she’ll definitely be there.” He gestured to the cloudy building down below “You got a tether spell?”

“Tether spell?” Starburst asked “Why?”

“So I don’t have to lift you myself.”

“Wha- hey!” Starburst pouted, getting another hearty laugh from Gael. She sighed at her friend, giving him an annoyed but still entertained look “Yeah, yeah, I have a tether spell.” Her horn lit up once more, a chain looking like it was forged out of a pink night sky appearing in the air between them “There, that should hold long enough to get us there.”

“Well hold on tight!” Gael blasted off into the sky, Starburst letting out a shriek as the magical chain pulled her along with him, swinging her around through the air as Gael swooped through the skies, laughing to himself the whole way to the building below.

With a thought, Starburst whisked the chain away as Gael came to a stop in the air.

Poor timing on her part, she was flung further through the air and clean through an open window. An unseen voice yelped out as Starburst hurtled through the window, followed by a loud crash, a few bangs and a vibrant pink explosion blasting out of the opening.

Gael gently touched down on the windowsill, being met with Starburst embedded into the cloud wall, books strewn everywhere with a rainbow-maned pegasus out cold on the floor. There was also a turtle flipped upside down, dazed and just as confused as everyone else.

“Warn me next time…” Starburst groaned as she wrenched her head free from the wall, yanking her legs out before hitting the floor with a soft WHUMP.

The pegasus she had crashed into groaned as she opened her eyes “Ow…ow ow ow…” She winced as she stood up, hoof on her head. Her eyes then landed on the turtle that was wobbling about on its shell “Oh my gosh, Tank!” She dashed over, helping the turtle upright “There ya go, bud.”

“None of this explains the explosion.” Gael commented, getting the pegasus’ attention.

“Wh-who are you guys!?” She yelled, now noticing Starburst staggering about in the corner “And what’s with flinging a ballistic pony at me!?”

“I-It was an honest mistake; I broke my tether spell right when Gael stopped!” Starburst spluttered out, giving Gael a glare to which the pegasus just frowned while nodding.

“Gael?” The pegasus looked to the other one “Oh, I know you. Help me clear this up, then.” She said, picking up a book and returning it to the shelf. Starburst glanced to the slowly fading outline of her in the wall before levitating a few books up, Gael hopping off the windowsill himself.

“So, um, are you…Rainbow Crash?” Starburst asked as she placed the books back, the pegasus giving her a brief, annoyed look before noticing the horn upon her head.

She shook her head “Nope, you’re thinking of Rainbow Dash, the fastest flier in Equestria!” She put a hoof to her chest as she spoke.

“Oh. Gael, I think we got the wrong pony, then.” Starburst looked to her pegasus companion, who just slammed his head into the wall in response.

“No, no, there’s no Rainbow Crash.” Rainbow Dash said, her voice betraying the smile on her face “I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt with this, though,” She dropped the irritated voice and shook her head “It isn’t every day a unicorn comes flying through your window.” She sighed as she placed the last book back in position on the shelf “Except that one time Twilight did…”

Starburst breathed a sigh of relief “Oh, thank you, Miss Dash.”

“Rainbow Dash is fine.” The pegasus replied.

“Rainbow Dash – right, OK…” Starburst cleared her throat “My name is Starburst Nova. And this is my friend, Gael Force.”

Gael had already been distracted by the turtle from earlier, who had walked up to him and was just…staring. He gave Rainbow Dash a brief smile before turning his attention back to the turtle.

“…Right.” Starburst frowned “Well, anyway, we came to see you because we need your help.”

“Heh, must be really dangerous if you need my help.” Rainbow Dash scoffed “What is it? Renegade Changelings? A huge mob waiting for me?”

“It’s a comet.”

“Well that’s boring.” Rainbow Dash’s proud look vanished in an instant “How am I supposed to handle a comet?”

Starburst shook her head once more “Not on your own. I have another friend who…couldn’t make it here today, but she and I have been talking to the rest of the holders of the elements of harmony about some black creatures that have been showing up since the arrival of Hungaar.”

That clearly caught Rainbow Dash’s attention, the pegasus tilting her head at the mention of the creatures.

“What me and my friend plan to do is get all the elements together, make a focusing lens for the magic of the elements and purify…whatever the source of the creatures is!” Starburst spoke, with magical yet poorly drawn illustrations of prior events appearing around here “Like the drawings?”

Rainbow Dash hummed, rubbing a hoof against her chin “Riiiight…well, tell ya what. I’ll help ya.”

“Re-“

“On one condition!” Rainbow Dash interrupted “You help me deal with some pesky…stuff that’s been appearing below my place.”

Starburst looked to Gael once more, who took a moment to notice he was being observed. He looked away from his staring contest with the turtle and nodded “Uh, ah, yeah, we can help out. Well, I can, I dunno about what Starburst can do.”

“Jerk.” Starburst rolled her eyes, then turned back to Rainbow Dash “Sure, we’ll help.”

“Awesome.” Rainbow Dash grinned “C’mon, I’ll show you what’s going on. And we can leave through the door.”

Gael and Starburst exchanged another glance, the unicorn gesturing for the turtle-enamoured pegasus to follow.

Rainbow Dash lead them through the house and into the front yard, toward a small cloud that hovered by “Here, Starburst, hop on this. Gael, you push.”

Gael spread his wings and took to the air, Rainbow Dash whistling at the wingspan. Starburst hopped onto the smaller cloud, Gael pushing it down below the house as Rainbow Dash lead them “So, what are we dealing with?” Starburst asked.

“Weird…stuff.” Rainbow Dush replied “It’s all black and looks like oil.”

“All black and looks like oil?” Starburst repeated, a determined frown forming on her face “Sounds like the comet creatures alright. They’re stalking the rest of the elements, too.”

“Really?” Rainbow Dash looked to the unicorn “You’ll have to tell me more about them when we clean this mess up, then.” She pointed to the large dripping mass of pitch black that infested the bottom of her house “This is the problem child.”

“Well, it’s taken physical form, so we can hurt it.” Starburst’s horn began to glow again, surrounded by a storm of sparkles “That is, if this prototype spell doesn’t work and we need to get violent!” She fired the magic at the middle of the dripping ooze. It responded in an instant, dropping off the bottom of the cloud and reforming into a giant orb. A single huge crimson eye opened in the middle of it, shining a red light down onto the trio of ponies with a low hum.

Gael instinctively let out a single hard and firm word.

“Fuck.”

Author's Note

God I am so sorry it took so long to get this out. Between Bury The Light, job stuff and now Rocket League, I had my hands full and then some. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that chapter! Criticism is always welcome.

Funk Goes On

The giant orb of darkness simply stared down at the three ponies, as if it were…thinking, yet its crimson pupil left all three of them stricken with a cold shiver.

No one moved, not an inch, the only noise being the flapping of wings and the howl of the wind. Starburst shuffled her feet and lowered her head, horn glimmering with a pink light.

“How do we deal with this thing?” Rainbow Dash questioned; eyes fixated on the creature.

Before her question could be answered, the cosmic black thing hurled a beam of black and red energy at them. Gael yelped and rammed Starburst’s cloud of the way, dropping down below the blast himself. The creature became surrounded by a gentle red flame, its hum sounding through the air once more.

COSMIC BEING

“That was vicious!” Starburst hissed “You OK, Gael!?”

Gael hovered back up to the cloud, rolling his neck “Yeah, that wasn’t something you want to stare down the barrel of.”

“Heh, well, at least it’ll be a good fight!” Rainbow Dash scoffed before blasting towards the creature, the shockwave ripping through the air. Followed by a trail of colour, Rainbow Dash spiralled and weaved through the many blasts the creature sent her way, which went careening past her, now heading straight for Gael and Starburst. In an instant, a bubble-like shield appeared before the pair, the blasts of energy exploding into wild, crimson bursts against it.

“EEYAH!” Rainbow Dash yelled out as she spun over, ramming her hind hooves into the creature’s eye. It let out a horrid, otherworldly shriek as another shockwave tore through the air, sending Rainbow Dash flying away. The creature began to writhe about, its circular shape warping and contorting into uneven, almost impossible shapes.

Rainbow Dash looped back around to the other two, a hoof on her chest “Down in one! No need to thank me!”

Before Gael or Starburst could get a word out in response, the creature suddenly let out another bellow, its eye opening back up once more to reveal pure red with a singular black dot in the middle of it all. It immediately roared once more and unleashed a barrage of black energy towards the ponies.

“Time to go to work, then.” Starburst flicked her head, responding to the barrage with her own onslaught of magical blasts, matching the creature shot for shot with the collisions resulting in an enormous smokescreen between them, yet each shot countered each other perfectly, leaving Gael and Rainbow Dash to stare mouths agape at the clash. Gael glanced to his old friend as the smell of sulphur filled the air, she didn’t even have the slightest hint of worry in her eyes, they were only filled with fire.

“Well, this party’s getting crazy!” Rainbow Dash spread her wings “Let’s rock!”

She and Gael dashed off, leaving Starburst to clash with the creature, her cloak billowing in the wind.

Gael and Rainbow Dash arched around the blue pegasus’ house, the smoke beginning to fall to the ground below as they did. Gael was the first to make an approach, only for a gaping hole to open up in the creature’s side, sending him right through it. He screeched to a halt and turned back to look up just as Rainbow Dash was sent flying through it as well. They exchanged a glance before dashing back up to the creature, once again being sent flying through a suddenly materialized hole.

An idea then flashed into Rainbow Dash’s mind “UP THE ANTE, STARBURST!” She shouted over the constant, air-rupturing explosions “WE NEED HIM TOTALLY DISTRACTED…I THINK!”

Starburst’s body sparkled with magic, followed by the individual shots being turned into a spinning combination of beams of pink and purple. The creature responded in kind, the smoke slowly parting to reveal each beam spinning in perfect tandem, slowly inching closer together until they unified into one colossal beam of darkness on one side and magic on the other. Starburst’s expression remained steadfast, baring her teeth as she dug her hooves into the cloud.

“That should do it!” Gael smirked, speeding off once more. Rainbow Dash instead glanced to the distance, a devilish smirk forming. She zoomed off into the horizon, vanishing in only seconds. Gael then came hurtling back with a crack of thunder. As he slammed into the creature with a mighty force, this time no hole opened up, instead the being groaned and strained, yet kept its focus square on its clash with Starburst. Gael continued to push further in, now pushing the creature’s dark being through itself, stretching it like it were rubber.

“Come on…!” Gael hissed through clenched teeth, the creature’s beam shaking and stuttering as the pegasus forced its own body through it.

Finally, Gael completely forced his way through the creature with a popping sound that sounded like it was from beyond this realm - its beam disappeared in an instant. Starburst fell to one leg, gasping for breath the moment the clash disappeared. Dark astral energy poured from the rough, gaping hole in the creature’s side, Gael grinning to himself as he saw the creature begin to writhe and shriek once more.

It was then that a thunderous, yet distant explosion caught everyone’s attention. The horizon was filled with a full spectrum of colour, covering the land in pure rainbow, lesser clouds being obliterated as the shockwave tore through Equestria.

A streak of rainbow came hurtling over Ponyville and straight through the writhing creature, splattering it into a dozen pieces. Starburst was quick to regain her footing, another large beam of pink magic erupting forth from her horn, consuming the shattered remains of the creature in a blinding light. The creature shrieked and roared from within the beam until it was reduced to naught but cinders.

Starburst’s eruption of magic faded into thin air with a high-pitched whine, leaving the unicorn to fall flat onto the cloud, panting for breath. Gael was quick to return as the rainbow light vanished, sunlight returning from the sky.

“We get it?” Starburst questioned.

“We got it.” Gael nodded in reply.

“That’s good.” Starburst smiled, grunting as she pushed herself back upright “Augh, I’ve never had to hold that spell for so long.”

Gael chuckled as he lightly jabbed Starburst “Hey, you looked like you were more dedicated to that than I’ve ever seen you. You really are something else when your blood starts pumping.”

The streak of rainbow returned from the horizon, coming to a halt right beside the two ponies, revealing Rainbow Dash “How was THAT!?” She bellowed, laughing proudly “Fastest flier in Equestria, bar none!”

Starburst and Gael sighed in unison.

“Well, that’s that issue dealt with.” Starburst shook her head, putting her mane back in position “Will you help us with dealing with the comet?”

“A promise is a promise!” Rainbow Dash smiled “I’ll be there!”

“Ah, thank you, Rainbow Dash.” Starburst replied, then looked to Gael “Now, can you get me down? It’s kinda cold up here.”

Castle of Friendship, just a few moments earlier…

“So, those are real wings, and that’s a real tail…” Twilight said, Mysteeri sitting with her arms and legs crossed as she listened to Twilight “And there’s another thing, about that…suit.”

Mysteeri raised an eyebrow “What of it?”

“It isn’t just a suit anymore; it’s quite literally become your…coat.” Twilight said, gesturing to the pitch-black covering on Mysteeri’s body “Look closer.”

Mysteeri raised her arm to get a closer look at the black that covered her, now seeing slight ruffles and traces of thin…fur all over it. Any attempt to grip it was met with nothing, not even the elasticity it usually had. Mysteeri immediately dropped it, putting a hand on her chin “That explains why it felt like my hands were starting to go numb at night…”

“If my calcul-“ Twilight was interrupted by a tremendous boom hitting the castle, sending books and other loose objects flying off whatever they were perched upon, the alicorn herself being sent lurching forward, yet the feeling of the floor never hit her face, instead finding Mysteeri suddenly right in front of her, holding her by the chest. Twilight stumbled back and shook her head rapidly as a prismatic light filled the room, gazing around in wonder as the room was illuminated.

“You good?” Mysteeri asked as she stood up herself, her stiff legs struggling to get her upright.

“I am. Thank you.” Twilight said “But…by Starswirl’s beard, what did Rainbow Dash do this time?”

There was a slight ruffle from under Mysteeri’s hair, the human approaching the window “There’s your answer.” She pointed to the distant home of the responsible pegasus, seeing a large, swirling beam of magic fading into the air “…Looks like things got violent. Guess some of the creatures are more ballsy than others.”

“That beam was definitely Starburst.” Twilight commented, “She may seem a little awkward at times, but wow does she put on a show when she’s in the mood.”

Mysteeri chuckled as she returned to her seat, idly watching the many colours covering the room which were now slowly fading “Hopefully I get to see a full display of that, then.” She looked down to her transformed body “Now - about the suit’s…change.”

“Uh huh?” Twilight hummed, trotting back up to Mysteeri “What of it?”

“How long until this spreads?” Mysteeri asked, holding up her hand.

Twilight shook her head “I can’t give you a proper time, to be honest, but considering the rate I saw your wings and tail growing, if you can get out of here on the same day as Hungaar’s closest approach, the transformation shouldn’t…” She suddenly trailed off, Mysteeri leaning forward, head tilted.

“Twilight?” She quizzed “Shouldn’t be what?”

“Permanent.”

Mysteeri slowly retracted back into the seat at the word, tapping her fingers against the arm as she let out a sigh “Fuck…”

“And on top of that – reality around you is unstable.” Twilight added, Mysteeri’s eyes going wide at the mention.

“How do you know that?” The witch asked, briefly glancing away before looking back to the alicorn. Sure, she knew that the fabric of reality itself was…shaky where she was from, but for it to follow her? Surely that wasn’t possible “Perhaps that’s why Luna…” She hummed to herself, thinking back to Luna’s warning prior.

“Some of my magic was reacting strangely around you – it’s an extremely small area, practically precisely an inch off you, but I’ve only seen my magic react the way it did once before. If your transformation were to somehow complete before the day of closest approach, unless you did something crazy, you wouldn’t be able to leave. I think.” Twilight said, her and Mysteeri keeping a firm gaze on each other as the alicorn spoke.

Mysteeri broke it by looking down to her wrists and placing her left hand on the gold bracelet that covered it, muttering to herself before Twilight spoke up once more.

“And I know the purpose of those, too.”

What kind of tests did she run? Sure, Mysteeri had only been asleep for thirty minutes, but to find out the purpose of the bracelets that easily?

“…Limiters.” Mysteeri sighed “Yeah, I’m…not entirely human.”

Twilight looked to the bracelets again “Why do you need limiters?”

“It’s…complicated. Complicated to the point where not even I nor my…boss know why I need them. I just had this awakening of incredible power one time and they barely even managed to get these on me before I blew myself up.” Mysteeri examined the bracelets as she spoke, shrugging “They don’t normally look like this, nor do I usually wear this, but yeah.”

“Wow – to think Starburst summoned someone as strong as you with such ease.” Twilight smiled “Speaking of Starburst, I imagine that means Rainbow Dash knows about your plan now.”

Mysteeri crossed her arms and nodded “More than likely. So that’s…” She began to mutter to herself again before raising her voice back up to its usual level “Four down, two to go.”

“Rarity and Pinkie, that would be!” Twilight levitated a picture of herself and the other elements of harmony over to Mysteeri, who held it between her fingers. There were two ponies she knew she didn’t recognise, a white unicorn and a bright pink earth pony. Simple enough.

The witch handed the picture back to Twilight “Hopefully things won’t have to get loud.” She said, summoning one of her pistols to her hand “At least they still work.”

A brief moment of silence fell upon the two as they thought, Twilight opening her mouth to speak only to immediately close it, shaking her head.

“So like…what kinda books you got in here?” Mysteeri finally spoke, to which Twilight’s face lit up with glee.

Underneath Rainbow Dash’s house

“Ahh…solid ground.” Starburst sighed as Gael set her down “Thank you, Rainbow Dash. We didn’t intend to get ourselves into a fight.”

Rainbow Dash chuckled and flicked her mane back “Don’t worry about it, really. Haven’t moved that fast in ages, though!”

Gael glanced up to Rainbow Dash’s house, staring at the spot their battle had taken place. Something still felt…off about it, a gut feeling, maybe, but he couldn’t place his hoof on what it was. Shaking his head, he looked to the girls “So, you’ll be able to help Starburst out with her plan?”

“Can do!” Rainbow Dash nodded “Where’s the gathering point?”

“Twilight’s Castle – in three days.” Starburst said, “If anything else shows up, could you let us know?”

“I’ll be over in a flash.” Rainbow Dash smiled, extending her hoof. Starburst blinked in surprise at the gesture before extending her own, shaking it with Rainbow Dash’s “See ya round!” Rainbow Dash took off into the air, leaving a sparkling trail of rainbows behind her.

“Quite high energy, isn’t she?” Gael asked, to which Starburst nodded “Say, where’s Mysteeri, anyway?”

Starburst’s eyes went wide again “Oh shit I didn’t tell you.”

“Tell me what?”

“Mysteeri is…changing.” Starburst slowly spoke, looking about awkwardly “She’s grown wings and a tail – and her legs have changed, too.”

“Overnight?” Gael replied, bewildered “That’s impossible, nobody just…transforms. Hell, I’ve never even heard of transformation actually happening!”

Starburst sighed “Neither had I – but Mysteeri isn’t from here, remember? I left her with Twilight, she should know some more things by now.”

Back at Twilight’s Castle

“How bizarre…” Mysteeri mused “It’s the exact same as back home, word for word.” In her hand was a book entitled ‘A Collection of William Bridle.’ “This should be impossible; our universes are too far apart for any correlations to exist.”

For once in her life, Twilight was absolutely lost. She’d read that book a handful of times, sure, but all this talk about universal correlations, distance and similarities was where her knowledge ended. She just stared at the witch as she muttered out the same poem over and over.

“To see a World in a Grain of Sand and a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.” Mysteeri snapped the book shut “I don’t get it, why, of all things, is Blake a constant?”

“I’m…afraid I don’t know what you mean.” Twilight said, taking a sip from her tea “Universal constants? You lost me when you started talking about that kind of stuff.”

Mysteeri hummed “The closer two universes are, the more likely that there will be duplicates of things in them. There’s essentially another version of me in the universe I’m living in, but this universe and mine are so far apart that, well, it’s hard to explain why things change so much, but a world of ponies having the same poetry as my world, that should be downright impossible.”

“That does sound quite strange.” Twilight nodded, “I wonder if there’s another you here, too?”

“Doubt it.” Mysteeri shrugged “Gael and Starburst should be coming back to tell us about their scuffle by now.”

As if on cue, Starburst burst the door to the library open, followed shortly by a more casual Gael “Oh thank Celestia you guys are still here.” Starburst said between pants for breath.

“You seriously ran all the way here?” Mysteeri asked, pushing herself out of the chair and onto her feet “Couldn’t let Gael carry you?”

“I offered, but apparently it’s embarrassing.” Gael smirked, only for Starburst to buck him in the chest, sending him flying back out the room.

“Well, look, we have Rainbow Dash in on the plan.” Starburst shot the dazed Gael a glare before turning to the other two “So, what’s the uh…diagnosis?”

Before Twilight could start speaking, Mysteeri immediately began herself, crossing her arms as she began “The distance between our universes is having an effect on me, whilst normally any changes to me would be instant, it would seem my universe’s unstable reality has followed me here, resulting in the slower transformation, which I imagine some of my magic has been staving off, hence why I only transform further while asleep.”

“Uh huh…” Starburst nodded “How long until you fully transform?”

“Four days.” Twilight finally interjected, “If we can send her home on the same day as Hungaar’s closest approach, the transformation should be reversed. If not…”

Mysteeri tutted before finishing Twilight’s sentence “If not, I’m trapped here unless I do ‘something crazy.’ But the only crazy thing I can think of…” She raised her arms, showing her gold bracelets “involves these.”

“Well…hopefully it doesn’t come to that.” Starburst said, “And hopefully nothing finds a way to speed up your change.”

“Don’t jinx it…” Gael groaned as he walked back in, a hoof on his head “Man, you hit like a truck…”

Mysteeri gave Gael a brief glance, the pegasus noticing the stare, to which Mysteeri immediately looked away “So…that only leaves two. Rarity and Pinkie Pie, was it?”

“Mhm.” Twilight nodded “You should be able to find Rarity at her boutique, but for Pinkie…”

“What, what about her?” Starburst questioned.

“SURPRIIIIISE!” The pony in question burst out of a nearby hole with a suitable onslaught of confetti and party streamers, to which Mysteeri let out a very cat-like shriek and shot several times her own height into the air.

“She usually finds you.”

Abyssal Time

The ponies looked up to Mysteeri, now stood at the top of one of Twilight’s many, many bookshelves, catching her breath from the sudden, loud appearance of the party pony.

“You alright up there!?” Gael yelled up to the witch. Mysteeri let out a long exhale before jumping back down, landing with a much louder, more solid THUD than usual, staggering on her rigid equine legs before righting herself.

“Yeah.” She said, rolling her neck “Just…got caught off guard.”

“So YOU’RE that new pony I’d heard of!” Pinkie Pie beamed, skittering about around Mysteeri, circling her, going between her legs and even jumping up to perfect eye level with her “I’ve never seen someone like you before!”

Starburst blinked “Hang on, Miss Pie, could you say that first part again?”

“That first part again?” Pinkie replied “Like that?”

“No, no, what you said when you first started talking.” Starburst shook her head and waved her hoof.

“Oh!” Pinkie nodded “She’s the new pony I’d heard of! Really big, bigger than even Celestia!”

“You don’t think word’s gotten out about me already, do you? I was trying to be as stealthy as possible…” Mysteeri crossed her arms “The only way anyone could have seen me now is if someone watched me fight Gael with Twilight or…” Her eye darted from looking at the floor straight to direct eye contact with Starburst “Someone saw us when we got here.”

“That’s impossible, the time between the spell wearing off and us getting inside was 90 seconds at most.” Starburst replied, “And I know you haven’t been sneaking out at night. Miss Pie?”

“Yep!” Pinkie grinned.

“Where did you hear about Mysteeri, exactly?” Starburst asked as she walked behind Mysteeri, inspecting the pony features she was sporting, humming to herself as she stared at them.

“Ooh, well, I first heard about a really, really big pony that walked on two legs yesterday, some ponies who went on a hike in the mountains say they saw it flying around!” Pinkie began, followed by a loud slap echoing as Mysteeri facepalmed.

“Of all the places…fuck sake.” She grumbled “Carry on, Pinkie.”

“And then it got spotted again today – right here! At first, I thought it was just a funny, silly story, a pony walking on two legs? Crazy talk!” Pinkie said, to which Twilight thought back to a yellow-coated unicorn with a fiery mane “So I decided to check it out for myself and here I find it! Celestia needs-“

“NO!” Starburst suddenly yelled out “We can’t let Celestia know!”

“Celestia…” Mysteeri raised an eyebrow “That’s the third time now I’ve heard that name, she’s actually alive?”

“She’s Princess Luna’s elder sister.” Twilight said, “She was my mentor, too. She raises the sun, like how Luna raises the moon.”

“…So, why can’t we let her know I exist?” Mysteeri looked back to Starburst.

“Because…because, ugh…” Starburst murmured, stumbled and muttered, any words that came out of her mouth fading in an instant.

“Is it because she and Luna have the power to banish anything from Equestria and since Mysteeri isn’t from here it may cause an imbalance?” Pinkie interjected, resulting in an awestruck silence from the rest of the group “Well, that’s just a theory.”

“What is she?” Mysteeri thought.

“Well, somehow, Pinkie is right.” Twilight spoke up, “There’s a delicate balance between this world and the other that can only be reached through the Crystal Mirror, Mysteeri may have already started to affect that balance. She probably doesn’t exist in either world.”

“…You can’t prove that.” Mysteeri rebutted, holding up the poem collection from earlier “If William Blake exists in this universe, there’s a minute, it’s downright impossible, but still a slither of a chance I exist in this balance already. Could be the queen of hell for all I know.”

“I know.” Twilight nodded.

“…Hang on.” Gael walked over “You’re a Princess, you could have banished her, too.”

“She’s the Princess of Friendship!” Pinkie bolted over to the two “She’d never hurt a fly!”

“It’s true, I could have.” Twilight said, looking to Mysteeri once more “But like Pinkie said, I’m the Princess of Friendship, that wouldn’t be right. Everyone deserves a chance.”

“Unfortunately, Celestia wouldn’t be as forgiving as Luna or Twilight.” Starburst said, a solemn expression on her face “She’d send you back before you even knew she was there.”

Mysteeri took a deep breath, crossing her arms once more “I appreciate the fact you’ve given me a chance, Twilight, even if me being here’s gonna have side effects, but if Celestia does find me…I’m not going to run. I’m going to stand and fight her.”

“WHAT!?” Everyone except Pinkie yelled.

“Are you insane, Mysteeri!?” Gael ran up to the witch “That’s suicide!”

Mysteeri’s expression didn’t change, staring Gael dead in the eye “If she wants to get rid of me, she’s not going to get it easy. If the rumours don’t spread to Canterlot before I’m gone, we’ll be fine. But I assure you, if she does find me, I am not running.”

“If you’re certain about that, Mysteeri…I won’t stop you.” Starburst sighed “Anyone who’s willing to fight Celestia isn’t the kind of person you can convince otherwise, anyway.”

“…So does this mean no welcoming party?” Pinkie piped up once more.

“Sorry, Pinkie, no welcoming party.” Twilight said.

“Aw man, and I had it all lined up, too.” Pinkie looked behind her to reveal her party cannon stuffed to bursting with its usual ammunition, along with a pony with a grey coat, blonde mane and rather…strange looking eyes.

“Oh, by the way, Miss Pie, while you’re here, can I ask for your help?” Starburst approached the party pony.

“Sure, I’ll help!” Pinkie beamed.

“But I…haven’t even told you what it is yet.” Starburst blinked.

“A friend of Twilight’s is a friend of mine, and I always help my friends!” Pinkie took Starburst’s hoof, shaking it fast enough to turn it into a blur, leaving the unicorn in a stunned silence the whole time.

Mysteeri leaned against the wall, arms still crossed as she watched the two converse. Her mind flashed back to the visions from when she stared at the comet on the way back from Sweet Apple Acres…that white alicorn that was staring down at her, could that have been Celestia…?

“Mysteeri?” Twilight asked as she approached, the witch looking down to the alicorn “What you said, about fighting Celestia if it comes to it, are you sure that’s the right thing to do? I can’t say I approve of the idea, but…”

“If she did find me, pride alone wouldn’t let me run in the first place.” Mysteeri said, looking out the stained-glass window across the room “I’ve fought hundreds of things in my lifetime, Twilight, and I’m only 19, but I would never run from anything that wanted to stop me. Even if my body isn’t fully capable, I refuse to go down without a fight.” She unfolded her arms slightly, looking to her hand and tightening it into a fist.

“Are you sure about it, really? Do you think you could try…talking to her about it if you do meet?” Twilight asked, but the look Mysteeri gave her in return told her all she needed to know “I understand. Just…be careful, OK?”

“Hmm.” Mysteeri nodded.

“Well then, thank you for…offering your help so soon, Miss Pie.” Starburst said as Pinkie finally released her hoof “I’m sure you can throw the biggest party you can if- I mean when we deal with this threat.”

“Ooh, I’ll go start prep work now!” Pinkie grabbed her cannon “See you all in three days, it’s going to be the biggest, bestest party EVER!”

And as the door slammed behind her, the room fell silent once again.

“That’s Pinkie for ya.” Twilight chuckled “That leaves only Rarity.”

“And the materials for the focusing lens.” Starburst added “We should have enough time to get the magna crystal today, too, if getting Rarity to help doesn’t take too long.”

“Hey, maybe she’ll be able to make some kind of disguise for Mysteeri so she doesn’t stand out so much – she isn’t the element of generosity for nothing, after all.” Twilight said, getting a chuckle from Starburst.

“Oh, while that would be nice, no way in Tartarus would I be able to pay for something from Rarity of all people.” She said with an awkward smile on her face “Especially for someone as…huge as Mysteeri.”

Mysteeri’s golden eye shot over to look at the unicorn, shining through a shadow cast against her, only for her to slowly soften the glare once Starburst shook her head.

Twilight giggled, “You underestimate her generosity, Starburst, really.”

Outside Carousel Boutique, a few minutes later

“So, this is it, huh?” Mysteeri asked, invisible once more but with her arms still crossed as she looked up at the highly adorned, fancy-looking building “Went all out on the décor.”

“It is a boutique.” Starburst said as nudged the door open “What else would you expect?”

As soon as Starburst set a single hoof into the boutique, a unicorn with a coat as white as snow and a mane and tail as rich a purple as Starburst’s own coat came dashing down the stairs.

Wearing a pair of red glasses, she greeted the unicorn with a confident smile and a hoof on her chest “Good morning, darling, welcome to Carousel Boutique. My name is Rarity, and I will be more than glad to assist you today!”

“Talk about professional.” Mysteeri thought, only for her attention to be immediately grabbed by the numerous clothes and outfits on display.

Starburst cleared her throat before speaking “Ah, heh, good morning to you, too, Rarity. I’m Starburst Nova and I’d…like to talk to you about something, if that’s quite alright.”

“Oh I’m sure I can spare a few minutes, darling-“ The sound of magic fading into the air caught her attention, followed by her eyes shooting past Starburst and to the now revealed Mysteeri, who was silently staring at the displayed dresses “Oh my stars, who’s that!?”

Mysteeri turned her head so fast it was near instant, looking down to see she had returned to visibility. Starburst looked over to the witch, too, then back to Rarity “Bad timing, but that’s my friend, Mysteeri.”

Rarity simply stared at the witch, looking her up and down, to which Mysteeri didn’t move an inch beyond a glance to Starburst as if to request aid.

“Oh. My. Stars! Darling, you must let me make you something, that frame, that build, you and I were MEANT to meet! I have wanted to extend my craftsmanship beyond ponies for some time now and you, darling are PERFECT!” Rarity exclaimed as she dashed up to Mysteeri, circling her as she continued.

“…I’m sorry wha- YAGH!” Mysteeri was swept off her feet by the white unicorn’s magic and placed onto a pedestal surrounded by mirrors, Rarity summoning a measure to her side. Mysteeri looked over her shoulder to Starburst, who couldn’t help but stare at the sight in bewilderment at the sheer speed which Rarity was moving.

“…Roll with it.”Mysteeri thought with a light sigh “Starburst.”

“Oh, um, right, yeah.” Starburst cleared her throat “So, Miss Rarity, the thing I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Oh, yes, terribly sorry, darling, I just got so swept up in the moment.” Rarity flashed the other unicorn a smile “What can I do for you?…Oh that is quite the derrière.” The aside comment got a brief look of absolute shock slapped onto Mysteeri’s face, reflected perfectly in the mirror.

“Ah, well lately there’s been a bunch of black creatures popping out of the woodwork – I assume you’ve noticed some strange things happening, especially at night?” Starburst began, keeping an eye on Rarity examining her human companion as she glanced around the shop herself.

Rarity briefly looked away from the witch, who had resigned to her fate “Hm, now that you mention it, there was something just outside my door last night. I had gotten up to get a glass of water, when I saw this…thing staring back at me through the window.”

“You did?” Starburst looked back to the two, seeing a bored expression on Mysteeri’s face now, like she had entirely just let herself phase out for this entire thing “What was it like?”

“Well, it was…big. And very dark, practically vantablack, darling, but it was covered in odd blue flames.” Rarity explained, clambering up Mysteeri which snapped the witch back to the room with a ruler slapped upside her face. Rarity jumped back down and jotted some notes down on a piece of paper “I haven’t seen it since, I assumed it was a mere figment of my imagination, but since then both Fluttershy and Applejack have mentioned similar encounters.”

“You talk a lot.” Mysteeri thought, yet couldn’t resist another glance around the shop, though “Damn fine dresses, though – ‘course, though, the one time I meet someone who can give me ideas and they’re from another world, typical.”

“Word’s getting around, then.” Starburst said, “So, me and Mysteeri here are going to try and take out the source of those things with the help of the elements of harmony and you’re the last one we have to talk to. Could you lend us a hand?”

“Oh, darling-“ Rarity was cut off by an incredibly loud, otherworldly scream from outside with a tremendous blue light blasting in through the windows. Mysteeri immediately snapped back to reality and dashed to the door as fast as her transfigured legs would let her.

She was met with exactly what Rarity had just described; a gunmetal black demonic horse adorned with flaming blue decorations. It towered over even Mysteeri, snorting as it turned its head down to look at her and the pair of unicorns that followed her out. Mysteeri glanced down to the floor, seeing it was covered in burns and ashes already.

“There it is!” Rarity exclaimed “That’s what I saw!”

Mysteeri observed the area, already a crowd had formed to find the source of such a commotion, and already eyes were falling on her, too, not just the flaming horse. “You two, get inside.” She said, gesturing back with her hand “I’ll take care of this one.”

“And have the entire town see you, this is exactly why I was hiding you!” Starburst hissed back “I’ll fight it, you get back inside with Rarity!”

“Oh, please, darlings, I am MUCH more than just a pretty face!” Rarity proudly forced her way between them “And I assure you no one menaces up the air around my boutique while I’m here. Now, which one of you wants to join me?”

“You fought the other one, my turn.” Mysteeri lightly pushed Starburst back, to which the unicorn gave her a snort of her own.

The black horse growled at its opponents, Mysteeri responding in kind with a smirk “I see, then, as your homebase gets closer you lot are more willing to try tougher moves, eh? Attacking out in the open in broad daylight, big change.”

Rarity gave Mysteeri a brief glance as the witch summoned her pistols to her hands, to which the unicorn cracked her neck “Don’t worry.” Her horn illuminated with her traditional blue magic “I’ll be gentle.”

“Umbra…” The horse growled, flicking its head as it stood tall against the two.

“Ready?” Mysteeri grinned, aiming her guns to the horse.

“Ready!” Rarity replied in kind.

“UMBRA!” The horse screeched as it turned into a streak of blue flames, immediately rematerializing inches from Mysteeri and ramming its full weight into her.

ABYSSAL CAVALRY

Dirt went flying as Mysteeri dug her hooves into the ground, Mysteeri turning her head up with fangs bared at the horse “Cheap shot…”

As the dark horse began to encroach on Mysteeri, its attention was grabbed by a blast of blue magic. Looking behind it, it saw Rarity standing firm. With another growl, it turned to face her, now crackling with embers. Without a word, Rarity dashed for the enormous beast, slugging it in the chest with her hoof.

It reeled back with a screech before it regained its footing, blue eyes shining as it screeched at Rarity. It went from standing still to a full sprint faster than anyone in the vicinity could react, giving Rarity only moments to summon a shield of magical energy to her. The horse bounced off it with a yelp, preparing for another charge only for a blur of neon pink light to zip around it, Mysteeri slamming her fist into the side of its long face, followed by a blast from her pistol. The horse stumbled back and flicked its head once more, huffing at them.

“Did you hear it scream?” Rarity questioned the witch “I could have sworn I heard it scream.”

Mysteeri shrugged “Maybe.” The two charged for the black horse, weaving through blasts of blue fire, with Rarity reflecting some off her shield of pure magic. As Mysteeri bounded into the air with her fist clenched, the horse jerked forward and clasped her tail in its mouth “WHAT THE FU-“ Mysteeri’s cursed was interrupted by her face being firmly introduced to the ground and then Rarity’s side, the duo crashing into a nearby tree with enough force to topple it.

As Mysteeri clambered back to her hooves, she glanced behind her to see her wings and tail had grown further already…when did that happen? The horse then charged for them once more, to which Mysteeri responded with a cat-like hiss, grabbing Rarity, and leaping out of the way.

Watching the fight from outside Rarity’s boutique, Starburst narrowed her eyes at the comet-created horse. Something was off about it, the sudden bursts of incredible speed and its opening attack, what was its trick?

“Well, I should hope this little scrap doesn’t ruin my mane, I spent an hour getting it just right!” Rarity flicked her mane back “And if you dare to damage my boutique, you’ll have another thing coming.”

“Rarity, don’t give it ideas.” Mysteeri frowned, only for the horse to flash its eyes once more and turn to the building in question, Starburst immediately summoning the large blue, star-filled sword from a few days prior, only for to quickly start wavering. The horse immediately burst into full sprint once more, Mysteeri charged right into its side, yet the moment she sent the horse back it reappeared right beside her, stomping its hoof down on her chest.

“Mysteeri!” Starburst yelped, firing a bolt of magic from her horn. A blast of blue magic came from the horse’s other side, getting a shriek from it as brightly coloured smoke filled the area, yet it still kept its foot pressed down on Mysteeri’s chest, an ever so quiet cracking heard from where its foot was. Mysteeri had both hands firmly gripped onto its blazing foot, snarling and hissing as she so desperately tried to force it off, only to be met with more weight pushing down against her.

“GET YOUR FILTHY FOOT OFF HER, YOU RUFFIAN!” Rarity suddenly came flying through the smoke hind-hoof first, crashing into the horse’s head with enough force to floor it in an instant. The unicorn huffed and immediately looked to Mysteeri, the witch glowing with blue magic as Rarity used her magic to help her upright “My stars, I am so sorry, darling.”

Between large breaths, Mysteeri grunted out “I’ve had worse.”

As the smoke cleared, the giant horse got itself back upright again, snarling at its attacker. Its mouth filled with blue fire, to which Rarity quickly summoned the shield back in front of her and Mysteeri. However just as the burst of flame erupting from within the horse, Starburst leapt into the way of the attack, cleaving it clean in two with her summoned sword. The two pieces went flying off into the sky, sending some ponies in the crowd scattering as they erupted in brilliant fireworks.

Starburst looked back to the other two “No way in Tartarus was your shield going to block that.” She grunted as sweat rolled down the side of her head, the sword vanishing into the air “Thank me later.” She groaned as she trudged off back to the boutique, the horse glaring at her as she left.

Mysteeri suddenly broke forward toward the horse, only to slam her hand into the grass and spin back around on herself, sending her leg flying back toward where she was.

Rarity let out a gasp as the black horse’s screech suddenly sounded from behind her. Sure enough, it had once again vanished from in front of them and Mysteeri’s fist was now buried in its chest.

“The power to control time. That’s quite a horse.” Mysteeri smirked, wrenching her fist free. The horse staggered back with another growl, looking the witch dead in the eye.

“Mysteeri…” It snarled, eyes twitching.

“How did you…?” Rarity looked to the witch in bewilderment.

Mysteeri chuckled as she crossed her arms “Time stops are easy to pin down when you know the clues. No sounds, for one and sudden movements with no traces? Child’s play.”

Even Starburst was amused by the revelation. Thinking about the horse’s movements, what Mysteeri said did hold weight, unlike Twilight’s teleportation there was no hint it was about to move to a new place. She narrowed her eyes at the witch, just what in Celestia’s name did she summon?

Mysteeri looked to Rarity and gestured back with her head. Rarity nodded and sprinted toward the fallen tree from their combined crash. The horse broke into another mad sprint toward the running unicorn, Mysteeri leaping onto its back and digging her fingers into its neck. With a screech the horse sent out a wave of blue energy, draining everything around it of colour. It gasped for breath, only to feel the weight of Mysteeri slowly leave its back.

The witch was still moving. Slowly, but surely, she was still moving, reaching out for the log of the fallen tree. The horse backed up and broke into a mad sprint while surrounded by blue fire, its eyes glaring daggers into the witch’s back.

Inches away from her, time returned its flow only for the tree to gain a blue glow, being lifted into Mysteeri’s hands. The horse had no time to even see the witch immediately spin around in the air and smash the trunk across its head, with splinters and chunks of wood flying everywhere, followed by the shadowy pieces of the horse’s head.

Rarity caught Mysteeri in another magic glow, gently putting the witch back on her feet. Clutching her chest, Mysteeri walked over to the dismembered eye of the horse, which continued to glare at her “The hours of folly are measured by the clock, but of wisdom, no clock can measure.” She said through an exhausted smile “Die.” She slammed her hoof down on the eye, another shriek echoing over the area as the horse’s body faded into embers of light.

Mysteeri grunted as she slowly lowered her clutched hand from where the horse had pressed its foot down on, taking a few deep breaths “Hey, Rarity…thanks.”

“Oh, no, don’t thank me, darling, I’m more concerned about you. Can you breathe?” She said as she led Mysteeri back into the boutique.

Starburst remained outside, glancing around at the crowd. Her horn lit up with magical energy, with a bright neon “MOVE IT!” appearing above her. The crowd immediately dispersed, Starburst pushing the door to the boutique back open.

Completely unaware, however, of the two royal guard ponies that had been hidden among the ponies watching the fight.

Through The Fire

By the time Starburst had walked back into the boutique, Rarity already had Mysteeri on quite a fancy red sofa with gold, curved legs. The witch looked, once again, quite confused by the situation, yet Rarity already had a bandage wrapped around her chest.

“I’ll be fine, I’m sure. Cracked ribs are nothing in comparison to some of the stuff that usually happens to me.” Mysteeri said, awkwardly moving her arm across the sofa.

Rarity shook her head “Look at you, darling, you are most certainly not going to be able to do what it is you need to do in that condition. Stay, relax, you two have probably been working yourselves to death!”

“It’s true…” Starburst admitted “Neither of us have had much time to relax ever since we got started on all this.”

As she finished talking, the rumble of thunder echoed in from the clouds above, followed by raindrops flicking against the window. Starburst sighed and lowered her head, ears folding down with the movement.

“But I guess we have no choice. No going out in that weather.”

“No way in hell am I going out in the rain, anyway.” Mysteeri said, a scowl forming on her lips as she slowly let herself lay further back into the sofa “My hair is a pain to dry…”

Rarity pulled up a pair of seats with her magic, gesturing for Starburst to sit on one “Please, make yourselves at home, darlings, I shall be back with some tea!” She trotted off upstairs, leaving Mysteeri and Starburst on their lonesome.

“Not gonna lie, I thought that damn thing was gonna punch a hole right through me.” Mysteeri said, placing a hand where its hoof had been “I should be back in action once the rain passes.”

Starburst hopped into her chair, giving Mysteeri a perplexed look “How? Cracked ribs take ages to heal, you probably won’t even be able to fight for the rest of your time here.”

“Hehehehargh…” Mysteeri’s chuckle was cut off by a twinge of pain from her chest “Ack, hey, I’m a witch, remember? Ones like me heal faster. I’ll be fine.”

Starburst shrugged “If you say so. And, about that, I heard that horse scream something.”

“You heard it, too?” Mysteeri’s ears perked up…quite literally. The movement instantly attracted Starburst’s gaze “What?”

“…Your ears.” She said, levitating a mirror over to the witch. The moment she looked back, however, Mysteeri had her arm atop her head, slowly moving it back to reveal a pair of deep black pony ears in the mirror, sprouting from within that huge mass of hair. She groaned and covered her eyes with her hand.

“What’s the matter?” Starburst asked “I know the transformation is happening faster than we thought, but…”

“I’m really embarrassed about my ears.” Mysteeri said, slowly lowering her hand “When I got into the contract that gave me the witch stuff, getting them meant I had to…exchange a body part. I chose to replace my ears with cat ears. Until I figured out how to fold them down, everyone was making fun of me.”

“Oh.” Starburst blinked “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t know. I guess that does explain the ability to turn into a cat, though…”

“No point hiding it now.” Mysteeri shook her head “Doesn’t look like I can get them back down anyway.”

“I’m baaack, darlings!” Rarity’s voice rung out as she came back down the stairs, levitating a tray that carried a kettle and a trio of tea cups and saucers on it “So then, your plan, Starburst, you didn’t get to finish explaining before we were interrupted.”

“Didn’t I?” Starburst questioned “Hm, guess I didn’t. Where were we?”

“You were asking if Rarity was going to lend us a hand dealing with the source of the creatures.” Mysteeri said as Rarity levitated a full cup of tea over to her “Cheers.” She said, gently taking it into her hands.

“Oh, right, I was.” Starburst smiled “So, um, yeah, Rarity, will you help us?”

“Why of course, darlings!” Rarity took a sip of her tea “I assure you, it’s the least I could do.”

Starburst pumped her hoof, grinning “That’s the last of them, then, thank you Rarity.”

“So, where will you quest take you next? Do tell.” Rarity said, placing her cup of tea back upon its saucer.

“To the Far Mountains.” Starburst said, gesturing to her side “Of course, I forgot to consider how we’re going to get there. I can’t get Mysteeri on the train easily.”

“If I had my bike, getting there would have been a breeze.” Mysteeri commented “She’s a beast.”

“Hmm, that is quite the conundrum.” Rarity put a hoof to her chin, then glanced over to the paper she had jotted down Mysteeri’s measurements on “Say, Mysteeri, darling, about what I said when you two first arrived…”

Some time later…

Mysteeri stood across from the mirror, now covered in a deep black trenchcoat, a black cloak covering her upper body with what could be closely described as thick trousers and boots on her transfigured legs. Her hair had been tied back to the best of both Starburst and Rarity’s ability, an angular hat atop her head with a mouth covering obscuring everything on Mysteeri’s face but her eyes.

“A centaur look would have been possible if Starburst were just a little taller, but then people may think Tirek came back.” Rarity said as she gave Mysteeri one final look “But! If we can’t disguise you, we can at least cover up as much of you as possible!”

“It’s lovely, Rarity.” Mysteeri said, pulling down the face covering to reveal an honest smile “Thank you.”

“And we can just…have this?” Starburst asked, levitating a purse beside her “Are you sure?”

“Darlings, you’re trying to save the world, are you not? Besides, I owed you for saving my beautiful boutique from that flaming fiend!” Rarity smiled to Starburst, flicking her mane back “They don’t call me the element of generosity for nothing, you know.”

“What time is it?” Mysteeri asked, looking over her shoulder.

Starburst glanced to Rarity’s grandfather clock “Quarter past four. We should have enough time for the magna crystals.”

“Oh, you didn’t mention you were going to retrieve some of those!” Rarity’s eyes lit up like diamonds “I hate to be a bother, but you wouldn’t mind bringing me back some, would you?”

Mysteeri shrugged “I don’t see why not.”

Beams of light shone into the boutique as the dark clouds finally parted, revealing the rain coated land outside which glimmered in the bright sunlight “Gorgeous as always, Celestia.” Rarity smiled.

Starburst gave Rarity a brief look, her smile shrinking ever so slightly at the mention of the princess. She cleared her throat yet again “Well, I think it’s best we get going, then, don’t want to miss the train.” She bowed her head to Rarity “Thank you for your hospitality, Miss Rarity.”

“Oh, any time, darling, any time.” She waved the duo farewell as they headed out the door, Mysteeri pulling the cover back over her face.

Friendship Express Station, 10 minutes later…

A few ponies glanced to the strange, pitch black clothed…thing sitting on the bench next to Starburst, its upper body hidden underneath an equally dark cloak, shade obscuring its face.

“I think it’s working.” Starburst whispered, “We’re getting a few looks but no one seems alarmed.”

“Surprising.” Mysteeri shrugged “I love it, but you’d think a few more people would be creeped out enough by it.”

The sound of a crying filly fixed that concern.

“Never mind.” Mysteeri said, closing her eyes. The two of them continued to wait in silence among the talkative crowd on the station, which eventually got Mysteeri to open her eyes again “They’re way too talkative here. Back home everyone actually keeps quiet when waiting for the train.”

“That’s ponies for you.” Starburst shrugged.

The sound of a whistle blew over the station, followed shortly after by quite the colourful steam engine pulling into the station, a bright fluorescent pink. Mysteeri chuckled at the engine “You’d get tooth rot just looking at some of the stuff here, I swear.” She slapped her thigh as she stood up, Starburst hopping off the bench with her.

Once aboard, Mysteeri was quick to find the spot closest to the corner and returned to the exact same sitting position she had on the bench, barely even reacting to the train lurching forward as it began its journey. Starburst looked her up and down once again “So, what’s with sitting like that?”

Mysteeri looked to her unicorn companion “It’s my, eh…inconspicuous pose, I guess.” She shrugged “Of course it normally doesn’t look like this.” She gestured to her legs and their inability to bend “But it’s my best way of not being noticed.”

“Huh.” Starburst hummed. Once Mysteeri turned her head back to face forward, she slowly slipped into a poor mimic of the position herself, completely unaware of Mysteeri’s golden eye hidden in the shade her hat produced staring right back at her.

Silence fell on the two again until the train entered a tunnel, plunging the carriage into darkness.

“So, these magna crystals.” Mysteeri began “You know where to find them, right?”

“Yep.” Starburst’s nod went unseen in the darkness “It’s just a small way up a mountain near where we’re getting off. The one we’re going for is a huge deposit of the stuff.”

“…So then why is it still there?” Starburst could hear Mysteeri shuffle into a different position as she spoke “Surely someone would have gotten their hands on a huge chunk of these crystals already.”

“Oh, ah, yeah, well, about that…” Starburst chuckled “We maaaaayyy have to fight something.”

“…Fine.” Mysteeri huffed “Chest still hurts but I have a style I can use. What is it?”

“A demon.” Starburst responded. She jumped when she heard Mysteeri’s hand slam against the wall, the train leaving the tunnel revealing Mysteeri’s posture looked…excited?

“A demon?” She asked. Yeah, she was definitely excited “What kind? Is it special? Does it have element?”

“I-I-I don’t know.” Starburst stammered as Mysteeri realised her sudden break in character, retracting back into a more relaxed posture “It’s called Deimos. And besides the fact it’s big, that’s all I know about it.”

Mysteeri smirked underneath her face covering. A stray demon in this world? Her heart raced at the mere idea.

Once again silence fell on the two for the remainder of the journey, which only broke when Starburst let out an excited “We’re here!” As the train left another tunnel some time later.

Mysteeri propped her hat up to see the rising moon nestled between two mountains just out the window, soon obscured by a wall as the train pulled into the station. With a grunt, she stood up and followed Starburst out, getting a few odd looks from passing ponies as they left the station, being met with a simple small village.

“Is this all there is?” Mysteeri asked. The village was like what you’d expect from one in the mountains, the streets illuminated by the warm orange glows from inside “It’s…quite pleasant, really, but I can see everything from here.”

“Apparently the tracks and station are still here from when the Far Mountains used to be much more lived in.” Starburst explained as the two began walking “Of course after Discord came in and turned the world upside down for a spell, much of the village was lost in the chaos. No one knows where it went, not even Discord.”

“Damn.” Mysteeri said, crossing her arms as a chill blew through the air.

“People come and go from here for the view like that.” Starburst gestured with her hoof to the moon between the mountains “Plus food is hard to grow, so the residents will need a way to the outside world.” Her horn illuminated again as she pulled her own red cloak’s hood up “So, Deimos…” She looked around, humming to herself before spotting an opening a couple dozen feet up from the village “He should be in there!”

“Hang on, if there’s a demon in there,” Mysteeri stepped toward the opening “How come this village is still standing?”

Starburst had no answer for that, rubbing her chin before responding with an earnest “I really don’t know.”

Mysteeri shook her head “Well, unless he’s way too big to get out, we can only hope he’s been asleep.”

Gravel crackled and popped under their hooves as they walked up the mountainside path, with the howl of the wind blowing cold air through the mountain range, even Mysteeri couldn’t help but shiver. She looked down to the village and grumbled, barely keeping her hat from flying off as a particularly strong gust of wind hit them.

“I really should have brought my thicker coat!” Starburst yelled above the wind “Brr…” She shook once it passed “At least we’ll be protected from the wind in there.” She lit up her horn with a white glow as they entered the cavern, the light instantly revealing dozens upon dozens of small, glimmering orange crystals embedded in the rocks, illuminating the cave with an almost spectral yet warm glow.

“Wow…” Starburst gasped at the sight “This is incredible.”

“Yeah.” Mysteeri nodded, lowering her face covering “Never seen something quite like this.”

“Ah!” Starburst’s face lit up “There! The deposit!”

Across the cavern lit up a full wall of nothing but one giant crystal, to which Mysteeri whistled at the sight “Now this is definitely something else!”

As the two approached, a pair of red eyes lit up in the darkness behind them, a low growl rumbling from within the unseen creature.

“So then, how are we going to get ourselves some of this action?” Mysteeri put her hands on her hips, only for her ears to twitch. In an instant, she had Starburst in her grip, leaping out of the way of something that slammed into their prior position not a moment later.

Landing with a slight stumble, Mysteeri glared at their unseen attacker.

An unsightly beast reared up to a staggering height, the smell of ashes filling the air as it stomped towards them with strange, distorted hooves. Its skin was a sickly grey yet looked as solid as armour, adorned with veins of flowing magma. On its face were a pair of evil red eyes and rows of sharp teeth, with huge horns on either side of its head.

“Guess that’s Deimos.” Mysteeri said, releasing Starburst.

Deimos let out a bellow as it summoned blades of fire over its arms, snarling at the two intruders.

“I’ll handle this.” Mysteeri said, summoning Moonrise to her hand “Demons are my specialty.” She parted the cloak to reveal the trenchcoat underneath, bringing her face covering back up.

GREATER DEMON

DEIMOS

“…It would be best to let the witch handle this, yeah.” Starburst said, backing up slightly “I’ll help you out if I can.”

The beast roared with tremendous force, enough to send Mysteeri’s clothing billowing in the gust “Whew! Feisty, aren’tcha?” The witch raised her gun to the demon “Uncle Dante’s missing out.”

A cloud of dust was kicked into the air as Deimos slammed its fiery blades down onto Mysteeri, who turned to a black blur as she easily dodged to the side, responding with a powerful punch to the side of the demon’s face.

Deimos snarled as it stood back up, eyeing its opponent up. The two began to circle each other, the silence only penetrated by the sound of Mysteeri’s hooves hitting the stone, joined by the heavy steps of the demon.

They stopped for less than a second before both releasing a battle cry as they charged toward each other, Mysteeri bounding up to Deimos’ eye level with ease, crackling with purple energy.

Already the cavern rumbled as the two collided, flames being sent through the air as their impact sent both fighters flying. Mysteeri bounced off the floor before righting herself, digging her fingers into it as she slid to a halt. Deimos, however, broke into a mad sprint toward the witch the moment it regained its balance.

Loose crystals came raining down from the ceiling with each stomp of Deimos’ charge. Mysteeri was quick on the draw, a gunshot ringing out through the cavern with a brief flash of light. Deimos cried out and reeled back as magma poured from a newly formed hole in his chest.

Mysteeri smirked under her mask and broke into a dash of her own toward Deimos, once again shooting into the air and slamming her hoof down on the demon’s skull, sending it straight into the dirt.

Deimos was quick to right itself, screeching out as it charged for Mysteeri, only for a blue light to shoot out from the corner of its eye, to which the demon turned to see Starburst running alongside it, pelting him with small blue bolts of magic. With a mighty roar, Deimos turned on a dime and directed its rage toward the unicorn, the flaming blades it produced burning into a raging inferno.

Starburst slid to a stop herself, the starlit blue sword flashing up from her horn. Sparks of magic and fire shot out in all directions as flame met spell until Starburst yanked her head up, breaking through Deimos’ force. The sword vanished and she was just as soon surrounded by orbs of the same light blue, all of which hurtled towards Deimos, his orange glow being muted by the strong blue light the resulting explosions created.

“Not bad,” Mysteeri nodded “Not bad at all.”

Deimos’ crimson eyes glared through the smoke, the air wavering from the heat as it charged forward with another tremendous bellow. The duo were quick to dodge out of the way, Deimos immediately turning his enmity to the gunslinging witch.

“Come on.” Mysteeri gestured towards herself with her pistol.

Deimos slammed his fiery blades into the floor, swiping and slashing at Mysteeri only for the witch to seemingly turn to a black cloud with each dodge, chuckling to herself with each miss from the demon. Deimos screeched out again and slammed his fists into the floor, resulting in a huge pillar of fire erupting from within.

Mysteeri was launched out from it with a yelp, slamming into the walls of the cavern with a loud THWACK!

Lowering her face covering to reveal a spot of blood trickling from her mouth, the witch scowled as she got back up. Starburst was quick to act, pelting Deimos with a hail of magical bolts, only for the demon to turn its gaze on her. With a simple flash of its eyes, Starburst felt herself frozen in place, her mind screaming at her body to move yet she couldn’t get herself to budge an inch.

“H-How did you?” Starburst stammered only to be sent flying into the walls herself, her cloak getting snagged on a jutting out piece of rock, resulting in the unicorn being suspended in the air.

Deimos let out a low repeated growl, as if it were laughing to itself as it approached its impeded purple foe. Embers licked at Starburst’s coat as Deimos raised its blade next to her, the searing heat threatening to set her mane alight.

“HEY!” Mysteeri screamed, back on her feet and sprinting toward the demon “I AIN’T DONE WITH YOU YET!”

Deimos turned around only to be met with Mysteeri’s hoof meeting its face, sending it crashing into the wall. Mysteeri landed on the demon’s shoulder, one hoof on Deimos’ head as she grabbed onto one of the beast’s colossal horns. Deimos broke free from the rocks, thrashing and clawing for Mysteeri only for a sickening CRUNCH to echo out as Mysteeri tore the horn clean in two, leaping off Deimos and smashing the rock that was hoisting Starburst up in one swift movement.

The two landed side by side, Mysteeri chuckling as she tossed the demon’s horn about, catching it with ease each time, an impressive sight for its size “Sorry to horn in, but I couldn’t let you cook my friend!”

Starburst’s face lit up at the witch calling her a friend, looking to the demon as her horn lit up once more “I think it’s about time to settle this.”

“That’s right.” Mysteeri chucked the horn over her shoulder “Come on!”

Deimos bellowed out once more as it charged for the two, Starburst responding with another barrage of blue magic. The demon tanked straight through them, glowing a menacing red with steam raising from its back. Mysteeri huffed and dashed forward herself, her black pistol rematerializing in her hand as she brought it up.

Another gunshot blasted out through the cavern, Deimos’ red glow vanishing as another hole opened up right by the previous one. Without a moment of hesitation, Mysteeri rammed her hand into the open wound, grabbing onto the first thing she could wrap her hand around and tore straight through Deimos’ chest, clutching a rib in her hand she left the demon with an gaping hole along its chest, blood erupting forth from within the beast.

Starburst stood mouth agape at the sight of the crimson liquid coating the floor, Mysteeri so casually flicking her cape to wipe it off her, dropping the rib like it was nothing. Deimos fell to its knees behind her, hand over its chest before falling face first into the floor, turning to flickers of light that faded away into the air…leaving a single glowing white light.

Mysteeri reached out behind her, the light floating into her hand before forming into a black katana, the sheath embellished with flaming inscriptions. The witch smirked, looking to the wall of crystal as she raised her face covering once more.

Starburst’s shock at the sight of all the blood went to shock at Mysteeri’s sudden attack on the wall, unsheathing the sword to reveal a brilliant blood orange blade, letting out numerous excited yells and howls as she broke chunk after chunk off the wall, spinning like a saw, slicing out huge chunks with single strikes and some parts even burst out without her doing anything, the unicorn was mind blown by the display.

Mysteeri finally landed alongside her, slowly sheathing the sword in front of her. With a flash of light as the blade disappeared, the entire wall of crystal collapsed behind them, scattering chunks and shards of all shapes throughout the cavern.

“…Where in Tartarus did that come from?” Starburst questioned, shaking her head to rid herself of the shock.

“Oh,” Mysteeri chuckled, the sword fading away in a purple light “Just some stuff I learned from someone…quite motivated.”

Starburst silently nodded, placing her saddlebags down “Well, come on, they aren’t going to collect themselves.”

Canterlot Castle, several hours earlier…

“Princess Celestia!” A guard pony announced as he approached the princess from behind, the alicorn of the sun enjoying a spot of tea on her balcony “I have urgent news!”

“Oh?” The princess put down her tea, turning her head to the guard “What is it?”

“Two of the guards stationed in Ponyville reported an attack from the comet creatures today. An extremely large, black demonic pony, to be specific. However, it was fought off.”

Celestia chuckled “That must have been a handful for them.”

“About that, your majesty, they weren’t actually able to break through the enormous crowd that had gathered there.”

Celestia tilted her head “Then who fought it off?”

“The Element of Generosity, Rarity,” The guard began “Along with another unicorn, however she wasn’t able to be identified.”

“I see…was there anyone else?” Celestia quizzed.

From inside the hall, Luna poked her head around the corner as she heard Celestia’s conversation.

“Yes, your majesty.” The guard nodded “They reported an extremely tall and slender black creature that walked on two legs.”

“Two legs…?” Luna whispered.

“Princess, I believe we have a lead on the offworlder.”

Luna’s pupils shrunk down to tiny dots as her whole body was frozen stiff at the words.

Bury The Light - Part 1

Starburst’s House

2:30AM

“Here we are…” Starburst groaned, eyes half closed as she and Mysteeri shambled into the house, the witch simply letting her clothes fall off her as she approached her usual seat by the fireplace, Starburst quietly hopping into the other one.

Silence fell.

Only to be broken by the two letting out exasperated, exhausted sighs, the shining vibrancy in Starburst’s mane seeming to vanish into the cold air that pervaded her home.

“Fuck…” Mysteeri groaned, deflating into the chair and dragging her hand down her face, staring into the black, empty fireplace, the slight groan she let out slowly rising into a scream as she threw her arms upside her face, clutching onto her hair on the other side of her head “FUUUCK!” She bellowed out, throwing her arms down “CHRIST!”

“I know, right!?” Starburst joined in on the yelling “It’s been how many days of just nothing but fighting!”

Mysteeri ran her hand through her hair, taking in a deep breath before letting it all out in another scream “Even for me that’s way too FUCKING much!” She let out a yelp as her wings suddenly extended to their full size with an audible FWOOF “Oh, great, now THESE things want to be a problem!”

“I feel like any more magic’s gonna smash my horn open!” Starburst howled, burying her face into the seat’s arm.

“I don’t care what anyone says, we deserve to sleep in…” Mysteeri once again covered her face with her hand “God, look at this, Starburst,” she turned to the unicorn, hand extended “The coat’s gone from my suit to my goddamn hands.”

Starburst cried out again as she rolled over onto her back “How are we going to even get ANY of this done!?”

“Not like this we ain’t…” Mysteeri sighed “I need some damn sugar…please tell me we got enough of those crystals, I don’t want to spend another day going back and seeing that cu-“

Mysteeri’s extreme curse was cut off by the door slamming open, followed immediately by a familiar voice.

“SHE KNOWS!” Luna shouted, rushing in and slamming the door behind her “My sister knows you’re here!”

She was met by another unified scream that she swore she could probably have heard from Canterlot, only then noticing how…absolutely exhausted the two were, Mysteeri’s spiked up hair was drooping, along with that shimmer now completely vanished from Starburst’s mane and tail “Oh, I’m sorry, did I come at a bad time?”

“Half two in the morning could be considered a bad time…” Mysteeri said after glancing to Starburst’s clock “Shouldn’t you be in people’s dreams?”

“Yes, I should be.” Luna nodded “However I was able to find an opening in time where there are no nightmares plaguing the land for now. I knew I had to come warn you the moment I noticed.”

“Great…” Mysteeri grumbled “I’m basically 80% through the transformation, we have, like, two days until closest approach and now Celestia knows where we are. What next, a nuclear space station crashes into the planet?”

Luna and Starburst exchanged a glance at the last part of the question “How many more things do you need to prepare?”

“White gold.” Starburst said, rubbing her eye with her hoof “From…the Canterlot Moun-“ She stopped short upon realising what she was saying “Fuck.”

“I’ll go when I wake up.” Mysteeri said “Alone.”

“Surely you jest.” Luna interjected “Alone is suicide, if you are right next to Canterlot, my sister will assuredly be able to tell your exact location.”

“How?” Mysteeri returned “She doesn’t know anything about how to read my energy, that’s one thing we have going for us. I could be right above her and she wouldn’t be able to tell.”

Luna shook her head “My sister has had many years to hone her magic, I never thought to ask but even I should assume she has a spell that is capable of detecting anomalies and other things from beyond this world and the next.”

Starburst sighed “And no spell I can cast would be-“ She was interrupted by a yawn “…be able to hide you from someone like Celestia. Not that you’re going, anyway.”

“I am.” Mysteeri broke through her exhausted mind to respond in a firm tone “There’s no other way.”

“I would acquire it for you myself, but once again my duties prevent me from doing so.” Luna frowned “You have my sincerest apologies.”

Starburst simply waved her hoof “Don’t worry, you have more important…” Her eyelids slowly shut as she spoke before closing completely, her head drooping down before she began letting out light snoozes.

“Poor little thing.” Luna gently placed her hoof on Starburst, her horn lighting up before the fireplace roared to life “Wouldn’t want one of my subjects sleeping in the cold on my watch.” She then turned to Mysteeri “You’re not going to change your mind, are you?”

“Nope.” Mysteeri replied, yawning herself “I already said I’d fight Celestia if it came down to it.”

Luna nodded slowly “Fighting my sister…you are quite the warrior, Mysteeri. I can’t say I approve of the idea; she is my sister after all, but if you must fight her, then I hope you are prepared.”

“I’ve survived Aunt Rem blasting me through a city.” Mysteeri smirked at the memory, placing her head on her fist “What’s the worst…that…she can do…” The witch, too, was quick to drift off the moment her eyes began to close, going entirely silent and still save for the rising and falling of her chest.

Luna chuckled to herself, turning to the clothes Mysteeri had strewn about behind her, levitating them up onto the table before turning to the door “Good luck, Daughter of Darkness.” She glanced behind her as she opened it, stepping outside and gently pulling it shut behind her “You’re going to need it.”

With that, the princess of the night took to the air. She gave the distant, yet night-piercing comet a glance. It was bigger and brighter than ever, yet even in its glowing white splendour, it felt wrong to call it a beautiful sight.

6AM, Canterlot Castle

“Ah, good morning, sister!” Celestia greeted Luna with a cheery smile, as she always did and always will “How was your dreamwalking?”

“Quite uneventful, I’m afraid.” Luna replied, rubbing her eyes before yawning “Nothing too interesting happened.”

“I see…” Celestia nodded “I hate to bother you about it now of all times, but did you find that strange dream energy again? The one that could have come from the offworlder.”

Luna paused.

“No.”

“Well, that’s unfortunate.” Celestia put a hoof to her chin “How strange, even they must have to sleep.” She pondered, then looked to Luna once more “Well, you go turn in for the day, then.” She smiled once more, raising the sun into the sky without much of a thought.

“Of course.” Luna yawned once more, even a princess like her couldn’t help but drag her hooves as she walked away from her sister. Taking a look behind her, she saw Celestia silently observing the land below from the balcony, already looking as if she was incredibly deep in thought.

“That’s all the time I can buy you.” Luna thought “I pray to Faust it’s enough.”

Celestia was snapped out of her thoughts some time later by the approach of a guard in a much more lavish set of armour than the rest “Your Majesty.” He said in a gruff voice. He waited in silence for a minute. Then two. Then three.

“Princess Celestia.” He said, slightly louder.

That got her attention, the princess’ ears flicked, and her eyes glanced over to him. She let out a quiet, short gasp upon noticing the guard’s presence “Oh, I’m sorry, Captain, I was much too deep in thought!” She laughed, to which the Captain smiled “Do you have something to report?”

“I do, your majesty.” The Captain nodded “We know for certain that the offworlder has been in Ponyville since before even they were spotted outside of Carousel Boutique. Investigators were able to find out someone has been housing her, but the pony doing so is an absolute ghost. They couldn’t find a trace of her name.”

“That is quite the pony.” Celestia replied, once again glancing out to Ponyville, then looked back to the guard “Is there anything else?”

“Yes, and this is quite pressing. The offworlder is on the move again.” The Captain walked up to beside Celestia on the balcony, pointing to the faintly visible train tracks that lead from Ponyville “It was spotted following the train tracks by a guard on patrol, he said it’s wearing some strange new clothing as well, perhaps to disguise itself.”

“Go on.” Celestia nodded.

“When it noticed it had been spotted, the guard said it moved faster than anything it had ever seen with legs. Which leads on to something else that had been recently confirmed: the offworlder has the legs of a pony.”

Celestia shuffled on the spot at such a mention “Excuse me?”

“The offworlder’s legs are that of a pony.” The Captain repeated “It was confirmed by the investigators, but they don’t look like that of Lord Tirek.”

“What in Faust’s name are we dealing with, then?” Celestia quizzed “And do we know where it’s going?”

“I can only presume…here.” The Captain replied, Celestia’s expression turning serious “The tracks it was spotted following lead straight to Canterlot Station, with only one stop in the mining town just before.”

Celestia took a deep breath “I will deal with this offworlder myself, then.”

“P-Princess?” The Captain stuttered, his rough expression fading in an instant “Permission to be frank?”

“Permission granted.”

“That’s absolutely ridiculous.” The Captain huffed “For you to leave Canterlot to deal with an issue the guard itself is more than capable of, why?”

“Because it’s already nearby.”

Glimmering Tool Town, not far from Canterlot

A large, muscular stallion grunted as he hefted a trailer of coal behind him, the gravel on the floor crunching beneath its weight as he tugged it along the path through the town, the mountain winds sending a cold chill throughout.

The stallion came to a stop when he saw a strange creature standing atop a nearby fence, perfectly still, looking out to a distant ridge. Its long black coat moved with the wind, yet the creature’s precarious perch remained steadfast.

“Hey!” The stallion called out “Can I help you?”

The tall, slender creature turned its attention to the stallion, hopping off the fence and approaching in absolute silence. They stared at each other for a moment before the creature spoke.

“White gold. You got any?”

The stallion looked to the same ridge where the creature had just been staring “…Sorta. It’s all under that ridge you was just lookin’ at, but-“

“Good enough. Where’s the entrance?” The creature interrupted.

“Well, we’re not meant to go in often. It’s an extremely long mine now, been mined out so much, we only go get it when there’s something coming…up…” He trailed off as a single golden glow appeared from the gap between the creature’s face covering and hat, boring into his very soul as they slowly leaned over the stallion “It-it’s by the old watchtower, can’t miss that.”

The shadowed creature immediately broke eye contact, turning around in a swift movement with their coat flowing out behind them from such a movement, revealing briefly to the stallion a pair of pony’s legs, his eyes scanning the creature from the back as they walked off.

“Just a little…longer…” The creature growled to themselves.

Inside the mountain…who knows how much later

It felt like she had been walking for hours now, the faint glow of scarcely placed magic torches illuminating the spiralling path. Up, down, all around, it took her in every conceivable direction imaginable.

Mysteeri finally perked up upon noticing faint glimmers coming from the walls. Finally.

Putting her face up to them, she could just barely make out specks of a glimmering, brilliant white. White gold.

But then came the other issue: there was barely any here. Anything she could see was barely even the size of a nail, even if she gathered all this…

Her attention was then grabbed by a pile of boulders blocking the path, along with the ever so faint whisper of winds. Mysteeri approached the boulders and closed her eyes.

Behind here.

She put her hand on the closest boulder, her palm illuminating with a pink glow before the whole tunnel rumbled from a mighty blast, loose rocks clattering to the ground, along with chunks of the boulders that once obstructed the path.

Mysteeri was met with a bright white light as the dust cleared, slowly opening her eyes to see the source of it all being that of a room filled with huge chunks of…white gold. Positively tons of the stuff – for once the witch cracked a confident smirk as she strutted into the opening, looking up to see the sky itself above her, sunlight shining into the opening – creating the brilliant luminescence.

Stuffing her hands in her pockets, Mysteeri began whistling to herself as she inspected each chunk.

Her window shopping was interrupted by her ears flicking underneath her hat. The witch was quick to leap into the air in response, an enormous blast of magic impacting the point she was once standing.

Landing with a slight stumble, the witch stared at the crater left behind by the blast, grunting to herself as her eyes darted around for the attacker.

Nothing.

Until she heard the flapping of wings, glancing up to the opening in the roof.

“HALT, OFFWORLDER!”

Mysteeri’s disguise faded in ashes of purple light at the bellowing voice’s call, her hair letting out an audible fwoof as it sprung out in all directions, her wings slowly extending as the shadow of a pony became visible against the sun. Large wings and an equally long horn with a flowing mane and tail…

Princess Celestia touched down gently on the shining floor, her magenta eyes meeting Mysteeri’s revealed golden one. The witch couldn’t help but crack a smile.

“And here’s our guest of the hour.” She quipped, Celestia giving her no reaction “Sucks we had to meet in such a situation.”

“I shall give you one chance to surrender, offworlder.” Celestia’s voice was hard, firm and commanding “Lay down your arms, and I will allow you to return peacefully to whence you came.”

Mysteeri’s playful smirk was swiftly replaced with another scowl “And what gives you the impression I’ll do that?”

Celestia stood up to her full height, head held high “Your very presence here is causing an imbalance – in you, this world and the next. If you continue to persist, you shall cause irreparable damage to both yourself and the very fabric that makes up these worlds.”

Mysteeri shook her head “Exactly what Twilight said.”

Celestia’s stern look wavered for a moment at the mention of her student.

“I haven’t seen the world collapsing around me so far.” Mysteeri said, pacing back and forth yet kept direct eye contact with the princess “If anything, I think your world seems to like me.” She gestured to her back, her tail flicking behind her “Not that the feeling is entirely mutual.”

“Once your transformation is complete and you are unable to leave this world, I assure you, it will begin to have tremendous consequences for all of us. You do not belong in this balance.” Celestia took a step forward “And if you refuse to leave peacefully, or refuse to leave at all, then I’m afraid I have no other option.”

“No other option, huh?” Mysteeri responded, her guns slowly materialising in her hands “Sure you can’t just let me go? Magic of Friendship and all that?”

“What is your choice?” Was Celestia’s hard reply.

“Trial by combat.” Mysteeri snarled, raising her black pistol to the princess.

“So be it.” Celestia replied, spreading her wings as an ethereal glow radiated off of her.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Bury The Light - Part 2

The cold mountain air blew in through the opening to the blue sky as the princess and the witch stared each other down, flakes of ice and snow fluttering on the wind, neither of the two even flinched when the cold flakes hit their faces, a burning fire in their locked eyes.

The silence was finally broken by Mysteeri letting out a feral roar as she charged forward, pistols summoned to her hands. Celestia wasted no time in unleashing a barrage of glowing yellow swords at her, scattering rocks and debris where they hit as her dark foe dashed and weaved between them.

The air cracked as gunfire rang out, only for the bullets to be met with a barrier of magic. Mysteeri frowned and jammed her foot into the ground. She was sent flying into the air and flipping over Celestia, pistols aimed directly at the princess. Celestia snorted and bucked the witch into a wall, scattering rocks and debris as she smashed into it.

Mysteeri was quick to bounce back, emerging from the dust with a flaming aura of pink around her shoulders and guns aimed in a dramatic pose towards Celestia. The princess turned to her, summoning another set of swords by her sides. With her focused frown still on her face, Mysteeri crossed her guns atop one another before releasing a storm of bullets towards Celestia. She responded in kind by launching volley after volley at the witch, their attacks meeting perfectly between them with sparks of magic flying all over as they collided, scattering rocks and dust into the air.

The cloud was parted by a flash of black as Mysteeri charged through it, her fist charged with crackling purple energy, yet her attack merely bounced off the princess with a pulsing white light, the energy that sparked around her fist vanishing into the air.

Mysteeri let out a confused grunt as she bounced back, Celestia taking a few steps forward, wings outspread. The witch was quick to summon her gun back to her hand, blasting holes in Celestia’s wings in an instant.

Celestia, however, simply hummed in silent annoyance as sunlight gathered around her, healing the bullet wounds in an instant.

“What the fuck…?” Mysteeri’s eyes went wide, gun slowly lowering.

Castle of Friendship, some time earlier

“TWILIGHT!” Starburst yelled, pounding on the golden doors “TWILIGHT OPEN UP! IT’S AN EMERGENCY!”

The power behind her hoof only served to send her lurching forward once Twilight opened the door with a purple glow. Starburst looked to her friend, to which the alicorn immediately noticed the urgency of the situation “What’s wrong? Did you run all the way here? Where’s Mysteeri?”

“She’s missing, yes I did and…” Starburst paused, letting out an exhausted wheeze “…she’s missing.”

“Oh no.” Twilight’s ears folded down “Do you know where she went?”

“No.” Starburst shook her head “I would have called Luna, if I could reach her, but Mysteeri has the bell she gave us…”

“And her condition? How is it?” Twilight asked, putting her hoof on Starburst’s back “Breathe, Starburst.”

The unicorn lowered her head as she gasped for breath, slowly raising it as she gathered herself “OK…OK…It’s just, well, I woke up this morning and when I went to check on her, she was just…gone.”

Twilight hummed, putting a hoof to her chin “You don’t think the Royal Guard found her and managed to take her away in the night?”

Starburst shook her head “I would have known. Nothing was out of place, Mysteeri would definitely have started a fight.”

Twilight tilted her head slightly as she nodded “That’s her alright.”

“I barely remember it, I was so tired, but last night when we got home from our, er, trip, I guess, when Luna told us Celestia knows-“

“Celestia knows?” Twilight couldn’t help but interrupt out of shock “No, no…how?”

“I don’t know.” Starburst shook her head “But Mysteeri said she was…going somewhere. Alone. I just can’t recall where.”

Twilight hummed as she nodded once more “Perhaps we should ask around, see if anyone’s seen her.”

“We should.”

Canterlot Mountains

“AUGH!” Mysteeri yelled out as she slammed into a wall, guns clattering to the floor beneath her before she fell down between them.

Celestia had barely moved, barely reacted to any parts of her assault, yet she kept her eyes on Mysteeri the whole time. Even in spite of Mysteeri’s attacks, her expression never budged. Always so still. Always so calm.

God, did it make Mysteeri’s blood boil.

The few hits she landed, the few ones that pierced that barrier, gone in an instant.

Struggling to her feet once more, gripping onto the outlying rocks around her.

“Well?” Celestia’s voice echoed through the cavern “Have you changed your mind?”

The guns rattled on the floor before shooting up to Mysteeri’s hands, once again being aimed at the ruler.

Celestia shook her head “Very well.” Her eyes glanced to the pegasus features that had grown on her opponent, her tail flicked, and her wings twitched, clearly trying to open further than they were actually able.

Mysteeri released another battle cry as she charged for the princess once more, only to turn to a black blur as she dashed behind Celestia, once again igniting her arms with a pink flame. Her attempt to sweep Celestia’s feet out from under her was met with a magical sword deflecting her blow, yet Celestia still looked forward.

A roaring flame burst out from Mysteeri as she landed a mighty blow, yet it only served to once again bounce off Celestia’s barrier. Finally, the princess turned to face her, a quizzical look on her face.

“This don’t make any sense…” Mysteeri grumbled, her voice shifting to something much less composed. Her eyes glanced around the room until the spotted the large opening to the outside sky. It was just barely visible, but snow coated the rim of the opening. Celestia followed her gaze, yet by the time she laid eyes on the opening, the witch was already leaping off of jutted out platform-like rocks. She was quick to pursue, the two combatants quickly meeting on the snow covered peak only meters away from the opening. Celestia looked around at the clear blue sky, then to the witch, who was looking down to the floor, scanning it with her eyes.

She landed on a spot by Celestia’s feet, her eyes slowly rising up Celestia’s body until they once again made direct eye contact.

The slight shuffle of Mysteeri’s foot was met with an onslaught of magic in an instant, swords, explosions, and kinetic blasts forced the witch to dance around the attacks, yet even with her agility many of the attacks still hit her, searing black wounds into her body, blood slowly creeping down her body.

Once the assault finally stopped, Mysteeri was once again met with Celestia standing perfectly still, staring at her.

Judging her.

Looking to her hand, the witch now found herself covered in strings of her rich red blood, snarling at the sight.

The moment Celestia heard the snow crunch under Mysteeri’s feet once more, another assault of magic was sent her opponent’s way. Yet this time, Mysteeri began charging for Celestia, baring the full brunt of anything that hit her as she ignited herself with a pink blaze. A shot from her gun blasted open a wall of magic Celestia formed before her, eyes locking once more as Mysteeri shot into the air with the fire swirling around her fist. Celestia braced as she came rocketing back down.

…Only for Mysteeri to miss completely, instead slamming her fist into the snow. The whole mountain rumbled in response. Celestia’s realisation dawned faster than she could even blink as the snow suddenly shot into the air around them, forming a perfect blanket to block out the sun from the duel. Before she could even look down to Mysteeri, she was sent reeling by an incredible blow to the side of her face, then another to the opposite side, barely seeing Mysteeri’s fist coming in at such incredible speed.

As she staggered back, Mysteeri raised her leg straight up before slamming it down onto Celestia’s head. The princess was on the floor in an instant, Mysteeri’s hoof placed firmly on her horn. The blanket of snow above them seemed to remain suspended in the air, almost as if…this was all happening so fast that it hadn’t even started falling yet.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a mechanical click, the barrel of one of Mysteeri’s pistols aimed right at her.

“I win.” Mysteeri wheezed, shoulders rising and falling with her heavy breaths.

Celestia tried to move, only for Mysteeri to place more weight on her horn “…So you have.” She simply responded, glancing past the witch’s face to the snow above.

“So, then.” Mysteeri began, “You gonna leave me alone to do my thing?”

“And leave the balance of these two worlds in disarray? No, I can’t do that.” Celestia replied, feeling slithers of sunlight appear on her coat as the snow above began to part.

Mysteeri frowned, finger ready on the trigger “Well, I haven’t seen anything bad happening that I could put down to a balance being disturbed. Besides these damn wings, but if you’re not gonna-“ As she began to remotely squeeze her pistol’s trigger, she was hit by a heavy, freezing blanket of ice and snow.

And then, another sensation filled her now freezing body. Her hands went numb, pistols dropping to the floor. She staggered back, only able to watch in horror as her hands slowly formed into hooves, the sensation slowly turning to a numbness through her whole body, even her face felt like it wasn’t even there.

The moment she looked up from her new hooves, she was met with an incredible blast of yellow magic that sent her crashing into a snowbank, which crumbled around her.

Celestia was already back on her feet, the snow falling off her perfectly. She stepped forward toward the crumbled snowbank, only for her hooves to step on something solid…and quite oddly shaped. Looking down, she saw her hooves had landed on a pair of golden bracelets resting upon the snow.

Sound itself suddenly vanished from the area, as the snowbank Mysteeri had crashed into suddenly exploded to reveal a flame covered, jet black pegasus with white forelegs…and a lack of golden bracelets, eyes glowing white as a storm raged around them. Large wings, a wild mane and tail and a rose running down her left flank…Celestia could only stare in shock and awe at the raging pegasus as lightning silently crackled around the mountaintop.

Celestia planted her hooves firmly in the dirt as even steam began to appear around the pegasus as the blood itself boiled off of her until finally, she leapt into the air with an otherworldly screech. All the other sounds instantly came rushing back as a tremendous pink and black explosion tore through the entire mountaintop, consuming both the snow covered peak and the caverns below in an instant.

Celestia was blinded as the blast enveloped her, no magic would withstand the brunt of such sheer, unrestrained power.

Ponyville

The thunderous crack of an explosion instantly caught the entire town’s attention. Every pony looked up to the distant peak of Canterlot’s mountains to see the incredibly vibrant explosion of power tear through the once sharp top.

A cold chill washed over a few ponies as the sound from the village was slowly drained, a rushing wind replacing it.

“GET DOWN!” Twilight screamed out as loud as her voice would go, only for herself and Starburst to be swept off their feet by a deafening shockwave that rocked the entire village to its core, as if the earth itself was about to split open.

Her vision a blur, Twilight could only hear the muffled yell of somepony as her hearing slowly returned a few moments later.

“-light! Twilight!” She heard.

“TWILIGHT!” Starburst finally screamed “Come on, get up!”

Twilight grunted as she stood up, looking around the area “Is…is everyone OK?”

“Some damage, but we can’t worry about that right now. We need to get to the top of that mountain.” Starburst said with a determined look in her eye.

“I…” Twilight hesitated, looking around to the panicking ponies around her “I can’t, I need to help get everything under control.”

“You worry about this place!” Gael suddenly swooped in with a rush of wind “I’ll get Starburst up there!”

Twilight sighed out in relief as Starburst wordlessly formed a magical tether between herself and Gael “Thank you, Gael. Now go! Quickly!”

Desecrated Mountaintop

Mysteeri gasped for breath as the cavern crumbled around her, rocks crashing into the floor with tremendous slams, kicking up dust everywhere. The ground was scorched, the smell of ash filling the air as embers kicked up from the charred rocks.

Something about her body, it felt…different. Changed.

She didn’t care.

As the smoke cleared, she saw the chestpiece Celestia wore laying upon the ground, a relieved smile forming on her face before a figure emerged behind it, her smile being replaced with pure dread.

Finally, her legs gave out, the witch barely producing a bell in her mouth before she fell, tossing it to the side. It let out an echoing chime, which soon faded.

“No…not here…” Mysteeri groaned as her eyes shut, her limp body hitting the ground with a thud.

Silence fell on Celestia as the dust parted, looking to the fallen pegasus with an odd aching in her heart. Yet, she pushed it aside and lit her horn with a sparkling gold, launching a spark of bright magic to the pegasus. However as it left her horn, an gust of wind blew through the exposed cavern, a shadow streaking through the sky above.

With a flash of blue light, Starburst dropped from the sky itself with her horn projecting a sparkling blue blade, slicing the spark of magic in two in one swift motion, landing perfectly between Celestia and the fallen pegasus.

The magic faded into the air, leaving Celestia to simply stare in surprise at the unicorn.

“Hey, what happened to being quiet?” Starburst asked, not looking behind her “Mysteeri?” she continued, upon not receiving an answer “Hey, come on, you’re awful quiet.”

“You should look behind you.” Celestia said to the unicorn.

The moonlit sword faded from Starburst’s horn, the unicorn slowly turning around…and seeing the bloody, beaten and unconscious body of a black pegasus.

“MYSTEERI!” Starburst shrieked out, rushing over to her side “No, no, no, no! No! Please no!” She pressed her nose against the transformed witch’s side “Come on, get up!”

Her only response was a slight wheeze and twitching eyelids.

“No…” Starburst murmured, tears forming in her eyes “Mysteeri…” She choked on her own breath “Please get up…” Once again, the air was silent, save for Starburst’s desperate, pained gasps as she tried anything to get a response from the pegasus.

“Miss Nova.” Celestia finally spoke, her voice as soft as she could make it “I’m sorry-“

“You.” Starburst’s voice instantly filled with vitriol once the princess spoke “You did this.” She rose to her feet, magical energy swarming around her as tears ran down her cheeks “You. Did. This.”

Celestia didn’t reply, simply readying herself.

“Grandma was right about you. I should have known.” The magic coalesced back into the great blue sword from before, Starburst’s whole body shaking. Before Celestia could even reply, Starburst released a feral screech as she charged for the ruler of the sun, the sword sparking with pure magic power.

Mere feet before she reached the princess, a blue bolt of lightning erupted between them, scattering loose pebbles and kicking up yet more dust. Both ponies felt something pushing against their chests as the light faded, revealing two magical claws coming from the source.

Princess Luna stood between them.

Author's Note

Well, took me long enough, huh? Sorry this took so long, work shit. And, well, I got into Destiny 2, which got me hooked and then some. Plus, new Fortnite season.

Anyway, I probably won't be able to get out another chapter for the rest of the year, so while I'm here, I just want to wish everyone a merry christmas and a happy new year, if we don't see each other again!

Vacant Surrender

“ENOUGH OF THIS!” Luna’s booming voice sent a powerful gust of wind through the now exposed cavern as she shoved Celestia and Starburst away from each other, standing up straight up “Is blowing up a mountain really the best way to resolve this!?”

“I…I didn’t do it.” Starburst said after taking a deep breath, staring to the ground “I don’t know what happened.”

“Luna, what are you doing here? What’s going on?” Celestia stepped forward.

“…I can’t explain here.” Luna said with a sigh “Where’s Mysteeri?”

“The offworlder? That’s her name?” Celestia continued to question.

“…Over there.” Was Starburst’s quiet and broken reply. Luna looked to the unicorn, then followed her gaze to see a beaten, battered, and bloodied pegasus lying on her side, wisps of smoke rising up from glimmering magic burns upon her coat.

“Oh my.” Luna rushed over to the pegasus “Is this…?”

“Yeah.” Starburst slowly nodded “I-I don’t know what to do.”

Luna looked up to the now exposed sky “She must have been the one to cause…this.” She looked back to the pegasus “Come, we must get her to a doctor immediately.” Luna’s horn illuminated its deep blue as she levitated the unconscious pegasus onto her back “Stand close to me.” She said to Starburst, before looking to Celestia “Sister, please, give her a chance. She is not the threat you think she is.”

Celestia let out a long sigh once her sister vanished with the other two in a flash of light, then turned her head behind her to an exposed outcrop of white gold.

Canterlot Royal Hospital A&E

Luna and Starburst appeared in a flash of light, much to the surprise of some of the ponies there. Upon the realisation that Princess Luna herself was present, a present doctor rushed over to her.

“P-Princess Luna!” He greeted her “Quite a surprise to see you here, what do you need?”

“I need you to help this pegasus immediately.” Luna turned to the side to reveal the still smoking Mysteeri, getting quite the alarmed look from the unicorn doctor “There was a…misunderstanding.”

The doctor took a brief look at Mysteeri’s wounds before nodding “Right. Come on, follow me. And keep her steady. Nurse!”

The next few minutes all just felt like a hazy blur to Starburst. She could see Luna talking to the doctor and his nurse as they lead them down some halls, but she couldn’t hear anything about it. Her eyes slowly went down Luna to focus on Mysteeri.

She looked terrible.

The smoke from the burns inflicted by Celestia’s magic was starting to fade, yet she still didn’t move an inch besides an occasional jostle from Luna’s movements.

The deep black pegasus’ foreleg suddenly twitched, her head slowly rising with her eye creeping open. She took one look at Starburst, then looked down the hall before releasing a single, extremely weak “Heh…” and her head immediately fell back down, eye slowly closing once more.

Starburst slid to a halt on the shining white floors as Luna was lead into a room. The nurse gave her a look as the doctor went in with her, head tilted.

“I just…need to sit down.” She said as she moved over to a nearby bench. The nurse nodded and closed the door behind her.

Starburst tried as best she could to make herself seem as small as possible in the cold, steel chair, burying her face into her hooves with a defeated whine.

It happened again.

She wasn’t there to protect her. Even with all her magic, all her spells, she just wasn’t there to help her.

And the last time she wasn’t there to protect someone….

Canterlot, several years ago, the Changeling Invasion

A deep purple unicorn, clad in the golden armour of the royal guard, chuckled through pained coughs as he dragged himself along the floor, covered in blood, dust and his armour completely smashed, he looked over his shoulder to see an armoured changeling, completely unscathed, creeping up on him.

Breaking out into a brief bout of pained laughter, the unicorn rolled onto his back “Oh, wow…that was cheap.” His blue eyes met the pure cyan of the changeling’s “Now you listen here, bucko. Any second now, my daughter is gonna come charging in here, screaming her head off…” A smile crept onto his face as he pushed himself up “And slaughter every. Single. One of you.”

The changeling elite couldn’t help but smile “Using your daughter as a weapon, hm? Not very fatherly.”

“The hell would you know about parenting, bug?” The unicorn guard spat at the giant insect, the saliva dripping off its cheek after it impacted “In fact, speaking of bug-“ he was interrupted by laboured coughing, to which the changeling just smirked as it wiped the unicorn’s spit off its cheek “Where’s your queen, shitting out more of you back home?”

“I wouldn’t besmirch Queen Chrysalis like that…” The changeling said as it lifted up a discarded guard’s broadsword in its magic grip “She’ll have that daughter of yours in shackles soon enough.”

The unicorn just chuckled in response.

“Well,” The changeling breathed as a nearby, discarded broadsword was picked up in his own magic grip “Where ever you ponies go, I’m sure it will be far more forgiving than what she will do with any survivors.”

The sunlight glistened off the silver sword as it was raised into the air, blade aimed square at the unicorn’s chest.

“How many are there!?” A snow white guard cried out as he impaled a changeling upon his spear “They just keep coming!”

“HOLD THE LINE!” Boomed out over the guards as a cannonball turned a horde of changelings into bloody chunks “NOT EVEN ONE MORE OF THOSE BUGS GETS THROUGH!”

A guard in much more regal armour ducked under a flying head that splattered against a wall, then turned his attention to another guard nearby “How’s the evacuation going?”

The younger guard, coat a bright mint green, shook his head “Not good, sir, with both Celestia and the Captain nowhere to be seen by anyone, everyone’s just doing what they end up thinking is best. No one knows where to send all the citizens. Not only that, the platoon we sent out still hasn’t returned.” He explained, to which the older of the two snarled and punched a wall.

“GODDAMNIT!” He screamed, the younger guard flinching in response, then his eyes shot back open “And what of that girl Nebula Dawn brought with him today?”

“Well…”

Several streets down

Starburst gasped for breath as she leaned against a wall, looking behind her to the pool of green blood and changeling guts left in her wake, then down to the cuts and bruises on herself. She hissed as she staggered away from the wall, shaking her head “Gotta be more somewhere…”

“H-Hello?”

Starburst’s ears pricked up upon hearing the voice of a young filly coming from a window. The curtains parted to reveal a young white pegasus with a light blue mane. Starburst slowly walked over to the window, unaware of the gore splattered over her face “Hey…are you alright?”

The young pegasus took a brief look at the blood covering Starburst, letting out a slight whine before answering “Are you a member of the guard?”

Starburst hesitated “…Not really. Just helping out.”

“Oh.” The filly said softly “Um…have you seen my mum?”

Starburst shook her head “Sorry, I can’t say I have. What does she look like?”

“Oh, um…” The pegasus looked away for a second, hoof on her chin, before looking back to Starburst “She looks like me. But bigger. And she always wears a black coat, like that cape you have on, when she goes outside.”

Starburst glanced back to her red cloak before turning her attention back to the filly “Why’d she leave you alone?”

“She…she said she was just going to the shop.” The pegasus leaned out of the window to point to a nearby flower shop “I’m old enough to be by myself for a bit, but, she never came back. And dad hasn’t come back from his trip, either. I’m scared.”

Starburst looked around before taking another step closer to the window “I’ll find your mum, kid, I promise. But until then, you answer the door to no one.”

“W-why?”

“There are some…bad people in town right now.” Starburst explained, still turning her head to look down the street “They make themselves look like other people to trick everyone. If your mum comes home, is there anything only you two would know?”

“Oh, um…” The pegasus paused, as if frozen as she thought “There is one thing. We have a special word, for if I feel scared of something.”

“Good.” Starburst nodded “If you see her, ask her for the special word.”

“I will.” The filly nodded.

“That’s a good girl. Stay safe.” Starburst smiled at the young pony as she turned away before breaking into a sprint through the street. Yet from then on, every street, every road, was completely empty, save for the remnants of the chaos that had previously run through the city.

The sounds of warfare still echoed from beyond sight, along with the panic of the city’s residents. Starburst slowed her sprint down to a jog, then a walk, looking around each street for anymore survivors, yet all she was met with was the howl of the wind that blew through the empty streets.

“Hello!?” The unicorn called out to no reply.

“Is anyone still here!?”

Nothing.

“Dad!?” She yelled out, voice echoing off the buildings “Can you hear me!?”

Her voice vanished into the air as she stepped out onto the bridge that lead to the castle, once again the breeze filling her ears. She looked along the bridge to see it was covered in the remains of a large fight between the guard and changelings, all of them, however, dead.

Save for one.

Starburst’s ears twitched at the sound of quiet, desperate breathing. In the middle of the bridge lay a purple unicorn, coat as rich in colour as her own, with a sword impaled through his chest.

…A purple unicorn…with a coat just like hers.

“DAD!” Starburst shrieked as she charged over, the impaled guard turning his head as best he could to see his daughter galloping towards him.

“Heheh, hey Starry.” He smirked “Sorry…shoulda told you to come with me. Typical, huh?” He coughed up a small trickle of blood as he laughed “Whole ass wedding going on, I go to get you a snack, and…heh, on my day off, too.”

“Don’t say that, Dad!” Starburst’s horn illuminated with its usual bright glow, the sword’s handle being lit with the same glow, only for the stallion to place his hoof on his daughter’s “W-Wha…”

“Kid, this is the end of the line for me.” Even as his eyelids grew heavy, his smile refused to falter “It’s not your fault.”

“Yes it is!” Starburst protested, warm tears running down her cheeks “I should have come with you! I could have protected you!”

“Protecting’s my duty, kid.” Her father shook his head, then looked straight up to the sky “You got so much potential in ya, ya know….” He slowly closed his eyes, keeping his hoof on Starburst’s “I’m proud of you.”

“Dad…?” Starburst whimpered as her father’s hoof slid off her leg, hitting the ground with a weak thump “Dad, wake up!”

No response.

“No…Dad, please…” Starburst lay her head against her father, sobbing into his side until the sound of approaching hooves caught her attention. She looked up to be met with a snow white pegasus in a black coat looking at her, head tilted.

Starburst’s whole body jerked as she found herself crashing back into the hospital’s hallway, being met with Luna staring at her, the princess breathing a sigh of relief as the unicorn looked up at her “Oh thank heavens…”

“W-What?” Starburst replied, wiping her eyes of tears.

“You were slipping into a nightmare.” Luna explained as she sat down beside her “I had no choice but to pull you out.”

Silence fell for a moment.

“I’m sorry.”

Starburst turned her head to the princess, her expression asking all the questions.

“I tried to pull you out before you got to the bridge. No pony should have to relive such an event.” Luna said, to which Starburst just looked back to the floor “…Perhaps we should talk about something else.”

“Mysteeri.” Starburst said, voice almost completely monotone “How is she?”

Just before Luna could answer, the doctor entered the hallway, levitating a clipboard in his magic “Well, we have some…interesting observations about her, to say the least.”

“Interesting?” Starburst questioned “Like what?”

“Well first, and most obvious, is that she’s enormous for a pegasus, almost abnormally so – if her wings weren’t as overgrown as they are, she wouldn’t be able to fly. I thought we were dealing with a new alicorn at first glance. Now, as for her wounds, well, they’re healing, but-“

“But what?” Starburst blurted out, quickly covering her mouth “Sorry…continue.”

“Of course.” The doctor nodded “They’re healing incredibly fast; her magic burns have completely faded already.”

“That’s impossible.” Luna said, “The calibre of burns she received should take days to recover from.”

“Well, somehow, she’s recovering at an incredible pace. Do either of you two know anything about it?” The doctor replied, to which Starburst and Luna looked back to each other after he asked the question.

“I detected the darkness itself within her in her dream – could that have something to do with it?” Luna asked. Starburst thought back through every single word Mysteeri had said – well, every word she could remember, when a single word echoed in her mind.

“Witch.”

“She said she’s a witch.” Starburst replied, to which Luna tilted her head “But she didn’t say what kind.”

“Perhaps whatever the source of her abilities is, it’s what allows her to heal faster.” Luna replied.

The doctor shrugged and scribbled something down on the paper “I’ll just have to put that down as magically enhanced healing, then.”

“Anything else?” Starburst asked.

“Well, other than how extremely…unique she is in terms of appearance, that’s all.” The doctor said “While her healing is much faster, I can’t give you a proper estimate on when she’ll wake up. I’ll just go check on her now.”

Starburst sighed as the doctor closed the door, giving Luna a glance. The shine had completely left the unicorn’s eyes.

“Starburst Nova, I…” The princess took a breath “From henceforth on, I will be by your side in your quest.”

“I have everything I need, but…” Starburst said “Not the white gold for my focusing lens. And with Mysteeri in here…”

“White gold, you said?”

A white pouch was suddenly levitated into Starburst’s vision, surrounded by a yellow glow.

She looked up to be met with Celestia standing across from her, horn illuminated with the same glow around the pouch. Starburst just sighed and dropped her head, the princess of the sun placing the pouch next to her as she did “What do you want?” Starburst grumbled.

“Miss Nova, I’ve come to apologise.” Celestia replied.

“For what?” Starburst looked back up “For nearly killing my friend? Or for getting my father killed?”

“Your father-“

“You let both yourself and the captain of your guard be knocked out for the entire changeling invasion!” Starburst suddenly screamed out, taking both princesses aback at the sudden outburst “My dad was killed because of your choices!”

“Miss Nova-“

“And how do you know my name!?” Starburst once again shouted out, jumping out of her seat.

“Miss Nova, I named you myself.” Celestia replied in her usual calm voice.

Starburst froze “W-Wait, what?”

Luna was silent in the back, her eyes glancing from her sister to Starburst as the unicorn recoiled back.

“Do you not remember going to my school, either?” Celestia questioned, Starburst shrinking away under her still calm gaze.

It sent a cold chill through Starburst’s body all the same.

“I’m not here to hurt you or your friend, Miss Nova.” Celestia said, to which Starburst slowly looked back up at her. Her expression was racked with confliction, the princess gesturing to the bench behind her “Please, sit, I’ll explain your name.”

Luna put a hoof on Starburst’s back as she sat back onto her spot on the bench, to which the unicorn seemed to lean into.

“Your father, as I’m sure you remember, was an esteemed member of the royal guard and was a candidate to become captain at some point in the future.” Celestia began, “But since your mother…passed when you were born, your father was uncertain on what to name you.”

“So…why did he ask you?” Starburst questioned.

Celestia smiled “He trusted me the most, is what he said.” She then released a deep sigh “I deeply, truly regret my actions on the day of the wedding, both on a professional and personal level. In my haste to teach my student and keep spirits up with the wedding itself, I let myself be defeated and the city run into chaos.”

“Of all the times to be away for something diplomatic…” Luna muttered under her breath.

“Starburst Nova.” Celestia said, bowing her head, to which the unicorn could only look on in confusion and slight shock “I deeply apologise for the death of your father.”

“I-I…” Starburst stammered.

“Miss, please, you can’t get up just yet!”

The sudden protesting from within the hospital room caught the attention of all three, Mysteeri staggering out the door as it swung open “Gimme a minute, OK!?” She barked, then looked to Starburst “Hey, listen…I’d take it if I were you.” Each breath she took was a wheeze, “You and I, Starburst, we really aren’t so different, but…look, I know it’s hard, but hating her, that’s not going to do you any favours.” She noticed Celestia looking to her “…Good fight.” She said before staggering back into her bed, the door swinging shut behind her.

“…I need some time alone.” Starburst said solemnly, dropping out of her seat and trudging off down the hall. The royal sisters exchanged a glance, then looked to the unicorn as she disappeared around a corner.

Canterlot Cemetery, 1 hour later

“Hey.”

Starburst sat down before a single headstone, gently placing a bundle of flowers before it, then looked up to the name engraved upon the white stone.

“Nebula Dawn.”

She sighed and looked back down “I know, it’s been a while. Things have…” Starburst took a deep breath before letting it out in a long sigh “been busy. Really busy. I’ve been up to a lot, met this cool girl, went through dark creatures, went through a demon, and…” She looked up to the comet “I don’t know what to do next. I need your help. You always knew what to do, but…now I don’t have you.”

Starburst looked to the headstone once more, dragging her hoof through the grass “And…I’m scared. I’m so fucking scared.” Her voice shook as her eyes began to water again “And I don’t know if I can do all this. Either we nail this and send the black creatures packing, or…I fuck everything up. And we all die.”

Silence, save for the wind.

“Give me a sign, something, I know you’ve got to be listening.” The unicorn begged to the stone, only to still be met with silence “Just…give me some kind of…help!”

The sound of hoofsteps in the grass behind her caught the mare’s attention. She slowly turned her head as the sound got closer, finally being met with…Mysteeri, the golden bracelets on her white forelegs glistening in the evening sun.

“…You should be resting.” Starburst murmured as she turned her head back to the headstone.

Mysteeri was silent as she sat next to Starburst, looking off into the distant horizon. The silence continued, until Starburst felt something on her back. Looking to Mysteeri, she saw the now pegasus had extended her wing over her, keeping her vision fixed square in the distance.

“…When Celestia said she named you – was there something important about that?” She questioned.

“…Yeah.” Starburst nodded “A pony’s name, depending on the parents, it’s…incredibly important and could shape their whole life. There’s….there’s always some kind of relation between the name and the cutie mark.” She said, looking to the exploding star on her flank “But, my mum…died when I was born, my dad asked Celestia to name me, and…then, thanks to her inaction and tests for Twilight…” Starburst paused “He died.”

“How long ago was that?” Mysteeri asked.

“…4 years ago now. I was 18.”

Mysteeri looked away from the horizon, but away from Starburst “I never told you the reason I cover my eye, did I?”

Starburst shook her head in response.

“When I was young, my mum died, too. I blamed myself for being too weak, for not being strong enough to protect the ones I cared about. I just…grew to hate everyone, pushed them all away.” She pushed her mane out of her face to reveal the bright blue eye Starburst had gotten only a glance at before “I was a kid, yeah, but you? Older than me, for one, and, listen, Starburst.”

“…Yeah?” The unicorn replied.

“It’s hard, but…don’t let yourself be fuelled by rage. And I know that’s rich coming from me, but-“ She stopped short, her expression reading like she’d drawn a blank before she sighed “Just…give her a chance, OK?”

“…I’m scared, Mysteeri.” Starburst whimpered.

“I know.” Mysteeri nodded “I’ll be there. I promise.”

The pegasus then produced the same white pouch Celestia had presented earlier “And you should probably take this.”

Starburst took the pouch in her magic, opening it to reveal a bar of white gold “…She did this?”

“Mhm.” Mysteeri nodded “So…you ready for tomorrow?”

“…Yeah.” Starburst nodded, leaning into the fluff on Mysteeri’s chest, to which the witch simply smiled.

Paint It Black

“Staaaarbuuuurrrsttt~”

The unicorn shot upright in her bed, glancing around the darkness that filled her room.

“Over heeeerrrreee….”

It was almost like the song was singing to her from the hall. She felt herself…compelled to follow it. Shuffling out of bed and onto the floor, she wandered in the direction of the voice.

It was still dark. Much too dark for her house, and she knew how dark it could get in it. Her horn flashed and a hovering light appeared at her side, sticking by her with every step as she tried to find the source of the voice.

“No, not there.”

Starburst whipped her head around as the voice spoke again, its breath warm upon the back of her neck. Yet, there wasn’t even a hint of a pony being there. As Starburst continued through her house, every passing second felt like a cold force was approaching her from all angles, her hair standing on end as mist began to creep in through the windows, its tendrils licking at her hooves as she was backed up further against the wall.

Starburst looked up from the creeping cold that had covered the floor to be met with a pair of rich magenta eyes staring right into her very soul. They just…stared for a moment before the voice returned.

“I’ll see you soon.”

And the moment it stopped talking, the room was illuminated with a large burst of sunlight. Starburst yelped and quickly covered her eyes from the blinding light, growling as a multitude of colours flashed amid the darkness. As she lowered her leg and opened her eyes, she looked out the window to see the sun just rising over distant mountains…yet it had been the middle of the night when she woke up.

“Ngh…” Starburst huffed, rubbing her eyes “Mystee-“ She stopped herself short “Oh, right.”

Staring to the floor as she walked to the kitchen, the solemn expression didn’t leave Starburst’s face as she simply just took a slice of bread and walked back out, slumping into her seat by the fireplace.

Starburst looked out to the sky once again, glancing the few spires of Twilight’s castle which she could say just creeping out into the skies from behind the rest of Ponyville. Hungaar hung very clear against the clear blue sky, its trail now spread out much further.

“Eyes up, Starburst.” She sighed to herself, rolling up the slice of bread before stuffing it into her mouth, pausing before she even began to chew “Comet ain’t gonna blow itself up.” Her thoughts echoed in her head as she stood up, her horn lighting up once more as an image of a crystal ball appeared before her. She just nodded before it vanished in a puff of smoke, slinging her saddlebags onto her back.

A knocking came from her door only a few steps before she reached it, to which Starburst took a long, deep breath and pushed her head up before her magic swung the door open to show Luna waiting for her on the other side “Oh, hey Luna.” Starburst greeted the princess.

Luna nodded before she spoke, “Good morning, Starburst Nova. Are you well?”

Starburst was quiet for a beat longer than she should have been before answering with a sigh “It was a little lonely without Mysteeri, I won’t lie…wait.” Her eyes met Luna’s “Why are you up, aren’t you asleep by now?”

“I should be, yes.” Luna confirmed, “But with the current situation, I felt I should…” She was interrupted by a yawn “My apologies. I felt I should be present.”

Luna moved to the side to allow Starburst to exit the door, the unicorn glancing around, seeing a few ponies going about their early morning routine, a few of them looking up to the comet “No guards?”

“No.” Luna shook her head “I request I be allowed to make a visit on my own for this. I checked with the Elements, they will be gathering at Twilight’s castle shortly. I assume your weapon is prepared?”

“Mhm.” Starburst responded “I’m going to teleport it in.”

As Luna opened her mouth to speak again, she and Starburst had their attention gripped by an a loud groan filling the air, which soon turned to an almost blaring alarm as darkness covered the village, leaving it consumed by a dark blue light “W-What the…?” Luna muttered “What is this?”

“Oh no…” Starburst breathed “They’re here.”

From the moment Starburst stopped talking, dozens of creatures made of swirling darkness burst forth from the shadows, screams and chaos erupting throughout Ponyville in mere moments.

Luna was quick to impale a black creature that lunged for them on a magical spear in an instant, tossing their limp body to the side before her horn ignited with a dazzling glow that ejected itself from her and shot into the sky, leaving a trail of coloured smoke behind it.

“The guard will get here as soon as they can when they see that.” Luna said, bucking away another creature, which Starburst vaporised with a blast of magic “With me!”

The duo galloped through the streets of Ponyville as fast as their legs would let them, blasting away the black creatures as they went until Luna came sliding to a halt as a member of Celestia’s guard rounded the corner before them, the princess stopping mere inches from him “Oh thank heavens, I nearly forgot about the detachment stationed here.”

The stallion nodded “We’re doing everything we can to drive out the invaders, princess. Do you have any orders?” He said after glancing Starburst at Luna’s side.

“I’ve sent an emergency flair, members of the Canterlot guard should be arriving soon. Meet with them when they arrive and secure the village. I have a matter I must attend to myself.” Luna instructed, a single kick from her hind leg shattering a black creature into dust.

“Of course, your majesty.” The stallion bowed before running off, the mares heading down the street he just came from, being met with Twilight’s castle reaching into the sky before them…and dozens upon dozens of black creatures between them and it.

“Where is she…?” Starburst muttered, her ears pricking up as the wind rushed around them, yet instead of the black pegasus she expected, Gael dropped in from the sky, standing between them and the horde “Gael!” The unicorn couldn’t help but smile.

“Morning, princess Luna!” Gael replied, digging his hooves into the ground “Need an escort?”

Luna chuckled “That would be most kind of you, Sir Gael.”

Gael shot back up into the air, grey streaks appearing in the air around him before he blasted a wall of wind forward with his wings, scattering the creatures into the air like bowling pins. A flash of magic followed from the ground, Starburst and Luna turning the black creatures into dissipating sparkles with blasts of magic.

“Starburst! Behind you!” Gael called out from above.

Too late, Starburst found herself slammed into the floor with an immense weight pressing down on her back, a claw digging into her as it ran down the back of her neck with blood drenching the tips of it. Before the creature could follow up on it, they were lifted off her and crumpled into an unrecognisable mess of life by blue magic before being tossed aside as Luna helped the unicorn back up “Are you alright?”

Starburst grunted before her horn lit with a green glow that soon vanished “I’ll be fine…that spell should at least stop the bleeding.” She hissed through gritted teeth “C’mon.”

More black creatures were crawling out of the woodwork, even with how many the trio were sending back to wherever they came from, two more took their place. It didn’t take long before some sprouted wings, Gael ducking and diving between charges at him, slamming his hind legs into some of them as they passed, yet even he found himself forced onto the ground.

“Where’s Mysteeri!?” Gael yelled as he shoulder tackled a larger one of the horde.

“I-I don’t know!” Starburst replied in a panicked yell as she swung a bat of magic into the side of a black creature’s face, stood back-to-back with Luna as Gael darted around the small circle of room they had. The ponies flinched as the horde suddenly let out a deafening screech, turning into a wall of black ink that came crashing down upon the group.

Yet mere inches from Luna’s horn, a blast of white magic shot over the group and through the conjoined wall of darkness, shattering it into splinters of darkness. All three heads turned in unison to see Celestia stood a dozen feet from them, magic swirling around with a holy radiance.

“This way!” She called out “We’re gathered in the castle!”

Even with Luna and Gael immediately rushing off after Celestia, Starburst couldn’t help but hesitate before her legs effectively forced themselves to run from another encroaching horde.

“What are you doing here, sister!?” Luna yelled over the chaos.

Celestia swatted away a large fly-like monster before answering “I could say the same for you! You’re usually asleep by now!”

“Touché, I guess.” Luna admitted as they ran into the castle. Celestia turned as Gael sprinted past them, magic illuminating the door until she saw Starburst still running with the horde hot on her heels.

Not a moment passed before Celestia shot back out into the open, a thin beam of white drawing across the floor from her horn, with large, yellow explosions of magic following where it went.

“Could…could she always do that?” Gael commented to Luna, the princess of the night merely shrugging in response.

Starburst bounded into the castle, staggering slightly as she landed. Celestia was quick to follow after smashing one of the creatures with a block of magic, the doors slamming shut behind her, followed by magic chains covering her. The white princess let out a long breath, her head lowering as she did “Thank goodness.” She then looked back to the trio “Are you all alright?”

“Nasty gash, but…” Starburst began before pausing. The look she gave Celestia was very noticeable to the princess before she quickly dropped it “I’ll be fine.”

The other two simply nodded in response to Celestia’s question.

“Good, follow me.” Celestia said, beginning to walk down the hall “We’ve gathered in the throne room, we’re just waiting on you, Starburst.”

Gael walked to Starburst’s side as they followed Celestia “This is it, then. You sure you can handle it? That…lens, if you can even call it that, sounds ridiculous.”

Starburst grunted as a jolt of pain shot through her nerves “I’m sure I can take it.”

Gael gave the unicorn a look of concern before nodding “If you say so. Don’t push yourself too hard. With all that magic, your horn might end up shattering.”

Starburst hadn’t considered that possibility.

Before she had time to think about it too much, they were in the throne room, six large thrones surrounding an equally large table, with each of the holders of the elements sat in their respective thrones. Twilight was quick to get up when she saw Starburst entering behind the two princesses.

“Ready?” Twilight asked.

“…Ready.” Starburst nodded “Mysteeri said she’d be here, but…”

Twilight carefully placed a hoof on Starburst “She’ll be here.” She said, her voice quite soothing to Starburst “I’m sure.”

Twilight smiled, then headed back for her throne “Well, it’s your plan, just tell us what to do!”

“Brace yourselves.” Starburst said “That’s all I can guarantee you should do. And…just go with it.”

Silence fell as the group of six friends exchanged glances. Starburst shuffled her hooves on the spot, her horn now lighting up with a multitude of colours. Purples, golds and whites flickered like small fireworks around it. A small light began to form high up in the room, followed by the sounds of cracks and something straining.

A large crystal ball, its underside covered in white gold, erupted forth from the air in a flash of light, its appearance blasting the roof clean off. Starburst grunted as the orb shook in her magic grip, briefly glancing to Twilight and mouthing a quick “Sorry.”

A jolt of magic sent a static shock through the fur of the ponies, the crystal orb being set alight with the same mixture of colours that surrounded Starburst’s horn. It began making noise, otherworldly, loud noises, with a deep rumbling underneath it all.

As the magic storm continued to swirl inside the orb, the group of six ponies felt themselves being lifted into the air as the aura of their elements surrounded them, wind beginning to stir through the room. Celestia looked to the purple unicorn for a moment, a blaze of fierce rebellion in the mare’s eyes.

Fluttershy yelped as a loose stream of pink magic suddenly erupted from the orb, yet it stopped a small bit away from her. Strands of magic burst into existence which connected the orb to the other bearers of the elements, each appearance being introduced by a loud bang with sparks flying from the orb.

Starburst grunted as the force of it all pushed her back, yet dug her hooves firm and stepped back forward, her mane and tail blowing as the small breeze circling around the room turned to a gust. Finally, another stream of magic, this one as large as the orb itself was, erupted out of the top of it, spreading out at its end as it seemed to push away at the very darkness that encompassed Equestria, loud whirring and crashes sounding as the magic pushed back against the consuming black.

The orb began to let out a loud whine before the room was drowned in a blinding white light.

“WAKE UP!”

Mysteeri’s eyes shot open in an instant. Her room was dark…too dark. With just a look to the clock, she could easily see it was morning, yet a look at the window revealed...

Oh that wasn’t morning.

A thick layer of black clouds blotted out the sky, stretching out to the far horizon. Mysteeri threw off the bedsheet and rolled onto the floor. She crashed into it face first, groaning to herself, but soon found her footing and stood, pushing the window open. She was immediately greeted by a cold, screaming wind, quickly slamming the window shut once more.

The transformed witch poked her head out the door and into the large hallway…nothing, dead silence. She yelped as a loud CLANG sounded, the entire hallway being filled with a red light as it echoed through. Mentally punching herself for making that kind of noise, she slid back into her room, eyes darting about in the darkness.

Her ears twitched as she saw a flash of light from the window. Looking out it once more, she could just about make out Ponyville in the distant shadows, beams of magic and light erupting out of it and into the sky. Mysteeri took a look behind her, then just shrugged.

The window was nearly flung off its hinges with the sheer force it was met with in combination from Mysteeri shoving it open and the might of the wind that raged outside. The pegasus clambered onto the windowsill, grabbing onto a nearby ledge by the window and swinging out, her mane and tail blowing wildly in the wind to the point her entire face was revealed as her mane went wild behind her.

A brief glance down revealed a terrifying drop to the train tracks far below. Mysteeri’s whistle was muffled by the wind, like every other sound “No time to waste.” She thought, looking up, the roof not that far away from her “Guess there’s no better time than the present to see if these wings work.”

The doctor from the day before burst into the room “Miss-“ He stopped short as the wind hit him, his horn glowing blue as he forced the window shut before looking to the bed.

The empty bed.

“Doctor?” The nurse asked from the hall “What’s wrong?”

“She’s not here. And the window was open.” The doctor replied as he stepped back out into the hall “…She wasn’t lying when she said she can’t sit still in hospital.”

Mysteeri growled as she pushed herself up onto the roof, a worn down ledge crumbling under the weight of one of her hind legs, the pegasus scrambling to put it back on solid footing before getting that leg on the roof, too.

The spires of Canterlot Castle were still visible through the swirling storm, like a knife of light through the darkness. Mysteeri stared at them for a moment before turning her attention to the edge of the roof she was now stood on, her usual frown remaining steady on her face as the near dizzying drop stared back at her.

She let out a yell as she stomped her hind leg into the roof, cracks shooting out from where she stomped, followed by dust shooting up from within them. Mysteeri’s frown turned to a confident smirk as she looked away from her leg and back to the drop.

Her wings shuffled and her tail flicked, then with a gust of wind of her own, she leaped off the roof and the screaming of the air filled her ears an instant. Windows she passed by glistened in the dim light before shattering into dozens of pieces.

The shrieking wind was joined by odd cackles before dozens of white eyes burst from the darker shadows. Mysteeri was quick to react, spinning into a kick which tore through multiple black creatures that came for her from below. As another dashed for her, she slammed her forehoof into its skull before gripping onto it with her teeth and tossing it into another horde, scattering them to be smashed into outlying rocks.

Dozens more suddenly came flowing out from seemingly thin air, swarming the witch in moments to cover her in a thick layer of darkness.

That darkness was soon pierced by a flash of a purple light, then slashed away into dozens of pieces as Mysteeri turned to a blurring drill with the sword forged from Deimos’ soul in her mouth, the screams of the black creatures vanishing in the wind as Mysteeri continued to plummet down.

“And spin it this way!” Mysteeri shouted as she stopped her spin and chucked the sword forward, turning it to a spinning wheel of death that bounced off of and shredded through any of the black creatures unfortunate enough to be in its path. One of them looping past the death blade didn’t escape Mysteeri’s gaze, as it opened its jaws beyond any physical limit, the witch wound up a kick that punched right through the back of the creature’s mouth, slamming it into a wall where it exploded like the rest.

The tracks weren’t too far now, the sword coming to a halt in its spin before vanishing into the air “Alright, wings, let’s see what you’re made of- Huh!?”

Mysteeri’s thought was interrupted by a train whistle and a bright light piercing the darkness from a nearby tunnel. That same train she had been on just previously was rocketing down the tracks, and right for her! Mysteeri scowled, focusing on her wings as they twitched and shook against the force of the wind “Come on, open up!”

The wings of sheer black finally shot open and a clap of thunder echoed through the mountains as Mysteeri pulled up mere feet from both the tracks and the train itself, blasting off over the countryside and toward the distant village. Even above the howling wind, the passengers could hear her yells of excitement.

As the blinding light slowly faded from the castle, the ponies in Twilight’s castle found themselves drenched in shadows. Starburst’s orb flickered in and out of life, the streams connecting it to the elements slowly fading into thin air.

Starburst gasped for breath as her legs partly gave way, the aura around her horn barely maintaining itself to even hold the orb in the air.

“Starburst, you’re insane!” Gael yelled over the howling winds “You try that again and you’ll blow yourself up! There has to be another way!”

Starburst scowled before pushing herself back onto her hooves “IT’S DAMN WELL WORTH A TRY!” She bellowed back.

The elements and the princesses all exchanged uneasy looks as Starburst took on a much more rigid stance, the magic surrounding her horn flaring to life once more before erupting into a tornado of colour that blasted the orb. In an instant the streams smashed back into existence with crackles of magic lightning flittering across the surface of the orb.

The beam of light once again burst out of the top of the orb, piercing the sea of darkness that hung above them like an arrow, shooting into the distant abyss, its streak soon merging with the comet that still stood out among it all. Further small streams then crept out of the light and vanished into the clouds, spreading a golden light among them.

“She’s insane…” Luna thought as Starburst’s magic tornado began throwing out small firework-like blasts. Before the princess could intervene, Starburst let out a roar that muted out even the wind as the orb once again let out a blinding flash.

“Guh-!” Mysteeri gasped as a tsunami of light came rushing for her. She brought her forelegs up to shield her eyes, the roar of the wind being drowned out by sheer silence, as if all her senses had been drained by the light…

And it all came crashing back with her as she hit the dirt, ragdolling as she skimmed across the grass numerous times before coming to a loud yet drawn out stop as she left a large gash in the earth in her wake.

When she finally came to a stop, she opened her eyes to find herself caked in dirt, mud and grass and above her…a clear blue sky. Hungaar still hung in the air, suspended perfectly while a beam of light that seemed to come from the planet vanished into glistening sparkles.

Starburst’s orb vanished in another flash as she fell to the floor, desperately for breath. In an instant she was surrounded by the rest of the ponies in the room, Twilight leaning down to her side “Starburst, look at me.”

The unicorn slowly opened her eyes and smiled “We do it? You girls OK?”

“Bit of a shock at first, but we’re fine.” Applejack responded “And, yeah, looks like ya did it.” She looked to the exposed sky.

Starburst chuckled, slowly rolling onto her stomach “It worked. I can’t believe it, I thought it would explode.”

“For a moment, I thought you and it both were-“ Gael was interrupted by the orb suddenly reappearing where it once was, filled with a purple cloud “Starburst?”

“That’s not me doing that.” Starburst stared up at the orb. It began to shake and groan, small chips of crystal and white gold clattering against the table that it was suspended above as cracks formed across its surface “No…”

“BRACE YOURSELVES!” Celestia’s sudden yell alarmed the entire group as they were surrounded by a thick magic shield as a thunderous boom rocked the village, the once liberating sky being consumed by an even thicker darkness that erupted out of Twilight’s castle, the walls of the room being blasted to smithereens.

Mysteeri stared at the castle as the clouds flooded out of it, everywhere she looked was already consumed by the darkness once again. Yet through it all, the appearance of a rich orange glow from behind her caught her attention. Slowly, she turned to see it.

And her face went white.

“Is everyone alright?” Celestia asked as the shield vanished. She breathed a sigh of relief as the ponies confirmed their safety “Thank Faust.”

“Uh…” Applejack froze up as her eyes met the horizon “Y’all, this is gonna sound ridiculous, but…look at the sun.”

“Hm? What’s wrong with the…” Twilight’s eyes shrunk to pinpricks as she followed Applejack’s gaze “…sun…”

Where once was a sun now stood a screaming void surrounded by a roaring blaze with a white streak dropping from the bottom of it all and vanishing under the distant horizon.

THE LAST JUDGEMENT DRAWETH NIGH…

'Till It's Over

“What…what did they do to my sun?” Celestia’s voice was weak and shaky, her ears drooping as she backed away from the abyss in the sky.

“Luna, is that the moon?” Starburst looked to the princess of the night, who was quick to light up her horn…only for nothing to happen.

She tried again, and the sun once again was still covered in darkness.

“That’s not my moon, either. I…I don’t even know where the moon is right now!” Luna’s eyes went wide upon the realisation “What IS that!?”

The group’s attention was grabbed by the shattering of one of the windows from behind them, every one quickly assuming a battle stance.

“It’s me.” Mysteeri grunted as she pulled herself into the room through the new opening “It’s me.”

“Mysteeri!” Starburst’s face lit up as she ran to the pegasus, helping her to her feet “Just in time!”

“’ang on, Mysteeri?” Applejack was quick to interject “Ain’t that the name of yer cat?”

Starburst and Mysteeri were quickly met with a few confused looks, even from Gael. The unicorn just sighed and shrugged “I’ll explain later, we have more important things right now.”

“Damn right we do.” Mysteeri nodded “You know what that means, right?” She asked as she approached the large table in the centre of the room, pointing to the remnant of the sun with her hoof.

“Uh…no.” Starburst shook her head.

“You’ve doomed this entire world to die in 3 hours.” Mysteeri’s reply was hard and swift, turning her head to the unicorn. Silence fell immediately on the group, save for a few hoofsteps as some of the ponies stood back in shock.

“W-what?” Twilight was the first to speak “What do you mean?”

“I had my guesses about what we were fighting, but I just wasn’t sure.” Mysteeri began, “Until now.” She looked straight at the abyss in the sky “That there? That’s the ultimate weapon of Dark Matter.”

“Dark…Matter?” Celestia spoke, head tilted.

Mysteeri nodded “A hivemind of pure negative energy – their sole purpose is to consume and conquer anything that isn’t corrupted by them. And you just gave them an opening to turn your sun into a black hole. Once those 3 hours are up, that thing’s gonna suck in this entire universe.” She scanned the sky, eyes darting around “Where are you, you bastard…”

Luna approached the witch, who only seemed to ignore her as she did “And I assume you know of a way to stop it?”

No response, Mysteeri just turned away from her and kept looking to the sky, muttering to herself.

“Well?” Luna spoke louder, pushing her head forward.

“There.” Mysteeri said, eyes landing on the Hungaar, still hanging suspended in the sky amidst all the mayhem, as if it was parting the clouds that would obscure it “That’s our key to stopping this.”

Rainbow Dash was quick to object, the flapping of her wings breaking the background silence “And how are we supposed to do that? That’s a comet!”

“I- urgh…” Mysteeri’s expression formed into a scowl as the realisation hit her “You’re right. Without my teleportation, there’s no way we’re getting there.”

“So what, do we just sit down and die?” Gael huffed “Cuz I know that’s not how I’m going down.”

“Me, either.” Applejack said sternly “This ain’t over ‘till it’s over.”

“Perhaps I can be of assistance, Starburst…” The whisper suddenly hissed in the unicorn’s head “I can get you there.”

“…How?” Starburst mentally replied.

“Simply ask your moon princess to shoot a spell, any spell, at that table.” The whisper spoke “And I’ll take care of the rest.”

Starburst grunted slightly, shaking her head before she looked to Luna “Hey, Luna, can you just…shoot a spell at the table?”

Even Mysteeri was confused by that.

“Pardon?” Luna replied.

“It-it’s just a hunch.” Starburst stammered “Please? I think it might help.”

Luna looked to the unicorn, then to the table, then to the sky. She sighed and stood back “Well, if you think it’ll help.” Her horn lit up and a bolt of magic erupted forth, slamming into the table.

In an instant, a small storm burst from the table, crackles of lightning shooting out with claps of thunder. The magic clouds warped and morphed in on themselves, soon joined by sparks of blue magical energy being sent flying out of them. Once again, Starburst saw the eyes from before stare through the clouds and straight at her, now joined by a smile.

“Thank you, Starburst. Now for my end of the bargain.”

With a deafening BOOM, another screaming black portal was opened atop the table, it barely held its shape for long before twisting into an entirely new one. The group stared at it in silence before Mysteeri approached it.

“…Yeah, that works.” She said, looking to the group “Starburst.”

“Got it.” Starburst nodded, walking up to the table and looking back to the rest of the group “We’ll get this done. I promise.”

Celestia nodded “I know you will.” She said with an earnest smile “Now, go! Be the light that breaks the darkness!”

“Heh, theatrics.” Mysteeri smirked as she jumped into the portal, Starburst swiftly following her.

The portal closed behind them with another loud bang. Luna only stared at where it once was with an uneasy expression on her face.

She was wrenched from her thoughts as the table suddenly flickered to life, gaining a few inquisitive hums from the elements.

“That’s odd…why’d the map activate?” Twilight questioned as she walked up to it, the map forming into some kind of arena with a throne at the far end of it. As the elements sat in their respective seats, tiny versions of Mysteeri and Starburst appeared in the arena “I…think it wants us to watch them.”

??????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Starburst and Mysteeri dropped to the floor, the echo of their hooves ringing out into the void of a sky that surrounded them. Large, jagged rocks curved up to form walls, all leading to the opposite end of the arena, revealing an enormous obsidian throne.

“Hey, look at that.” Starburst said, pointing to the sky. Mysteeri followed the unicorn’s gaze, being met with a planet being hung suspended above them “That must be home.”

Mysteeri hummed, walking further into the arena “Alright, come on out!” She yelled, her voice echoing throughout “You know why we’re here!”

“Colour me surprised, Umbran Witch, I never thought you’d actually make it here with your…lacking strength.” A growling voice spoke from the air, both ponies quickly preparing for battle. A black fog emerged from the throne, forming into a humanoid shape before parting to reveal a titanic monster as big as the throne itself, easily double Mysteeri’s height.

A pure black cloak covered a jagged body, atop which stood a head with three piercing white eyes and a pair of tremendous horns. Mysteeri’s body screamed at her to get back, yet the witch remained resolute. The ground shook as the black creature summoned a great sword to his hand and slammed it into the rocky floor, staring straight down at the ponies.

DARK PRINCE, INSURGENT MIND

“So you’re the one behind all this, huh?” Mysteeri scowled, cracking her neck.

Dark Prince nodded “That’s correct. And I assume you want to know why?”

“Damn straight we want to know why!” Starburst barked as she approached Mysteeri’s side “You’re ransacking my home!”

“Of course.” Dark Prince released a sigh-like growl “Trivial single minds. I’ll keep this…brief, I believe is the word you use.” He looked up to the planet that hung suspended in the sky “Power. Power to overthrow the great mind. I was born from the great mind…special. I could think away from it. So I set to making my own greatness. Yet I am still weak, as the great mind does not even acknowledge my existence. And I came here to gain the power to make it acknowledge me. As its superior.”

“So you have an inferiority complex?” Mysteeri quipped.

“This universe provided the perfect balance, strong enough to give me and my children incredible power, but its residents just not strong enough to defeat us.” He then looked down to Mysteeri “And then you showed up.”

Mysteeri smirked “Spanner in the works, huh? Nice.”

“And that is why I must eliminate you with this universe. With your death, your greater darkness shall become part of my own. And I will dominate this reality.” Dark Prince trained his sword on the witch “Stand and fight, witch. Honour your true god. Fight, and show me your purpose.”

“Purpose, eh?” Mysteeri bounced on the spot, ruffling her wings “You want me? You got me! LET’S GO!” A tremendous gust of wind shot through the arena as Mysteeri charged for Dark Prince, jumping atop his sword and dashing up it. Her hooves came sliding off as the beast swiped it out from under her, yet he was met with Mysteeri’s hind hooves slamming into his face all the same, followed swiftly by a fist of magic coming flying in from the other side and sending him reeling further back. Starburst grinned as the great beast staggered, yet quickly found herself on the move once more as Dark Prince regained his footing and came charging straight for her, bringing his sword down on her with a mighty crash.

The unicorn got out of the blade’s path mere moments before it slammed into the ground with such force that it left itself embedded in the rock. Mysteeri bounded up from behind, only for Dark Prince to release the sword and slam his fist into the pegasus, sending her flying across the arena and into the wall. She quickly shook it off, sprinting back across the rocky floor to the fight.

Starburst’s horn was surrounded by a tornado of magic as she focused on the grip of Dark Prince’s sword, which budged every so slightly from her magic before it shot into the air, Dark Prince letting out a grunt of surprise as his own sword was trained square at him. Starburst let out a mighty scream as she hurled the sword straight at her foe, the blade impacting Dark Prince’s chest…

And vanishing.

“W-What the?” Starburst stepped back in shock as the sword reformed from Dark Prince’s hand.

“You really thought that would work?” Dark Prince laughed “The sword is part of me.” He almost casually swatted Mysteeri away once again as she shot into the air for a back attack, sending her flying skyward. The ground shook under Dark Prince’s footsteps as he approached Starburst “That power within you, I can feel it. It’s like a great nightmare.”

The sentence was punctuated by Mysteeri slamming back down into the floor behind him, a cloud of dust being kicked into the air from the impact.

Starburst scowled as she summoned the greatsword of moonlight around her horn once more “Don’t even try tempting me to your side.”

“Have it your way.” Dark Prince raised his sword above his head before bringing it down on Starburst once more, this time the unicorn stood firm and swung her own sword straight into that of the great darkness, sparks of blue magic being sent flying across the arena as they pushed their might against one another. The point the blades met crept ever closer to Starburst, yet the unicorn stood her ground despite all the weight pressing down upon her.

Her horn screamed and ached through all of it, the ridges beginning to glow white hot as she pushed more and more against Dark Prince’s blade, a great inferno yet roared in her eyes, looking straight into the infinite white of Dark Prince’s.

Mysteeri groaned as she rolled onto her front, pushing herself up. The scream of magic was quick to snap her out of her daze, her head whipped around until she landed on Starburst’s clash with Dark Prince “Starburst!” She called out “Hold on!”

Dark Prince’s permanently exposed teeth almost seemed to form a malicious grin as his sword came mere inches from the crossguard of Starburst’s magic blade, the pressure was like an entire ocean being pressed down entirely on her horn. Starburst let out another incredible scream as her horn turned to a blinding white light.

And an incredible explosion of blue magic tore through the arena.

Instantly, Starburst was sent flying with incredible speed straight into a wall. Dark Prince, thrown off his feet, his sword spinning through the air before embedding itself in his throne as he landed in the rock in front of it and Mysteeri was sent reeling back into her crater, the force of the blast so strong it ripped feathers from her wings.

“STARBURST!” Twilight screamed as the sight unfolded on the table’s hologram, the rest of the group only frozen in shock as the combatants recovered from the blast.

Starburst groaned as she slowly opened her eyes, only for them to go wide as she recognised what was in front of her. Her own horn, shattered into dozens of pieces, lay strewn about in front of her, crackling with magic energy. Slowly sliding her hoof up her forehead, it only confirmed what she feared.

It was gone. And then the pain came crashing down on her.

Starburst’s blood curdling howls of pain were almost deafening as they echoed through the arena, the group in the castle could only watch helplessly as she writhed about on the floor, clutching the shattered leftover part of her horn that remained.

Mysteeri finally stood up, folding her ears down as Starburst’s screaming replaced the ringing in them from the blast. She was by Starburst’s side near instantly, yet even she could only try and comfort the agonised unicorn.

The sound of laughter made her feathers ruffle as she slowly turned her head to Dark Prince, who grabbed his sword from the throne and used it to get to his feet “Pathetic. And that’s the one who plays host? Pah, to think she was capable of summoning someone such as yourself, too.”

“That unicorn…knows more about strength than you ever will.” Mysteeri scowled, baring her fangs as she glared directly into Dark Prince’s eyes, gently removing her hoof from Starburst, briefly giving her a pitiful look before turning her ire back to Dark Prince “Her name is Starburst Nova, and to me, she’s a hero.” She dug her hooves into the ground, bending over “And she’s my friend!”

Black feathers were scattered in the air as Mysteeri charged for Dark Prince at full speed, screaming the whole way. Ramming her full weight into him, the dark beast easily recovered and batted her away with his sword. Mysteeri flipped through the air, landed perfectly and charged once more, yet was batted away once more. Staggering as she landed this time, she kept on throwing herself at Dark Prince, only to be thrown back time and time again, her landings faltering more and more with each time she was thrown back.

“Is she trying to get herself killed…?” Luna gasped at the sight, splatters of blood beginning to splash against the rocks with each strike Mysteeri took.

With blood clinging to her fur and feathers, every breath was a gasp for Mysteeri was she stared Dark Prince down once more, her mane and tail dishevelled and ragged. Dark Prince only laughed at her, beckoning her forward with one finger. Gritting her teeth, Mysteeri came screaming for him one more time, only to be met with the blade of the sword once again, followed by Dark Prince’s hand gripping her by the neck, holding her up far from the floor. The bloodied pegasus glared at the Dark Prince, only to be simply tossed aside, landing next to Starburst with a weak cough.

“And here I thought the daughter of darkness would be a challenge.” Dark Prince scoffed “I guess I was wrong.”

Mysteeri’s hooves shook under her weight as she tried to stand again, only for them to give out the moment she put pressure on them. She tried again, and immediately fell again.

“Mysteeri…” Starburst whimpered, the witch looking to the broken unicorn “I’m sorry…it’s all my fault. We’re all going to die and I just…I never should have gotten you involved.”

Mysteeri growled as she kept trying to stand “I’m not…going to let it end like th-“ She was cut short by Dark Prince suddenly teleporting over and slamming his foot down on her head, forcing her down into the rocky floor, the witch finally falling silent.

The dark monster exchanged a look with Starburst before grunting and turning around, walking back to his throne, but not before dropping a cloud of darkness upon the ponies.

“W-What do we do?” Fluttershy spoke up “We have to help them!”

“I’m…” Twilight sighed “Not sure there is much we can do.” Her ears folded down “We’ve lost.”

“There is one idea.” Celestia said, the elements all looking to her “But I can’t promise it will work.”

Twilight looked to the fallen heroes on the map, taking a deep breath “We’ll do it.”

“You must fire the full power of the elements directly at the comet.” Celestia pointed to the white streak that pierced the darkness with her hoof “If they truly are on its surface, then the power of harmony should be the edge we need.”

The elements didn’t need telling twice, the room was quickly illuminated by a sparkling aura of magic around each of the ponies, a white strand connecting them all. It soon turned into a brilliant rainbow that coalesced above the table before shooting into the sky, piercing the clouds and hurtling for the comet.

“Daughter of Darkness.” A voice spoke in Mysteeri’s head “Slayer of Demons, Agent of Madusa and she who avenged a mother’s death…”

Mysteeri opened her eyes to the dark sky, seeing a glimmer of light suddenly pierce it directly above her.

“You are our last hope.”

A brilliant rainbow shot down from the sky and consumed the fallen witch in its light, Dark Prince immediately spinning around to see the source of the commotion.

White feathers sprung forth in Mysteeri’s wings where she had lost black ones before, the purple in her mane and tail gaining a brilliant golden glow, the blood that covered her seeming to just disappear in moments. The rainbow faded to reveal Mysteeri’s new form in its full glory, the powered up pegasus opening her eye to reveal its usual gold had been replaced with a brilliant red.

“What is this…?” Dark Prince growled, clutching his sword.

“Whoa…” Starburst stared in awe at the sight of her friend’s new power, even those in the castle silenced.

Mysteeri took a moment to take in the new look before locking eyes with Dark Prince. Just one step forward was enough to make the beast charge for her, gliding over the ground like it wasn’t even there. Mysteeri didn’t even seem to move as the Dark Matter mind was sent flying back himself. Sliding along the rocky floor, he brought up his sword, only for Mysteeri to turn into a golden missile that shattered right through it. Meeting Mysteeri’s eye mere inches from his face, Dark Prince was on the floor before he even registered it with Mysteeri standing behind him, back turned.

Scrambling to his feet, Dark Prince’s clawed hands reached for Mysteeri, the witch glaring over her shoulder at him as he came for her. In a moment, Dark Prince was on the floor once more with his arm torn clean off and incinerated in a blinding gold light. He broke into an almost animal-like sprint on his remaining limbs, slamming his fist into Mysteeri.

She didn’t even react, slowly turning her head to look straight at him once more “All you can see is the little bit of light shining through the edges of the door.”

“What…?” Dark Prince gasped, pinned to the floor by an incredible weight with Mysteeri on his chest in a moment.

“But you just never thought that little bit of light can overcome your darkness.” She slowly walked up his body and bit down on his horn, tearing it clean off and dropping it to the side “But what you can’t see is what’s behind the door.” She placed her hoof on Dark Prince’s neck “That’s what I am.”

Dark Prince released an incredible shockwave that sent Mysteeri flying off his chest, the golden witch spreading out her wings to stop herself. The bits of the beast she had torn off came flying back to him, reattaching like magnets. Scowling up at her, he jumped into the air and unleashed a tremendous volley of punches, kicks and energy blasts onto the pegasus, consuming her in a cloud of sheer darkness in moments, each blast sending a quake through the arena.

“How’s that for light piercing the darkness?” Dark Prince growled.

The cloud was parted by another golden blast from within, revealing Mysteeri completely unscathed in the midst of it all “That kinda tickled.”

Dark Prince roared with incredible might as she flew up into the air, forming an enormous ball of darkness in moments, which crackled with pure power “YOU’LL KNEEL BEFORE ME WHEN I’M THROUGH WITH YOU!” He bellowed as he hurled the orb at her. Mysteeri just waited in the air for it to approach. Her revealed red eye flashed and the ball was turned to nothing but scraps of energy in the air, Dark Prince shivering as the red eye pierced him once more.

“Alright.” Mysteeri cracked her neck “I think we’re about done here.” She came screaming for Dark Prince at incredible speed, sending him flying before slamming him down into the arena and landing in front of him. Dark Prince scrambled away, only to hit his throne. Before he could even think to use it to stand, he was encased in a golden glow, staring at the pegasus before him.

Mysteeri just took a breath and opened her wings fully, the golden light exploding in a brilliant blast that consumed the arena, Dark Prince’s screams fading into thin air as he was devoured by the brilliant light.

Starburst’s eyes slowly began to close as the light faded, Mysteeri now standing in her base form and gasping for breath. Before everything turned dark, she saw the witch fall over with a loud THUD, followed by a sheer and utter black.

…

When Starburst opened her eyes once more, she found herself standing.

Standing in a pure grey, hilly landscape littered with craters covered by a pure black sky. Above her, once again, hung the planet she called home.

“You finally made it.” Her own voice spoke from behind her.

Starburst whipped around to see a tall, slender version of what felt like herself looking right back at her from a few feet away, this one was covered in a darker coat, a strange mane and tail of darkness and silver armour. Behind it, the sky was littered with dozens upon dozens of planets, none of which were alike the one Starburst called home.

“And here I was thinking you never would come.” The estranged copy said, only now did Starburst notice their eyes were closed as they approached.

“…Who are you?” Starburst herself spoke, to which the copy chuckled.

“Alone, you hide infinite potential. And alone, I am a key with no lock. But together…” The copy stopped mere inches from Starburst, opening her eyes to reveal the same ones that had pierced the darkness in her house that very morning “We could be so much more. We could be…”

“Your greatest nightmare.”

…

“-burst…! Wake up!”

The warm sun hitting Starburst’s coat woke her from her sleep, eyes fluttering open. Her vision a blur, she could just make out all the colours of the ponies that crowded around her, as her senses returned to her she felt the grass under her and the light breeze that blew through the area. After a few blinks, her vision finally cleared to reveal Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy standing over her, with Gael off to the side.

Twilight let out a sigh of relief upon Starburst’s awakening “Oh thank goodness you’re OK…”

“Did...did we win…?” Starburst questioned as she was helped up by the ponies.

“Haha, yeah, you won!” Rainbow Dash smirked “You guys were so awesome out there!” She punched the air “And then that super cool power Mysteeri got was waaaayyyy cooler than anything I’ve ever seen!”

Starburst smiled, only to be interrupted by a sharp pain on her forehead, wincing as it hit her. Twilight sighed as she looked at the broken remains of Starburst’s horn, putting a hoof on the unicorn’s back “I’m sorry about your horn, Starburst.”

“…I’ll manage.” Starburst shook her head “Where’s Mysteeri?”

“Over there.” Gael gestured to Luna and Celestia “They’ve been trying to get her up, they sent Rarity and Applejack to go fetch…something.”

“And Pinkie Pie?” Starburst asked.

“Who knows where she went.” Rainbow Dash shrugged.

“Well?” Celestia asked as the magic around Luna’s horn vanished and the night princess opened her eyes.

“She’s in a really deep sleep, but I think it should wake her up.” She nodded “If not, then she’ll just need time.”

“Here y’are, princesses.” Applejack said as she and Rarity returned with…a bucket of water.

“Thank you.” Celestia nodded, taking it in her magic grip. Rarity and Applejack exchanged a confused look for a moment before Celestia suddenly splashed Mysteeri with it. In an instant the witch was on her feet, gasping and looking around frantically.

“Where am I!? What just happened!?” She then noticed the four ponies looking at her “Oh, it’s you guys…” She sighed and shook herself down, sending droplets of water flying everywhere “Did…did we win?”

Luna chuckled at the sight and nodded “You won.”

Mysteeri dropped her head before promptly flopping back down onto her side “Alright, yeah, good work, team…ugh, look, I’m just gonna crash for a bit, I’ve barely slept during all this.” She lifted her head slightly “Actually, what’s the ice cream here like? I saw an ice cream parlour when I first got here, I haven’t eaten but pancakes for the past few days and I wanna try it.”

“What was that golden power about, though, darling?” Rarity asked “I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s given me such a fabulous bolt of inspiration, but I’ve never seen the elements do something like that.”

“Your guess is as good as mine.” Mysteeri replied “I did hear a voice, though, something telling me I was our last hope…something like that, being woken up by cold water makes it hard to remember things.”

Some time later…

The group sat around a large table in the ice cream parlour as the staff swept up the dust and debris caused by the attack, the clatter of a spoon hitting the table continuously sounding through the building.

“So, how do I…” Mysteeri fumbled around with a spoon in her hoof, a completely untouched strawberry icecream sundae sat in front of her “C’mon, it can’t be that hard…”

Starburst, with her shattered horn wrapped in a bandage, couldn’t help but chuckle “Like this.” She took the spoon and it just seemed to…attach to her hoof, leaving the witch utterly bewildered as she continued to pick up and keep dropping the spoon.

“Should we tell her?” Celestia chuckled.

“No, it’s funnier this way.” Luna smiled, watching Mysteeri growl at the fork as it once again hit the table.

Canterlot Castle, Royal Gardens, that evening…

“Goodbye already, huh?” Twilight asked as Mysteeri turned her gaze from the sunset to the rest of the ponies “Feels like you only just got here.”

“Kinda does.” Mysteeri smirked “But I got things I need to do back home. People are probably wondering where I went, too.” She chuckled “Been a bash being here, though.”

“Before you leave, Mysteeri.” Celestia approached with Luna “We have something we’d like to give you.” She looked to Starburst “And you, Starburst.”

“Me?” Starburst stepped forward, head tilted.

Luna produced two boxes, both decorated quite lavishly “For displaying incredible valour in the face of all adversity and the defense of all of Equestria, and this entire universe, we would like to award you both the Equestrian Pink Heart of Courage.”

Starburst’s jaw dropped at the words, while Mysteeri just silently observed.

“I-I you can’t be serious, really, I mean all we did was just kill a few shadow demons and-“ The look the princesses gave her was all the answer she needed “Oh my Faust you are serious.”

“I’d take it if I were you.” Mysteeri smiled to Starburst as she bowed her head for Luna to put the medal around her neck “Not every day you get an award like this.” She examined the pink heart, smiling and then looked to Luna “Thanks.”

Starburst gently lowered her head for Celestia to place the other medal around her own neck, staring at it once she had done so “I…I don’t know what to say.”

Celestia smiled at the unicorn “You two are true heroes, no matter what anyone says. Don’t ever forget that.” She stepped forward to Mysteeri “Mysteeri, I must apologise for my actions. I was hasty and failed to see the bigger picture.” She bowed her head to the witch “My sincerest apologies.”

“Eh, all good.” Mysteeri shrugged as Celestia stood up to full height “Gotta do what you gotta do, I get it.”

Celestia smiled once more and nodded “Well, I believe it’s time for you to go home.” Her horn illuminated with magic of many different shades before a portal opened behind Mysteeri, leading straight into her own bedroom.

“Hey, Starburst.” Mysteeri turned to the unicorn “C’mere.”

Starburst ran up to Mysteeri, smiling at her “I’m so glad I met you, Mysteeri.” She said, her attempts to hide her tears were already failing “Thank you for everything.”

Mysteeri smiled and pulled the unicorn into a hug, the sight getting a quiet “Aw, now that’s nice.” from Applejack.

“I should be the one thanking you.” Mysteeri said as she released Starburst “Didn’t even think there was stuff like this out there. You keep doing what you’re doing, Starburst. Got a lot ahead of ya.” She turned to the portal “Well…this is where I get off.”

“Will we ever see you again?” Twilight asked as she stepped forward.

Mysteeri looked to the sky, to Starburst and then to the rest of the group.

And she smiled.

ON WINGS OF BLACK AND WHITE

THE END

WRITING, EDITING AND THE GENERAL NITTY GRITTY

DREADANGEL

FEEDBACK, IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS

WONDERMANAGING

THE DAMN DRAGON WHO DELAYED THIS ENTIRE THING

FATALIS

CREATOR OF MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC

LAUREN FAUST

Mysteeri whistled to herself as she approached a shop in the middle of a dank, dirty street. She looked up to where the sign should be, only to find it off…again. With a sigh and a shake of her head, the girl pushed the doors open to an empty office, the jukebox blasting old tunes at full blast, as it usually was. She just walked on up to it and flicked it off, then produced the sword she had acquired from Equestria, tossing it onto the table in the middle of the room.

“Just a moment!” A voice called from the other room “Pizza’s almost warmed up!”

Mysteeri sighed and leaned against the wall, looking around the office…how does he leave so many pool games just unfinished like that? The dartboard hadn’t been touched in weeks, either, evidently.

Finally, a man with silver hair and a red jacket rounded the corner, carrying a plate of leftover pizza slices, his jeans stained with tomato sauce. He set the plate down on the table, when he noticed the sword, then looked to Mysteeri.

“Mysteeri!” He smiled “How’s foreign relations?”

Mysteeri chuckled “Hey, Uncle Dante.”

THIS STORY IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF

SKY, AKA “PIGGY”

2006-2020

FRIEND, COMPANION, AND THE ONE WHO SAVED ME FROM MYSELF

Starburst once again awoke to sheer darkness. This time, she just got out of bed and walked through the halls of her house, as if looking for something.

And after a few minutes, she found it. The eyes, in the room where Mysteeri once stayed, were watching the bed. When they noticed her presence, they turned to her and approached, slowly taking the form of the estranged copy Starburst had seen in the vision.

Starburst smirked, and nodded.