On Wings Of Black And White

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.