Author's Note

Sorry that this is a short read. I had ideas for the next chapter and they wouldn't go away until I wrote it out.

Again, sorry if it isn't as good as the rest.

I hope you all enjoy.

New and revived relations

“So… what’s this grand plan you were talking about?” Starlight asked, nervously shifting her eyesight from left to right at the demon changelings hissing and crawling along the walls of Muzans hideout. She and the demon king were situated at a table constructed of the same substance as the walls.

Muzan, now in his stallion form, lowered his wine glass and cracked a smile. “I want to conquer the sun.” He simply replied, taking another sip from his drink. The mare was thrown through a loop at the demon king's answer and let out a disbelieving laugh. Muzan scowled at Starlight, making her stop instantly. “What is so amusing?”

Starlight fumbled, but eventually found her voice, “S-Sorry, but did you just say that you wanted to… conquer the sun?” Sweat formed on her forehead as she could tell Muzans mood was dampening. ”NOT that there is anything ridiculous about that; I mean, there was an alicorn that tried to take over the night!” Starlight let out a nervous laugh with a sheepish grin.

Muzan ignored her excuses and placed his wine glass on the table. “You’re lucky I still need you.” He mumbled under his breath. “Yes, it’s true. I want to get rid of my worst enemy. Me and my servants are unable to feel the sun's warmth; otherwise, we burn to ash before it. In my past realm, a flower called the spider lily was the only thing able to cure that problem. Unfortunately, I was beaten by that sun-breathing brat and trapped in this accursed body.” Muzan slammed his hoof on the table, causing everything on it to shake. “But, I have to thank that same brat as well.” Muzan grinned evilly, “In this world, I have more options with its magic. No more flower hunting.”

Starlight sat quietly until the demon king stopped talking, “So this plan of yours involves what?” She deadpanned.

“ It is a simple four-step plan. Of which I need YOU for.” Muzan said, pointing a hoof at the mare. “Firstly, I need an ancient artifact called ‘the alicorn amulet’ that resides in a kingdom called Canterlot.”

The mare instantly stood up and planted her front hoof on the table. “WHAT?! That alicorn amulet?! But that’s-”

“DON’T YOU DARE SPEAK OVER ME!” Muzan roared in anger. Starlight's voice instantly died as she pitifully sat back in her seat. “Yes, this artifact is heavily guarded, from what my spies have reported. That is where you come in.” Starlight looked confused but raised a shaky hoof. “You may speak.”

“How do you expect me to grab something like that?” She asked with worry.

Muzan chuckled and clapped his hooves. A changeling with a small head and front legs flew down with a silver chalice. “For that, I’ll give you some of my blood.” Muzans right hoof morphed into a boney claw and slit his left foreleg, the blood draining into the silver chalice.

“Huh?” Starlight uttered with disgust.

The demon king's left foreleg healed, and his right returned to normal. “If you drink it, It’ll allow you to become more powerful than any artifact could. You can wipe those mares you hate off the face of this planet in an instant.” Muzan smiled as he pushed the silver chalice over to Starlight.

Starlight grinned as it stopped beside her plate. “If you are speaking the truth, I don’t care what happens or how many ponies I got to go through.” The chalice was surrounded by a light blue aura and raised to the mare's lips. “If it gets me my revenge, I’ll gladly accept it.” As she gulped down the semi-viscous blood, a spike of pain and an intense burning sensation filled her body, causing her to fall to the ground screaming in agony. Muzan wrapped a hoof around his wine glass and held it up.

“You ponies are all about friendship, correct?” He asked sarcastically, “Well, let’s toast to our new friendship!”

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Beep…Beep…Beep…”

The constant sound of the heart monitor was all Yoriichi was hearing, besides his unconscious brother’s ragged breathing. When Princess Celestia ordered for michikatsu to be thrown into a dungeon cell, a guard noticed a wound on his chest. He had a fragment of wood lodged in his chest somehow, puncturing his left lung, and the doctor said that he may have problems with breathing when he wakes up.

“Yoriichi?”

The silent stallion was broken from his trance and looked over to see a worried Fluttershy. It had been hours since Yoriichi had stopped talking if the night sky was anything to by. Fluttershy’s friends tried to talk to him, but they’d all been met with nothing every time. Fluttershy placed a comforting hoof on his shoulder, “I can tell something is wrong. You can tell me anything, you know that?” She said with a sad tone.

“Do you think I’m a bad person?” Yoriichi asked, pain clear in his voice.

The shy mare was stunned by the question, but her look of worry became one concern. “No, of course not! Why would you say something like that?”
“When we were young, I left my brother alone after our mother died. We didn’t see each other for twenty years. But the first time we crossed paths, I failed to save his men and roped him into a life he should’ve never been a part of. I caused him to abandon his life… and eventually humanity as he betrayed the demon slayer corps. Failing to kill Muzan, failing to stop my wife's death, and my brother betraying me, I failed countless times despite my strength and it hurts.” Tears flowed down Yoriichis face as he turned to Fluttershy with the most sorrowful expression she had ever seen. “I’ll ask you again, am I a bad person?”

Yoriichi’s gasped in surprise when the shy mare latched onto him with a tight grip, tears coming out of her eyes as well. “No… No, you’re not.” She sobbed out. The two just sat there, holding each other, until a groaning sound came from the bedridden stallion.

“Ugh… my lungs feel like they’re on fire.” Michikatsu opened his eyes to see his younger brother and the yellow pegasus looking at him with shock. “What the-, Yoriichi, is that you? Why do you look like a small horse?” Michikatsu didn’t get an answer as Yoriichi immediately hugged his older brother with a tight grip.

“I’m so glad you’re with me again, brother,” Yoriichi mumbled. “You don’t know how long I’ve waited to see your face again.”

Michikatsu Grabbed his brother's shoulders, attempting to budge his clingy little brother off. “Yoriichi, I can barely breathe as it is!” He wheezed out. Noticing his brother's distress, Yoriichi let go and sat straight up with a somber smile. “...Thanks, now can you tell me why you are a horse? And what the hell happened?”

For the next couple of minutes, Yoriichi recounted his first days of being in the land of Equestria. What ponies are, some of their culture, and the events leading up to now. Throughout this, however, michikatsu only had a frown and a thoughtful look in his eyes. Yoriichi saw this and stopped talking.

“I remembered that night before I was defeated.” Michikatsu softly said. “After everything I did, I was still not strong enough, even giving up my humanity didn’t change anything. I-” Michikatsu’s voice died when Yoriichi bowed to him, his hooves folded in front of his lowered head.

“I’m sorry, brother, for everything I caused. If I was a better brother… you wouldn’t have gone down that dark path. It’s all my faul-”

Yoriichi was interrupted when Michikatsu yanked his haori collar with a hoof, forced him up, and slapped him with his free hoof. The look on the older brother's face depicted rage, but more frustrated than angry. Fluttershy, who was watching quietly this whole time, gasped in shock at the sudden act of violence.

“SHUT UP!” The older stallion growled. “Stop apologizing! You did nothing wrong, you damn idiot. After our mother died and you left, I read her journal to find out why you always clung to her, and I became jealous. Ever since you left, I trained every day to the point my body could barely work, just so I can get as strong as you. But when I grew and obtained my own soldiers, they all got slaughtered by my incompetence. Then you show up and act like it was your fault! I abandoned my wife and CHILDREN just so my petty desire to be stronger than you. And in the end, I betrayed you and the corps by becoming a demon and having you suffer because of it. Even after all that, that night we fought, you apologized!”

Tears built up in the older brother's eyes as his face got closer to Yoriichi’s. “So don’t feel sorry because of my mistakes! None of it was your doing! You’re the best brother I don’t deserve! STOP APOLOGIZING!” Michikatsu lowered his head, his voice dying to a whisper. “Please…”

Yoriichi was strangely silent as he calmly removed his older brother's hoof and put it on the bed. Then, his forelegs wrapped around michikatsu and pulled him into a hug.

“Okay.” He said, a small smile on his muzzle.