The Fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse

Celestia was shaking when Darkness asked when they could walk among the ponies. She looked to the corpses of the guards and shuddered. She bowed her head for a couple of moments in memory of the fallen. They were taken out without much effort on Darkness' part, which is what scared the Princess.

"I know you're afraid of me, but I'm just doing my job. Fear really does follow Darkness..." Darkness said the last part quietly. Celestia didn't say anything and Darkness took this as a sign to continue.

"This would be a lot easier if we could walk among you." Darkness added and he turned away, awaiting Celestia's answer.

Celestia was a bit torn on what to do about this.

On one hoof, she could talk to Luna about this and decide then.

On another, she could banish him to the moon, although given the density of the dark energy surrounding him, that would probably not end well for Equestria.

On another, she could just ignore him and be on her way, but the ponies would eventually get involved, antagonizing him and probably provoking him to kill them. And given his earlier fight, he really wouldn't care if they died.

Celestia decided to go with the first option.

"I'll go talk to my sister about this." Celestia said as she signaled the guards to follow and they teleported out of the ruined castle. Darkness turned to Chaos who was tapping her foot impatiently.

"What did I tell you about 'Ask questions first, fight later'? Chaos asked with a scolding tone and Darkness shrugged it off.

"She attacked first." Was Darkness' simple answer.

"Shouldn't you be somewhere at the moment?" Darkness said as he pointed to the broken skylight, showing the sun in the middle of the sky.

"Crap, you're right. I'm going, but don't do anything stupid while I'm gone!" Chaos said and Darkness gave a crisp salute. She rolled her eyes and ran out the door in her pony form.

Before she reached town, she stopped by Fluttershy's house. I might as well tell them... Chaos thought as she knocked on the door and was answered by Fluttershy.

"Oh, hello Chaos. What brings you here?" Fluttershy asked.

"Fluttershy, you're always the first pony I see when I go to town." Chaos said, causing Fluttershy to smile a bit.

"That's true. So, what did you need?" Fluttershy asked.

"I just wanted to give you girls a heads up. I might have a friend coming over in a while. I'm not sure if he's really coming, but I just wanted you guys to know." Chaos said and Fluttershy smiled.

"I'll be sure to tell them." Fluttershy said and Chaos continued on her way to town.

Later in the day, the Mane 6 bombarded Chaos with questions at their picnic. Chaos attempted to calm them down.

"Okay girls. One at a time." Everypony went silent and Rarity raised her hoof.

"Rarity, you first." Chaos pointed to Rarity.

"If I may, what is this stallion like?" Rarity asked.

"Well, he's a bit cold to ponies he doesn't know. But once you get to know him, he's a great guy." Chaos said.

"He's funny, smart, a bit stupid at times and a little sarcastic. And yet I still care for him." Chaos pointed out everything she thought about him.

"Ah might be wrong, but Ah'd say ya have a crush on this guy." Applejack said.

"What? No! He's not my type..." Chaos' eyes darted around and Applejack raised her hoof at her.

"Woah there, sugarcube. Ah didn't say y'all were gettin' married or anythin'." Applejack said and Chaos calmed down.

"Okay, any more questions?" Chaos was answered by six hooves in the air. She sighed. This is gonna be a long day... Chaos thought as she pointed to Pinkie.

"You what?" Luna asked, hoping her sister would just break down laughing and tell her that she should've seen her face. But alas, it was not meant to be.

"I think it would be better if I showed you." Celestia said and she teleported her sister and herself to the castle.

At the castle, Darkness sat upon the throne, waiting. Eventually, a bright flash went off in the center of the throne room. Where the flash went off, stood Celestia and another alicorn. The other alicorn was a midnight blue and it was shorter.

"So, this must be your sister." Darkness said and he walked up to the alicorns. The blue one took a step back.

"Tia, what is this?" She asked with a hushed tone.

"I'll let him explain." Celestia said and Darkness crossed his arms.

"Fine. I'll tell you." Darkness retold his story.

"I know you have a lot of questions, but I want to get straight to business. When can I walk among you ponies?" Darkness repeated his question. The Princesses had turned their backs to Darkness and were discussing what to do.

"Tia, what do we do?" Luna asked with a slight tremble in her voice. She quickly snapped her neck upwards and she stared straight at her sister. She could feel Darkness boring a hole in the back of their heads with his eyes. She was sweating a bit and Celestia whispered to her sister.

"I don't know. If we let him loose amongst the ponies, we have no idea what will happen. If we ignore him, the ponies are bound to get involved sooner or later." Celestia said to her sister and Darkness sat on the throne.

"Could you hurry it up? I'm getting really bored." Darkness yawned and Celestia broke out in a cold sweat. He was getting impatient and she knew what he could do if there was any hindrance to his mission.

"Luna, we have to let him through." Celestia whispered to her sister.

"What!? Why?" Luna asked quietly.

"You know what will happen if his mission drags on any longer than it has to." Celestia said and Luna nodded. Celestia turned to the Horseman sitting on the throne.

"Well? Have you come to a decision?" Darkness asked as he stood from the throne and walked to the sisters.

"Yes. We have decided to let you walk among the ponies. Under two conditions." Celestia said.

"And what conditions would they be, Princess?" Darkness asked.

"You have to become a pony." Celestia said to Darkness.

"No problem." Darkness said as he shifted forms to that of a pony. He had a black mane and tail, along with a dark gray coat. He retained his silver eyes and his dark wings, which were sized to fit his new form.

"What's the second?" Darkness asked.

"You must keep your identity hidden." Celestia said and Darkness began to laugh. After a few moments, his laughter died down and he put on a serious face.

"You really had to tell me? Really?" Darkness asked and Celestia blushed at the obviousness of the answer. He had traveled to many worlds; of course he knew how to hide his identity.

"Well, this has been a pleasure and an experience. You may now go fuck your respective selves." Darkness said as he flew out the broken skylight, leaving two shocked alicorns alone in the ruined castle.

"I hope you made the right choice, sister." Luna said, staring at the skylight that Darkness flew out of.

"I hope so too..." Celestia said as she motioned for her sister to teleport back to the castle.

Darkness could see the town in the distance and he hovered down to the forest floor.

"I'd better not scare the locals." Darkness said to himself as he trotted to the treeline. As he walked, he could feel the dark energy that permeated the air in the forest. It wasn't very thick, but it was enough to be felt.

"Yep. I feel at home already." Darkness said as he inhaled the thick air of the forest. He exhaled and continued on his way.

Eventually, he reached the treeline and pushed past the thick underbrush. The moment he exited the forest, he was knocked back in. He wasn't attacked by anything, but he was attacked by the brightness of the world. He groaned as he rubbed his eyes and tried to get back out. He did so and was nearly pushed back a second time by the bright colors everywhere. It's like some kind of human kid's show... Darkness thought as he slowly opened his eyes. He could see green grass everywhere, butterflies flitting about, flowers swaying in the breeze and he could hear birds chirping as they flew around. He groaned.

"My eyes... They burn..." Darkness snarled as he pushed back the pain in his eyes and he walked down the path. He knew he would eventually get used to the bright colors everywhere. He just didn't know when. And that's what scared him. He eventually got used to the brightness and opened his eyes fully. His eyes were finally immune to the assault that the world had carried out on them.

"Well, that sucked." Darkness mumbled as he reached the technicolor town with all of its miniature technicolor horses that were known as ponies. He looked around the town from the outside and he saw Chaos in the park with some other ponies. They looked like they were having a picnic, so Darkness decided to go and say hi. After all, who can say no to good food (Even if you don't need it)?

"Hey Chaos." Darkness said casually from behind the group and Chaos jumped. She whirled and faced Darkness. She tackled the equine Horseman to the ground and whispered to him.

"Dark, what the hell are you doing here!?" Chaos asked and Darkness smirked.

"What, you don't want me to be here with you?" Darkness said and Chaos looked away.

"It's not like that. It was just really sudden, that's all." Chaos said quietly. Chaos didn't take into account the ponies that were with her the whole time when she tackled Darkness.

"So, I take it this is the stallion you were talking about?" Rarity asked and Chaos nodded as she crawled off of Darkness.

"Do you mind telling us your name, darling?" Rarity asked the stallion getting off the ground.

"Not at all. Name's Darkness, but you can call me Dark." Darkness said as he dusted himself off.

"How about you? You got any names?" Darkness asked.

"Where are my manners? My name is Rarity." Rarity said. Exudes high class. Will put further study in the matter. Darkness thought. Soon after Rarity introduced herself, Darkness' vision was full of pink.

"Hiya! My name's Pinkie Pie, But you can just call me Pinkie!" The pink mare shouted in Darkness' face. He recoiled at the volume of the mare's voice, but he quickly recovered. Damn, she's loud. I'd better not get into an extended conversation with her. Darkness thought

"Okay then. How about you?" Darkness pointed to the yellow mare who was hiding behind the orange one.

"Oh, um.... I'm Fluttershy....." The yellow mare said, her voice barely a whisper. Exact opposite of the pink one. I'll be sure to talk to her more. Darkness thought.

"Ah'm Applejack. Nice ta meet y'all!" The orange mare said with a Southern drawl as she shook Darkness' hoof. She's got.... What did the humans call it? Southern hospitality. Will make sure to talk to her. Darkness thought as Applejack let go of his hoof.

"Name's Rainbow Dash. Best Flier in Equestria!" The cyan mare with a rainbow mane boasted. Incredibly boastful with no clear evidence she can back it up. Bound to get killed if attitude is not dropped at the right time. Darkness thought.

"I'm Twilight Sparkle. It's nice to finally meet you, Darkness." The lavender one said as she took Darkness' hoof in a hoofshake. Intelligent and polite. She is brimming with magic. Not as much as other magic users I've seen, but substantial nonetheless. Will have to study this one closer. Darkness thought. He had analyzed each pony and he prepared for the questions he knew were going to come.

"How do you know Chaos?" Twilight asked.

"Well, at the moment, we live together." Darkness said and Chaos smiled.

"Where do you live?" Twilight asked and Darkness' expression changed to an annoyed one for half a second, then it returned to its neutral state.

"We live in the castle in that forest." Darkness pointed his hoof at the Everfree.

"The Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters? Isn't that trespassing?" Twilight asked.

"It's not trespassing if it wasn't formally shut down. And from what I've seen in there, they just straight up abandoned it." Darkness said and Twilight understood.

"You still didn't answer my question. How do you know her?" Twilight asked again.

"Let's just say that we're really old friends." Darkness said as he looked to Chaos with a grin and she returned the gesture. Before they could ask any more questions, they noticed the sun going down.

"Hm. We better get back before it gets too dark. We'll see you tomorrow." Darkness said as he and Chaos headed into the forest.

"They really did that?" Chaos said as she settled in the rafters to sleep.

"Yeah, they let me go." Darkness, who was now in his original form, said as he began to climb the walls to get to the roof.

"So you're going with me to observe?" Chaos said as Darkness reached the roof.

"Yeah. Take some of the load off. Also, I'm insanely bored here." Darkness said as he settled on the roof.

"Anyway, get your sleep. We're going back every day." Darkness said as he looked to the night sky. He stared at nothing in particular, but the moon always caught his eye. The moon reminded him of him and his brother. The moon representing his brother, while the night represented him. He always thought he would see his brother again, he just didn't know when. A Horseman's soul isn't something the Council would throw away, right? He thought he would be resurrected for the next Apocalypse.

"I hope I see you again, brother..." Darkness said as he slipped into his trance.