A Boy and his Watch
By TheAlienBrony22

A Hell Coming to the Homestead,
Part 3

[Canterlot Castle]

The throne room was jam packed with several hundreds of soldiers, ranging from Pegasi, Bat Ponies, Earth Ponies and the Unicorns. Several of them were worried, others were impatient, and others were excited, thinking this may be an off the books promotional ceremony. Their moods and personal theories were dashed against the rocks when Captain Time Crunch, Shining Armor and Cadence stepped forward to face them. Each and every single guard felt a chill up their spine, and were considerably worried, especially with Celestia present.

"Soldiers, we all have our prejudices, some of us keep it to ourselves or find solace among their few comrades who feel the same. Some of us will plan to stage a coup behind our comrades' backs to make their own change with no regard for how it'll affect others around them. Then there's the rare few that actually believe there's a problem with one pony or creature, just because they're different," Shining Armor paced from one side to the other, looking at the guards who stood at attention. He was looking for a slip up among them. "Take it from me. I didn't initially have an easy time gaining two siblings of various different species, but over time, I got used to it. I treated them like they were truly my brothers, and I'd put my life on the line for them, like we do every day, or every time an attack on Canterlot comes our way. So it irks me to know that somepony among my ranks, among my comrades, is spreading misinformation. Whoever steps forward to admit to their prejudice will be punished fairly."

Not a single pony made a move. They were still, silent, and very, very aware of what the punishment would be. No one was willing to step forward, either out of risk of losing their position, being locked in the brig, or something worse than that.

"The pony who steps forward about starting the spread of misinformation will also be punished fairly, but to the rest of you who went along with this spread of misinformation, you will be cleaning up the barracks, the brig, the entire throne room, the whole castle for that matter, then you're going to write Celestia a three-page latter on what you've reflected on during your punishment. And training will be even harder and more grueling than before. Do I make myself clear?" Captain Time Crunch added. The ponies, again, made no attempt to move, and just looked like they saw the eyes of Tartarus for the first time in their lives. "I said... Do I make myself CLEAR to every single one of you hoof dragging, wing flapping, horn polishing, insomnia induced, drooling doofuses that I have the gall to call soldiers!" Captain Time Crunch bellowed out.

The soldiers saluted, signifying that they did now understand, though some of them were just trying to not burst into tears. "Good. Princess Celestia, you and your niece have the floor." The Captain stated with glee.

Shining and Time Crunch backed away, letting the pink pegasus and the Princess of the Sun take center stage. The soldiers kneeled and bowed in respect, as well as removing their helmets.

"My little ponies, I ask of you as your princess to point to the originator of the informant that has brought you all here tonight--"

"Uh, not everyone, your highness..." A voice called out. The guards dispersed, showing a single brown stallion in armor. "If all of the guards are supposed to be here, then we're missing one, if I may speak so, your majesty."

"Cadet Copper, who's missing from our little meeting, boy?" Captain Time Crunch asked.

"A mare with a cream colored coat, red eyes, and an indigo mane. She has six of these weird glowing magic things on her flank, I think it's her cutie mark. Though oddly enough, she's an Earth Pony," Copper stated. "Last I saw her, she was doing one last routine check around the theatre. She was supposed to come back and come straight here, but she hasn't shown up yet, sir."

Celestia seemed a bit worried, but Shining approached Copper. "What was this missing guard's name?"

"I... I don't know, she was always very reclusive, she didn't share a lot about herself, but I think she once referred to herself as... Mighty Mystic, or Lucky Mare, or something like that." Copper said with uncertainty.

The captain looked towards Shining, then back at Celestia. "Your orders, your highness?"

"We march to the theatre... I have a feeling that Ben will be there, as well. Cadenza, stay behind and make sure Twilight and Spike stay here, keep them out of harm's way," Cadence nodded and trotted off towards Celestia's chambers. "The rest of you, my brave and loyal soldiers, advance to the theatre. Immediately!" Celestia commanded.

the soldiers moved out in an orderly fashion with Time Crunch and Shining Armor leading the way. Celestia flew above her army, and looked up at the moon, seeing the mare shaped physique on its surface. She sighed and gritted her teeth as she followed her soldiers.

[Catacombs]

Magic Mare trotted along the murky and cold stone floor. In a flash of red light, Ghooligan was reverted back to Ben, though the watch seemed to emit a glow of a darker red shade than usual. Ben stayed close to the mare as she illuminated a bright purple ball that lit the way. Ben eyed the magic ball with curiosity, but for some odd reason he couldn't exactly place it from where he saw something like that.

Then his eyes drifted to the mare's cutie mark. He once again felt something coming to him, but it left him the moment he bumped into the mare. She had stopped moving. "What's the big deal, something up?" Ben asked.

Magic Mare held her leg up, enveloping it in a magic purple light, as were her eyes enveloped in the same purple light, then she remained still and silent. Ben looked up ahead, seeing more of those mad ponies in the shadows.

"They don't feel alive, yet they move like they're not dead. I'm getting a serious feeling that there's dark magic at work here. Someone's feeding on the innate magic of a pony, or pony-like creatures... or creatures with magic in general, and they seem to be turning their victims into these mindless, monstrous husks of who they used to be. We need to keep going, but my magic is still a little weak from holding all of those ponies back upstairs," Magic Mare looked back at Ben. "Do you have any tricks to pull out of your sleeves, or are you always relying on that watch?"

Ben groaned and backed up, grabbing one of the torches off the wall before stepping forward. He waved the flaming torch towards the ponies, who seemed to let out a hiss of discomfort as the bright burning flames got closer. They eventually ran past him and Magic Mare, trying to retreat into the darkness, only to stop at the rest of the burning torches. Ben thought for a moment and placed the torch on one of the nearby sconces, letting it rest there as it continuously burned. The ponies were now stuck between two flaming lights, and remained still in their small little space of darkness they seemed to crave.

"That's one less problem for us, they seem to hate the light, well, natural light. Light from lightbulbs or magic doesn't seem to ward them off, but fire and sunlight might just force them underground. Hopefully there'll be a way to fix this, that way these ponies can go home and be with their friends and families again." Ben said. The two kept on marching, descending further and further into the dark and unforgiving unknown.

[Ponyville, Sugarcube Corner.]

A few ponies walk outside and away from the building as three ponies stay inside, locking up and preparing for some kind of get together. Chiffon Swirl and Nightlight were setting up snacks on a coffee table, while a young, lanky and very excited yellow stallion helped out.

"Ooh, I gotta say, Nightlight, this is gonna be the best night ever! It's gonna be more extravagant than when Pinkie threw a congratulatory party for the Apple Family at their annual Rodeo hoedown reunions, and those are always a hoot!" Chiffon stated, giddy with excitement.

"Yeah, it'll be fun to know how my old school buddy was doin', and I get to meet one of his other friends, funny how things just work out, don't they?" The stallion chimed in.

Nightlight chuckled and took a sip of water. "Well, bringing my son here a few years ago really did wonders for him, but I think the life he has in Canterlot just lost its luster. Not just for him, but for me as well. I'd love to move down here in Ponyville, where it's just a bit more simple, and things are familiar, but I don't know if Velvet would be excited for it, it's just so hard to make a decision like that sometimes, you know? It's just really good to be back in Ponyville after so long." Nightlight explained.

"Oh I know the feeling, college was so isolating in Manehattan, I'm just glad I finally graduated and opened my store, otherwise I never woulda met Pear." Chiffon said with a chuckle.

"How is she, by the way? I'm not an expert on giving birth myself, but I can definitely imagine that after two kids, it'd be pretty painful. She seemed so winded, and out of it as of late." Nightlight asked with concern and worry,

"She's getting along fine, though let me tell ya, babysittin' is a difficult job. Poor Applebloom, that poor thing couldn't stay in or out my arms for a second without cryin' for her mama, good thing Granny Smith always knew how to handle children." Chiffon stated, sipping on a milkshake as she smiled.

Before another word could be uttered, the front door of the building was swung open with sheer force, breaking the lock on the door as a frenzied pink pony stood, shaking and jittering in a frenzied manner.

Chiffon carefully and cautiously approached the pony. "Pinkie, I told you to not break the locks this time. Now I have to get them fixed, again. Is something wrong?" Chiffon asked.

"I'm getting the combos again! I felt a chill go down my spine, then I felt like I was having a stroke, then my body felt very numb, and finally, I felt so exhausted, yet I felt so energized all at once! I don't know what that means, it was like trying to read a fifty page essay in cursive with OCD, when it's written in Old Ponish, for Celestia's sake!! It was such a strange feeling, it almost felt foreign, very alien, practically eldritch," Pinkie explained. "I think either Ben might be in trouble, or there's something that shouldn't be here!"

[Canterlot Theatre]

"In all the years I've spent alive and in rule... I never thought I'd see something like this ever again." Celestia grimaced.

Several of the maddened ponies had now looked to be in a worse condition than they were in before. A strange black goop has started to ooze from out of their bodies, only to then grow and graft itself onto the ponies it seemed to inhabit. Some of the ponies just got bigger and more aggressive, but some others seemed to mutate extra body parts like eyes, mouths, legs, ears, almost like these mutations served a purpose, a purpose that was unknown to any of the guards, or the princess that witnessed such grotesque happenings to innocent ponies.

Several of the guards tried to hide their fear and keep themselves from retching, but some of the other guards weren't as strong-willed, making a mess at their feet and trying to escape the theatre, only for Celestia to look at them, and they fell back into their original positions, obviously terrified.

Time Crunch was equally disturbed and sickened like the soldiers he commanded, but he seemed to feel the worst of it. After all, he was blind, but these creatures, these monsters that used to be ponies... he could see them. Their grotesque and mutated bodies that shuffled and trotted around aimlessly, he could see them all clear as day.

"By your orders, y-your highness... wh-what do we do first, m-ma'am??" one of the soldiers asked hesitantly.

"Fall back, that's what we do. Well, that's what I plan to do, because I'm not fighting that! There's a lot of things I'm willing to fight, but this, this is 'Dawn of the Trotting Dead' all over again! I'm not gonna become one of those things, no way in Tartarus! No way, and definitely no how! Forget this, I quit! I resign! Peace out, it's been fun, it's been an honor, but I want to live!" One of the soldiers frantically declared, tossing his helmet and his spear to the ground as he ran out of the theatre in a panic.

All the soldiers and Celestia watched as the stallion ran, running like the fires of Tartarus was catching up to him. "And when it came to fight or flight... he chose to fly, despite lacking wings. What a brave, and very cowardly stallion." One of the guards muttered.

Time Crunch marched forward, taking a deep breath and exhaling as he brought his eyes to the crowd of guards.

"Listen up you maggots, I'm not gonna lie to you. I'm terrified of these monsters too, some of us may die in this theatre, but we must do our duty, or Canterlot, and all of Equestria will fall to these tar covered lily-livered ninnies! Take it from me, you hoof dragging poor excuses for soldiers, I went blind in both eyes during the great Canterlot Cataclysm, but I didn't let that stop me from doing what I did best! I may be terrified like a little schoolgirl, quaking in my horseshoes that these monstrous mutations will tear me limb from limb till I'm nothing more than a red and mushy meat pile on this here red carpet, but I'm still willing to put my life on the line right here and right now, you know why? Because that's what Canterlot needs right now, a shield to push back the monsters that threaten to ruin our society, and our lives! ARE WE GONNA LET THEM RUIN EVERYTHING WE PONIES MADE!?"

"No, sir!!" A few of the guards stated.

"I didn't hear all of you, so I'll only repeat myself once, you mellow-minded miscreant maggots! ARE WE GONNA LET THEM TAKE CANTERLOT, THEN EQUESTRIA!?"

"NEGATORY, SIR!!" The crowd of guards stated.

"Then let's raise Tartarus under their disease-ridden hooves, boys and girls! If you need to leave this fight, then keep it to yourself, it's make your mamas proud time! FOR EQUESTRIA, Maggots!!" Time Crunch exclaimed.

The guards ran forward, spears and spells at the ready as maddened ponies ran their way. Celestia used her magic to pull Shining Armor to her side, seeming like she may have a plan.

"Shining, go find your brother, I'll help fend off these monstrous mutations." Celestia whispered, then charging forward with an angry scream, blasting the bigger and stronger mutant ponies back, keeping them at bay.

Shining looked towards the supply closet, seeing that it led downwards to some kind of Catacomb. He sighed and readied his best shield spell, enveloping himself in it as he charged forward, rushing down the stairs as he prepared to tear through any of the mutant ponies that were possibly still down there.

[Catacombs]

Ben and Magic Mare slowly walked through the hallway, noticing that despite the purple magic sphere providing a good source of light to keep venturing on, it was becoming very obvious to Ben that whatever kind of magic this mare was using, it wasn't like Unicorn magic at all. He never saw Unicorns use magic like how she was using it, but she was an Earth Pony... even so, Earth Ponies have a form of magic that ties back to the Earth and Nature, so why did it feel like this mare wasn't using any of that kind of magic?

"Hey, how are you doing all of that magic stuff, anyway? I'm just a little curious, you know?" Ben asked. The mare did not answer, she just kept focusing on the sphere floating in her hooves. Not before long, the two had finally entered a huge chamber, with one singular exit on the other far side of it. The chamber itself didn't seem like a chamber, but more like a holding block. Several scared, terrified and probably isolated ponies looked at the two new individuals.

"This is all kinds of--"

"Get out! You need to get out of here, this is a nightmare you don't want to be apart of! Whatever they promised you, you need to get out of here, all is lost down here!" A mare called out.

"Time to gtfo, lady, and strange monkey thing. Life is a Nightmare down here in these cells!" A stallion added.

"Go be with your families, we obviously can't! We're doomed!" An older mare stated.

"Messed up? Because judging by the cries of the damned coming from all around us, I'd say we're on the right track." Magic Mare stated.

Before the two could move on, a bright white flash of light illuminated everything. The ponies in the cells were already gone, covered in a black goo, mutated in a variety of horrendous ways. Their cells opened up, and the ponies yelled out in a feral manner, lunging from all possible sides at the two heroes.

The mare focused her magic, creating a shield around the two as the ponies tried to breach and make their move. the shield was definitely gonna hold, but the mare was struggling hard to keep it up. "Ok, now would be a good time to use that stupid watch now!" Magic Mare strained.

Ben twisted the dial and tried to get it to work, but it was only now returning to its usual red glow, signifying that it needed more power. "We'll have to improvise. I got an idea, give me your spear!" Ben stated.

Without a moment's notice, Magic Mare tossed a light golden spear into his hands, to which he then poked several holes into the shield with it. "What in Tartarus are you doing!?" She exclaimed, straining to keep the shield up. The ponies banged on the shield, cracking it slowly as Ben poked more holes into the shield.

Ben reached into his pockets and pulled out a couple tweezers, nicking a piece of the black goo off one of the ponies and containing it in a water bottle he had. Ben watched as the black goo drained the bottle of its clear liquidous contents, and saw it take on a more viscous and liquid like attribute to its being.

"This stuff is very good at adapting. If they get ahold of one of us, that'll be a definitive tide turning play. Good thing I have a plan, now that my theory about this stuff is confirmed," Ben tossed the bottle through one of the holes, watching as the black goo in the bottle bursts through and melds with one of the other mutant ponies. Ben pops the core up on the Omnitrix, nicking another piece of the goo, only this time, he jams it into the free space of the Omnitrix's core. "Time to hope I didn't just doom us all with this."

"What exactly did you just do?" the mare asked. Ben didn't respond, but the sound of the watch making some kind of whirring and beeping noise was apparent. The Omnitrix's hourglass formed into a DNA Helix and glowed yellow, spinning around on its own as the goo attempted to escape and overwhelm the device, only to then be entrapped within the device. The Omnitrix stopped spinning, and the Hourglass returned to its normal shape, now flashing green.

Ben twisted the dial and saw the icon he was looking for. Ben slammed on the core, enveloping the pink shield in a vibrant green light, causing the ponies to hiss and back off, allowing the mare to let the shield down. In Ben's place was a robust, chiseled and very angry diamond golem, fitted with a strange black suit with the bottom half being white. The watch's emblem was dead center on the chest of the creature. This was the form Ben called 'Gemstone'.

"I got another part to my idea, and it may just give us the edge we need. I need you to blast a beam of your magic at me when I say 'now'. You're gonna have to trust me on this, alright?" Gemstone stated. The mare looked around, seeing the mutant ponies starting to recover, and then hiss as they charged at the heroes.

Gemstone held his hands together, forming a huge crystal ball with a single opening. "Now! Fire a beam into the ball!" Gemstone signaled. The mare fired off a huge beam of purple magic into the ball, seeing it ricochet sporadically as it constantly emitted a light source as it refracted off of the crystals.

The ponies got closer and closer, until Gemstone grabbed the mare, pushing them both upwards on a diamond column before dropping the crystal sphere. As it crashes to the ground, several diamond shards and small magical bolts fire off in many directions, sending the mad ponies back upon their initial impact as Gemstone slowly lowered them back to solid ground.

Gemstone reached to turn back, until the sound of galloping hooves echoed from behind them. The mare readied her magic, and Gemstone formed his hands into blades, but he stood down as he saw Shining Armor come into view.

"Shining? What're you doing here!?" Gemstone asked, approaching the stallion. Before Shining could say a word, he was knocked back with a bolt of purple magic, generated by Magic Mare. "Hey, take a chill pill! That's my brother, you crazy lady!"

"Shut up with that family nonsense, you are not family, you never will be family, I was willing to tolerate you for this long, maybe even longer, but you can't clearly see the noticeable biological differe--"

"What does biology have to do with anything?" Gemstone interrupted. The mare's words stopped immediately, and she looked the golem in the eyes. "I'm not gonna rule out that maybe there's a biological connection, but I'm not gonna treat these ponies different because they took me in. I don't even know who, what, or where my old family is, and nothing seems to be coming to mind. As far as I'm concerned, I am Benjamin Sparkle, the only Human member of the Sparkle family. I didn't mean to cut you off, but I wanted to clarify."

The mare grit her teeth and smacked her forehead with her hoof repeatedly. She grumbled and mumbled something that Gemstone couldn't understand, but it's not like he cared about that. He walked over and helped Shining up to his hooves as he shook off the hit he took. "You okay, Shining? Took a direct hit from her."

"Yeah, I'll be fine... Good to see you, too. I see you got yourself in more trouble, so what is all of this, and why is it making ponies into monsters?" Shining asked.

"Good Question, I'll let you know when I figure out an answer. Right now, we could use a little help. What's her deal, though?" Gemstone gestured, pointing to the mare who was having a furiously silent fit.

"I couldn't even begin to tell you, but I think she might be the informant, the one who spread that rumor through the guard that you were to not be trusted. To that I say, I don't approve of someone calling my brother a hairless ape, or saying my brother isn't my brother." Shining stated.

The mare trotted over and shoved her helmet into Shining's hold, only so a magical glow could be emitted around her. The two brothers covered their eyes as the light blinded them. Before either of them could figure out what just happened, they both flinched as they saw what looked like a layer of the mare's coat and skin was just at her hooves in a small withering pile.

The mare herself looked completely different. Her body was now this black equestrian entity, standing as tall as Celestia herself, if not a couple feet shorter, radiating with a red magic aura, her eyes were white, like a never-ending void, and her mane flowed out in all directions, like bright magical tendrils. Her cutie mark remained the same, though.

"It's safe to say the guard was never my thing, my calling in life. I'm a magic user, but I'm not necessarily a gifted magic user. You called me Magic Mare, but that's not my real name, just a codename. Call me Venus Voider," The mare re-introduced, now towering over the two brothers. "And as for the rumor, that wasn't me. I could've easily rooted out the issue if it meant I'd meet with the human shapeshifter, but that would not have been the case. I had to let things play out, to get to my position, and without exposing my abilities. I'm still very much willing to assist you in stopping this filthy monstrous creature, if you're willing to keep trusting me."

"This is madness, I-I don't- I can't believe- how in the- where- a-and why- mmmph! Mmphh!" Shining felt a diamond bind form around his muzzle, signaling for the stallion to stop talking as Gemstone stared the strange mare in the eyes.

"... If we're gonna trust you, can you please return to your previous state? Just looking at you is hurting my eyes, you're way too bright," Venus complied and in a flash of light, she returned to her previous form, clad in royal armor, and taking her helmet back, covering her head with it. "Good. Now, I'm a little unsure of how I could try to trust you, but I'd like to get out of here and take a nap. It's been a long night, so are you willing to trust us, if we trust you?"

"Trust is a two-way street, Benjamin, one I don't dare to walk so dangerously. I promise to you both that you can trust me, and in return, I trust the both of you." Venus stated. Gemstone broke the bind on Shining's muzzle, and the three agreed to work together, marching forward to finally put an end to all of the madness that has occurred that night.

Author's Note

For those who don't know, I'm making specifically tailored custom Pinkie Sense combos.

This one (Chill down the Spine + the feeling of a Stroke + total body Numbness + Exhaustion + Sudden Energy recovery) speaks of, well... actions having unforeseen consequences.

Part four is coming eventually.