The Equestrian Wind Mage Classic: Season 1

Chapters

Episode 1: Welcome to Equestria
Episode 2: Boast Busters
Episode 3: Bridle Gossip
Episode 4: Hired Hoof
Episode 5: Return of the Palace
Episode 6: Culture Shock
Episode 7: A Dog and Pony Show
Episode 8: The Return of Discord Part 1
Episode 9: The Return of Discord Part 2
Episode 10: The Reformation of Discord
Episode 11: The Meaning of Family Part 1
Episode 12: The Meaning of Family Part 2 (revised)
Episode 13: Luna Eclipsed
Episode 14: Measure of a Monster
Episode 15: A Canterlot Wedding Part 1
Episode 16: A Canterlot Wedding Part 2
Episode 17: The Crystal Empire Part 1
Episode 18: The Crystal Empire Part 2

Episode 1: Welcome to Equestria

It had started out the same as it always had. He’d escape his imprisonment, capture the princess and hide in the Palace of Winds, and the chosen hero would come to save her. Vaati had already been through this cycle three times already. He was starting to get tired of it. As he stood in his personal chambers, awaiting the hero, who was currently cutting a swath through a few Darknuts a few rooms over, Vaati the Wind Mage pondered. Princess Zelda hovered above him, encased in a crystal meant as both prison and protection, as Vaati didn’t want the palace monsters to get any uncouth ideas.

Zelda couldn’t help but notice how quiet Vaati was. Usually he would be boasting right about now about how Link was about to walk into a death-trap, but Vaati had been unusually quiet over the past few days. The princess studied her preoccupied captor intently, watching as the deceptively young-looking Hylian man with long lavender hair, pale skin, purple tunic, cap, and cape, and red eyes stared absent-mindedly out the window of his palace.

Under normal circumstances, Zelda wouldn’t mind the quiet. But this was just so unusual for Vaati, and like it or not, Zelda was starting to feel nervous. But before she could open her mouth and inquire as to Vaati’s state, the Wind Mage spoke. “Do you ever feel like your life has become redundant? Like your whole existence is just a broken record?”

Zelda quickly shook off her surprise and put up a mask of indifference. “I suppose. No help to you, that is.”

Vaati chuckled, but kept his gaze focused on the window. “You know very well it’s not my fault alone.”

Zelda immediately knew Vaati was referring to the infamous Golden Trio Cycle, the endless fight against Ganon. Vaati solemnly shook his head. “This cycle we find ourselves trapped in…it’s almost the same thing, isn’t it?”

“You’re the one who continuously kidnaps the princess whenever you escape from the Four Sword.”

Finally Vaati glanced upward at her. “Ah, I suppose you’re right, princess.”

“If this…cycle…bothers you so much, why did you kidnap me and set everything in motion again?”

Vaati thought for a moment, gazing back out the window at the impressive view of the world the Palace commanded. “A force of habit, I guess. It’s what I’ve always done, what I’ve grown comfortable doing. Besides, it’s often rather lonely living here at the Palace.”

Zelda raised an eyebrow. “What about the monsters you keep around here?”

Vaati scoffed. “Please. I can hardly call my buffoonish servants acceptable company. The Stalfos and Moblins are utterly stupid, Wizzrobes usually spend their free time studying magic in my library, and the Darknuts keep to themselves save for when I give them orders. I can’t help but find myself lonely in the crowd.”

Zelda was about to scoff, but then stopped herself. With a jolt of surprise, she realized she knew exactly how that felt. After all, being princess, she had to put up with greedy, stuffed-shirt bureaucrats constantly needling her father for favors, as well as the various castle servants whose existence centered around pleasing the Royal Family and nothing else. “I…know how that feels,” she whispered.

“I’m certain you do,” Vaati replied, his sharp hearing catching her words. “Perhaps that’s what it means to be a ruler.”
“I’d hardly call you a ruler, Vaati,” Zelda huffed.

“I am sole master of the Palace of Winds. Is that not adequate?”

Zelda went quiet. “This cycle…I’m tired of it,” Vaati said. “I’m tired of my life being on constant repeat, fighting a battle I consistently lose.”

“Are you telling me you’ve lost confidence in yourself?” Zelda asked, trying to sound sarcastic but was actually quite curious.

Vaati shook his head. “Hardly. But being alive for so long…even if the majority of it has been spent imprisoned inside a magic sword, has given me time to think. After all, it’s virtually all I can do while waiting for the seal to weaken.”

Suddenly a small orb with a single white eye and bat-like wings flitted over to Vaati, squeaking frantically. One of Vaati’s Eye Sentries, Zelda surmised. That could only mean Link was getting closer. Vaati nodded his head and dismissed the Sentry with an idle wave of his hand. “It seems we’ll have to cut this conversation short, Princess,” he notified in a slightly weary tone. “Your knight in green clothes is just moments from barging in and causing another scene. Just know this, Zelda…”
Vaati stared at her with those ruby red eyes of his, his expression a look of quiet acceptance. “Whatever happens, things will be different from now on.”

As if on cue, the chamber doors swung open, revealing four dirty, scuffed, and irate boys identical to each other save for different-colored tunics. Each of them wielded copies of the Four Sword. The green boy stepped in front of the group and pointed his sword at Vaati, who just put on a smug face as his nemeses challenged him. “Vaati! Step away from Zelda!” Green yelled.

“Your timing is impeccable, Link,” Vaati greeted. “As always. Shall I go through my carefully-recited, long-winded speech about how I’ll destroy you and claim Hyrule for my own, or shall we just get to the point and fight?”

The four Links blinked in surprise, but quickly recollected themselves. “Ha! Looks like he already knows we’re gonna beat him!” Blue sneered. “Guess he finally wised up!”

“Be wary, guys,” Vio advised. “This may be another one of his tricks.”

“I assure you, I have no new tricks up my sleeve at the moment,” Vaati interrupted, his voice turning darker, more menacing as his body began to change. “Now let’s get to that fight, shall we?”

And the four boys once again found themselves face-to-face with the giant demon eye that had burst into the castle and whisked away the princess before.

XXXXXX

As Zelda watched the fight progress, she couldn’t help but feel something was…off about this battle. Was it just her imagination, or was Vaati not trying as hard? The winged eye had taken some damage already, and the four Links continued to press their attack. There were times when Vaati veered out of their reach and hung in the air for short periods of time to recover, but it appeared the fight was going poorly for Vaati.

After about ten minutes of battle, the eye suddenly stopped attacking them altogether, slowly transforming back into the Sorcerer of Winds. The four Links regrouped and braced themselves for attack. “Well, that was fun,” Vaati commented, ignoring the various wounds on his body. “But I think it’s time we put an end to this.”

Vaati held one hand out and charged a ball of energy. But, unnoticed by the heroes, his other hand drifted behind his back and started sparkling. The four boys readied their swords. But the princess’s eyes were fixated on Vaati’s hidden hand. That spell…it looked like the one he used whenever he was teleporting long distances. What on earth was he doing?

The Wind Mage suddenly glanced behind him at the princess, locking eyes with her. And then…he winked.

Then it all made sense to her at last as Vaati thrust the ball of energy at his adversaries, simultaneously bringing his other hand to bear. But unfortunately, his momentary glance at Zelda was all the time Green needed to ready his bow and shoot an arrow of light at the sorcerer. Too late did the sorcerer see the sacred missile collide with the aura of his spell, destabilizing it. Vaati’s eyes widened as he managed a single, “…oh.”

And then, one bright flash of light later, Vaati was gone.

XXXXXX

A purple unicorn trotted through the forest growth, a saddlebag slung over her body filled with various plants. Twilight Sparkle liked to think she was prepared for anything. Although this was far from the case, as just weeks ago, she had known virtually nothing about friendship. But now, as she was returning from a trip into the Everfree Forest to gather some herbs and items for some experimentation, she reflected on the relationships she had made. She now had five wonderful new friends who would stick by her through anything. Now she was certain she was prepared for anything. That is, until she saw a bright flash of light in a nearby thicket. “Huh?” she asked herself. “What was that?”

Curious, the little pony cantered over to the thicket and pushed aside the bushes. What she found lying on the ground was something she had never seen before.

It was a creature of some kind, but unlike anything Twilight had never laid eyes on. It was bipedal, but it wasn’t a Diamond Dog or a Minotaur. It wore purple and red clothes that vaguely resembled Equestrian sorcerers’ attire, so it was most likely an intelligent being. Its skin was deathly pale, and the long hair growing out of its head lavender. Black T-like markings were etched on its cheeks.

In moments, Twilight’s curiosity turned to alarm as she noticed that the creature, whatever it was, was injured. Not only were there some deep lacerations seeping crimson blood on his body, but there were some severe burns on his body as well. And the worst part, it wasn’t moving.

Fearing the worst, Twilight slowly crawled through the foliage towards the strange creature. “H-hello?” she whimpered, hoping to get a response.

Still no movement. Her heart pounding in her chest, Twilight crept closer to the body, silently praying to Celestia that it wasn’t dead. Ever so slowly, she put her ear up against its chest where she assumed its heart would be. To her immense relief, she could feel the creature’s heart beating faintly.

Now knowing it was definitely alive, Twilight quickly thought about her options. She dared not try to move the creature for fear of worsening its wounds, but she was loathe to just leave it here to go get Nurse Redheart, fearing that she might not be able to find it again. Finally an idea struck her.

Twilight’s horn began glowing as she prepared a tracking spell that would allow her to easily find this place again. A moment later, a purple ball of light was floating over the creature’s body. Pleased at her work, Twilight said, “Yes! That should do it! Now don’t move, I’ll be right back!”

Twilight desperately galloped out of the Everfree Forest and made a beeline for Fluttershy’s cottage. Fluttershy would know what to do. The pink-haired, butter-colored Pegasus was busy trying to get her pet bunny Angel to eat a carrot. “Fluttershy! Fluttershy!” Twilight yelled as she galloped over.

Fluttershy looked up in frightened surprise, but her expression calmed when she noticed it was just Twilight. “Hello there, Twilight,” Fluttershy greeted in her usual quiet voice.

“Fluttershy!” Twilight ushered as she halted in front of the Pegasus. “You’ve gotta come with me! I found something in the Everfree Forest, and it’s hurt!”

Fluttershy gasped in horror and put her hoof to her mouth. “Oh no! We have to help it! Just wait there, Twilight! I’ll be right back!”

Fluttershy bolted into her cottage, and Twilight heard the sounds of cupboards opening and Fluttershy repeatedly muttering “ohmygoodness”. About a minute later, Fluttershy rushed out her door with a basket full of medical supplies held firmly in her mouth. “Follow me!” Twilight said, running back towards the forest, Fluttershy following behind.

Twilight quickly followed the energy signature she had left with the creature until she found it, right where she’d left it. She could tell it was still alive, as she could see its chest slowly rise and fall. “Oh my!” Fluttershy whispered, horrified at the extent of his injuries. “This is bad!”

“Can’t you do something for him, Fluttershy?!” Twilight begged.

“Oh…I’m sorry,” Fluttershy whimpered, not wanting to disappoint her friend. “I…I’ll do everything I can. But Twilight, I need you to get Nurse Redheart. He needs serious medical attention that I just…can’t provide.”

Twilight swallowed her fear before nodding. “Okay, Fluttershy…I’ll be back soon!”

Twilight then rushed back towards Ponyville. Meanwhile, Fluttershy immediately set to work, dabbing disinfecting cloths on the lacerations and wrapping gauze around his wounds to stop the bleeding. Unfortunately, she didn’t have anything to deal with burn marks. At her touch, the creature stirred a little, but its eyes remained closed. Having done all that she could for him, Fluttershy lay down and snuggled up close to his body to keep him warm as she prayed Twilight would return soon.

XXXXXX

Twilight ran as fast as she could towards the hospital and flung the doors open with her magic before rushing in. Right in front of her was the mare she was looking for, who was quite surprised by Twilight’s entrance. “Nurse Redheart! Come quick! We found somepony injured in the Everfree Forest!” Twilight pleaded.

Redheart immediately shook off her surprise and put on her business face. “What’s the extent of his injuries?” she asked.
“Multiple lacerations all over his upper body, as well as some burned skin,” Twilight replied, remembering the terms doctors used to describe patients’ injuries.

Redheart nodded before turning her head towards a few other nurses. “Alright, girls!” she barked, snapping them to attention. “Get a stretcher and some medical supplies ready! Somepony’s injured in the Everfree Forest and needs our help!”

Shaking aside their fear of the mysterious forest, the nurses rushed off to fulfill their orders. In record time, the three ponies came back, two pushing the stretcher and the other carrying the supplies. “Lead us to them, Twilight,” Redheart said.
“This way!” Twilight responded, galloping off with the nurses in tow.

XXXXXX

A few minutes later, Fluttershy reflexively ‘meeped’ in surprise as she saw the brush move aside, revealing Twilight and Nurse Redheart. “This is him?” Redheart asked.

“Yes,” Fluttershy and Twilight both answered.

One of the nurses looked over Redheart’s shoulder as she knelt down to assess his injuries. “What is it?” she asked.
“Does it matter?” Redheart responded curtly. “Whatever he is, he needs our help. Thank you for your aid, Fluttershy, but we can take it from here.”

“Oh…okay,” Fluttershy said, backing away as Redheart's nurses lifted the creature’s body onto the stretcher with their magic.

“Move!” Redheart ordered, prompting all six ponies and their charge to hightail it back to the hospital, where Redheart pushed the doors opened and led the occupied stretcher towards the back. “Don’t worry,” she called over her shoulder. “We’ll take care of him. I’ll let you know when he comes to.”

Twilight and Fluttershy nodded before heading towards the waiting room. “Twilight…um,” Fluttershy said. “Maybe we should tell the others about this…if that’s alright with you.”

Twilight immediately perked up. “Fluttershy, that’s a great idea! Let’s go!”

XXXXXX

A few hours later...

Vaati’s mind was plagued for hours on end by horrible dreams and unpleasant memories. So when the images began to fade and his mind started clearing up, Vaati couldn’t help but sigh in relief.

“Girls! He’s waking up!” a nasally, female voice whispered.

“Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Can I throw him a party now?” inquired a second female voice, this one obnoxious and bubbly.

“Hnnh…?” Vaati groaned as he forced his eyes to open.

There, staring back at him, were six wide-eyed, colorful ponies. One was a cyan-colored Pegasus, with a rainbow mane and a cloud and rainbow lightning bolt design on her flank. The second was an orange pony with blonde hair tied into a ponytail wearing a Stetson hat and had three apples embroidered on her flank. The third was a smiling, bright pink pony with pink hair that looked like it had never been brushed and had three balloons designed on her flank. The fourth was a purple unicorn with deep violet hair with a pink streak and a star-like design on her flank. The fifth was a timid-looking butter-colored Pegasus with pink hair and three butterflies on her flank. The last one was a white Unicorn with an expertly-coifed purple mane and three blue diamonds etched on her flank. All of them were staring at him with varying degrees of concern and excitement.

Vaati was quiet for a moment before sinking his head back into his pillow. “I told those blasted Darknuts to keep their livestock out of the Palace,” he grunted irritably.

The pink pony snorted laughter, causing Vaati to blink in surprise. “What’s a Darknut? That sounds so silly!” the pink pony giggled.

Vaati shot up in surprise before a sharp pain pulsated down his spine, causing him to gasp in shock as he collapsed back into the hospital bed. “You should really rest,” the purple unicorn advised with a worried smile. “Our unicorn doctors were able to take care of your wounds, but your body still needs to recover.”

Twilight couldn’t help but feel a little unnerved by the person’s piercing red eyes. Unlike Vinyl’s eyes, his red irises seemed to bear a sinister, calculating edge. “I must have finally lost my mind,” he stated flatly, rubbing his forehead wearily. “Now I’m hearing horses talk.”

“Silly, we’re not horses!” the pink pony laughed. “We’re ponies!”

“Oh, that makes a world of difference,” Vaati sarcastically replied, already deciding he didn’t like this pink pony.

“What’s yer name, sugarcube?” the orange pony with the hat asked, her accent instantly reminding Vaati of farms.

Vaati tried to sit up and puff out his chest in a boastful manner, but only managed to make his body ache more as he settled back down. “Vaati,” he grumbled. “My name is Vaati Picoru, the great and powerful Sorcerer of Winds. And dare I ask who you are?”

“Vaati?” the pink pony repeated, giggling. “That’s such a goofy name!”

Twilight immediately noticed the deadly glare Vaati was shooting at her friend and spoke up, “Um, Pinkie? Let’s not make fun of his name.”

“But I wasn’t…”

“Just…be respectful, please, Pinkie? We don’t want to make a bad impression.”

Pinkie sighed. “Okay, Twilight.”

“Anyways, mah name’s Applejack,” the pony with the hat greeted, pointing her hoof at herself. “Pleased ta meet’cha, sugarcube.”

“I’m Pinkie Pie!” the pink pony said, bouncing up and down in a hyperactive manner.

“I’m Rainbow Dash!” the cyan Pegasus proudly declared, flying up into the air. “The fastest flier in all of Equestria!”

“I’m Twilight Sparkle. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Vaati!”

“I am Rarity, darling,” the elegant white pony introduced. “And I must say your hair is simply marvelous and matches your clothes perfectly!”

Vaati raised an eyebrow. “Thanks…I guess?”

The last pony was quiet, looking nervously down at the floor. Noticing everyone staring at her, she whispered, “Oh…um…I’m Fluttershy.”

Vaati glanced at each of them in turn. “Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, and Fluttershy. And you said my name was silly?”

“Whoa, don’t be dissin’ our names!” Rainbow Dash chided arrogantly. “I’m gonna be famous one day, you know!”

“You say that like you think I’d care,” Vaati responded curtly.

Twilight winced at Vaati’s unfriendly tone. Rainbow sputtered in surprise. “Guh…wha?! Not care? How could you not care?!”

“Firstly, I’ve never met you before. And second of all, I’m fairly certain I’ve done far greater things than you could ever dream of achieving.”

Rainbow got right in Vaati’s face, glaring at him. “Is that so, chump? Can you do a Sonic Rainboom?”

“Don’t know what that is, couldn’t care less,” Vaati responded, annoyed. “I could make a creature like you dance to my whims, cause the very wind itself to turn against you. I could pull you out of the sky with a flick of my wrist.”

Vaati nonchalantly waved his hand, causing a small downdraft of air to compress below Rainbow’s wings, stealing the air out from under them. “Wha?!” Rainbow cried in surprise before she fell smack on the floor.

“Alright, fellas, that’s enough!” Applejack snapped.

Grumbling in displeasure, Rainbow got to her hooves and glowered at the bedridden Wind Mage, who chuckled darkly. “Now that that’s settled,” Vaati said. “Perhaps you’d like to tell me where on Farore’s green earth I am?”

“You’re in Equestria,” Twilight explained. “Ponyville Hospital, to be exact.”

“Equestria? I’ve never heard of it. Does it border Hyrule, by any chance?”

The ponies glanced among each other, confused. Vaati’s eyes narrowed. “Labrynna? Holodrum?...Termina?”

The gathered ponies just shook their heads. Vaati’s eyes began to widen in growing horror. He desperately held his hand up and charged up the same spell he had tried to use before. Anything to get away from these talking horses. His hand sparkled, and then…nothing. Vaati gasped in realization as he stared at his hand. “No…if that didn’t work…then…oh Goddesses…I’m in a completely separate world!”

“You’re from another world?” Pinkie excitedly asked. “THAT’S SO COOL!”

“Please remove her from my sight before I get a headache,” Vaati growled, rubbing his temples.

“I think it’s best if everyone heads out for the time being,” Nurse Redheart suddenly said, walking into the room. “He needs his rest.”

“Aw, but I wanna throw him a party!” Pinkie whined.

“After he receives a clean bill of health, not before,” Redheart chided.

“We understand,” Twilight assured her. “C’mon, girls.”

As the ponies were leaving, Applejack lagged behind, Vaati watching her with half-interest. “Next to yer head’s a little gift from Sweet Apple Acres,” she said with a smile. “Hope you feel better, Vaati!”

Vaati watched her go before turning his head towards the small table next to him. Sitting on it was a particularly delicious-looking apple. The Sorcerer of Winds stared at the tantalizing fruit, debating whether or not it was safe to eat. After a few moments, he took the apple and bit hungrily into it. He had to admit: it was the best apple he had ever tasted.

As the sorcerer chewed his food, he contemplated his situation. He was in an alternate world. How on earth had he gotten here? The teleportation spell he had tried to use was supposed to only carry him over long distances, like from country to country. But a whole different world entirely? And then it hit him.

The light arrow.

It must have interfered with his spell’s aura, causing it to accelerate out of control and take him to a random destination. His idea had, in the end, worked too well. He had just intended to abandon the battle and reappear in Labrynna, where he’d melt into the crowd and start a new life away from the chaos of Hyrule. Vaati sighed at the ridiculousness of it all.

“Smart move, Vaati,” he cursed to himself.

XXXXXX

The Mane 6 parted ways for the day. Twilight rushed back to her home at the Books and Branches Library and thrust open the door, startling her baby dragon assistant, Spike, as he was shelving some books. “Spike, take a letter!” Twilight ordered.
Spike shook off his surprise at his friend’s urgent tone and readied his quill and parchment. “Dear Princess Celestia,” Twilight began, Spike writing down her words. “Something urgent has come up here in Ponyville. I discovered a strange creature injured in the Everfree Forest this morning, and I have discovered that it is a sorcerous being from another world entirely. He calls himself Vaati the Sorcerer of Winds…”

“Um, Twilight,” Spike asked. “How do you spell Vaati?”

Twilight blinked in surprise as she realized she didn’t know either. “Just write what it sounds like,” Twilight replied. “Anyways, he seemed very distraught about coming into our world, and I was hoping you could do something to help him. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.”

Spike finished the letter at engulfed it in his green fire breath, sending the ashes drifting towards the distant spires of Canterlot. As they waited for the Princess’s response, Spike said, “So I take it that guy you found in the Everfree Forest woke up?”

Twilight nodded. “I have to say, though, he was a little unpleasant. I get the impression he doesn’t like Pinkie very much.”

“Well…she can be a little annoying sometimes,” Spike muttered.

Twilight shot him a look before Spike belched up more green flames, which transformed into another letter. Spike plucked it out of the air, unfolded it, and cleared his throat. “My faithful student Twilight, thank you for informing me about this strange event. I will be shortly arriving in Ponyville to meet this stranger you have mentioned. Signed, Princess Celestia.”

Twilight gasped. “The princess is coming here?! Oh no! Oh no no no no no! I don’t have the place cleaned up yet!”

Spike cleared his throat again to catch her attention. “P.S. Don’t go into a panic and try cleaning anything up before I get there. Save yourself the trouble.”

Spike chuckled as Twilight just stared at the letter, confused. He couldn’t help but find it funny that even though she was Celestia’s most prized pupil, Twilight’s borderline-OCD behavior caused her to make Celestia sound like a tyrannical, short-tempered ruler, and her mind simply could not process the fact that the princess was quite the casual pony.

Just as Twilight was about to speak, the door to the library opened, revealing Princess Celestia in all her benevolent glory. Spike quickly bowed as Twilight ran to her mentor’s side and hugged her leg. “Princess Celestia! It’s good to see you again!”

“And the same to you, my faithful student,” Celestia answered warmly, nuzzling Twilight’s shoulder. “I trust your stay in Ponyville is working well so far?”

Twilight excitedly nodded her head, causing Celestia to chuckle. “Anyway,” the princess continued. “Where is this ‘Wind Sorcerer’ you’ve mentioned?”

“He’s in the hospital at the moment,” Twilight answered.

“Very well then. Come along, you two,” Celestia said, walking out the door and trotting towards the hospital, various ponies gasping and dropping to their knees as they saw her.

Twilight and Spike followed Celestia back over to the hospital, where the princess was causing quite a stir amongst the staff with her presence. “Oh, um, P-Princess Celestia!” Nurse Redheart stuttered nervously. “To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?”

Celestia smiled. “I am here to see a patient who calls himself Vaati.”

It was then that they noticed a small black creature flitting off towards one of the hospital rooms. It appeared to be a little black orb with bat wings and a single, unblinking white eye outlined by gold trimmings. Celestia had the distinct impression that thing had been watching her for a few minutes. Noticing it too, Redheart curiously said, “That thing is actually headed for Vaati’s room.”

Celestia, Twilight, and Spike followed the strange critter into the room and found it perched on Vaati’s hand, who was still lying down in his bed. “I see you brought more guests, Twilight,” Vaati spoke without even looking up, his tone sarcastic and irritated. “I suppose I’m to become your little town’s newest tourist attraction?”

Twilight blinked. “How did you know…?”

"That you were coming?" Vaati flicked his hand, causing the creature to lift off and touch down on the table next to his head. “An Eye Sentry,” Vaati explained, glancing at the creature in question. “A little creation of mine I use as surveillance. I can see what he sees. I sent him to scope out your village and see what was out there. He happened to catch sight of you approaching the hospital and alerted me.”

Spike stared at the Eye Sentry, who simply stared back with its unblinking eye. Spike shivered. “Dude, that’s creepy,” he muttered.

Celestia stepped forward, causing Vaati’s gaze to center on her. Looking into his eyes, she could sense…something about him. There was darkness in those eyes…not pure evil, but they beheld a calculating, sinister glint that reminded Celestia a little too much of Discord and Nightmare Moon. “Greetings, Wind Sorcerer Vaati,” Celestia said, nodding her head and forcing a smile. “I am Princess Celestia, one of the rulers of this fair land.”

Vaati’s eyes narrowed. “So, even the royalty are equine? Disappointing, but not unexpected. So much for that idea.”

Celestia had a feeling she would not have approved of Vaati’s ‘idea’ had it been able to come to fruition. “I can tell just by looking at you, princess,” Vaati added, “that you possess a great amount of power. Perhaps enough to send me back to where I came.”

Celestia dejectedly hung her head, causing Twilight and Spike’s eyes to widen in alarm. “That’s just it, though,” Celestia answered somberly, Vaati taking quick notice and scowling. “I have absolutely no idea where you came from, and dimensional teleportation magic is extremely difficult to perform, as it requires more power than my sister and I together have.”

Vaati went perfectly silent. Twilight couldn’t help but feel somewhat frightened by the furious look on Vaati’s face as he glared at Princess Celestia. “We can look into other possible ways to get you home,” Celestia said, hoping to rekindle his hope.

Twilight studied Vaati intently, her mind racing with worry. Would he fly into a rage and attack her? Twilight was seriously considering preparing a spell just in case when Vaati suddenly sighed and relaxed in the bed. “No, it’s…fine,” Vaati grumbled. “The whole reason I’m here is because I tried to escape a battle I had been participating in for too long and retire far away from all that chaos. I suppose…this will suffice…for now.”

Celestia was suddenly struck with an idea. From what it seemed, Vaati didn’t have much experience with friendship. Plus, he appeared to be someone eager for knowledge. Smiling benevolently, she said, “Well, Vaati, if you need a place to stay, I’m certain Twilight here could accommodate you at the Books and Branches Library.”

“What?” Twilight and Spike both exclaimed.

Celestia leaned her face in close to Twilight’s ear and whispered, “Think about it, Twilight. In many ways he is like you, powerful, clever, eager for knowledge, and somewhat lacking in friendship experience. This could be the perfect opportunity for you to teach someone about the magic of friendship, someone to learn your lessons with together.”

Unbeknownst to the two ponies, Vaati could hear everything they were saying. His lips curled in disgust at such a childish concept. Friendship? This idiot princess wanted him to learn about the magic of friendship? He had spent his whole life without friends, and look at where he was now!

Oh wait.

XXXXXX

The next day…

Nurse Redheart was finally confident enough to issue the strange visitor a clean bill of health, who promptly excused himself from the sterile place and took his first steps on Equestrian soil. The sorcerer couldn’t help but notice that the streets were empty. Probably because they were wary of him. His Eye Sentry was flitting over him, reminiscent of a fairy partner. Twilight noticed him coming from her window and rushed down the stairs, opening her door to greet him. “Vaati!” she cried enthusiastically. “Did Nurse Redheart let you out of the hospital?”

“I wouldn’t be standing here otherwise,” Vaati answered. “So this is where I will be staying?”

Twilight smiled. “Yep, right this way.”

The Wind Mage followed the pony up to the door, but when she opened it, Vaati was greeted by the sight of hundreds of pony faces alight with excitement who all chorused as one, “SURPRISE!”

Vaati recoiled from the doorway in shock. “What in Din’s name?!” he shouted.

Twilight chuckled. “It’s a welcoming party!”

Suddenly Pinkie Pie hopped over to Vaati and said, “Hi, Vaati! I threw this party just for you! Were you surprised, were ya were ya, huh huh huh?”

“…Very,” was the only response Vaati could think of as he gingerly stepped inside.

It seemed like everypony in town was now crammed inside the library, all with bright, smiling faces. Vaati had to admit, this was quite a relief from the normal reaction to his presence that garnered running and screaming. A table at the far back was covered in various sweet foods and drinks. “All this for just me showing up, eh?” Vaati asked.

“Yep yep yep!” Pinkie replied, bouncing happily.

“Well, I suppose I can enjoy myself.”

The Wind Mage strode over to the food and drink table and eyed his various choices. Various cakes, pies, and other baked goods all looked good, and truth be told, Vaati hadn’t indulged in such things since he was a child, and even that had been a rare occurrence. Fruit punch was situated at the very center, surrounded by cups and plates. As he was pouring himself a glass, he heard a voice from behind. “Hey there, sugarcube. You feelin’ alright?”

Vaati turned around to see Applejack with a friendly smile on her face. Vaati lightly chuckled, “Ah, Applejack. I’ve suffered worse wounds than what you saw. I assure you I’m doing quite well.”

Applejack nodded her head. “Anyways, this here’s a little somethin’ from Sweet Apple Acres.” She nudged a plate of apple pie towards Vaati with her hoof. “Made it mahself with the best apples in all Equestria!”

“Rather proud of your apples, aren’t you?” Vaati inquired, taking her offering.

“It ain’t just hearsay,” Applejack proudly proclaimed. “Everypony in Ponyville says the same thing.”

Vaati’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “’Everypony’? Don’t you mean ‘everybody’?”

“Well, we mostly say everypony whenever we’re just referrin’ to our own kind.”

“I see,” Vaati said before picking up the slice of apple pie and taking a huge bite out of it. After swallowing, he commended, “I must say, Applejack, you have good reason to be proud of your apples.”

Applejack grinned. “You oughta try Pinkie’s cupcakes too. She’s mighty proud’a them.”

Vaati glanced at the cupcakes in question. There were so many, all various colors and flavors. “Perhaps,” Vaati said. “Perhaps.”

XXXXXX

The party lasted all day and several hours into the night. During that time, Vaati got more acquainted with the more prominent citizens, including the Mane Six, Mayor Mare, Doctor Whooves, and Derpy Hooves. It was quite late when the party was officially declared over and everypony began heading back home, bidding goodnight to the newest resident of Ponyville.

After everyone was finally gone and the library quiet again, Twilight and Spike led Vaati up to the upper level of the library, where two beds and a basket were situated. “This is where you’ll be sleeping,” Twilight explained, glancing at the bed. “I normally use it for sleepovers, but I’m sure it can accommodate you.”

Vaati noticed Spike settling down in the basket and pulling a small blanket around himself. “Goodnight, you two,” Spike mumbled before quickly falling asleep.

As Twilight reached her bed, she glanced towards Vaati as he kicked off his red sandals. “So…did you enjoy your first day in Ponyville?”

Vaati quirked an eyebrow before taking off his purple cap and sitting it by his sandals. “It was…different.”

Twilight smiled as they both got into their respective beds. “Goodnight, Vaati,” Twilight bade.

“Likewise, Twilight Sparkle.”

XXXXXX

That night, the dreams returned. Vaati rarely ever got a chance to sleep, as it was impossible to do so during his imprisonment inside the Four Sword and he was always busy getting the palace defenses prepared for when the Hero came knocking during his various escapes. So, needless to say, the lack of sleep was not having positive effects on his dreamscape.

Perhaps it was because a part of him regretted the life he had been living, one that he refused to acknowledge in the waking world. Whatever the case, his memories plagued him. His battles with the Hero, his vile transformation, the sting of that blasted sword cutting into his flesh. Bits of his miserable childhood drifted by as well, teasing him with their presence, just like the bullies who had beaten and tormented him so long ago.

Unbeknownst to him, another shared in his pain as well. Far away, in the distant capital city of Canterlot, a midnight-blue alicorn twisted in her sleep as well. As Princess of the Night, when she slept, she could see the dreams of her subjects, the good and the bad. There were times when she unwittingly intervened in nightmares and drove them away. But this was different.

Her dream was one of monsters and bloodshed, memories of a life not unlike her own, a child vilified for his differences, driven to become a monster fueled by rage at a cruel world. As she gazed upon the great winged eye, feeling the sting of its green-clad enemy’s weapon as if she was the one struck, Princess Luna knew that the Wind Sorcerer Vaati had some very dark secrets to hide, secrets that could spell disaster for all Equestria were they not confronted and come to terms with.

Episode 2: Boast Busters

Episode Two: Boast Busters

It was a delightfully sunny day in Ponyville. The sunlight filtered through the window of the Books and Branches Library, offering an interesting view of the events taking place within. Spike was leaning forward and staring at Twilight as she prepared a spell. Vaati sat in a nearby chair, reading a book about unicorn magic.

“C’mon, Twilight! You can do it!” Spike encouraged Twilight.

“Okay, here goes!” Twilight replied, her horn glowing.

Spike grinned and closed his eyes as a magical aura shimmered above his upper lip. Suddenly, a mustache appeared on his face, Spike crying out in glee as he noted the success of their experiment. “Ha ha, you did it, Twilight!” he exclaimed, turning around and checking off a list. “Growing magic. That’s number twenty-five! Twenty-five magic tricks and counting!”

Twilight smiled and blushed at the compliment. Vaati, however, was far from impressed. The Wind Mage yawned audibly in a bored fashion and flipped another page. Twilight didn’t pay any attention to him, but Spike quickly caught on to Vaati’s indifference. However, he refrained from calling him out, mostly due to the fact that the last time he had angered the sorcerer, when he had accidentally set Vaati’s cape on fire in the midst of sending a letter, he could have sworn Vaati’s eyes had turned demonic for a second as he yelled at him.

Spike turned to a nearby mirror and rubbed his mustache. “And I think this is the best trick so far! Hellooo, Rarity! Huh, what’s that? Aw, it’s nothing but my awesome mustache!”

Vaati snorted derisively, looking up from his book to sneer at the baby dragon. “Please. You’re still going on about wooing that prissy little fashionista? I hardly believe a dragon has any chance of winning the favor of a member of a separate species entirely.”

Spike glared at him, his cheeks blushing as he realized Vaati had figured out his (admittedly poorly-kept) secret crush on Rarity. “What’s that supposed to mean, huh?” he snapped.

“I’m sorry, I forgot big words hurt your brain. I mean, in what universe do you think a dragon and a pony are compatible? It’s like pairing a bird with a fish. Imagine the offspring.”

Spike’s face turned beet-red from embarrassment as he shook his fists. “Alright, you two,” Twilight interrupted. “Settle down. Spike, I know you look handsome in that mustache and all, but it’s just for practice and it’s gotta go.”

Spike slapped his hands over his mouth and yelped, “W-wait!”

But Spike’s efforts to shield himself ended in failure as the mustache vanished from his face. Seeing this, Spike slumped his shoulders in defeat. “Aw, rats.”

Twilight giggled at Spike’s antics, but Vaati’s laughter was more mocking. Hoping to prevent another confrontation between the two hot-headed purple boys, Twilight spoke up, “Spike, what’s say you and me take a walk around Ponyville and see what everypony’s up to?”

Spike glared at Vaati before sighing. “Oh, all right.”

Twilight looked up at the sorcerer, who had returned to his book. “Will you be alright?”

Vaati waved a hand dismissively in her direction. “Off with you. I’m not a child, I can handle being alone for a while.”

Twilight shook her head before walking out the door with Spike in tow, shutting it behind them. Satisfied he was alone, Vaati leaned back in the chair and continued reading Advanced Unicorn Magic. Some of the spells were familiar to him, but others were completely foreign. One reason why he had picked up this book in the first place was for the purpose of expanding his knowledge of spells. Who knew when they could be useful in the future?

Snapping back to reality, Vaati shook his head. No need to be thinking that, now. He was retired, after all. Suddenly he heard a loud, boastful female voice echoing from outside. “Come one, come all! Come and witness the amazing magic of the Great and Powerful Trixie!”

Vaati cocked an eyebrow in half-interest before jumping in surprise as fireworks exploded not far from the library. “Alright, now I have to see this,” Vaati muttered to himself, closing the book and walking out the door.

XXXXXX

“Twenty-five tricks, Twilight!” Spike exclaimed enthusiastically as he and Twilight walked through the streets of Ponyville. “Twenty-five magic tricks and counting!”

Twilight couldn’t help but smile. “I thought unicorns were only supposed to have a little magic that matches their special talent,” Spike said.

“True,” Twilight replied, “for ponies whose special talent is cooking, singing, or math. But what if your special talent is magic?”

“Like you, Twilight! And you know a ton of magic!”

Twilight laughed nervously. “Oh, Spike, stop. I’m sure there’re just as many unicorns right here in Ponyville that know just as much magic as me.”

“Nah. I don’t think there’s another unicorn in all of Equestria with your kind of ability.”

“GANGWAY! LOOK OUT!” a dopey voice suddenly cried from the side.

Twilight and Spike turned just in time for two young ponies to run by, accidentally slamming into Spike and dragging him with them.

“Ah! Snips! Snails!” Spike wheezed. “What’s going on?!”

The two ponies suddenly stopped, sending Spike flying a short distance away and knocking him to the ground. “Oh, haven’t you heard?” Snails, the taller, lanky yellow pony with green hair, said. “There’s a new unicorn in town!”

The shorter faded-turquoise pony with orange hair, Snips, added excitedly, “Yeah, yeah! They say she’s got more magical power than any unicorn ever!”

“Really?” Twilight asked before hanging her head in disappointment.

Spike walked up, rubbing his sore head. “Aw, no way. That honor goes to Twilight here!”

Twilight blushed and smiled again. “Where is this unicorn?” she asked.

“She’s in the town square,” Snails answered. “Come on!”

The three ponies and dragon high-tailed it over to the town square, where a crowd had gathered around a decorated wagon of some kind. Suddenly a proud, arrogant female voice boomed, “Come one, come all! Come and witness the amazing magic of the Great and Powerful Trixie!”

As the voice spoke, the wagon opened up into an elaborate stage. Suddenly, the stage was engulfed in a puff of smoke. When it cleared, a blue unicorn wearing a sorcerer’s hat and cape stood proudly on the stage, smirking at the audience. Most of the crowd gasped in amazement, save for the Mane Six and Spike, who just watched with confused looks on their faces. “Watch in awe,” the pony declared, “as the Great and Powerful Trixie performs the greatest feats of magic ever witnessed by pony eyes!”

Trixie stood on her hind legs as fireworks exploded around the stage, which miraculously didn’t catch on fire. Rarity narrowed her eyes. “My my my, what boasting!” she commented.

“Yeah,” Spike added as he stood next to her. “Nopony’s as magical as Twi…” Spike suddenly stopped, realizing just who he was talking to. “Twi…oh, uh…h-hey, Rarity…uh…mustache!”

Spike sped off while Rarity looked on in confusion. “There’s nothing wrong with being talented, is there?” Twilight asked.

“Nuthin’ at all,” Applejack responded. “’Cept when you’re showin’ it off like a school filly with fancy new ribbons.”

“Just because one has the ability to perform lots of magic does not make one better than the rest of us,” Rarity added, causing Twilight to look away in shame.

“Especially when you got me around bein’ better than the rest of us!” Rainbow Dash snootily replied.

Applejack was about to confront Rainbow, but noticed someone else had beat her to it. “Ahem,” a familiar voice said from behind Rainbow.

The Pegasus turned around and looked up to see Vaati the Wind Mage looming over her, his eyes glaring nastily at her. Vaati’s posture caused his face to be shaded, allowing Rainbow to notice that his red eyes were glowing. “I would refrain from making boasts you can’t uphold if I were you. I’d hate to have to make an example out of you.”

Rainbow couldn’t stop herself from shivering under Vaati’s rather sinister gaze. “Uh…yeah, um…m-magic, shmagic! Boo!”

Trixie had caught on to their conversation, it seemed. “Well well well,” she said haughtily. “It seems we have some neeiggh-sayers in the audience!”

Vaati rolled his eyes. “Oh great. More horse puns.”

“Who could be so bold as to challenge the magical ability of the Great and Powerful Trixie? Do they not know they are in the presence of the most magical unicorn in all of Equestria?!”

Rarity scoffed before turning to Twilight. “Just who does she think she is?”

“Yeah!” Spike interrupted. “Since we all know Twilight is the—“

“Spike, shh!” Twilight whispered, pushing Spike aside.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“Did you see the way they reacted to Trixie?” Twilight whispered. “I don’t want anyone thinking I’m a show-off.”

They both turned to see Trixie activating more of her fireworks with glee. Rainbow, fed up with this showboating pony, flitted up and glared at Trixie eye-to-eye. “So, Great and Powerful Trixie…what makes you think you’re so awesome anyway?”

Trixie sneered. “Why, only the Great and Powerful Trixie has magic strong enough to defeat the dreaded Ursa Major!”

More fireworks lit up and depicted a scene reminiscent of neon signs of a blue bear dotted with stars. Several ponies in the audience gasped in shock. “When all hope was lost, the ponies of Hoofington had no one to turn to,” Trixie boasted. “But the Great and Powerful Trixie stepped in, and with her awesome magical abilities, vanquished the Ursa Major and sent it back to its cave deep within the Everfree Forest!”

More ponies gasped in shock and amazement. Trixie’s smug smile didn’t last for long, though. She suddenly heard a chuckle escape the strange bipedal creature’s mouth. The chuckle grew in volume and intensity until Vaati threw his head back and cackled almost insanely. It had to be one of the scariest laughs anypony had ever heard. Trixie fumed. “And just what are you laughing at, you hairless ape?” she demanded.

Vaati continued laughing a few seconds longer before stopping. “You little fool. You poor, misguided, insipid little fool. Do you really expect us to believe that your parlor tricks are enough to defeat something as powerful as an Ursa Major? What kind of idiots do you take us for? You, Trixie, have shown me absolutely nothing that proves you deserve the title of Great and Powerful, and frankly, I don’t think you can.”

Trixie gritted her teeth. “Is that so? Well then, Ponyvillians, I hereby challenge you: anything you can do, I can do better!”

The magician looked over the audience. “Any takers? Anyone? Or is Trixie destined to be the greatest equine who has ever lived?!”

Trixie stood on her hind legs as more fireworks exploded behind her. Spike grabbed hold of Twilight’s legs and begged, “Ple-e-ease! She’s unbearable! You just gotta show her, Twilight! You just gotta!”

“There’s no way I’m going to use my magic now, Spike,” Twilight said. “Especially since—“

“Alright, that’s it!” Applejack suddenly cried angrily. “Ah can’t stand fer no more-a this!”

The cowpony stepped onto the stage, somehow bringing a length of rope out of nowhere and tying one end to her tail. Trixie looked on, unimpressed. “Can yer fancy magic do this?” Applejack said as she began performing some rather impressive lasso tricks.

The crowd oohed in amazement as Applejack suddenly threw the loop of the rope towards a nearby apple tree, plucked one of the fruits off the branches, and threw it in her mouth, all with the lasso. The crowd went wild. Applejack swallowed and clicked her hoof against the ground. “Ha! Top that, missy!”

Trixie smirked. “Oh, ye of little talent…” Her horn began to glow as her hat lifted from her head. “Watch and be amazed at the magic of Trixie!”

Suddenly one end of Applejack’s rope lifted up and started waving in front of Applejack like a serpent, mesmerizing the farm pony. While she was distracted, the other end stretched over to the apple tree and pulled another apple from its branches. Suddenly, before Applejack could blink, the rope wrapped itself around her legs, tied them together, and threw her on her back, with the other end stuffing the apple in her mouth. The crowd laughed as Applejack awkwardly left the stage. Putting the hat back on her head, Trixie said, “Once again, the magic of Trixie prevails!”

Rainbow then got in her face. “There’s no need to be showing off like that!” she snapped.

“Oh?”

“That’s my job!”

Rainbow then sped off, spinning around a nearby windmill to gain momentum before catapulting into the air, penetrating a row of clouds before stopping in front of the sun for a moment. Then she sped back down through the holes she had made in the clouds, gathering moisture around her body as she reached the windmill and spun on its blades some more before catapulting back onto the stage. She suddenly came to a screeching halt as a rainbow appeared above her. “They don’t call me Rainbow and Dash for nuthin’!” she boasted, the audience cheering for her.

Trixie sneered. “When Trixie is through, the only thing they’ll call you is loser.”

A beam of magic shot out of Trixie’s horn and hit the rainbow above Dash, causing it to suddenly spin rapidly around her, trapping her in a colorful tornado that began spinning through the air as Rainbow cried out in surprise. Finally the rainbow came to rest on the ground and stopped spinning, leaving the cyan Pegasus faceplanted in the ground, her eyes spinning dizzily. “Ugh…I think I’m…gonna be sick…”

“It seems anypony with a ‘dash’ of good sense would think twice before tussling with the great Trixie!”

Suddenly a small storm cloud appeared behind Rainbow and struck her in the flank with a lightning bolt, causing her to cry out in shock and pain. The gathered ponies laughed in amusement. Vaati narrowed his eyes at the scene and glared at the audience. “So, you all think this is funny, do you?” he snapped before whirling around to face Trixie. “You’re boastful and arrogant, and I can put up with that, to a point. But that there was going way too far. Inflicting physical pain against your victims when their backs are turned? You’re nothing but a Great and Powerful coward!”

The crowd went perfectly silent. Recovering from her shock, Trixie matched Vaati’s glare. “Is that so? Care to put your magic where your mouth is, ape?”

Vaati’s lips curved upward into a malevolent smirk. “Are you challenging me, little girl?” he asked, his voice a dangerous calm.

Vaati’s back was to the crowd, leaving only Trixie able to see the maniacal expression on the mage’s face. Though she would never admit it, something about those eyes told her there was a lot more to this creature than met the eye. But her pride would not allow her to back down from this challenge. Not in front of a crowd that adored her. She discreetly swallowed and put on her confident sneer. “Don’t feel up to it? You could always just turn around and walk away.”

“Not without teaching you a little lesson about biting off more than you can chew first,” Vaati responded. “If you are still bold enough to challenge me to a magical duel, then meet me at sundown in the Everfree Forest. Follow the winged eye.”

“The winged what?” Trixie asked before noticing Vaati’s Eye Sentry flitting over and perching on the mage’s shoulder.

“He’ll lead you to me,” Vaati explained, glancing towards it.

“Then we have an agreement,” Trixie said. “Anypony wanting to watch is more than welcome—“

“No.”

Trixie blinked at the still-glaring sorcerer. “You will come alone,” Vaati continued before speaking to the crowd. “No one shall seek out this fight for their petty entertainment. What you see will scar you for life. That is, if you are lucky enough to not get caught in the crossfire.”

The gathering of ponies muttered to each other as the Mane Six and Spike glanced worriedly at one another. “I’ll be waiting, Trixie,” Vaati intoned as the wind began whipping around him, making him appear even more intimidating. “Pray that your gods show you mercy…because I will not.”

With a final, bone-chilling laugh, Vaati disappeared inside a small tornado. Once the swirling winds dissipated, Vaati was nowhere to be found. Trixie stared at the spot where the sorcerer once stood for a moment before scoffing haughtily. “Well, it seems my afternoon performance has been cancelled. But don’t worry, tomorrow’s performance will be twice as grand!”

Twilight and her friends weren’t so sure.

XXXXXX

Twilight and Spike eventually returned to the library to see Vaati right back where he had been earlier that morning, casually reading the book about unicorn magic as if the debacle with Trixie had never happened. “Well, you made one hay of a scene out there,” Twilight commented.

“I’ve been known to put on a bit of a show from time to time,” Vaati dully replied.

Twilight sighed in relief. “A show? Good, then you weren’t being serious about challenging Trixie to a duel in the Everfree Forest.”

“Yes I was.”

Twilight’s eyes widened in shock. “W-what?” she stuttered. “You’re actually going through with it?”

“She challenged me. It’s only logical that I respond in kind. Besides, she won’t be difficult for me to handle, I can assure you of that.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about!” Twilight groused. “The fact you’re willing to actually fight someone for the sake of preserving your own masculinity is ridiculous!”

“Of course a woman would say that.”

Vaati looked up from his book and flashed her a smug smile as she sputtered in surprise at Vaati’s utter lack of tact. Spike couldn’t stop himself from giggling at Twilight’s reaction. “You…you…gnn…rrr!” Twilight was so frustrated that it took her several seconds to form coherent words. “You’re unbelievable! I can’t believe you’re doing this!”

Vaati’s face lost the smirk and was replaced by a more serious look. “Are you that dead-set against me doing this?”

“It’s stupid!”

“Well, if you want to stop it, then why don’t you go out there and deal with her yourself?”

Spike grinned as he realized Vaati wanted her to confront Trixie too. Maybe he could convince her. “I already told Spike, no!” Twilight responded.

“And why not?”

“Because I don’t want to be seen as a braggart! You saw how my friends reacted to her! What if they thought I was a show-off?”
“That’s what you’re worried about?” Vaati asked, raising an eyebrow. “Silly girl, it’s not the same thing.”

“Yes it is! I’m not doing it, and that’s final!”

Vaati suddenly roughly closed the book and stood up abruptly, startling Twilight. “So that’s how it’s going to be? If you won’t stand up for your friends, then you don’t deserve to have them!”

Twilight was now really angry. “How would you know?! You’ve never had any!”

Her eyes widened in horror as she realized what she had just said. Spike was speechless. Vaati just stared at her with a shocked look on his face that was slowly darkening in anger. Twilight’s eyes started to well up with tears as the severity of the situation got to her. “I-I’m sorry,” she uttered before galloping out the door, crying.

“W-wait!” Spike yelled. “Twilight, wait!”

The little dragon rushed after the pony, leaving Vaati alone in the library. Vaati started shaking profusely in fury as he growled, “How dare she…”

Why did this affect him so? She was right, after all. Throughout his life, Vaati never got close enough to anyone to actually have friends. And that was BEFORE he became the dreaded Sorcerer of Winds. And for centuries, he had preferred it that way.

Or had he?

Wasn’t the whole reason he was who he was today because of how alone he was? Living the first eight years of his life in that Goddessforsaken orphanage as a target for other kids had done terrible things to his self-esteem. Even when he was accepted into the tutelage of Ezlo, the sage never treated him as anything more than a servant.

Then Ezlo had created that cap. That cap that started him on his descent into dark legends. Why had he taken it? To prove he was good enough to be recognized as something more than a pale-skinned freak who needed to be beaten into submission. Perhaps, if he were a great and powerful being, people would love him, respect him, and…

…want to be his friend.

Vaati’s eyes narrowed in menace. This was all her fault. That stupid, prideful, arrogant little snot who thought she was hot stuff just because of her talent in parlor tricks. She was the one who started all of this. Vaati glanced out the window to see that the sun was beginning to lower over the horizon. He glanced over at the dozing Sentry and snapped his fingers, awaking it from its nap. “Find Trixie. Bring her to me.”

And with that, Vaati disappeared, teleporting into an area of the Everfree Forest he had chosen for their arena: a large clearing a short distance away from a cave. As he awaited his opponent, his mind flooded with thoughts about how much he was going to make her regret showing her face in Ponyville.

XXXXXX

Spike eventually found Twilight huddled in an alley where nopony could see her, crying her eyes out. As he ran towards her, somepony else reached her before he could.

“Whoa, Twilight! What’s wrong?” Rainbow Dash asked, concerned.

Twilight didn’t answer her, instead burying her face in her hooves as she sobbed some more. “She and Vaati got into a fight,” Spike explained as he reached them. “You okay, Twi?”

“What!” Rainbow yelled. “What’d that jerk do? I swear, if he—“

“Whoa, calm down, Rainbow Dash!” Spike ushered. “Vaati just tried to convince her to go and show Trixie what real magic is. But when she wouldn’t budge, they both kinda snapped at each other and said stuff they didn’t mean…at least, I hope they didn’t mean it.”

Rainbow looked down at Twilight, who was still sobbing. “Why don’t you wanna show off your magic to Trixie?” she asked softly, much more softly than one might think capable of her considering her tough-girl attitude. “You’re so much better than she is.”

Twilight lifted her face from her hooves and stared at Rainbow with red, puffy eyes. “I-I’m not better than anypony! I saw how you all hated Trixie’s showing off! I don’t want you to hate me!”

Rainbow put a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “That’s what this is all about?” she asked. “You’re afraid to show off who you really are based on how we judged someone else? Trixie’s just a loudmouth! We like you for who you are, Twilight. Never doubt that.”

Twilight managed to smile through her tears. “Thanks, Dash,” she said. “You’re a good friend.”

“Hey, I look out for my pals!” Rainbow said proudly. “I gotta if I’m gonna be their most awesome friend!”

Twilight couldn’t help but giggle as she hugged Rainbow tightly. Rainbow returned her embrace, smiling as Spike joined in as well. It was then that Spike noticed the sun was starting to go down. “Uh, guys?” he said. “I know our little moment is great, but Vaati’s still pretty mad. And he gets real scary when he’s mad. And judging by where the sun is, that fight between him and Trixie’s gonna start in a few minutes!”

“Ah, I probably wouldn’t worry,” Rainbow laughed. “She’ll probably turn tail and run first chance she gets!”

“Do you really think Vaati’s gonna give her that chance?” Spike asked rhetorically. “I saw that crazy look in his eye.”

Twilight broke down sobbing again. “It’s all my fault!” she wailed. “If I’d just stood up for you guys before, none of this would’ve happened! I don’t want anypony to get hurt because of my decisions!”

Twilight sucked in her breath and wiped away her tears, a determined look crossing her face. “We gotta stop that fight.”

“I’ll get the others!” Rainbow started.

“No!” Twilight shouted. “The more there are, the harder this’ll be! We gotta hurry!”

“But Twilight,” Spike questioned. “How are we gonna find them?”

Twilight’s horn started to glow. “I’ll lock onto Vaati’s power signature and lead us to him. Let’s go!”

XXXXXX

Trixie continued following the strange, admittedly rather creepy winged eyeball as it led her further into the forest. Finally she entered a wide clearing with a large cave situated off to the side. Standing there at the mouth of the cave, his arms folded and his lips curved up into a menacing smirk, was Vaati. “You actually came,” Vaati sneered. “I was expecting you to flee the minute no one was looking.”

Trixie seethed. “The Great and Powerful Trixie has heard enough of your belittlement! Now I will show you why I’m great and powerful!”

“Oh please.”

Trixie’s blood immediately ran cold at how demonic Vaati’s voice suddenly sounded. She instinctively took a step back in fear as the wind began whipping around Vaati while his body was covered in dark energy. His satanic laughter echoed through the trees as his body grew taller. Finally the dark energy dissipated from Vaati’s body, but the wind still whirled around him. Trixie gasped.

Vaati was now much taller than before. His hair was now even longer and moved with the wind. A golden headdress with two long horns was situated on his head. His pupil-less eyes now shined blood-red. He was clothed in robes of darkness, the folds underneath his hands glowing with fire. A massive eye on his stomach stared unblinkingly at Trixie as Vaati laughed again. “What’s the matter, ‘Great and Powerful’ Trixie? You expected a man, but instead found a god?!”

Before a now-terrified Trixie could step further back, a wall of fire appeared behind her, trapping her with this insane monster. Trixie started hyperventilating as she realized just how screwed she was. The pony magician turned back to face the approaching Vaati Reborn, and did the one thing she had hoped never to do; she curled herself up on the ground and began crying in terror. “P-please, d-d-don’t kill me,” she whimpered desperately. “I-I’ll do anything you want! Please, just let me go!”

Vaati Reborn loomed over her, grinning sadistically. “Not so great and powerful now, are you, little girl?” he said, glaring down at the terrified pony. “You talked big, but when the real challenge comes along, you huddle like a little coward and beg for your life. You worthless, pathetic little cretin!”

Trixie just put her hooves over her head and shook in terror as tears streamed down her face. Vaati tore right into her with his words. “Your magic is hardly impressive. So, to make yourself look bigger, you make up stories and embarrass those who have shown you what talent really is. You’re not Great or Powerful. You’re not even a magician! You know what you are?”

Vaati leaned down close to Trixie’s ear. “You’re nothing,” he whispered.

Trixie started sobbing louder as Vaati stood upright. “You’ve already begged for your life. But I want to hear something else come out of your mouth.”

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Trixie wailed.

“Not that, you blubbering idiot!” Vaati snarled. “I want you to admit how worthless you are! I want to hear the words come out of your mouth! SAY IT!”

“Please…” Trixie sobbed.

“Say it!”

“Please…don’t…”

“I said say it!”

“I can’t…”

“SAY IT IF YOU VALUE YOUR LIFE!”

“I’M WORTHLESS!” Trixie yelled miserably, her sobbing louder than ever. “I’m not great and powerful! I’m just a worthless nobody who’ll never amount to anything! I don’t deserve my fans! I don’t deserve anything! I DON’T EVEN DESERVE TO LIVE!”

Trixie covered her face and sobbed some more, her secretly-kept low self-esteem rearing its ugly head. Vaati’s lip curled in disgust. “That’s just pathetic. So this is the real Trixie. Beneath all the dramatic flair and bravado, you’re just a sad, little girl who can’t deal with the fact that the world’s a cold, cruel place. You disgust me. You’re not worth my time. Or anyone else’s, for that matter. I will spare your life today, Trixie, but know this…if you ever show your face in Ponyville again, I will not show mercy a second time.”

GGRRRRRRRRR.

Vaati and Trixie suddenly both went very quiet. Neither of them had made that noise. So what…?

Vaati slowly turned his head, and even his heart skipped a beat in sudden fear at the creature looming over him.
It had to be the biggest bear he had ever seen in his life. It was much larger than even Vaati’s winged eye form. Its body appeared almost spectral, being slightly transparent and reminiscent of a light-blue starscape. The humongous animal growled again as it left its cave. “That’s a…that’s a…” Vaati stuttered.

“IT’S AN URSA MAJOR!” Trixie shrieked, so terrified she didn’t even notice herself running headlong through the flames, her cloak catching on fire.

Vaati remembered a little bit of what he had read about them. Their power level was on par with the Princesses’, and they were quite literally impossible to kill. All that aside, there was no way he was going to let this thing get anywhere close to Ponyville. As the Ursa growled at Vaati, the sorcerer gathered energy in his palms. “You should have stayed in your little cave,” he intoned, his eyes glowing brighter. “Let’s go.”

XXXXXX

Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Spike nervously trudged through the thick foliage of the Everfree Forest, Twilight’s horn lighting the way. Spike shivered in fear from where he sat atop Twilight’s back. “Why? Why did they have to meet in the Everfree Forest? At night?”

“Don’t worry, Spike,” Twilight assured. “We’ll find them soon enough and get this whole thing sorted—“

A bloodcurdling scream interrupted Twilight, causing all three of them to tense up in alarm. “That sounded like Trixie!” Rainbow gasped.

“Oh no!” Twilight exclaimed. “Are we too late?”

“AAAAIIIIIIEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHH!”

Trixie, looking absolutely terrified, burst out from the bushes and ran past them, her cape still smoking. “Trixie!” Twilight yelled, turning around to follow her.

Suddenly her heart stopped as she heard a distant roar, followed by a familiar voice crying out in shock and pain.

Vaati.

The two ponies and dragon rushed towards the source of the noise, but before they got much further, something else flew by them, crashing painfully into a tree hard enough to split the trunk. Vaati, back in his normal form and looking badly injured and extremely fatigued, slumped to the ground, groaning in pain.

“VAATI!” Twilight, Rainbow, and Spike all screamed in horror, rushing to the mage’s side.

“Guh…nngh…” Vaati moaned weakly. “Twilight…get…out…of here…”

“Vaati! What happened?” Twilight screamed, tears flowing down her eyes.

Vaati, with what little strength he had left, grabbed her by the neck and brought her to eye level. “I said…get…out…of…here…Ur…sa…”

Vaati’s grip loosened as he blacked out from his injuries. “Nonono, please don’t die!” Twilight begged, putting her ear on his chest, sighing in relief as she felt his heart beating. “Oh, thank Celestia, he’s just unconscious.”

“Um, T-Twilight?” Rainbow stuttered fearfully. “Did he just say U-Ursa?”

Suddenly they heard a loud, earth-shaking thump not far away as trees gave way as a huge form pushed its way through. “We gotta go!” Twilight yelled, lifting Vaati’s body with her magic as the Ursa burst out of the trees, roaring angrily.

Spike held on for dear life as Twilight weaved through the foliage while still carrying Vaati’s body, Rainbow flying a short distance above them. The Ursa plowed right through the trees, intent on its prey. “Where’re we going?!” Rainbow yelled. “We can’t just lead that thing to Ponyville!”

“I know it sounds crazy, but it might be our only chance!” Twilight responded. “Go on ahead and warn everypony!”

“Got it!” Rainbow said, saluting before speeding off ahead of Twilight.

Twilight just kept running, concentrating on holding Vaati’s body in front of her as she ducked and weaved through the trees and branches, the Ursa not far behind.

XXXXXX

Rainbow emerged from the forest and hovered in the air. “EVERYPONY LISTEN UP!” she yelled, catching the townsponies’ attention. “There’s an Ursa Major coming to town, and unless you wanna get your flanks stomped on, then you’ll GET THE BUCK OUT OF TOWN RIGHT NOW!”

As if to back up her argument, a thunderous roar sounded from the forest, accompanied by a loud thumping that resembled footsteps. Everypony promptly flew into a panic, running about in random directions, some running into their houses and locking their doors. Suddenly Twilight appeared from the forest’s edge, still carrying Spike on her back and Vaati with her magic. Not two seconds later, the Ursa burst forth from the trees as well, bellowing fiercely.

Twilight ran into a nearby alley and set Vaati down against the wall. “Spike, stay with him,” Twilight ordered.

“Gotcha,” Spike answered, jumping off her back.

Leaving her charges, Twilight ran back out into the town square, where the Ursa was making quite the mess, biting the roofs off houses and stomping on random carts. Snips and Snails pounded on the door of Trixie’s wagon, but she didn’t answer. “Great and Powerful Trixie!” Snails cried. “There’s an Ursa Major out there! Aren’t ya gonna vanquish it like the last one?”

“Yeah, come on!” Snips added. “Vanquish it!”

“I can’t,” came Trixie’s morose reply. “That story was made up. I never vanquished an Ursa Major. Nopony can.”

“WHAT?!” Snips and Snails both cried in shock and horror.

“Just get out of here. Leave Trixie to her fate.”

Just then, both ponies noticed the shadow looming over them. They slowly turned to see the Ursa glaring down at them. Screaming in fright, they bolted, leaving Trixie’s wagon unguarded. Trixie looked out the window of her wagon to see the enraged animal about to crush her wagon underfoot. She did nothing. She just stared.

Seeing this, Twilight, with her magic, pushed the wagon out of the Ursa’s path just before its paw could flatten the carriage and its suicidal occupant. Sensing the magic, the Ursa whipped its head around and stared down at Twilight, who stood alone in the square with a determined look. The Ursa stomped towards her, growling.

“Okay, here goes,” Twilight muttered nervously to herself as her horn glowed.

A light breeze suddenly picked up, whistling through the cattails of a nearby pond and creating a soothing melody that reverberated through the Ursa’s ears, calming it. “Whoa, nice use of number sixteen!” Spike quietly congratulated her as the Ursa began swaying on its feet.

Twilight’s horn began glowing more brightly, sparks flickering around it. The water tower near Sweet Apple Acres suddenly lifted off its pedestal and unscrewed the cap, pouring out all the water before sending it through the large barn, gathering milk from the complaining cows as it passed through. Once filled and out of the barn, the cap closed, and Twilight brought the improvised bottle over to the swaying Ursa, lifting it onto its back and placing the bottle between its paws. The Ursa closed its eyes and started suckling on the bottle much like an infant. Twilight’s horn was now glowing so brightly it almost hurt to look at it.

Vaati blearily opened his eyes and saw Twilight out there dealing with the Ursa. A small smile crept across his face at Twilight stepping up to the plate before lapsing out of consciousness again. Twilight then sent the Ursa floating away, back into its cave in the Everfree Forest, where it would hopefully stay. Once she was certain Ponyville was safe, she slowly let her magic die down before collapsing from exhaustion, the sounds of raucous cheers slowly becoming muffled as she fell into a nice, quiet realm of unconsciousness.

XXXXXX

“Unnhh…”

Twilight slowly opened her eyes to see all her friends surrounding her, worried smiles on their faces. She took note of her surroundings and realized she was in her bed at the library. However, much to her surprise, there was one other pony hanging towards the back, looking dejected.

It was Trixie.

It was at that moment she realized someone was missing. “Vaati…?” she murmured.

“Oh, thank goodness you’re awake, Twilight!” Fluttershy said.

“You gave us quite the scare there, sugarcube,” Applejack added. “Vaati’s in th’ hospital, recoverin’ from his injuries, but he’ll be fine.”

“The Ursa?”

“Still in the Everfree,” Rainbow Dash answered. “That was really awesome, how you sent him away like that!”

Twilight’s ears flattened against her head in shame. “I’m so sorry,” she apologized. “For letting you all down like I did. I was just afraid—“

“Rainbow already told us, darling,” Rarity interrupted with a soft smile. “We don’t think any less of you for your magical abilities, Twilight. They’re a part of who you are, and you should never try and hide that based on how others are judged.”

“Besides, I should be the one apologizing,” Trixie suddenly said, catching everypony’s attention. “I was so caught up in my own image I started acting unfair to my own audience.”

Trixie held her head low, her hair falling over her eyes. She was not wearing her costume. “I spent so many years building up that false image, trying to get noticed, to become famous…I…started to believe my own lies.”

Trixie was trying to hold back tears, and failing miserably. “I was a stupid foal, thinking that a bunch of made-up stories and exaggerated abilities would change what I really was. A nopony. Just a sad, little girl who can’t deal with the fact the world’s a cold, cruel place.”

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. “Okay, that just sounds melodramatic.”

“Tell that to your resident spawn of Tartarus, Vaati,” Trixie snapped, unable to stop the tears flowing from her eyes. “I hate that monster! I hate him because he’s right!”

“What in tarnation d’ya mean ‘spawn ‘a Tartarus’?” Applejack questioned, narrowing her eyes.

Trixie shivered. “I…saw him…change…The whipping winds…that horrid eye…”

The Mane Six traded worried, confused looks. Just what was she talking about? What had Vaati done? “Sooo, like I was saying,” Rainbow said, trying to change the subject, “that was really awesome how you dealt with that Ursa Major!”

Twilight shook her head. “That’s the thing. That wasn’t an Ursa Major. That was just a baby. An Ursa Minor.”

Everypony’s heads all shot upright. “That was just a baby?!” Trixie exclaimed.

“If that was an Ursa Minor,” Spike said, shaking, “what’s an Ursa Major like?”

“…You don’t wanna know.”

“Minor or not, I won’t feel safe until Vaati’s locked up in Tartarus where he belongs,” Trixie said quietly, walking down the stairs. “I’ve overstayed my welcome anyways. Goodbye, Twilight Sparkle.”

Trixie then disappeared down the stairs. Shortly they heard the door slam, signaling her exit from the library. Glancing out the window, Rarity saw Trixie slowly hitch herself to her travelling carriage and head out of town, hanging her head low to hide her face in shame. No one paid her any attention. It really was sad seeing something like that. “You think somepony should go after her?” Rarity asked. “She looked so down in the dumps.”

“No, let her go,” Twilight answered. “I’m sure she’ll learn her lesson. We’ve got enough to worry about anyways.”

“Vaati, ya mean?” Applejack inquired.

“I don’t know what he did that made Trixie say that, but it worries me. I’ve lived with him for more than a week now and I still know virtually nothing about him or his abilities. All I know is that he has an affinity for weather-based magic, especially if it involves strong winds. I want to know more about him, but at the same time…I’m afraid of what I’ll discover.”

The gathered ponies and dragon could not think of what to say.

XXXXXX

Dear Princess Celestia,

I have learned a very valuable lesson about friendship. I was so afraid of being thought of as a showoff that I was hiding a part of who I am. My friends helped me realize that it’s okay to be proud of your talents, and there are times when it’s appropriate to show them of, especially when you’re standing up for your friends.

Your Faithful Student,

Twilight Sparkle

P.S. – My doubt in myself and my friends caused me to get into an argument with Vaati. He went off to confront the mare that started all this and somehow left her a depressed wreck. Trixie was a showoff and a braggart, but I am still unsettled by how Vaati was able to break her like that. She also mentioned him being a spawn of Tartarus, and changing somehow. I don’t know what she meant by that, but I aim to find out.

Princess Celestia closed the letter and cast a worried glance towards her sister. “I’m worried for my student, Luna,” Celestia said.

“I hath gazed into the dreamscape of the Sorcerer of Winds,” Luna answered. “His dreams are dark and full of pain and hate. I hath done thy best to expulse his nightmares, but unless he faces his past sins, I fear it will only worsen.”

“Maybe it was a mistake to let Vaati stay with Twilight.”

“Do not doubt thine judgment, dear sister. Twilight Sparkle and her friends represent the very elements of friendship. Thou must have faith that they can help him.”

Celestia could not bring herself to doubt her sister’s words. But neither could she shake the feeling that Vaati was more dangerous than she wanted to believe.

Episode 3: Bridle Gossip

Episode Three: Bridle Gossip

Twilight, Spike, and Vaati had just left the library to bask in yet another glorious sunny day. Twilight sighed. "Ah, what a gorgeous day!"

Vaati merely 'hmph'ed in response. "Rainbow Dash must've gotten up early and cleared all the clouds away!" Spike said as he adjusted himself on his position on Twilight's back.

"I bet the whole town'll be out enjoying the sunshine," Twilight surmised with a smile.

All three of them suddenly stopped short as they noticed the whole town was empty. "Huh? Where is everypony?" Twilight asked in confusion.

Vaati happened to notice the nearby door of a house was open, a filly peeking curiously outside. Suddenly the foal's mother grabbed her child, pulled her inside, and quickly slammed the door shut. "Is it some kind of pony holiday?" Spike asked.

"Not that I know of," Twilight answered.

As Twilight and Spike conversed, Vaati glanced warily about his surroundings, his cold eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Does my breath stink?" Spike asked, coughing up flames into his hand and sniffing it.

"Not more than usual."

"Something's not right," Vaati interrupted. "Stay close to me, both of you."

"What is it?" Spike shakily asked. "Is it…zombies?"

"Not very likely," Twilight answered.

"Not likely, but…possible?"

"If there are any zombies, you stay behind me until I've taken care of them," Vaati instructed.

"Guys, there aren't any zombie ponies!" Twilight said. "Vaati, stop getting Spike all worked up!"

Twilight suddenly realized something. "Wait…are there zombies in your world, Vaati?"

"They're more commonly referred to as ReDeads," Vaati replied simply. "But yes…we have them."

"Psst!" came a sudden hiss.

Twilight and Spike jumped in surprise as Vaati whirled around towards the source of the noise, a spell in his hand ready to cast. The noise appeared to have originated from Sugarcube Corner. The top half of the front door was open. Suddenly Pinkie Pie's head popped out from behind the door. "Twilight!" she whispered. "Spike! Vaati!" Her head ducked again behind the door as Vaati dispelled his energy ball in relief. "Come here!" Her hoof poked out, ushering them towards her. "Come! Here!" She stuck her head out again. "Hurry! Before she gets you!"

Twilight and Vaati glanced at each other before shrugging and heading inside. All the lights of Sugarcube Corner were off. As Pinkie turned on a flashlight, Spike hugged Twilight's neck in fear. "Who? The zombie pony?"

"Z-z-zombie pony?" Pinkie stammered, her eyes going wide with terror.

"Spike, there are no zombie ponies!" Twilight chided before looking at Pinkie. "Pinkie, what are you doing alone in the dark?"

"I'm not alone in the dark!" Pinkie answered, turning on a single light, revealing the rest of the Mane Six gathered behind them, as well as Applejack's little sister, Applebloom.

"Okay, what are you all doing here in the dark?" Twilight asked, glancing at all of them.

"We're hidin' from…her!" Applejack answered shakily, pointing towards the window.

The whole group glanced out the window to see a hooded pony-like creature digging at the ground a short distance away. Suddenly the figure glanced back towards them, revealing glowing yellow eyes. Everypony sans Vaati and Twilight ducked out of view. "Didja see her, Twilight?" Applebloom asked. "Didja see…Zecora?"

"Applebloom!" Applejack snapped. "Ah toldja not to say that name out loud!"

"Well, I saw her glance this way," Twilight said.

"Glance eeeeeevilly this way!" Pinkie interrupted.

Twilight nudged her away from her face. "And then a bunch of you flip out for no good reason!"

"No good reason?" Applejack shot back. "Ya call protectin' yer kin no good reason? Why, the moment little Applebloom saw Zecora comin' into town, she started shakin' in her little horseshoes!"

As Applejack said that, she began shaking Applebloom. "Di-i-i-i-id n-o-o-o-o-ot!" Applebloom said as she shook.

"So I swept her up 'n brought her here!" Applejack finished.

"I walked here mahself!"

"Fer safe-keepin'!"

"Applejack! Ah'm not a baby! Ah can take care 'a mahself!"

"Not from that creepy Zecora!"

"She's mysterious," Fluttershy said.

"Sinister!" Rainbow Dash added.

"And spooooky!" Pinkie finished.

Vaati, still glancing out the window, interrupted, "So am I. I don't see any of you complaining."

A short, awkward silence followed. Hoping to break the tension, everypony crowded around the disgruntled sorcerer and peered once more out the window. Outside, Zecora ceased pawing at the ground for a moment and removed her hood, revealing a white-furred equine head adorned with dark grey stripes. The crowded ponies all gasped, except for Twilight, who just said, "Will you cut that out?"

"Just look at those stripes!" Rarity complained. "So garish."

Vaati rolled his eyes. "She's a zebra," Twilight explained.

"A what?" everypony, including Vaati, surprisingly enough, simultaneously asked.

"A zebra. And her stripes aren't a fashion choice, Rarity. They're what she was born with."

This information appeared to be too much for Rarity to handle, and the fashion pony dramatically fell on her back in a dead faint. Vaati bit back a snide remark and glanced out the window again. "Born where?" Applejack asked. "Ah ain't ever seen a pony like that before, 'scept fer…her!"

Rarity quickly recovered from her faint and stood up again as Twilight answered, "Well, she's probably not from around here. And she's not a pony. My books say that zebras come from a faraway land, but I've never seen her in Ponyville. Where does she live?"

"That's just it!" Applejack replied nervously. "She lives in…the Everfree Forest!"

The moment she said that, a loud crashing noise reverberated from the kitchen, startling everypony. Seeing who it was, Twilight admonished, "Spike!"

Apparently Spike had snuck into the kitchen to pilfer some of Pinkie's treats and accidentally knocked over a few pots and pans. "Sorry," he muttered sheepishly.

"The Everfree Forest just ain't natural!" Applejack said. "The plants grow…"

"Animals care for themselves," Fluttershy added.

"And the clouds move…" Rainbow added.

"All on their own!" the three ponies chorused.

Rarity fainted again. Vaati threw up his hands in exasperation. "What in Din's name is wrong with this world?! How is it that none of that is considered normal?!"

"There's a story behind that," Twilight replied with a weak smile. "But now's not exactly a good time."

"And that wicked enchantress Zecora lives there, doing her evil…uh, stuff!" Pinkie cried. "Why, she's so evil, I even wrote a song about her!"

"You what?" Vaati asked, deadpan.

"Here we go," Rainbow groaned as Pinkie began singing, darting hyperactively around the room as she sang.

"She's an evil enchantress,

She does evil dances!

And if you look in her eyes,

She'll put you in trances!

And you know what she'll do,

She'll mix up an evil brew!

And she'll gobble you up

In a big tasty stew, so…

WATCH OUT!"

When Pinkie was finished, she was standing on her hind legs on a table, holding her forehooves over her head as she breathed heavily. Everypony just stared at her for a moment. Finally Vaati broke the silence. "What…was I just forced to watch?"

"It's a work in progress," Pinkie proudly answered as she got down on all fours again and jumped off the table.

"This is all just a bunch of gossip and rumors," Twilight said. "Tell me. What exactly have you seen Zecora do?"

"Well," Rainbow began. "Once a month, she comes into Ponyville…"

"Ooh," Twilight interrupted in a mock-horrified tone.

"Then she lurks near the stores," Rarity added.

"Oh, my!" Twilight spoke mockingly.

"And then, she digs at the ground," Fluttershy finished.

"Gracious!...Okay, I'm sorry, but how is any of that bad? Maybe she comes to town to visit!"

"Yeah!" Applebloom added. "Maybe she's just tryin' to be neighborly."

"And maybe she's not lurking near the stores; maybe she's going to them, lurk-free, to do some shopping!"

"Yeah!" Applebloom interjected. "Everypony likes to shop! Ya know what Ah think?"

"Applebloom! Hush and let the big ponies talk!" Applejack interrupted, nudging Applebloom aside.

"Ah am a big pony!" Applebloom muttered bitterly to herself as she moved towards the back by the door, where Vaati was still glaring out the window.

"What about the digging at the ground?" Rainbow asked. "You gotta admit that's weird."

"What if she's digging around for innocent creatures?" Fluttershy implied with a worried glance.

Vaati snorted derisively before gritting his teeth in annoyance as Pinkie started working on her song in the background in her usual obnoxiously loud way. "I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for everything Zecora does," Twilight admonished Applejack. "If anypony here were actually brave enough to approach her, she would find out the truth!"

Applebloom blinked as an idea suddenly came to her. "Well Ah'm brave enough," she whispered to herself, nudging open the door. "Ah'm gonna go find out mahself."

Quietly, Applebloom snuck out the door while the ponies were still bickering to themselves. Vaati glanced their way and shook his head condescendingly. These ponies had a little more in common with Hylians than he had initially perceived. He didn't know whether to be pleased or disappointed. Deciding not to think on it too much, the sorcerer turned his head back towards the window just in time to see Zecora wandering off towards the edge of town.

What caught his eye, though, was the little yellow filly with red hair and a big red bow discreetly following the zebra.

Vaati's eyes narrowed in curiosity. "Now what is she doing?" he whispered to himself, watching Applebloom tailing Zecora.

He glanced once more towards the Mane Six, who paid him no mind at all as they continued to debate about Zecora. Rolling his eyes, he decided he needed a change of scenery anyway and quietly slipped out the door to catch up with Applebloom, casting a cloak of invisibility over himself so he would not be seen escaping.

Not noticing the absence of two of their own, Twilight said, "You ponies are being ridiculous!"

"Well, I heard Zecora eats hay," Pinkie retorted.

"Pinkie, I eat hay," Twilight responded crossly. "You eat hay."

"Yeah! But I heard it's the evil way she eats hay!"

"Hey!" Applejack suddenly yelled in alarm, glancing around in panic. "Where's Applebloom?"

All eyes immediately darted towards the still-open door. "The door's open!" Fluttershy gasped.

"She went outside!" Rarity cried.

"Vaati's gone, too!" Rainbow exclaimed, her eyes widening in terror. "What if he took Applebloom to offer her up as a sacrifice to Zecora?!"

Everypony sans Twilight gasped. "Rainbow, that's not fu-!" Twilight was interrupted by the sight of Applejack bolting out the door with a look of wild panic on her face. "AAAPPLEBLOOOOOM!" she yelled as she ran.

"We'd better go after her," Twilight said, glaring at Rainbow.

"What?" the cyan Pegasus asked.

"Spike, you stay here in case Applebloom or Vaati come back," Twilight ordered.

Spike saluted as the other ponies ran out the door after Applejack. "Will do!"

XXXXXX

Applebloom cautiously trailed after Zecora, her eyes slowly widening in growing fear as they neared the entrance to the Everfree Forest. Still unaware she was being followed, Zecora entered the forbidding woods, unconcerned with the many horrors that might lie concealed within the gnarled trees. Applebloom suddenly stopped right at the very edge of the path where the tree line cast its shadow across the ground. But the farm pony shook off her fear, took a deep breath, and went in.

Vaati had to admit, the girl's resolve impressed him. She couldn't be older than five, and yet she possessed the stubborn bravery of his once-hated adversary, Link. Vaati forced himself not to shiver in displeasure at the thought of his former enemy. He needed as much of his concentration as possible to maintain his shroud of invisibility as he quietly floated behind Applebloom so as to not alert her with his footsteps.

A particularly mean-spirited part of him wanted him to drop the spell and scare the daylights out of the poor child, but his mature, logical side easily won out. He was too curious about the mysterious Zecora to indulge in a childish prank that would immediately blow both of their covers. Vaati wasn't that dumb.

As they moved deeper and deeper into the forest, they passed by a large patch of brilliant blue flowers. Not wanting to disturb the natural beauty of it, Vaati and Applebloom circled around the flower patch, as did Zecora, surprisingly enough. They were making good progress. Wherever Zecora lived, it had to be close.

And then the silence was unceremoniously spoiled. "APPLEBLOOM!" came Applejack's frantic voice.

Startled, Vaati lost his concentration and de-cloaked right beside Applebloom, who reacted to the sight of her sister and her friends all staring at her from where they stood in the flower patch before jumping at the sight of Vaati standing next to her with an expression resembling a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

But the worst part was the fact that Zecora had heard them and turned her head. Caught, Vaati flashed a deadly glare in the Mane Six's direction. "Blast it all, you miserable pea-brains!"

"See?! I told you Vaati was gonna give her to Zecora as a sacrifice!" Rainbow Dash cried.

Vaati recoiled in shock. "I…what?!"

"Rainbow!" Twilight chided angrily.

"Applebloom, you get back 'ere right now!" Applejack demanded, stomping her hoof.

Zecora frowned. "Beware, beware you pony folk," she intoned in an exotic accent, stepping back into a dense mist. "Those leaves of blue are not a joke!"

Vaati sharply glanced down towards the flowers and noticed his cape was fluttering dangerously near one. Deciding Zecora's advice was worth heeding, the mage quickly pulled his robe away from the plant. Applejack quickly flopped a startled Applebloom onto her back, glaring at the zebra. "You…you keep yer creepy mumbo-jumbo to yerself, ya hear?"

"Yeah, was that supposed to scare us?!" Rainbow arrogantly demanded, causing the others (except Twilight) to voice their own complaints.

Well, except Pinkie, who just started up her song again. Vaati's eye twitched once before he lifted his hand and cast a small spell, forcefully shutting Pinkie's mouth. "Beware! Beware!" Zecora called.

And then the thick mists of the forest claimed her, and she was gone. "Yeah, back at ya, Zecora!" Rainbow boasted. "You and your lame curse are the ones who better beware!"

Applejack turned her head and glared at her pouting sister. "And you…why couldn't ya just listen to yer big sister?!"

"I…I, uh…"

"Maybe because her big sister was being a thick-headed simpleton lacking the mental capacity to keep from jumping to conclusions," Vaati snapped.

Applejack jerked her head up and met the mage's glare. "Says the one who was gonna offer mah sweet little sister up as a sacrifice to a creepy enchantress!"

"And there you go again!" Vaati shouted again before turning his attention to the others. "I can't believe the stupidity of you ignorant dull-wits! Thinking I would sink so low as to offer a child as a sacrifice to a mysterious person who might not actually be evil! Even at my worst, I would have never done something that cruel! How dare you suggest that I would?!"

The group recoiled in shock at Vaati's harsh words. Not even Twilight could think of something to say, even considering the fact that she didn't share her friends' opinion. Vaati turned around, his cape whipping dramatically around him. "I'm going home, before you start thinking up more ludicrous rumors to pin on my reputation."

The mage began stomping off. Realizing he was upset, Pinkie started bouncing after him, Vaati's mouth-sealing spell having worn off. "Hey, I know what'll cheer you—"

"NO!" Vaati yelled, turning around and pointing a finger at a startled Pinkie. "I don't want to talk to you, Pinkie! You're no better than the others! Just do me a favor, shut your mouth, AND DON'T BOTHER ME FOR THE REST OF THE BLOODY DAY!"

With that, the furious wind mage left them alone in the woods. Everypony was dead silent. Pinkie just stared wide-eyed at where he had disappeared. To Twilight's curiosity, Pinkie seemed to suddenly just…deflate somehow. Her hair slowly lost its poofiness and went straight and limp, and her coat lost some of its bright pink luster, becoming slightly greyed. The pink party pony's lip started quivering. Somehow sensing how distraught Pinkie was, Twilight slowly approached her. "Uh…Pinkie? You…alright?"

Suddenly she stepped back in awful surprise as Pinkie broke into tears, covering her face with her hooves as she sobbed uncontrollably. Twilight was shocked. She had never seen Pinkie Pie, of all ponies, cry before, and it nearly tore her heart in two. The other ponies quickly gathered around their bawling friend and initiated a group hug.

"There there, Pinkie," Rarity cooed. "It's alright, dear."

"No, i-i-it's not alright!" Pinkie blubbered. "Vaati ha-ha-a-a-ates meeee!"

"No, he doesn't hate you, Pinkie," Twilight assured her, gently stroking Pinkie's flattened mane. "He's just a little upset about somebody thinking up a crazy rumor about him!"

Twilight glared at Rainbow, who smiled nervously. "Okay, yeah. Maybe I did get ahead of myself."

Twilight said nothing as the Mane Six and Applebloom huddled together to comfort Pinkie.

XXXXXX

It was nearing nightfall when Twilight finally returned to the library. Spike was rearranging some books, taking care to keep his distance from Vaati, who was sitting in the far corner of the library, reading a book on Equestrian history. An unpleasant scowl was plastered on his face. Spike noticed Twilight enter and waved, "Hey, Twilight!"

Vaati looked up, his scowl softening only a little. Bidding Spike a quick hello, Twilight walked up to Vaati, a stern look on her face. "I can understand how upset you were at Rainbow coming up with that awful idea of hers," she said, "but there was no reason for you to yell at Pinkie like that."

"She's annoying," Vaati replied curtly, glancing back down at his book. "That song of hers was extremely grating. The last thing I needed was for her to throw me some silly party out of the blue."

"Vaati, you made her cry."

The mage blinked in surprise. "I didn't think she had it in her."

"That's not the point, Vaati!" Twilight chided. "You hurt her feelings really badly, and you need to apologize to her the next time you see her."

"Perhaps if she shuts up about curses and evil dances, maybe I'll consider it."

Twilight gritted her teeth in frustration. "First of all, there's no such thing as curses, and second of all—"

"I beg your pardon?" Vaati interrupted, raising an eyebrow. "You, who possess magical prowess beyond most other unicorns, are telling me that a basic category of magic like curses is not real?"

"My magic, real magic, comes from within," Twilight explained. "It's a skill you're born with. Curses are artificial, fake magic, conjured with incantations and potions. It's all smoke and mirrors meant to scare. But curses have no real power. They're just an old pony's tale!"

Twilight blinked in surprise when she saw Vaati's expression. He was giving her a look as if he had seen her sprout an extra head. Suddenly the sorcerer burst into a mad fit of laughter, startling Spike so badly he lost his balance on the stepladder he was standing on and tumbled to the ground, the books he had been carrying falling on top of him.

Predictably, this went unnoticed. Twilight glared at the cackling mage, waiting as he slowly calmed down. Finally Vaati looked her in the eye and flashed a condescending smile. "An old pony's tale? Ah, silly Twilight. You have a lot to learn about magic still."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Twilight huffed.

Vaati stood up, setting the book down on the chair he had previously occupied. "Curses are far from fake magic. The only magic that is truly fake is fortune-telling and card tricks. Everything else, even potion-making, is an integral part of the magical arts."

Spike emerged from the pile of books and stared at Vaati, intrigued by Vaati's lesson. The mage began to pace around the room, Twilight following him with her eyes. "Curses are a form of dark magic. To put it in specific terms, curses are offensive magic meant to have a long-term effect on the target. They aren't conjured by potions, though incantations are a way of focusing more power into the spell, whether through concentration or enlisting the aid of magical spirits. I myself know quite a few curses, my most infamous being the Stoning Spell."

"The Stoning Spell?" Spike inquired curiously.

Vaati glanced at him before answering, "Whomever is struck by the curse is immediately turned to stone. Based on what I've read of your land's history, a similar spell was harnessed by the Elements of Harmony against a creature called Discord."

Twilight flinched slightly at the feared name. "But let us return to the topic at hand," Vaati continued, resuming his pacing. "Curses have a wide range of effects, ranging from permanent transformation into an animal or object, to immortality while suffering unimaginable pain, to undeath."

Vaati's audience shuddered in discomfort at the mere thought of meeting with any of those terrible fates. "But, perhaps the most famous of all curses has to be the Golden Trio cycle."

Twilight and Spike's eyes widened in curiosity. "The Golden Trio Cycle centers around three items of legendary power in my world," Vaati continued. "Three golden triangles that held the power of the Goddesses who created my world. Power, Wisdom, and Courage. Together they were called the Triforce. The cycle began after the Demon King Demise, the much-feared son of the Dark God Majora, was struck down by the Champion of the Goddesses, after he had attempted to seize the Triforce for himself. With his dying breath, he cursed the Champion and the goddess Hylia-incarnate and their descendants. For eternity, the Hero and the Princess would be reincarnated, and do battle with an incarnation of Demise's power and hatred. That incarnation came to be known as Ganondorf. Ironically enough, his curse doomed many of the demons who invaded Hyrule afterwards, including a manifestation of Majora himself. Whenever any enemy threatened Hyrule, a Hero would be there to defeat it…a Hero that I myself have fought against several times."

"Whoa," Spike marveled.

"You fought against a hero?" Twilight asked, worried. "Why?"

"A series of circumstances I don't feel like elaborating on, that's why."

Twilight backed off a little at Vaati's sharp retort. "Well, maybe there are curses in your world, but not in ours."

Vaati chuckled darkly, ascending the staircase up to his bed. "Oh, Twilight. You may find out that some "old pony's tales" really are true. And with that, I bid you goodnight."

Twilight said nothing as she watched the mage retire for the night.

XXXXXX

That night, Twilight's dreams were plagued by nightmares. She could hear Pinkie's incessant singing, Zecora's cryptic rhymes, and Vaati's warnings. Finally, when morning came, Twilight groggily opened her eyes and groaned, "Ugh, what a dream."

She sat up in her bed and noticed that Vaati's bed was empty. Not unusual; Vaati was an early bird. She narrowed her eyes. "Curses, shmurses."

Twilight got out of bed and walked over to her cabinet, crying out in mild surprise at her frazzled bed hair. "Haha, wow, maybe Zecora cursed my hair!"

Chuckling to herself, Twilight used her magic to lift her brush and start straightening her hair.

And then she suddenly screamed.

A bright flash of light heralded Vaati's quick arrival as the mage came to her aid. "Twilight!" he exclaimed as he saw her staring wide-eyed at her horn.

"M-my horn!" she cried.

Vaati blinked in surprise as he saw what had gotten Twilight so worked up. Her horn was no longer pointed and straight. It flopped over her forehead like a wet noodle. And to add insult to injury, it was covered in blue polka-dots. "Well, that was unexpected," Vaati muttered as Twilight ran down the stairs and began pulling out books frantically.

"Spike! Help me find something, ANYTHING, that tells me what the hay's wrong with my horn!" she cried.

"Huh? What's wrong with…oh." Spike clamped his hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter.

Vaati trudged down the stairs, nonchalantly dodging all the books Twilight cast aside with her magic. The book-smart unicorn could not find anything that seemed helpful and was starting to panic. "Vaati! Help me out here!" she cried.

Vaati glanced over at a particularly interesting book with a green cover. The mage picked it up and held it up to Twilight's face. "What about this one?" he inquired.

Twilight read the title. "Super Naturals. Vaati, the word supernatural refers to things like ghosts and spirits and zombies, which do not exist in Equestria. Just like curses! This book is just a bunch of hooey!"

She shoved the book back in the mage's face. "I'm not even going to bother commenting on just how wrong you are," he muttered sourly to himself.

"Yeah, Twilight," Spike spoke up. "What if Vaati's right? What if it really is a-?"

"Ppbppht!"

Everyone turned to see Pinkie Pie with her tongue sticking out of her mouth. This was not by choice, it seemed, for her tongue appeared to be swollen to the point it didn't fit in her mouth anymore. It too was covered in blue spots. As such, she was having a difficult time speaking. "A purse?" Spike asked, misinterpreting Pinkie's altered speech pattern. "How can it be a purse?"

"Pinkie!" Twilight exclaimed. "What happened to you?!"

"Ppffhht pbbhp blpphbp!" answered, spitting all over a disgusted Spike, who quickly stepped back and wiped himself off.

"Ugh, say it, don't spray it!" he complained.

Suddenly they were all interrupted by a crashing noise outside the library, accompanied by an "ow." Everypony looked over to see Rainbow Dash continuously crashing into the library window, as if she wasn't able to control her flight. "What she's trying to say is-*BAM*-ow, is that Zecora *BAM* ow…"

Suddenly Rainbow crashed through the door and slammed headlong into a bookshelf, getting entangled in one of the ladders. "…slapped us all with a curse!" she painfully finished.

"I'm afraid I would have to agree," came Rarity's voice.

Everyone turned to see Rarity looking like a shaggy dog. Her hair looked absolutely awful. Twilight and Spike recoiled in shock at the sight. Vaati, on the other hand, snickered in amusement. This promised to be an interesting day. "Ah hate to say Ah toldja so, Twilight," spoke the voice of Applejack, focusing everypony's attention on her, "but Ah toldja so!"

Vaati's snicker rose slightly in volume. Applejack was now small enough to fit in the palm of Vaati's hand. The cowpony was perched atop Applebloom's back. "It's a curse, Ah tell ya!" she yelled.

Twilight stammered for a moment before noticing Fluttershy walk up next to Rarity. "W-well, Fluttershy seems just fine!"

Fluttershy looked away. Vaati could tell she was hiding something. "Yes, there doesn't seem to be a thing wrong with her!" Rarity complained.

"Fluttershy?" Twilight asked. "Are you all right?"

Fluttershy flinched, but did not answer.

"Is there something wrong with you?"

Fluttershy nodded.

"Would you mind telling us what it is?"

Fluttershy turned away and shut her eyes.

"So you're not gonna tell us?"

Fluttershy nodded.

"Is that a yes you will or no you won't?"

"For the love of Din, tell us what in Majora's name is wrong with you!" Vaati shouted, having lost his patience.

Fluttershy gulped. "I don't wanna talk about it," she said in a very deep, masculine voice.

Vaati blinked in surprise for a moment before bursting into laughter. Spike quickly joined in and pointed at all of them. "Wow, this is hilarious!" he guffawed. "Look at all of you! We got Hairity, Rainbow Crash, Spitty Pie, Appletini, Flutterguy, and…"

Spike turned to Twilight, but slowly lost his grin as he failed to come up with a proper name for Twilight's condition. "Eh, I got nuthin'."

"How about erectile dysfunction?" Vaati quipped.

The whole group stared open-mouthed at the smirking mage as if he had just insulted Princess Celestia. Twilight then let out a sarcastic chuckle. "Haha, very funny. Quit fooling around and find some more books so I can find a cure!"

Vaati glanced down at Spike. "Spike, hop to it."

Spike, knowing better than to argue with the scary sorcerer, walked off to search the library, grumbling to himself. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash finally managed to disentangle herself from the ladder and started flapping haphazardly in the air. "I think we'll find a cure for these curses at Zecora's place!"

"It's not a curse!" Twilight snapped, causing Rainbow to crash into the wall.

"I actually have to agree with Twilight here," Vaati spoke, causing everypony to glance at him in surprise. "These are too benign to be any sort of curse. They fall more into the realm of hexes."

"Well, whatever it is, Ah agree with Dash!" Applejack said. "We'll go to Zecora's, and force her to remove this hex!"

"It's not a hex, either!" Twilight cried in a frustrated tone.

The whole group started arguing. Vaati, not feeling like joining in, walked up to the only unaffected pony in the room. "Applebloom," he said to the farm pony, who stepped back a little at the mage's scrutinizing look. "I cannot help but notice you look…normal."

"W-well, so do you," Applebloom replied nervously. "Ah guess."

Applebloom looked over at the bickering adults and sighed. "This is all mah fault."

"No pity parties in my presence," Vaati interrupted, holding up Super Naturals. "We have work to do."

"What kinda work?" Applebloom asked, a hopeful gleam in her eye.

"We're going to Zecora's place and settling this silly matter once and for all."

Applejack glanced over to see Vaati and Applebloom passing by the table she stood on. "Now where do they think they're goin' this time?" she whispered before jumping into Applebloom's tail.

The filly and the sorcerer quietly slipped out of the library unnoticed.

"I don't care what you say, Twilight!" Rainbow snapped. "It's time to pony up and confront Zecora! C'mon, girls! Are ya with me?"

"Pbbpt bpt!" Pinkie declared.

"And I as well," Rarity added.

"I don't know," Fluttershy said. "Seems awfully dangerous."

Spike snickered at Fluttershy's voice. Rainbow turned towards the table. "What about you, Applejack?"

She received no answer. "Applejack?"

"Shppth gubbt!" Pinkie spat.

"Ah! Somepony stepped on her!" Rarity cried, causing all the ponies to check their hooves.

"Or sat on her!" Twilight said, looking at her flank.

The other ponies did the same, but there was no sign of the shrunken cowpony. Rainbow suddenly got an idea. "Rarity's hair!"

Pinkie immediately began sifting through Rarity's hair, the fashionista complaining audibly. "Pinkie, haven't you ever heard of personal space?!"

Pinkie shook her head. "Nuppbt!"

"Applebloom and Vaati are gone too!" Twilight exclaimed.

"I bet they went after Zecora!" Rainbow surmised.

"Well, we better go find them," Twilight said, walking towards the door. "C'mon, girls. Let's go."

Rarity moved to follow, but couldn't get very far, as Pinkie had accidentally stepped on a lock of her hair. Noticing this, Pinkie lifted her hoof, allowing freedom for Rarity. "Hey guys, a little help here?!" Rainbow demanded as she slid along the floor upside-down, her hind legs flailing in the air.

"Oopsie, sorry," Fluttershy muttered as she and Pinkie helped her get to her feet.

Rainbow promptly crashed into the wall again. Smiling apologetically, she then flew out the door as Fluttershy turned to Spike, who was writing in a journal. "Uh, Spike? Are you coming?" she asked.

"Nope…uh, gotta stay here and look for a cure!"

With that, the Mane Six left. "Aha! Twilight Flopple!" Spike exclaimed, writing the idea down in his notebook.

XXXXXX

Meanwhile, Applebloom and Vaati entered the Everfree Forest, determination burning in their eyes. Both suddenly stopped in surprise as they heard Applejack's voice. "Stop right there, you two!"

Applejack then popped out of Applebloom's mane. "Shame on ya for lurin' mah sister into the Everfree, Vaati! Now you both turn around and head back to the library, ya hear?"

Vaati and Applebloom smirked devilishly at each other before Applebloom replied, "No."

Applejack sputtered in surprise. "Whu—no?! You can't ignore a direct order from yer big sister!"

Applebloom threw her head up, tossing Applejack into the air and catching her in her mouth. The filly then put her on a branch hanging over a bramble bush and too far away from land for Applejack to escape. "Sorry, Applejack," Applebloom giggled, "but Ah'm the big sister now!"

"Applebloom, you—"

"Hush now, Applejack," Vaati crooned fiendishly, putting a finger to his lips and grinning. "Just sit there and look pretty until we return, won't you? It would be an awful shame if a big, hungry hawk swooped down and carried you off, now wouldn't it?"

Applejack cringed. Vaati and Applebloom then continued off, leaving Applejack to fend for herself. "Applebloom, you get back here right this instant! Ah'm gonna tell Big Macintosh on you!"

She then realized she was stuck there. "Ah, ponyfeathers."

XXXXXX

Twilight led her companions into the forest, galloping as fast as they could. "C'mon, girls, we've got to get to Zecora's!" she commanded. "Hurry!"

Rarit tripped on her hair and fell to the ground. Now covered in dirt and leaves, she rose to her feet and huffed. "Easier said than done!" she complained before picking up her pace.

Rainbow Dash, still unable to control her flying, spun through the air erratically before crashing into a tree, swallowing a large bug as she did. As she tried to gather her bearings, said "bug" popped out of Rainbow's mouth, revealing herself to be a relieved Applejack. "Rainbow Dash! Thank Celestia yer here! There's no time to lose!"

Applejack quickly fashioned a makeshift bridle and leaped onto Rainbow, stuffing the bit in Rainbow's mouth. "Ah need to get to Zecora's, pronto! Giddyap, pony!"

"Excuse me?" Rainbow snapped.

"Yeehaw!" Applejack responded, kicking Rainbow's neck.

The Pegasus immediately rose involuntarily into the air. "What the?!" Rainbow cried.

Rainbow began spinning through the air as Applejack tried to direct her movements. "No, Dash! Other way!" Applejack demanded.

It took several adjustments to get Rainbow relatively on course.

XXXXXX

After much haphazard trudging through the thick undergrowth, the ponies were finally met with a truly bizarre sight. A house was carved into a huge tree trunk. Several spooky tribal masks and symbols were dotted around the house. Several bottles filled with different-colored potions were hanging off branches on ropes. "Oh my, I look horrible!" Rarity complained, glancing at what little she could see of her filthy mane.

"Thipph plappbt lppb hubbibbl!" Pinkie said, lifting up Rarity's hair so she could see.

"Oh my, that place really does look horrible," Rarity agreed.

The ponies quietly snuck up to the window and peered in. The house's interior looked even weirder, with even more masks and fermenting potions scattered around. "Nice decorations," Rarity said, "if you like creepy!"

Suddenly the back door opened, and Zecora walked out, carrying a bottle in her mouth. Oblivious to the snooping intruders, Zecora walked over to a boiling pot filled with a thick green substance. She then sprinkled the contents of the bottle into the concoction before setting it down and chanting in an unfamiliar language.

Pinkie recoiled in anger and pointed at the window. "Ssbp sppbbt mbb sub! Ssbp sppbbt mbb sub!"

"She stole your song?" Rarity interpreted questioningly.

"Oh, Pinkie," Twilight groused. "It doesn't sound anything like your song."

Pinkie got in her face and nodded furiously before going over to Fluttershy and grabbing onto her leg. She then flashed her puppy-dog eyes. Knowing what she wanted, Fluttershy sighed in resignation and began to sing blues-style as Pinkie danced.

"She's an evil enchantress

And she does evil dances.

And if you look in her eyes,

She will put you in trances.

And what would she do,

She'll mix up an evil brew.

Then she'll gobble you up

In a big tasty stew, so…

Watch out."

"You saw those terrible things," Rarity said. "Now do you believe what we said?"

"Scary-looking masks, confusing incantations, and a great big bubbling cauldron?" Twilight answered reluctantly. "Everything is pointing to Zecora being…bad."

Then another thought occurred to her. "Or…what if she's just making soup?"

The ponies then glanced back through the window to see Zecora tasting her brew. "Mmm, the perfect temperature for ponies, I presume," she said to herself. "Now, where are that Vaati and Applebloom?"

Twilight's eyes bugged out in horror. "Or what if she's making Applebloom soup?!"

Everypony was quiet for a moment before they all started screaming in terror. Suddenly, Rainbow Dash and Applejack entered the picture, still spinning erratically through the air. "Ah'm comin', Applebloom!" Applejack yelled.

Rainbow then crashed right through the door, surprising Zecora. The zebra began yelling in her native tongue as Rainbow spun all over the room, crashing into things and breaking stuff. The door was suddenly busted open again by four angry-looking ponies. "What've you done with Applebloom?!" Twilight demanded.

Zecora ignored her, too busy yelling at Rainbow Dash. Applejack started twirling a lasso and latched it onto Zecora's ear, jumping on it and trying to take it down like a rodeo bull while Zecora looked on in confusion. "Ponies! What is this—" she began.

Suddenly Rainbow crashed into the cauldron, knocking it over and spilling its contents all over the floor. "No!" Zecora cried. "You know not what you do! You've gone and spilled my precious brew!"

"We're onto you, Zecora!" Twilight snapped. "I didn't want to believe that you cursed us, but the evidence is overwhelming!"

"You made me look ridiculous!" Rarity said.

"You made me sound ridiculous!" Fluttershy added.

"Ppbbt bbhh ppbhht bbptbbhs!" Pinkie interjected.

"You ruined my horn!" Twilight accused.

"How dare you!" Zecora yelled angrily. "You destroy my home, destroy my work, then accuse me of being a jerk?!"

"You put this curse on us!" Rainbow snapped. "Now you're gonna uncurse us!"

"It is not wise to travel down this road," Zecora warned ominously. "Your actions will make my anger explode!"

"Where is Applebloom?" Twilight demanded.

Twilight and Zecora started butting heads and pushing against each other.

"Zecora, we're back," came the voice of Vaati.

Everyone turned to see Vaati and Applebloom looking perfectly fine. "Ah think we got all the ingredients ya asked for!" Applebloom added before both she and Vaati noticed the scene before them. "What in Ponyville is goin' on here?"

Vaati's eyes narrowed at the spilled cauldron. "Twilight, please tell me you and your idiot friends didn't barge in here and ruin the potion we were making. I will be very cross."

Applejack gasped. "Applebloom! Yer okay!"

"Well why wouldn't Ah be?"

"Because Zecora's an evil enchantress who cursed us and was gonna cook you into soup!" Twilight explained.

To her great surprise, Zecora, Vaati, and Applebloom all began to laugh hysterically. "Twilight, for a total bookworm, you're still dumber than a box of rocks!" Vaati panted between laughs.

"Oh, Twilight! Did those silly fillies finally git in yer head?" Applebloom giggled. "Ya know there's no such thing as curses!"

Vaati stopped laughing at this.

"Applebloom, sweetie," Twilight responded, "you can't just tell me this all isn't a curse!"

"It's not a curse," Vaati explained. "You were actually right, and I was wrong, for once. Zecora, if you would explain to my dull-witted compatriots?"

"If you will remember back, the words I spoke were quite exact. "Beware, beware you pony folk! Those leaves of blue are not a joke!"

"It was a warnin'," Applebloom interjected, "about that blue plant. It's called Poison Joke."

"That plant is like poison oak, but its results are like a joke."

"What in the hay is that supposed to mean?!" Applejack demanded impatiently.

"It means this plant does not breed wrath, instead this plant just wants a laugh."

"…Will somepony please talk normal?"

"The blue flower patch you idiots walked into played pranks on you," Vaati dully explained. "Simply little jokes."

"Little jokes?" Applejack repeated. "Very funny."

"I get it now!" Twilight said. "It all makes sense!"

"About bloody time," Vaati grumbled to himself.

"Okay, but what about the cauldron?" Rainbow demanded.

"And the chanting?" Fluttershy added.

"And the creepy décor?" Rarity finished.

Zecora turned and looked at her masks. "Treasures from the land I am from. This one speaks hello, and this, welcome."

"Not very welcoming, if you ask me," Rarity huffed.

"The words I spoke were from olden times, something you call a nursery rhyme."

"But…the cauldron," Twilight stuttered. "The Applebloom soup?!"

"Lookie here, Twilight," Applebloom answered. "That pot'a water wasn't fer me, it was fer all these herbal ingredients! The cure for Poison Joke's just a simple ol' natural remedy! Ya just gotta take a bubble bath!"

"But I tried to find a book like this in the library and found nothing!"

"Not hard enough, little Twilight," Vaati smugly replied, closing the book so Twilight could see the cover.

Super Naturals.

"But…"

"You, of all people, should have known not to judge a book by its cover, Twilight," Vaati chided before reading the book's full title. "Super Naturals: Natural Remedies and Cure-Alls That Are Simply Super."

Twilight held her head down in shame. "You're right, Vaati. I should have just tried it out instead of brush it off right away. I'm sorry. I had the answer the whole time, if I had only bothered to look inside."

Twilight looked up at Zecora. "Zecora, would you be willing to make another batch of your brew?"

Zecora chuckled amiably. "Mix it up, I certainly will. Yet Iam missing an herb from Ponyville."

"But whenever Zecora comes to town," Applebloom added, "all the shops are mysteriously closed."

"Oh…well, I think we can help you with that," Twilight answered with a shy grin. "Follow me."

As the ponies slowly filed out the door, Vaati said to Zecora, "Wait a moment, Zecora."

The zebra turned to see Vaati. "I need to know something," the sorcerer said. "I have to be certain. Are there curses in Equestria?"

Zecora frowned. "A dangerous topic, my bipedal friend. One where your curiosity must end."

Vaati smirked in triumph before heading towards the door. "Thank you, Zecora. That was all the answer I needed."

XXXXXX

Zecora's entrance into Ponyville was, unsurpriningly, met with terror and screams. But they rose in volume as they saw Vaati and the Mane Six alongside her. "The wicked enchantress has cursed them all!" one pony cried.

"The horror! The horror!" another screamed before the whole crowd scattered, locking their doors and shutting the windows.

Twilight walked up to the herbal store and knocked on the door. The proprietor tentatively opened the door slightly. "Daisy, we need to talk," Twilight said.

XXXXXX

Not long afterwards, the Mane Six were all enjoying Zecora's bubble bath at the spa, while Vaati sat in a corner and read Super Naturals. By now, everyone had returned to normal, earning a cause for celebration. One of the spa owners came up to Zecora and said, "Miss Zecora, I would like to get the recipe for this bath! It's simply luxurious!"

Zecora smiled and opened her mouth to answer before she was interrupted.

"Applejack!" Applebloom cried. "Where's Applejack?!"

Everypony started panicking and splashing around in the water.

"Ah'm right here, little sis!" Applejack said, back to her normal size and sitting overtop a tiny bucket. "Ah ain't tiny no more!"

Rarity sighed in contentment. "Ah, I've never felt so lovely in all my life!"

Pinkie suddenly poked her head out of the water and started babbling. "Oh my gosh, I never realized how horrible it is not to be able to talk! I mean, I love talking so much and my tongue was all—"

Pinkie's mouth was suddenly zipped shut. Twilight stole a glance at Vaati, whose hand had just ceased glowing. The mage looked up from his book and smirked. "Yes, such an awful shame. Was it not, dear Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy was quiet for a moment. "Yes," she finally said, her voice back to normal.

The whole group then shared a laugh.

XXXXXX

Dear Princess Celestia,

My friends and I all learned an important lesson this week: never judge a book by its cover. Someone may look unusual, or funny, or scary, but you have to look past that and learn who they are inside. Real friends don't care what your cover is; it's the content of a pony that count. And a good friend, like a good book, is something that will last forever.

Your Faithful Students,

Twilight Sparkle

Vaati Picoru

As Princess Celestia's eyes hung over the mage's name inscribed in different hand-writing from Twilight's own, the Sun Goddess allowed herself a small smile. Things just might work out after all.

Episode 4: Hired Hoof

Episode Four: Hired Hoof

Twilight opened the door to her library and took note of her surroundings. Spike saw her enter from where he stood on a stepladder, shelving a couple books and said, "Hey, Twilight!"

"Hey, Spike," Twilight answered before noticing the reason she had come back in the first place.

Vaati was sitting in his usual spot, engrossed in whatever book he was reading. As she approached, Vaati either didn't seem to notice her, or was just ignoring her. She blinked in surprise when she read the book's title: Daring Do and the Wooden Mask.

"Huh, didn't take you for the adventure novel enthusiast, Vaati," she said.

Vaati looked up. "I didn't either. But I've already read all your magic and history books, so I was running out of ideas. Then I happened to notice this book here, and its title caught my eye. I must say, this is an interesting read."

"Why this one?"

"Because the eponymous mask bears some startling similarities to an old legend in my world concerning the Heart of Darkness, Majora's Mask. It was a mask containing the sealed spirit of the God of Evil, Majora. Anyone who wore it was eventually corrupted by the mask and turned into Majora's puppet. He's rather like Discord, only far more malevolent."

Twilight inwardly shuddered. The legends she had read about Discord were somewhat unpleasant, but to hear about something that could have done even worse than him…

"Though I doubt you approached me for the purpose of quizzing me about my taste in fiction. What do you want?"

Twilight blinked as she remembered why she was bothering the mage to begin with. "Listen, Vaati. It's been more than a month and a half since you moved in…"

"…Mmhmmm?"

"And though I'm really grateful you helped us deal with that parasprite infestation last week..."

"…I never want to experience that again."

"…My friends and I have been talking…"

"That's all you ever do."

Twilight sighed audibly, and just spat it out. "Vaati, you need a job."

Vaati just gave her a deadpan stare, as if he were trying to gauge if she was actually being serious or not. "You're really bad at jokes, Twilight," he finally said. "Just stick to being a doormat, will you?"

Vaati then went back to reading his book. Groaning, Twilight put her hoof on the book and pushed it down, forcibly getting Vaati's attention again. "I wasn't joking, Vaati. Ever since you came here, you've been pretty much living off of me. I pay for all the food you eat, and it's starting to hurt my savings. You need a job so you can make a living like everypony else and stop being a leech."

Vaati frowned. "I take offense to being called a leech."

Twilight just glared back. "I'm not backing down on this. You. Need. A job."

Vaati quirked an unamused eyebrow. "And who exactly do you think will hire the local freak?"

"My friends are all willing to hire you. You could try each one of their suggestions out until you find one that suits you. You can help Applejack on the farm, Rarity with her dresses, Fluttershy with her animals, Pinkie Pie with the bakery, or Rainbow Dash and the weather team."

Vaati's lip curled slightly. "And if I refuse?"

"I kick you out. You won't make a very good impression trying to force your way back in, and you admitted you tolerate me more than my friends."

Vaati growled before slapping the book shut and tossing it aside. "Well, if I have no choice…"

Twilight smiled enthusiastically. "See? I knew you'd come around, Vaati!"

Vaati spent the next few minutes fantasizing unpleasant things happening to Twilight as she rambled on about the importance of jobs. Finally, he said through gritted teeth, "So…where to first?"

"Well, since I talked to Applejack first, we'll first head on over to Sweet Apple Acres. They could always use an extra hoo…well, hand, in your case, on the farm."

Vaati scoffed. "Me? Work at a farm? I am a legendary sorcerer! Such grunt work is beneath me!"

"Applejack said she's buck you in the legs if you didn't show up."

"Ugh! Fine! Let's go."

Vaati then stormed out the door, Twilight hurrying to catch up. The two of them walked in silence up to Sweet Apple Acres, immediately catching sight of Big Macintosh hauling a cartload of apples towards the barn. "Hey, Big Mac!" Twilight yelled, waving a hoof.

The large red stallion looked over at them and nodded in greeting. "Howdy, Miss Twilight," he said in a deep, baritone voice. "If yer lookin' for Applejack, she's out buckin' apples over there."

Bic Mac pointed over towards the orchard, where they could see Applejack bucking one of the apple trees, its fruit tumbling neatly into some baskets. Vaati's face contorted into a bitter scowl. "Let's just get this over with."

Twilight trotted ahead of the unhappy sorcerer to greet her friend. "Applejack!" she called.

Applejack turned towards them and grinned devilishly. "Well, look who decided to drop in," she said smugly, looking at Vaati. "Twilight was tellin' me you were lookin' fer some work."

Vaati sarcastically laughed. "Oh, I'm sure she's done a good job forcing all that nonsense into your head. I don't want a stupid…"

Applejack nonchalantly bucked the tree behind her without looking away from Vaati, a good-sized crack appearing in the bark. Vaati just stared blankly at her for a moment.

"…I mean, a job sounds wonderful."

Applejack smiled again. "That's what Ah like to hear! Judgin' from the looks of it, ya ain't ever done some honest hard work in yer life, have ya?"

Vaati smirked cockily. "Unnecessary when I have magic."

"Lookie here, mister. This here's an Earth Pony farm. We ain't ever had to use magic, and our business's been boomin' fer generations now! There won't be any magic mumbo jumbo here in Sweet Apple Acres!"

Vaati stared at Applejack incredulously. "You're kidding." He turned towards Twilight. "Tell me she's kidding."

Twilight shook her head. "A little hard work now and then never hurt anypony."

Vaati threw up his hands. "This is bloody unbelievable! Ugh!"

"Oh, quit acting like a child!" Twilight chided. "We're just going to see if you're cut out for farm work! If it doesn't suit you, we'll try something else."

Vaati blinked for a moment before smirking.

"And don't try to worm yer way outta it by doin' a mediocre job," Applejack said. "Or else you'll get to have a little meetin' with Bucky McGillicuddy and Kicks McGee!"

At Vaati's questioning glance, she motioned towards her back legs, which made his eyes widen ever so slightly. "Rrgh…fine. Just what exactly do you want me to do?"

"Well, Ah'm busy buckin' the apples, and Bic Mac's takin' them to the barn. Our garden could use some plowin', though."

She pointed towards the garden, where a plough was sitting. Vaati stared at it for a moment before turning back to Applejack. "I hope you realize how much I curse your existence."

Applejack just smiled good-naturedly. "Aw, you'll warm up to me eventually."

Vaati briefly considered taking that phrase literally and setting her on fire. Oh, he was sorely tempted, but his sane side won out in the end. With a displeased grunt, Vaati turned around with a dramatic flourish of his cape and strode towards the plough. "I'll keep an eye on him," Twilight said.

"Alright, Twi. Ah hope this works out, though."

Applejack then went off to continue bucking apples. Twilight turned around and headed over to the garden to oversee the mage's progress. Vaati stared at the plough for a few moments before sighing in defeat as he grabbed the handles, since, as a human, he couldn't strap the harness to him like a pony would, and pulled.

The plough didn't move.

Vaati pulled on it with all his might, but the farming implement refused to budge. He grunted in exertion as his pale face started to go red. Twilight put a hoof to her mouth to stifle her laughter as the sorcerer struggled. Realizing this was going nowhere, Vaati went to the back of the machine and began pushing on it as hard as he could, gritting his teeth as he broke out into a sweat. Still the plough didn't move an inch.

He pushed and pushed, his feet sliding along the ground until his legs finally gave way, causing Vaati to fall flat on his face.

It was too much for Twilight. The purple mare broke out into a fit of hysterical laughter and fell on her back. Vaati opened his eyes as he heard her guffaws. One of them started twitching.

Tears started coming to Twilight's eyes as she laughed on the ground. Suddenly her laughter was unceremoniously cut short when she heard the sound of an explosion not far away. She jerked her head up to see bits of smoldering wood falling from the sky, and a charred pile of wood and metal right where the plough used to be. Vaati was walking towards her with a look of tranquil fury on his face. "Get up, we're leaving," he growled. "NOW."

Still in shock, Twilight didn't protest as she got to her hooves and followed the disgruntled mage out of the farm before Applejack could find him. Once they were a fair distance from the farm and back in town, Vaati grunted, "Any more bright ideas, Twilight?"

"Well, the farm thing didn't work out, I guess," Twilight murmured before brightening immediately. "Rarity! We'll do her next!"

Vaati groaned. "Urgh, she's even less tolerable than Applejack!"

"Oh, you'll do just fine!" Twilight answered. "You wear clothes all the time. Surely you'd know a thing or two about fashion!"

"Just because I wear clothes doesn't mean I know how to make the—"

"We're here!"

Vaati looked up at the impressive structure everypony knew as Carousel Boutique and groaned in displeasure. The two of them walked up to the front door, and Twilight rapped on the door a couple times out of courtesy. A few seconds later, the door opened, revealing Rarity, who beamed at the sight of her friend. "Ah, Twilight! Vaati! I knew you'd make it!"

"You knew we were coming?" Vaati asked with a raised eyebrow.

"But of course, dear Vaati! I knew you were heading to Sweet Apple Acres first, and you don't strike me as the 'farm' type, so I knew working for the Apple family wouldn't work out. You obviously have more refined tastes!"

Vaati smirked despite himself. "That's rather…generous of you, Rarity."

Rarity chuckled. "Oh, it's no trouble at all! Come inside, won't you?"

"Actually, Rarity, I have some errands to run," Twilight declined. "Vaati, you'll be working with Rarity on whatever she needs help with. I'll be back in about an hour."

Vaati sighed and walked past Rarity into the boutique. "Have a good day, Twilight!" Rarity called before shutting the door.

The fashionista then turned to her potential employee, who was silently taking in his surroundings. Several pony-shaped mannequins, some with completed dresses attached, sat in several areas of the room. The place was a mix between neat and cluttered. Rarity trotted up to the Wind Mage and smiled. "Alright, Vaati! Work has officially begun! Before we start, have you ever designed clothes?"

"No," Vaati flatly replied.

"Well, never too late to start!" Rarity chirped, summoning a piece of parchment and a pen with her magic and bringing it over to Vaati.

The sorcerer just stared at the pen and paper hovering in mid-air. "And what, exactly, do you expect me to do with this?"

"I want you to design a dress!" Rarity answered.

Vaati glanced past the pen and paper at her. "You do realize dresses where I come from are designed for people who walk on two legs, right? Designing a dress for a four-legged creature would automatically designate you as the town kook."

"You told me you've never designed a dress before, bipedal or quadrupedal," Rarity said. "There's nothing strange about learning about the latter first."

Vaati glanced back at the pen and paper and sullenly grabbed them out of the air, grumbling incoherently to himself as he went over to a nearby workbench and sat down. The mage began scribbling away as Rarity patiently waited. After a few minutes, Vaati put down the pen and stood up, showing the paper to Rarity. Whatever was on it, it made Rarity's eyes widen to the size of dinner plates and she laughed nervously. She was unable to form coherent words for the longest time, and finally just put it off to the side face-down on a table where nopony could see the horrific image Vaati's mind had spawned.

"Ahaha, perhaps we should start out with the basics," Rarity chuckled uncomfortably, moving over to a long table flanked by large rolls of colored fabrics and a shelf stocked full of buttons, ribbons, and other clothing accessories. "I'm going to need you to hold onto these for me, please."

Using her magic, she handed various objects over to the mage such as spools, ribbons, and glue. "Guh," Vaati grunted as he tried to balance all the stuff with his two hands.

Unfortunately, Vaati was not paying attention to where he was walking, and his foot suddenly stepped on the tail of Opalescence, Rarity's cat. Before Vaati could process the sound of an angry cat, the mage suddenly found his face engulfed in white fur and sharp claws. "GAAAHHH-AAAAAAAAHHRRRGGGGHHHH!"

Opalescence mercilessly clawed at Vaati's face, hissing and yowling in fury as the sorcerer dropped everything he was holding and tried to pry the cat off his face. "SWEET MOTHER OF DIN, SOMEONE GET THIS FREAKING CAT OFF ME!" he screeched over Opalescence's hissing fit.

Rarity had no idea what to do. She couldn't just pry off Opalescence with her magic; she could run the risk of seriously injuring Vaati. "Opalescence! B-bad girl!" she yelled. "Get off of him this instant!"

"AAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!"

Vaati stumbled all around the room, knocking over various mannequins and fabric rolls as he desperately tried to free himself from the claws of Opalescence. "Oh no, Vaati, watch out!" Rarity yelled, trying to steer the beleaguered sorcerer clear of any breakables. "To the left! The left! Ooooh!"

Vaati was a little too preoccupied to notice Rarity was yelling at him…or that he was about to crash into the collection of spare mannequins in the corner of the room. "No Vaati STOP!" Rarity cried.

CRASH.

Rarity slowly uncovered her eyes and took in the destruction. The boutique was a complete mess. Buttons, fabric, and ribbons were strewn everywhere. Vaati lay in a pile of broken mannequins, barely conscious as Opalescence jumped off him and went to go lay down somewhere else like nothing had happened. Rarity cautiously edged her way over to the sorcerer's prone form. "Um…Vaati, dear? Are you alright?"

Vaati's slightly-dazed, but murderous expression clearly said it all.

XXXXXX

One hour later…

"Gah! That bloody stings!"

"Just hold still!" Twilight snapped as she applied a damp disinfecting cloth to a squirming Vaati's face.

The unhappy mage's face was covered in scratches as they sat on a park bench. Twilight frowned as she finished disinfecting Vaati's wounds. "Well, guess working for Rarity isn't gonna work out after all."

Vaati slowly turned his head and glared down at Twilight with the most sinister 'you don't say' expression he could muster. Twilight laughed nervously. "Ahaha, well I suppose Fluttershy could be next…"

"I was just mauled by a bloody cat, Twilight," Vaati groused. "Considering my current track record with animals, I'd rather steer clear of the animal caretaker until further notice."

Twilight sighed. "Alright, we'll try Pinkie Pie next, then. If that doesn't work out, then we'll try Fluttershy."

Vaati groaned once again. "Oh, Goddesses help me. Not her…"

"What's the worst that could happen?" Twilight said, getting off the bench. "Pinkie can be grating sometimes, I'll admit. But all you guys'll probably be doing is baking cupcakes. That doesn't sound too bad, does it?"

Vaati stood up as well with a resigned sigh. "Considering my luck…" he grumbled under his breath as he and Twilight headed towards Sugarcube Corner.

Twilight opened the door, Vaati reluctantly following her inside. To his surprise though, it wasn't Pinkie Pie that was waiting for them. It was Mr. and Mrs. Cake, her aunt and uncle, as Vaati recalled. "Afternoon, Twilight," Mr. Cake said, tipping his hat towards the visitors. "Afternoon, Vaati. I take it you're here for that job offer Pinkie suggested to us?"

"Yes, unfortunately," Vaati gruffly responded.

Before anything else could be said, Pinkie burst out of the kitchen, dusted in flour and a wild grin so unnervingly happy it intimidated Vaati plastered on her face. "Vaati Vaati Vaati I'm soooo glad you made it we're gonna have so much fun making cupcakes!" she squealed without taking a single breath.

His eyes wide, Vaati instinctively took a step back. "Twilight, I don't know about this…"

"Oh come on, it's gonna be fun!" Pinkie chirped, bouncing over and pushing Vaati towards the kitchen, which for some reason Vaati likened to entering the gates of Tartarus. "We're gonna make cupcakes and muffins and cakes and all sorts of cool stuff! Come on come on come on!"

Before Vaati disappeared into the kitchen, the mage turned his head towards a giggling Twilight. "If I don't make it out of this, I'm haunting you forever," he growled.

Twilight just smiled and waved.

XXXXXX

A few minutes later…

Vaati looked down at himself. A white apron a little small for his size was situated around his midsection. His normal cap, which was now off to the side where it, theoretically, wouldn't get cake batter all over it, had been replaced with a chef's hat. He really did look quite ridiculous.

"Alright, Vaati!" Pinkie cheerfully declared. "Time for your first lesson in making cupcakes! Listen carefully and watch ol' Pinkie Pie work her magic!"

A cheery musical tune appeared seemingly out of nowhere, catching Vaati off-guard. "What in Din's-?"

"Pay attention, Vaati!" Pinkie chided.

Vaati's glare intensified as Pinkie began singing to the strange tune, performing the actions as she did so.

"All you have to do is take a cup of flour,
Add it to the mix!
Now just take a little something sweet, not sour,
A bit of salt-just a pinch!

Baking these treats is such a cinch,
Add a teaspoon of vanilla.
Add a little more, and you count to four
And you never get your fill-a!

Cupcakes, so sweet and tasty,
Cupcakes-don't be too hasty,

Cupcakes! Cupcakes, cupcakes, cupcaaaaakes!"

The second she finished, the music popped out of existence. Vaati's mind completely failed to properly process the events that had just transpired, and could only stare at her with his mouth slightly hanging open. "Now it's time to—uh, Vaati? Are you okay?" Pinkie yammered, waving a hoof in front of the sorcerer's face.

Blinking, Vaati's mind reasserted itself, reacting to Pinkie's hoof-wave. "Pinkie Pie," he stated, dead-pan. "Never, ever do that in front of me again."

"Do what?"

"The singing…just…don't."

"Awwww," Pinkie griped before she immediately perked up. "Anywho, let's get the cupcakes in the oven! Oh, whoops! Forgot to turn it on, haha, silly me!"

While Pinkie was momentarily distracted, Vaati thought quickly. There was no way he was going to put up with this. But he couldn't just leave. He needed a distraction. Right before Pinkie turned her head, Vaati cast a quick spell on the batter. Pinkie didn't notice and put the batter into the cupcake tins while Vaati looked on, slowly edging towards the door. Humming a cheerful tune, Pinkie opened the oven door and stuck the cupcake tins on the rack. She promptly shut the door then started tinkering with the timer. Vaati smirked. It wouldn't be long now…

Suddenly the oven began shaking violently. "Oh, Pinkie!" Vaati cried. "There appears to be something wrong with your oven!"

Pinkie looked over at the oven and saw the commotion. "Omigosh, you're right! What in Equestria could that be?"

Without warning, the oven door flew open, and a grotesque abomination comprised of sticky batter lurched out of it, growling murderously. It took all of Vaati's willpower to put on a mask of terror and not snicker evilly. Pinkie's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as she saw the monster. Then, the pink mare brought out a candy-cane battle axe seemingly out of nowhere and brandished it defiantly. "So, we meet again, Cake Creature," she snarled, causing Vaati to curiously raise an eyebrow. "I HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN YOU!"

Pinkie dramatically leapt into the air and engaged the aptly-named "Cake Creature" in a battle to the death, hacking away at its doughy exterior as the monster lashed out at her. Knowing this was his chance to escape, Vaati grabbed his cap, slipped out the kitchen door, tore off the apron and hat, and took off out the door before the Cakes could see him leave. He felt no regrets about casting that particular little spell on the cake batter. Judging from the looks of it, Pinkie could probably take care of herself. All he had to do was get away, far away, and wait until Twilight forgot about the job hunt.

All those plans went out the window when Vaati crashed right into Twilight.

"Twilight! Ah, blast it all!" Vaati snarled as he untangled himself from Twilight's flailing hooves and got to his feet.

"Vaati! What are you doing out here?!" Twilight demanded, also getting to her hooves. "You're supposed to be-!"

"After an entirely-unforeseen and traumatic series of circumstances that have nothing whatsoever to do with me," Vaati quickly explained, "I have decided that working for Pinkie Pie is not an option."

Before Twilight could answer, a guttural roar intermingled with Pinkie's battle cries and crashing noises emanated from the bakery. Mr. and Mrs. Cake ran outside in a panic. "We're leaving," Vaati growled, roughly grabbing hold of Twilight and teleporting them away from the scene.

They reappeared back at the library on the second floor, having gone unnoticed by Spike. Vaati let go of Twilight as she fumed. "Would you mind telling me what the hay that was about?!" she demanded.

"Let's just say Pinkie got a visit from an old friend," Vaati vaguely explained. "And I decided I had overstayed my welcome."

Twilight groaned and facehoofed. "Why are you making this so difficult?"

Vaati smirked. "You could always just give up this crazy little endeavor of yours."

Twilight glared stubbornly at him. "Absolutely not."

Vaati groaned. "That leaves us with two options now," Twilight continued. "Working at the weather center with Rainbow Dash or taking care of animals with Fluttershy."

"My cat scratches still sting," Vaati complained. "I think I'll avoid the animals as long as possible. Besides, my command over the winds and the weather is without equal. Surely I could be of use to this 'weather factory'."

Twilight beamed. "That's the spirit!"

XXXXXX

Twilight and Vaati walked up to Rainbow Dash's cloud house and looked up at the impressive structure. It was comprised completely of clouds, with Greek-styled columns and several fountains and pools of rainbow-colored fluid scattered around. "Rainbow Dash!" Twilight called up.

A few seconds later, Rainbow Dash poked her head over the side of the ledge and smiled, "Hey guys! What's up?"

"We're here to see if Vaati can help you with the weather," Twilight explained.

Rainbow laughed. "I don't need any help, Twilight! I can do it all myself!"

"Welp, we tried. Let's go," Vaati quickly said, turning to leave.

Twilight froze him in place with her magic. "Not so fast, mister."

Still holding him still, Twilight looked up. "Look, Rainbow. Could you please put aside your pride just this once? Vaati needs a job, and we've already tried Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie."

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "Why didn't they work out?"

"Vaati blew up Applejack's plough, got mauled by Rarity's cat, and Pinkie Pie…well, I really don't know what happened there."

Rainbow Dash heaved an exaggerated sigh. "Oh, alright! Get up here and we'll talk more."

Twilight let go of Vaati and teleported up to the cloud, while Vaati morosely floated up to the top. Both ponies blinked in surprise as they saw Vaati touch down on the cloud's surface without falling through. "Whoa, you can walk on clouds too?" Rainbow asked.

"Why do you act surprised?" Vaati retorted. "You ponies do it just fine. Besides, anyone with enough magic coursing through their blood can walk on clouds in my world. Me, the Hero of Legend, the Princess…and probably even Ganon, though considering that fat pig's girth, he'd probably fall through anyway."

Rainbow Dash snorted laughter while Twilight raised a curious eyebrow. Vaati took this moment of inactivity to glance over at the rainbow fountain next to him. Pointing at it, Vaati said, "What is that?"

Rainbow looked over at the fountain. "Oh, that's my rainbow fountain. That liquid stuff is what rainbows are made of."

Looking at the liquid, Vaati suddenly realized he hadn't eaten or drank anything since morning. "Is it edible?" he asked.

Vaati didn't notice the wide grin that appeared on Rainbow's face as she explained, "Yeah, of course it is! It's got a little bit of a kick though. Why, you thirsty?"

Vaati glared at Twilight. "Well, thanks to a certain someone, I haven't eaten anything since this morning. I'd at least like something to tide me over until I can convince her to buy us lunch."

"Well go ahead. I don't mind," Rainbow answered, suppressing a snicker.

Twilight glanced suspiciously at Rainbow Dash as Vaati produced a wine glass out of thin air and dipped it in the rainbow fountain. He sniffed it a bit before downing it in one gulp.

It was a mistake he would never forget.

His eyes suddenly went as wide as dinner plates as his cheeks puffed out and his face turned red. Sweat began pouring down his face as Rainbow Dash's snickers rose in volume. Finally Vaati spat out the rainbow fluid, tongues of flame shooting out of his mouth. Only one word managed to worm its way out of Vaati's mouth.

"HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!"

Rainbow started laughing hysterically as Twilight stepped back in surprise. Vaati twisted around, screaming incomprehensibly as magic engulfed his entire body. "Oh no!" Twilight gasped in realization before glaring at a still-laughing Rainbow. "Do you have any idea what you've done?!"

Rainbow looked up, her laughter instantly dying when she saw Vaati. "W-what's he doing?!" she cried, panicking.

"He's losing control of his powers!" Twilight screamed. "Take cover!"

The two mares instantly bolted, trying to get as far away from the unstable mage as they could without falling off the cloud. It wasn't enough.

An explosion, followed by an intense gust of wind, destroyed the entire house, knocking them both off the cloud and onto the hard ground. As globs of rainbow fluid splashed all around Rainbow Dash took in the damage with an expression of utter horror. "My…my house…"

Her house was wrecked. Half of it was completely gone, and other parts were covered with scorch marks. Vaati was nowhere to be found. For a split-second, Twilight feared the worst; that the explosion had killed him. "Vaati! VAATI!" Twilight panicked, looking around. "Vaati, where are you?!"

Rainbow Dash just sat numbly on the ground, staring at the ruined structure. "My…house," she mumbled.

Twilight fled the scene, calling out Vaati's name desperately as she ran towards the main part of town. "VAATI! VAA-!"

Finally she found the mage dipping his head into the creek, guzzling down the stream water. The mage's clothes were blackened and torn in some places, and his hair was frazzled. He was making quite the scene, as some of the townsponies had gathered to watch him in confusion. Twilight breathed a sigh of relief and trotted up to him. "Vaati, are you alright?"

Vaati swallowed and whipped his head around. Twilight immediately yelped and jumped back in shock and sudden fear.

Vaati's face was contorted into the most terrifying glare she had ever seen. His pupils were now slit like a cat's, and his canines had sharpened considerably. The crowd all gasped in shock and backed away. "Do I look alright to you?!" Vaati roared, his voice booming across the whole town. "The next time I see that accursed Pegasus, I am going to FORCEFEED HER EVERY SINGLE DROP OF RAINBOW FLUID IN HER HOUSE!"

Twilight's blood ran cold at the sorcerer's malicious expression, averting his gaze. It reminded her of…oh she shuddered just to think about it…

Nightmare Moon.

"No more job-searching for today," Vaati growled, Twilight flinching at his biting tone.

"No…" she sighed in defeat. "We're done."

No more words were exchanged as the pair walked home. The townsponies warily returned to their everyday activities, careful to steer clear of Vaati's path. By the time they reached the library, it seemed Vaati had calmed down some, as his eyes had returned to normal and his fangs had gone.

They said nothing to each other for the rest of the night, and eventually went to bed to continue stewing their emotions in their dreams.

XXXXXX

"Hey, freak show! Whatcha doin'?"

Vaati looked up and regarded the group of older Minish standing over him with disdain. "Reading," he answered gruffly. "Something your puny minds fail to comprehend."

The oldest boy, obviously the leader, clicked his tongue. "Smart mouth as always, huh freak show?"

"Smarter than yours, at least," Vaati snidely quipped. "Now, if you don't mind, I was just getting to the part about Demise's fall, so if you would kindly go away, and take the stench of your stupidity with you, that would be fan-!"

WHACK!

Vaati suddenly found himself lying on the ground, stars obscuring his vision. His cheek stung from where the bully had punched him. "Heh heh, nice one, Chip!" one of the other bullies congratulated.

Vaati shook his head and got to his feet, rubbing his throbbing cheek. Chip sneered at him, crossing his arms. "So, ya ready to apologize for dissing me and my boys yet, freak show?"

Vaati snorted. "For what, pointing out the fact that you're all denser than a retarded Moblin?"

"You're one to talk, since either your mommy or daddy was a monster!" Chip snapped.

Vaati gritted his teeth and clenched his tiny fists. "You don't know that."

"Oh yeah? Then why else do ya look like a freak?! Look at you! Your skin's a funny color, your hair's purple, and your eyes are red, for Din's sake! No way could that've come from two Minish parents!"

"Shut up," Vaati growled.

"Oh what? Is the widdle-biddy monster gonna cry? Boo-hoo-hoo! You know why you're an orphan, freak show? I bet it's because your daddy ate your mom after you were born!"

The three bullies were laughing their heads off as Vaati glared murderously at them, magical sparks flashing from his hands. "S-SHUT UP!" Vaati screamed.

Without thinking, the child yelled angrily and thrust his hands forward, sending a small bolt of energy right at Chip. The teenage Minish yelped and brought his arm up to his face to shield himself as the blast connected with his skin. However, there was not much energy in the blow, so the only injury Chip received was a burned elbow. Chip looked at the burn on his arm before glaring menacingly at Vaati. "You little RUNT!" he roared. "Get 'im, boys!"

Vaati turned to run, but the bullies easily caught up with him and knocked him to the ground. The two goons held Vaati's arms and legs down while Chip got on top of him and started punching him in the face and stomach, the evil bully showing absolutely no mercy. Vaati screamed in pain and sobbed in fear as the beating progressed. Vaati's choice of reading spot was his downfall; very few people went there, and Vaati's cries were drowned by the hubbub of the town activities. So no one came to his aid. Nobody ever did.

It seemed to last forever until Chip finally got tired of abusing the poor child and got up. "Giles, Tiku! Let 'im go. We're outta here."

The two goons released Vaati's limbs and flanked their boss on both sides. Before they left, Chip looked over his shoulder and sneered. "I knew you were a monster, freak show! No one's ever gonna love you!"

The boys laughed as they departed, leaving the young orphan broken and bleeding in the alley.

XXXXXX

Twilight's ears pricked as they picked up a strange noise. The unicorn blearily opened her eyes and groaned quietly. She stole a glance out her bedroom window and saw Luna's moon shining brightly in the sky. As she began to take note of her surroundings, her brain finally managed to register what she was hearing, and immediately jolted her fully awake.

Weeping.

Twilight glanced at Spike, but noticed that the only noise the baby dragon was making was his usual snores. That only left…

"No. No way," Twilight quietly assured herself. "He's too…"

Then she stopped to listen. It was coming from Vaati's bed. Silently, the unicorn pushed aside her covers and trotted up to Vaati's bedside.

The mage's eyes were squeezed tightly shut, and a muffled sob escaped his throat as tears streamed from his eyes and stained his pillow. Twilight's jaw dropped slightly, but her shock was soon replaced by concern. It was obvious he was having a bad dream, but what could be so bad that it could make the unflappable, arrogant Vaati the Wind Mage cry like a young child?

In the end, it didn't matter. As scary and unpleasant the sorcerer was, he was emotionally distressed and he needed help. Twilight snuck onto the bed and snuggled up close to Vaati, her horn softly glowing as she cast a soothing spell to calm him down. "Shh, it's alright," she gently whispered. "Everything's going to be alright. Shh…"

His sobbing slowly descended into small hiccupping before the mage was silent once more. Knowing he needed someone's comfort, slept with him for the rest of the night.

XXXXXX

Meanwhile, the Princess of the Night awoke once again, tears streaming from her eyes. Celestia quickly awoke as she heard her sister's crying. "Luna, dear, what's wrong?" she asked.

"I bore witness to the sorcerer's dreams once again, dear sister," Luna whispered, going over the awful events in her head. "I…I saw one of his childhood memories. Tia, what he has suffered…'tis unbearable! His kind are so brutal! T-they tormented him, beat h-h-him, called him a monster…He…he was orphaned as a child…"

Celestia held back her tears in order to stay strong for Luna. Pity welled up in her heart for the distant sorcerer, but her first concern was Luna's well-being. Still, this was some form of progress. Vaati's dreams were inadvertently telling the princesses more and more about the secretive mage, and the more they knew, the better chance they had of finding a way to help him face his demons, or…if worse came to worse…

No. Celestia didn't even want to consider that this time. It was still too soon to judge. Still, her thoughts wandered to the castle gardens. To the statue. To him. Was he any different?

XXXXXX

The next morning…

Vaati slowly opened his eyes and grumbled sleepily. He then noticed that something was bundled up next him, keeping him warm and strangely comfortable. Vaati blearily glanced over his shoulder to see Twilight curled up against his back, still fast asleep. The mage blinked in confusion, but he was still too groggy to form coherent words. Why in Majora's name was Twilight curled up next to him like a housecat?

And more importantly, why did this put him slightly at ease?

It surprised him how difficult it was to regain his grouchy, bitter composure. Grumbling some more, the mage slid out of bed, careful not to disturb her. He wasn't ready to put up with her nagging quite yet. Spike was still asleep too, the young dragon snuggled in his bed and snoring like a lumberjack. Quietly, Vaati cast a quick spell on himself to clean his clothes and make him smell fresh. He was hundreds of years old, but one thing was certain; he never outgrew his hatred of baths.

Rubbing his eyes, the sorcerer sighed. His dream last night was the most unpleasant he had had in a long time. How he hated the memories of his youth. Though it was ironic that those events were instrumental in shaping him into who he was now. But what was he? The greater irony was that he more or less proved Chip's point. He was a monster, hated and feared by everyone. No one ever truly cared for him, not even the sage, Ezlo, who took him in, promising him tutelage and only giving him chores. Even the ponies of this world, as friendship-happy and cheerful as they were, were growing increasingly uneasy around him. Did he revel in that fear? Not too long ago, he would have quickly answered 'yes' without a second thought, and be firmly convinced of that belief. Now…

Now he wasn't so sure.

Vaati descended the staircase and sat down the kitchen table, placing his face in his hands. Just what was this world doing to him? He was being wracked by uncertainty and self-doubt, two things he hated with a passion.

He was used to being reviled. Kindness was a totally alien concept to him. Even as he desired friendship and family, he pushed potential friends away because of his fear of getting close. The fear of his world, horrible as it was, changing. A deep sadness welled up in his icy heart, one which had hung over his head every single day of his life until the cap had become his, and he obtained the ultimate power.

He couldn't think straight. His mind kept revisiting those awful memories, and a voice he had ignored for far too long whispered in his ear; the voice of his deep-rooted self-loathing. Monster…You're a monster…No one's ever gonna love you!

"I don't care," he whispered, trying to block out the voice. "I don't care. I don't care. I don't…"

He did care.

It had never changed. He had only pretended it had.

A choking noise involuntarily escaped his throat. His eyes stung and felt wet. It took a moment for Vaati to understand what was happening.

He was crying.

The sorcerer buried his face in his hands and quietly sobbed. Unbeknownst to him, it did not go unnoticed. Twilight awoke and immediately noticed the bed was empty, meaning Vaati had gotten up. As she reached the stairs, she looked down and saw Vaati sitting at the table, silently crying his eyes out. The sight tugged at her heartstrings, and she slowly descended the staircase. Vaati didn't seem to hear her, so she quietly entered the kitchen and set to work.

Several minutes later, Vaati's sobs had lowered to mere sniffles. Suddenly he heard the clatter of a tray being set down in front of him. He lifted his head and saw a truly delicious-looking breakfast set out in front of him. A large slice of hot apple pie, one of Pinkie Pie's famous cupcakes, a freshly-peeled orange, and a large glass of ice-cold milk awaited him. Standing next to it was Twilight, a comforting smile on her face.

The two of them just stared at each other for the longest time. No words were needed. The shy smile on Vaati's face said it all.

After finishing off breakfast, Twilight levitated the dirty dishes into the kitchen and began cleaning them in the sink. Vaati sat at the table for the longest time, contemplating. He felt so strange. He couldn't find a reason to maintain his cynical and mean-spirited disposition. Not around her, anyways. She had showed him kindness. When he needed it most, she had been there for him.

Twilight trotted out of the kitchen, finished with the dishes. But before she could speak, Vaati interrupted her. "Twilight?"

"Yes, Vaati?" she asked, her smile never leaving her face.

"…Thank you."

Twilight's eyes sparkled with joy as she hugged the flustered sorcerer. "Alright, alright, get off, get off," Vaati huffed, prying Twilight off of him.

Something else was needling him in his head. He had a nagging feeling he had to do something. He had to make it up to her for her kindness. "Twilight…you don't suppose Fluttershy is still willing to hire me, do you?"

She gasped in surprise before grinning widely. "You still wanna job search?!"

Vaati flinched slightly. "Don't make a big deal out of it please."

Twilight managed to compose herself. "Sorry. Shall we go, then?"

The mage stood up and straightened out his cape. "One more thing, Twilight," he said. "Keep what happened just between us, okay? Or else I'll dropkick you into the river in front of the entire town."

Twilight chuckled. "Now there's the Vaati I know and love."

Twilight giggled at the slight blush that broke out on Vaati's face before turning towards the door. The two of them walked outside and greeted Celestia's beautiful morning before heading towards the Everfree Forest, where Fluttershy's cottage sat on the edge of town. As they approached, they noticed Fluttershy sprinkling bird seed out for her chickens while her pet rabbit, Angel, looked on as he lazily munched on a carrot.

Noticing the two visitors, Angel hopped over to Fluttershy and tapped her on the shoulder while pointing towards them. Fluttershy looked up where Angel was pointing and saw them. "Oh, hello Twilight," she greeted, shrinking back nervously as she regarded the intimidating sorcerer towering over her. "Um…h-hello, V-V-Vaati."

"Hey Fluttershy," Twilight responded, smiling. "How are you doing?"

"Oh, um, just fine," Fluttershy answered in her usual timid voice.

"We're here for the job offer you had for Vaati," Twilight explained.

"Oh!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "I-I'm sorry, i-it must have slipped my mind."

"Do you think I'd be a good fit?" Vaati asked, trying to sound polite so as to not scare her as much.

"Um…I-I don't know…Taking care of animals is a huge responsibility."

Hmph.

Vaati blinked and looked behind him to see Angel crossing his paws, glaring at him. Yeah, that's right. Look at me. Look at the cute little bunny rabbit. You're a creep, you know that? Stay away from Fluttershy if you know what's good for you.

Vaati glared back at the rabbit. "You would do well to keep that to yourself, rabbit."

Angel recoiled in shock as Fluttershy and Twilight gasped. Oh crud! You can hear me! Angel yelped.

"Darn right I can hear you, cotton wad!" Vaati snapped.

"Vaati…you…" Twilight stuttered.

"Y-you can t-talk to animals?" Fluttershy finished, awestruck.

Vaati smirked, chuckling in amusement. "Good Goddesses, I actually almost forgot. As a Minish, I have the ability to communicate with animals. It's not unusual for my kind to hold conversations with dogs, lizards, even the occasional cat or chicken."

Fluttershy's face broke out into the most ecstatic grin Vaati had ever seen. "Oh, you could be so much help, Vaati!" she chirped, her excitement overriding her shyness. "You can keep animals calm when I fix them up, and feed them, and…oh, I'm so excited I could just scream!"

The Pegasus then squealed very quietly, failing at said scream. Vaati raised an eyebrow. "So does this mean I'm hired?"

Fluttershy managed to calm down and nodded her head. "Yes. Come to my cottage tomorrow at 6:30, bright and early."

Twilight danced in place. "You did it, Vaati! You got a job!"

Vaati grinned. "Heh. Suppose I did, huh?"

"VAATI!" a familiar voice suddenly cried.

All eyes turned to see Applejack standing a short distance away, looking quite angry. "Finally Ah found you, ya varmint!"

Vaati blinked in confusion. "What is it, Applejack?"

"You blew up our only plough! And a new one's gonna cost us a mighty bunch'a bits! Bits that were supposed to be for fixin' our old barn!"

"Well what do you expect me to do about it?"

A savage grin creased the farmpony's face. "Hold still."

Applejack then charged right at the sorcerer, his eyes widening in shock and terror. "Time for me to take my leave!" he yelped before bolting, Applejack pursuing him relentlessly around the cottage.

Twilight couldn't help but chuckle at the scene. Despite the previous trials, things were definitely looking up.

XXXXXX

Dear Princess Celestia,

I write to you at Twilight's behest, as she felt this was something you should know about. I, of all people, have learned a valuable lesson in friendship today. Strange, though. For the longest time, I was without friends, and for the longest time I convinced myself I didn't need any. Twilight has proven to me otherwise. I learned that pushing others away for the sole purpose of retaining my miserable existence out of fear of change is an unwise course of action. I discovered that friendship is not something to be laughed at or hated, but embraced. My only regret is that it took me two-hundred and seventy four years to learn that.

I grew up without kindness, and it made me a bitter person. But Twilight has shown me what it is like to have friends, to know someone who cares. I think I'm going to enjoy my retirement after all.

Sincerely,

Vaati Picoru, Sorcerer of Winds

P.S.—I got a job.

Episode 5: Return of the Palace

Episode Five: Return of the Palace

"I swear to the Golden Goddesses, if you do not eat this carrot, Angel, I'll force it down your bloody throat!" Vaati growled angrily at the offending white rabbit, pushing a half-eaten carrot into Angel's chest.

"Um...Vaati, that's n-not how you talk to the animals," Fluttershy timidly interrupted. "I-if you don't mind, that is."

Vaati sharply sucked in his breath in an attempt to calm his nerves. Smiling as kindly as he could, (which looked more like the grin of a serial killer about to strike) he held the carrot out to Angel. "Oh, Angel Bunny," he said with forced calm. "Would you be a dear and eat the rest of this carrot?"

The rabbit crossed his arms and glared stubbornly at the sorcerer, squeaking out a few choice words in his animal language. Vaati's eyes bugged out in shock and fury. "Shove it where?!" he hissed.

Angel smirked arrogantly. You heard me.

Sensing Vaati was about to blow his lid, Fluttershy reached out to put a tentative hoof on his shoulder. "Um, Vaati..."

"YOU'RE STEW, RODENT!" Vaati roared, lunging at Angel as Fluttershy jumped back with a terrified yelp.

The bunny squeaked in surprise and hopped out of Vaati's reach. Vaati scrambled to his feet and chased after Angel, completely ignoring Fluttershy's quiet cries of protest. The rabbit scurried to safety beneath Fluttershy's cottage. Vaati stared at the hole through which Angel had escaped with a look of unfathomable hatred. "I'll get you for this, rabbit," he growled, his fists shaking at his sides.

Fluttershy slowly trotted up to him. "M-maybe you should take the day off, Vaati," she shyly suggested. "If that's okay with you."

Vaati gritted his teeth for a moment before sighing in defeat and slumping his shoulders. "Yes...you're probably right. Alright then, Fluttershy, same time tomorrow?"

Fluttershy nodded.

"I'll see you then," Vaati said, heading back towards Ponyville.

The sorcerer soon reached the town, striding through the streets as he reflected on how much he hated that rabbit. He ignored the stares sent his way by the townsponies, particularly a mint-green unicorn mare's fascinated, somewhat-longing stare. He had long ago become used to the attention.

XXXXXX

The skies above Equestria were bright and clear. No clouds hung in the sky, birds twittered cheerfully as they flew through the soft blue background. Nothing could possibly spoil this fine day.

Famous last words.

It started with just a ripple. Barely noticeable, a slight shimmering in the air that could only be seen through the corner of one's eye. But then the anomaly started to grow in size and intensity. A low rumbling sound was heard. The birds scattered as a particular point of the sky began to ripple. It was hard to describe, but it seemed as though the very fringes of reality were starting to bend at this very point.

A crack of some kind tore through the sky as if it were a giant sheet of blue paper, a strange white light pouring out of the tear in reality. The rip in dimensions widened and the wind began to whip. Something was coming.

The rippling energy began to resonate through the land as something slowly began to edge its way out of the dimensional rift. Not force, as this object did not appear to be a living thing. No, it was no monster or extra-dimensional devourer of worlds or trouble-magnet Time Lord's technowizardry.

It was a massive, floating palace that looked like nothing that could be found in Equestria.

XXXXXX

Not very many could feel the mysterious energy that echoed across the land. Few were attuned to such subtle magicks, but that is not to say that the rip in time and space did not go unnoticed. In the throne room of Canterlot Castle, Princess Celestia, just as she was sipping her tea, felt it. A slight tugging in the back of her mind, a jarring realization that something had come here, to her land. The shock of the experience caused her to drop her teacup with a sharp gasp, the glass shattering and tea spilling onto the floor.

The nearby guards looked to her in concern. "Princess Celestia!" one of them spoke. "Are you alright?"

Recovering, Celestia held up a hoof. "Yes, I'm fine. I just…need to write a letter. And do get somepony to clean up this mess, please."

The guard bowed. "Right away, Your Majesty."

Celestia summoned a quill and parchment out of nowhere and began writing.

My Faithful Student, Twilight,

I know it's unusual that I am writing to you on such short notice, but I believe something has occurred here in Equestria. I don't how or why, but I feel that something has come into Equestria. I will need your help in finding out what it is. Actually, not just you. I believe we will need Vaati for this as well. What I felt was somewhat similar to what I felt when he first came to Equestria. I will be joining you all shortly so we can all investigate this strange phenomenon together. Please don't have a panic attack before I get there.

Signed,

Princess Celestia

Sighing, Celestia sent the letter off to Ponyville. She then looked down at her guards and said, "Wake Luna. I'm going out for a short while, and I need her to look after political matters while I'm away."

"Understood, Your Majesty," one replied, bowing. "I'll ready an escort at once."

"No, that's quite alright. I wish to go alone."

The guard spluttered. "B-b-but Princess! You must have an escort to watch over you!"

"I already have an escort for where I'm going, Falling Skies. Trust me, I'll be fine."

"Uh...who, Your Majesty?"

"My student Twilight Sparkle and the Wind Mage Vaati."

"Uh...are you sure it is wise to trust Vaati, Princess?"

"The matter involves him. As to whether I trust him...I cannot say. I can tell he has a past shrouded in mystery, and what little Luna has decided to divulge to me does not paint a pretty picture of what he once was. Nevertheless, he has not caused any serious trouble in the time he has been here, so I am confident his claims of retirement were sincere."

"If...if you say so, Princess," Falling Skies relented.

"Good. Now be a dear and ready my chariot. And if, on the off-chance I do not return before Luna awakens, tell her she can lower the sun in my place. I'm sure she can do it."

XXXXXX

Unbeknownst to Princess Celestia, Vaati had felt it too. The sorcerer had been grumbling to himself in the library while Twilight was studying and Spike cleaning when he had suddenly gasped, gripped his chest, and leaned against a book case to keep himself from falling over. Seeing this, Twilight shot out of her chair and ran to the winded sorcerer's side. "Vaati! Are you alright?!"

"Whoa, Vaati! What's wrong?" Spike also asked.

Vaati panted heavily for a few moments, his eyes bugged out. What he felt was so familiar. Too familiar. "I...I felt...a disturbance of some kind," he explained between breaths. "It felt...familiar."

"What, you mean like a disturbance in the force?" Spike inquired.

Vaati shot him a look. "No, you idiot. It felt like...like it..."

Vaati looked up, his eyes wide with shock and realization. "...like it was calling to me."

"'It'?" Twilight repeated in confusion.

Before Vaati could elaborate, Spike suddenly belched, exhaling a green flame surrounded by ashes. The ashes then condensed into a letter bearing the Royal Seal. "Oh! Princess Celestia sent a letter!" Twilight exclaimed, enveloping it with her magic.

"How convenient," Vaati commented dryly as he straightened up.

Twilight broke the seal and opened the letter, reading it aloud. When she was done, a look of confusion and horror spread across her face. "The P-P-Princess is coming here?!"

"Oh, cripes, not this again," Spike moaned.

"Twilight, she specifically ordered you not to have a panic attack," Vaati chided, folding his arms. "What I'm interested in, though, is how she felt it too."

"Felt what, exactly?" Twilight asked.

"It would probably be better to explain when Celestia gets here," Vaati answered.

"Princess Celestia," Twilight corrected irritably.

"I don't care."

"Has anypony ever told you how aggravating you are?"

"Yes. They were usually trying to kill me while they were saying it, so I never really bothered to pay attention."

Yet again, awkward silence followed. "Uh...maybe we should wait for Princess Celestia outside," Spike suggested, hoping to dispel the uncomfortable atmosphere.

"Excellent idea, Spike," Vaati commended a little too quickly as he strode outside, forgetting to duck his head and bumping it on the rather short doorframe. "GAH! Bloody accursed Majora-da-!"

"Vaati, there are foals present!" Twilight exclaimed sternly, indicating Spike.

Rubbing his sore head, Vaati just grumbled incoherently to himself as he stepped outside. Twilight and Spike followed him out and stood outside the library, waiting for Celestia's arrival. A few minutes passed before Vaati's sharp eyes caught sight of a distant chariot making its way towards Ponyville. "Look alive, she's coming," Vaati warned, Twilight reflexively beginning to fret.

Vaati patiently waited as the chariot descended into the town and came to a rest in front of them, the pegasus guards whinnying their arrival. Princess Celestia herself stepped off the chariot and looked at the guards. "You're dismissed, gentlecolts."

Clearly reluctant, the guards nodded and flew off back towards Canterlot as Celestia calmly trotted up to her waiting hosts. "Princess Celestia, I'm so glad to see you again!" Twilight said, hugging her mentor.

"And how wonderful to see you as well, my faithful student," Celestia answered, returning the hug. "And you as well, Spike."

Releasing Twilight, Celestia looked upon the sorcerer, his arms crossed as he nodded. "Princess," he greeted.

"It is good to see you too, Wind Mage Vaati," Celestia spoke, smiling softly, not minding the fact that Vaati would not bow to her. "I trust your lessons in friendship are working out well?"

"Better than I expected," Vaati answered nonchalantly. "I cannot deny that once upon a time, I desired a friend more than anything. Several of Twilight's friends still annoy me to the brink of insanity, though." At this, Twilight glared at him. "But I've learned to live with it. But we all know you're not here for a chat. You felt it too. The disturbance."

Celestia nodded. "I did. I take it you felt it as well?"

"Yes. And I believe I know what caused it...but the idea of it just sounds so far-fetched, and yet...it makes sense in the end."

His audience all blinked in surprise. "You know what it is?" Celestia asked.

Vaati sighed and turned away from Celestia, staring ahead at nothing in particular as he divulged more of his carefully-guarded past. "A long time ago, when I first started...causing trouble, I stumbled across an ancient temple above the clouds in the midst of my travels. An old floating castle of sorts once used by the Wind Tribe as their place of worship. It was known as the Palace of Winds."

Celestia, Twilight, and Spike silently watched the sorcerer, rapt with attention. "My first time around, I didn't get much of a chance to investigate it in detail, but during my second time, I immediately made it my base of operations, as the Wind Tribe had permanently abandoned it. It...well, it went from a base of operations to...a real home, actually. I had Wizzrobes discreetly...uh, 'collect' books and build a library, and I even set aside a room of the palace as my bedchamber. Though I never really considered the monsters that I summoned to guard the place pleasurable company, I still made it feel like home.

"The strangest thing was, and I didn't notice this at first, but there was some ancient magic running through the very foundations of the palace. This magic was responsible for keeping the palace aloft, but it had an unusual side-effect, of sorts. The palace's magic resonated with my own and...the only way I can really explain it is that the palace itself bonded with me. I became its true master. Thus, each time I was freed, I could immediately sense the Palace of Winds calling to me, and I would go to it. It even moved itself towards me upon my approach. It was rather...flattering, actually, for the very home I lived in to hold a sense of loyalty to me. It would make sense that it would follow me here."

Everyone was silent in awe. Finally, Twilight broke the silence. "So...the Palace of Winds...is sentient?"

"And it has come here to Equestria?" Celestia questioned.

Vaati nodded. "I assume so. I need to find it."

"Vaati, we should all look for it!" Twilight suggested.

Vaati looked down at her. "Why do you insist on coming?"

The sparkly look in her eyes told him everything. "Oh...right. The library."

"I wish to see this palace for myself, if you don't mind," Celestia added with a smile.

Vaati just stared at them. "...really?"

"Can I come too?" Spike interjected.

"Spike, I need you to stay here and look after the library while we're gone, okay?" Twilight answered.

Spike slumped his shoulders in defeat, though admittedly, he had expected that answer. "Oh, rats."

"Really, Spike. You felt the need to ask?" Vaati smugly quipped.

"We should leave as soon as we can," Celestia suggested. "I hope to find this palace before Luna is due to bring about the night."

"I agree," Vaati answered. "We travel light."

XXXXXX

A few hours later...

If one were to look upwards at this moment, they would witness a most peculiar sight: Princess Celestia flying through the air with a purple unicorn on her back and a strangely-dressed ape-like creature floating alongside them. As the three of them flew across the sky, Twilight turned towards Vaati and asked, "So how big is the Palace?"

Vaati thought for a moment. "About half the size of Canterlot, and just as tall, if I recall correctly."

"One thing you said before concerns me," Celestia spoke, staring ahead. "You said you had monsters guarding the Palace during your stay. Why?"

Vaati sighed. "Because it's hard to be a lord without any minions."

Celestia opened her mouth to speak further, but Twilight interrupted her. "What kind of monsters? What were they like? Are there any there now?"

"Ugh, one thing at a time, woman," Vaati complained. "In the world I am from, there are a vast array of monsters that can be summoned. Before King Demise cursed them shortly after Majora's fall, they were normal, if primitive and bestial, races just like Hylians, Gorons, and Zoras. But due to their aid in defeating the God of Evil during the first great war of Hyrule, his son Demise cast a horrible spell that eternally doomed them to the Dark World and enslaved them to the dark powers. That was how they originally came to be the servants of evil.

"Most practitioners of dark magic know the spell to summon different monsters, including other monsters. Most of them were high-ranking demon lords and noblemen either looking out for their own self-interest or attempting to resurrect Demise's reincarnation, Ganondorf. Such dark magic is also capable of enslaving predatory animals as well as raising the dead. There are very few things demon magic cannot do, save healing one's self. That is light magic. Being that I am not a fully-demonic being and am empowered by an artifact containing light magic, I am capable of using both light and dark magic. But I find myself straying off-topic.

"There are a wide assortment of monsters one can summon. The most well-known and infamous examples are the Moblins. Tall, strong pig warriors who walked upright like men. Normally dumb as a post and brutally thuggish, but they make good warriors. It was obvious why they were Ganondorf's preferred minions.

"Then there are the Wizzrobes, sorcerers who gave their souls to darkness to achieve absolute control over a single element of nature. There were Warrior Wizzrobes, who chose to specialize in offensive, non-elemental magic; Fire Wizzrobes, who exercised a great deal of control over the element of fire; Ice Wizzrobes, who could do the same with ice; and Summoner Wizzrobes, who chose to use other summoned monsters to do their dirty work, including other Wizzrobes. Most of them were rather like you, Twilight. They spent far too much time reading spellbooks in my library during lulls in action, and they usually kept to themselves.

"My best underlings were the Darknuts. They're quite similar to Diamond Dogs in appearance, but for one are a lot smarter than those gem-obsessed thugs. They are heavily armored and are very skilled in combat. They're master duelists. Even the Hero of Legend, skilled as he was, always had trouble with Darknuts. They make excellent guards, as they take the warrior code very seriously and are not easily distracted. Their whole culture is based around honor and combat, and that made them rather introverted. They rarely spoke, even off-duty, and they almost never associated with the other monsters. Before the curse, their relationships with the other monster races were lukewarm at best.

"Keatons, the distant cousins of the Darknuts, are thieves, plain and simple. Even when summoned, they are less likely to follow your orders unless doing so has money involved. They're quite agile and clever, but their greed sometimes clouds their judgment, and they're terrible in a direct fight. As such, I didn't summon them very often.

"Then there are the creatures that don't belong to a particular race. They are simply the revived corpses of fallen warriors given will by dark magic. The Stalkin are all the skeletal bodies of various fallen warrior races. Stalfos are humanoid skeletons that walk upright like me. The Stalchildren are the resurrected bones of smaller races. Stalwolves are, well, wolf skeletons. Very large skeletal monsters are commonly referred to as Stallords. Stalkin usually retain some personality traits of who they were in life, but by lacking a brain, their intelligence takes a nosedive. I didn't summon them in large quantities, but Ganon did. Then there are the ReDeads, or what you might know as zombies. They scream in order to paralyze you long enough to get close to you. And then, they jump on you, and if you can't shake them, they suck out every drop of your blood."

At this, Twilight looked like she might be sick. Celestia looked equally disturbed by the description.

"Naturally, as I didn't find the prospect of bloated, smelly, fly-ridden, blood-sucking corpses shambling around my home during the night very appealing, I did not summon them myself. Mind you, they can be reanimated by lingering dark energies alone, so a demonic being's presence is sometimes all it takes for various corpses to rise from their graves. Another specimen of reanimated creatures are Floormasters and Wallmasters. Virtually indistinguishable from each other by appearance alone, these two creatures are reanimated disembodied hands that have been given a growth spurt by the magic used to create them. Floormasters crawl along the floor on their fingers and try to claw at and ram intruders. Wallmasters are more benign, but I can never get over how deliciously aggravating they are to intruders. They lie in wait on the ceilings of certain rooms for an intruder to pass under them. If one does not see them coming, they grab the unfortunate victim and drag him all the way back to the entrance of my palace. They're a useful delaying tactic, but it is unfortunate that they do not actually harm their victims. The last example of undead minions is Poes, ghosts who are driven by hatred of the living. They carry lanterns containing flames of darkness, which they use to swipe at intruders and enemies.

"And that, I believe, covers most of the basic monster types," Vaati finished. "As for whether or not any are still there…I doubt it. If there are any monsters left over, the Hero usually wipes them out before leaving the Palace after he defeats me."

Silence followed as Twilight and Celestia processed this information. Most of these monsters sounded scary and unpleasant to be around, but a morbidly curious part of Twilight could not help but hope she could meet some of these strange creatures.

And then Vaati abruptly stopped and looked directly ahead, causing Celestia to halt as well. "There it is," he spoke, awed. "It's here. It's actually here."

Celestia and Twilight looked directly ahead and witnessed a phenomenal sight. Sitting atop a blanket of clouds was a truly magnificent palace. Its grandeur could almost rival Canterlot's. The architecture spoke of an ancient, long-forgotten culture whose craftsmanship was the envy of many. Great spires reached into the sky, topped with violet pointed roofs. Numerous windows of the palace were adorned with stained glass depicting a strange eye looking upwards. Parts of its infrastructure held a church-like quality to it.

"Whoa," Twilight breathed, awestruck at the sight.

"This…this is an impressive structure," Celestia added, breath-taken as well. "Wrought of stone, and yet it sits atop the clouds as though it weighs nothing…I've never seen this kind of magic before. It's…amazing!"

Vaati smirked despite himself. "Well, well. Even the great Princess Celestia is impressed. I'd say that's an achievement in and of itself. Shall we?"

His two escorts nodded dumbly, still transfixed by the magnificent Palace of Winds as they began flying towards it. A few minutes later, they touched down on the soft clouds right outside the main entrance. The four devices that had maintained the barrier blocking access to the Palace were still there, though they were no longer functional thanks to a certain meddling hero. No matter; that just meant Vaati didn't have to deactivate them. "Welcome, my esteemed guests, to the Palace of Winds," Vaati grandly announced, flourishing his hand towards the entrance.

The three of them entered the Palace and took in the sights. The main hall was a grand sight to behold, with rows of stained-glass windows pouring colored light into the room. The hall branched off in several directions, leading to other areas. Celestia and Twilight gazed in wonder upon the sight. Vaati, however, immediately felt something was wrong. He scrutinized the scene before him, and soon realized something.

The halls were barren. The tapestries, the suits of armor, all gone. Vaati's eye twitched as his anger grew. Someone had ransacked his palace. The thought alone made the Wind Mage's blood boil. Noticing the sorcerer's furious expression, Twilight asked, "Uh, Vaati? You okay there?"

Vaati gritted his teeth in response. "Someone was here before us. Someone took all the tapestries and suits of armor I had set up along the hallways. My palace…has been robbed!"

"Hey! What're you freaks doin' in our hideout?!" a teenaged voice demanded arrogantly.

The three of them whipped around to see a pair of reptilian creatures glaring at them. One had black scales, horns that curved like a ram's, a lean build, and a pair of grey-webbed wings folded at his back. The other was of stocky build, with green scales, diseased-looking horns pointing straight back behind his head, and a pair of smaller wings that looked like they wouldn't be able to hold him aloft during flight.

Vaati ground his teeth in rage as he realized the identity of the intruders. "Dragons."

XXXX-DRAMATIC COMMERCIAL BREAK-XXXX

"Yo, chump!" the black dragon snapped at Vaati. "I said, what're you doin' in our hideout?!"

"Your hideout?!" Vaati snarled angrily. "Excuse me, you big dumb lizard, but this is MY palace!"

The green dragon chuckled. "I don't see your name on it."

Vaati irritably gestured towards the stained-glass windows. "In case you didn't know, that is my emblem! I am the Wind Mage Vaati, and you are in MY PALACE!"

"Listen, loser!" the black dragon sneered. "We were here first, so you and your prissy little pony friends can bug off!"

"Hey!" Twilight complained, offended.

"Now let's everyone just calm down for a moment," Celestia bade, stepping forward. "I am Princess Celestia. Surely you know of me?"

"Yeah, big whoop," the black teenage dragon scoffed. "Yeah, I know who you are. Well guess what? Both our fathers're Dragon Lords. I'm Char, son of Moragon the Black!"

"And I'm Plague, son of Pestilence the Vile!" the green dragon boasted.

"That explains your stench," Vaati commented rudely, waving his hand in front of his face as if to ward it off.

"Vaati, enough," Celestia calmly reprimanded before turning towards the two teenage dragons. "Now, Char and Plague, I understand that each dragon sets out at your age to secure a hoard and home for themselves, but this palace actually does belong to Vaati here, so we would all appreciate it if you let him have it back."

Char folded his arms. "Sorry, Sparkles, but we ain't goin' nowhere. This is our place now."

"Would you like it to serve as your graves, you infantile wretches?!" Vaati growled.

Ignoring the fuming sorcerer, Celestia said, "I ask that you reconsider. I really would prefer not to force you out of here and let you leave of your own free will."

"You won't dare," Char answered smugly. "You know why? Because you don't wanna tick off two Dragon Lords who both have considerable influence in the high council and could easily convince the whole dragon nation to declare war on Equestria for threatening us."

Twilight's jaw dropped. "You'd start a war over this place?! Innocent ponies would be killed just so you can keep the palace all to yourselves…that's…that just…rrgh! How can you be so bucking selfish?!"

"Twilight, language," Celestia warned, trying to maintain her patience.

Char was right, though. This was a very precarious situation they now were all in. Dragon politics were very difficult for Equestrians to deal with, and dragons would not hesitate to invade any country they felt had slighted or threatened them. Though Celestia knew she and her sister could likely defeat them, it would not be before a significant portion of Equestria was burning around them.

"Alright. Fine. You can have it," Vaati spoke.

Twilight and Celestia both looked at the glaring mage in surprise. "If you feel like this place is worth a whole war over, then you can keep it," Vaati explained. Suddenly, though, the sorcerer grinned savagely. "Although, I will have to warn you. You may not like what happens after nightfall."

He glanced at his two companions. "Alright, let's go."

Without another word, Vaati strode out the door, Celestia and Twilight in tow. "I don't understand," Twilight said. "You're just giving up?"

Vaati said nothing as he stepped off the edge of the cloud and floated down underneath it. "Vaati?" Celestia spoke, letting Twilight hop onto her back and following the sorcerer, who was waiting directly underneath the cloud.

"I am most certainly not giving up like this," Vaati whispered, still grinning evilly. "The Palace of Winds is mine. It will always be mine. And I have an idea on how to get rid of our scaly interlopers. However…"

Vaati paused. Eager for him to finish, Celestia said, "Yes?"

"However, we will have to wait until nightfall to pull it off. And I am going to need a little help from some…familiar faces, so to speak."

Celestia and Twilight's eyes widened. "You…you're going to summon your monsters, aren't you?" Twilight hesitantly asked.

"I am. But I must warn you both. What you will see will be creatures you Equestrian could not imagine in your worst nightmares; beasts of legend whose very names send shivers down the people's spines. Are you prepared? Are you ready to be the first Equestrians to bear witness to the monsters of Hyrule?"

Celestia looked uncertain. "What of what happens afterwards? What will your monsters do then?"

"Do not worry, Celestia," Vaati replied, idly brushing off a fleck of dust from his cape. "They will stay inside the palace if I order them to…which I will, of course. After all, I can't keep this entire palace cleaned up all by myself, now can I?"

"…I suppose not," Celestia answered. "Very well, what should we do?"

XXXXXX

Palace of Winds, nightfall…

The moon shined brightly over the Palace of Winds, its soft light illuminating certain parts of the Great Hall in various shades of purple. The rest of the palace was dark and silent. In a certain room of the ancient temple, all the treasures Char and Plague had found throughout the parts of the palace they had explored today were piled into the middle of the room. Lying on top of their spoils were the two teenage dragons, smirking triumphantly. "Dude, I can't believe our luck!" Plague said with a grin. "Two days out 'n about and we already found this awesome hangout!"

Char sighed contentedly. "Yeah…and we even got to scare off that prissy pony princess too!"

The two youngsters shared a chuckle. "Aw yeah, that was sweet! The look on her face when ya told her off, ho boy! Hahahaha!" Plague laughed.

Char held up a gold goblet adorned with four large rubies and studied it nonchalantly. "Ya know, we haven't explored the whole place yet. I bet there's even cooler stuff up on the higher levels. We can look up there tomorrow."

"Yeah, I can't wait 'til…"

Suddenly they heard something strange. A slight scratching noise, as though something with claws was crawling across a stone floor. The noise was also getting louder, meaning that, whatever it was, it was approaching them. "What the heck?" Char said, glancing about suspiciously. "What is that?"

Something clicked in Plague's mind at that moment, and he gulped. "Hey, uh…Char? Remember when that weird guy told us about…w-what happens at night?"

"Yeah…I bet that's him! Sneaky little runt, I'll roast him when he gets here!"

The scratching noise was getting louder; it had almost reached their hoard. "Alright, who goes there?!" Char challenged, looking into the darkness. A strange shape could barely be seen moving through the dark. A moment later, though, the creature crawled into view, illuminated by the moonlight coming through one of the windows.

It was a large, rotted, disembodied hand with sharp, decayed claws. Char and Plague stared at it for a few horrifying seconds.

And then the Floormaster lunged at them.

"GYAAAAH!" Char screeched like a filly, scrambling backwards to avoid the zombified hand crawling murderously after him.

Plague jumped back and stared at the Floormaster trying to corner Char when he suddenly felt something wrap around his leg. He looked down to see that another Floormaster had grabbed hold of his leg. "H-HOLY VLADEZRÂDI, THEY'RE EVERYWHERE!" Plague screamed in terror, trying to shake the monster off his leg.

"Heh heh heh heh," a menacing voice laughed in the darkness.

Two pinpricks of red light glowed in the darkness right behind Char. "Char, look out! Somethin's behind ya!" Plague warned.

Char whirled around to see a skeletal creature walk into the light, wearing tarnished red armor on its shoulders and legs and brandishing a rust-covered, but still deadly-sharp sword. The skin and muscle had long since rotted to dust, leaving the skull to flash a permanent rictus grin. Two glowing lights shone from its otherwise-empty eye sockets that bore menacingly into the teenage dragon as the Stalfos laughed again.

Finally getting the Floormaster to release his leg, Plague cried out, "L-let's get out of h-h-here, Char!"

Char barely managed to avoid a swipe of the Stalfos's razor-sharp blade and bolted. "Run! Run for your lives!" Char yelled.

"T-the treasure-!"

"FORGET IT!"

The two dragons ran into the main hall…and were greeted by dozens of strange, intimidating monsters whose eyes glowed menacingly in the dark. Giant two-legged beasts with heads like boars, floating ghost-like creatures carrying lanterns, more skeletons, strange wizard-like creatures with fire and ice flickering in their hats, and great armored knights who carried swords big enough to easily chop each dragon in two. All were armed. All were dangerous. And all of them looked mad.

Char and Plague shrieked like little girls and ran for the main entrance, desperate to escape. The horde of monsters chased after them, bellowing war cries and brandishing their weapons. The two dragons tripped over each other several times in their desperation to escape, until finally they managed to escape through the entrance. The minute they felt the cool night air, the two dragons spread their wings and took off, retreating back towards dragon territory with their tails between their legs. Slowly the monsters' roaring and bellowing degenerated into raucous, howling laughter as they laughed at the cowardly dragons they had just ejected from the palace.

Vaati, Twilight, and Princess Celestia shortly entered the grand hall where the group of monsters was gathered. The Wind Mage clapped his hands. "Bravo, gentlemen, bravo!" Vaati congratulated with his usual, slightly condescending drawl. "I don't think they'll be coming back anytime soon. Excellent job, boys."

The monsters hooted and hollered their approval of their master's words, shaking their weapons in the air. The Floormasters reared like horses, indicating their approval as well. After they quieted down, Vaati clapped his hands together and rubbed them together. "Alright then! Now that that's over with, allow me to give you the low-down on the situation here. This here is Princess Celestia, the ruler of the world we are currently in. Yes, we are not currently in Hyrule. And this is Twilight Sparkle, one of the citizens of this world."

One of the nearby Moblins licked its chops. "It looks tasty," it grunted, eliciting a gasp of horror from Twilight.

"Before any of you get any bright ideas, Twilight here is a friend of mine, and I will not tolerate any of you trying to eat her."

"What about the big one, then?" another Moblin immediately spoke up, a nonplussed look crossing Celestia's face at the implications.

"She's off-limits too," Vaati responded. "Furthermore, all of Equestria's citizens are off-limits as well. We are here as guests, not conquerors. So get used to the fact that we aren't going to do any real plundering anytime soon."

The monsters all grumbled in protest but soon capitulated, knowing that arguing with their master was not a wise course of action. With the creatures pacified, Vaati turned to Twilight and Celestia. "I think they got the hint, girls. Now, let's get this lovely place to Ponyville. From there, I can watch over the populace and still be able to interact with them on a regular basis without having to travel long distances each way."

Celestia nodded. "Very well. Just make sure to keep these creatures on a tight leash. I won't tolerate them causing trouble, understand?"

"A crash course in Equestrian culture should set them straight quickly enough," Vaati dismissively said. "Now, stand back. My palace needs my guidance."

Vaati held his arms out and closed his eyes. Suddenly they all felt a slight lurch as the Palace of Winds began moving through the sky.

XXXXXX

When the citizens of Ponyville awoke the next morning, they began to go through their daily routine. Applejack readied the buckets for apple bucking, Rainbow Dash combed her mane before heading out to do weather work, Rarity applied her makeup and got Sweetie Belle ready for school, Pinkie Pie started baking stuff for the bakery, and Fluttershy woke up and prepared to greet Vaati for another day of animal care.

Each one of them soon noticed something looming over the town several thousand feet above them. Floating over the town was a floating castle of impressive size. As more and more ponies noticed the Palace of Winds casting an ominous shadow over Ponyville, they reacted with varying degrees of fear and confusion. Some hid in their homes and barricaded the doors, while others just stood in the streets and stared up at the imposing structure.

Soon, however, something surprising happened. Three figures descended from the looming palace and landed in the center of town, revealing themselves to be none other than Princess Celestia herself, Twilight Sparkle, and the sorcerer, Vaati. Easing up considerably with the presence of their princess, the gathered townsponies bowed. Celestia smiled. "Rise, my little ponies. I have an announcement to make."

They all stood up and listened to Celestia's words. "The building you see above you is an ancient fortress called the Palace of Winds. It does not hail from our world, but from Vaati's. This was his home before he came here, and it is where he shall be living now."

Vaati happened to notice Fluttershy in the crowd and said with a smug grin, "Oh, Fluttershy? Just so you know, I quit. And be sure to tell Angel Bunny that he's rabbit meat next time I see him."

Fluttershy did not protest. The sorcerer then noticed that Twilight looked a little dejected. "What's wrong with you?" he inquired.

"Nothing," Twilight answered. "It's…it's just that…with you moving back into your palace, it'll be just me and Spike again, and I…I kinda enjoyed having you around."

Vaati rolled his eyes. "What? It's not like you can't visit me. Besides, I have my own library."

Twilight's eyes widened in wonder. "Libraryyyy," she cooed happily.

The whole town shared a laugh at Twilight's antics. Unbeknownst to them, up in the palace, various beastly faces looked down upon the ponies, unable to deny the fact that they looked delicious. It was going to take some serious effort on Vaati's part to curb their unsavory appetites.

Author's Note

My God, this took forever. I am so so so so so sorry for the long wait. But real life is a real motivation killer, and I was also having trouble coming up with what I would do for this chapter. I had originally planned for this to happen later, but I was out of ideas and needed something quick. But here it is at last!

Please don't chase me down with torches and pitchforks. ._.

Episode 6: Culture Shock

Episode Six: Culture Shock

Palace of Winds, above Ponyville…

"Okay, let's go over this…one. More. Time."

Vaati was currently surrounded by his ever-faithful entourage of palace monsters, most of whom were looking at him with varying degrees of confusion and lack of comprehension. Vaati could feel a migraine coming on as he attempted to explain the workings of Equestrian society and the ground rules for the third time that morning. "Listen. The ponies who live down there are not to be eaten. At all. Ever. No exceptions. Understand?"

The group of monsters tentatively nodded their heads. "Good. Now, also, unless I say so, you are all to remain in the palace at all times, looking after the place. Is that understood as well?"

The monsters all nodded their heads again. "Furthermore, it appears many of the animals inhabiting this world are sentient, meaning they can think like us. Those owned by any of the pony citizens are off-limits too. However, beyond the town lies an expansive forest full of vicious creatures of various sizes. All of them are fair game to hunt, but expect your prey to fight back. Manticores have lethal venom stocked in their tails and cockatrices can turn you to stone if you look into their eyes. And for the love of Din, don't aggravate the giant bears. They aren't worth it."

The monsters nodded once more, almost appearing like a life-size assortment of novelty bobble heads. Vaati then looked to the congregation of Wizzrobes gathered at the far right. "As for you lot, I'm afraid you will not be 'collecting' books for me as you once did."

The Wizzrobes collectively groaned. The one standing in front, who wore green robes signifying him as a Warrior Wizzrobe, crossed his arms and said, "And why is that, sir?"

"As it so happens, Nigellas, the nearest library, down in the town, happens to be the home of my friend, Twilight Sparkle. For starters, I have already read every single book in her library, and therefore don't need any of you to pilfer them. The main reason, though, is because Twilight boasts an incredible amount of magical potential I have yet to fully comprehend the extent of."

The Wizzrobe Nigellas cocked an unseen eyebrow at this, while the other Wizzrobes stared at Vaati with varying degrees of doubt. "She is also nearly, if not just as, obsessed with books and knowledge as you all are, and I would like to make a point of not drawing her ire."

Several of the Wizzrobes resisted the urge to laugh in disbelief. Nigellas himself didn't look particularly convinced either. "I find myself doubting that a talking horse with a tattoo on her rear can be nearly as knowledgeable and book-savvy as us Wizzrobes."

Vaati coughed and pointed his thumb off to the side. Nigellas and his fellows all glanced at where he was pointing and found said unicorn sitting on the floor by one of the many bookshelves, nearly two-thirds of the bookshelf's contents stacked around her as she avidly read a volume of the Hyrule Historia. She didn't seem to notice the group of Wizzrobes staring slack-jawed at her. Snapping his fingers to catch their attention again, Vaati asked, "Any more questions?"

"…"

"Excellent. Now Nigellas, there is one thing you can do for me."

"Uh…yes, sir?"

"On the outskirts of the town is an apple farm. Bring back some apple seeds and plant them in the palace garden. Don't let Applejack catch you."

"It will be done, milord," Nigellas answered, saluting before teleporting away.

With that out of the way, Vaati turned his attention back towards the rest of his minions. One of the Moblins was busy picking his nose. "Stop that, it's disgusting," Vaati ordered.

Caught in the act, the Moblin pulled his finger out and snorted, accidentally flinging a nasty loogie into the shoulder pad of a Darknut with black armor and cape and a horned helmet. The Black Knight looked at the offending globule, then back at the sniffing Moblin.

The last thing that Moblin felt before abruptly blacking out was an armored fist crashing into his face.

With the Moblin unconscious, the Black Knight fished out a kerchief from his breastplate and wiped the booger off, flinging the dirtied cloth onto the offender's face. "Could you not do that in the middle of a meeting?" Vaati tiredly scolded.

The Black Knight only grumbled in response before returning to his place alongside his fellow Darknuts. "So, does everyone finally understand what to do?" Vaati asked.

After a few moments, all the monsters finally nodded, eliciting a sigh of relief from Vaati. "Good. Now get this place fully cleaned up. I want everything back where it was before, tapestries, suits of armor, everything. Hop to it, boys."

The monsters dispersed to attend to their assignments, leaving Vaati on his own. The sorcerer walked over to where Twilight was reading. She was so engrossed in her book that she didn't notice him looming over her from behind. Looking over her shoulder, Vaati could see that she was currently in the middle of the section regarding the Hyrulean War Against Majora. Her eyes were wide with horrified fascination as she continued to take in the information.

"By this time, untold millions had died in the demon raids. Scholars today still do not know the exact number of casualties suffered, but it is generally believed that, by the time the surviving races had finally organized under the leadership of Her Grace and the First Warrior, Hyrule's population was reduced to a quarter of what it once was. Nevertheless, the forces gathered would be enough to finally resist the might of Majora…"

"A fascinating subject, history," Vaati spoke, startling Twilight. "An endless epic of lessons learned, mistakes repeated…and lives lost."

Twilight put a hoof to her chest to calm her pounding heart. "Vaati, you startled me! That wasn't funny!"

"My aim wasn't humor," Vaati replied. "I take it you were familiarizing yourself with the single most cataclysmic event in our history?"

Her breathing resuming an even rhythm, Twilight sighed, choosing her words carefully. "I…uh, yeah. I remember some of the things you told me about Majora, and…what he was capable of…but, to actually read detailed accounts of what he had done…all the lives he took, the families he ruined, the curses his servants spread…it's just…it's terrifying to think about. You were right; not even Discord was this cruel. A-and the fact that Majora tried to destroy the entire world just so he could boast about it to the other gods…I feel bad that your world suffered such a terrible tragedy."

Vaati looked away solemnly. "Hyrule is not a happy place, Twilight. Its history is rife with war and conflict. Sure, there are golden ages, but they never last, for ancient, evil powers will always return to cut them short and yet again usher in a time of darkness."

Twilight gulped nervously. "You were one of those…powers, weren't you?"

Vaati gave a humorless chuckle. "I pride myself with being far more benign compared to fiends like Ganon, though I do admit I was no more popular among the populace than he. I just kidnapped maidens to provide me company for the most part, though my first time around I really did try to take over Hyrule. Almost succeeded too. But the power got to my head and I completely lost it. It wasn't until I did some honest thinking that I was able to break out of my power craze. That's when I retired and accidentally brought myself here."

Twilight looked down at the book. "It's hard to imagine, though…that such a place exists. So much war and violence and so little peace."

Vaati scoffed bitterly. "Oh, it gets better as it goes on. Demons weren't the only thing they fought. There have been numerous sectarian conflicts and civil wars that further stain the lands red with the blood of the innocent. The Goron-Zora War, the Hylian War of Unification, the Hylian Conquest, the Labrynnian Invasion, the list goes on. That's not even including the Imprisoning War when Ganondorf first appeared."

The sheer number of wars that could be fought in one world was mind-shattering to Twilight. "W-we've only had a few wars in the entire history of Equestria, but none of them were like this. The Pegasus-Unicorn-Earth Pony feud ended after Equestria was founded. The only true wars we had were the Griffon-Pony War and the Sombratic War, neither of which I know much about."

"At least you all got over your racism. Hylians certainly haven't."

Twilight's ears momentarily flattened against the side of her head as she heard this. "Call it a day, Twilight," Vaati suggested. "The more you read, the worse it gets. I don't want to bring you home a blubbering wreck. I doubt Pinkie would let me hear the end of it."

Twilight managed to chuckle a bit before closing the book and telekinetically returning them all to their proper places on the shelves. Vaati decided not to wonder aloud why she didn't do that in her own library and folded his arms. "Other than that, are you enjoying yourself?"

"Well, now that I think about it, I was too caught up with reading your books to really investigate the rest of this place," Twilight admitted. "I want to see the whole palace, but I'll admit…" At this, Twilight glanced at the recovering Moblin who was dazedly picking itself up off the floor and rubbing its nose, resolving to find the Black Knight and exact unholy vengeance upon the Darknut commander. "Your monsters kind of make me nervous."

"I wouldn't worry about them," Vaati answered dismissively. "The Darknuts and Wizzrobes are my most intelligent monsters and understand my orders. They'll make sure to keep the Moblins in line."

"What are they all going to eat, though?" Twilight inquired. "They look like carnivores, and ponies don't eat meat."

"I told them they can go hunting in the Everfree Forest. I assume that manticores, parasprites, and cockatrices are fair game, right?"

"Well, yeah but…" The more Twilight thought about it, though, she realized most of those monsters looked perfectly capable of bringing down manticores. Putting that uncomfortable thought aside, Twilight then said, "Also, before we head back to town, there's…uh, something I want to ask you."

Vaati quirked an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Twilight suddenly appeared very timid, unsure of whether or not it was a good idea to ask him her question. He was briefly reminded of Fluttershy. "Come on, Twilight," Vaati spoke slightly impatiently, "spit it out."

Twilight took a deep breath. "Ok, uh…Vaati, my friends, a-and some other ponies…um, w-wanted to see the palace too. I-I was hoping you'd, uh, l-let them."

Vaati frowned. "If I didn't already know that you have no concept of humor I'd think you were trying to be funny."

"But…they really want to see it," Twilight pleaded, looking up at Vaati with big, watery eyes.

Vaati stared silently at her for several moments. "Please stop looking at me like that."

"…"

"I said stop it."

"…"

"Twilight…"

"…"

"Please…I can't take it!"

"…"

"Alright, fine! You win! I'll let them come."

Twilight clapped her hooves in joy. "Oh, this is going to be so great!"

"BUT," Vaati interrupted sternly. "You must make sure that they all behave. My monsters may be loyal to me and will follow my orders, but I cannot guarantee your well-being if any of you start harassing them. They're not used to this kind of attention and aren't very adept at social interactions. Have I made myself clear?"

Twilight hastily nodded.

"Good," Vaati replied. "Now let's get you back down to the surface. I suspect Spike is starting to get lonely."

Twilight rolled her eyes in amusement as Vaati led her outside the palace onto the magic cloud that kept the magnificent structure aloft. At the very edge of the cloud was a floating platform made of stone with various ornate markings matching those of the inner palace. Shortly after bringing the palace to Ponyville two days ago, Vaati had rigged this slab of stone with the same anti-gravitational magic used to direct floating platforms in many of Hyrule's infamous temple dungeons. The platform had been rigged to ferry passengers between the town square of Ponyville and the Palace of Winds.

Many of the townsponies still had a habit of looking up at the looming structure every so often. Thus, several townsfolk watched as the platform containing the sorcerer and Twilight descended into the middle of the town, the librarian disembarking while Vaati stayed on. "I'll have everypony ready by noon tomorrow," Twilight said. "That'll give you time to prepare your minions for our arrival."

Vaati nodded in agreement. "I'll remember that. Good day to you, Twilight."

"Bye, Vaati!"

As Vaati directed the platform back up to the palace, Twilight trotted back to the library. She opened the door and, to her surprise, found all of her friends waiting for her. "Ah, there you are, Twilight!" Rarity greeted.

"Hey, girls," Twilight responded. "What're you all doing here?"

"We all wanna know what Vaati said!" Rainbow Dash answered, hovering in the air as usual. "So, did he say yes?"

Twilight nodded.

"Oh boy oh boy oh boy!" Pinkie Pie squealed, overjoyed as she bounced up and down hyperactively. "I can't wait to see his big ol' palace and all those monsters and then I can throw them a Welcome-to-Ponyville party and-!"

"However, he has some conditions," Twilight interrupted, prompting Pinkie to cut her behavior short. "First of all, he wants us to behave. The Palace of Winds is huge. It's got enough rooms to house a small army. Because of that, Vaati said we need to stick close to each other. We can't get lost, because Vaati doesn't really want to have to round any of us up if we get lost. Secondly, he wants us to leave the monsters alone."

"Aww," Pinkie moaned.

"The reason for this is that his monsters are all warriors. All that they've ever known is fighting, warfare, and protecting the palace from intruders. Our society is as alien to them as theirs is to us. They aren't used to this kind of attention, and it may provoke them if we aren't careful."

"But Vaati said he'd keep his varmints on a leash," Applejack pointed out tersely.

"Even so, he specifically said that he can't guarantee our safety if we provoke or antagonize any of his monsters. He may be their boss and he may have ordered them to be civil around us, but they'll retaliate if they feel threatened. Pinkie, that means no parties or trying to make friends with them. They won't understand what you're doing and they won't like it."

Pinkie Pie pouted a little bit, but soon relented. She may have been hyperactive about making friends and all that, but she could understand if someone wasn't comfortable with the idea of friends. But it was something she knew a few weeks in Ponyville couldn't fix, so she still found a reason to smile.

"Now that we know that, I want to make the rules very specific for each of you," Twilight said, indicating each of her friends. "Rainbow Dash, keep your ego under control. The monsters probably won't think very highly of you at first glance, so don't try to pick a fight with any of them." Rainbow Dash grumbled a little and crossed her front legs. "Pinkie Pie, no throwing parties, no pestering the monsters. Got it?" Pinkie nodded. "Rarity, Vaati likes his palace the way it is. No suggesting alternate decorations. And please, no commenting on the monsters' attire if you think it's unfashionable. They don't care." Rarity's expression was a mix of emotions ranging from confusion to disappointment. "Fluttershy, stick close to everypony. I really don't want you getting lost in the palace with all those monsters about, okay?" Fluttershy timidly nodded, still unsure whether she wanted to go or not. "And Applejack, don't let your pride get the better of you. A lot of these monsters are vain by nature." Applejack 'harumph'ed audibly. "So does everyone understand what to do?"

The rest of the Mane Six nodded. At that moment, Spike made his presence known, having finished cleaning the library. "Hey, can I come too, Twi?" he asked hopefully.

"No, Spike," Twilight answered sternly. "First of all, I need you to keep an eye on the library in case somepony comes to check out a book. Second of all, I don't quite trust Vaati's monsters enough just yet to not eat you on sight. Vaati never mentioned baby dragons to them."

Spike gulped and shrank back behind Rarity, as if afraid that one of these aforementioned monsters might suddenly burst into the library and gobble him up. "Okay, Vaati said that he'll take us up there at noon tomorrow on that floating platform. Has anypony else expressed interest in going?"

"I'm glad you asked," came a male voice with a distinct Braytish accent from behind.

Twilight jumped in shock before turning around and seeing who it was. Three ponies had just entered the library as well: the mint-green unicorn musician Lyra Heartstrings, the cross-eyed mailmare pegasus Derpy Hooves, and the town clock-maker and eccentric inventor Doctor Time-Turner Whooves. "Oh, hello Doctor," Twilight greeted. "Nice to see you. Derpy, Lyra."

"Hi, Twilight!" Derpy greeted happily, waving a hoof.

"We'd all like to go too," Lyra stated with a dreamy smile. "Finally I can get close to Vaati and see a little bit of what his world is like."

Twilight chuckled, remembering Lyra's fascination with humans. Up until Vaati had arrived, everypony thought her research and stories were hogwash. Well, at least everypony except Whooves of course, who kept his reasons a secret that only few knew.

"Ah yes," Whooves chuckled. "You and your fascination with humans. Right then, I would also like to inform you that Mayor Mare intends to come too. I'm rather excited. Aren't you all excited?"

"I haven't been this excited since we got chased by those weird bug-lizard things back on that volcanic planet!" Derpy exclaimed, eliciting looks of confusion from the Mane Six.

Doctor Whooves chuckled nervously. "Ah haha, Derpy, I thought we agreed never to talk about that," he said, grinning weakly as his eyes darted around.

"Oops, sorry!" Derpy responded, motioning at her mouth like she was zipping it shut.

Twilight raised an eyebrow. She knew the doctor was strange, and she had heard some rumors that there was more to him than it seemed, but then she remembered what Celestia had said to Vaati when he had first come here. Traveling between worlds took more power than what both princesses together had. Then again, that raised the question of how Vaati was able to manage it in the first place. Has the Doctor been to other worlds before? Twilight thought to herself. I should ask him later.

"So I take it Mr. Vaati plans to take us all up there noon tomorrow?" Whooves asked, returning to the subject at hand.

Twilight nodded. "Mhm. He also doesn't want anypony to get lost in the palace or bother his monsters."

Whooves raised a curious eyebrow. "Monsters, you say?"

"Yeah. Vaati has these monsters that guard and help look after his palace."

Whooves rubbed his chin with his hoof. "How intriguing! I'm looking forward to seeing these creatures in person!"

Whooves turned around to leave. "Allons-y, girls! See you tomorrow, Twilight!"

Lyra and Derpy followed the doctor out. "Great, now we got the resident mad scientist and village klutz along for the ride too," Rainbow groaned.

"Everything will be fine, Rainbow," Twilight said. "However, one thing does interest me."

"Uh…what?" Applejack asked.

"What Derpy said about her and the Doctor being chased by monsters on another world…I can't help but wonder…have they gone to alternate worlds too? I wonder if they ever went to Vaati's?"

"Derpy Hooves hasn't ever been completely, ehrm, right in the head, so to speak," Rarity said. "I wouldn't pay much attention to her bizarre stories, or Time-Turner's, for that matter."

Twilight decided to dwell on that later. Right now she needed to prepare for what was sure to be an eventful day tomorrow.

XXXXXX

Palace of Winds…

Most of the palace decorations had been returned to their proper places by now. The Moblins and Darknuts had put the suits of armor back together, and now they lined the main hall as they did once before. Poes, Wizzrobes, and Wallmasters were hard at work hanging the tapestries back up. Vaati smiled to himself as he supervised his henchmen's handiwork. Now this place was truly feeling like his home again. Since those infernal teenage dragons had had only enough time to hoard all the valuables on the ground floor, returning them to their proper places was talking a lot less time than it could have.

Soon it was all done, and Vaati took a moment to bask in the blessed familiarity of his home before beckoning his monsters over. "Gentlemen, you've done a splendid job," Vaati congratulated. "Now this place feels like a home again. The reason I've called you over is because I have an announcement to make. Tomorrow, we're going to have guests. Several of the more prominent residents of Ponyville have expressed their wishes to see the palace for themselves."

"Something tells me you didn't say no," Nigellas spoke flatly.

Vaati shot the head Wizzrobe a look before continuing. "Listen up. I intend to make a good impression on them. That means you need to make a good impression on them as well. Don't go out of your way to make yourselves appear intimidating, don't harass them, just go about your business, and don't eat them."

"They're bloody talking ponies," the Black Knight huffed. "They look like something out of a Hylian children's book. They're not worth the Darknuts' time."

The other Darknuts nodded their heads and mumbled in agreement. "As long as those unicorns don't try to tell us that they think they're better than us Wizzrobes," Nigellas warned, "then whatever."

"Nigellas, make sure you and your cohorts keep a lid on your egos," Vaati ordered. "Some of them have their own to match."

Nigellas folded his arms and grumbled incoherently like he usually did whenever he disapproved of something. "Tasty horses better not bother us," one Moblin grunted.

"Asking you a question or two will not be considered harassing," Vaati warned. "So don't get angry just because one of them said hi or something, got it?"

The Moblin growled in discontent but nodded in agreement. "Alright, everyone," Vaati spoke. "Rest up. I want everything to be perfect tomorrow, so be on your best behavior or I kick you off the palace roof. And yes, it's a long way down."

With that, the monsters dispersed to await tomorrow in their own ways.

XXXXXX

The next day, noon…

The Mane Six, Doctor Whooves, Mayor Mare, Lyra, and Derpy all stood in the town square, waiting for the floating platform to reach the town to take them all up to the Palace of Winds. After a few minutes, they could all see the platform descending slowly towards them until it finally came to a rest at their hooves. "Alright, everypony," Twilight bade. "Hop on."

The lift couldn't fit them all, but since Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Derpy were all pegasi, they all just flew alongside the platform, allowing enough room for the others to get on. "How fascinating!" Whooves remarked with a laugh, looking over the side as they slowly ascended further up into the sky. "I haven't seen this kind of magic before! Although I must say, Vaati could learn to invest a little in guardrails."

Everypony made sure to not make any sudden movements so that they wouldn't accidentally fall off. Whooves definitely had a point; a guardrail wouldn't make this a problem. The minutes ticked away as they got closer to the awaiting palace. Looking up, the gathered ponies finally began to appreciate just how large the Palace of Winds really was. Soon its towering spires blotted out the sun, leaving them in the darkness of the palace's imposing shadow. None of them save Twilight, who had already been here twice before, could help feeling somewhat intimidated by the impressive structure as they finally reached the large magic cloud upon which the palace's foundations lay.

Having reached their destination, they all disembarked, stepping onto the soft cloud. After all, it could hold up a palace; surely it could hold up Earth ponies. Indeed it did, and Doctor Whooves laughed in exhilaration. "Blimey, this is spectacular! In all my lives…uh, life, excuse me…I've never experienced walking on a cloud, of all things! Ha, Equestria is such a wonderful place!"

They all looked up at the palace gate, which was closed. A strange eye-like design was painted onto the front door. Before any of them could think on that, the outer doors slowly began to creak open. Twilight rolled her eyes. Vaati and his flair for dramatics, she mused to herself.

Soon the doors swung all the way open, revealing Vaati standing calmly at the threshold. "Ah, you have arrived," he greeted with his trademark smug grin. "Welcome, my esteemed guests, to the Palace of Winds!"

Raising an arm, the sorcerer beckoned the ponies into his magnificent home. As they all entered, they all took in their surroundings and their jaws dropped in awe. The many tapestries, paintings, and suits of armor gave the place a royal feel, as if a king lived there rather than a sorcerer. Several expressions of 'ooh', 'ahh', and 'cool' emanated from the guests as they marveled at the foreign architecture presented before them.

Vaati snapped his fingers and summoned some scrolls. "Now, these here are maps of the palace so that you don't get lost," he informed them, opening one up as an example. "Explore at your leisure. However, you will likely come across several of my servants during your exploration. Do not provoke them, do not antagonize them, do not try to hold a long conversation with them. They have business to attend to at this time, so do not bother them. Understood?"

The group of ponies nodded, eliciting another smirk from Vaati. "Good. Now take one and do whatever you wish. But do not make me regret bringing you here, or you will regret coming here."

The sorcerer then strode off to who-knows-where. "Alright then! We'll split into groups!" Twilight said. "Rarity, Fluttershy, you're with me. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, you'll be together."

"Yes, mother," Rainbow grumbled, disliking being ordered around.

In truth, Rainbow Dash wanted to explore the palace on her own. That way, she could feel like she was on an adventure in some abandoned temple looking for a long-lost treasure.

Whoa, where did that come from? Rainbow suddenly wondered to herself, catching where her thoughts had been going.

"Come on, y'all," Applejack said, motioning to Pinkie and Rainbow.

"I guess that means we're our own group then," Whooves mused as the Mane Six dispersed. "Right, then. Allons-y!"

XXXXXX

Applejack's Group, 1F, West Wing...

Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie all heard a strange noise as they entered a particular room. It was another hall, with gaping holes lining the walls. The curious (and also frightening) thing was that huge metal balls were flying across the hall from hole to hole all the way to the other end of the room, where a door led to somewhere else. "Heavens to Betsy, what in tarnation is this?!" Applejack exclaimed.

"It's a dungeon trap!" Pinkie explained.

Rainbow and Applejack looked at her, prepared to question the source of that knowledge, and found Pinkie holding a note in her hoof. "Pinkie, where did you get that note?" Rainbow asked.

Pinkie pointed to the wall right beside her. "Right here! It's from Vaati. It says, "This is one of my dungeon traps to waylay intruders. I left it on so you could get the full experience of what it is like to live in this palace. I don't recommend you flying through it, Rainbow Dash. There's nothing exciting on the other side."

Rainbow glared at the trap as Pinkie giggled at the fact that Vaati knew Rainbow would have thought about doing just that. She turned around...

And found herself face-to-face with a Poe. "BOO!" it screeched, waving its lantern threateningly.

Rainbow and Applejack promptly screamed like fillies and held onto one another in terror. The Poe cackled madly at their reaction; these mortals were just too easy. Suddenly though, it heard someone else laughing with it. The Poe abruptly stopped and realized that the pink pony was laughing hysterically as if it had just told some sort of joke. Then she started making faces at it. Mocking it. "Haha, you looks so funny!" Pinkie said. "Where's your face? Why're you carrying a lantern?"

The Poe just stared at her. I-it laughed at me...

Completely shocked that one of these pastel freaks of nature had laughed at it, the Poe abruptly disappeared, its self-confidence vanishing with it. The moment it was gone, Pinkie turned back to her friends. "Don't ya remember, girls?" she asked, grinning. "Always giggle at the ghosties!"

From where Vaati was observing them via invisible Eye Sentries following each group, he couldn't decide whether he should laugh at the absurdity or be offended that Pinkie was able to humiliate one of his monsters so easily.

XXXXXX

Dr. Whooves's group, 2F, West Wing...

"I have to say, this is quite an extravagant place," Mayor Mare observed. "I do wish there was more variety in the stain-glass windows though. That same eye design gets boring after awhile."

"I think it's an intriguing design," Whooves answered. "I wonder what it's supposed to signify, though. Usually stained-glass windows depict events in history or religious figures. I somewhat doubt it's either. Maybe Vaati's family emblem, perhaps?"

"You know what I think is weird?" Derpy spoke up, scrunching up her face in thought. "This palace is Vaati's home, but Vaati never said he was a king. How'd he get such a fancy place to live in?"

"Perhaps he inherited it from a rich relative," Whooves suggested. "What with the monsters, though, it's also possible he may have taken it by force. Rather frightening to think about, really."

"Mm, I guess," Derpy replied.

Meanwhile, Lyra was eagerly examining the suits of armor lining the current room they were in, her eyes aglow with excitement. It was like a dream come true for her, being able to see a part of what the humans' mysterious culture was like. As she was about to run her hoof over the shiny metal surface of a particularly large suit with a strange, vertically-crested helm, she suddenly heard it speak.

"Don't touch me."

Lyra yelped and jumped back, catching her companions' attention. It was then that they realized this suit of armor was bigger than the others for a reason. It was one of Vaati's monsters. "W-what are you?" Lyra nervously asked. "A-are you a...human?"

There was a moment of silence, as if the creature was thinking about whether or not it would bother to answer. "No. I am a Darknut in service to Lord Vaati. I am assigned to guard this spot for reasons that are not yours to know. Now begone, your presence irks me."

The Mayor huffed in annoyance at such rude behavior. "A 'Darknut', you say?" Whooves asked. "What a curious name for a creature."

The Darknut shifted its position ever so slightly, calling attention to the truly massive broadsword clasped in its hands, its left arm protected by a round, broad shield. "Do you mean to mock my people, equine?" it snarled in a dangerous tone.

"Uh, Doctor, I think we should go," Derpy nervously suggested.

Realizing he had inadvertently offended this creature, Whooves held up a hoof in surrender. "Sorry, mate. Didn't mean to insult you or anything. We'll just be off now."

The Darknut's gaze bore into their backs until they were well out of its sight. "Hoo, close call!" Whooves breathed. "Too serious, that one."

"Lyra, if you feel the need to touch something out of the ordinary," the Mayor chastised, "don't."

Lyra sheepishly looked away. "Sorry about..."

That was when she saw the large hand crawling across the floor a short distance away from her. Though most other people would have immediately taken notice of its zombified status, the only thing on Lyra's mind was: hand!

"Oh! Oh! Come here!" Lyra enthusiastically cried, galloping after the Floormaster while the others called out to her.

Seeing an overeager mint-green unicorn bearing down on it, the Floormaster did the first thing that popped into its pseudo-mind: run like heck.

Taking off down the corridor, the Floormaster attempted to escape its technicolor pursuer, but Lyra was persistent. "W-wait! Come back!" she cried as she ran, disappearing around the corner.

"Lyra! Get back here!" Derpy yelled.

"Lyra!" Whooves yelled.

No response. Lyra did not emerge from beyond the corner. "Lyra?" the Mayor called out, worried.

After a few moments of silence, they could hear a faint yelling that sounded almost like Lyra! Before they could rush to her aid, they saw Lyra round the corner, galloping as fast as she could.

Behind her were some twenty-odd Floormasters in hot pursuit.

Whooves's eyes were as wide as dinner plates. "Oh, bollocks."

"Ruuuuuun!" Derpy screamed.

Screaming in terror, the four ponies made a run for it, with the horde of zombie hands chasing relentlessly after them. "This is like Planet Char all over again!" Derpy cried.

"I thought we agreed not to mention that!" Whooves yelled back.

XXXXXX

Twilight's group, 3F, East Wing...

Twilight and her group seemed to have entered a new room. Its opulence was a minor degree below the rest for some reason. The room was round, and seemingly jutted out from the main body of the palace; they had likely entered one of the larger towers. There were no furniture or decorations of any kind. The windows were normal, not stained-glass, allowing an observer an unobstructed view of the surface world. The floor was carpeted purple, with a golden trimming resembling a more detailed version of Vaati's eye symbol in the very center of the room.

"This is where it happened," came Vaati's unexpected voice.

The ponies jumped in surprise before calming down and regarding the sorcerer as he entered the room. "Hey, Vaati," Twilight greeted before blinking in realization. "Wait, where what happened?"

Vaati smiled wanly. "This is where I was when I got sent to Equestria. This is the very room I battled the Hero of Legend for the last time. And this...is what sent me here."

The mage held up an arrow for them to see. It was relatively smaller than the average arrow, being meant for a shortbow. The arrowhead was cracked. "Darling, that's just an ordinary arrow," Rarity pointed out.

Vaati shook his head. "It is now, but not when the Hero was using it. When this arrow was used against me, it was empowered by pure light magic, which has since left it. Funny the way the universe works sometimes, isn't it?"

It was at this moment that Nigellas the Wizzrobe felt the need to teleport into the room. "Ah, sire. We have a problem."

Twilight winced as Vaati's teeth clenched. "I was afraid of this," he mumbled before addressing Nigellas. "What happened?"

"The group of four ponies are being chased around by all the Floormasters in the west wing of the floor below us," Nigellas answered. "And the blue member of the other group has gotten belligerent with one of the Moblins."

Vaati groaned and rubbed his forehead in irritation. "Guuhh, this is just what I need. I told everyone to behave!"

Before Twilight could offer her help, Vaati teleported away, leaving the three of them alone with Nigellas. For several minutes, heavy silence reigned. "How many books do you read a week, pony?" the Wizzrobe abruptly asked.

"Uh...between twenty to thirty," Twilight answered cautiously. "Why?"

"...Tell me what you know about the application of magic in determining how to properly boost the maturing process of large plants."

XXXXXX

Applejack's group...

Vaati appeared to a most peculiar scene. Applejack was holding Rainbow Dash by the tail as the pegasus vehemently attempted to get her hooves close enough to the Moblin's face to cave it in while Pinkie tried, of course, to make friends with it. The hulking creature regarded them all with disdain. "Weakling little chicken horse," the Moblin spat. "You're no match for me!"

"Who're you callin' chicken?!" Rainbow shot back. "Come over here 'n say that to my face, you ugly mule!"

The Moblin grinned. "I'd love to. You look tasty."

"What is going on here?!" Vaati demanded, having heard enough.

The Moblin stood up perfectly straight at its master's presence. Seeing the mage, Rainbow quit trying to pile-drive the Moblin, allowing Applejack to release her hold on her friend's tail. "We were just headin' down this corridor, mindin' our own business, and then we see this guy," she said, pointing a hoof towards the Moblin. "Ah don't quite blame her 'cuz this varmint's ugly as a warthog's rump, but when Rainbow saw him she couldn't keep her big mouth shut. It kinda got worse from there."

The Moblin growled in offense but stayed where it was. Vaati looked down at the still-steaming pegasus. "Rainbow Dash, I told you to keep your ego in check, didn't I?"

"Yeah, but-!"

"But nothing! Keep it under control, and you!" Vaati pointed at the Moblin, who flinched. "Don't even think about eating ponies again, you hear?!"

The Moblin quickly nodded its head before Vaati returned his attention to the ponies. "At six o'clock I'm sending you all home. Be back at the entrance of the palace by that time."

Vaati then teleported over to the near vicinity of the Floormaster stampede, just around the corner of where they were due to appear. Shortly Whooves, Derpy, Mayor Mare, and Lyra rounded the corner and ran past the sorcerer. "Stampede!" Derpy cried.

Vaati rolled his eyes as the Floormasters appeared as well. The whole group stopped in their tracks when they saw Vaati in their path. "This chase is over," the sorcerer commanded. "Back to your hiding spots! Go on, now! Off with you!"

The Floormasters immediately scattered and followed their orders, disappearing back the way they came. Realizing the monsters were no longer chasing them, the four ponies stopped running and approached the sorcerer. "Thanks for that!" Whooves said. "What a mess that was!"

"Who started it?" Vaati gruffly asked.

Lyra hesitantly came forward, hanging her head in shame. "I-I did, sir…I saw those hands, and…I just couldn't help myself! Everything about humans has always been fascinating to me."

"You would do well to curb your enthusiasm, then," Vaati replied. "I specifically said not to antagonize the monsters."

"Yes, we do have somewhat of a bad habit of doing just that," Whooves sheepishly mumbled.

"Yes well, make it not a habit," Vaati sourly replied. "Also, be back at the entrance by six o'clock. I trust you can do that without messing up?"

"Of course!" Derpy cheerfully assured, somehow not really convincing the sorcerer.

Vaati just turned on his heel and strode off.

XXXXXX

Twilight's Group, former Boss Room, 3F…

Rarity and Fluttershy looked on as Twilight engaged in a lengthy discussion with the Wizzrobe Nigellas about magical theory and the property differences between their two worlds. Informative though it might have been, Rarity didn't really want to listen to them talk non-stop about things she honestly didn't care much about.

"Ah, Twilight?" Rarity asked. "Shouldn't we be getting a move on?"

"Go on ahead, girls," Twilight answered. "I think I'm gonna be here a while. So anyways, when we want to cast magic, we just focus our essence through our horns and…"

Rarity stopped paying attention to their conversation and motioned for Fluttershy to follow her. The two ponies traipsed through the many halls and rooms, occasionally passing by a Moblin. Rarity had to exert all of her willpower not to comment on the grisly appearance of the pig monsters. On the other hand, though, the palace was perfect in her eyes. Vaati certainly did have a knack for fashion and style, though the mage would never admit it out loud. She really couldn't see any ways she could improve it. Fluttershy kept very close to her, especially when the Moblins appeared. Those beasts were terrifying.

And then Rarity saw it.

Slowly approaching them from the other end of the hall was a tall, heavily-armored figure. Its armor was charcoal black, and trimmed with gold patterns and runes in a foreign language Rarity couldn't begin to even guess the meaning of. A black cloak flowed from its back down to its knees, the bottom trimmed with a similar gold pattern. Its helmet was roughly cylindrical, with two horns curving over the top. What could be seen of the face revealed a somewhat dog-like creature, though it had a rather short snout. In one hand was a tremendous broadsword that broadened at the end to resemble almost an axe head; in the other was a round, broad shield. Both sword and shield matched the color scheme and designs on the creature's armor.

The creature seemed to pay them no mind as it came closer. Examining the Darknut's finely-crafted armor, Rarity could not stop herself. "Excuse me, sir," she called, trotting up to the Black Knight.

Fluttershy hid behind Rarity as the Black Knight stopped and regarded them both with scrutinizing eyes. "What?" it gruffly replied in a dark, rough voice.

"My name is Rarity, good sir knight, and I must say your armor is absolutely gorgeous!"

The Black Knight had admittedly not expected that response. "Gorgeous?"

"Why, absolutely! It looks positively magnificent! The color! The trimmings! Whoever crafted it has a skilled hoof…or hand, in your case."

Flattery. That was something Darknuts were not accustomed to. Fear gripped the other races at the mere mention of Darknuts, and the other monster tribes didn't really have a true concept of beauty. Faced with such praise, the Black Knight could not help but preen. "We Darknuts pride ourselves on our metalworking skills," he replied. "It is as honorable a profession as a warrior's. No other race can boast of finer."

"I would have to agree," Rarity said. "It's positively radiant! It's obvious you take good care of it!"

"Indeed, for a Darknut's armor is his soul. Irreplaceable. It is what protects us in battle. Weak armor is useless, so we must look after it with all our hearts."

"I can admire such dedication. Oh, forgive me, how rude! I never caught your name, sir knight."

"I am called the Black Knight," the Darknut introduced. "I am the leader of the cadre of Darknuts that aids in the defense of this palace. But…my true name is Maulgrim."

Rarity curtsied. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sir Maulgrim. And this here is my friend, Fluttershy."

Fluttershy managed to squeak out a barely-audible, "H-h-hello."

Rarity smiled. "You'll have to forgive her. She's rather shy around new people. But please, tell us more about your esteemed people, Sir Maulgrim. Such fine armor certainly boasts of a rich culture."

Overwhelmed by such generosity, Maulgrim spoke of his people for the first time to outsiders.

XXXXXX

When six o'clock finally struck, and Celestia began to lower the sun so Luna could usher in the night, Vaati stood by the entrance to the palace, awaiting his guests. Dr. Whooves's group arrived first, talking amongst themselves as Lyra held up their map. A few minutes later, Applejack's group came next, with Rainbow Dash actually walking for once, shaking profusely as if she had seen a ghost. Vaati smirked in amusement; Rainbow had wandered off from Applejack's group and nearly had a heart attack when she encountered a Stalfos. The undead creature had only laughed as Rainbow promptly ran for her life.

Vaati chose not to comment as they waited for Twilight's group. A few moments went by, and then Vaati saw Twilight approaching, only she wasn't with the rest of the Mane Six. She was currently holding an intellectual conversation with Nigellas as they walked to the rendezvous point. Vaati raised an eyebrow. It seemed Nigellas had taken a shine to Twilight after all.

Shortly afterward Rarity and Fluttershy arrived last, who, to Vaati's immense surprise, were conversing with the Black Knight, of all people. Clearing his throat to get their attention, Vaati said, "Alright then. I trust you all had an…interesting experience?"

"You bet!" Pinkie chirped.

The others nodded in agreement. Vaati looked over at Rarity and Maulgrim. "So it seems some friendships were forged after all, eh?" he asked with a knowing smirk. "Then it seems this event wasn't a waste. Anyhow, it's time to go, ladies and gentleponies."

"Actually, it's fillies and gentlecolts, darling," Rarity politely corrected.

"Horses! Whatever," Vaati retorted.

Rarity looked up at her newest friend. "Well, I'm afraid we'll have to go our separate ways for now," she said.

Maulgrim looked somewhat sheepish. "You…will return though?"

Rarity smiled. "Of course I will, darling. You have so much more to tell me, after all. Good day, Sir Maulgrim."

Maulgrim bowed his head. "Good day…Lady Rarity."

"I'll try to come back as soon as I can," Twilight said to Nigellas. "There's so much to discuss still!"

"I truly look forward to it," Nigellas answered, tipping his wizard's hat. "Until then…good day."

"Bye, Nigellas!" Twilight waved as the group of ponies exited the palace to return home.

Vaati, Nigellas, and Maulgrim watched them board the lift and descend out of view, back towards the town. "Friendship isn't something you expect in life, is it?" Vaati asked, his minions nodding in agreement.

XXXXXX

Dear Princess Celestia,

I would like to inform you that the meeting between my monsters and the Ponyvillians has gone smoothly. To my surprise, though, I found that unexpected friendship have started to form. It's rather interesting, seeing my minions learn these lessons for themselves, but I find that I am happy for them. Friendship is a truly unpredictable thing. Just like magic.

Sincerely, Vaati

After Vaati had finished his letter, he summoned one of his Eye Sentries and handed it the folded letter. "Take this to Princess Celestia in Canterlot," he ordered.

The creature squeaked as it grasped the letter by its barely-visible talons and took off out the open window. Vaati watched the sentry fly towards the distant spires of Canterlot, and smiled in contentment.

Author's Note

Can you spot the StarCraft reference? :D

Seriously, though. I hope I got Dr. Whooves's personality right. I don't know much about Doctor Who. I hope you guys like this chapter; a lot of the monster/pony interactions are ideas from a reviewer named Cador. Thanks for the input.

I am also watching you Twigellas and Rarigrim shippers. I'm onto you already.

Episode 7: A Dog and Pony Show

Episode Seven: A Dog and Pony Show

Rarity was busy at work in her shop, attaching various jewels to a dress she had just sewn. As she set a choice cut sapphire into the fabric, she exclaimed, "Ah, perfect!"

She didn't have long to bask in her self-praise before she heard the door open, triggering the bell that informed her of visitors. "Coming!" Rarity said, hiding the unfinished dress behind a curtain before turning to greet her visitors. "Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where every garment is chique, unique, and magnifique!"

It was then that she noticed her visitor, and gasped in shock. A yellow-coated mare with a styled blue mane and tail, with heavy makeup and a truly gaudy white dress, stood before her. "S-S-Sapphire Shores!" Rarity exclaimed in disbelief. "The pony of pop!"

"Good afternoon, Miss Rarity!" Sapphire greeted, stepping by the slack-jawed fashionista.

Rarity shook profusely. "Y-You know my name," she breathed.

"Well, of course I do, darling!" Sapphire responded, investigating a row of completed dresses on hangers. "I make it a point to know the names of all the up and coming fashion designers, and Clothes Horse Magazine simply raved about you!"

As Sapphire continued investigating Rarity's dresses, Rarity nearly swooned. "Oh my stars!" she whispered to herself, trying to prevent herself from fainting. "If I'm dreaming, do not wake me up! How may I help you, Miss Shores?"

"Oh please! Call me Sapphire!"

Rarity giggled sheepishly. "H-how may I help you…Sapphire?"

"Well, as you know, I'm goin' to be touring all of Equestria for my latest concert, Sapphire Shores's Zig Filly Fally, so I need to look…" Sapphire sang the last word. "Seeensationaaaaal!"

Rarity turned around. "I have just what you need! Sapphire Shores, prepare yourself for the piece de resistance!"

Rarity flung aside the curtain, revealing the dress she had been working on. It was actually more of a bodysuit, white and studded with diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. Sapphire's eyes sparkled just as much as the dress did. "I used every last diamond I found for this one garment!" Rarity explained.

Sapphire inhaled in awe. "And it is spectacular! I'll take it!"

Rarity grinned. "Really?"

"Oh, yes! And five more, each done up with a different jewel!"

Rarity's heart nearly stopped. "Beg pardon?"

"Costume changes," Sapphire explained.

Rarity's eye twitched once before she glanced at her box of jewels, which, as luck would have it, was now empty. At that moment the designer lost all self-control and collapsed in a heap. Sapphire chuckled as she headed out of the shop. "Yes, I do have that effect on ponies."

XXXXXX

"I'll admit, I wasn't expecting you to treat me to lunch," Vaati said to Twilight, stabbing his fork into a slice of cheesecake made fresh at Sugarcube Corner.

The two of them were currently enjoying a meal at the library after picking up some food from the various cafes and Sugarcube Corner. Nigellas the Wizzrobe discreetly hung near the back of the library out of earshot, engrossed in a book about unicorn magic, while Maulgrim the Darknut was somewhere in the town, familiarizing himself with the place.

It had been a week and a half since the Palace of Winds had settled over Ponyville, and some of Vaati's monsters had been given the privilege to explore Ponyville (with Mayor Mare's blessing, of course) on their free time. The Moblins and the undead monsters were still confined to the palace, but Maulgrim and Nigellas, having been the first monsters to get a taste of what true friendship was like, were allowed to roam the surface world as long as they didn't cause trouble.

"Well, I just figured you'd like to spend a little time away from the palace," Twilight answered. "I don't get to see you as often anymore since you're up there so often."

"Ah, well," Vaati replied, pausing to take a sip of tea, "I suppose I just enjoy having my old home back so much that I haven't thought much about leaving it for a while. You raise a fine point, though; I shouldn't hole myself up there twenty-four-seven. Not very many lessons I can learn about friendship that way, is there?" The sorcerer scoffed lightly at his comment.

Twilight giggled. Vaati took this moment to glance around the library. "Now that I think about it, where is Spike?" Vaati asked. "I haven't seen him at all today."

"Rarity wanted his help in finding some gems for her dresses," Twilight explained. "Apparently the pop singer Sapphire Shores commissioned a bunch of jewel-studded dresses from Rarity for her upcoming concert tour."

Vaati rolled his eyes. "Concert tours. This world is weird."

XXXXXX

Spike carted along a red wagon as he followed Rarity down a barren dirt path. "Omigosh, Sapphire Shores, the pony of pop!" Spike cried with enthusiasm. "She is awesome! I mean she's gorgeous and talented and…" Rarity looked up from where she was magically scanning for jewels and shot him a pointed look. "…And not even half the pony you are, eh heh. You're like, ten times more gorgeous than her, and talented, and…"

"Oh, Spike," Rarity interrupted, "a lady is never jealous."

"O-of course not! But were you totally flippin' out or what?!"

"Ladies do not 'flip out', Spike. However, I was quite in awe!"

Rarity began scanning the area with her horn, pacing to and fro. "I need to find more jewels than ever before for her costumes."

Rarity suddenly stopped as she sensed a small collection of gems buried in the dirt. "Aha!"

"What, did you find some?" Spike asked eagerly.

Rarity pointed at the spot. "Right there!"

Spike immediately began tunneling into the dirt and soon revealed the sparkling gems. His mouth immediately began to water. "Oooh," he spoke, licking his lips. "You look…so…delicious."

No sooner had the baby dragon scooped them all up and opened his mouth wide that Rarity warned, "Spike!"

Spike looked guiltily up at her. "I promised you a few gems for you to snack on," Rarity said. "But we need to collect more first, or I'll never be able to finish those dresses for Sapphire!"

Sighing, Spike walked over to the wagon and looked at his haul fondly. "I will miss you…my sweets."

"Come along, Spike! We have many jewels to find!" Rarity bade as she trotted past Spike.

"At your service, milady!" Spike responded, bowing grandly before pulling the wagon again.

XXXXXX

Several hours went by as Rarity pointed out small caches of gems and Spike promptly dug them all up and tossed them on the wagon, having difficulty resisting the urge to consume them all. Finally, when the wagon was laden with gleaming gems, they paused in their work, Spike staring lustfully at their hoard. Suddenly he felt a hoof tap his head repeatedly, bringing him back to earth.

"You've been such a great help, Spike," Rarity congratulated. "And for that, you get the finest reward!"

The unicorn levitated a large sapphire out of the pile of jewels towards Spike. "This is from me to you!"

Spike suddenly clamped his mouth shut at the implications as he seized it in his claws. Speechless, Spike looked up at Rarity, overcome by her beauty and generosity. "Is something wrong, Spike?" Rarity asked, seemingly oblivious.

Spike smiled dreamily. "No…it's perfect."

Suddenly Rarity's horn spontaneously lit up, sensing another hoard of gems nearby. A big one too, if her reaction was anything to go by. "Bring the cart, Spike! There are more over here!"

Spike stared at his gift. "For me…from Rarity."

XXXXXX

Unbeknownst to the both of them, their progress did not go unnoticed. Behind a bush, a trio of dark figures observed the pair. "Yes…yes, gems! Precious gems!" one of them hissed in a high-pitched, scratchy voice, watching Spike pull the wagon. "He is the gem hunter! With him, we could have all those gems and more! Let's get the…dragon!"

The creatures began to slink away, until they heard the unicorn call out Spike's name, quickly luring them back. "Wait! Who is that?!"

"You know, it's terrible to keep a lady waiting!" Rarity off-handedly reprimanded, her horn aglow.

"Coming!" Spike called, approaching with the wagon.

Rarity pointed her horn towards a spot on the ground, prompting Spike to dig furiously. "You know, I really think we're going to strike gold with this one!" Rarity said. "So to speak."

A moment later, Spike emerged from the hole, carrying a huge deposit of brightly-colored jewels in his arms. "Jackpot!"

"Oh…it's not the dragon we want, it's the pony!" the unnoticed creature hissed.

"The pony…" its companions growled as they retreated.

"Well Spike," Rarity said as Spike placed the gems on the wagon, "I think that's all we can do for today, and these will certainly help get me well on my way with Sapphire's outfit. Why don't we start heading-!"

Suddenly Rarity's horn began to glow again, this time fierce and bright. "Oh! What's this? Another jewel!"

Rarity began to follow the tracking spell urging her towards her target and looked up in confusion. "Oh, it's…it's in the trees!"

A small yellow gem was peeking out of the shrubbery, and she touched it with her horn.

Said jewel immediately revealed itself to be a necklace belonging to a large, dog-like creature with large teeth, squinted eyes, and an open vest with jewels crammed into its pockets that emerged from the bushes, grinning nastily at a shocked Rarity. Stepping back warily, Rarity tentatively greeted, "Why, uh…hello, gentle…uh, fellow. I'm, uh, Rarity, and this is my friend, Spike."

Spike nervously laughed and waved.

"A-and you are?" Rarity asked.

The creature leapt out of the bushes, its large arms raised threateningly. This creature reminded Rarity somewhat of the Darknuts roaming Vaati's palace, but unlike the tall, straight-backed warriors, this creature was bow-legged with a slightly hunched back. "A Diamond Dog!" it spoke, advancing menacingly on Rarity.

Rarity and Spike nervously backed up. "Oh, really?" Rarity asked nervously. "That explains your fine taste in jewelry. I-I know that diamonds are a girl's best friend, and n-now I know that they're a dog's best friend too! Ahem, so, uh, haha, you're hunting for gems as well?"

"Yes!" the Diamond Dog sneered. "We hunt!"

"Uh, we?" Rarity repeated, eyes wide.

The Dog indicated its necklace. "We hunt for gems, but you are a better hunter! So now we hunt…for you!"

Suddenly two more Diamond Dogs, one much larger and the other much smaller than the first one, popped out of the ground right behind Rarity, knocking Spike aside. Rarity saw the larger one reaching for her and avoided its grab, screaming in terror. Spike drove his tail into the smallest Dog's tail like a jackhammer, causing it to howl in pain and jump into the air. Spike then tried to push the larger creature aside. "Run, Rarity! RUN!"

The Diamond Dog promptly smashed Spike's face into the dirt with one finger. Recovering quickly, Spike grabbed a hold of its legs before it could pounce after Rarity. Surprised, the beast fell over, its huge hand catching the smaller Dog's tail, knocking it down as well. "Come on, Spike!" Rarity yelled. "Hurry!"

She did not notice the third Dog pop up behind her until it was too late. "Gotcha!" it growled.

Rarity screamed.

Spike, still holding onto the big Dog's legs, cried, "I got 'im!"

The Dog then bucked its legs, flinging Spike into a tree as his spikes caught on a large branch. "Haha, nope!" it guffawed.

"Not sorry, scaly one!" the smallest one cackled as they fled.

"N-no, wait!" Spike yelled.

"Put me down this instant, you ruffians!" Rarity yelled as she wiggled in the lead Dog's hold. "I said, put me down!"

Ignoring her, the trio of Diamond Dogs leapt into a hole, Rarity protesting all the way. "Rarity!" Spike yelled, rushing towards the hole.

Rarity managed to pull herself halfway out. "Spike! Oh, dirt! Agh!"

Three Dog hands then pulled her back under, Rarity shrieking in fear. "Saaaaave meeeeeeeee!"

Spike fell to his knees and screamed into the heavens. "NOOOOOOOOOO!"

XXXXXX

Back at the library…

"I demand to know what asinine drivel my eyes have been enslaved by!" Nigellas demanded, unable to look away from the book he was reading.

"I see you've taken a shine to the Daring Do series," Vaati observed with a light smirk.

"It's stupid! It serves no educational purposes! And I can't stop reading it!"

"Heh, I remember when I first picked it up," Vaati reminisced. "It has its charm, does it not?"

Twilight raised an eyebrow. Fiction must not be something Wizzrobes encounter very often, she thought to herself.

Suddenly a noise shook the library as a large shape burst through the door, knocking it off its hinges and knocking off a good chunk of the wall above the door. The sound startled Twilight so badly that she fell on her back in a heap rather reminiscent of Fluttershy. Nigellas dropped his Daring Do book and reflexively fazed out of view, while Vaati already had a spell ready to cast. Shortly, however, the intruder revealed itself to be a large, hulking Darknut. Being currently off-duty, the Darknut's heavy armor was absent, instead replaced by a simple olive-green tunic and rough tan leggings and boots. Clasped around his waist was a belt bearing a Knight's Crest, the pride of every Darknut warrior. The Darknut appeared to be cradling something in his arms.

As Twilight twitched on the ground, Vaati dispersed his spell. "Maulgrim! What is the meaning of this?!"

"Forgive me, milord," Maulgrim apologized. "Perhaps I should have knocked first. Nonetheless, I believe we have a problem."

Vaati's eyes narrowed. "What kind of problem? And why the devil are you holding Spike?"

"This little one had something to say to me, but I could not make it out. All I heard was…"

Flashback…

Maulgrim had just entered the town square when he happened to notice Spike scrambling towards the library. His eyes were wide as dinner plates, and he was hyperventilating; he looked like he had just seen a ghost. Spike, in his haste to reach the library, nearly ran into him. "You there!" Maulgrim boomed. "What ails you, wyrmling?"

Spike looked up at the Darknut, his eyes wild with terror as he babbled, "Rarity! Help! Jewels! Dogs! Taken! Save her!"

Maulgrim grunted in irritation. "Speak sense, wyrmling!"

Then when Spike realized he was talking to a creature that, for all intents and purposes, closely resembled a Diamond Dog, his addled mind promptly shut down, and the baby dragon fainted.

End Flashback…

Twilight, having finally recovered from her shock and stood up again, regarded the unconscious baby dragon with worry. "He said something about Rarity. A few hours ago, he and Rarity went off to find some gems for a set of dresses Rarity was going to make. Oh no! What if something's happened to her?"

"Maulgrim, lay him on the table," Vaati commanded.

The Darknut did so, and Vaati conjured a glass of water before pouring it unceremoniously all over Spike's face. The dragon immediately regained consciousness, spluttering and coughing as Twilight, Vaati, Nigellas, and Maulgrim surrounded him. "Spike," Vaati spoke, trying to get his attention. "Spike, look at me!"

Spike was breathing heavily as he looked up at the sorcerer, noticing Maulgrim looming over him from behind. "Agh!" he screamed, pointing at the Darknut. "T-t-there's a Diamond Dog right behind you, Vaati!"

"Gather your bearings, Spike!" Vaati responded. "Maulgrim's a Darknut, not a Diamond Dog. Now what happened? Where is Rarity?"

Spike was shivering profusely and still hyperventilating somewhat, but was able to respond. "R-Rarity and I w-w-were looking for gems w-when these big creepy guys called the Diamond Dogs popped up and kidnapped her!"

"Kidnapped?!" Twilight repeated, aghast.

"They did what?!" Maulgrim angrily bellowed, his thunderous voice shaking the rafters.

Spike trembled under the Black Knight's righteous fury. Vaati glanced at the Darknut and snapped, "Maulgrim, settle down! He's terrified enough as it is!"

Maulgrim quieted, but the murderous flame did not vanish from his eyes. "Alright, Spike," Vaati said. "Do you have any idea where Rarity was taken?"

Spike hastily nodded, prompting the sorcerer to turn towards Nigellas. "Get to the Palace and bring me back a small detachment of Wizzrobes. I want a pair of Aquamancers and Pyromancers, an Aeromancer, and four Geomancers. Maulgrim, go with him and suit up. Be back down here in ten minutes with the reinforcements. Now get to it!"

Nigellas nodded, teleporting himself and Maulgrim away to the Palace. "I'll get the others!" Twilight cried, galloping out the door.

XXXXXX

Thirty minutes later…

Vaati, the Mane Six, Maulgrim, Nigellas, and nine different-colored Wizzrobes ran or floated as fast as they could in the directions Spike was pointing them in. In order to match their pace, Maulgrim had opted not to don his heavier plate armor, settling for his under-armor instead, which consisted of a chainmail hauberk under a faded black tunic and leggings, as well as gauntlets and ankle guards with steel boots. Instead of the usual Darknut broadsword, he wore his secondary dueling saber at his side. He still carried his large, round shield, though. The Pyromancers wore red robes with magical flames dancing on their hats; the Aquamancers' robes were blue, with icicles hanging from the brims of their hats; the Aeromancer was clothed in grayish-white, but with no special effects in its hat; and the Geomancers wore robes colored like the brown earth, with a ring of rocks buckled around the bowl of their hats.

As Twilight ran, she glanced up at Spike, who was busy fretting. "So you said Rarity was dragged into a hole?"

"Uh huh," Spike nervously responded.

"Oh! This should be easy then! We just find the hole she was taken into and-!"

The group suddenly stopped cold as they reached the quarry. There were holes everywhere. "Holy moly, that's a lotta holeys!" Pinkie Pie cried.

The Geomancers stepped forward and cast their hands out simultaneously towards the pockmarked quarry below. "What in tarnation're they doin'?" Applejack demanded.

"Shh!" Vaati hissed. "They're using their geomancy to detect where the holes lead, and if there's anybody waiting for us down there."

The four Geomancers pooled together their strength into one spell, intensifying it to encompass the entire quarry and receive the same information feed simultaneously. After a few minutes they all lowered their arms. "Well?" Vaati asked.

"The holes all lead to different areas of an underground labyrinth," one of the earth-bending Wizzrobes explained. "There's quite a number of bio-signs within the caverns. There appears to be a massive mining operation down there."

"Makes sense, considering Diamond Dogs' culture surrounding jewels," Twilight observed.

"Forget that!" Rainbow Dash interrupted. "Let's just get down there, rescue Rarity, and kick some flank!"

"Burn their bones black!" a Pyromancer cried.

"Freeze their souls solid!" an Aquamancer vowed.

"Blow them away!" the Aeromancer cackled.

"Bury them in their own tombs!" a Geomancer spoke.

All the ponies looked at the grinning Wizzrobes with utterly mortified expressions. Noticing this, Vaati rolled his eyes. "Gentlemen, don't kill anything unless you have no other choice."

Knowing the reason for this decision, the Wizzrobes grumbled at the Mane Six. "Pansies," one of them muttered under its breath.

"We're wasting time!" Vaati snapped, proceeding into the quarry. "Let's go!"

The group of ponies, Wizzrobes, and Darknut followed the sorcerer down, inspecting some of the holes as they passed. "We don't want to alert them to our presence," Vaati spoke in a low, quiet tone just loud enough for his companions to hear. "This is what we do. Split up. Twilight, I want each of your friends to group up with a pair of Wizzrobes. Rainbow Dash, you'll go with a Geomancer and Aquamancer. Fluttershy, you'll go with the Aeromancer, the other Aquamancer, and another Geomancer. Applejack, you go with a Pyromancer and Geomancer. Pinkie Pie, you'll join another Pyromancer and Geomancer. Nigellas, Twilight, Spike, Maulgrim, you're with me. Enter whichever hole you see fit."

Unbeknownst to the group, one of the Diamond Dogs had been observing them and retreated before they could notice him. The party split up and began picking out holes. As Pinkie's group stopped at one hole, the Pyromancer said, "I'll go first."

"Of course you'd want to go first," the Geomancer snickered.

"Stuff it," the Pyromancer snapped.

The Fire Wizzrobe then jumped in. "Oooh, that looks like fun!" Pinkie chirped.

"Guuuaaagh!"

The Pyromancer was promptly ejected from the hole by a pillar of dirt, falling flat on his back. "Stupid dog," it weakly groaned.

"What in-?!" the Geomancer exclaimed as more and more holes began to instantly fill up with dirt.

"HURRY UP, YOU FOOLS!" Vaati roared, leaping towards a nearby hole, but not before it had already filled up. "Geomancers! Make yourselves useful!"

As the others tried and failed to reach different holes before they could fill up, the Geomancers cast their hands up. Maulgrim reached one hole and braced himself against his shield as he tried to push back the mound of dirt. "You! Will! Not! Prevail!"

Unfortunately the Darknut could not hold forever and was eventually forced back. The knight cursed in his native tongue.

The Earth Wizzrobes' black hands started to sparkle as they tried to force the dirt mounds back into the depths of the earth. Apparently the Diamond Dogs hadn't expected that, because the dirt mounds around several holes immediately gave way. "GO!" Vaati commanded.

The various groups wasted no time in leaping down the holes one after the other.

XXXXXX

Vaati tumbled down the hole first, landing on his stomach with an audible grunt. Twilight and Spike came next, landing on the mage's back. And then Maulgrim's weighty form crashed on top of them, eliciting groans of pain and agony. Laughing, Nigellas came last, sliding down and landing on top of the pile of bodies on his feet with a smug, if unseen grin. "Guess who wasn't stupid and let the big guy go first, eh?"

Vaati and Maulgrim both growled irritably before managing to disentangle themselves. Once everyone was up and tidy again, they took note of their surroundings. They were in a large chamber beneath the earth, where smaller tunnels branched off in every direction. There was no sign of the others. Twilight glanced all around. "Oh, there's so many passageways! Where do we go?!"

"Bloody Dark World, we're lost," Maulgrim growled.

Spike fell on his knees once again. "NOOOOOOOO-!"

"Shut up, Spike!" Vaati hissed, sealing the baby dragon's mouth with a spell. "If they know we got in here, we'll lose time trying to fight our way through. We don't know how many of the buggers are down here. So keep quiet, you hear?"

Spike wordlessly nodded, prompting Vaati to unseal his mouth again. "Let's get a move on," Vaati said to his group. "Now the question is, which way?"

Nigellas glanced at all their possible routes. "Your guess is as good as mine, sir."

"Wait...mine! That's it!" Spike exclaimed. "The Diamond Dogs wanted Rarity to find gems for them, right? So they must have taken her down the tunnel with the most gems! So if we can copy Rarity's gem-finding spell, we can find out where they took her!"

Twilight gasped in realization. "Spike, that's a great idea! Rarity taught me her gem-finding spell a while back. If I can just remember..."

Squeezing her eyes shut, Twilight began to focus magic through her horn. The horn then lit up with her magical aura, revealing the locations of small collections of gems throughout the expansive network of caverns. The caches seemed to be more heavily concentrated on a particular tunnel that branched off to the right. "Ya did it, Twilight!" Spike congratulated. "Now we can go save Rarity!"

"Nigellas, alert the Geomancers," Vaati curtly ordered. "Follow the tunnels where the gem deposits are most numerous."

Nigellas momentarily linked his mind with his fellow Wizzrobes' and notified them of what to do. "Don't worry, Rarity!" Spike cried as he leaped onto Twilight's back. "I'll save you!"

Twilight rolled her eyes. "I do wonder how the others are doing, though," she said to nobody in particular.

XXXXXX

Pinkie's group...

"...and then she said, 'Oatmeal? Are you crazy?!' And I was like blahblahblahblahblahcupcakesblahblahblah..."

"Good Goddesses, does she ever shut up?" the Pyromancer groaned, pressing its hands against its ears.

"I'm not even certain she breathes," the Geomancer commented, concentrating on following the vein of gems down the passageway.

"GAAAAAASP-And then I was all like, yadayadayadayada..."

"...Well then."

XXXXXX

"I'm sure they're fine," Vaati off-handedly replied. "Let's go."

XXXXXX

Applejack's group...

The farmpony admittedly felt somewhat uncomfortable being flanked by the two looming Wizzrobes, but they didn't seem to pay her much mind. Their team's Geomancer was busily leading them down the passage with the highest concentration of gems, and the Pyromancer was keeping a sharp lookout for any potential ambushes. However, she was able to appreciate the fact that they were all business, devoting themselves to their goal.

Suddenly the Fire Wizzrobe's palms ignited. "Look alive! We've got company!"

The trio turned in the direction of the sound of baying hounds. From the passageway behind them emerged a small pack of Diamond Dogs, five in number. They were built like gorillas, with faces like bulldogs, short spears clasped in their paws, and their bodies protected by crude plate armor. Seeing the pair of strange, robed creatures gave them a short moment of pause.

That was all the Wizzrobes needed. The Pyromancer cast his hands up, unleashing a great tongue of searing-hot flames at the Dogs. Yelping, they ducked under the flames, their tails taking the brunt of the heat and becoming charred to a crisp. The Dogs barely had time to register this before they were pelted with rocks, some of which felt very sharp. The rocks let up for a moment, allowing the Diamond Dogs to get a glimpse of their foes.

The Pyromancer was surrounded by swirling flames while a collection of knife-sharp rocks hovered ominously around the Geomancer, all pointed directly at the quivering Dogs. Applejack, overwhelmed by the ferocity of her protectors' powers, huddled a short distance away from them, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire. The Dogs immediately realized they were outmatched, dropped their spears, and fled back the way they came, yipping all the way. Once their terrified howls could no longer be heard, the two Wizzrobes turned back towards Applejack, who was getting to her hooves. "Boy howdy," she commented nervously. "That was really, uh...somethin'."

"We move," the Geomancer replied simply, resuming his course.

XXXXXX

Rainbow Dash's group...

"So…uh, what are Aquamancers supposed to do?" Rainbow tentatively asked the blue-clad Ice Wizzrobe, hoping to strike up a conversation with the enigmatic wizards, anything to relieve the boredom.

"This world contains magic out the wazoo and you still don't know anything about it?" the Aquamancer flatly responded.

"Hey, I'm a pegasus!" Rainbow defended herself. "All that magic mumbo-jumbo's for unicorns! I'm no egghead!"

The Aquamancer rolled his eyes. "Aquamancers possess power over the element of water. But since water isn't all that much of an offensive magic, we usually stick with ice-based attacks. Read a book about magic once in your life. You might learn something."

"Reading's for eggheads," Rainbow replied.

"Who're you calling 'egghead', eggface?!" the Geomancer snapped, looking up from where he was tracking the gem deposits.

"Eggface?!" Rainbow snarled, flying right up to the Earth Wizzrobe's face. "Wanna say that again, chump?!"

"Before you two get too involved with pounding on each other's egos, I would like to report that we are not alone," the Aquamancer interrupted as howling and barking echoed from the passageway. "They are coming."

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "Dramatic much?"

Soon a large pack of Diamond Dog guards emerged from the tunnel, brandishing their spears. "How fast are you, pegasus?" the Aquamancer asked.

"The fastest in Equestria!" Rainbow boasted before blinking. "Wait, why do you ask?"

"See if you can't distract them long enough for us to immobilize them."

Rainbow grinned and saluted. "You can count on me!"

The rainbow-maned pegasus zipped towards the line of Diamond Dogs, spinning around the group to disorient them and occasionally diving in to throw punches and kicks. She was way too fast for the Dogs to hit. "Well I'll be a Moblin's uncle," the Aquamancer observed. "This pony can fight."

One of the Dogs managed to notice the two Wizzrobes readying spells and bounded towards them, growling fiercely. Before it could reach them, however, the brown one threw its hands down. Suddenly a slab of rock shot up from beneath the Dog and knocked it senseless. Meanwhile, Rainbow, having gotten caught up in the heat of the moment, had touched down in the center of the group of disoriented Diamond Dogs and begun kicking them left and right. One of them managed to recover and jumped onto her back, wrapping a rope and harness around her. "Oh no you just didn't!" she roared, slamming it against a wall and knocking it off her.

"Hey, pegasus! Get out of there!" the Aquamancer yelled, ice energy swirling around its hands.

Seeing what was about to happen, Rainbow zoomed over to the two Wizzrobes and got behind them. With her out of the line of fire, the Ice Wizzrobe finally released the ice energy it had been stockpiling. An all-encompassing blizzard of snow and ice engulfed the entire group of Diamond Dogs, freezing them solid. When the blizzard died down, the passageway ahead was covered as far as they could see with snow, and the Dogs were trapped in ice, unable to move.

"I don't think they'll be getting out of that for a while," the Geomancer said. "Now let's be off."

As they passed the frozen ape-hounds, Rainbow gulped. "That was…really disturbing…and really cool at the same time."

"I hate being an Aquamancer. The puns never stop coming."

"Huh?" Rainbow asked, confused.

"Ah come on, chill out," the Geomancer snickered.

"Don't you even start," the Aquamancer growled.

XXXXXX

Spike was busy fantasizing how he was going to single-handedly rescue Rarity as he sat on Twilight's back. He was roughly shaken from his reverie when Vaati suddenly cried, "Look out! Here they come!"

Eight Diamond Dogs came barreling out of the tunnel ahead of them. Before anyone could even blink, Maulgrim let out a thunderous war cry and unsheathed his sword. "Lowly vermin! Feel the sting of my blade as I cut you all low!"

The Diamond Dogs scattered before the ferocity of the enraged Darknut's attack, yipping in fright and confusion. His tempered blade easily cut through the crude spears of the Diamond Dogs, leaving them virtually defenseless. Those that still chose to fight without a weapon attempted to dog pile their foe, but their efforts were in vain. Maulgrim easily shook them off before following up with brutal punches and kicks, made more devastating due to his armor.

"Shouldn't we do something?!" Twilight cried, fidgeting.

"No, let Maulgrim have his fun," Vaati coolly replied, leaning against the wall.

"He's got this completely under control," Nigellas observed, watching the curbstomp battle with a look of amusement.

The Diamond Dogs had no chance from the start. Maulgrim's skill and superior weaponry easily dominated the Dogs' crude attacks, and his furious determination overwhelmed their innate cowardice. His blade swung again and again, only ever leaving small cuts, never enough to truly kill or maim. The Dogs were bruised and scarred all over, and Maulgrim was barely breaking a sweat.

Soon the real fighting was over, and all the Diamond Dogs were huddling close to each other on the ground like frightened puppies. Maulgrim stood over them, his eyes ablaze with anger. "Who wants to get put down first?" he growled, pointing his longsword at the cowering Dogs.

The Diamond Dogs collectively whimpered in terror, and Twilight couldn't help but feel sorry for them. She could tell that they weren't just terrified; they were in fear for their lives. "No one?" Maulgrim spoke. "Then tell me where Lady Rarity is being held, and I will spare your cowardly hides."

"R-r-right down t-t-there," one of them whimpered, pointing down the tunnel they had appeared from.

"Good. Now off with you before I change my mind!"

The Diamond Dogs immediately scurried away, yipping in frightened relief. After they were gone, Maulgrim sheathed his sword as the rest of the group approached him. "Excellent work, Maulgrim," Vaati commended. "We're almost there. Rarity should be right at the end of this tunnel."

"Then what are we waiting for?!" Spike yelled, picking up the business end of half a spear. "Let's go!"

The little dragon ran down the passageway. "Spike, wait!" Twilight cried, galloping after him.

"Spike, you idiot!" Vaati yelled, following Twilight. "Stay with the group!"

Nigellas and Maulgrim wordlessly brought up the rear. After a few minutes of chasing after the eager dragon, they finally arrived at a wide chamber with dozens of other tunnels branching out from it. Spike skidded to a halt at the head of the group and struck a valiant pose. "Fear not, Rarity!" he cried. "Your knight in shining armor has come to rescue…"

Spike then took notice of the scene, and his jaw dropped in bafflement. At this moment, the various other groups appeared as well throughout the chamber, all staring agape at the unexpected scene.

Several banners of various colors were hung up along the cavernous walls. The three Diamond Dog leaders that had kidnapped Rarity before were now currently slaving away with hauling large carts piled high with gems, while many other Dog guards hastily dug away at the walls, searching frantically for more gems. And sitting on a makeshift throne, flanked by two guards fanning her with palm leaves, was Rarity, calmly sipping from a golden goblet. Vaati's jaw nearly dropped to the floor. Maulgrim looked utterly baffled. The Mane Six and Spike regarded the scene with bewilderment. The Wizzrobes just stared emptily, their minds trying and failing to process what they were seeing.

The Aeromancer summed up what was on everyone's minds: "Uh…I'm confused."

Seeing the would-be rescuers gawking, the three head Diamond Dogs wearily dragged their carts over to them. "P-p-please…make her stop," the leader begged.

"I…what?" Vaati responded, his expression one of a broken mind.

"She won't stop talking!" the small one whined. "The whining…it hurts us!"

"Please, take her back!" the big one pleaded, clutching his ears. "We can't stand it!"

Noticing her rescuers, Rarity finished her drink and calmly trotted over to them, the Dogs trembling in her presence. "Why hello, girls!" she greeted. "Vaati, Maulgrim, how lovely to see you again!"

"Rarity!" Spike exclaimed, hugging his long-time crush. "I'm so glad you're safe!"

"Well, why wouldn't I be?" Rarity answered. "Just because I'm a lady doesn't mean I can't handle myself, after all! You arrived just in time, though."

"Uh…just in time for what?" Applejack asked.

"Why, to help me carry these gems, of course!" Rarity answered, pointing towards several carts laden with sparkling gemstones.

"You're letting her leave…with all these jewels?" Spike marveled.

"Y-y-yes, take the gems!" the lead Dog whimpered. "Take them all…and her with them! We'll do anything!"

The other two Dogs yelped. "Remember how we got into this mess in the first place?!" the small one cried.

Vaati's grin was terrifying. "Anything, you say?"

"Uh…uh…" the Dogs answered, shivering.

"Well, as Rarity said, we're going to need some help carrying these jewels back to Ponyville," Vaati replied. "And since I have no intention of carrying them myself, and I'm certain my Wizzrobes are in agreement with that statement, you will all carry these jewels for us to Ponyville. And then, Maulgrim here is going to teach you a little lesson about why it is unwise to anger a Darknut. And as of this day forth, your entire pack now works for me.You will continue mining as you are, but a 20% cut of your gems will be supplied to Rarity here every week for her dresses, and another 20% sent to me as tribute. Your progress shall be constantly monitored by a detachment of Darknuts who will keep very close tabs on all of you. Oh, and expect Maulgrim to teach you all proper conduct for treating ladies as well as basic hygiene. You stink like a dead Octorok. Have I made myself perfectly clear?"

The Diamond Dogs collectively gulped.

XXXXXX

Dear Princess Celestia,

A series of events today have culminated in a most fortunate event for me. I have secured the, shall we say "services" of a local Diamond Dog pack who shall be providing Rarity and myself with a supply of gems for our usage. Rarity will use hers for her dresses, and I will exchange mine for your country's currency. I love how things work out in the end.

As for the subject of Rarity, I find that my earliest assessments of her were wrong. She may fancy herself an aristocratic lady, (whom, in my experiences, have proven to be quite fragile and soft) but she has proven that she is more than capable of taking care of herself and is a conniving manipulator after my own heart. I should not have judged the book by its cover, even though, in an ironic twist of fate, this is exactly what I berated Twilight for a few months back. Sometimes, though, we need to be reminded of the lessons we have learned, none more so than I.

Signed,

Vaati Picoru, Sorcerer of Winds

After Princess Celestia finished reading Vaati's letter, her expression was unreadable. Luna, on the other hand, found this quite hilarious as she rolled on her throne with laughter. Wordlessly, Celestia summoned a wine bottle and a glass out of nowhere. She needed a freaking drink.

Author's Note

And there we have our first Zelda Monster vs. MLP Monster showdown, Wizzrobes vs. Diamond Dogs! (With some Darknut action thrown in for good measure) Now, I have an announcement to make. Starting Monday, I'll be on a hiatus for a week, as I'll be out of town in a place with no internet. Whether or not I have another chapter ready upon my return remains to be seen.

Episode 8: The Return of Discord Part 1

Episode 8: The Return of Discord Part 1

Canterlot Royal Gardens...

Today was the Ponyville Elementary School's field trip, and Cheerilee had taken her students to Canterlot, a certain trio of fillies along for the ride. As the group of foals followed their teacher, Cheerilee said, "I want to start our field trip here, in the world-famous Canterlot Sculpture Garden!"

As they passed a statue of several smiling ponies supporting each other on their backs, Cheerilee explained, "That one represents friendship!"

Distracted by the statue, Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle ended up bumping into each other. Once their dizziness cleared, they glared at each other. "Alright, my little ponies!" Cheerilee called, indicating a statue of a pony holding up a flag. "This statue represents victory!"

"How cool would it be to have that for a Cutie Mark?" Scootaloo asked.

"Cooool," Applebloom sarcastically remarked, "if you were actually 'victoryful' at somethin'."

"That's not a word!" Sweetie Belle complained.

"What are you, a dictionary?" Scootaloo retorted.

"Girls!" Cheerilee sternly interrupted, catching their attention as she pointed to another, rather peculiar statue of a chimera-like creature posing as if it were singing an opera. "Now this is a really interesting statue. What do you notice about it?"

"It's got an eagle claw!" Applebloom observed.

"And a lion's paw!" Scootaloo added.

"And a snake tail!" Sweetie Belle finished, jumping in front of Scootaloo much to her friend's chagrin.

"This creature is called a draconequus," Cheerilee explained. "He has the head of a pony, and a body made up of all sorts of different things! What do you suppose that represents?"

"Confusion!" Applebloom said.

Sweetie Belle pushed her aside. "Evil!"

Scootaloo shoved Sweetie Belle aside. "Chaos!"

"It's not chaos, you dodo!" Sweetie Belle snapped.

"Don't call me things I don't know the meaning of!" Scootaloo warned. "It is too chaos!"

"No it's not!" Sweetie Belle retorted, butting heads with Scootaloo.

"You're both wrong!" Applebloom interrupted.

Instantly a fight broke out amongst the three usually-inseparable friends while the other foals looked on in amusement. Hoping to calm them down, Cheerilee trotted up to them. "Actually, in a way you're all right."

The fillies finally quit fighting and looked up at her. "This statue represents Discord, which means a lack of harmony between ponies. In fact, you three have demonstrated discord so well that you're each going to write me a three-page essay explaining it."

The Cutie Mark Crusaders hung their heads in shame as the other foals chuckled. "Now let's go," Cheerilee bade, leading the class on. "And I don't want anymore fighting."

The Crusaders hung at the back of the group, continuing to argue about the meaning of discord. Unbeknownst to all, the strange statue began to crack, as if something were attempting to force its way out. A quiet, menacing laugh escaped the statue's frozen mouth.

XXXXXX

Skies above Ponyville, a short distance from the Palace of Winds...

"Hey! Get back here!" Rainbow Dash yelled in frustration as she chased after a renegade cloud that, for some strange reason, was pink.

She tackled the pink cloud and spun through the air for a moment before she managed to level herself. The cloud's contents were sticking all over Rainbow's coat. "Eww, what is this?!" she demanded before tentatively licking the stuff."Cotton...candy?"

Suddenly many more of the strange clouds of cotton candy began zipping through the air, some of them splattering straight into the walls of the Palace of Winds. Oh, Vaati was not going to like that one bit. One cloud suddenly hovered over her, a clap of thunder echoing from within. A drop of brown liquid fell on Rainbow's head. "Wait a second!" she yelled. "It's not supposed to rain until tomorrow! You can't just-!"

The cloud immediately dumped its chocolate brown contents all over the beleagered pegasus. "You did."

XXXXXX

Applejack was busy picking ears of corn when she suddenly heard Rainbow yelling as she chased after another rogue cloud, which was already starting to pour rain all over the cornfield. "Rainbow Dash, what's with all the rain?" she demanded. "I mean chocolate milk?...I mean, chocolate milk rain?!"

"There's crazy weather all over Equestria!" Rainbow cried. "Cloudsdale's gettin' soaked by a soda storm right now, but don't worry! I'm not leaving you until I've got control of Ponyville!"

Suddenly all of Applejack's corn cobs inexplicably turned into freshly-popped popcorn.

"Why would you want to stop this?" Pinkie Pie asked as she dove through the sea of chocolate milk-soaked popcorn and feasting to her heart's content.

"BECAUSE IT'S GETTING ALL OVER MY CLOTHES!" Vaati angrily roared as he tried to outrun a raining cloud that was currently chasing after him. "I'm soaked and sticky AND I WANT TO UTTERLY DESTROY WHOEVER IS RESPONSIBLE!"

Suddenly Rarity appeared as well, clothed in a heavy raincoat and protected by a fancy umbrella. "Ahem," she spoke to Applejack. "I heard about your troubles, Applejack, and I came to see if there's anything I can do. Without getting wet. Or dirty. Or out from my umbre-oh!" she squealed in shock as Vaati swiped the umbrella out of her possession and took off with it.

"Begone, you unnatural weather phenomena!" he cried, still being pursued by a cotton candy cloud.

"Vaati!" Rarity yelled as she felt herself getting soaked in chocolate milk. "Oh, the nerve of that ruffian!"

And then the apples on Applejack's trees suddenly grew to the size of watermelons, causing the trees to sag over from the added weight. The apples were immediately set upon by a horde of squirrels. "Fluttershy, do something!" Applejack begged.

Fluttershy flew up to her ravenous pet bunny, who was busily gnawing on one of the apples. "Now Angel, you know you-!"

Suddenly Angel's legs grew so long he looked like a cross between a rabbit and a giraffe. Fluttershy gasped in shock as more and more bunnies fell victim to this body horror. "No! T-that's impossible! I-I-I must be seeing things!"

"Twilight, you better know how to fix this!" Vaati roared as the librarian and Spike entered the scene, Twilight reading a spellbook very carefully.

"Don't worry, everyone!" she said. "I've learned a new spell that will fix everything!"

"Can I hear a 'Mary Sue'?" a nearby Wizzrobe commented to another as they held up their hats to ward off the chocolate rain.

Twilight's horn began to glow brilliantly as she gathered her magical energy. Then a wave of light engulfed the chaotic scene. Twilight opened her eyes to marvel at her handiwork...

Only to discover that nothing had changed.

"My failsafe spell...failed!" Twilight exclaimed. "What do we do?!"

"Uh...give up?" Spike weakly suggested.

"We need a Plan B," Twilight spoke. "Rainbow, can you corral all those clouds in one corner of the sky?"

Rainbow Dash managed to free herself from the knot of rabbit-giraffes eating the cotton candy stuck to her body and saluted, zooming off to fulfill her duty. "Applejack, I need you to bring those high-strung clouds down to earth!" Twilight ordered.

After Rainbow had forced all the smaller clouds into a single big one, Applejack lassoed the huge mass and pulled it down towards earth, squeezing the excess chocolate milk out of it. Pinkie, who had been guzzling down the rain, complained, "Hey! What happened?!"

Twilight whispered the final phase of her plan in Fluttershy's ear. "Oh, dear!" Fluttershy said out loud. "I hope that none of the animals see these delicious chocolate milk-filled cotton candy clouds! I'd hate to have to share them!"

"You and me both, sister!" Pinkie agreed, munching on the cloud before getting knocked aside by a horde of hungry animals. "Hey!"

"And when you're all done with that, feel free to have some popcorn for dessert!" Applejack said.

"It's going to take forever to get these bloody stains out," Vaati growled, squeezing out his cape. "When I find out who caused this, there will be Tartarus to pay!"

"At least we got it all taken care of," Twilight said. "And that, Spike, is why you should never give up! There's nothing we can't overcome if we work together!"

At that moment, Spike belched out fire, which condensed into a letter. Twilight levitated the letter up and read it, eliciting a gasp as she finished. "C'mon, everypony! Princess Celestia wants to see us all in Canterlot immediately!"

"Not before I get my clothes cleaned, thank you very much," Vaati responded.

XXXXXX

Canterlot Castle...

Princess Celestia nervously paced the grand hall, thinking on the situation. Then she heard the door creak open, and the Mane Six and Vaati hurriedly entered. "Princess Celestia!" Twilight greeted. "We came as fast as we could!"

"Thank you, Twilight," Celestia answered. "Thank you all."

"What in the bloody blue blazes is going on out there, Princess?!" Vaati demanded. "Clouds are raining chocolate milk, the animals' bodies are being twisted out of proportion, and I demand to know the reasons for this madness!"

"Follow me," Celestia ordered, her tone unusually serious as she led the group down a hall with various stained-glass windows depicting events in Equestrian history. "I've called you all here for a matter of great importance. It seems that an old foe of mine, someone I thought I had defeated long ago, has returned. His name...is Discord."

"Discord?" Vaati interrupted, folding his arms. "As in, 'spirit of chaos' Discord? Bane of Harmony and Lord of Misfortune?"

The Mane Six seemed surprised that Vaati knew about the spirit, but considering how Vaati had read every single book in the library, a feat even Twilight had yet to complete, it wasn't too much of a surprise. Celestia nodded. "The very same. Before my sister and I stood up to him, he ruled Equestria in an eternal state of unrest and unhappiness. Luna and I saw how miserable it was for Earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns alike, so after we discovered the Elements of Harmony, we combined our powers and rose up against him, turning him to stone!"

"Obviously you did something wrong if he's here now," Vaati irritably replied.

"Vaati!" Twilight chided.

"Yes, I thought the spell I cast would contain him forever, but since Luna and I are no longer connected to the Elements, the spell has been broken!"

"No longer connected?" Twilight repeated, confused.

At that moment the group reached an ornate door. "This is Canterlot Tower, where the Elements are kept inside since all of you recovered them," Celestia explained. "I need you to wield the Elements once again, and stop Discord before he thrusts Equestria into eternal chaos! Vaati, they may need your help as well!"

"Oh please, Princess," Vaati scoffed. "I've read enough about Discord to know that he's nothing special compared to myself and others of my calibur in my world. Ganon, for instance, made things a lot worse for everyone than Discord did. Tell me where he is, Celestia; I intend to make him wish he'd never been born."

"Hey, look!" Pinkie cried, pointing at one of the stained-glass windows. "We're famous!"

The statue depicted the Mane Six purging Luna of Nightmare Moon's influence.

"You six showed the full potential of the Elements by utilizing the magic of your friendship to beat a mighty foe! Although Luna and I once wielded the Elements, it is you who now control their power, and it is you who must defeat Discord!"

"I humbly protest," Vaati flatly rebuked. "You should at least give me a proper chance to demonstrate to Discord what real power is."

Celestia shook her head. "Discord is the one of the mightiest foes I have encountered. It wasn't until Luna and I discovered the Elements that we even knew we had a chance against him."

"Ah, and therein lies my argument," Vaati answered smugly. "I am not without my own source of power, after all."

Celestia raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "As it so happens, a vast amount of my magical might is due to having absorbed an ancient relic of pure light long ago when I first rose to power called the Light Force. Coupled with the power of a hat that could grant wishes, I was nearly unstoppable. I still possess all of that power, Celestia. Allow me to use it against him."

Celestia considered this for a long moment. "If you truly wish to face him yourself...you may. But we may still need the Elements to ensure he does not rise again."

Celestia then inserted her horn into a hole in the door and cast a spell. The door was then engulfed by light before it opened, revealing a beautifully carved chest sitting on a pedestal. Seeing it, Rarity said, "You can keep the Elements! I'll take that case!"

"Have no fear, everyone," Celestia assured them, levitating the box up. "I have total confidence that you will be able to defeat Discord with these."

Celestia then opened the box, eliciting gasps from the Mane Six. It was empty. "That...doesn't bode well, does it?" Vaati rhetorically asked.

Celestia dropped the empty case in shock, and for several tense moments, silence reigned. And then Pinkie, predictably, broke it. "Oh well! If anyone needs me, I'll be outside in the chocolate puddles with a swimming straw!"

"Pinkie, get back here," Vaati gruffly ordered, pulling her back by the tail.

"B-but, I don't understand!" Twilight cried. "The Elements are gone! What happened to them?!"

"That chamber is protected by a spell that only I can break!" Celestia exclaimed, pacing frantically. "This doesn't make sense!"

"Oh ho ho ho ho ho! Make sense? Oh, where's the fun in making sense?"

Vaati immediately surrounded himself with energy, ready to cast offensive spells. "Discord!" Celestia cried. "Show yourself!"

"Oh ho ho ho ho! Hm hm hm hm! Did you miss me, Celestia?" Suddenly, one of the stained-glass depictions of Discord came to life, animated by the chaotic spirit. "I missed you. It's quite lonely, being encased in stone, but you wouldn't know that, would you? Because I don't turn ponies into stone!"

"Enough!" Celestia shouted. "What have you done with the Elements of Harmony?!"

"Oh, I just borrowed them for a teensy little while," Discord answered nonchalantly.

"You won't get away with this, Discord," Celestia vowed, pawing at the ground.

"Ah yes, I forgot how grim you can be, Celestia. It's really quite boring."

"Hey!" Rainbow Dash yelled. "Nopony insults the Princess!"

The pegasus then stupidly flew into the window, hoping to hit Discord, but all she succeeded at was bruising her body. "Oh, you must be Rainbow Dash," Discord observed. "Famed for her loyalty, the Element of Harmony you represent."

"That's right! I'll always be loyal to the Princess!"

Discord flashed out of view. "We'll see about that."

"I can't believe we're wasting our time talking to a tacky window," Rarity snobbishly remarked, causing Discord to appear in the window right next to her.

"Beautiful Rarity! Bearer of the Element of Generosity, if I'm not mistaken."

"Okay, so you know who we are, big deal," Applejack interrupted.

"Oh, I know much more than that, Honest Applejack."

"And you seem to know our strengths too," Twilight said suspiciously.

"Ah yes, Twilight Sparkle. Yours is the most powerful and elusive Element, Magic. Fluttershy's is Kindness, and Pinkie Pie's is a personal favorite of mine, Laughter."

Pinkie was struggling to contain her laughter. "Pinkie!" Twilight chastised.

Pinkie then burst out laughing. "He's standing on your head!"

Discord was apparently break-dancing on Twilight's depiction in the window, chuckling to himself. "Stop stalling, Discord!" Celestia demanded. "What have you done with the Elements of Harmony?"

"Augh, so boring, Celestia, really. Fine, I'll tell you, but I'll only tell you my way."

Discord then loomed over the entire chamber through the windows. "To retrieve your precious elements, just make sense of these chains of events," he intoned in rhyme. "Twists and turns are my master plan, then find the Elements back where you began."

With that, the glass Discord returned to its place as the spirit of disharmony left it, his echoing laughter ringing in their eardrums. Vaati reluctantly dissipated his magic now that his adversary was gone and went silent. "C-can we go home now?" Fluttershy timidly asked.

"What do ya suppose he meant by all that?" Applejack asked. "Twists 'n turns and endin' up back where we started?"

"Hmm, twists and turns," Twilight said, pacing towards one of the clearer windows. "Twists and turns..."

She looked down at the Maze Garden below and was suddenly struck by an idea. "Twists and turns! That's it! I bet Discord hid the Elements in the Palace Labyrinth!"

"Not so fast there, Twilight," Vaati curtly interrupted.

"Huh?" Twilight asked the mage, confused. "What is it?"

Vaati shot a condescending glare at her. "Really Twilight, if you'd take more than two seconds to consider this riddle, things would be more obvious. Twists and turns are his master plan. He wants us to go in there. That leads me to believe all that's there in that labyrinth is a trap waiting to be sprung."

"Well then, whaddaya think he meant by findin' the Elements back where we started?" Applejack asked.

Vaati tapped his chin. "Back where we began...where we began...Wait! That's it! I know where he's taken them!"

"Where?!" everypony simultaneously asked.

"They're somewhere in Ponyville, of that I'm sure. You'll have to find them with all due haste."

Vaati then headed for the door. "Wh-what about you?!" Twilight asked. "Where are you going?!"

"To find Discord," Vaati replied ominously, glancing over his shoulder. "Get to Ponyville now."

"Good luck, everyone!" Celestia said. "The fate of Equestria rests on your shoulders."

XXXXXX

Vaati approached the entrance to the palace labyrinth, his body tense and his fingers twitching. It had been ages since he had had a good fight, and he truthfully relished the opportunity to lay low this supposed 'god of chaos'. Suddenly he saw a ball of light shining in front of him. The ball's grow brightened in intensity, and Vaati braced himself for an attack. When the light diminished, a strange creature laughed triumphantly before him. It had a long, serpentine body, and many mismatched body parts. A goat and antler horn, a lion's paw and an eagle talon for hands, a bat wing and a pegasus wing, and a goat and dragon leg. Vaati quirked an unimpressed eyebrow. "So you are Discord, I take it?" he asked.

Discord ceased laughing and bowed grandly. "The one and only! And you must be Vaati the Wind Mage."

"So you know my name too," Vaati observed.

"Really, you all act like I don't have ears," Discord flatly stated. "Of course I already knew everything about your so-called friends, but you, Vaati...you are an enigma. You've revealed much about yourself, and I still know very little about you. You fascinate me, sorcerer."

"Get in line," Vaati replied, smirking. "I keep many secrets for a reason, Discord."

The draconequus slithered around the tense sorcerer, a mischievous glint in his eye. "You'll make things quite interesting, Vaati. You have no horn, yet you possess magical prowess on a level that surpasses the Element of Magic herself. This will change the rules of our game quite a bit."

"Game?" Vaati repeated. "What game?"

"Why, the game you're going to play against me!" Discord grinned. "Or actually, the Elements were supposed to play it. No wings, no magic, no leaving. You make things rather difficult for me, since you have no wings or horn for me to take away."

"If we're going to be playing games, we do it on my terms," Vaati responded, an evil glint in his eye. "I have the perfect game in mind, one I think will be perfectly suited for us both."

Discord quirked a bushy eyebrow in curiosity. "Oh?"

"Hide and seek. You hide, and I seek. If I cannot find you in ten minutes, you win. Whoever wins gets to do whatever they want to the other. I only have two rules; no leaving the maze, and no turning yourself invisible. Will you play?"

So confident was he that he could outwit this egotistical sorcerer that Discord readily accepted. "Then let the game begin!" he cackled, disappearing in a flash.

Smirking fiendishly, Vaati stepped into the maze and conjured an invisible Eye Sentry. "Find him," he whispered.

The Sentry nodded and took to the air, scanning the maze for any sign of the draconequus. It wasn't long before it spotted Discord sitting in the middle of a square patch, with hedgerows on all sides making it appear as if each path to it led to a dead end. He had also set it up that the paths in the labyrinth would randomly change to further confuse the sorcerer. Not that it would help him, though. Vaati grinned savagely. "There you are."

Discord had just leaned back to relax when he heard the sorcerer's voice uncomfortably close by. "Found you."

Discord blinked as he saw Vaati standing on top of the hedgerow above him, an evil grin on his face. "You lose, Discord."

Vaati snapped his fingers, mocking Discord's modus operandi, causing the entire maze to burst into flame. The sorcerer vanished before the flames could consume him. Discord, caught off guard by the suddenness of Vaati's appearance, coughed and gagged as he breathed in the smoke for several moments before he teleported himself out of the burning maze. Discord hunched over, coughing profusely as his lungs cleared. Just as he recovered, he felt Vaati's presence behind him. Without turning around, Discord said, "Well, you won, and you got to give my poor lungs some trouble. That was fun, if abrupt, but now I must be on my way. I've got chaos to wreak, after all."

"Think again."

Discord stopped cold at the sorcerer's altered voice. It was louder and possessed an echoing quality. It almost sounded...demonic. Discord slowly turned around...

And for the first time in an eternity, Discord felt true fear.

Looming menacingly over the spirit of disharmony was a gigantic orb of darkness adorned with a pair of golden horns. Two pairs of bat-like wings kept it aloft in the air. A single eye with a blood-red pupil, trimmed with gold, glared at Discord, a gaze speaking volumes of the power and menace this beast held at its command. Two arms tipped with razor-sharp, golden claws reached towards the terrified, speechless draconequus. The wind whipped around the two monsters, and lightning flashed in the background, accompanied by rolling thunder, bathing the horrifying creature in a hellish glow.

From afar, Celestia watched the beast emerge with a look of astonishment and dread. This was the sorcerer at his most powerful. She had sorely underestimated what he was capable of. And it seemed Discord had too, for he was too shocked to defend himself.

A gilded claw suddenly lashed out, latching onto Discord. Before he could comprehend what was happening, Vaati's Wrath unleashed its pent-up bloodlust. The winged eye swung Discord over its body and slammed him against the ground with crushing force. The blow was enough to knock the wind out of Discord and disorient him. But Vaati was not finished. Again and again he smashed Discord into the hard ground, and the draconequus's bones were starting to weaken from the relentless assault.

Vaati then brought the groaning draconequus close up to his face, and energy began to collect between his horns. Suddenly Discord was struck again and again in the face with a series of energy balls shot in rapid succession. Discord yelped in pain with each hit, the sound almost melodious to Vaati's ears. Then he seized Discord by the tail and slammed him into the ground some more, the sounds of bones cracking audible. With each brutal collision, Discord's inner organs began to strain as well. His whole body inside and out was wracked with unfathomable agony. Then Vaati let go, glaring down at the twitching spirit. Then that eye began to glow red.

Discord's bloodcurdling scream of agony was enough to bring Celestia to her knees, unable to look any longer as a beam of intense light burst forth from Vaati's eye, hitting the weakened draconequus full-force. The beam was so intense it pushed Discord across the ground as it gouged a deep, sizzling cut in the earth. When the beam dissipated, Vaati flew over to Discord's prone form and laughed, a deep-throated, pitiless laugh as he looked down upon the creature Equestria had believed to be its greatest evil. Discord's limbs and wings were each twisted in awkward positions. He couldn't move. He could barely breathe. He was barely alive. The spirit's eyes watered from the pain and terror he felt. He was going to die. He was actually going to die.

"P-p-pl...ease..." Discord moaned weakly, starting to cry. "D...don't..."

XXXXXX

At that moment, Twilight and her friends arrived on the scene, Elements at the ready. "I can't believe he hid them in the library!" Rarity said.

"It's a good thing we found them so quick...ly..." Twilight began to say.

That was when the girls took in the destruction around them. The palace labyrinth was ablaze, and a huge gouge ran across the courtyard. At the very end of the gouge, Twilight saw something that made her heart stop. A menacing, winged eyeball was glaring cruelly down at Discord, who lay bleeding and broken on the ground, barely alive. "W-w-what the hay is that thing?!" Rainbow Dash gasped.

"Now do you realize the power I wield, creature of chaos?!" the winged demon snarled, its voice sounding unsettlingly familiar to the Mane Six.

Applejack's jaw dropped. "No...that...that can't be him..."

"V-V-Vaati?" Twilight timidly asked, her voice lost in the howling winds and roaring thunder.

"Do you at last understand what it means to face the Wind Mage Vaati?!" the sorcerer-turned-demon bellowed. "You are nothing, NOTHING to me! You, who fancied yourself a god of a concept that, by its very nature, is answerable to no one! The gods of creation didn't even put any thought into making you, did they? They just threw together what they had left! You're no god, pathetic creature! Never again will you threaten Equestria!"

Rainbow gasped in horror. "Oh gods...he's gonna kill him."

At that moment, Discord and Twilight's eyes met. There was no more wicked mirth in those eyes, no more smug confidence. There was only pain and fear, fear of death. Twilight felt her heart twist in a knot, and knew in that instant that she could not just stand there and let him suffer.

The winged eye raised a claw, ready to finish off the conquered draconequus. "May the afterlife hold no peace for you," he growled.

"Vaati! Vaati, stop!"

The great demon paused as Twilight, wearing a golden tiara, got between him and Discord. "Please stop this!" she begged, tears flowing down her face. "Please...no more. No more...I don't like you like this!"

Vaati glared down at Twilight. "Move," he commanded coldly.

Twilight fervently shook her head. "I can't...I won't. This isn't like you, Vaati! You're not a bloodthirsty monster anymore, remember?! Please don't kill him, Vaati...please..."

There was no sound save for the rolling thunder and crackling fire as the tiny unicorn stood up defiantly to a beast spawned from a pony's worst nightmares. Finally, after what seemed to be forever, the great demon backed away. "Very well," he spoke.

Then, before everypony's eyes, the demon eye transformed back into the familiar sorcerer, whose spiteful gaze was still centered on Discord. "Do what you will with him," he said, his voice devoid of emotion as he turned around and walked away.

Slowly, the Mane Six edged closer to where Discord lay. Their gaze betrayed no anger, no hatred, only pity and concern. Their voices were muffled, and his vision was starting to go fuzzy. Fluttershy timidly flew towards him. But the world of consciousness would not allow him to see what she planned to do to him, and before she reached him, Discord's mind slipped into darkness without dreams.

XXXXXX

Canterlot Castle, hospital wing…

The Mane Six and Princess Celestia all waited with bated breath outside the room where Discord was being treated for his wounds. Each of their faces was laced with worry; even though Discord was supposed to be their enemy, they hadn't even gotten a chance to face him in person and so bore no active hostility towards him. But it wasn't just Discord's condition that had them all worried; it was what had put him there in the first place.

Twilight could still vividly remember the horrific monster Vaati had become. She had never once seen something so utterly terrifying in her life, and she had gotten in its path to stop it from killing Discord. That single eye that gleamed with unfathomable malice and hatred, those huge claws that could have easily torn her to shreds, all of these things were forever burned into Twilight's mind. It was unimaginable that Vaati could transform into such a hideous shape.

Twilight found herself thinking back to when Trixie had come to town and challenged Vaati to a magic duel after the sorcerer berated her for the lies he had known she was spouting. The duel had apparently been very one-sided, and Trixie had been very shaken by the encounter. She had mentioned the whipping winds and a horrid eye. Had this been the form Vaati used to intimidate her into submission?

Twilight was brought out of her thoughts as the medic opened the door to Discord's room and stepped out. "How is he, doctor?" Celestia asked.

"For the moment, his condition is stable," the doctor explained. "But he took a real beating. Nearly every bone in his body is broken, and there was some internal bleeding we had to stop before we could get him stable. At the moment, he's under heavy sedatives, so you can't talk to him right now. You'll have to wait until it wears off."

The doctor took off his glasses with his magic and rubbed his eyes. "It's unbelievable, really," he said almost to himself. "Discord was one of the greatest threats in Equestria's history, and in moments that sorcerer beat him within an inch of his life. It frightens me to think about what else Vaati is capable of."

Choosing to avoid the subject of the mage, Fluttershy asked, "I-is he g-going t-to…die?"

The doctor sighed. "I really don't know yet. His wounds are severe. The punishment his body took would have instantly killed anypony else. At this moment, it could go either way. Even with advanced healing spells, it could take months to heal all his injuries, and it would be a complicated process. The body of a draconequus is not the same as a pony's, after all."

"As wounded as he is, though, he might still be a threat," Twilight observed.

"That's why he's under the sedative for right now," the doctor explained. "So we have plenty of time to figure out what to do with him."

"Can't we just turn him back to stone?" Rainbow Dash asked.

The doctor shook his head. "To do that would be a death sentence for him in his current state."

Rainbow gulped at the implications. "Nonetheless, Twilight is right," Celestia said. "Discord possesses many magical abilities that surpass even my own. Even now, I'm fairly certain the only reason Vaati was able to defeat him like that was because he took Discord by surprise with that…transformation of his. If you'll just allow me in there for a short moment…" She trailed off.

"Alright, Princess," the doctor capitulated. "Go ahead. But the rest of you will stay out here."

They all nodded as Celestia entered Discord's room. When the Princess of the Sun looked down upon the unconscious form of the heavily-bandaged draconequus, she could not help but feel a stirring of emotions. She found herself pitying the poor creature. Discord had been responsible for a great deal of unrest in the past, but he did not deserve to be as brutally beaten as he was. She had never before seen Discord look so weak, so vulnerable, that it came as a slight shock to her.

Many old memories began to surface in her mind as she approached Discord's bedside. She could remember the time long before their conflict, before Nightmare Moon, before any of the tragic events that Celestia mourned for every day of her life. Discord had been a friend to her and Luna. No, more like a brother.

Shaking her head, Celestia pushed these painful memories aside as she looked Discord over. His entire body was in a cast, and his head was wrapped in numerous bandages. Numerous wires were attached to his body that fed into life support machines which beeped in a steady rhythm. She knew what she had to do. The princess lowered her head as her horn began to glow. Slowly, so that she would not inadvertently send his already-frail body into shock, Celestia began to draw the magic out of Discord's body in order to take away his immense powers.

Despite Discord's current state, Celestia knew that once he awoke, he might try to escape or retaliate and would not only hurt himself further, but might hurt somepony else too, and she wasn't about to let that happen. After nearly ten minutes of slowly draining the magic from Discord's body, Celestia finally deactivated her spell and stood up straight before walking out of the room, where the Mane Six was waiting. "How is he, Princess?" Twilight asked.

"More vulnerable than I've ever seen him," Celestia truthfully admitted. "But I have eliminated him as a threat for now. I have taken away his magical powers so that he can't hurt anyone when he wakes up."

"Well that's certainly a relief," Rarity replied.

"I think it would also be best if you stayed in Canterlot for a little while so that we have the Elements on hand should Discord become violent," Celestia added. "I will set up arrangements for you all to stay at the castle for a few weeks while we wait for Discord to recover somewhat."

"What about Vaati, Yer Highness?" Applejack asked. "Speakin' of which, Ah haven't seen him since he tore Discord a new one."

"Vaati is still somewhere around the castle, I'm certain," Celestia replied. "However, I think it would be best if we leave him alone for the time being. He will stay as well. I have a feeling he will be instrumental in what I have planned."

"Uh…planned?" Twilight repeated, confused.

Celestia sighed. "A long time ago, Discord was a friend to my sister and I. He was like a brother to us both before his desire for power consumed him and drove him mad. To be truthful, when we used the Elements against him, we had been hoping they would restore him to his former self. But it seemed he had already been too far gone. I've missed him a little ever since, and…oh, I know this is foolish of me…but I want the Discord I knew so long ago back."

"You want to reform him, Princess?" Twilight realized.

Celestia nodded. "His powers could have many benefits for Equestria were he not so irresponsible and careless with them. I just hope that, given enough time, he could see the error of his ways."

"How do you plan to do that?" Twilight inquired.

Celestia smiled faintly. "With your help, of course."

"Our help?"

"You six represent the very elements of friendship, our strongest magic. You defeated Nightmare Moon and returned my sister to me, and you planted the seeds of friendship in the heart of one who is not quite so different from Discord."

Twilight hung her head. "I'm not sure those lessons were entirely successful anymore, Princess."

"While it is true that Vaati displayed a frightening level of power and nearly lost himself in his rage, think about this. When you confronted him at the height of his fury, he backed down, did he not?"

"Well…yeah, but…"

"That, in and of itself, proves how much he values your friendship, even if he himself won't admit it. He was able to contain the monster within himself and spare Discord because you're his friend. I know nopony else who would be better suited to teach Discord those same values."

Twilight and her friends frowned as they all considered this development. Finally Twilight looked up at her mentor and smiled. "You can count on us, Princess Celestia! We won't let you down!"

To Be Continued…

Author's Note

I have really, really really REALLY been looking forward to writing this particular episode.

So, as luck would have it, I got to use a library computer here in Snowflake, and I thought I would treat my loyal fans to the most epic episode in our story yet! Hope you enjoy! And the second part should be here in about a week. Stay tuned, everybody!

Episode 9: The Return of Discord Part 2

Episode 9: The Return of Discord Part 2

Vaati stood in the Canterlot Castle Gardens with his arms folded, watching as the sun set and the moon rose into the night sky. The sight was indeed beautiful, but Vaati was too mentally preoccupied to appreciate. The only thing on his mind right now was the mismatched creature he had brought terrifyingly close to death. He was rather curious about what Princess Celestia would do with Discord now that he was weak and vulnerable. Considering that she had taken part in ushering in the night, maybe she had already finished with him. Vaati inwardly scoffed; Discord wasn't nearly as mighty as Equestrian history and Celestia had made him out to be.

Nevertheless, something really rankled him at the moment. His mind returned to the aftermath of his admittedly anti-climactic showdown with the god of chaos, when Twilight had stepped between him and his prey. She would not move. He could have easily swatted her aside like a fly and finished off Discord. Yet he didn't. He actually relented. Why?

Because the thought of hurting Twilight actually did not appeal to him. Because she was his friend. Goddesses, he really had become too soft for his own good.

"Wind Mage Vaati!" a voice gruffly announced.

The sorcerer blinked before turning around and seeing one of the Solar Guards trotting up to him. "What?" he responded in kind.

"Princess Celestia requests your presence in the Throne Room at once before she retires for the night."

"Hmph, probably to congratulate me for removing Discord as a threat before he could even get a chance to menace this country properly," Vaati scoffed.

The guard trotted off, ready to end his shift as the sorcerer followed after, continuing to talk to himself. "Perhaps she'll honor me with my own window. Ha, imagine that; a stained-glass window portraying me as the hero."

XXXXXX

Princess Celestia sat on her throne, awaiting the sorcerer. Many questions swirled around in her head, many of them pertaining to the monstrous form he took in the grossly one-sided battle with Discord. Finally she heard the doors creak open as her guards allowed Vaati into the room. The mage's gait had a notable spring to it; the release he had gained from finally getting to unleash his full power after so long had not quite worn off yet. "You wished to see me, Princess?" he asked.

Celestia nodded. "Yes. I summoned you because I wanted to congratulate you on defeating Discord before he had a chance to spread his chaos. However, I also have many questions for you to answer, as well as something you must know concerning Discord."

Vaati's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Now, Vaati. I bore witness to your transformation, and it has raised many concerns for me. You must tell me everything about yourself, about your powers, your history, and everything you are capable of. I cannot allow you to shroud your past in secrecy any longer. I must know everything."

"...Do you believe me to be a threat, Celestia?" Vaati asked, a dangerous glint in his eye.

"I truly do not know," Celestia answered. "I would like to think not, though. That said, I want answers."

Vaati stared hard at her. "Princess, with all due respect, there are many reasons I don't like revisiting my past and retelling it to those who have no business knowing it."

"Luna knows," Celestia answered. "She knows many things about your past, but because you swore her to secrecy when you caught her wandering your dreams, she has told me little."

"...I wouldn't have revealed it to her if she hadn't discovered it on her own. Celestia, you fail to understand. I don't want to talk about my past. I don't, okay? Ever. Period."

Celestia pursed her lips in disappointment. "...Alright. If you truly wish to maintain some privacy, then only tell me how you came about having the ability to transform into that...thing."

Vaati considered this for several moments before he sighed. "As I said before, I gained power by taking control of a magic cap that could grant wishes. I wished to become the most powerful sorcerer in the world, and my wish was granted. But then I heard of the Light Force and immediately coveted it. I actually succeeded in gaining most of it, and the combination of the two made me virtually unstoppable. Naturally, my methods eventually drew the attention of the Hero, and through a very fortunate stroke of luck, he was able to defeat me. In my battles with his reincarnations, I always took that form, as it is built for offense. You saw what it was capable of."

Celestia kept an even expression as she considered Vaati's words. "I did. And now I must ask; why did you pursue such power?"

"Your question shall remain unanswered."

"I don't think so," Celestia responded sternly. "You are allowed to live here in Equestria on my good graces. I am not going to tolerate you keeping secrets from me that could endanger my subjects were I to remain ignorant. I don't care how high and mighty you think you are, you will tell me what I want to know if you don't wish to spend a week in the dungeons!"

"I don't know what you're thinking, Princess," Vaati snarled angrily, balling his fists. "But I am not afraid of you! If you continue to threaten me in such a manner, then we will have a problem!"

"If you continue to show disrespect towards me and my authority, then we will indeed have a problem," Celestia calmly shot back, though anger was clearly evident in her eyes. "You forget; I rule over Equestria. You are a subject of this land, and are therefore subject to my laws and reign. You are not above my authority, Vaati Picoru! Do you understand?"

Vaati's eye twitched as his scowl deepened. It would be so easy to wipe that glare right off her face. His transformation would only take seconds; he could reduce her to a greasy smudge on the floor before she even knew what was happening. But the mage suddenly stopped himself. What would that achieve in the end? His actions would brand him an enemy and a traitor, just as he had been back in Hyrule. He would once again be a monster, an evil fiend to be hunted, feared, and hated by all. And perhaps the most gut-wrenching thing of all: he would lose his first true friend.

Celestia noticed a sudden change come over the sorcerer. His once-furious gaze lost focus and his expression became pained and troubled. His legs buckled slightly as if he suddenly felt weakened. The Sun Princess knew she had finally gotten through to him, but her words seemed to have shaken him more than she anticipated. But now was not the time to dwell on that. "Now, tell me, Sorcerer of Winds. Why did you pursue that power?"

Vaati began fidgeting uncontrollably, fighting his emotions. "Because...without it...I was...I was nothing," he finally spoke, struggling to keep his voice even.

"Explain," Celestia commanded.

Vaati glared at the Princess. "I wanted to be something, you daft fool. I was born nothing, I was raised as nothing, and I lived as nothing! Your stupid subjects cling to your fanciful ideas of friendship for all to share, but guess what?! I never had any of that in my life! I had no family to love me, for my mother gave her life to bring me into the world, and no one even knew who my father was. I had no friends; I made a better punching bag for the local bullies. I had no one to look after me; I spent eight whole years of my life in a decrepit orphanage and two more as a servant for an oafish old coot who promised me magical studies but gave me only chores. Until I stole that idiot's wish-granting cap, I was nothing, to anyone! A life of infamy was better than a life lacking worth! Anything else you want to know, Princess?!"

Celestia was silent for many long moments, taking in the sorcerer's countenance. She could tell he was struggling to contain his emotions, for his breathing was starting to become heavy and his eyes were starting to water. He was clearly distraught; perhaps the news about Discord could wait until tomorrow. "No," she finally answered. "That will be all. If you wish to rest, I have set up a room for you to stay during the night."

"No. I am returning to the Palace of Winds. Goodnight," he spat.

Before Celestia could even protest, Vaati teleported away, leaving the alicorn princess all alone in the throne room as she groaned in frustration. At that moment, a midnight-blue alicorn trotted into the room, a black crown nestled in her lavender mane, which was just beginning to attain a spectral, night sky-ish appearance. "I heard thy exchange with the Sorcerer of Winds," Princess Luna said, catching her sister's attention.

Celestia sighed. "He is such an enigma. He possesses power the likes of which I've never seen before. I have suspected that he was a rather villainous character once for a while now, but I knew precious little of his history. It's so difficult, dealing with him. He has absolutely no respect for authority and..."

"Canst thou blame him, sister, with the life he hath lived?" Luna responded. "He told thee a part of his history that haunts him to this day, and I hath bore witness to his memories of it first-hand. For all his life, he hath known only hate and indifference. Only here has he been given a chance to experience that which was denied him in his own world."

Celestia rubbed her forehead. "Get Twilight. Take her to his Palace; something tells me he will need her."

"What of Discord?" Luna asked. "Thou hast not yet told Vaati of thy decision to spare him."

"He will be told tomorrow," Celestia answered. "But for now, he needs his friend. Take her to him."

XXXXXX

Palace of Winds...

Vaati, after ordering the Darknut guarding the door to allow no visitors inside, shut himself inside his bedchamber. None of the torches were lit, for the moonlight was casting its beams into the room through an open window. An opulent bed fit for royalty (which he had in fact stolen from Hyrule Castle a long time ago) took up a large corner of the room. The floor was covered by silk rugs depicting various patterns and designs. As Vaati stood in the middle of his room, he released a shuddering breath as his thoughts and emotions began to overwhelm him.

His bout with Discord had reawakened the primal beast within him. Since that moment, he had so desperately craved another release of that power that he had considered swatting aside his only friend like an annoying fly as well as outright killing Celestia. He had thought he was over this, that he had fully given up on his more violent tendencies. This wasn't what retirement was supposed to be about.

He had come too close to utterly slipping away, unleashing his monstrous power on those who honestly didn't deserve it. In that moment, he had come close to ruining everything he had gained. He had nearly become that which he had sworn never to become again, and though he had not acted on his urges, the fact that he still had them distressed him.

He could have lost Twilight in his anger.

She had been the first to truly open up to him and think of him as a cherished friend. She had cared for him when all others had not passed him a second glance. The prospect of losing her actually made him feel physically ill. He didn't want to be alone. He had been alone for so long before.

Chip was right: he was a monster. He always had been.

The sorcerer hunkered down in an empty corner of the room and leaned against the wall, curling himself into a fetal position as he wept in silence, stewing in a hotbed of self-loathing.

XXXXXX

After awkwardly thanking Princess Luna for taking her to the Palace of Winds, Twilight trotted down the unusually empty halls, searching for Vaati's bedchamber. Occasionally she saw a Floormaster pass her by, crawling on rotted fingertips, or a Poe float overhead, its lantern casting a faint, ghostly light that unnerved the poor mare. But she continued on, intent on finding the sorcerer.

After a few more minutes of essentially dungeon-crawling through the expansive palace, Twilight finally reached the door to which she knew to be Vaati's bedchamber. A lone Darknut stood guard by the door, rigid as a statue. Swallowing her fear of the hulking monster, Twilight trotted up to the Darknut. "Excuse me, sir," she said. "Is Vaati in there?"

The Darknut's ponderous helm tilted ever so slightly down towards her. "Yes," it grunted. "And Lord Vaati has asked that no visitors disturb him."

Twilight frowned. "I need to see him, though."

"It can wait till tomorrow," the Darknut said curtly.

"No, I really don't think it can. Listen. Do you hear that?"

The Darknut quieted and strained its ears to listen. A very faint noise that almost sounded like a person crying could be heard through the other side of the door. The Darknut was confused and somewhat unsettled. "Master?" it questioned almost to itself.

"That is the sound of someone who really needs a friend right now," Twilight spoke sternly. "So please, step aside and let me in."

The Darknut shifted uncomfortably before nodding. "Very well, Lady Twilight. Go to him."

Twilight nodded appreciatively to the Darknut before enveloping the doorknob with her magic. She slowly opened the door, eliciting a long, drawn-out creak as she tentatively peered inside. "Hello?" Twilight whispered. "Vaati? Are you in here?"

There was no immediate answer. Twilight's ears pricked as she tried to pick up any faint sounds, and finally heard a quiet sniffling sound coming from the very back of the room. She couldn't see inside the room very well, for there were no lights save for the moonbeams that gave light to a square patch on the floor, revealing a fancy rug with unfamiliar designs on them. Braving the darkness, Twilight trotted into the room, shutting the door behind her. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she then saw the sorcerer huddled in a corner, his arms wrapped around his legs as he stared at the wall, tears flowing freely from his eyes.

Vaati didn't acknowledge her presence. Never before had Twilight seen the sorcerer in such a state, and the sad look in his eyes twisted her heartstrings in a knot. "Vaati?" Twilight tentatively asked.

Vaati did not look up at her or answer. Feeling she should continue, Twilight said, "I don't know what happened, but Princess Celestia said you needed a friend right now. Is...is there anything I can do to help?"

"...I could have hurt you today."

Twilight was not expecting that answer. "I...what?"

Vaati finally looked up at her, his expression one of utter shame. "What you saw today...that is what I truly am. I'm a monster."

Twilight's mind immediately returned to the image of the humongous, glaring Cyclops-beast in her path, the rage burning in its single eye, the sheer power surrounding it, and repressed a shudder. Vaati apparently noticed, for he said, "So you do not deny the hideousness of my true nature."

Twilight shoved that fearsome image aside and matched Vaati's gaze. "I don't deny that that was a very terrifying experience..." Vaati looked down again, ashamed. "...but you are not a monster."

Vaati's gaze shot back up as he blinked in confusion. "Twilight, I had every intention of killing Discord when you got between us. I came this close to hurting you in order to finish him off. I actually considered swatting you aside like a toy, which could have severely injured you had I given in to my urges. And then, when Celestia pressed me for more details surrounding my past, I almost assumed that form again. I almost gave in to my urge to kill the Princess."

To say this news unnerved Twilight would be an understatement, and for a moment, she took a small step back in hesitation. Vaati buried his face in his knees. "Chip was right," he whispered mostly to himself. "I'm a wretched, unlovable monster. I haven't changed at all."

At that moment, something occurred to Twilight. "Well...I don't think that's true."

Vaati scoffed bitterly as he sniffled. "The proof is in the pudding, Twilight."

"That's right, it is. But not in the way you think."

"What are you talking about?" Vaati tiredly demanded, his breakdown having left him feeling emotionally exhausted.

"You said it yourself; you had an urge to...hurt me and the Princess. But you proved that you've changed when you successfully defeated both those impulses. All you showed me was that you had a surge of power that clouded your sense of judgment, but when you were at the height of that power, when you were poised to kill somepony, you heard my voice...you saw my face...and you held yourself back. If I know enough about your past, you wouldn't have done that before you came here. You have changed, Vaati, and you are not a monster."

Vaati closed his eyes and softly exhaled. "Then what am I?"

Twilight sat down on her haunches next to the sorcerer and nuzzled his shoulder. "My friend," she answered.

Vaati could not think of a way to reply. He was too tired, but there was no denying the feeling of comfort worming its way into his heart as he leaned into Twilight. Realizing the sorcerer was falling asleep, Twilight did not push him away, but positioned herself underneath his head to act like a makeshift pillow as Vaati's body stretched out on the rug. She could hear soft snoring issuing from Vaati's mouth already. She smiled before looking up at his bed and igniting her horn, pulling off a pillow for herself and the bedspread, laying the large red blanket over the sleeping mage and resting her head on the pillow. "Goodnight, Vaati," she whispered soothingly before drifting off herself.

A few minutes later, the Darknut guard opened the door and peeked inside, wondering why he heard no more noise. When he saw his master asleep on the floor, his head propped up on Twilight's back like a pillow, the guard smiled and shut the door.

XXXXXX

The next morning...

Vaati slowly awoke as he heard the bedchamber door shut. He groggily lifted his head up, stirring Twilight from her slumber as well. The little unicorn looked up at the mage and smiled. "Morning, sleepyhead."

Vaati's reply came out a barely-audible, garbled mess of unintelligible words as he sat up straight and rubbed his eyes. As the mage gathered his bearings, he mumbled, "Who was just in here?"

Twilight yawned before noticing something sitting on the bed, parts of it giving off steam. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "There's a tray of food up there! Wonder who left it for us..."

Vaati groaned as he stood up, his knees popping as he walked over to the tray of sliced apples, two slices of cheesecake, (a delicacy from Sugarcube Corner that Vaati had grown especially fond of) a plate of roasted cockatrice, and two mugs of freshly-squeezed apple juice and picked up a note sitting next to it and read it aloud. "A little birdie told us you had a rough night last night. The Moblins insisted it wasn't something food couldn't fix, so we made you breakfast. I personally don't recommend the roasted cockatrice to Miss Twilight. Signed, Nigellas."

"Aw, that's so sweet," Twilight said. "Your minions made us breakfast!"

Vaati cringed, but couldn't hide a light smirk. "This wouldn't happen in Hyrule."

"Well, I'm hungry! Let's eat!" Twilight eagerly pressed.

XXXXXX

Canterlot Castle, three hours later...

Princess Celestia was surprised by the sound of the Throne Room door opening. Looking up from the document she had been reading, she noticed Twilight and Vaati entering the room. Twilight was smiling, but Vaati still had an unpleasant scowl on his face directed at Celestia. "Hello again, you two," Celestia greeted, nodding her head.

"Hello, Princess," Twilight cheerfully responded.

"...Well-met, Princess," Vaati grunted.

"I understand that last night was a trying moment for you, Vaati," Celestia said. "As such, I refrained from telling you the news about Discord until you were feeling better."

"News? What news?" Vaati asked suspiciously. "You did turn him back to stone or what-not, right?"

Celestia shook her head. "No. We did not."

Vaati had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, but he tried another option, hoping against hope that the situation wasn't what he thought it was. "Alright, then. Did you just kill him so this couldn't happen again?"

"I have decided to spare Discord," Celestia answered, "in the hopes that he can be reformed."

A heavy silence permeated the room. For many long moments, Vaati just stared at Celestia as if she had sprouted another head. "You...you're joking...right? Twilight, tell me she's joking."

"Uh...no, she actually isn't."

Vaati's eye twitched before he exploded. "PRINCESS, HAVE YOU TAKEN LEAVE OF YOUR SENSES?!"

Twilight cringed at the loudness of Vaati's angered voice. "You know what he's capable of, Celestia!" Vaati vehemently argued. "As long as he lives, he is a threat to Equestria! You yourself said he was one of your most powerful foes, and yet you want to give him a free pass for all the unrest he has caused?! How can you be so dull-witted?!"

"Discord's power has potential to do a lot of good for Equestria," Celestia answered calmly. "All he needs is to be shown the consequences his actions have on-!"

"This is nuts," Vaati interrupted. "You're all nuts."

The sorcerer turned on his heel and strode towards the door. "Vaati!" Twilight called after him.

Vaati didn't respond, slamming the door shut as he left. As it so happened, Rainbow Dash and Applejack were nearby, talking about unimportant things. Vaati approached them and curtly demanded, "Take me to Discord. Now."

"Can Ah at least hear a 'please'?" Applejack sourly replied.

Vaati's murderous glare was all the answer she needed. "Uh...right this way," Applejack tentatively replied.

"What's your problem?" Rainbow asked.

"No questions. Take me to him."

XXXXXX

The two mares led Vaati to the Hospital Wing of the castle, where Discord was currently residing. Stopping outside his room, Applejack said, "He's in there. Don't do anythin' too rash."

Vaati grunted in response and walked into the room, shutting the door behind him. There lay the draconequus, covered from head to tail in bandages, his neck and appendages all wrapped in casts. Vaati sneered in disgust. As if sensing another presence in the room, Discord's eyes fluttered open and glanced towards him. When he finally realized who was in the room with him, Discord's eyes bugged out in their sockets from fright and the draconequus recoiled, instinctively trying to get away from the glaring sorcerer. The spirit of chaos gritted his teeth as the resulting movement sent waves of searing pain shooting down his body.

Vaati's sneer widened into a truly maniacal smirk as he approached the terrified spirit. "D-don't come any closer!" Discord weakly warned. "I'll turn that hair of yours into licorice!"

Vaati laughed mockingly and took another step towards Discord's bedside. "Go ahead. Try it. Humor me, god of chaos."

Discord tried to hide his fear behind a mask of pompousness as he lifted his eagle talon ever so slightly and snapped his fingers. There was no flash of magic, nor were there licorice dreadlocks cascading down Vaati's face. The sorcerer grinned in triumph as Discord immediately dropped his bravado and stared at his hand in shock. "W-what?" he gasped. "You took my magic?!"

"Actually, Celestia did that," Vaati nonchalantly corrected. "Either way, you're a rose without thorns now, Discord."

Discord managed to swallow his terror of the purple-clad magician and adopt a more neutral expression, trying to build back up his usual arrogant countenance. "What's Celestia playing at? Maybe she really did miss me. Maybe she's already gotten tired of her dear sister again."

"The oh-so-exalted Princess has seen it fit to grant you a second chance," Vaati begrudgingly revealed. "She intends to...reform you."

At this, Discord had to laugh. "Oh, really now? What's she gonna do, force me to endure six-hour-long lectures on the "magic of friendship" by one Twilight Sparkle? Boring."

"I really don't care what the Princess plans to do with you," Vaati snapped. "The fact remains that Celestia has made a very grave mistake, letting you live. Her reasons matter little to me; you don't deserve a second chance."

Discord couldn't stop himself from breaking out into a cold sweat at Vaati's menacing scowl. "Oh...and, uh...why do you say that?"

"You know why," Vaati coldly shot back. "You were a menace to society way back when, leaving the subjects in a perpetual state of misery. Secondly, your existence irks me."

"W-well, you can't really hold that blame over my head after a thousand years, can you?" Discord nervously replied. "You weren't even around a thousand years ago! That seems a bit harsh, don't you think?"

"You'll find that I am a harsh person," Vaati smirked evilly, eliciting a gulp from the defenseless draconequus.

"Vaati! There you are!" Twilight suddenly interrupted, walking into the room. "I've been looking all over for you!"

Vaati bared his teeth in aggravation. "You have awful timing, Twilight," he growled.

"Apparently not, since Discord's still in one piece," Twilight flatly replied. "Princess Celestia wanted me to tell you that you are forbidden from harming Discord in any way."

Discord sighed in relief. "Oh, thank goodness you came, Twilight Sparkle!" he cried in an over-dramatic fashion. "Oh, it was so horrible! He was threatening me and saying unkind words for absolutely no reason whatsoever!"

"Cut it out, Discord," Twilight curtly replied. "You probably pushed first."

Discord's fur bristled in indignation. "I did not!"

Vaati smirked in amusement before Twilight addressed him again. "Promise me you won't do anything to harm Discord."

Vaati rolled his eyes and sighed, holding up his right hand. "Alright, fine. I solemnly swear that I will not lay a finger on Discord again with the intention to harm him. There, happy?"

Twilight smiled. "Very. Now let's leave him alone. Fluttershy plans to visit him soon, so we should give them some privacy."

Vaati grumbled as he headed towards the door, letting Twilight go first. However, before she shut the door, the sorcerer flashed Discord one final glare brimming with malicious intent. The second the door closed, Discord released a shuddering breath.

XXXXXX

That evening...

Vaati sat alone in the bedroom Celestia had given him in one of the towers, waiting until he was sure everyone else was asleep. Of course, not everyone would be; Luna and her guards were active during the night, but Vaati had no reason to be worried about them. Though they were attuned to the darkness, Princess Luna's thestrals would still be unable to detect the nasty surprise Vaati had in store for a certain spirit of chaos.

Once he was sure midnight had struck, Vaati conjured an invisible Eye Sentry, one only he could see and detect. The cyclops-bat squeaked in response to its summoning, eager to please its master. "A dangerous entity called Discord is staying in the castle infirmary," he explained to the critter. "The idiot Princess won't listen to reason, so we must be the ones to eliminate him. Find him, and do whatever you can to dispose of him. Sabotage the medical equipment keeping him alive."

The Sentry nodded in acknowledgement and flew off, phasing through the stone wall of the tower. Confident the Sentry would do its work, Vaati settled into his bed to get some sleep and hopefully ward off any suspicion.

Invisible to all eyes and detection spells, the flying eyeball flitted through the main part of Canterlot Castle, passing by numerous patrols of the unsuspecting Night Guards as it sought Discord. Finally the Eye Sentry found the room and discreetly phased through the wall, spying the draconequus lying in his hospital bed, fast asleep. Gods, that creature could snore. The Sentry then glanced at the beeping devices, to which wires were attached that connected to Discord's body.

Time to wreak havoc on chaos.

The Sentry flitted over towards the equipment, ready to imbue its essence into the devices and short-circuit them.

"It would be an unwise course of action to do that," an unexpected voice coldly warned from behind.

All of a sudden, the Sentry felt its shroud of invisibility dispel and squeaked in fright. Turning around, it saw Princess Luna glaring sternly at the creature. Afraid now that the Princess had seen it, the Sentry zipped out of the room, phasing through the wall like a ghost. Luna sighed in displeasure, knowing exactly who had sent it. Luna then teleported directly to Vaati's room, her arrival startling the sorcerer, who hadn't fallen asleep yet. "Vaati Picoru, we must have a word with thee," she spoke.

Vaati sat up in bed and forced an innocent smile. "Yes, Princess. What can I do for you in the dead of night?"

The Eye Sentry chose that moment to reenter the room, screeching in terror as it spotted Luna. "We are aware of thy attempt on Discord's life," the Moon Princess said, ignoring the Sentry. "Didst thou truly think we could not sense this creature of darkness's presence?"

Vaati frowned, realizing he had been caught red-handed. "We are just as attuned to the darkness as thee, Vaati," Luna continued. "This creature could not hide from us. Now tell us, why dost thou seek Discord's death?"

"Why do you not?" Vaati countered, getting out of bed and crossing his arms.

Luna sighed. "While we admit that Discord's past actions were...unpleasant, Celly believes he deserves a chance to redeem himself."

"Do you?"

Luna blinked. "What?"

"Do you believe he deserves a second chance?"

Luna thought for a moment, then nodded her head. "Yes."

"Are you saying that just because your sister says that?"

"No. We believe he deserves a second chance as well because we were given that same chance despite what we...did in the past."

Vaati said nothing, prompting Luna to play her trump card. "Do not forget. Thou received a second chance as well."

Vaati frowned. "That's different."

Luna raised an eyebrow. "Is it? Tell us how, then."

Vaati opened his mouth to reply, only to realize that he could not think of a response. How were they different? Once upon a time, he, just like Discord, had been a feared villain. His name had been spoken only in hushed whispers, and chaos reigned every time he was released. The idea of redemption was unthinkable.

And yet, here in Equestria, he had found it. The innocent denizens of this world accepted him, forgave him for his past crimes, (at least those who knew of them) and opened themselves up to him. It was here that he had found peace, where his past life could not reach him.

It was here that he had discovered the wonderfully elusive concept of friendship.

What right did he have to deny Discord a second chance at life, when he had accepted that same offer before, under nearly identical circumstances?

It was then that he came to a startling revelation: he was now on the other side of the same situation, and he had a lesson to learn.

"I...I..." The sorcerer could not form coherent words as he sat back down on his bed. "I...don't know."

Luna smiled. "Thou hast just learned a valuable lesson in friendship, methinks."

Vaati looked up at her, ashamed to admit it. "Aye. Everyone deserves a second chance, I suppose. It doesn't matter what one's done in the past. If they are willing to change, then they deserve a chance to show it. And who are you to disagree when you were once in that same boat?"

Luna's smile widened into an ecstatic grin. "Wait until we tell Tia! We taught Vaati a lesson in friendship!"

Vaati waved his hand dismissively and sighed before crawling back under his covers. "Yes, yes, good for you. Now please leave; it's after bloody midnight."

Luna nodded in understanding. "Sleep well, Vaati."

The Moon Princess then teleported away to resume her watch over the night, while Vaati slowly fell asleep, his dreams more peaceful than ever.

XXXXXX

The next morning, Hospital Wing...

"You can't be serious, Celestia," Discord pouted, still unable to move much, though the healing sessions had allowed some of his casts to be removed. "I would try to have your head examined, but I already know I won't find much floating around inside that noggin of yours. You actually think you can reform me? Ahahaha, perish the thought!"

Celestia pursed her lips in annoyance. "You're far too irresponsible for your own good, Discord. You need to learn how to turn your troublesome habits towards more productive things."

"I don't see how, considering you drained me of all my powers!" Discord countered. "Oh yes, that sends a real positive message, Your Royal Pain."

"You will get your powers back little by little as time goes by. The more you improve, the more you will regain."

Discord grumbled irritably. "Really, Celestia. What do you expect me to do?"

"Using your cotton candy clouds and lollipop bushes to end world hunger would be an acceptable start," Celestia spoke with a raised eyebrow.

Discord scoffed. "How positively boring."

The two of them were interrupted an abrupt, "Ahem."

Discord's eyes widened in terror and Celestia turned her head as Vaati entered the room. "Ah, Vaati," Celestia greeted. "Just the one I wanted to see."

Vaati quirked an eyebrow in detached half-interest. "Is that so?"

"It seems Luna was able to teach you an important lesson in giving others the same chance you were given," Celestia answered matter-of-factly, eliciting an annoyed grunt from the mage. "And that is why you, along with Fluttershy, shall be the ones to teach Discord about the benefits of friendship."

Discord and Vaati's eyes bugged out in shock. "You can't be serious," they simultaneously chorused.

Celestia smiled in her usual aggravatingly-benevolent way. "I know nopony else better qualified to teach Discord these lessons, for you have already faced the hardships he will endure. And Fluttershy's infinite kindness and patience will be of great help to you in taming him."

Realizing there was no way out of this, Vaati sighed and ran a hand through his hair, removing his cap with the other hand. "Alright. Since I somewhat doubt I'll be able to convince you otherwise, I'll help you in this most maddening of tasks."

Celestia nodded. "I think it's safe to say that you two got off on the wrong foot. I'll give you a few minutes of privacy to get properly acquainted."

Celestia then left the room. Discord warily regarded the quiet sorcerer, who sighed and sat down at the foot of his bed. "Since it seems I am stuck with you for the time being, I'm going to make something perfectly clear. I have no faith whatsoever in you. As such, you will have to go above and beyond in learning your insipid lessons about friendship if you hope to impress me."

Discord groaned. "Mother Faust help me, I've been enslaved by Drill Sergeant Nasty."

"You don't know the half of it, creature of chaos," Vaati replied. "The princesses were right, though; I was in your position once, and I accepted their offer of friendship. I have no right to deny you the same opportunity. That said, I'm not going to tolerate the slightest bit of insubordination from you. I will be writing to Celestia on a regular basis concerning your progress. When you are fit to leave the castle, you will be staying at the Palace of Winds, where my servants and I can keep an eye on you. You will not leave the Palace without an escort, which will often include myself. And you will use whatever magic Celestia gives you back solely for the purpose of making yourself useful around Ponyville. Do we understand each other?"

Discord gulped. "All those limitations...all that order...you can't possibly be that cruel."

Vaati sneered. "Try me. I was that evil flying eyeball for well over five hundred years; I know a thing or two about cruelty."

Discord shivered uncontrollably at that awful memory. "But rest easy," Vaati continued. "You won't see it again unless you become dangerous."

Discord spent a few moments taking in everything that had transpired around him in the past ten minutes before finally asking, "So how exactly do you expect to actually go about "reforming" me?"

A very unhappy scowl dominated Vaati's facial features. "I have no fudging clue."

To Be Concluded...

Author's Note

Okay, guys. Here's where I ask for help. I share Vaati's sentiments here. I need ideas on how to reform Discord in a way that doesn't feel shoehorned and make Discord OOC, because this guy is pretty darn difficult to write. So ideas are requested!

Also, a little clarification on Vaati's personality. He may be a five hundred year old terror, but the fact remains that he started his mad rampage when he was 10 years old, and since most of his time is spent in stasis in the Four Sword, Vaati hasn't really had an opportunity to mature past his early teen years mentally, hence his fragile mindset and volatile emotions. That's just my headcanon personality for him.

Episode 10: The Reformation of Discord

Episode 10: The Reformation of Discord

Two weeks had passed, and by this time Discord hade made a complete recovery. The draconequus in question now stood awkwardly alongside the Mane Six and Vaati as they waited for the Friendship Express to enter the Canterlot Station. The other ponies present made sure to give the two strange-looking creatures a wide berth. Vaati paid the skittish ponies no mind, glancing every couple of moments at Discord to make sure he wasn't getting into any trouble.

The Mane Six were chatting amongst themselves about the recent turn of events and how they were going to help out. Vaati paid them no mind either, knowing their ideas would be fruitless in the end. Suddenly they heard a bell cheerfully ring, accompanied by the hiss of expulsed steam as the train arrived. Discord looked down at the wheels and immediately began to complain. "Oh, it stays on a set track? Jeez, think of how much more interesting it would be if this thing just flew through the air!"

A vein began to throb in Vaati's forehead as he grimaced. "Whoopty-do, Discord. No one cares. Now shut up and wait for the train."

Discord sighed dramatically and craned his neck downward, his head hovering over Vaati's. "But I'm boooored."

Vaati's eye twitched, but the sorcerer just stared ahead with an icy glare that could freeze Death Mountain solid. Discord inwardly laughed. If he was going to be stuck with the tacky-clothed ape-wizard until further notice, he had might as well make the most of it. He knew the mage was right, though; Discord really wasn't considering the idea of complying with everypony's wishes. The idea of him reforming to suit Princess Celestia's boring tastes made him gag. But that didn't mean he wouldn't put on a good act. He was Discord; of course he would put up a show. And as scary as the sorcerer was, Discord knew that he simply couldn't resist pushing as many of Vaati's buttons as possible during his stay.

In any case, he was no longer trapped in stone. That, in and of itself, was a plus.

The train slowed to a stop and opened its doors, passengers beginning to file out. At least until they saw Discord, at which point they immediately stopped and gasped in terror. Vaati rolled his eyes and stepped forward, shooing them off. "Alright, all of you! Move on, nothing to see here! Off with you! Go on, get!"

Snapped out of their trance, the passengers hurriedly scurried off, their eyes fixated on the looming chimera. Vaati glanced up at Discord. "Get in."

"What if I want to sit on top of the train?" Discord cheekily inquired.

Discord promptly felt his his head jerk down to Vaati's level as the irritated mage pulled on his goatee. "No buts," Vaati growled. "Get. In."

With no room left for discussion, Discord stepped inside the train car, with Vaati and the Mane Six following after.

Vaati sat with Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash in one set of seats, while Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack sat in another set close by Discord, who lounged in a corner seat, taking up a whole set by himself, in order to keep an eye on him. Well, Rarity and Applejack were keeping an eye on him; Pinkie was trying to start a conversation with the mischievous spirit by chattering as much as possible about anything and everything, all of which Discord pointedly ignored.

"So what are we going to do about him?" Twilight asked.

Vaati scoffed. "Wait for him to make a mistake, and then turn him back to stone right then and there."

Twilight frowned. "Vaati, at least give him a chance."

Vaati waved his hand dismissively and replied, "Yes, yes. I know. I just…don't have much faith in the idiot. I'm fairly certain he has no intention of reforming like Celestia wants."

"Well, it's not like he doesn't have an incentive to give it a try," Twilight pointed out. "The more he improves, the more magic Princess Celestia gives back to him."

"A system he can easily abuse," Vaati countered. "It's not like he couldn't put up an act until the right moment. He can pretend all he likes, and when the time comes and he has all his magic back, he'll be free to go right back to the way he was before."

Fluttershy finally mustered her courage and spoke up. "Well…maybe he needs…a bigger incentive."

Vaati raised an eyebrow. "Explain."

"Well…um, maybe…maybe he just needs a friend," Fluttershy timidly replied.

Vaati rolled his eyes in bemusement. "Of course. The magic of friendship. I should have known better than to doubt you."

His heavy sarcasm did not go undetected. "Hey, it worked on you, didn't it?" Rainbow spoke.

Vaati glared daggers at the rainbow-maned pegasus. "Twilight got lucky in that she was there at the right time. Most of you, on the other hand, annoy me to the brink of insanity. There is a reason I tend to avoid associating myself with the rest of you when I can."

Rainbow gave him a dirty look, while Twilight couldn't decide whether she should be flattered that Vaati had admitted he thought of her as his friend or insulted that Vaati refused to extend the same courtesy to her friends. "But that's just it, though," Fluttershy explained. "You…you may not…like the rest of us…but you do like Twilight. Everypony can see how she's changed you…and please…don't tell me you can't see it yourself."

Fluttershy's words smarted. "I…uh…I…blast you, Fluttershy," Vaati grumbled.

Knowing she was starting to get through to him, Fluttershy smiled slight and continued, stuttering less as her success boosted her courage. "I think Discord needs the same thing. He needs a friend. Even if it's just one, it could be what he needs in order to become a better person."

Vaati pursed his lips in indignation. "What in Din's name do you expect me to do, get all buddy-buddy with him? I think not."

"It wouldn't hurt to try, would it?" Fluttershy pressed.

"I'm willing to tolerate him living at the Palace of Winds. That's as far as I'm going to go."

Fluttershy sighed in defeat. If only Vaati wasn't so darned stubborn all the time… "Well, if you won't do it, then I will," she proclaimed.

Several seconds of shocked silence followed until Twilight managed to recover first. "Fluttershy…are you sure about this?" she asked.

"Yeah," Rainbow added. "I mean, this is Discord we're talking about! He's the reason we have to manually change the seasons and manipulate the weather every year, since his pranks messed up some of the physical laws of our world a thousand years ago."

Fluttershy looked over at Discord, who was amusing himself by holding up Applejack's hat where she couldn't reach. Applejack was fuming as she tried to grab her hat, while Rarity chided him for his unpleasant behavior. Fluttershy turned back to look at her friends and answered, "Well…no, but I think somepony needs to give it a shot, and if I'm the only one willing…"

Twilight nodded her head in understanding. As they continued their discussion, Applejack finally got fed up with Discord's antics and turned her back on the spirit as he laughed uproariously. Applejack abruptly cut his laughter short with a well-placed buck between his legs. Overwhelmed by the ensuing agony, Discord opened his mouth to scream, but could only manage a strained squeaking noise. The humbled draconequus collapsed on the ground and rolled around on the ground with his mismatched hands covering the wounded spot, wheezing, "That…wasn't…fair…" Applejack picked up her hat and returned to her seat without a word, leaving Discord to writhe around on the floor, feeling the pain no male ever wanted to feel.

Having not noticed any of the background events, Twilight said, "Well, if you think you can get through to him, then go for it. We'll help whenever and however we can." Twilight then glared at Vaati. "All of us will."

"For Din's sake, what more do you want from me?!" Vaati griped. "I'm providing him a living space while he's here, aren't I? I feel that's adequate contribution."

Twilight leaned forward and poked her hoof into Vaati's chest, ignoring his usual why-are-you-touching-me-you-heathen look. "Listen up, mister," Twilight sternly said. "There's a lot you can do to help, and you are not gonna welch out on it! Understand?"

Vaati growled irritably. "Alright, fine. What do you want me to do?"

"Encourage him to try to make connections with others," Twilight suggested. "Get him to talk to your monsters. Maybe he can actually make friends with some of them."

"…The only reason I know you're being serious is because you have no sense of humor," Vaati flatly replied. "Him make friends with my servants? Really?"

"Yes, really," Twilight responded. "And then get him to do the same with everypony who lives in Ponyville."

Vaati narrowed his eyes. "You're barking mad, Twilight."

Ignoring that last comment, Twilight continued, "In the meantime, also try to teach him about how his magic can be used for good. Show him a few examples by going around town and helping in some minor tasks. Show him that doing good things can be fun too."

Vaati frowned. "Vaati the Wind Sorcerer does not do 'minor tasks'."

"Oh, will you suck up that pride of yours for once in your life?" Twilight griped. "Jeez, you can be so bull-headed at times I can mistake you for a Minotaur."

"Shut up, you."

Rainbow Dash doubled over in laughter at that, eliciting an icy glare from the sorcerer that cut her guffaws short. "Eh he he he…sorry," she muttered, sitting back in her seat.

Suddenly they heard the conductor's chipper voice over the intercom. "If I can have your attention, everypony, we will soon be arriving in Ponyville, so please gather your things and be ready when this train enters the station. Thank you for choosing the Friendship Express as your method of travel and we hope to see you again!"

"Friendship Express?" Discord gaped. "They call this thing the Friendship Express?! GAG!"

One of the very few things Vaati could agree with Discord on.

XXXXXX

Palace of Winds, Main Hall…

The heavy iron doors of the Palace of Winds opened at their master's behest, allowing Vaati and Discord entry into the foreboding fortress. The two Moblins standing guard on either side straightened at their master's presence. Detecting Vaati's magical signature from elsewhere within the palace, Nigellas then appeared before them, bowing to Vaati. "Lord Vaati, welcome back," he greeted.

Vaati nodded and gestured towards Discord. "This is Discord, the spirit of chaos," Vaati introduced. "He will be staying here at the Palace of Winds for a while as we attempt to teach him about the "Magic of friendship"."

Nigellas stifled a snicker at the absurdity of that statement. "Heh heh…right then. Where will he be staying? I think the dungeon's open."

Discord didn't look very pleased with the implications until Vaati replied, "Yes, that will be perfect. Since there's no more need for them, they can be refitted to serve as living quarters."

Discord sighed inaudibly in relief, thankful he wasn't going to be spending his time mostly behind bars. That wouldn't have been very fun at all. The draconequus took in his surroundings, noting how all the tapestries and suits of armor looked so infuriatingly orderly. Noticing the look in Discord's eye, Vaati glared up at him. "Let me make one thing perfectly clear, Discord. If you so much as move one stone out of place outside your own room, you'll spend the week cleaning every single room in the palace. By yourself. Do NOT test my patience."

"Of course not!" Discord replied, crossing his fingers behind his back. "You have my word that I will be totally compliant!"

In his heart, Vaati knew there would be trouble yet from the draconequus. Nigellas didn't look all too convinced either, but said nothing and headed off to oversee the renovations to the dungeon area. Discord watched the Wizzrobe go, smirking as he pictured the wizard's robes turning into dishcloths. Oh, that was a good idea. He'd have to keep that one in mind for future reference when he got more of his powers back. At that moment, one of the Moblin guards whose current post was the front door approached the mage and snorted in greeting. "Master Vaati," it gruffly declared. "A visitor is here."

Discord raised a bushy eyebrow at the sight of the ugly creature. "Gruesome little fellow, aren't you?"

"Who is it?" Vaati asked with a little more force than necessary in order to divert the guard's attention away from the mouthy chimera. Now was really not a good time for visitors.

"Little yellow and pink chicken horse," it answered with a grunt. "Cowardly little thing shakes at the very sight of me."

"Ah. That would be Fluttershy," Vaati responded. "Alright, bring her here."

The Moblin bowed and stalked off to carry out its orders. "Oh yes, dear little Fluttershy is supposed to help out with my impending reformation," Discord chuckled. "How positively adorable!"

"Give her any trouble either and I'll rip out your snaggletooth and carve out your eyes with it," Vaati warned.

Discord scoffed. "Oh, so boring, Vaati! I mean, really! It's not like I would actually hurt a hair on her timid little head!"

"I wouldn't put it past you."

Before Discord could open his mouth to defend himself, the Moblin reappeared with a shivering Fluttershy in tow. "Master, little chicken horse Fluttershy here to see you."

Vaati frowned. "Will you please stop calling her that? She's a pegasus, not a 'chicken horse'."

"Sorry, sir," the Moblin grunted before taking its leave to return to its post.

Fluttershy visibly brightened when she saw Vaati and Discord. "Hello, Vaati," she greeted. "Hello, Discord."

"Hey, Fluttershy," they both lazily chorused.

"I assume you're here to help me with this dolt's reformation, correct?" Vaati asked.

Fluttershy frowned. "You shouldn't call people names, Vaati."

"I call people what I want. Now, I was about to show Discord his new quarters. After I get him acquainted with his new surroundings, we can discuss how we'll go about reforming him."

"Okay," Fluttershy answered. "Lead the way, I guess."

XXXXXX

After all the bars were removed from the cells, one of the cell doors was replaced with a wooden door to make it feel more like a bedroom than a prison. Vaati led Discord and Fluttershy over to this particular room and opened the door. "This is where you'll be staying, Discord," Vaati explained. "You can redecorate this room as much to your liking. But only this room. Understand?"

Discord rolled his eyes and gave a mock salute. "Aye aye, mon capitan."

"Alright, Fluttershy," Vaati bade. "Let's go."

"Oh, yes!" Discord called behind them as they left. "Have a nice time! Bye-bye, bye-bye…"

Good, they were gone. Now it was time to plot. The Palace of Winds was way overdue for a big storm of chaos, after all, and that was a situation he was honor-bound to rectify.

XXXXXX

Vaati led Fluttershy to his personal study and gentlemanly opened the door for her. "Thank you," she spoke as she entered, with Vaati following behind.

A small table with two chairs had been set out for them, along with a tea kettle and a pair of teacups. Vaati took up one of the chairs and held up the kettle. "Tea?" he offered.

"That would be lovely, thank you," Fluttershy answered as she lay on the other chair's seat, being unable to sit in it like a human.

Vaati poured some tea into her cup before doing the same for himself. He took a moment to sip on it in contentment before beginning. "So do you have any ideas whatsoever on how we're going to do this? Frankly, I don't."

Fluttershy sipped on her tea a bit before responding. "Well, have you at least given it some thought?"

"No," Vaati replied. "I still have my doubts about this even working."

Fluttershy sighed. "Vaati, you're still not giving him a chance. You really need to if this is going to work."

"Fluttershy, I can tell you with a fair deal of confidence that he is not receptive to the idea of truly reforming. Anything he does do will just be part of an act so he can get his powers back."

"He may be thinking that right now, but he might really change his mind. Princess Celestia is counting on both of us, Vaati. We need to give this our best shot."

Vaati took another sip and waved his hand dismissively. "Yes, yes. I know. Everyone has been telling me the same thing. It's just…hard, is all, to think of him as anything more than the Equestrian counterpart of my world's deadliest enemy."

Fluttershy blinked in curiosity. "Deadliest enemy? How so?"

"Discord is, for all intents and purposes, Equestria's God of Chaos. In my world, we had someone much like him, only worse. He was known as Majora, and spreading chaos was what he did, just like Discord. Only his chaos was blatantly evil in nature, and it resulted in the deaths of countless millions. He tried to wipe out all creatures given life by the Golden Goddesses with his demonic legions, raised the dead with his essence alone to fuel his already-vast armies, and warped the laws of nature for decades to come, causing rabbits to hunt other creatures as fiercely as any wolf pack and locusts to devour flesh instead of crops. It goes without saying that the last time Majora walked the earth was Hyrule's darkest hour. Discord is the same, only somewhat less violent and definitely less powerful."

Fluttershy instinctively shivered at such a morbid description and immediately felt a pang of sympathy for those in Vaati's world who had been forced to live through such a horrific time. "As truly horrible as that sounds…I don't think Discord is that bad. I think he deserves a chance at redemption."

Vaati sighed yet again. "I know. The concept will just take some getting used to, is all. So, do you have any ideas?"

Fluttershy smiled and finished her tea. "Discord does what he does because he's never learned how good it feels to help others instead of be mean to them. We need to teach him that, firstly by making a connection with him. I know you're not exactly comfortable with the idea of making friends with him, so I guess you can leave that part to me. I'll learn more about him and get to know him."

"So, you'll be the one doing the friend-making? Fair enough, what else?"

"First, we'll have him help your monsters out around your palace. That way, we can get him acquainted with the whole idea of helping others out."

"My monsters aren't exactly known for expressing gratitude. I don't think he'll find the experience fulfilling."

"Oh…um, okay, I guess. Then we can have him help out around town and get everypony to start trusting him."

"I don't think anyone could ever trust him as far as they could throw him."

"Vaati…"

Vaati could almost see it starting to form in her stern eyes. He had only heard rumors about its potency, how it had tamed dragons and cowed cockatrices, but Vaati did not want to put the legend of Fluttershy's Stare to the test and immediately backed down. "Alright, alright. I'm kidding!"

Fluttershy's expression softened. "Once he realizes how much more fulfilling it is for him to help ponies than to hurt them, we can get Princess Celestia to give him his magic back."

Vaati rubbed his temple. "I still have my doubts, and they won't go away until they're disproven, but…if you really intend to give him a chance, then I'll help."

Fluttershy smiled. "Thank you, Vaati."

Vaati stood up and idly flicked a speck of dust off his cloak. "Well," he sighed unenthusiastically. "Let's get this show on the road."

XXXXXX

The two of them returned to Discord's bedroom to inform him of his duties, only to find that he was nowhere to be seen. "What the?!" Vaati gaped.

Strangely enough, his bed was also missing. "You know, I'd be careful if I were you," they suddenly heard from above. "Your faces might freeze like that."

Vaati and Fluttershy looked up to see the bed attached to the ceiling, with the sheets and pillows somehow not falling off. Laying comfortably upside-down on the bed was Discord, gazing at them in bemusement. "What's the matter, Vaati?" he asked.

"Your bed. Is on. The ceiling."

"Now, you did say I could renovate my room to my liking, did you not?" Discord pointed out. "Oh, and the wallpaper changes color and design every so often too. Couldn't decide on just one design, so why not have 'em all?! Took all my remaining magic just to do this, so you know, so at least it got put to a use you could approve of."

Vaati rolled his eyes. "Yes, I suppose I did. It just…caught me off guard is all. Anyways, Fluttershy wants to spend a little personal time with you. I'm going to do…something else while you two get acquainted. I'll be back in an hour or so, and then we're going down to Ponyville. Don't make me regret this."

Vaati then slammed the door shut, leaving Fluttershy and Discord alone in the room. Several minutes went by while the two of them stared uncomfortably at each other. Finally, against all common sense, Fluttershy managed to speak first. "Um…h-hello, Discord. Uh, h-how are you?"

XXXXXX

Vaati spent that entire hour pacing back and forth right outside the dungeon entrance, his mind racing with worry. There were so many ways this could go wrong, and try as he might, he just could not get over his adamant belief that this was doomed to fail. Everyone else seemed willing to give him a chance, and had given him logical explanations as to why he should too, but he just couldn't buy their arguments. Now that he thought about it, he didn't really understand why himself. Was it jealousy? Was he afraid that his friends would start paying more attention to Discord than to him?

Vaati abruptly stopped and shook his head. No, that was stupid.

Once he was certain at least an hour had passed, the sorcerer headed straight for Discord's bedroom and opened the door, somewhat afraid of what he would find. "Everything alright in here?" he asked.

It seemed his worry had been for naught, as it appeared Discord and Fluttershy had currently been deep in conversation. Apparently they were enjoying it too, as they both had smiles on their faces. Their conversation interrupted, they both looked at the sorcerer. "Yes, everything's alright," Fluttershy politely informed him. "Is it time to go into town yet?"

Vaati nodded. "It is, unfortunately. Let's go."

XXXXXX

Ponyville…

The various townsponies all gawked at the chaotic spirit as he, Fluttershy, and Vaati flew down to the town square. Choosing to ignore the stares, Vaati looked down at Fluttershy. "Alright, Fluttershy. The townspeople look petrified. What's to be done?"

"Um…we'll start at the library," Fluttershy answered. "Twilight told me that she's willing to let us organize the library while she and Spike go out for lunch."

"Well, that sounds fair," Vaati replied, heading towards the library.

"Organize the library?" Discord groaned. "But…you can't expect me, the master of chaos, to suffer through such a demeaning task!"

"We can, and you will," Vaati gruffly replied as they reached the library.

The mage rapped his knuckles against the door a few times. After a moment, the door opened, revealing Twilight. "Hi, Vaati!" she greeted with a smile. "Spike's just about ready, so we'll both be out of your hair in a few moments."

As if on cue, they heard Spike call, "Are they here, Twilight?"

"Yeah, Spike," Twilight answered. "Let's go!"

Vaati stepped aside as Twilight and Spike walked out. "Have fun, guys!" Twilight said before heading off.

"It'll be an experience, that's for certain,' Vaati mumbled quietly to himself as he and his entourage entered the library.

Naturally, the library was in a semi-messy state due to Twilight having had studied who-knows-what last night and this morning. It was almost as if Twilight had left this mess specifically so they could have something to do. Discord sighed. "I think it looks fine just like this."

"Now, Discord," Fluttershy admonished. "The first thing to remember about friendship is that you can't always have it your way. Now let's clean all this up so we can be finished by the time Twilight and Spike come back."

Discord grumbled but decided not to object. After all, like it or not, the little butter-colored pegasus was starting to grow on him. And so they set to work, rearranging books on their shelves and making sure everything was orderly. Twilight and Spike returned just as they were finishing up. Noticing how great the place looked, Twilight beamed. "Wow, guys! You did a really good job!"

"You're welcome, Twilight," Fluttershy answered. "We had fun, didn't we, guys?"

Discord and Vaati both grumbled inaudibly. Twilight and Fluttershy shared a chuckle. Boys. "Well, I think you all deserve a reward for your hard work," Twilight said, trotting into the kitchen.

Discord visibly perked at this. "Reward, you say?"

Moments later, Twilight returned with a batch of multi-colored cupcakes aglow with her magic and set them down on a table. "I got these from Pinkie Pie before you came. Dig in!"

"Well, don't mind if I do!" Discord laughed, snatching up a cupcake and tossing it in his mouth.

"Um, Discord, you're supposed to take the paper off first," Fluttershy informed him, but the spirit seemed to be enjoying his treat too much to care.

Vaati devoured his cupcake with similar gusto (but had the good sense to remove the paper first). As much as he disliked Pinkie Pie, one thing he agreed that he enjoyed about her was her cupcakes. As they ate, Vaati asked, "What next, Fluttershy?"

"Well, there are a couple other ponies who looked like they could use some help out there," Twilight offered. "I managed to get Rainbow Dash to let you guys help her clear away the clouds today. I also made sure she wouldn't let her ego get the best of her."

"My animals will need to be fed soon too," Fluttershy added. "That's another thing we can do."

"Pinkie Pie wanted to go to the spa with Rarity today, but the Cakes need a babysitter," Twilight spoke. "She'd love it if you took care of the Cake twins while she hangs out with Rarity."

"That sounds wonderful," Fluttershy replied with a smile. "I'm sure everypony will appreciate our help."

She looked warmly up at Discord. "Ready to go?"

Discord glanced at her before popping another cupcake into his mouth. "Now I'm ready," he said through a mouth full of cupcake.

XXXXXX

Discord had no idea how to feel. Nopony had ever done anything nice for him before, nor offered to be his friend, and despite how badly he resented it, it felt good. So when music abruptly started up as he, Vaati, and Fluttershy lent a helping hand or hoof to each other and to others, he didn't question it. As the time went by in a near-literal montage, Fluttershy began to sing as they tended to her animals.

"You think you'll always be stuck exactly the same,

But that's just because you haven't tried a different game

I can show you the world in a new way

Accept my friendship and let me brighten your day…"

Perhaps it was a byproduct of his chaotic nature. Perhaps Fluttershy had dug far deeper under his skin than he would admit. Maybe he was just in the mood. Whatever the case, Discord joined in.

"What is this feeling I can't seem to hide?

This feeling that I'm more than meets the eye

Is this the dawn of a new me?

Perhaps chaos isn't the only thing I'm meant to be…"

Vaati had a completely dumbfounded look on his face as he observed the two and tried to block it out as they moved on to clearing away clouds. He and Rainbow Dash tried to work, but they were too distracted by the next stanza, sung by both Discord and Fluttershy as they did their part.

"Your friendship feels like magic

And this change feels so drastic

We found something fantastic

And I don't wanna let it go

Because your friendship feels like magic

And every second's less tragic

We have something fantastic

And I don't wanna let it go…"

Rainbow Dash smiled despite herself. Those two really were too adorable. Seeing her expression made Vaati groan and facepalm. The whole thing seemed absolutely ridiculous to him, but he did not interrupt their duet, even as the next moment, he found them both floating away in a hot-air balloon. Letting out a cry of surprise, he hurried to catch up as Discord sang:

"I'll be there for you

If you'll be there for me

If we can work together

Friends we can forever be…"

As Vaati tailed the balloon with a nonplussed look, Fluttershy sang:

"I'll be there for you

If you'll be there for me

I've been waiting to hear that all along

My friendship is yours to keep…"

A break seemed to happen in the song as the balloon descended to the ground by Sugarcube Corner where Pinkie Pie was waiting, and Discord and Fluttershy stepped off it. Vaati grumbled quietly to himself about how idiotic this spontaneous singing spree was as they relieved Pinkie and set about keeping the Cake twins entertained until she returned from the spa. Discord discovered he had a certain way with toddlers and could make them laugh so many ways with his faces. The sounds of their laughter filled Discord's chest up with an unfamiliar, warm sensation that he just could not will himself to suppress. Vaati hung towards the back, uninterested in dealing with the toddlers. But it was obvious that his conviction was wavering as the song progressed. Discord was actually enjoying himself with Fluttershy, and he simply could not maintain his nasty glare as the background music reached a crescendo, and the two new friends broke out singing again.

"Your friendship feels like magic

And this change feels so drastic

We found something fantastic

And I don't wanna let it go

Because your friendship feels like magic

And every second's less tragic

We have something fantastic

And I don't wanna let it go…"

And then they found themselves in the middle of the town square again, surrounded by dozens of townsponies whose attention was fixed on them as the final stanza came to pass.

"Your friendship feels like magic

And this change feels so drastic

We found something fantastic

And I don't wanna let it go

Because your friendship feels like magic

And every second's less tragic

We have something fantastic

And I don't wanna let it go!"

As the music began to die down, Fluttershy found herself swept off her hooves and pulled into a tight hug by Discord. The assembled crowd burst into a chorus of "awww"s and cheers at the sight. As Discord set Fluttershy down, he said sincerely, "I think I understand how it feels now. I guess friendship really is a wonderful thing to have."

Discord turned to see Vaati staring at him from the crowd with an unreadable expression. His arms were crossed, and his eyes pierced Discord's own. "There you go," Discord grumped. "Friendship is magic. There, I said it. Are you convinced now, mon capitan?"

Vaati quirked an eyebrow but said nothing for several moments. The crowd awaited his response with bated breath. Finally the mage broke his stare and looked huffily off to the side. "You've come a long way, I'll give you that. This whole time I had my doubts. I doubted Fluttershy's determination, and I doubted you. It seems…I was in error. Yes, you have, against all common sense, convinced me, Discord."

"As you have also convinced me."

Everyone gasped in surprise and hurriedly bowed as Princess Celestia unexpectedly came onto the scene, her face aglow with pride. Vaati nodded as Discord stepped forward, bowing dramatically. "Yes, Celestia," he spoke in a melodramatic tone. "They successfully taught me the ever-so-gag-inducing 'magic' of friendship. Are you happy now?"

Celestia smiled. "I'm very proud of all of you. I can definitely sense a big change in Discord. Though I am confident that there are still many things he can learn about friendship and kindness. Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy looked up. "Y-yes, princess?"

"Would you be opposed to Discord living with you for the time being as you teach him all you know about friendship?"

Fluttershy's smile threatened to split her face in half. "Oh, that would be so wonderful! What do you think, Discord?"

Discord rolled his eyes. "Well, I would have a lot more freedom to express myself under your roof than Vaati's little prison cell…that is, if a certain marshmallow-butt princess gives me my magic back."

"Discord!" Fluttershy admonished.

But Celestia didn't seem to mind the insult. "Rest assured, Frankenstallion, I haven't forgotten," she answered with a smug smile as her horn began to glow.

Discord could feel his familiar power coursing through his veins again. Oh, that felt so good. He grinned as he felt his power fully restored. "Yes! Ha ha ha ha! The Master of Chaos is back in business! And to express my gratitude, dear Vaati, allow me to present you with this!"

Discord snapped his fingers, causing a blueberry pie to appear in his lion's paw. He held it down to the wind mage, who cautiously looked at it. The words "Thank you, Licorice-Hair!" were scribed on its surface with purple icing. Vaati blinked in surprise. "Well, Discord…I-I must say, that's rather kind of-!"

SPLAT!

The pie had, without warning, sprang up from inside its tin and made contact with Vaati's face, covering him from head to toe in pie crust and blueberry filling. Discord, as well as the whole crowd, burst into a raucous fit of laughter at the mage's expense. As the sorcerer started to shake with rage and embarrassment, Discord hovered down close to his ear. "Don't feel bad," he advised cheekily. "It's how I show gratitude. You'll miss me."

Vaati wiped the blueberry filling off his face and glared icily at Discord. "Somehow, I find myself doubting that. But for the sake of my dignity and your good health, I accept your…generous gift."

"That wasn't my only one," Discord replied. "You need to have a little more excitement in your life. So there's something waiting for you back at the palace that's sure to give you an interesting night."

Vaati gave him a warning glare. "Oh, don't look at me like that!" Discord griped. "Nothing is out of place in your perfect, orderly little fortress of solitude, I assure you. Now, Fluttershy…" The newly-reformed spirit of chaos held out his paw towards the yellow pegasus. "Shall we get settled in?"

Fluttershy smiled and took his paw in her own hoof. "Yes, let's."

The two of them then flew off towards Fluttershy's home. There were lots of lessons to be learned, fun to be had, and friends to be made, and both of them looked more than ready for the challenges ahead. Watching them leave, Celestia turned towards the wind sorcerer and flashed him a knowing smile. "So, Vaati," she began. "Did you learn anything today about the magic of friendship yourself?"

Vaati gave her a deadpan look in response. "I learned that it can really tire a guy out, and that I don't think I'll ever understand it one-hundred percent. I'm going home, taking a bath, going to bed, and not getting up for the rest of the week. Good day, Princess."

Without another word, Vaati rose up into the sky and floated away, looking completely done with everything and everyone.

It was not until later that he discovered Nigellas shrieking with fury, his robes having taken on the color and texture of dishcloths.

Author's Note

Why does this chapter feel less quality than the others, you say?

I GOT FED UP WITH IT.

This took way too long to submit, and I had another, better chapter I wanted to put up but had to wait till this was finished to maintain continuity. If you don't like it, well, it's done, we can at last move on to better things.

UGH.

Episode 11: The Meaning of Family Part 1

Episode 11: The Meaning of Family

Vaati quietly observed as a team of pegasi under Rainbow Dash's command pushed rain-soaked clouds together in preparation for a big storm. "So, am I to understand that there was a mishap at the weather center?" Vaati inquired.

Rainbow Dash sighed. "Yeah, couple of new hooves. Always happens."

Vaati quirked an eyebrow. "Always happens, you say? Clearly something needs to be done about that."

"Yeah, unfortunately I'm not the one in charge," Rainbow griped. "By the way, why aren't you taking shelter like everypony else? It's supposed to be a pretty good storm. Twilight's organizing a sleepover over at her place. You're welcome to join, if you want."

Vaati rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. I could conjure better storms in my sleep. Besides, a walk in the rain's as good a place as any to think."

Rainbow felt the first raindrop fall on her head. Within seconds she was soaked as a torrential downpour cascaded from the raincloud. She looked down to see Vaati cheekily meeting her gaze from under the safety of an umbrella. "Yeah, you have fun with that," she grumbled, flying off towards the library. "I'm going to Twilight's."

And with that, Vaati began his walk, humming a jaunty tune to himself. Gloomy weather always put him in a better mood.

XXXXXX

Meanwhile, somepony else happened to find themselves stuck in the dismal weather, but this time without any sort of protection from the cold rain and rough winds. Scootaloo trudged through the muddy road, her head hung low and despondent. She looked like she had taken a beating recently. She was covered with bruises, scrapes, and had a black eye. As she walked, she recalled the words her dear father had just spat in her face just minutes before.

"You worthless foal! It's a shame you didn't die instead of your mother!"

"Why did I get stuck with the brat?!"

"Can't do anything right! Can't even fly!"

"DON'T YOU BUCKING TALK TO ME LIKE THAT!"

"Get out of my house! I'm tired of taking care of you! GET OUT!"

Scootaloo noticed a large tree sitting on top of a nearby hill and headed towards it, sniffing sadly as she replayed her father's words over and over again in her head. Maybe Dad's right, she thought. Maybe I am a screw-up.

She soon reached the tree and curled up at the base of its withered trunk, its wide canopy providing some protection from the rain. I try so hard to make him happy, and all he does is yell at me and beat me. And now he's kicked me out of the house.

She could feel a wetness on her cheeks, and she knew that wasn't from the rain. She was unable to keep back the choking sob rising from her throat and buried her face in her hooves. "Why doesn't he love me?" she sobbed to herself. "Why doesn't anypony love me?!"

Thunder and the continuous pattering of rain was her only answer. A cold wind blew, causing her to shiver terribly. I…I wish I could just die…

It was at that moment that Vaati arrived at the scene, walking along under his umbrella. A cursory glance towards the tree on the hill suddenly snapped him out of his cheerful mood when he saw an orange and dark pink-haired mass curled up beneath the tree. He would know that combination of colors anywhere.

Scootaloo. That was her name, wasn't it?

Not long after he had made friends with Applebloom, the little filly had introduced him to her other friends. One of the was apparently Rarity's little sister, and the other was Rainbow Dash's biggest fan. The three of them seemed to refer to themselves as the Cutie Mark Crusaders, out to try doing random things until one of them clicked and got them their Cutie Marks. The whole thing had honestly sounded silly to him, but he hadn't voiced his thoughts. Occasionally he saw them around town, causing trouble during their escapades and just generally being kids.

Vaati found himself jealous of that childhood camaraderie, for he had had none of that in his own childhood. Thus, he had spent quite a bit of time with the Crusaders, getting to know them. They really were adorable fillies that Vaati just couldn't find it within himself to be his usual cynical and sour-tempered self around them.

Concerned for the normally-rambunctious filly, the mage began trudging up the hill to where Scootaloo lay. She didn't appear to have noticed him yet. "Scootaloo?" he called.

Scootaloo's head shot up in surprise as she looked at the mage. "What on Farore's green earth are you doing out in this dismal weather?" Vaati asked.

"V-Vaati?" she uttered.

"I always knew you were a daredevil, Scootaloo," Vaati continued, "but, really, some lines just need to be drawn…"

That was when the sorcerer took note of Scootaloo's condition, and his face hardened. Realizing he had seen her injuries, Scootaloo looked away in shame. "Alright, get up. You're coming with me," Vaati flatly said, scooping Scootaloo up into his arms and ignoring her yelp of protest. "I suggest you hold on. This may be a bit of a harrowing ride."

And then, before her eyes, Vaati began to change. His body went from ape-like to a great orb of darkness with a single eye and two golden horns. Two pairs of bat-like wings flapped, causing them to go airborne. Scootaloo was now gripped protectively in his talons, not tight so as to crush her ribs, but not loose enough for her to slip through and plunge to her doom a thousand feet up. Scootaloo was too awed to make any noise as the great beast flew into the air, through the clouds and into the sunlight. There, hovering over the storm cloud, was another cloud carrying his beloved Palace of Winds. Scootaloo's eyes widened in terrified amazement as she saw the massive palace growing larger by the second. The stories her friends' sisters had told about the palace's size could never do it proper justice.

It wasn't long before the duo reached the front entrance of the palace. Without warning, the gilded claws released their hold on Scootaloo's body, and she dropped with a startled cry onto the soft cloud below. Scootaloo stumbled a bit before righting herself. "Whoa," she murmured, feeling the surface.

She had never been on a cloud before. It felt softer than any other surface she had felt. At that moment, she heard Vaati's voice and looked up at him, noticing he had changed back into his normal form. "Welcome to my Palace of Winds, Scootaloo."

Vaati idly waved his hand, and the door began to creak open, his eye sigil splitting in half as the doors separated and opened inward, revealing the interior of the Palace. Vaati stepped aside and teleported his umbrella out of sight. "Come, let's get you cleaned up," he spoke as he walked.

He stopped after realizing Scootaloo was not following him. He turned around to see her staring hesitantly inside, unwilling to move. Scootaloo had heard many of the stories about the monsters that made their home inside the Palace. She had even seen a few of them around town, but it was the stories about the monsters Vaati didn't trust to let roam outside the palace that gave her the shivers. Vaati rolled his eyes and walked back over to her, sweeping her up into his arms once more. "H-hey!" she complained.

Vaati ignored her as he walked, apparently searching for someone. Scootaloo couldn't deny, however, that she found herself feeling safe in his arm as he carried her like an infant. Soon, Vaati caught sight of a particular Wizzrobe who happened to be walking by. "Nigellas!" he barked.

Nigellas approached his master and bowed. "Lord Vaati," he greeted before noticing Scootaloo. "Hey, who's the extra baggage?"

Vaati frowned. "This baggage's name is Scootaloo. And before you say something else you'll regret, fetch me a Red Potion on the double. Her injuries are a little more severe than what my limited knowledge of healing spells can remedy."

Nigellas briskly saluted. "Your wish is my command, sir," he said before teleporting away.

Vaati then set Scootaloo on the floor as they waited. At that moment, a Moblin passed by as part of its patrol. Scootaloo gasped in fright as she saw the grotesque creature look curiously over at her. Vaati glared at the beast. "As you were," he ordered, and the Moblin went back to its patrol, rounding a corner and disappearing from sight.

"W-what was that?" Scootaloo nervously asked.

"That was a Moblin," Vaati replied. "Those are some of the monsters I'm not yet confident enough to let roam outside the palace."

Nigellas took this moment to reappear. "We're out of Red Potions," he reported.

Vaati glared at him. "What do you mean, 'we're out of Red Potions'?"

"As in zero. None. Nada. Zilch. The medicine cabinet is empty."

"Then why are you standing there like a fool instead of MAKING BLOODY NEW ONES?!"

"Because…" Vaati's glare intensified. "…I'm not helping myself, am I?" Nigellas wisely asked.

"Get. Going. And bring it to my personal chambers when you're done."

Nigellas nodded before disappearing again. "Come, Scootaloo," Vaati bade. "Follow me."

Scootaloo did as she was told and stuck close by the mage as he led her through the palace. She happened to look up at the ceiling at one point and saw a shocking sight. A disembodied, decayed hand clung to the ceiling directly above her. Without looking up, Vaati explained, "Wallmaster. They throw intruders out of the palace. Since you're with me, they don't see you as a threat and will ignore you. Now come. We're almost there."

As they walked, they passed several other monsters on guard or on patrol, including a trio of Floormasters that scared the living daylights out of Scootaloo due to their gruesome appearance. Eventually they reached an ornately-carved door flanked on either side by a Darknut. Vaati strode up to the one on the left. "Maulgrim, Nigellas will be here soon with a Red Potion. Let him in when he comes."

The armored beast nodded. "It will be done, milord."

With that, Vaati pushed open the door to his bedroom and stepped inside. Nervously peeking in to make sure there were no more monsters hiding in this particular room, Scootaloo crept in as well, wincing as she heard the door shut behind her. Vaati sat down at his bedside and gestured next to him. "Come. Sit here and we will talk."

Scootaloo looked up at the bed, measuring the distance between the ground and the top of the mattress. Shutting her eyes in determination, Scootaloo's wings buzzed as she tried to lift herself off the ground. She, unfortunately, could not hover for more than a few seconds, and fell back on the floor with a loud thump. Not one to give up so quickly, she tried again, but once more met with failure. Vaati quirked an eyebrow as he observed. "Shouldn't pegasi your age be able to fly by now?" he asked.

Scootaloo heaved a dejected sigh. "Yeah. Thanks for reminding me."

Ah. This appeared to be a touchy subject for her. Vaati immediately dropped the subject and set Scootaloo on the bed. "Now, Scootaloo," Vaati said. "I want you to tell me what happened to you."

Scootaloo seemed hesitant to answer. "Were you in a fight?" Vaati asked.

"Uh…well, not exactly…"

Anger momentarily flashed in Vaati's eyes. "Did bullies do this to you?"

Scootaloo shook her head. Vaati was starting to get suspicious. "Do your parents at least know about this?"

Scootaloo tried and failed to suppress an expression of hurt at Vaati's last question, but not before Vaati had already caught it. Something was wrong here. But before he could inquire further, there was a knock at his door. "Yes, come," Vaati commanded.

The door opened to reveal Nigellas with a glass bottle filled with red liquid in one hand and a roll of parchment in the other. At Vaati's curious look, Nigellas said, "When I give her the potion, I want to monitor the healing process and make sure everything's going smoothly. We've never used it on non-humanoids before, so I want to keep track of the injuries as they heal."

Vaati nodded in understanding. "Very well," he said.

Nigellas uncorked the bottle and handed it to Scootaloo. "Okay, kid. Drink up. Slowly now."

Scootaloo complied and began drinking the potion, which thankfully had a strawberry taste to it so it wouldn't be rejected by finicky kids. Nigellas began monitoring the words as they appeared on the parchment, taking note of every injury that was healed. As the list went on, though, Nigellas's face (or at least his eyes, them being the only visible attributes of his face) grew grimmer, much to Vaati's concern. Once Scootaloo had finished, she set the empty bottle on the bed. "Wow," she marveled. "I feel great! What's in that stuff?"

Nigellas did not answer, instead ushering Vaati over to the far corner of the room so Scootaloo could not overhear their discussion. Once he was sure Scootaloo wasn't trying to listen in, he began his report. "Sire, I've got some troubling news about the kid."

"What is it?" Vaati asked, hoping the situation wasn't what he was beginning to think it was.

"The injuries she sustained have all been healed, but…the list goes back at least five years. And she's received similar injuries dozens of times over that period of time. Milord…I think she's being abused."

Vaati's chest tightened as his worst fears were confirmed. Scootaloo, the headstrong filly who wanted her cutie mark, to able to fly, and to be as awesome as Rainbow Dash herself, abused. The thought alone made Vaati boil with anger. "There's more, sir," Nigellas interrupted, snapping Vaati from his thoughts. "This report has also given me the reason why she is unable to fly at her age when other pegasi are. I'm afraid, sir, that…she has a growth deformity in her wings. I wouldn't be surprised if the result was due to the mother being beaten herself while she was pregnant with Scootaloo. On her own, she will never be able to fly."

Vaati instinctively glanced to see if Scootaloo had overheard, but she apparently hadn't, for she was too busy investigating the rest of Vaati's room. The sorcerer felt great pity well up for this filly, who, all because of her own father, (it most likely had to be her father, considering Nigellas's report) would never realize her dream. To never feel the wind beneath one's wings, to feel the cool breeze on one's face, to have an uncontested view of the world below…

Parents weren't supposed to be like that. Vaati had to force down his growing anger towards the unknown perpetrator. "What is your recommended course of action, sire?" Nigellas asked.

Vaati at first didn't answer the Wizzrobe, instead turning towards Scootaloo. "Scootaloo, where do you live?" he asked.

Scootaloo tried not to panic, failing miserably. "I…uh…I…"

"Scootaloo, just tell me, because I know what's been happening to you all these years."

Scootaloo sighed in resignation. She had always feared what would happen if anypony found out about her family situation. She hated living there, but the prospect of living in the local orphanage wasn't particularly appealing, either. Somehow, she had little faith anypony would adopt her right off the bat. "I…over on the outskirts of Ponyville, behind the hills overlooking the lake, there's a dingy old shack. I live there with my dad." Then she scoffed bitterly. "At least I did, until he finally got tired of me and kicked me out."

"He kicked you out of your own house?!" Vaati gaped, Nigellas apparently sharing his shock.

Scootaloo nodded again, trying to hold back her tears. Barely holding his rage in check, Vaati turned towards Nigellas. "Go find Twilight and tell her to send a message to the Princesses explaining the situation. Tell them to send a few guards to clean up whatever is left of the cur who dares to call himself Scootaloo's father, and that I will be taking responsibility for Scootaloo for the time being."

Scootaloo's jaw dropped. Had she heard right? Vaati was actually willing to take care of her? Nigellas saluted and once again disappeared to carry out his orders. With that done, Vaati rounded on Scootaloo. "Come, Scootaloo," he said.

"W-what're you gonna do?" she timidly asked.

Vaati's eyes were ablaze with tranquil fury. "I'm going to make sure your father never hurts you again."

XXXXXX

Had the citizens of Ponyville looked up, they would have seen the demonic winged eye soaring overhead, with a familiar orange filly sitting on its back, tightly gripping its golden horns. "Show me the way, Scootaloo," Vaati ordered, his voice distorted and deeper.

Scootaloo pointed. "That way!" she cried loud enough for the mage to hear.

The winged demon banked in that general direction, passing over the lake and soon catching sight of an old house. "There!" Scootaloo indicated, pointing at the shack.

Vaati dove downwards towards the house until he was close to the ground, at which point he returned to his normal form and let Scootaloo down from his shoulders. The young filly immediately shrank back from the sight of that hated house and hid behind the safety of Vaati's cloak. Noticing how frightened she was, he said, "Stay by me. If he tries to hurt you, I'll reduce him to ashes."

That seemed to calm her down a little, and she followed behind the sorcerer as he approached the front door. Vaati then knocked on the door and waited for several tense moments. Finally the door unlocked and opened, revealing a grey-coated pegasus stallion with several scars on his body. His mane and tail were black and unkempt, and his Cutie Mark was of an Equestrian version of a set of brass knuckles. Vaati internally seethed at this; his special talent was actually beating people up, and he knew it. Worse still, the stallion's eyes were slightly red and Vaati could smell alcohol on his breath, likely because of the bottle of cider clutched in his wing. "What the buck do you want?" he grunted, having not yet noticed Scootaloo.

Vaati kept a straight face as he asked, "Are you the father of Scootaloo?"

The stallion's eyes narrowed suspiciously at the mage. "What's it matter to you?"

"Answer my question…sir," Vaati growled, refraining from calling this lout a much more derogatory name.

The stallion scoffed. "Not anymore, I ain't. She ran away from home. Good riddance, I say."

Vaati's teeth bared. "That's a lie and you know it," he snarled. "You beat her to a pulp and then kicked her out of your house, you disgusting parody of a father."

The stallion blinked in surprise for a moment before glaring right back. "That little sack of horseapples put you up to this, didn't she?!" he demanded.

And that was when he saw Scootaloo hiding behind Vaati, tears streaming from her eyes. "You did put him up to this!" he roared, pointing accusatorially at her with a hoof. "When I told you to never come back, I meant it, you worthless piece of-!"

"Don't you dare talk to your own child like that!" Vaati shouted, his voice starting to carry demonic undertones.

"Butt out, you freak!" the stallion snapped, stepping towards Scootaloo, who scrambled back in terror.

"No," Vaati responded coldly, blocking his path. "Your quarrel is with me. Leave her out of this."

The stallion's face bore an expression of pure hatred. "With you, huh? Then have it your way!"

Without warning, Scootaloo's father flew up at Vaati's head and swung his cider bottle with all his strength at Vaati's face, shattering it and sending the stunned sorcerer to the ground. Vaati's vision spun and blurred, his head pounding in agony. He could feel something warm trickling down his face. He barely registered the sound of Scootaloo screaming in terror…

Scootaloo.

The enraged stallion had Scootaloo pinned against the side of the house, the top half of the broken bottle clutched in his wing. Scootaloo squirmed and struggled, but her efforts were in vain; her father was much stronger than she was. Holding the sharp edges of the glass dangerously close to Scootaloo's throat, he snarled, "I'm bucking done with you. All you've ever been was a waste of space and my time. I'm putting an end to this right now."

Scootaloo was scared. More scared than she had ever been in her life. Her own father was about to kill her. Happier moments flashed by in her eyes, times she had spent with her fellow Crusaders, laughing and playing while searching for their special talent. What would they think when they found out she was dead, killed by her drunken, deranged father? She never even got a chance to say goodbye…

And then, like a guardian angel, Vaati rose up behind her father, looming over him with murder in his eyes and a thin trail of blood leaking down his face. He grabbed the stallion by the shoulders, his strength bolstered by adrenaline and his demonic powers, and flung him away from Scootaloo through the front door. The stallion crashed into his dingy kitchen sink, knocking dirty silverware all over the place. He shook his head and opened his eyes to see the furious sorcerer enter the house. He snarled in fury and dive-bombed Vaati too fast for the mage to counter, knocking him to the ground.

The stallion attempted to crush Vaati's skull with his hoof, but the sorcerer managed to push him off with a gust of wind. He had barely gotten to his feet when he narrowly avoided a plate that had been thrown at him. Scootaloo's father snorted and whinnied in rage as he pelted the sorcerer with dishes and knives. Vaati managed to dodge the more deadly projectiles, but barely avoided being gutted as his adversary dove in again, this time with a butcher knife clenched in his teeth.

Vaati side-stepped as the stallion attempted to skewer him again before sending a flurry of Razor Wind spells his way. Scootaloo's father dodged all but one, which cut into his side and drew blood, but it was not a crippling blow. The two opponents stared each other down in the living room, which was now in ruins due to their struggle. "You're bucking dead, you ape," Scootaloo's father growled. "I'm gonna cut you to ribbons just like I will with that little wretch of a filly when I'm done with you!"

Vaati snarled like a beast. "You will not touch her again!"

There was no more reason to hold back. Vaati cast out his hands and unleashed a deadly barrage of fireballs. If his opponent intended to kill him, he was more than willing to extend the same courtesy.

XXXXXX

Scootaloo stood outside, listening intently to the sounds of the struggle within the house. She silently prayed to Mother Faust that Vaati would be alright. Suddenly she heard a muffled explosion and smoke began to billow out of the open doorway. A fire began to spread throughout the dilapidated building, much to her horror. Without thinking, she galloped right into the burning building, screaming Vaati's name. "Vaati! Vaati, where are you?!"

The smoke was blinding, and Scootaloo coughed as she inhaled the acrid air. "Vaati!" she cried over her coughing.

It was difficult to breathe. Unable to see, she tried to get out, but realized she couldn't see the door. Oh no, she panicked. I'm trapped!

Suddenly she felt herself swept off her hooves as Vaati emerged from the smoke and flames and grabbed her, making a beeline straight for the door. Not three seconds after Vaati and Scootaloo escaped the burning building, there was a crashing noise as it collapsed, a cloud of embers flying into the air. Vaati then set her on the ground as they watched the smoldering remains for several tense moments, as if expecting Scootaloo's father to emerge from the rubble like a demon rising from the depths of Tartarus. But that wasn't going to happen; what was left of that house would serve as his grave.

Scootaloo stared at the remains of her old home, a million thoughts going through her head. Her home was gone. Her horrible father was no more. Her life was over.

And yet…

Now it could begin anew.

Suddenly she saw Vaati collapse to his knees, wincing in pain and clutching his chest. "Vaati?!" she cried, and panicked when she saw the dark red blood staining his tunic and hand. She then happened to look down at herself; it was all over her too.

Vaati had been stabbed in the fight.

"No! No no no no no no NO NO NO!" Scootaloo panicked as Vaati began to sway.

"Cur…got lucky," he groaned before slumping to the side.

"No! No, please Vaati! Don't die on me!" Scootaloo shrieked. "I don't wanna be alone! SOMEPONY! HELP! PLEASE, SOMEPONY HELP!"

Fate seemed to smile upon her once again, for at that moment, Twilight, Nigellas, and a pair of Royal Guards came onto the scene. Once Nigellas and Twilight saw the downed mage and the hysterical filly screaming for help, the two of them screamed Vaati's name in horrified unison and immediately teleported to his side, leaving the guards to catch up. "Vaati!" Twilight cried. "What happened?!"

"He's losing blood fast!" Nigellas hurriedly observed. "We need a Red Potion NOW!"

Without another word, the Wizzrobe vanished. Twilight knelt down to assess his injuries, trying to keep her own panic in check and failing miserably. By now the other guards had caught up and were investigating the burning building while Twilight tended to the sorcerer. "H-he's gonna b-b-be okay, right?" Scootaloo stuttered, fear in her eyes. "P-please tell me h-he'll b-be okay!"

"H-he'll be fine!" Twilight tried to reassure her, though her panicked tone had the opposite effect.

Vaati's chest felt like it was on fire. He wasn't quite sure how Scootaloo's father had managed to get that lucky shot in, but he apparently hadn't noticed it until it was already over. His head swam, the voices surrounding him muffled and incoherent, and above all, he felt tired. He vaguely registered a tightened feeling on his arm as Scootaloo desperately clung to it, fearing for his life. With all the strength he could still muster, he pulled the filly close to his body, as if still bent on protecting her.

At that moment, Nigellas reappeared, a bottle of Red Potion in his pitch-black hands. "Step aside, all of you!" he ordered, kneeling down next to his master.

Twilight stepped back, holding back tears, but Scootaloo didn't budge. Maybe it was because of how Vaati's arm was keeping her protectively by his side, but Nigellas didn't question it and leaned Vaati's head back, pouring the live-giving medicine down the mage's throat. Vaati coughed as the liquid went down, shuddering as the potion coursed through his veins, repaired his wounds, and replenished his blood supply. Vaati's breathing began to steady. Nigellas heaved a sigh of relief. Twilight and Scootaloo began crying tears of relief as they hugged Vaati.

However, the mage had already slipped into the sweet embrace of unconsciousness.

XXXXXX

Ponyville Hospital…

Vaati slowly began to awaken, immediately finding himself in the rather familiar setting of Ponyville's hospital. He was laying in one of their beds, and as he was about to move his legs, he noticed he could feel something on the bed with him, curled up by his legs. Vaati sat up and looked to see Scootaloo curled up at the foot of his bed, fast asleep.

"She would not leave your side at all while you were out, you know."

Vaati looked up to see that another also occupied this room. Princess Celestia stood by the door, looking as regal as ever. Vaati nodded in respect. "Princess."

Celestia returned the gesture. "There are some things we need to discuss, primarily concerning Scootaloo's now-late father."

Vaati frowned at the mention of the hated stallion. "So he didn't survive, then?"

Celestia shook her head. "The guards found his remains in the wreckage. This could go very poorly for you, Vaati, if news were to get out without the straight facts. You must tell me what happened."

Vaati glanced at Scootaloo before recalling the previous events. "During the storm, I came across Scootaloo, who had been beaten and then kicked out by her father. I took her to the Palace of Winds to heal her injuries and get her story. I then went and confronted her father, intending to tell him what a piece of filth he was and that I was going to care for her from then on. Unfortunately, he decided it would be a good idea to beat me over the head with a bottle. He tried to kill Scootaloo after he incapacitated me, Princess. What else could I do? I defended her as well as myself, but when he said he still planned to kill her right after killing me, I stopped holding back. I'm sorry if your laws look down on such violence, but I don't regret my actions. But…if you're here to arrest me, then I have only one request before you do: don't put Scootaloo in an orphanage. She'll be miserable. I don't want her to live the life I did. Find her a home with a family that will properly care for her straight away."

Celestia gave a faint smile. "Even when faced with the possible loss of your freedom, your thoughts are not with yourself, but with the one you dare to sacrifice it for. That is a very selfless thing for you to say, Vaati. I know of no one better suited to caring for little Scootaloo."

Vaati blinked in surprise. "So…you're not going to arrest me?"

Celestia shook her head once more. "My sister has always been better with interpreting laws than I. She spent the better part of two hours trying to get me to see her logic. What you did could have been constituted as murder…were it not for the fact that you clearly stated you were defending yourself and a child, and that he struck first. Her father threatened her life and yours, and you acted accordingly. That is no crime, Vaati. Besides, both my sister and I are fairly certain that if we actually had arrested you, we would have had a full uprising on our hands, courtesy of your monsters…and of course, Twilight and her friends."

Vaati and Celestia shared a chuckle, deciding to ignore the truth of that statement. "Scootaloo, apparently, has no other family to speak of," Celestia continued. "So no one else is going to come for her in the event that she is put up for adoption. You said that you would be willing to adopt her yourself, am I correct?"

Vaati frowned. "I said I would allow her to live in the Palace for the time being until…other arrangements could be made."

Celestia gave a light smirk laced with devious intent. "There's more to it than that and you know it."

"…I don't know what you're talking about, Princess."

"I'm fairly certain you do. You demonstrated how much you have grown to care for her by fiercely defending her from one who wished her harm. You wanted to take her away from a terrible situation for no reason other than her well-being. If you intend to adopt her, just say it already. I can sign the document myself and make it legal and we'll be done with it."

Vaati glanced down at Scootaloo, who mumbled quietly in her sleep a little. A part of him resented the unfamiliar warmth in his chest as he observed this young child who had come to look up to him. He could not deny, though, that he definitely felt something towards her. "But I must ask you first," Celestia continued, interrupting Vaati's thoughts. "Are you prepared for this? Are you ready to take responsibility for the well-being of this child? She is not one of your monsters, who, despite how they admire and look up to you, are all adult creatures able to function on their own. She will need special attention you are not used to giving others. You will need to be the one to take her to school in the mornings, tuck her into bed at night, and comfort her when she has a nightmare. She needs a parent, not a caregiver. Will you give her that, Vaati?"

Vaati would have thought long and hard on such a life-changing decision, but once his eyes fell on Scootaloo again, he knew immediately what his answer would be. "I will."

Celestia's benevolent smile widened as she summoned a document and a quill, handing them to the sorcerer. Vaati inspected the parchment; it was an adoption form. Vaati didn't bother to read the main body of text; he already knew what needed to be done, and what all this meant for him and his charge. At the bottom of the parchment were two lines. One was signed by Princess Celestia. The other was for him.

Sighing in resignation, Vaati signed his name on the empty line, sealing his fate forever.

"Mnnhh…Vaati?" Scootaloo abruptly mumbled, starting to awaken.

Vaati and Celestia looked at the filly as she stretched and stared at the parchment in Vaati's hand. "Whu'zat?" she questioned, her speech slurred by her lingering fatigue.

Vaati and Celestia glanced at one another knowingly before Vaati flipped the document over for Scootaloo to see. As she read the document, her eyes almost bulged out of their sockets as she looked up at Vaati in shock. "You…you're really gonna…?" she uttered, her astonishment making her unable to finish that sentence.

Vaati nodded. "You're mine now, Scootaloo."

"In the eyes of the Equestrian law, Vaati is now your legal guardian, Scootaloo," Celestia informed.

Scootaloo sat there for several moments, unmoving. And then, without warning, she leapt onto Vaati's chest and wrapped her hooves around his neck in a hug. His trademark why-are-you-touching-me look flashed across his face…

"Oh, Vaati! Thank you thank you thank you so much!" Scootaloo cried, staining Vaati's tunic with tears of happiness.

…and the look immediately melted away from his face, replaced by one much more unfitting considering his usual disposition: compassion.

The wind mage then awkwardly patted Scootaloo on the back and returned her hug. Beaming with pride, Celestia turned her head towards the door. "I think this calls for a celebration," she said. "Don't you think, Pinkie Pie?"

"You bet, Princess!"

Vaati's eyes widened in dread at the sound of Pinkie's voice. "What."

And then the room exploded with noise and streamers as Pinkie Pie barged into the room and fired off her party cannon, flinging party decorations all around the room, which somehow attached themselves neatly in various places. Not two seconds later, the rest of the Mane Six, along with Nigellas, Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle all poured into the room, all crying Vaati's name in joy (except Fluttershy, whose quiet voice was drowned out, as usual) and carrying various trays of food. Twilight wrapped Vaati up in a big hug. "I'm so glad you're okay, Vaati!" she cried. "Don't scare me like that again!"

Applejack came up next. "Glad to hear yer doin' alright, sugarcube!" she said. "Ah also wanna say good job fer givin' that no-good, yellow-bellied sack 'a horseapples what he deserved!"

Though it initially would have seemed out of character for someone like Applejack to say that, Vaati knew also that family meant everything to her, and someone who had the audacity to hurt their own family members was the lowest of the low in her eyes. Rarity came up next. "You gave us quite a scare, you know," she said. "To think that such a horrible brute would hurt adorable little Scootaloo like that…I don't exactly approve of your methods, Vaati, but all the same, I'm glad he's gone."

Rainbow Dash followed after. "Hey guys," she said as she ruffled Scootaloo's hair. "If you had told me sooner I woulda done somethin' myself, squirt." She looked at Vaati. "Take good care of her, alright? Or else I'll do somethin' to you myself, got it?"

Vaati smirked. "Understood."

Glad they had reached an understanding, Rainbow stepped aside to let Fluttershy through. For several moments she just stared timidly up at Vaati. "I…um…"

Forgoing her usual shyness, she flew up and wrapped both Scootaloo and Vaati up in a hug. "Oh, I-I'm so glad y-you two are okay!" she whimpered, sobbing into their shoulders.

Both of them awkwardly patted her back until she released them from her embrace, hiding her face behind her long hair in embarrassment. Pinkie bounced up to them and hugged them as well, rambling incoherently about how she was super-duper happy that they were okay and congratulating them on becoming a new family, something she mysteriously knew about despite no one telling her. Finally she let go, much to Vaati's relief.

At this point, the other Cutie Mark Crusaders jumped on the bed and crowded around Scootaloo, sharing a group hug and laughing in relief at seeing each other again. "Oi, boss," he suddenly heard Nigellas say.

Vaati glanced over at his Chief Wizzrobe and stifled a laugh. Despite wearing his usual wizard's hat, a colorful party hat was situated on the top of its point, since it couldn't fit around any other part of the wizard hat that he never took off. He really did look quite ridiculous. "Nice of you to think about the kid," the Wizzrobe commended. "But don't ever do that again…sire."

Vaati rolled his eyes. "Shut up and enjoy the party."

And so it went on for a short while. Vaati waited until the chatter had died down somewhat before he cleared his throat. "If I could have your attention, everybody," he declared, silencing them all.

Vaati paused as he considered how to word his message. A part of him knew he would come to regret what he was about to say, but he didn't care. It was for Scootaloo. "As you may or may not be all aware, due to the recent…turn of events, shall we say, I have chosen to officially adopt Scootaloo as my foster daughter."

The room erupted into cheers for several moments before Vaati managed to get them to quiet down so he could continue. "I have never even considered that I would come to care for a child of my own. But then again, neither did I ever consider any of the events that have happened in my life upon coming here." There were some light chuckles. "Raising a child is hard work, harder than any one parent should have to shoulder on themselves. So, I ask for your help in raising Scootaloo."

Twilight smiled. "So, in a manner of speaking, you're asking us to act as her honorary family?"

"That…would be the general idea, yes."

"Wait!" Applebloom interrupted, pointing at the Mane Six. "Does this mean y'all are gonna be Scootaloo's aunts?"

They all nodded with huge smiles on their faces. "Then…that means we're," she breathed.

Then the three fillies gasped in unison. "CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS COUSINS!" they cheered, hugging each other.

"Guh," Vaati groaned, massaging his battered ears, but he couldn't resist cracking a smile.

This was a monumental event, not just for Scootaloo, but him as well. In saving a child's life, not only had he become a father, but part of his very own family. "If Scootaloo needs any help studying, I'm your mare," Twilight offered.

"Ya need a foalsitter, look me up!" Pinkie chirped, bouncing excitedly.

"Since I'm your aunt now, squirt, that means I'll get to spend more time showin' ya some awesome tricks!" Rainbow boasted proudly.

"If she needs clothes for any reason, just talk to me," Rarity spoke.

"Since yer now the newest member 'a the Apple family," Applejack said, "if'n ya want to spend the night over at Sweet Apple Acres with Applebloom, yer welcome anytime!"

"Um…if you don't mind, that is," Fluttershy mumbled. "You can…uh, have another sleepover at my place whenever you want. I'm sure that Discord won't mind."

Scootaloo looked at each of them as tears came to her eyes, smiling in pure gratitude. "Th…thank you," she managed. "Thank you, everypony. Y-you don't know how much this means to me."

Vaati smiled. "But I think you're beginning to realize how much you mean to us."

No sooner had that statement left his mouth when he and Scootaloo found themselves submerged in the legion-like embrace of a group hug.

XXXXXX

Palace of Winds…

After Vaati had completely recovered from the incident, he was allowed to return home to his palace with young Scootaloo in tow. Immediately afterwards, he called all his monsters together for a meeting in the main hall. Still nervous around them, Scootaloo stayed behind Vaati and peeked out from behind him at the gathered horde of Moblins, Miniblins, Stalfos, Darknuts, Keatons, Wizzrobes, Poes, Wallmasters, and Floormasters.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen," Vaati began, Scootaloo reacting with surprise that some of the grotesque creatures arrayed before her were actually female. "I have an important announcement to make. Due to an unforeseen series of circumstances, the Palace is going to gain a new occupant."

One of the Miniblins pointed at Scootaloo. "Ny nai?" it spoke in a high-pitched, admittedly goofy-sounding voice. The other Miniblins promptly chimed in, eliciting a short-lived chorus of their native chatter as they hopped up and down.

Scootaloo could not hold down her chuckles at the Miniblins' antics. "They seem pretty excited," she remarked.

"I was afraid of that," Vaati mused in reply. "It seems the Miniblins already have you pegged for hired help with their pranks."

"Oh, that sounds like fun!"

"Pranks they pull on the other monsters."

Scootaloo visibly gulped. "Well, buck."

Vaati then turned his attention back to his entourage. "Yes, one of the ponies is going to be living here full-time. Her name is Scootaloo, and I have taken her in as my foster daughter."

The monsters' reactions were varied. The Moblins mostly snorted with surprise, the Miniblins cackled hyperactively, (Scootaloo dreaded the day when Pinkie Pie would meet these devil-like gremlins) the Wizzrobes sans Nigellas all glanced at each other with bemusement, while most of the others didn't have much of a reaction at all, being mostly indifferent to the situation altogether.

After letting the news sink in, Vaati continued. "As such, you will treat her with the same degree of respect you show towards me. Is that clear?"

The monsters grudgingly nodded in acknowledgement. At that moment, Nigellas stepped forward. "Ah, boss?"

"Yes Nigellas. What is it?"

"I hope you're not planning to shove all the responsibilities of taking care of the kid onto just your shoulders. I'm willing to help, if you need it. I myself have sometimes wondered what it would be like to be an honorary uncle."

Vaati raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?" he deadpanned.

The Wizzrobe shrugged. "Nah, but better now than never, eh?"

After a moment of silence, another stepped forward, catching everyone by surprise.

"I wish to serve as an additional caregiver to this child," Maulgrim the Darknut declared, and feeling the need to explain himself, he continued. "I feel it is important that we learn to understand those whom have shared their world with us. Some among us are still not trusted enough by you to be let out of the Palace to interact with the civilians below. I feel that if all of us were to interact with her at regular intervals, we can learn how to behave around her kind, understand their nature, and most importantly, ease some of the burden of caring for her off your shoulders."

Some of the monsters did not look at all pleased by the implication that Maulgrim had just volunteered them for babysitting duties. Vaati managed to recover from his surprise and responded, "Well, uh…that's…uh, very generous of you, Maulgrim."

The Darknut smirked as his thoughts drifted to Rarity. "I have learned from the best, you could say."

Scootaloo couldn't help but grin. Not many ponies could boast of living alongside plot-kicking monsters. Diamond Tiara would have to be completely stupid to want to mess with her or her friends now.

XXXXXX

Later that night…

After Vaati had given Scootaloo a grand tour of her new home and laid down some ground rules, they had eaten a hearty dinner prepared by the Wizzrobe and Moblin cooks. By the time they were finished, it was well into the night, and Vaati did not fail to notice the yawn that escaped Scootaloo's mouth. "I'd say it's time for bed, don't you?" Vaati quipped.

Scootaloo numbly nodded her head in agreement. "Alright, I'll show you to your bedroom," Vaati said, getting up from his seat. "Let's go."

And so Vaati led his foster daughter (oh how strange it felt to think that, but Vaati was certain he would grow used to it) down to the former dungeon area and pointed to a particular cell whose metal-barred door had been replaced with a plain wooden one. "This room was custom-built for guests," he explained. "But I think it will make a fine bedroom for you. Just don't be too surprised by the interior decorating. Discord used to live there."

Scootaloo's eyes widened in surprise. "That's where Discord slept?"

"Well, it was where he was supposed to sleep. Due to unexpected circumstances, he didn't even end up living here a full day. Just as well, I suppose; I just know he would have started giving me trouble otherwise. He never even bothered to reverse the spells he cast on this room, so I had to manually detach the bed from the ceiling myself. I did leave the walls alone, though; they change colors and designs every couple of hours. He couldn't settle with one, so he just had them all."

Vaati then opened the door for her, and Scootaloo stepped inside, marveling at her new room. The current wallpaper was sky-blue, with simple cloud designs lazily floating horizontally across the wall. "Whoa," she breathed.

"I'll be sure to get you some things so you can customize your room," Vaati said. "But right now, you need sleep. You have school tomorrow, correct?"

Scootaloo nodded as she approached the large bed meant for her. "Uh huh. Eight in the morning, sharp."

As Scootaloo crawled under the covers, Vaati approached her bedside. "Alright, I'll have some of my Eye Sentries wake both of us up at seven so you have time to get ready."

The sorcerer ruffled the filly's hair, eliciting a giggle. "Goodnight, Scootaloo," he bade.

"G'night…Dad."

Vaati couldn't have resisted smiling if he actually had wanted to. As he was about to exit the room, he heard Scootaloo ask, "Hey, Vaati?"

Vaati glanced at her. "Hm?"

"…Thank you. For everything."

Vaati nodded. "Thank you."

The mage-turned-foster father shut the door and exited the dungeon area, almost immediately running into Nigellas upon reentering the main hall. "Hey, sire. I need to talk to you," the Wizzrobe spoke.

"Yes, Nigellas?" Vaati asked.

"It's about Scootaloo's…deformity."

Vaati felt his heart constrict a little. "Yes?"

"Well, while you were in the hospital, Twilight and I did a little collaborating. Each of us went through our respective libraries in hopes of finding anything we could use to possibly help her."

Nigellas paused. "And?" Vaati inquired hopefully.

"We did find something."

Vaati's eyes widened. "What?"

"It was in Twilight's library," Nigellas explained. "We found a medicinal book all about deformities and how to repair them written by a couple of Zebrican scholars working with Equestrian medicinal experts. Initially Twilight would have dismissed it, but then she said something about not judging a book by its cover, and we investigated a particular potion pertaining to wing growth. We tested it on some insects, and it works."

"So it's a potion?" Vaati asked.

Nigellas nodded. "We just need her to drink one half-cup every day until her wings are their proper size. Add in a touch of Red Potion and they'll soon be able to grow to maturity on their own."

Vaati glanced at the door leading to Scootaloo's bedroom. "We need to keep this a secret from her. She doesn't need to know. She'll think she's growing normally."

"I was thinking the same thing," Nigellas replied. "I've already gotten the Wizzrobes on duty to start gathering ingredients so they can start brewing a batch tomorrow morning. I'll find some way to add flavor to it so she won't spit it out in disgust."

Vaati clapped the Wizzrobe on the shoulder. "Nigellas, you're a life-saver."

"I ask that you never forget that, boss."

Vaati turned on his heel. "Well, if that's all, I shall be retiring to bed myself. I have to be up bright and early tomorrow to get her ready for school."

"Goodnight then, sir," Nigellas bade as Vaati walked off towards his own bedroom.

End of Part 1

Episode 12: The Meaning of Family Part 2 (revised)

This chapter has been revised and should hopefully be better than before.

Episode 12: The Meaning of Family Part 2

SKREE!

SKREEEEEE!

Vaati's eyes blearily opened and immediately found themselves staring into the single eye of his Sentry, squawking irritatingly loudly in the Wind Sorcerer's sensitive ear. It took a moment for Vaati's mind to make sense of itself, and then he remembered why the blasted creature of darkness was trying to be as aggravating as possible.

He had to take Scootaloo to school today. And so came his first test in parenting; waking up early to get the kid ready for school.

Vaati waved his hand as he sat up. "I'm up, I'm up, you infernal creature. Now go make sure Scootaloo is up. I'll be down shortly."

The Eye Sentry squeaked in approval before phasing out the door of his bedroom to carry out its orders. The second it was gone, Vaati collapsed back on his bed with an exasperated groan.

XXXXXX

The Eye Sentry swooped into Scootaloo's room, flapping its wings excitably as it saw the filly in question wrapped up in her covers, sound asleep and snoring loudly.

Time to rectify that.

SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

"GAH! SWEET MOTHER OF CELESTIA!" poor Scootaloo screamed as she tumbled out of bed at the unexpected noise.

Shaking her head, she looked up to see the Sentry flitting about, trilling at her in greeting. She groaned audibly. "Is it already time to get up?"

The Sentry squeaked in confirmation before flitting off. Scootaloo sighed as she begrudgingly hoisted herself upright and trudged out of her room up to the main hall. Standing there waiting for her was an equally-tired Vaati (as well as a much more awake Nigellas), who half-mumbled, "Morning."

"Hey," she responded, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Nigellas will show you to the washroom," Vaati explained. "Afterwards we'll eat some breakfast and then I'll take you to school."

"Let's go, kid," Nigellas bade, Scootaloo dutifully following behind.

XXXXXX

After Scootaloo took some time to wash herself in the bathtub that had been provided for her, the young pegasus filly managed to fully wake up and had a quick breakfast of apples and a cupcake with her adoptive father, as well as a strange drink Vaati had her try. He didn't say what it was, only that it was a special recipe of Nigellas's that was healthy for her. He wasn't lying; it was the potion that was being used to make her wings grow properly, so it technically was good for her body. And it tasted pretty good too, so Scootaloo didn't voice any objections, much to the sorcerer's relief. After they were done, Scootaloo got her backpack and beloved scooter and followed Vaati out of the palace onto the floating platform that always ferried non-flying passengers to and from the Palace of Winds. Soon enough, the platform touched down in the center of town, various townsfolk already up and about to start their day.

Many of them stopped and turned their heads, smiling as they saw the two of them. "Hi, Scootaloo! Hi, Vaati!" Derpy called.

"Morning, Scoots, Vaati!" Carrot Top greeted.

Vaati paid little attention to the nice greetings, occasionally inclining his head towards the speaker in acknowledgement as he and his charge approached the school. Various other parents or other family members were there was well, exchanging goodbyes with their kids or younger siblings and the usual "be a good foal/filly" creed. As they reached the schoolyard, Vaati stopped and knelt down to Scootaloo's level. "Alright, Scootaloo," he said to her. "I'm usually not one for sappy goodbyes or obvious advice, but…do well today. Don't get into trouble, and don't let any of the local bullies get to you. Remind them who watches over you now."

Scootaloo grinned and hugged her father. "Thanks, Dad," she said, feeling so happy that she now had a father who would actually take her to school and see her off every morning. "I love you."

"I…uh…heh. I love you too, Scoots," Vaati replied. "Nigellas will come pick you up after school and bring you back home so you can do your homework. Then you can go see Applebloom and Sweetie Belle."

Scootaloo nodded. "Okay, Dad. See you later!"

The young filly waved as she headed towards the schoolhouse. Vaati awkwardly waved back before turning on his heel and returning to town to do some shopping for his new daughter.

XXXXXX

Just as Scootaloo walked into the schoolhouse, the bell rang and everypony took their seats. "Good morning, class!" Cheerilee greeted cheerfully as she walked towards the blackboard. "Now, before we begin, I want to tell you, Scootaloo, that I'm so glad you're doing alright, and that you have a new family that'll take good care of you!"

Scootaloo blushed slightly at the attention and sank a little in her seat. "Uh, thanks, Miss Cheerilee."

Satisfied with Scootaloo's response, Cheerilee indicated a stack of papers she had placed on each student's desk. "Today, class, we have a very special lesson we're going to do," she explained, catching the gathered foals' attention. "Scootaloo's new legal guardian, Vaati, has given me the okay to teach all of you some history about the cultures and races of his world. The packets I'm about to hand out are all information straight out of his history books. Vaati has agreed to this in the hopes that we can understand a little more about himself and the world he comes from, so be sure to pay special attention, students!"

The pages in question contained text and some sketched images of strange creatures, some of which were recognizable as the monsters that lived in Vaati's palace. "Take a few minutes to read the packet, class," Cheerilee instructed, "and then we'll discuss what you have learned."

XXXXXX

About an hour later, the bell rang again, signaling recess. The excited foals all hurried outside to play and/or discuss the things they had learned about the weird creatures that lived in Hyrule. Scootaloo, Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle were huddled together, once more thinking of ways to earn their Cutie Marks. After several minutes of not being able to come up with anything, Sweetie Belle said, "Well, I got nothing. Something else's been on my mind."

"Like what?" Scootaloo asked.

"Well, me 'n Sweetie Belle were wond'rin'," Applebloom ventured. "What's it like up there? Livin' in that huge palace with Vaati 'n all them monsters?"

"I bet I have an idea."

The Cutie Mark Crusaders groaned in misery as they recognized the stuck-up voice coming from behind them. The three of them turned to see Diamond Tiara smirking at them, accompanied, as always, by her pal Silver Spoon, who bore a similar sneer. "What do you two want?" Scootaloo demanded. "Can't you see we're kinda busy?"

"Busy being blank flanks," Silver Spoon chortled, the two bullies sharing a chuckle.

The three fillies scowled at them. "So, Scootaloo," Diamond Tiara spoke. "What's all this I've been hearing about you now living with that hairless ape, Vaati?"

Scootaloo snorted at the remark. "You're just jealous you don't get to live up there yourself."

Diamond Tiara scoffed rudely. "Now why would I be jealous of one freak going to live with a bunch of other freaks that come from a world full of even more freaks? Speaking of freaks, I bet you still can't fly, can you?"

Scootaloo gritted her teeth, attempting to restrain her growing fury. "You shut your mouth," she growled.

Diamond Tiara laughed. "Ha! I was right! You still can't fly! I bet that's why your dad didn't love you! He got tired of you and threw you out because you can't fly! You can't do anything right! You can't even get a Cutie Mark! It's only a matter of time before Vaati throws you out too! And since you can't fly, it'll be a long way down to Ponyville from his doorstep!"

Sweetie Belle and Applebloom were too busy shooting the two bullies scathing glares to notice their friend shaking with pure rage at Diamond Tiara's cruel words. "YOU BUCKING SON OF A DIAMOND DOG!" Scootaloo swore loudly before pouncing on Diamond Tiara.

Sweetie Belle and Applebloom gasped in shock as Scootaloo and Diamond Tiara rolled around in the dirt, pounding on each other, biting ears, and pulling out hair with their teeth.

The gauntlet had been thrown.

Blood had been drawn.

The fight was on.

Several other foals surrounded them, cheering on either Scootaloo or Diamond Tiara. (not surprisingly, most of them were chanting Scootaloo's name) Realizing that a fight had broken out, Cheerilee rushed over to the scene and pushed her way through the crowd. The moment she caught sight of the brawl, she came in and forcefully separated the two fillies. "That's enough!" she yelled.

Cheerilee sorely underestimated the adrenaline rushing through the fillies' veins and the mutual hatred burning in their hearts, and the two of them outmaneuvered the exasperated teacher and went at it again. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom rushed in to help as Cheerilee tried again to stop the fight. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom grabbed Scootaloo by each shoulder and dragged her off of Diamond Tiara, who was pulled back by Cheerilee. Both fillies flailed their legs in a vain attempt to leap at one another's throat once more.

"Let me go!" Scootaloo snarled. "I'm gonna tear her to shreds!"

"Wait'll I get my hooves on you again! You're dead, blank flank!" Diamond Tiara screeched wildly. "You hear me?! DEAD!"

"Diamond Tiara!" Cheerilee shouted. "You do not threaten other students!"

Both fillies soon tired and went limp in their captors' arms, panting in exhaustion and glaring hatefully at each other. "Both of you, my office, now," Cheerilee ordered.

XXXXXX

As Cheerilee got the story from the two fillies, (which naturally varied wildly in the details) Vaati suddenly entered, looking quite miffed. Cheerilee looked up at the mage and forced a smile. "Yes, thank you for coming, Vaati."

"What I'd like to know is why I had to come here," Vaati replied.

Cheerilee sighed. "Your daughter and this filly, Diamond Tiara, got into a fight earlier today. I notified you as well as Diamond's father, but Filthy Rich is unable to join us at the moment."

Vaati looked down at Scootaloo, who averted her eyes in shame as her foster father examined her injuries. She had a black eye as well as a bloody nose currently being treated with a tissue stuffed up her nostril, and her hair was a mess. Diamond Tiara had similar injuries, but overall looked worse off than Scootaloo. "So, this filly is the bully you mentioned, Scoots?"

Scootaloo hesitantly nodded her head. Vaati glanced at both of them before centering his gaze back on Scootaloo. "So who started the fight?"

Scootaloo sniffed in resignation. "I did. I threw the first punch."

Vaati's expression did not change. "Why?"

Diamond Tiara's words rang in Scootaloo's head, and she tried to hold back her tears. "She…she told me my dad didn't love me b-because I couldn't fly. She said h-he got t-tired of me…and…and…t-that you would too."

Scootaloo buried her face in her hooves and sobbed. "I-I'm sorry, Dad! I'm sorry!"

Cheerilee put a hoof to her mouth in shock and stared at Diamond Tiara. The prissy filly's unremorseful glare was appalling.

Diamond Tiara was about to scoff at what she perceived as a display of weakness until she saw Vaati's red-eyed glare pierce her very soul. Even as he hugged his crying daughter, his eyes bore into her own, accusing and sinister. "Don't you ever talk to my daughter like that again, you sub-equine cretin," he warned coldly. "I am the Sorcerer of Winds. I've cast my own world into shadow numerous times. My name is feared there. I am the world's most powerful sorcerer. I defeated the legendary Discord himself. I have all the power in the world to render you non-existent. If you ever antagonize my daughter again…if I ever hear that you've laid a hoof on her again…I will come for you."

"Vaati, that's enough!" Cheerilee interrupted.

"And you…" Vaati rounded on her. "You are going to keep a closer eye on Tiara, for the sake of her good health. Bullies are not creatures I will tolerate in my presence. Remember that."

Cheerilee wisely said nothing as Vaati stood up straight. "Will that be all?" the impatient sorcerer asked. "I have errands to do, and I'd rather that Scootaloo not be sent home before the end of class. If anything, it is Tiara you should send home."

Cheerilee and Vaati stared at each other for several moments before Cheerilee answered, "Alright. Diamond Tiara, you are suspended for the day. Scootaloo, you're free to return to the classroom."

"WHAT?!" Diamond Tiara yelled angrily. "Why does she get let off the hook?!"

"Because what you did was completely unacceptable," Cheerilee answered. "Bullying will not be tolerated in my classroom. And before you go, I want you to apologize to Scootaloo for saying such mean-spirited things."

Diamond Tiara stubbornly folded her arms and said nothing. "Diamond Tiara, apologize to Scootaloo right now before I have you suspended for a week," Cheerilee warned.

Diamond Tiara growled before she glared at Scootaloo. "Sorry for everything I said," she spat, as if the very words she had spoken tasted bad.

Cheerilee cleared her throat. "Very good. You're dismissed, Diamond Tiara."

Diamond Tiara got out of her chair and stalked past Scootaloo, flashing a menacing glare before she walked out the door. With that done, Vaati turned his head towards his daughter. "Try to actually stay out of trouble this time," he advised before walking out the door.

Scootaloo sighed before getting up and going back to the classroom, accompanied by Cheerilee, who resumed the lesson all-too-cheerfully.

XXXXXX

When Diamond Tiara left the schoolhouse, it was not towards home she headed. No, she instead went to a secluded spot just outside of town where she could properly stew in her anger. “It’s not fair!” she said to herself. “Why does that good-for-nothing flightless blank flank get a free pass?! Her freakish father probably isn’t even gonna punish her either!”
She sat down in the special spot only she and Silver Spoon knew about and glared at the ground. “Why does everypony in town kiss their hooves like they’re special?! The only special thing about them is their BLANK FLANKS!”

Diamond stomped at the ground and snorted in anger, too angry to even notice the slight brushing against her mind.

You are jealous of the attention.

Diamond paused; the voice in her thoughts was not her own. But she gritted her teeth in acknowledgment that it was right.

You think they are inferior for not having found their so-called “special talent”, which won’t be anything truly special either. Yet they get far more positive attention than you. They even stole away the attention from your own cuteçeneara. Unfair indeed.

Diamond put her hooves on her head as the distant sound of echoing laughter rang in her mind. “Shut up!” she growled, willing those terrible thoughts to go away.

You’re daddy’s little princess, yet only one other pony can stand your presence, and she is a complete doormat, tagging along with you only because you know her dirty little secret, that she is a nasty little…ah, what was the phrase your kind use? Fillyfooler, was it?

Diamond feverishly shook her head, trying to remove that accursed voice from her mind. She was finally met with blessed silence. Feeling that she had brooded long enough, Diamond headed home to receive the punishment she knew was coming.

XXXXXX

And come it did. After her father yelled at her for continuing to harass the family and friends of his most influential business partners, the Apple family, he had sent her to her room without supper. She was to be grounded for the rest of the week, unable to see her friends. (or friend, was more accurate) As she crawled under the covers of her bed, Diamond fought back the tears in her eyes. Even her own father thought more highly of those filthy Cutie Mark Crusaders than his own daughter. And she hated them all the more for it.

It just wasn’t fair.

Life isn’t fair.

Diamond’s breath caught in her throat. That voice was back.

Life is full of injustice and cruelty, child. The world does not care about any who live on its surface, and Fate smiles upon whoever it wants to. Too bad it hasn’t smiled on you.

Diamond wanted to will that terrible voice away again, but she was simply too tired to put up a fight.

Yes. Sleep, Diamond Tiara. We shall know each other better in your dreams.

XXXXXX

Diamond Tiara found herself in an endless expanse of pure, empty blackness. She felt solid ground beneath her, but could not see it. “W-where am I?” she wondered aloud.

“We are in your dreams, Diamond Tiara,” a voice answered in the darkness. “It is here where we can talk face-to-face.”

Diamond nervously glanced about her surroundings. She was scared. She didn’t know why, but something about this terrified her.

“You are afraid? Good. Fear can become a weapon, in the right hands. Or hooves, in your case. Fear begets anger, which begets hate, which leads to suffering. Beautiful suffering.”

“Who are you?! W-where are you?!”

“We are everywhere, Diamond Tiara. Our name is not important now. What is important, though, is your revenge.”

Still looking around for any sign of the mysterious speaker, Diamond repeated, “My revenge?”

“Eh heh heh heh heh… Do not tell us you have forgotten the treatment you received at the hooves of the Crusaders and all their thick-skulled admirers.”

Diamond’s fear was replaced by anger. “I didn’t forget! But why do you even care?!”

“It is why we have come. We want to help you seek vengeance against those who disrespect you.”

Diamond suspiciously narrowed her eyes. “Why? What would you have to gain?”

The speaker raised its voice slightly, conveying annoyance. “That is of no concern to you. Do you want our help or not?”

Diamond gulped. “W-what can I do? I’m just a filly…”

“Gwo hoh hoh hoh… With the right power, even a filly can become…”

Diamond’s breath hitched in her throat as she felt a presence behind her. She turned around just in time to see a large, round pale eye tinged a sickly green open up in the darkness.

“…a nightmare!”

Diamond screamed.

XXXXXX

One week later…

Scootaloo was much happier than she had ever been. When she had come home from school the day she and Diamond Tiara had gotten into that fight, she had discovered that Vaati had bought her all sorts of things for her to customize her bedroom with. She now had her own desk and chair, a new backpack, brand-new school supplies, and a Wonderbolts bed sheet just for her. To make things even better, she and the other Cutie Mark Crusaders were all going to have a sleepover at their clubhouse tonight. She had been looking forward to that all week. Vaati had given the okay, as long as they didn't do any crazy stunts to get their Cutie Marks, and Scootaloo was ecstatic.

Unbeknownst to the three best friends, Diamond Tiara had learned all about this coming sleepover. And the innocent event played right into her sinister hooves. Silver Spoon was mostly in the dark, but that all changed during recess, as the two of them kept an eye on their hated enemies. "Alright, Silver Spoon," Diamond Tiara began. "I've come up with a plan to deal with those stupid blank flanks once and for all."

Silver Spoon blinked in confusion. "Once and for all? What do you mean by that?"

"Just shut up and listen, will you?" Diamond Tiara hissed. "Alright, I've discovered that they're planning to have a sleepover at their clubhouse tonight."

"Uh huh?"

"Tonight, while they're all asleep, we're gonna go there and burn it down.'

Diamond Tiara's grin was terrifying. Silver Spoon felt a bead of sweat run down her forehead. "B-but…won't they be inside when it happens?"

Diamond Tiara's grin widened to its fullest, making her look like a deranged serial killer. "Exactly," she answered.

Silver Spoon blanched. "W-what?" she whimpered. "Y-you're not thinking about…k-k-killing them, are you?"

Diamond Tiara mockingly cocked her head a little to the side. Silver Spoon could have sworn she saw a tinge of green in her friend’s deranged eyes. "Are you saying you have a problem with it?"

Silver Spoon shivered. "I-I don't know, Diamond…This sounds wrong!"

Diamond Tiara's grin faded into a cold sneer. "They all deserve it. And you don't have much of a choice in the matter…not if you don't want me to let everypony know about your silly little crush on…"

"N-no, wait! Wait!" Silver Spoon panicked. "I'll do it! I'll help you! J-just…don't tell anyone!"

Diamond Tiara flashed a smile that contained all the sweetness of poisoned honey. "Don't worry, Silver. Your secret's safe with me…" Then she got in her friend's face, a frightening look in her eyes. "As long as you comply," she ominously finished.

Silver Spoon gulped and glanced at the Cutie Mark Crusaders, who were all laughing and enjoying each other's company, blissfully unaware of the heinous plot being hatched against them. Silver Spoon was scared of her own best friend. She had never thought her capable of such cruel actions. But she was also terrified of her because she knew her secret, and could tell it to the whole world if she stepped one hoof out of line. She had no choice. "O-okay," she whimpered. "B-but how are w-we gonna get there? We both have to be in bed by nine, and our parents'll freak if they catch us out of bed."

Diamond Tiara smirked. "Oh, don't worry. I've already taken care of that. I've got my daddy wrapped around my hoof. He can't possibly stay mad at his little princess." The wicked filly chuckled. "He thinks we're gonna have a sleepover at your house. Tell your parents that too. They won't care. After they go to bed tonight, we'll sneak out and carry out the plan. After the fire starts, we'll head back to your house, go to bed, and pretend nothing happened. It's foalproof!"

Silver Spoon tried to fight back tears. The whole idea was scary to her. Seeing this, Diamond Tiara heartlessly scoffed, "Oh, stop that. You're acting like a baby."

Just then, the end-of-recess bell rang, and all the foals started to head back inside. Diamond Tiara glanced at her friend. "Don't forget the plan."

XXXXXX

That evening, Cutie Mark Crusaders Clubhouse…

Scootaloo and her friends laughed almost nonstop as they played games, drew up more plans to get their Cutie Marks, and just generally had fun together. They hadn't been able to do a sleepover for some time, as the only times Scootaloo had been able to do it in the past was when her late father had been too drunk to notice her walking out the door. Now that she didn't have to worry about coming home to a drunken filly-beater, she could laugh and play with her beloved friends with carefree abandon. At some points, Scootaloo took the time to tell the others what it was like living in Vaati's palace. She regaled detailed descriptions of the lofty halls, the view of the world below, and the various monsters she ended up interacting with. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle reacted with awe as Scootaloo told them how the impish Miniblins had invited her to play pranks on the other monsters, how the Wizzrobe Nigellas taught her the rich history of Vaati's home world, and especially how the Darknut commander Maulgrim had promised to teach her a thing or two about swordplay.

So engrossed were they in their fun that they didn't notice the two other fillies that were approaching the clubhouse. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon hunkered down directly underneath the clubhouse so they couldn't be seen in case one of the crusaders happened to look out the window. 'Hmm, they're still awake," Diamond Tiara observed in a hushed whisper. "They better go to sleep soon. I wanna get this done as soon as possible."

Silver Spoon still had a look of severe doubt and fear in her eyes, even as she held the bucket containing the lamp oil they had pilfered from Silver Spoon's dad in her mouth. They didn't have to wait long. After about fifteen more minutes, the crusaders all agreed it was time for bed, as none of them could bear to stay awake any longer, no matter how much fun they were having. The light went out, and the three friends crawled into their sleeping bags and nodded off, unaware of their impending demise.

Diamond Tiara waited a few more minutes just to be on the safe side. When she was sure all three of them were sound asleep, she nodded to Silver Spoon, who reluctantly set down the bucket of lamp oil and assisted her so-called best friend with hoisting a large rock onto both their backs, as it was too heavy to carry on their own. "Careful, now," Diamond Tiara hissed. "Don't you dare drop it."

The two bullies slowly crept up the ramp leading to the front door of the clubhouse, trying to make as little noise as possible and making sure not to accidentally drop the rock. Once they reached the front door, they lay on their bellies and gently slid the rock off their backs. They then discreetly propped it against the door, ensuring that nopony would be able to get out. Once this was done, they went back down to retrieve the bucket of lamp oil and the box of matches Diamond Tiara had brought. Diamond Tiara, wanting to be the one to do the deed herself, got the oil and walked halfway up the ramp before picking up the bucket with her hooves. With a menacing grin, she splashed the oil all over the roof of the clubhouse, which didn't awaken the crusaders, luckily for her.

Walking back down to her shivering friend, she said, "Hold up the matchbox."

Silver Spoon unwillingly obliged as she held the matchbox in her teeth, allowing Diamond Tiara to strike a match. She then turned her head and immediately spat the lit match over to the clubhouse. It landed on the roof, which ignited immediately.

Diamond Tiara watched with a maniacal smirk as the flames began to spread over the clubhouse. As they watched, Silver Spoon trembled. This was wrong. It wasn't right, and she knew it. Her friend was insane.

Meanwhile, Scootaloo abruptly awoke when she felt herself growing uncomfortably warmer and smelled…smoke?

Scootaloo opened her eyes, and gasped in dread when she realized what was going on.

The clubhouse was on fire! And they were still inside!

"Guys! Guys, wake up!" she yelled, shaking her friends awake. "The clubhouse's on fire!"

Sweetie Belle and Applebloom screamed in terror and made a beeline straight for the door. However, no matter how they pushed, they couldn't get it to budge. "Oh my Celestia!" Scootaloo cried. "W-we're trapped!"

"Scootaloo, I'm scared!" Sweetie Belle wailed, clutching her friend.

"Ah don't wanna die!" Applebloom cried in terror, bucking the door with all her strength. "Ah don't wanna die!"

The door still wouldn't budge.

Diamond Tiara grinned as she heard the crusaders screaming in terror. “Beautiful suffering,” she whispered in a voice that wasn’t entirely her own. She turned towards her friend. "C'mon, Silver," she advised. "Let's get outta here before somepony…"

She suddenly stopped short when she realized Silver Spoon was no longer standing next to her. Her head darted around as she tried to locate her friend, and gasped in shock when she saw her running straight towards the farmhouse.

One thought ran through her mind, perfectly harmonized with the dark voice.

Kill her. Kill the traitor.

Silver Spoon's blood ran cold as she heard the hysterical voice of her best friend. "Silver Spoon! YOU TRAITOR!"

Diamond Tiara took off in hot pursuit of Silver Spoon, a wild, psychotic look in her eye, intent on preventing the traitorous little fillyfooler from reaching Sweet Apple Acres. Silver Spoon ran as fast as her legs could carry her, but Diamond Tiara was faster, and just as they got close to the farmhouse, Diamond Tiara tackled her friend to the ground. "You are not gonna tattle on me!" she shrieked.

"This is wrong and you know it!" Silver Spoon shouted back, struggling to escape Diamond Tiara's hold. "I don't care what you say! I'm making this right!"

"NO. YOU. ARE. NOT!" Diamond Tiara screamed, pressing her hooves against Silver Spoon's throat, choking her.

Silver Spoon flailed her hooves in vain, gasping for air, scared out of her wits. She could see that her friend’s eyes were now definitely glowing a venomous green. She hadn't imagined she would die like this, at the hooves of her best and only friend, before she could even grow up and start a family…

"What in the hay?!"

And just like that, Diamond Tiara was thrown away from Silver Spoon, who took a huge gasp of air in relief. The noise of their struggle had been enough to awaken Applejack, who had come out to see what was going on and found one filly trying to choke another one to death right outside her home. Without thinking, she kicked the attacking filly away to rescue the other…and that was when she saw the burning clubhouse.

"APPLEBLOOM!"

XXXXXX

Palace of Winds...

Nigellas shelved a book in his master's library, having grown bored with reading it for the fifth time. The head Wizzrobe happened to glance out a window as he passed it, and his attention was caught by a flickering orange a short distance away from Sweet Apple Acres. Wasn't that where Scootaloo had said she was…

That's when it hit him.

"GOLDEN GODDESSES ABOVE!"

XXXXXX

Vaati was sound asleep when Nigellas abruptly warped into his room. "MY LORD! WAKE UP!" he yelled.

Vaati sat bolt upright. "What?! What is the meaning-!"

"The crusaders' clubhouse has caught fire, sir!" Nigellas urgently interrupted.

Vaati's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets as he threw himself out of bed, not even bothering to put on his undershirt, tunic, or sandals. All he had on were his scarlet leggings. "Get the Aquamancers down there! NOW!"

By the time Nigellas had almost screamed the telepathic order into the Ice Wizzrobes' heads, Vaati had already teleported directly to the site of the blaze. The flames were starting to get intense. He couldn't hear anything over the sounds of the flames.

Oh Goddesses, they could already be dead.

Vaati sent a powerful gust of wind towards the inferno, blowing out smoke and forcing down the flames somewhat. Applejack, Big Macintosh, and Rarity were already on the scene, looking completely frantic as they screamed out their respective siblings' names. Suddenly, ten Aquamancer Wizzrobes warped in, and as soon as they caught sight of the blaze, unleashed a great torrent of water. A rolling wave cascaded down on the clubhouse, instantly dousing the fire. The very second the fire died out, Applejack bolted up the ramp and bucked aside the boulder that had been shoved in front of the door. She was immediately joined by Rarity and Vaati as she kicked the door in.

Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Applebloom all lay motionless on the floor.

"Goddesses…no," Vaati whispered in dread.

Vaati ran to Scootaloo and swept her into his arms. She lay limply in his hold, her eyes closed and showing no signs of life. "Scootaloo!" he cried, tears freely streaming down his pale cheeks. "Please, Scootaloo, don't be dead!"

"Applebloom, please w-wake up!" Applejack begged her unmoving sister, holding her body in her arms. "Don't ya dare leave me!"

"Sweetie, I-I'm sorry! I haven't been there for you enough!" Rarity wailed as she cried into her sister's chest. "I'll t-treat you like a princess f-for the rest of your life! I promise! J-just w-w-wake up!"

Vaati was overcome by sorrow and collapsed on his knees, burying his face in Scootaloo's chest. How we wished he could follow her to the void of death. She had been his own child for just one week.

One week.

And now she was gone.

Or was she?

Vaati's ears pricked as they picked up a faint sound thrumming quietly. Vaati's eyes shot open as he realized what it was: a heartbeat.

"They're…they're still alive!" he cried. "We need to get them to the hospital! Hurry!"

Through all the commotion, nopony had noticed Diamond Tiara groggily slink away.

XXXXXX

Ponyville Hospital, two hours later…

Vaati and the Mane Six impatiently waited in the lobby for any news on the Cutie Mark Crusaders' condition. Vaati paced back and forth, his expression laced with worry and dread. He had at least taken the time to fully dress himself, and Nigellas and Maulgrim also decided to accompany him back to the surface. Maulgrim did his best to offer comfort to Rarity, which at least managed to calm her down a little. (luckily Spike was not here to see this, for Twilight had let him sleep to keep him from worrying too) Nigellas leaned against the wall, his head lowered so his hat hid his face, his arms folded, quietly brooding. Rainbow Dash sympathetically rubbed Applejack's back as the farmpony tried to recover from her hysteria.

All of their attention was diverted when Nurse Redheart walked into the lobby. Vaati nearly got in her face as he demanded, "How are they?!"

Nurse Redheart cleared her throat and said, "Aside from severe smoke inhalation and some first-degree burns, they should be alright."

A collective sigh went up from the group. "Please, can we see 'em?" Applejack begged.

Nurse Redheart shook her head. "They're sedated for now, so you can't talk to them."

"I want to see my sister now," Rarity coldly demanded. "I need to see that she's okay with my own eyes! Do you understand?!"

Nurse Redheart bit her lip. "Alright. Vaati, Ms. Rarity, Ms. Applejack, come with me. The rest of you stay here."

"I wanna see Scoots too!" Rainbow Dash spoke, hovering by Vaati's side. "And don't you dare tell me I can't!"

Nurse Redheart sighed. "Of course. Right this way."

Since each of the crusaders had been put in separate rooms, the four adults were eventually separated, with Rainbow and Vaati being led to Scootaloo's room last. The two of them stepped inside and took note of the lone occupant's condition. Scootaloo had a breathing mask strapped over her mouth, and several wires attached her to a heart monitor.

She looked so vulnerable.

Rainbow held back and let Vaati go first, who slowly came to Scootaloo's bedside and looked down at her face. He fought back tears; she had become the source of his greatest joy, and he had very nearly lost her. He put a hand on her delicate head and stroked her cheek. "Scootaloo?" he gently spoke, though the filly gave no response. "I'm here. I don't know if you can hear me, but…daddy's here."

Scootaloo remained silent. Vaati sniffed. "You're going to get through this. You're my daughter. That means you're too strong to give up now. I love you, Scoots."

The mage bent down and kissed Scootaloo on the forehead, a single tear rolling down his cheek and dropping on her own. He stood up straight and then walked out the door to give Rainbow a few minutes alone with her biggest fan. The sorcerer returned to the lobby where the others were waiting. Twilight gave him a comforting smile. Shortly afterwards, Rarity and Applejack returned as well. The moment everyone was together, Applejack said the unthinkable. "Ah think somepony deliberately did this."

Twilight shook her head. "You don't know that, Applejack. It could have been an accident."

"If'n it was an accident, then tell me how a big rock too heavy for a filly to push found its way to the front door 'a that clubhouse!"

"One of the Aquamancers reported seeing lamp oil mixed with the water," Nigellas abruptly added. "It was all over the clubhouse."

Rarity blanched. "Mother Faust…somepony tried to kill my sister!"

Both Applejack and Rarity could feel rage boiling within them for this attempt on their family members' lives. But that paled in comparison to the expression of bloodthirsty rage on Vaati's face. His eyes had turned completely red, and his canines had sharpened. "I want to know who is responsible for this," he growled, demonic undertones beginning to seep into his voice.

"U-um…h-h-hello?"

Everyone turned their heads as an Earth Pony filly hesitantly entered the hospital. She was grey, with a well-kept grayish-white mane and tail, and a pair of blue reading glasses situated on her face. Her Cutie Mark was that of a fancy spoon. She looked terrified, and was shaking profusely.

"Are you okay?" Twilight asked. "Who are you?"

The filly sniffed, as it appeared she had been crying recently. "M-my name's S-Silver Spoon," she stuttered. "I-I-I'm…no, I was…Diamond Tiara's best friend."

She did not fail to notice the flash of anger that went through the eyes of the Crusaders' family members. "I-I know who did this," she whimpered.

Tears fell down Silver Spoon's cheeks as she fell to her knees. "It was me," she morosely admitted. "Me…a-and Diamond Tiara."

Vaati bared his teeth. "Diamond Tiara did this?!"

Silver Spoon sobbed profusely as she blurted out everything. "I'm sorry! I-I'm so s-s-sorry! I-I didn't want any of t-this! B-but Diamond Tiara m-made me help her! W-we waited for t-t-them to fall asleep, t-then Diamond Tiara threw lamp oil all over t-the clubhouse, and t-then I held up the m-m-matchbox while s-she lit a match a-a-and threw it onto the r-r-roof! I'm sorry! I shouldn't have l-l-let her do it! B-but I was scared! And then I heard them screaming, and…and…I-I couldn't let it happen! I r-ran towards Applejack's farm, b-b-but Diamond Tiara caught u-up with me and…she…she…" Silver Spoon hyperventilated for a moment before calming down enough to continue. "S-she tried to c-choke me to death! I-I tried t-t-to warn you! I'm so sorry! I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm soooorrrryyyyyy!"

Silver Spoon curled up in a ball on the floor and sobbed hysterically. Nopony spoke for several shocked moments.

And then the front door of the hospital lobby exploded outwards, sending shards of glass flying everywhere.

"GRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRR!"

The great winged eye burst out of the hospital, a whipping tornado churning beneath it as it made a beeline straight for the town center. Ponies who had been awakened by the reports of the incident looked up in terrified shock as Vaati's demon form hovered over the town square, his single eye ablaze with unrestrained fury. The wind whipped around him, sending produce carts flying in every direction. The gathered townsponies cowered before him as his enraged voice boomed loudly in their ears.

"WHERE IS DIAMOND TIARA?!"

The townsponies were too terrified to answer, glancing at each other in morbid curiosity as to why Vaati wanted Filthy Rich's daughter. His rage intensifying, Vaati bellowed, "WHERE IS SHE?!"

Vaati received no answer. "I SWEAR I WILL TEAR THIS ENTIRE TOWN APART UNTIL I FIND HER IF SHE DOES NOT COME FORWARD OR SOMEONE DOESN'T BRING HER TO ME RIGHT BUCKING NOW!"

After a few moments of silence, one stallion stepped forward out of the crowd. "What do you want with my daughter, Vaati?" Filthy Rich asked, trying to maintain a calm and collected demeanor.

"To rip her limb from limb and make her suffer the agony of a thousand excruciating deaths for what she tried to do to my daughter!" Vaati roared, though his voice had lowered somewhat.

Filthy Rich recoiled in shock. "Are you suggesting that my daughter started the fire?!"

"Not suggesting, stating the FACTS! We even have an eyewitness: Silver Spoon! Her accomplice, and very nearly another of Diamond Tiara's victims! Your daughter is GUILTY! NOW BRING HER TO ME!"

Filthy Rich's jaw dropped in horror. "Sweet mother of Celestia…"

It was then that Vaati’s keen eye caught sight of the filly in question, stumbling around the edge of town as though she were in a daze. All rational thoughts left his mind the second he laid eyes on her.

"GRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

Diamond Tiara turned around just in time to see the golden claws wrap around her and lift her into the air. She let out a scream of terror as Vaati held her high, glaring menacingly at her. "Oh, you haven't yet begun to scream, girl," he growled.

Every voice in his head was screaming at him to vaporize this monster that wore the guise of a young child. And he was only too happy to oblige.

"BURN."

"Vaati, wait! Stop!" came the voice of Twilight.

The demon sorcerer paused and glanced at Twilight, who was flanked by her friends. "Ah wanna roast her like a Hearth's Warming cabbage as much as you do," Applejack said. "But this ain't the way to do it!"

"Put her down, Vaati!" Rarity begged. "She's not worth it! Don't stoop to her level!"

Vaati's eye darted between his friends and the filly clutched in his talons. He was pretty sure he could live with that.

But what about Scootaloo? What would she think of him then?

Vaati snarled as he unceremoniously released his hold on Diamond Tiara, the filly falling flat on her face on the ground. Not two seconds later she found herself forced to her hooves and shackles put around her neck and front legs that secured her to a policepony. "W-what?" she gaped. "What's going on?!"

She saw her father standing at the head of the assembled crowd, watching her with an expression of disbelief. "Daddy!" she cried. "What's happening? Get me outta this!"

Filthy Rich just kept staring at her and said nothing, slowly shaking his head.

“D-Daddy?” she whimpered, staring at her motionless father as tears started to flow down her dirtied face.

"I assume she'll be sent to trial in Princess Luna's court, then?" Vaati boomed, still in his demon form.

One of the policeponies nodded.

"Then send her a suggestion as to what should be done with her after she is convicted. Tell Luna to find the deepest, darkest hole in Equestria, and when she does, dig even deeper. Then put her in it."

"I'll, um…see what I can do," the officer answered hesitantly.

With that, the two officers escorted Diamond Tiara to a waiting police carriage that would take her to Canterlot to stand trial for her crimes. Once the carriage was gone, Twilight looked down at Silver Spoon, who watched the retreating carriage sadly. "You did the right thing by telling us who was responsible, Silver Spoon," she said. "That was very brave of you."

"Then…why do I feel so sad?" she answered.

Twilight responded by giving the grieving filly a hug. Meanwhile, Vaati's rage finally abated, and the sorcerer shrank back into his normal Hylian form and headed back towards the hospital without another word.

XXXXXX

Vaati slept in the hospital in a chair close by Scootaloo's bedside, unwilling to leave her side for even a moment longer. It wasn't until the next morning when Vaati stirred awake, his eyes opening as he saw Scootaloo still lying comatose in her bed. Vaati sighed and rubbed his face.

"Mmm…uh…Daddy?"

Vaati immediately shot out of his chair and came to Scootaloo's side. The young filly's eyes slowly opened. Vaati had never before bothered to notice how beautiful her eyes were. He smiled in pure joy and stroked his daughter's forehead. "Daddy's here, Scoots. Daddy's here…"

A week passed, and the three Crusaders fully recovered from the ordeal. A party was held for all of them, and the entire town came. Silver Spoon made peace with the Cutie Mark Crusaders, who were grateful that she had saved their lives. Her unknown crush remained a secret in the end, much to her relief. Diamond Tiara never got a chance to reveal it before she had been taken away. Discord, at Fluttershy's behest, used his reality-altering magic to restore the clubhouse to its former glory, making it look just like new.

Diamond Tiara, despite repeatedly saying she didn't remember any of it, was convicted of four counts of attempted murder and one count of arson and, with her sister's blessing, had the convicted prisoner sent to the deepest, darkest hole they knew: Tartarus. One might think the punishment harsh, but murder was not a common crime in Equestria, and was the vilest act a pony, especially a child, could commit. She was doomed to spend the rest of her life imprisoned in a lonely cell, with only the horrifying monsters that dwelt there to keep her company.

Sitting in the very back of her cell, Diamond Tiara stared at the ground. “What have I done?” she whispered, unwilling to believe that she had actually gone so far as to try and kill the Crusaders.

Why had she done it? She knew better than that, and yet…

Diamond suddenly looked up sharply in realization. The voice…

She wracked her brain, trying to coax that strange, soothing yet menacing voice out of the recesses of her mind, but it would not come. She was alone. The voice was gone.

The voice had played her. She had served as its pawn, and now she was paying the price.

She morosely walked up to the bars of her cell just in time to see a prowling krylock, a truly strange monster with the head of a cobra and the body of a scorpion, passing by her cell. If she recalled correctly, their poison was extremely deadly and would kill in minutes. She knew what she was about to do, and frankly, didn’t care anymore. Everyone hated her now, including her own father, and she would rather die than live with that pain.

She threw a rock at it and stuck her hoof out where the angered monster could see it. "Come on!" she yelled, waiting for the end. "Come and get me!"

The krylock hissed angrily.

And lunged.

Author's Note

I have fixed this chapter to make DT seem more sympathetic. I hope I don't have to feel ashamed of this chapter anymore.

Episode 13: Luna Eclipsed

Episode 13: Luna Eclipsed

On this night, this Nightmare's Night,

Beneath the watchful stars alight,

Evil forces gather in anticipation

For a future bringing light's annihilation.

On this night, of tricks and of treats,

Shall two worlds' masters of fear meet.

One evil you know, one you do not,

But against both shall a war soon be fought.

What you fear, they already know,

The newer enemy has struck the first blow.

But when the first one falls, the other shall scheme

And pervert the sacredness of the power of dreams…

…

The world of dreams…

…

The world…

…

OUR world…

….

"Gwo hoh hoh hoh hoh hoh hoh!"

XXXXXX

Princess Luna awoke in a cold sweat, panting heavily. The princess of the night put a hoof to her chest, her heart pounding against her ribcage. Already the words that had been whispered in her ears deep within her own secluded dreamscape were fading from her mind. A worrisome thing; their message had clearly been a warning. But one thing stuck with her, that which had frightened her out of her own dream.

The laughter of what seemed to be a thousand devils.

Just thinking about who, or what, it could possibly belong to sent shivers down Luna's spine. A smaller, more childish part of her swore up and down it was Krastos-incarnate, but Luna knew better than to believe that, for a number of reasons. Mother Faust had killed the Devouring Serpent of the Void in battle before Equestria was even made, and all that remained of him flowed in deep rivers sealed deep beneath the earth where none could be tainted by its lingering energies.

Lingering energies…

Something about that concept troubled Luna. Just another thing to add to the growing list as of late. Luna yawned tiredly as she left her bed and trotted over to the balcony of her and her sister's room. The midday sun warmed her cheeks, easing her stress slightly. Suddenly her ears pricked as she heard the bedroom door open behind her.

"You're up early," Celestia stated the obvious, walking in.

Luna shook her head as she walked back into the bedroom and nuzzled her elder sister. "'There are a great many things on our mind, dear sister," she spoke with a sigh. "Our dreams trouble us. Whispered prophecies that vanish from our memory when we awaken…Unfamiliar voices laugh in our head…and then there is…the judgment we wrought on the filly several moons ago. All of these things leave us with a growing sense of foreboding."

Celestia said nothing. "About the child…We fear we may have been too harsh on her. Before, our thoughts were clouded by anger for what she hath sought to do. But…dost thou not think it strange, dear sister, that after almost a century without murder, it is abruptly attempted by a filly?"

Celestia looked away for a moment. "I agreed to send her to Tartarus mostly because, had she been placed anywhere else, Vaati would have sought her out and killed her. You and I both know this. It was for the best. At least she is in a cell, where the monsters cannot get to her."

"Tia, you did not answer our question."

Celestia quirked an eyebrow. "You think she may have been manipulated into doing it?"

Luna lowered her head. "A part of us just…still cannot fathom how a child could be capable of such unspeakable actions. It all seems wrong."

Celestia nodded her head slightly in acknowledgement. "You know what I'm starting to sense myself?"

"What?"

Celestia cracked a smile. "That you need to get out more, Lulu."

Luna pouted. "Tia, this is serious!"

Celestia's smile never wavered. "I am being serious. All of this is likely due to your self-imposed isolation. You hardly ever leave the castle! A little social interaction should ease up some of that pent-up frustration that's been giving you a hard time. You do know what tonight is, right?"

Luna furrowed her brow as she thought, shame seeping into her soul as she recalled. "This is…that holiday that they commemorated to me…when I…was not myself. Uh…Nightmare Night?"

On this night, this Nightmare's Night…

Luna shook her head as she tried to latch on to that sudden burst of thought, but it had gone as quickly as it had come.

"That's right," Celestia answered, appearing not to have noticed. "Though it's become more of a fun holiday than a grim reminder of days past. Go to Ponyville tonight and mingle with the townsfolk. It would be a good way to improve your public relations and learn a little more about how much the world has changed since you were gone. Plus, I'm sure Vaati would like to see you again."

Luna cast an aside glance as her cheeks blushed, stifling an embarrassed giggle. Celestia's smile became a little smugger. She was aware of the occasional visits Luna would make to Vaati's dreamscape during the nights to spend time with him, and that she was enjoying his company more and more. She was drawn to him, and Celestia knew that her sister's interest in the enigmatic sorcerer was blooming into a full-blown crush. That wasn't the most unusual thing; Spike had a crush on Rarity, after all. A former advisor of hers years ago had even retired from service to marry the Diamond Dog Alpha that had courted her during a diplomatic meeting. Such relationships, while not commonplace, were certainly possible in this world, despite the complications that often arose.

"Yes…well, it…it hath been many moons since we last met face-to-face," Luna stammered, embarrassed by the fact that her sister knew about the feelings she was developing towards Vaati.

"Then I'll have your chariot prepared for you," Celestia spoke, heading towards the door. "A good date always arrives in style."

Luna's face flushed beet-red. "TIA!" she shrieked.

XXXXXX

Palace of Winds…

Vaati had to admit, he liked the costume Nigellas and Maulgrim had fashioned for Scootaloo. His daughter had read quite a bit about the history of Hyrule, and despite the horrific nature of Majora, she had insisted on a costume based on the appearance of the legendary God of Evil. She knew she would have the most awesome costume in Ponyville should her request be granted. It had been a bit of a difficult venture, as none of the monsters were particularly good seamstresses. Luckily Rarity agreed to make most of the costume for them based on the designs Maulgrim had drawn up. To Vaati's surprise, the Darknut was not all that bad when it came to designing clothes; most likely it was a byproduct of the ingrained skill all Darknuts had with designing intricate suits of armor. Maulgrim himself fired up the Darknuts' forge in the lower area of the palace and made a replica of the feared deity's infamous mask.

Once the metal mask had cooled, Nigellas had painted it himself, using one of the history books as a reference. The finished product was the spitting image of the Heart of Darkness, so much so that a Miniblin visibly cringed when it saw the mask tucked under the Wizzrobe's arm as he delivered it to Scootaloo. Naturally she had loved it. A while later, the rest of the costume was delivered by Rarity, consisting of a black cloak with a blood-red inverted Triforce symbol encircled by a silver bramble-like design and gold trimmings along the edges, as well as a hood. Once she dressed herself in full regalia, she looked at herself in the mirror and giggled uncontrollably.

"This is gonna be the best Nightmare Night ever," she whispered.

XXXXXX

Ponyville, evening…

Spike, dressed in his adult dragon costume, paced impatiently back and forth, waiting for Twilight to come downstairs. "Come on, Twilight!" he demanded. "We're gonna be late for the Nightmare Night festival!"

He didn't have to wait much longer; at that moment, Twilight came down the stairs, wearing a wizard's costume complete with jingling bells and a fake beard. "Huh?" Spike uttered in confusion as Twilight proudly walked past him, displaying her costume. "Are you…that one creepy old grandpa from Ponyville Retirement Village?"

Twilight gawked at him. "I'm Starswirl the Bearded!" she clarified.

Spike just blankly stared at her.

"Father of the ameomorphic spell?"

Spike's expression didn't change.

"Did you even read that book I gave you about obscure unicorn history?"

"I can assure you, he probably didn't," came the sudden voice of Vaati.

The sorcerer in question had just walked in the door, looking quite different than before. His eyes were a bit redder, and his robes were different. They were much more reminiscent of a wizard's gown than Vaati's normal outfit, and more intricately designed. His hair flowed as if a gust of wind constantly surrounded him, and a strange stone headdress sat on his head.

"Whoa," Spike murmured. "Neat get-up."

"Hey, Vaati," Twilight greeted. "What're you supposed to be?"

"Me, of course," Vaati nonchalantly explained. "This is just another form of mine, one I rarely use as it's more for show than actual combat. I figured it would be a good thing to use as a costume, since using either of my other alternate forms would be overdoing it, I think."

"Huh," Twilight marveled. "You have three different forms?"

"Five, if you count my usual Hylian form and my original Minish form, the latter of which you will never see."

"So where's Scootaloo?" Twilight asked.

"I sent her off with her friends. A little later, there's going to be a haunted house event up at the palace. I've spent three whole days preparing for it. It's adults only because of some of the more graphic features, so I'm letting Scoots stay the night over at Applejack's house with the other Crusaders."

"A haunted house?" Twilight exclaimed. "That sounds like fun! I'll be there!"

At that moment, someone knocked on the door. Spike waltzed over and opened it, jumping back in surprise as three fillies loudly chorused, "Nightmare Night, what a fright! Give us something sweet to bite!"

Spike walked away to get the candy basket as Twilight came up to the front door. "Hi, everypony! Great costumes!"

Then she noticed a tired-looking Granny Smith standing behind the trio of fillies. "Happy Nightmare Night, Granny Smith!"

"I should have been asleep five hours ago," Granny Smith complained.

Once Spike brought the basket, Twilight levitated a piece of candy into each filly's bag. Suddenly, another foal, dressed as a pirate, pushed through the crowd, losing his balance in the process and falling flat on his face. The foal immediately got up and saluted. "Pipsqueak the pirate, at your service!" he greeted with a Braytish accent. "It's my very first Nightmare Night!"

"Since you moved here from Trottingham?" Twilight asked.

"No, my very first Nightmare Night ever!"

Without warning, Pinkie Pie emerged from the group, wearing a ridiculous-looking chicken costume. "Enough chit-chat!" she snapped impatiently. "Time is candy!"

"Pinkie Pie, aren't you a little old for this?" Twilight asked.

"Too old for free candy?!" she gasped. "Never!"

Vaati came up to the door and stared at Pinkie. I wonder if a hundred more chickens will pop up if I poke her with a stick enough times, he thought dryly to himself.

Twilight rolled her eyes as she levitated a piece of candy into Pinkie's waiting bag before drawing the hyperactive mare's attention to her costume with her bells. "Do you like it?" Twilight asked.

"Yeah! Great costume, Twilight!" Pinkie declared. "You make a fantastic weirdo clown!"

Pinkie then pilfered more candy from Spike's basket before he could react and ran off. Vaati laughed uproariously. "A clown?!" Twilight yelled. "Look at the borders on these robes! These are hoof-stitched!"

"It's a great costume…Grandpa," Spike joked.

Twilight growled irritably. "So what exactly are people supposed to do on Nightmare Night?" Vaati asked. "The haunted house won't be ready for at least two more hours, and I'm not very keen on going door-to-door to beg for treats."

"That's just what the kids do," Twilight explained as Spike shut the library door. "There are other things to do too! We'll escort Spike around a while so he can get some candy, and then we'll head downtown and see what's happening there!"

XXXXX

One hour later…

Spike's bag was overstuffed with candy as he, Vaati, and Twilight headed downtown. "Starswirl the Bearded is only the most important conjurer of the pre-classical era!" Twilight grumped, irritated that Spike knew so little about the famous wizard. "He created more than two hundred spells! He even has a shelf in the Canterlot Library of Magic named after him!"

"The fellow sounds rather impressive," Vaati half-heartedly agreed, looking towards a stage where a band was playing music to which various costumed townsponies danced.

Then Twilight was struck with an idea. "Maybe I should start a pony group to teach ponies about history," she mused. "I bet everypony would love it! Don't you, guys?"

Spike was too busy scarfing down his candy to reply. Vaati, on the other hand…

"Nope, not at all."

Twilight glared at her brusque friend before stopping abruptly, causing Spike to crash into her and send candy flying all over. "Oh look! We're here already! Should we get something to eat?"

She looked over at Spike, who contentedly rubbed his tummy and belched. Vaati wordlessly helped himself to a chocolate bar from Spike's pile. "We're good," he replied though a mouthful of chocolate.

"Twilight! Vaati! Look!" Pinkie cried, zipping over to them and holding out her bag. "Look at our hoard! Can you believe it!"

She pecked candy out of the bag as though it were chicken feed, not noticing Rainbow Dash, decked out in a Shadowbolt costume, sneak up behind her with a thundercloud. "And then we went over to Cheerilee's house and we got a bunch more goodies!" Pinkie continued. "Didn't we, Pip?"

"Sure did!" Pipsqueak agreed.

Rainbow raised her hooves.

"And then we had to wait for Granny Smith and-!"

KRAK-OOOOM!

A burst of lightning struck, scaring the daylights out of Pinkie and the kids, who all screamed and ran off. Twilight glared up at Rainbow as the prankster laughed hysterically. "Rainbow Dash, that wasn't nice!"

"It got rid of Pinkie," Vaati said. "Good enough for me."

Twilight's glare switched over to him. "Oh, lighten up, old-timer!" Rainbow replied. "This is the best day of the year for pranks!"

"Look what you did to Spike!" Twilight griped, who indicated Spike lying on the ground suffering a coughing fit.

"Oh, it's all in good fun!" Rainbow said dismissively. "Ooh! There's another group over there!"

Rainbow then pushed her cloud towards the unsuspecting victims. Twilight rolled her eyes as she telekinetically lifted Spike onto her back and headed towards the center of town with Vaati in tow. Eventually they came up to a bob-for-apples game headed by Applejack, who wore the guise of a scarecrow. "Happy Nightmare Night, Applejack!" Twilight greeted.

"Howdy, Spike! Hey, Twilight! Hey, Vaati!" she answered. "Nice costume!"

"Thanks!" Spike spoke. "I'm a dragon!"

Twilight glared at him. "She means me, Spike."

"A little presumptuous, aren't we?" Vaati butted in. "She was obviously referring to me."

He simply answered Twilight's stink-eye with a smug grin, who at first didn't notice Applejack investigating her fake beard. "Ah reckon with that beard, y'all are some kinda country music singer!"

Twilight groaned as Spike and Vaati chuckled. "Since yer all here," Applejack offered, "y'all wanna bob fer an apple?"

Derpy, in the process of bobbing for one herself, accidentally pulled the plug at the bottom, causing the water to (somehow) drain away. Her companion Carrot Top glared at her. However, everyone's attention was instead drawn to the stage, where a bunch of ponies were cheering as Mayor Mare, dressed as a clown, came up to the podium. "Thank you, everypony, and welcome to the Nightmare Night festival!"

The cheering grew louder as Vaati and his companions joined the crowd. "Now, all the little ponies who have been out collecting candy should join our friend Zecora and hear the legend of…Nightmare Moon! Muahahahahahaha!"

"The spooky voice might work better if she wasn't dressed like that," Spike muttered to his friends.

"Try telling that to someone who's afraid of clowns," Vaati replied just as quietly.

A green mist appeared on the stage, from which emerged Zecora, her mane cascading down her face rather than the usual Mohawk. Plastic spiders were woven into her hair. "Follow me, and very soon, you will hear the tale of Nightmare Moon!"

XXXXXX

Vaati and his companions followed Pinkie's entourage as they accompanied Zecora over to a statue of Nightmare Moon. "Listen close, my little dears!" Zecora spoke. "I'll tell you where you got your fears!"

She fished out a green powder from her robe. "Of Nightmare Night, so dark and scary…" She blew the dust into the air, which suddenly took on the appearance of the deranged Mare of Darkness herself. "Of Nightmare Moon, who makes you wary!"

The apparition dove at the crowd, but dissipated into green mist before it could hit them. The crowd gasped in fear as a pair of eyes emerged from the ether. "Every year, we put on a disguise…" A toothy grin joined the narrowed eyes. "To save ourselves from her searching eyes!"

The children screamed and scattered.

Throughout this whole thing, Vaati kept a straight face. "Interesting delivery," he quietly remarked. "I should learn how to do this myself…"

Pipsqueak promptly crashed into the statue. "For Nightmare Moon just wants one thing…to gobble up ponies in one quick swing!"

More screams of fright. That was really starting to grate on Vaati's nerves. Zecora cast more of her powder, summoning another effigy of Nightmare Moon that appeared to be searching for someone. "Hungry, she soars the sky. If she sees nopony, she passes by. So if she comes and all is clear, Equestria is safe another year!"

The apparition vanished once more. "Um…Miss Zecora?" Pipsqueak asked. "If we wear costumes to hide from Nightmare Moon, so she won't gobble us up, why are we supposed to give her some of our candy?"

Zecora smiled. "A perfect question, my little friend! For Nightmare Moon you must not offend!"

The zebra blew more dust into the sky, causing another apparition to stalk menacingly towards Pip. "Fill up her belly with a treat or two, so she won't return to come eat…YOU!"

The apparition lunged, its fanged jaws engulfing the group and returning to its misty form. Once again, Pinkie and her companions screeched in terror before emptying the contents of their bags at the foot of Nightmare Moon's statue. "Quick, everypony!" Pinkie cried. "Let's dump some candy and get out of here!"

But it was too late. A fell wind began to blow, and no one spoke. A think blanket of clouds settled over the area, swirling around the moon as lightning flashed and thunder boomed. From within came a bright flash as a chariot emerged from the chaos. A hooded figure sat in the chariot, pulled along by two grim-faced, armored thestrals. Vaati recognized them immediately as Luna's personal guard. Could that be…?

"It's Nightmare Moon!" Pinkie Pie shrieked. "RUUUN!"

Everypony bolted, even Zecora. Only Vaati and Twilight remained, staring up at the ominous chariot as it headed for town. "Those were Princess Luna's personal guards," Vaati observed. "That must have been her in the chariot. What is she doing here?"

"I think we're about to find out!" Twilight answered as she took off after the fleeing chariot, Vaati following behind.

XXXXXX

Pinkie's group ran screaming into town, and just before anypony could make sense of what they had seen, ominous clouds loomed over the town as the mysterious chariot appeared. The gathered crowd watched in terror as the chariot's occupant floated down into the town square. Vaati and Twilight then appeared on the scene as the figure lowered their hood.

It was indeed Princess Luna.

But she looked somewhat different from when Vaati had last seen her face to face. She was taller, and her mane and tail had now fully regained their starry luster. The townsponies shook in terror as they hurriedly bowed. Luna, her face grim, trotted towards one unfortunate pony, her cloak dissipating into a hoard of bats that promptly flew away, allowing the alicorn to spread her wings. "She looks like someone just told her a bad joke," Vaati muttered. "I wonder why she's here."

And then Luna spoke…or rather, boomed with a voice so loud it threatened to make Vaati's ears explode.

"Citizens of Ponyville! We have graced your tiny village with our presence, so that you may behold the real Princess of the Night! A creature of nightmare no longer, but instead a pony who desires your love and admiration! Together, we shall change this dreadful celebration into a bright and glorious feeeast!"

Lightning flashed behind her, casting her frightful silhouette. "Did you hear that, everypony?!" Pinkie yelled. "Nightmare Moon said she's gonna feast on us all! AAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

She and her group ran off…again. "For the love of Nayru, Pinkie," Vaati growled quietly.

"What?!" Luna gaped. "No, children, no! You no longer have reason to fear us! Screams of delight is what your princess desires, not screams of terror!"

Luna stomped her hoof, eliciting a terrified squeak from one pony dressed, appropriately, as a mouse.

"Then perhaps you ought to try speaking to them without resorting to blowing out their freaking eardrums," Vaati spoke up, walking towards the princess. "Well met, Luna."

As soon as she saw the sorcerer, Luna's entire countenance changed. "Wind Mage Vaati!" she cried enthusiastically, still using her explosive voice. "We are glad to see you again!"

Vaati winced and massaged his ears. "That's nice. Now tell me that again without so much volume."

"But…This is the Royal Canterlot Voice!" Luna answered. "It is tradition to speak to the public in this way!"

"For the love of Din, Luna, you're terrifying them!" Vaati said. "That Royal Tone of yours sounds more like you're just yelling at them."

Luna looked down at the shaking crowd of ponies surrounding her and realized, to her shame, that Vaati was correct. They looked scared to just even be near her. "We…I…but…" she stuttered, not knowing what to say.

"Shouldn't we do something, Twilight?" Spike shakily asked.

Twilight shook her head. "No. Vaati and Princess Luna know each other personally. He's fine."

Vaati strode up to Luna and smirked. "That's better. You've been gone a thousand years, Luna. Things have probably changed since you've been gone. I've never heard Celestia speak that way towards a crowd in all the time I've been here, so I think it's safe to say that tradition's been put to rest."

Luna furtively glanced at the crowd. "Then…how wouldst thou speakest towards them?" she whispered. "We…I…I don't know…"

"Firstly, talk to them like you would talk to me or your sister," Vaati advised. "A normal, conversational tone that isn't too loud or too soft. Secondly, drop the 'ye olde' shtick. Nobody talks like that anymore. Trust me."

"But…that is how I hath always spoken," Luna answered.

"I am learned enough that I have an understanding of the really ancient dialect of the common tongue. The rest of these ponies, though, most likely don't. Instead of thou or thy and all that nonsense, just try things like you and your. Also, I don't think anyone's familiar with the usage of the 'royal we', so try to refer to yourself in the singular sense too."

"It's been a thousand years. We…uh, I am not sure I can."

"You're managing well enough right now," Vaati pointed out.

Luna blushed slightly as she nervously looked at the shivering group of townsfolk. "Um…forgive us…uh, forgive me, for speaking so rudely," she spoke in a much quieter voice. "Perhaps we can start over?"

Luna smiled weakly, hoping for a response, but the crowd just continued to tremble in her presence. The lunar alicorn sighed deeply in sadness. "It's no use, Vaati," she morosely stated. "They have never liked us…and they never shall."

"That's not true at all," Twilight interrupted, stepping forward. "You just haven't managed to level with them yet. They need to be able to relate to you. Vaati, why don't we take her downtown and show her how to have a little fun?"

Vaati pointed at Twilight. "Excellent idea, Twilight. Excellent. Luna, care to join us?"

"Fun?" Luna asked. "What is this…fun thou speakest of?"

Vaati frowned at her. "Princess…please tell me you know and understand the concept of fun."

Luna's eyes darted about. "Well, in any case, you're about to take a crash course in fun-having," Vaati stated, hovering just off the ground as he held out his arm. "Shall we, milady?"

The sorcerer savored the sight of Luna blushing a deep scarlet, trying in vain to compose herself as she hooked one hoof through his arm and lifted off herself, hovering at equal height with the mage. That never got old to him. He was quite aware of the fact that she was slowly starting to fall for him. She was also terrible at hiding it, considering that this was probably something she had never before experienced. The sorcerer always knew he had a way with the ladies. The maidens he had kidnapped in the olden days had always reacted with surprise when they saw the true form of the great flying eye that had rudely kidnapped them before. Some had even dared to ponder their potential interest in him, but Link had always rescued them before any serious thoughts could be considered.

The idea of it was rather strange, though. Some could consider that sort of thing bestiality, him being human (relatively speaking) and Luna a talking horse, for all intents and purposes. But from the way she acted, that sort of thing didn't seem to enter her mind. Indeed, as they traversed the town alongside Twilight, Vaati found himself pondering the possibility himself. He wasn't quite sure of what he thought of it. Perhaps he felt nothing. Perhaps it was just too early to tell. But for now, he would amuse himself by flustering her at every opportunity.

Soon they arrived back at Applejack's apple-bobbing game, where the farmpony had just prevented Pipsqueak from falling in. Once she saw Luna, though, she yelped and dropped to her hooves. Vaati rolled his eyes and leaned over Applejack. "Ahem, Applejack, Princess Luna here wishes to learn how to fit in around here."

Applejack gave him a flat stare. "Fit in? Really?"

Vaati and Twilight both shot her warning looks. "Uh, I mean…" Applejack stuttered. "That's easy! Ya just gotta have the right attitude! Loosen up a bit! Think positive! Play some games! Have some fun!"

Vaati led her over to a basket filled with toy spiders. "Pray tell, what purpose do these serve?" Luna asked.

One of the more courageous ponies, dressed like a bee, shakily pointed a hoof towards a web a short distance away. "T-t-t-try l-l-landing the s-s-spiders on the web!"

Curiously, Luna picked up a spider and did as she was instructed. However, she missed. She glanced uncertainly at Vaati, Twilight, and Applejack, who watched her from the back. "You can do it, Princess!" Applejack encouraged her.

"Try tossing it with a little more strength," Vaati advised.

Luna's eyes steeled as she picked up another spider and tossed again, this time hitting the web right in the middle. "Hah!" Luna exclaimed. "Your princess enjoys this…fun! In what other ways may we experience it?"

XXXXXX

A short while later, Luna got to shoot a pumpkin out of a catapult towards a bull's-eye. It landed right on target. "Haha!" Luna declared. "The fun has been doubled!"

Several ponies cheered her on. Vaati smiled. They were starting to warm up to her. "Why don't ya try bobbin' fer apples?" Applejack suggested. "We got the best apples in Equestria, Princess!"

"I ask that thou call us…me…Luna, fair Applejack."

Luna then spoke to the surrounding townsfolk. "Hear me, villagers! Call me Luna!"

The crowd excitedly murmured her name to each other. "Show me to these 'bobbing apples'!" Luna declared, following her companions.

Suddenly she noticed that Pipsqueak was about to fall into the water again. Without thinking, she ran over to help the young foal.

"Hey, gals! Anypony seen Pip?" they suddenly heard Pinkie ask behind them. "We lost him the last time we had to run from…"

And then she gasped as she saw Luna fishing Pipsqueak out of the water bucket. "Oh, horseapples," Vaati muttered, knowing what was about to happen.

"Nightmare Moon is gobbling Pipsqueak!" she screeched. "EVERYBODY RUUUUUUUUUUN!"

She and the fillies all ran as fast as they could away from Luna, who dropped Pipsqueak in shock. The foal bolted too the moment his hooves touched ground. "Help! My backside's been gobbled!" Pipsqueak yelled.

"'Tis a lie!" Luna protested. "Your backside is whole and ungobbled, thou ungrateful whelp!"

Lightning flashed, accentuating Luna's anger. The townsponies backed away, their fear returning. Vaati inwardly cursed Pinkie Pie's name as Luna attempted to salvage her floundering reputation. "Fair villagers!" she pleaded. "Please do not back away! Let us join together in…fun!"

Vaati could almost hear her voice crack as she spoke those last words. Not good, not good, he thought worriedly.

Luna desperately tossed one of the fake spiders towards the crowd, hoping to regain their trust. They did nothing but shy away. Luna's eye twitched, and Vaati knew at that moment she had finally snapped.

Uh oh.

"Not enough fun for you?!" she frustratingly yelled. "What say you to this!"

Magic flashed from her horn, and the spider suddenly became a live one, which chittered menacingly. Another flash, and all the spiders in the bowl became animated, crawling all over the place as townsponies screamed in terror. Finally the creatures congregated on the web and Luna forced a smile. "Huzzah!" she cried, clearly on the verge of a total breakdown. "How many points do I receive?"

The crowd scattered, shrill screams penetrating the air as they ran in random directions. "Do not run away!" Luna begged, but the panic continued. "As your princess, we command you!"

Her only answer was more panicked cries from the frightened ponies. That was the final straw. "BE STILL!" she bellowed, thunder booming.

At that moment, all movement promptly ceased.

"Princess, remember!" Twilight warned. "Watch the screaming!"

Luna rounded on her, her eyes glowing like embers. "No, Twilight Sparkle! We must use the traditional Royal Canterot Voice for what we are about to say!"

Vaati and Twilight worriedly glanced at each other as Luna addressed the crowd.

"Since you choose to fear your princess rather than love her, and dishonor her with this INSULTING celebration, we hereby decree that Nightmare Night shall be cancelled…FOREVER!"

And just like that, Luna left, the roiling storm ceasing with her departure. Twilight and Applejack stared forlornly at the wreckage of the festival. Applejack sighed. "Shoot, we had everythin' goin' our way. Luna was happy, everypony in town was happy…now look at 'em."

Children everywhere were sobbing uncontrollably, seeking comfort from their equally-shocked parents. "B-but I wanted to be a zombie next year!" one filly wailed.

Scootaloo collapsed on her hooves at Vaati's feet, unable to stop from crying herself. "D-D-Daddy, I don't want Nightmare Night to be cancelled! What're we gonna do?!"

Vaati's eyes steeled. "This isn't over."

The mage turned towards Twilight. "Twilight, come with me."

"What're y'all gonna do?" Applejack asked.

"Get her to change her mind, obviously," Vaati replied. "And then I'm going to stuff Pinkie Pie in a garbage can for all the trouble she's caused. Wait here, Scoots. I'll be back."

XXXXXX

Vaati and Twilight eventually found Luna despondently walking across the small bridge over the creek. "Luna?" Vaati spoke, stepping towards her.

Luna looked up at him, revealing that she had been crying recently. "Leave me be," she morosely implored.

"Look, I'm sorry things haven't quite worked out the way we planned," Vaati explained. "Pinkie Pie's just being an ignorant dolt as usual."

"I know it might be hard for you to believe, Princess," Twilight said, "but Nightmare Night is one of the most popular festivals of the year!"

"Yes, I can tell," Luna countered, her voice laden with heavy sarcasm, "from the shrieks of the adoring children as they run away!"

Luna kept walking, her head hung low. At that moment, Twilight suddenly had an idea.

XXXXXX

Meanwhile, Pinkie prowled around the town square, intent on salvaging as much candy as she could. Suddenly she saw a piece and immediately gobbled it up like a chicken. Then she saw another. And another. She was too busy pecking them up to notice the trail was leading into an alley. Without warning, someone crashed into Pinkie and pinned her against the wall, the assailant also shoving a hoof in her mouth to keep her from making any noise. "No! No screaming!" Twilight, the assailant in question, demanded. "No squealing or shrieking either, okay?!"

Pinkie managed a muffled 'okay' in response. "There's something we want to show you," Twilight explained, revealing Vaati standing behind her. "And I promise that it's safe, but you really really really can't shriek. Do you promise not to shriek?"

"And I swear if you do, I'll stuff you in a garbage can," Vaati warned.

Pinkie nodded. Twilight retracted her hoof away from Pinkie's mouth and drew her friend's attention towards Princess Luna. The moment she saw her, she put her hooves to her mouth to keep herself from screaming. "Pinkie Pie, you remember Princess Luna, right?" Twilight introduced.

"Ah," Luna said, stepping forward. "The ringleader of the frightened children. Hast thou come to…make peace?"

Pinkie hesitantly began to reconsider her actions and reached out to touch Luna's hoof.

KRA-KOOOM!

A bolt of lightning flashed, and the moment was ruined. "AAH! NIGHTMARE MOON!" Pinkie shrieked, sprinting off in terror.

The raucous laughter that followed revealed the culprit to be Rainbow Dash and her trusty stormcloud. "Curse you to the bowels of Tartarus, Rainbow Dash!" Vaati roared, sending a huge gust of wind at Rainbow that disintegrated her cloud and sent her tumbling to the ground. Standing over her, he growled, "In case you haven't noticed, we're trying to salvage Princess Luna's reputation enough so that she'll reconsider cancelling Nightmare Night, and you are NOT helping matters!"

Rainbow flinched under Vaati's angry glare. Meanwhile, Twilight blocked off Pinkie's escape route and pinned her against the ground. "She's changed, Pinkie!" Twilight yelled. "She's not evil or scary anymore, and she definitely doesn't want to gobble you up!"

Pinkie gave her a look. "Well, duh."

"Huh?" Twilight gaped.

"What," Vaati spoke.

"I already knew that, Twilight!" Pinkie explained. "I'm almost as big as her! I mean, how's she gonna gobble me up?"

A vein throbbed in Vaati's forehead. "You mean to tell us that you knew all along she wasn't actually trying to eat you? Why, then, did you see fit to cause her such embarrassment that she cancelled Nightmare Night out of anger and undo all the work Twilight and I put into improving her reputation?!"

"Sometimes it's just really fun to be scared!" Pinkie exclaimed.

Vaati glared at her. "Pinkie Pie, your attempts at having fun were all essentially slapping her in the face. Fun or not, it was insulting."

"Wait, Vaati!" Twilight interrupted. "I think Pinkie's on to something!"

"Wait, what?"

"Princess Luna! I've finally figured out why you're having so much trouble being liked!"

Luna glowered. "Forgive me if I withhold my enthusiasm."

"Come with me, guys!" she bade. "I'll explain everything on the way!"

"Go on ahead, Twilight," Vaati said. "I'll be just a second."

The moment they were gone, Vaati seized both a protesting Rainbow and Pinkie by the tail and promptly stuffed them both in a trashcan and slammed the lid down on their heads, disorienting them long enough to make good his escape.

XXXXXX

"Gosh," Pipsqueak moaned as the adults around him began cleaning up the town square. "I never thought my very first Nightmare Night would also be my very last."

Suddenly Zecora appeared, a wide smile on her face. "Come, little Pip, now don't you fret! Nightmare Night's not over yet! There's still plenty of candy to give, so Nightmare Moon might let us live!"

"Yes, little ponies!" Mayor Mare joined in. "What's Nightmare Night without the annual candy offering? You don't want Nightmare Night to gobble you up…do you?"

"Ugh, the rainbow wig just kills it for me," Spike grumbled as he passed by.

"C'mon, kids!" Applejack offered. "Doesn't that sound like fun?"

The kids didn't look particularly convinced, but followed the adults nonetheless over to the grove where Nightmare Moon's statue stood sentinel and began leaving portions of their candy at the foot of the statue. As Pipsqueak gave up his share, he sighed. "Goodbye, Nightmare Night, forever."

As he turned to leave, though, the wind abruptly picked up and thunder rumbled. "Citizens of Ponyville!" a familiar voice boomed. "You were wise to bring this candy to me! I am pleased by your offering! So pleased, in fact, that I may eat it instead of EACH OF YOU!"

And there, in place of the statue, stood the Mare of the Moon herself in all her full, terrifying glory. Her sharp fangs glinted in the moonlight, and her eyes burned like hellish coals. The foals screamed and bolted. As soon as they were gone, Nightmare Moon's terrifying visage melted away into the more serene form of Luna as she spit out the set of fake fangs she had been given. Twilight and Vaati emerged from where they had been hiding. "I am not certain that did what you meant for it to do, Twilight Sparkle," she mused.

"Actually, I think it worked out exactly as planned," Vaati replied. "Excellent performance, by the way."

"What?" Luna responded in confusion. "What are you…"

Suddenly she felt something small tug on her hair. "Um…Princess Luna?" Pipsqueak said as she looked down at him in surprise. "I know there's not gonna be any more Nightmare Night, but do you suppose maybe you could come back next year and scare us again anyway?"

Luna gawked at him and noticed the group of fillies peeking out of the bushes, watching her intently. "Child…art thou saying that thou…likest me to scare you?"

Pipsqueak excitedly nodded his head. "It's really fun! Scary, but fun!"

"It…is?!"

"Uh huh! Nightmare Night's my favorite night of the year!"

Luna cracked a smile. "Well then! We'll just have to bring…Nightmare Night back!"

The Royal voice pushed Pipsqueak back several meters, but he was more awed than scared. "Whoa! You're my favorite princess ever!"

The young foal nuzzled Luna's leg before trotting off towards the other foals. "She said yes, guys!"

"YAAAAAAY!"

"See?" Twilight exclaimed. "They really do like you, Princess!"

"Can…it be true?" Luna marveled. "Oh, most wonderful of…"

She then noticed Vaati's unamused expression. "Uh, I mean, most wonderful of nights," she spoke much more quietly, blushing.

Vaati grinned as he rubbed his hands together. "Well, Luna, this 'most wonderful of nights' isn't over yet."

Luna blinked. "What dost thou mean?"

"The haunted house event I've scheduled at the palace is probably ready by now," Vaati explained. "Once I get up there and tell Nigellas, we can start bringing in customers. And as a reward for all the progress you've made, you get to be the first, my dear."

Luna grinned enthusiastically. "Really?" And then she composed herself and smiled serenely. "I would be honored."

"Care to join us, Twilight?" Vaati asked.

"I'd love to!"

XXXXXX

Oh, how she had come to regret her decision.

The haunted house was just a restricted area of the palace that pretty much ran in a circle. Most of the rooms were cordoned off, as they were not part of the attraction. Those that were, though…

Twilight was sure what they contained would haunt her nightmares for weeks.

The palace was dark and gloomy, lit only by torches wreathed in eldritch purple flames. Floormasters skittered across the path in great numbers, their claws scraping the stone surface as they crawled. Poes cackled and waved their pale lanterns as she and Luna's group passed through a room with bones scattered along the walls. Deeper laughter joined in as the bones abruptly moved of their own volition and reattached themselves to form Stalfos, which grinned wickedly at the terrified guests as they hurried along the set path. Some rooms were barred off like cells, and the reason soon made itself clear as the rotting, fly-ridden ReDeads leaned against the bars, groaning in earnest as they reached towards the guests with shriveled, bony fingers.

Twilight's eyes threatened to bulge out of their sockets. "Mother Faust, he wasn't kidding," she murmured in horrified amazement. "Zombies do exist."

A short while later they passed through a chamber with spider webs weaved all along the wall. A fearsome Skulltula was busily spinning more webbing. Twilight gulped when she saw the huge spider's grim carapace. Upon closer inspection, various Stalfos were interwoven in the spider's web, as if they were the remains of the creature's previous meals. They cackled madly at their own fate, further chilling the assembled guests.

At one point, they looked into a room and found two Moblins manning a stretching rack, to which an unfortunate Miniblin was attached. Thankfully the whole process was staged. But they did a terrifyingly good job of making it look real.

By the time she and Luna had returned to the front door and exited the palace, Twilight looked white as a sheet. Noticing this as he manned the front desk, Vaati quipped, "What's the matter, Twilight? That wasn't too scary, was it?"

Twilight promptly fell over in a dead faint. Vaati cackled in delight before looking over at Luna. "What about you? Did you enjoy it?"

Luna suppressed a gulp. "That was an…illuminating experience."

Vaati grinned. "You sound scared."

"I was not scared!" Luna pouted. "I am the Princess of the Night! I don't fear the dark!"

"The fact that you're shaking in your horseshoes tells me otherwise, Luna," Vaati retorted smugly.

"I…I…" She gritted her teeth as she fought back a fierce blush.

Vaati laughed and turned his attention to the other customers. "You hear that, fillies and gentlecolts? Even Princess Luna herself got scared! Any of you feeling any braver?"

Many of the waiting customers looked uncertain, but curiosity won over fear, and the night of frights continued. Nobody ended up having as much fun as Luna and Vaati in the end, and both of them finally retired to their own beds with wide smiles on their faces and in their hearts. Nightmare Night was finally over.

XXXXXX

On this night, this Nightmare's Night,

Beneath the watchful stars alight…

Gwo hoh hoh hoh hoh…

Author's Note

Considering the...shall we say, reception of the last few chapters, let's go with something relatively safe this time, a canon episode.

And just who is this mysterious enemy hinted at in Luna's dream prophecy? One day you will know...

One day...

Episode 14: Measure of a Monster

Episode 14: The Measure of a Monster

Deep within the mountains on the edge of Equestria lay a hidden cave. This was no ordinary cave, though; the large, three-headed black hound that stood guard outside its gaping maw was proof of that. This was the most feared and terrifying place in all of Equestria.

Tartarus Prison.

Here, incarcerated within the maze-like cavern, was a host of vile and terrible creatures, all of whom had been sent there by the will of the Equestrian princesses. Even the odd pony or two stayed locked in cages, starving from lack of food but unable to die due to the altered reality of the hellish cavern.

Diamond Tiara had been one such pony. She had been placed here for the attempted murder of four fillies, one of whom was…no, had been her best friend. Too late did she realize how horrible her actions had been. Abandoned by her own father, consumed by grief and remorse over an act that, after that needling voice in her subconscious had gone away, she could not believe she had actually done.

What had compelled her to try and kill the Cutie Mark Crusaders? She was angry that Scootaloo had attacked her, yes; but she couldn't believe that she had then resorted to murder to get revenge. But that voice in her head had been persistent. So persistent, in fact, that she had had difficulty in even resisting it. Before that day, though, such horrible thoughts had never entered her mind. But why had they then? And why had she so quickly pounced on them rather than question the morality of it all?

Diamond's confusion and remorse for her actions had quickly sent her spiraling down into a suicidal state. To end her pain, she had provoked a krylock, a deadly beast with the head of a cobra and the body of a scorpion, into biting her, injecting her with a poison certain to kill her within minutes.

But it hadn't worked out that way.

The laws of reality surrounding the prison barred entry to the alicorn of death, and Diamond Tiara only found herself writhing in unimaginable pain for what seemed to be an eternity. Her pain was so great that she never noticed the change her body began to undergo, twisting and morphing into a wholly inequine shape. As the insurmountable agony burned through her changing body, her rational mind began to recede, replaced by a feral lust for violence and blood. She found herself losing her mind to the beast overtaking her.

Within days, Diamond Tiara had become a krylock herself. She was unusual in that she did not possess the usual coloration of the krylock species, instead maintaining her coat color from her original pony form. Overcome by rage and madness, Diamond Tiara managed to break out of her cell and began to roam free throughout the bowels of Tartarus, alone with her hunger and hate.

But she had not been forgotten.

Outside the gates of Tartarus, the three-headed guardian hound, Cerberus, suddenly noticed a peculiar scent on the wind. It was the scent of a truly vile presence, one that did not belong outside of Tartarus. The three-headed hound growled in suspicion as it left its post to investigate. Cerberus loped down the mountain path, his three heads sniffing the air, unable to pinpoint the source of the scent. He did not notice the presence manifesting itself behind him until it was too late.

"Go to sleep," the dark force intoned, staring directly into the eyes of Cerberus.

At once, the great hellhound was overcome by a sudden fatigue it could not overcome. Within seconds, Cerberus collapsed on his belly, fast asleep. The mysterious presence laughed darkly at its success.

"Gwo hoh hoh hoh…"

The dark presence, without further ado, entered the depths of Tartarus of its own free will, something that had never happened once in the history of Equestria. But the evil one did not carry fear within the void of its black heart; its domain was no different from this place, and the monsters that lurked here were easy to placate and control. Fear was the weapon it wielded; it could not be turned against its master.

The dark one, however, was searching for a particular beast, one that had not been here long. Freeing the other monsters of Tartarus would happen another time, when the allies necessary to sweep across the land and plunge it into the darkness that it and all others under and above its dominion desired would be gathered. For now its activities in Equestria would be minor, simply securing the compliance of its newest proxies such as the unicorn King Sombra, as well as testing the strengths and weaknesses of its enemies.

It did not have to search for long before it found the monster it was looking for, milling about on its own: a krylock with an unusual light purple coloration and a tiara with diamond rhinestones situated on its scaly head. The dark force laughed, catching the attention of the krylock. The moment they locked eyes, the krylock's expression slackened, its feral mind succumbing to the powerful will of its visitor.

Just as it had once before, when this creature had been a mere pony child.

"Gwo hoh hoh," the wicked presence spoke. "Diamond Tiara…A pony you are no more. Your service to us is not yet over, though."

The krylock bared her teeth slightly and let out a low hiss. The evil one spoke more, undaunted.

"No…your service has yet to even truly begin. You are still needed, Diamond Tiara. Any bonds you may have once had have been broken. Now, it is time for you to break the bonds of another."

Diamond Tiara flicked her serpentine tongue, transfixed by the glare of the dark presence.

"The way out of Tartarus has been opened for you, and its guardian has been temporarily neutralized. You will go to your old home, the town of Ponyville. All those whom the sorcerer Vaati holds dear to his heart are to be destroyed. His friends and the foal you failed to eliminate before. The Wind Mage must pay for abandoning the cause of darkness. He must suffer for turning away from the path we have set for him. Do not fail us, Diamond Tiara. Know that, even in this world, our divine lord Majora watches over all."

Mere minutes later, a terrifying roar echoed as Diamond Tiara, in the body of a vicious krylock and enslaved by the will of her master, emerged from the eldritch maw of Tartarus and began her journey home.

XXXXXX

Princess Celestia's bedroom, Canterlot Castle…

Princess Celestia was troubled. As she removed her crown and jewelry to wind down after yet another long day of looking after the political affairs of Equestria, a foreboding feeling began to weigh on her subconscious. Something was wrong in her land. She hated that feeling; she feared it. For whether or not it was a justified feeling, she could not immediately discern why it gnawed at the deepest recesses of her mind. The last time she had felt this was when her sister had begun contemplating overthrowing her.

As Celestia gazed at her own reflection in the mirror of her vanity cabinet, she registered the sound of the door opening behind her as Princess Luna stepped hesitantly into the room. "…Tia?"

Celestia could see her dear sister's face in the mirror; it was etched with just as much worry as her own. Without turning away, Celestia spoke. "You feel it too."

Luna nodded in confirmation. "An eerie feeling coils around my heart, sister. I don't know what of, or why I am, but I am…I am afraid, Celly."

"Something evil lurks within our borders," Celestia surmised before her sister could. "I cannot guess where, and that worries me. I too am afraid, Luna. I'm afraid of what's out there, and what it could do to my little ponies."

Luna glanced aside for a moment before focusing once more on Celestia. "Perhaps we should bolster the Guard," she suggested. "Send scouting parties throughout Equestria. Perhaps we can locate whatever it is before it can cause any damage."

Celestia shook her head. "I don't want to induce a state of panic. If the media were to hear that the Royal Guards were being deployed throughout Equestria to search for an invading monster, they would blow it so far out of proportion that it would rattle the population's peace of mind. It could exacerbate the problem."

Luna frowned. "We cannot sit idly by and do nothing, dear sister."

"I know," Celestia snapped with slightly more force than she intended, and winced as Luna recoiled from her sister's harsh attitude. "I'm sorry, Lulu. It's been a stressful day. I know we can't just do nothing. But things are much more complicated than they were back then. Equestria depends on us remaining on the throne near constantly, meaning we can't just seek out and destroy the creature ourselves like we did with the others after Discord was sealed away. And I've worked so hard to keep Equestria's population happy and at peace that I failed to take into account how skittish it would make them over time as a consequence."

Celestia inclined her head as she delved into her thoughts, and then looked up as an idea came to her. "Perhaps it's not the guards we should send to investigate."

Luna blinked in confusion. "Whatever do you mean, Tia?"

"Perhaps we can have Vaati seek it out and discreetly eliminate it on our behalf," Celestia explained, turning towards her sister. "He has a great deal of experience. If he could best Discord, perhaps he could be the one best suited for destroying whatever evil force has invaded Equestria."

Luna bit her lip, not entirely convinced. "Vaati achieved that victory through the element of surprise. You know that, Tia. Are…are you certain it is wise to entrust him with this matter?"

Celestia quirked an eyebrow. "Do you not have faith in Vaati?"

Luna blanched at the accusation. "W-what?! No! We…I…It's just that we…um, I am worried for him, that's all!"

"I'm certain Vaati can take care of himself, Luna," Celestia replied. "I will write to my student Twilight and request that she pass on the message to Vaati."

"Tia, if she reads it, you know she will try to accompany him. And if she goes, all the Elements of Harmony are certain to go with her. Do you wish to put them in similar danger?"

Celestia shook her head. "Twilight trusts me implicitly and would never disobey me unless it meant protecting her friends. If I simply send a message beforehand telling her to take the next message to Vaati and not read it herself, she will not read it."

Luna eventually nodded in acceptance as Celestia summoned a quill and parchment and began to write.

XXXXXX

Golden Oaks Library, Ponyville…

Twilight sat on the floor of the balcony, intently reading a book Vaati had lent her from his personal library: Hyrule Historia, Volume Four: Unification War to Imprisoning War, to be exact. As she delved into the history surrounding the first rise of Ganon, she did not notice Spike entering the balcony with a roll of parchment in his hand. "Hey, Twilight!" he said to get her attention. "I just got a note from Princess Celestia."

Normally, Twilight would only half-pay attention to him, unwilling to abandon whatever book she was reading, but the name of her beloved mentor snapped her to attention. "The Princess?" she repeated with curiosity. "What does it say?"

"She apparently wants you to give a message to Vaati, but it hasn't arrived yet, and she said she doesn't want you to read that message."

Twilight's eyebrows furrowed in curiosity. "I wonder why she doesn't want me to read it… But if that's what she wants, okay."

A few seconds later, Spike unceremoniously belched out another message, which Twilight enveloped with her magic before it could hit the floor. "Thanks, Spike," Twilight said, trotting back inside the library. "I'll take this up to Vaati's palace and give this to him, then. Keep the place tidy 'til I come back, alright?"

Spike saluted. "Will do, Twilight."

Twilight soon exited the library and headed towards the center of town, where the omnipresent magically-animated lift ceaselessly made its rounds between the town square and the front entrance of the Palace of Winds. Ignoring the bustling townsponies, Twilight hopped onto the lift once it reached the ground and waited patiently as the lift took her up to the palace. Once she reached her destination, she stepped onto the magical clouds keeping the palace aloft and trotted up to the door and briskly knocked.

A few seconds later, the door opened and a Moblin stepped into view. "What you want?" it gruffly asked.

"Good afternoon, sir," Twilight greeted, keeping a straight face. "I have a message from Princess Celestia I was instructed to give to Vaati."

The Moblin snorted. "Very well. You come in."

The Moblin stepped aside, allowing Twilight to enter. "Master in his quarters," the Moblin informed her.

"Thank you, sir," Twilight responded with a nod before heading off to Vaati's personal chambers, where Maulgrim and another Darknut stood sentinel on either side.

Recognizing Twilight, Maulgrim inclined his head in greeting. "Miss Sparkle. Have you some business with Lord Vaati?"

"Yes," Twilight replied, waving the scroll with her magic a bit so the Darknut could see it. "I have a message to him from Princess Celestia. It's urgent that he reads it right away."

Maulgrim nodded in understanding. "Very well. You may pass. Master is currently wallowing in boredom; perhaps you can brighten his day somewhat, yes?"

Twilight chuckled. "I'll certainly do my best."

Twilight nudged open the door to Vaati's room and peeked inside. "Vaati?" she called out.

"Eh? Twilight?" Vaati's voice answered back.

Twilight then realized Vaati was lying on his bed on his back, and had been apparently staring at the ceiling when she had arrived. Twilight stepped into the room and shut the door behind her. "Hey, Vaati."

"What are you doing here?" Vaati inquired.

Twilight's patience allowed her not to feel put off by Vaati's bluntness; she knew the mage could get a little snippy when he was bored. "Princess Celestia wanted me to give you this," Twilight explained, levitating the scroll over to Vaati and releasing her magic as he grabbed it.

Twilight refrained from mentioning that she wasn't supposed to read it. She honestly wanted to know what it said, and if Vaati read it out loud, she technically wasn't disobeying her mentor…

Oh dear Mother Faust, Vaati was starting to become a bad influence on her. That was how he thought, not her. Twilight inwardly cursed her rampant curiosity as Vaati unrolled the parchment. As she had hoped, Vaati deigned to read it out loud.

"Dear Vaati, it has come to my sister and I's attention that something evil has invaded Equestria's borders. We do not wish to make the incident public so as to not induce a panic, hence why we are not sending Royal Guards to deal with the unknown threat. We would like you to seek out and eliminate this threat. I know you have probably gotten bored as of late…yeah, no kidding. I must ask, though, that Twilight and her friends not…be…told…"

Vaati, realizing his error, looked up from the letter at Twilight's worried face.

"…Oops."

Finally Twilight spoke. "She wants you to what?!"

"Apparently find and kill some kind of monster she thinks has invaded Equestria," Vaati responded bluntly, finishing reading the letter. "She doesn't want you going because you'll inevitably drag the others into it, which would cause unneeded hassle."

"I can most certainly be of help, though!" Twilight complained. "And you don't know what kind of monster we could be dealing with here, or even where it could possibly be. If it's something that can put Princess Celestia on edge, then I don't think you should face it alone! You and I are almost equals when it comes to raw magical power. You may need the extra firepower."

"I most certainly don't need the extra firepower, thank you very much," Vaati haughtily contested as he rolled up the parchment and tossed it off to one side. "I can handle myself just fine. I beat Discord, remember?"

"And you were almost killed by a drunken deadbeat of a pony with a knife!" Twilight shot back. "Explain that!"

"I already told you, he just got lucky," Vaati snapped, folding his arms defensively.

"Oh yeah? And what happens if the monster gets lucky too?!"

"…It won't."

"Please Vaati, just let me go with you."

"Twilight, let me put it to you like this. I can fly; you cannot. That means I can cover more ground more swiftly than you can. This is a high-priority search-and-destroy mission. You'll only slow me down."

"No I won't!"

"You're not going!" Vaati snapped, trying to keep himself from yelling. "If it's me being outmatched you're worried about, I'll freaking bring Nigellas with me. Wizzrobes can fly too. There. Happy?"

Twilight pouted momentarily before straightening her expression. "Fine, I guess that's alright."

Vaati stood up and stretched his limbs in preparation. "I don't know how long this will take. Keep an eye on Scootaloo until I return, would you?"

Twilight nodded as Vaati moved to open his door. Before he could, though, it slammed open of its own accord, revealing Nigellas, who had a panicked look in his eyes. "Milord!" he yelled. "A monster! There's a monster attacking Ponyville!"

XXXXXX

A chorus of screams rose up amongst the townsfolk as a horrible monster burst into the town, snapping its claws and thrashing its barbed tail. A strangely-colored krylock hissed menacingly, its slitted eyes seeking out its intended prey as the crowd of ponies scattered. Snarling in fury, it smashed a fruit stand to pieces with one snap of its claws and barely missed impaling Derpy with its stinger.

Finally it saw its target swiftly descending from the sky and landing delicately in the quickly-emptying town square. Vaati glanced over the creature with a mildly curious eye. "So you're the monster that has Celestia all worked up?" he surmised mostly to himself. "Good. That means I actually don't have to go through the trouble of finding you."

With a dark smirk, Vaati's form began to change, taking on the familiar appearance of the winged eye. The krylock roared its challenge, its long, curved teeth slick with sickly-green venom. Wind began to blow around the transformed sorcerer as he prepared to do battle with the rampaging monster. Those townsponies that had not already hidden inside their houses tentatively watched from the sidelines as the two monsters sized each other up. The oddly-colored krylock stood at equal height to the flying eye. Both adversaries readied their claws and stared each other down, waiting for one to make the first move.

"Don't worry! I'll handle this!"

And just like that, Vaati's excitement burst like a bubble as an unwelcome visitor came on the scene and immediately enveloped the startled monster with magic spawned by an idle claw. Discord grinned smugly at his handiwork as the krylock struggled against its bonds. "Fear not, little ponies!" Discord pompously boasted. "Your friendly neighborhood master of chaos is here! Oh hello, Vaati."

Ignoring the helpless krylock, Vaati growled irritably, his wings closing in on himself to better express his emotions. "Why did you have to intervene? I was more than ready to pummel this creature into the ground, on Celestia's orders, I might add!"

"You've never faced a krylock before, have you?" Discord nonchalantly inquired, inspecting the claws on his free hand. "They happen to possess the most lethal poison in the world, which can be delivered by bite or sting and will kill you in about four or five minutes…unless they bite you in Tartarus, in which case you would become a krylock yourself. They can also snap steel beams like twigs with their claws. I did you a favor, dear Vaati!"

Meanwhile, another presence began to observe the scene, and immediately did not like what it was seeing. So this was the one called Discord? By the looks of it, he had immobilized its servant with minimal effort. Unacceptable.

"I hope you understand how much I hate you right now," Vaati complained.

"Oh, pish-posh, we're the best of friends!"

Discord yawned. "Feel free to dispose of this fellow now. I think I need a nice nap."

Strangely, however, Discord's fatigue quickly began to worsen, making his concentration waver. "Wait a minute…" he half-mumbled, starting to sway on his feet.

"Discord?" Fluttershy spoke urgently, nudging him.

And then Discord suddenly collapsed on the ground, unconscious. The krylock was immediately freed from its confinement and wasted no time with charging straight at Vaati. Vaati's mind was so preoccupied with trying to process what had just happened that he almost didn't react in time. Vaati barely managed to avoid being bitten and struck back with a swift claw, raking the krylock's side. The monster recoiled in pain as Vaati pounced on it, latching one hand around its thrashing tail while the other seized one of the krylock's claws.

The krylock struggled viciously and managed to get its free claw around Vaati's arm, snapping shut and sending searing pain shooting up his spine. Vaati roared in pain as he was forced to let go of the krylock's other claw. Vaati shot a narrow beam of energy from his eye in retaliation that immediately severed its arm, inky black blood sputtering from the wound. The krylock screeched in agony as Vaati blew it off him with a strong gust of wind. Barely had Vaati shaken the severed claw off his arm when the krylock charged again, its stinger held high.

Vaati pulled back and avoided the descending stinger, which implanted itself in the ground where the sorcerer had once been. Frustrated, the beast tried to pull it out, but Vaati then grabbed hold and swung the monster over his head before slamming it against the ground. He swiftly released it when its stinger raked his arm as he swung, thankfully not piercing the dark skin but still startling him nonetheless. The krylock swiftly recovered from its daze and came at him again, its gaping mouth wide open. Vaati seized it by the neck to keep away those deadly teeth, and with the other arm intercepted the incoming stinger. Unfortunately, it still had one claw left, which it used to great effect by grabbing Vaati's arm keeping its head away and squeezing as hard as it could. Vaati yelled in pain as its grip tightened.

And that was when Vaati lost his patience. Without warning, an intense whirlwind riddled with Razor Wind spells blasted the krylock away, sending it crashing into a house. Silver Spoon had been very close by, and screamed when the monster landed by her. As she got out of range of its flailing tail, she then noticed something fall off the krylock's head as it struggled to its feet. A familiar filly's tiara clattered to the ground by Silver Spoon's hooves, and her eyes widened in shock. It…it can't be…

She looked up at the krylock and then realized that its coloration was also familiar. And then Discord's words when he had arrived rang in her head. They happen to possess the most lethal poison in the world, which can be delivered by bite or sting and will kill you in about four or five minutes…unless they bite you in Tartarus, in which case you would become a krylock yourself.

Unless they bite you in Tartarus…

"Diamond…?" she whimpered. "D-Diamond Tiara?"

The krylock, not yet upright, abruptly glanced towards her, and she saw recognition flash in those serpentine eyes. Recognition and…hurt.

Before she could even comprehend what she had seen, Vaati fell upon the krylock that had once been her best friend and slammed it against the ground again. And then he fired another beam of energy from his eye that severed its tail as well, causing it to screech dreadfully. The stump flailed about, spewing its black blood all over like a fountain. Then he raised his claws, ready to finish off the beast right then and there.

"W-wait! Wait!" Silver Spoon suddenly cried, giving Vaati pause.

"What?"

"That…that monster!" she stammered as Vaati's ponderous eye focused on her. "It's…it's Diamond Tiara!"

Vaati recoiled slightly in shock. The krylock began to relax its struggle beneath his iron grip, losing its strength due to blood loss. "Child, this is no time for jokes!" he finally snapped.

"I'm not joking!" Silver Spoon yelled. "Look! This was on her head!"

And then Vaati saw the tiara by the filly's hooves, finally took notice of the monster's skin color. It couldn't be, could it?

"Vaati, move aside," he suddenly heard Twilight say.

Vaati turned to see Twilight and her friends, all wearing the Elements of Harmony and worried expressions on their faces. "If what Silver Spoon says is true, then the Elements can restore her to normal," Twilight explained.

Vaati glanced down at the defeated krylock and shrugged, not really believing this thing could be a filly. "It's about to die anyway. Go ahead."

The winged eye floated off to the side, the surrounding winds dying down. Twilight looked upon the broken form of the krylock before saying, "Let's do this, girls."

Vaati and the townsponies watched with curiosity as the Elements of Harmony activated, causing Twilight and her friends to float in the air. Light began to collect around them, and then finally a rainbow of light shot forth and surrounded the fallen monster. After a blinding flash of light, it was all over. Vaati returned to his normal Hylian form and opened his eyes.

There, lying motionless in the wreckage of where the krylock had once lain was the body of Diamond Tiara.

Fluttershy gasped in horror and put her hooves to her mouth. The surrounding crowd reacted similarly. Looking upon her ruined frame, even Vaati felt sick about the damage he had dealt to this small child. Her front left leg and right back leg were gone, nothing more than bleeding stumps now. The parts Vaati had severed shriveled back into the detached limbs of the poor filly.

No one noticed the dark presence that quietly slunk away from where it had been hiding, vanishing into the distance.

One pony broke away from the crowd, his eyes wide with horror. "Diamond! Diamond!"

Filthy Rich frantically galloped over to the still body of his daughter and scooped her into his arms. "Diamond! I'm sorry, baby! I'm sorry!" he choked, breaking down into sobs.

Diamond Tiara weakly opened her eyes. "…Daddy?" she faintly whimpered.

"I'm here, sweetie. Daddy loves you, Daddy loves you!"

A single tear trickled down Diamond's blood-stained cheek. "I…I feel cold…" she whimpered slightly more loudly.

Filthy Rich paled. "No…no, stay with me, sweetie! Stay with me! Nurse! NURSE! FOR THE LOVE OF CELESTIA, SOMEPONY HELP!"

And like the guardian angel she was, Nurse Redheart immediately appeared, a first-aid kit on hoof already open. "Stand aside," she sternly ordered. "I can stop the bleeding, but I'll need to get her to the hospital right away. She's lost a lot of blood!"

As Nurse Redheart set to work on trying to save Diamond Tiara's life, Vaati could no longer watch. Without a word, the wounded mage turned around and left the scene, staggering slightly from a combination of fatigue and shock. Twilight managed to catch sight of him and took off in pursuit, not bothering to give her friends an explanation. She caught up to him on the outskirts of town, where the sorcerer just fell on his knees once he reached a hill and just stared blankly ahead, saying nothing. Twilight trotted up next to him and sat down, unsure of what to say. Looking up at him, she noted the completely broken look on his face. Despite what Diamond Tiara had done in the past, he felt remorse for almost killing her.

At this point, Twilight decided that words were not needed. He just needed some company. And so she leaned against his shoulder in an effort to comfort the shell-shocked wind sorcerer.

XXXXXX

The next night, Ponyville Hospital…

Nurse Redheart wasn't one to brag, but it was obvious she had managed to perform a miracle. Despite all the blood Diamond Tiara had lost, Redheart had managed to stop the bleeding and perform a successful blood transfusion, thus saving the filly's life. Her father was by her side at all times, still beating himself up over disowning his daughter and feeling responsible for what happened. Eventually Silver Spoon managed to gather enough courage to visit as well, and Diamond apologized profusely to her for what she had done, and asked her to tell the Cutie Mark Crusaders too that she was sorry.

Finally, once nighttime came, visiting hours ended, and Filthy Rich and Silver Spoon had to go home. But the hospital then got a surprise visitor; Princess Celestia herself, who asked to personally see the patient. Nurse Redheart was clearly reluctant but agreed, leading the alicorn to Diamond Tiara's room. Redheart opened the door for the princess and said, "Fifteen minutes, Princess. That's all I can allow."

Redheart then left the room, shutting the door behind her. Celestia slowly walked over to the filly's bedside, who looked up at her with sad, guilty eyes. "P-Princess Celestia…" she moaned weakly. "I'm sorry."

Celestia inclined her head. "I understand that you are, Diamond Tiara. I want to know, though. Why did you try to kill innocent fillies just like you?"

Diamond Tiara looked away and choked back a sob. "I-I don't know. It just…it just felt like a good idea. I don't know w-why I didn't q-q-question it. It w-was like…s-somepony was telling me t-t-to do it."

In most circumstances, one would immediately call Diamond Tiara an imaginative liar, but Celestia sensed no deception from her, which was worrisome. "I-I tried to kill myself…in the prison, I got a m-monster to bite me. But it d-didn't kill me, just turned me into one of them! And then…then…s-s-something…something c-came to me. Just l-like before, I couldn't…I couldn't resist. I-it told me to k-k-kill Scootaloo and Twilight Sparkle a-and anypony else Vaati liked."

Again, there was no lie in Diamond's eyes. The filly spoke the truth. "Do you remember what this being looked like?" Celestia asked.

As Diamond tried to picture her mysterious tormentor, she found herself drawing a blank. "I-I don't…know! All I can remember is…is…eyes…t-those horrible yellow eyes!"

Diamond Tiara broke into a fit of sobs and covered her face with her one remaining hoof. Celestia's mothering instincts inexplicably took over, and she draped one of her angelic wings over the distraught filly. "Oh, how you've suffered," she lamented. "I should have known there was more to this…"

XXXXXX

Canterlot Castle, the princesses' bedroom…

Many things were on Celestia's mind when she returned to her safe, comfortable bed in Canterlot. Luna had dutifully waited for her to return in order to bring news before retiring herself. "Is it true that the child became a krylock?" Luna asked as Celestia made herself comfortable. "What happened down there?"

Celestia sighed as she collected her thoughts. "Many things, Luna. Yes, it's true; Diamond Tiara was turned into a krylock. Your suspicions also proved true."

Luna tilted her head in curiosity. "You mean…?"

Celestia nodded. "Something did indeed compel her to commit those vicious crimes. It then set her loose on Ponyville."

"…and the filly?" Luna hesitantly ventured.

"She'll recover, in time," Celestia answered. "Her life will be fraught with challenges for the remainder of her lifetime, I'm sad to say. In the end, she was as much a victim as Scootaloo and her friends."

Luna lay down on her own bed and gave her sister a scrutinizing look. "That's not all, is it, Tia?"

Celestia was quiet for a moment. "…Discord tried to help."

Luna quirked an eyebrow. "I can only imagine how that turned out."

Celestia gave Luna a serious look. "He suddenly fell asleep on the scene without warning."

Luna's mouth hung open in disbelief. That was random, even for Discord. "Surely you jest, sister!"

Celestia solemnly shook her head. "I wish I was. I spoke to him later, and he told me something…unsettling."

"…What did he tell you?"

"He believes he was put under a sleeping spell. A powerful one, since it was able to take him out of commission for three whole hours."

Luna's expression darkened. "A sleeping spell?"

Celestia nodded. "What worries me most, though, is that, whatever it was that was pulling Diamond Tiara's strings, it knows Vaati, and it considers him to be its enemy."

Luna paled slightly. "Could…could this mean that it was a creature from Vaati's world?"

"I don't know. The implications of such a possibility are troublesome, to say the least."

"Whatever it is, I can't feel it anymore," Luna pointed out. "It simply vanished. I don't know if it just passed over the Equestrian border or found some sort of portal, but it's gone now."

"I can't sense it either. But something tells me this may not be the last time we are troubled by its presence."

Luna's eyes steeled. "If it comes again, we will find out what it is, and we will destroy it."

Celestia lay her head down on her soft pillow and sighed. "I hope to Mother that is so."

XXXXXX

Unknown mountainous region, far north of Equestria…

Frigid winds howled as the endless blizzard carried snow across the bleak landscape of Equestria's frozen north. A dark shadow moved against the wind, formless and radiating malice, heading for a hidden cave in the mountains. It entered the cave and manifested itself into a physical shape, stepping into the chamber where its ally resided.

A dark-grey unicorn steeped in jagged armor and a red cloak awaited the presence, flashing a fanged grin at its arrival. "The Crystal Empire is close to returning," King Sombra declared. "I can feel it in the wind's breath. My seal on it shall soon break, and then it shall be mine again…"

"Do not forget our agreement," the dark force spoke. "All of Equestria shall be yours as well as long as you continue to provide service to our cause. The time is soon, Sombra. Once the Crystal Empire is secured, our influence will begin to seep into this virgin world. You shall serve as the head of the Equestrian Church of Majora when the time comes. Spread his word, spread his will, and our master will reward you in ways even we cannot."

Sombra inclined his head. "Of course. I am at your master's beck and call. When the time comes, I will ensure that the will of Majora overcomes the weak-hearted convictions of those false Equestrian goddesses."

Content with Sombra's words, the evil presence clawed at the air, forcing open a previously-unseen vortex. "Preparations must still be made for Hyrule," it informed the Crystal Tyrant. "Continue to practice your new skills until your empire returns, then strike with full force. The Equestrians must not be allowed to gain control of the Crystal Empire, is that clear, Your Majesty?"

"You taught me well, Your Majesty," Sombra replied. "I will not fail. Not this time."

The dark one stepped through the portal and closed it behind it without another word, leaving Sombra to turn his gaze towards the unforgiving weather outside his makeshift shelter. "Not this time," he repeated, staring intently out into the cold where he knew that one day, his empire would appear again.

XXXXXX

Vaati, now fully healed, was preparing to head off to bed when the memories of the day came back to haunt him. He inwardly shuddered; Diamond Tiara's mangled body and Filthy Rich's agonized cries would not leave his memory anytime soon. He felt much worse now that Celestia had revealed to him that something had essentially forced Diamond Tiara to attempt to murder his daughter.

And then the revelation that whatever was behind this knew him…

It was all too much to think about. He needed some peace of mind, at least for tonight. And thus, he walked down to Scootaloo's room just before she was about to go to bed. "Hey, Dad," Scootaloo greeted as she packed her schoolbag for tomorrow.

"Hey…Scoots," he tentatively asked. "You want to sleep with me tonight?"

"What? Um…yeah, sure!"

Scootaloo followed Vaati to his room and propelled herself onto his bed. This he regarded with pride; her wings were growing the way they should have been. He estimated it would only be a matter of weeks before she could finally fly on her own. Vaati lifted the covers of his bed and undid his sandals and belt before crawling under the covers, Scootaloo joining him shortly afterwards. Vaati smiled and ruffled the filly's hair, eliciting a giggle from her.

"I love you, Scootaloo," Vaati said, hugging her.

"I love you too, Dad," Scootaloo replied sincerely.

And despite the chaos of the day, Vaati slept soundly and pleasantly.

Author's Note

I apologize if this particular chapter sucks. I'll just be honest: I did not want to write this. I wanted Diamond Tiara gone, and for that to be the end of that. But a lot of you didn't really like that idea, so I tried my best to cater to you guys to the best of my ability. But whether or not this one sucks, I promise the next few will be better, because we're gonna be focusing on the Royal Wedding next! We're actually starting to get close to the end of the first season, ladies and gentlemen. I honestly look forward to beginning Part Two.

Episode 15: A Canterlot Wedding Part 1

Episode 15: A Canterlot Wedding Part 1

"You were right, Twilight," Vaati admitted as he sipped his favorite tea. "This little outing is exactly what I needed."

Vaati and the Mane Six had all arranged a picnic together in the meadow outside the border of Ponyville. A variety of foods had been brought for the occasion, some of which was meat prepared specifically for Vaati by the dutiful Moblin cooks. Nigellas had managed to get his hands on a few choice recipes for cockatrice meat and parasprites courtesy of a visiting griffon chef a few days beforehand during a particularly…interesting train ride to a bakery competition, and had promptly commissioned the Moblin cooks to make it for the picnic. Vaati had a feeling that Nigellas would have been a culinary artist were he not already a Wizzrobe.

"I think it was something we all needed, frankly," Twilight replied. "So much has happened over the last few weeks…it's nice to take our minds off of it and just spend some time together for a change."

Rarity sighed with contentment. "And the weather is absolutely gorgeous, too!"

As Twilight was about to bite into an apple, she suddenly heard the pattering of small feet and noticed Spike running up to them, out of breath. "Twi…light…I…have…lemme just…"

Spike then doubled over and belched out a parchment, which Twilight picked up and read out loud. "Dear Twilight, I am sure you are as excited as I am about the upcoming wedding in Canterlot…"

She abruptly stopped reading and blinked in confusion. "Wedding?"

"Wedding? What's this about a wedding?" Vaati inquired with a half-raised eyebrow.

Twilight chose to continue reading. "I will be presiding over the ceremony, but would very much like you and your friends to help with the preparations for this wonderful occasion. Fluttershy, I would like your songbird choir to perform the music."

Fluttershy smiled enthusiastically. "Oh my goodness! What an honor!"

"Pinkie Pie, I can think of nopony better to host the reception."

Pinkie did a somersault and landed in front of Spike, grinning in his face. "Hup…hup…hooray!"

Vaati frowned in mild annoyance. "Don't do that."

"Applejack, you will be in charge of the catering reception."

"Well color me pleased as punch!" Applejack exclaimed.

"Punch isn't a color," Vaati said. "It's a bringer of pain."

"Rainbow Dash…"

Rainbow yawned with feigned disinterest.

"…I want you to perform a Sonic Rainboom as the newlyweds complete their 'I do's."

That certainly got her attention. "Yes!"

"I hope you know that I will laugh at you profusely if you break something," Vaati quipped.

"Rarity, you will be responsible for designing the dresses for the bridesmaids."

Rarity's eyes bulged. "Princess Celestia wants me…guh…wedding dress…for the Canterlot Wedding?!"

The fashionista wobbled about in an overly-dramatic fashion before fainting with a huge smile on her face. Vaati didn't even bother commenting on that one, instead simply rolling his eyes.

"Vaati, I have a special task for you that I will explain personally upon your arrival."

Vaati quirked an eyebrow. "Is that so?" he wondered aloud. "Can't imagine what it could be, though. Despite my best efforts, I've never gotten to experience a wedding myself. I don't see how I could be of any use."

"And as for you, Twilight, you will be playing the most important role of all, making sure everything goes as planned. See you all very soon. Yours, Princess Celestia."

Twilight inspected the parchment more carefully, looking for anything she might have missed. "But I don't understand. Who's getting married?"

Suddenly Spike perked up and turned towards Twilight. "Oh! Wait! I was probably, uh, supposed to give you this first."

The baby dragon held up another scroll, which Twilight took from him with a mild glare before reading. "Princess Celestia cordially invites you to the wedding of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and…MY BROTHER?!"

Vaati promptly choked on his tea. "Brother?! Since when did you have a brother?!"

"Your brother's gettin' married?" Applejack exclaimed, shaking Twilight's hoof. "Congratulations! That's great news!"

Twilight frowned. "Yeah, great news…that I just found out about from a wedding invitation! Not from my brother, but a piece of paper! Thanks a lot, Shining Armor! I mean really, he couldn't tell me personally?"

Twilight picked up a sandwich and began mimicking a talking face with it as she spoke in a mock masculine voice. "Hey Twilight, just thought you should know I'm making a really big decision that changes everything. Oh, never mind! You'll hear about it when you get the invitation!"

"I'm…not seeing the problem here, Twilight," Vaati interrupted. "At least you heard about it."

"Ugh, Vaati, you wouldn't understand. You don't have siblings. And this Princess Mi Amore Cadenza? Who in the hoof is that?!"

"Um, Twilight?" Fluttershy asked. "A-are you okay?"

"No, Fluttershy," Vaati butted in. "I'd say she's rather ticked."

Twilight sighed and calmed down. "No, Vaati. I'm fine. It's just that Shining Armor and I have always been so close. He's my B.B.B.F.F.!"

"Your what in the what now?" Vaati asked.

Twilight rolled her eyes. "Big Brother Best Friend Forever?"

"Oh!" everypony chorused in understanding.

"That sounds dumb," Vaati finished solo.

"Before I moved here and discovered the importance of friendship, Shining Armor was the only pony I ever really accepted as a friend!" Twilight explained.

Suddenly music appeared out of nowhere, and Vaati immediately facepalmed. "Oh no, not another song cue."

Twilight began to sing:

"When I was just a filly, I found it rather silly

To see how many other ponies I could meet

I had my books to read, didn't know that I would ever need

Other ponies to make my life complete

But there was one colt that I cared for

I knew he would be there for me

My big brother, best friend forever!

Like two peas in a pod, we did everything together

He taught me how to fly a kite (Best friend forever!)

We never had a single fight (We did everything together!)

We shared our hopes, we shared our dreams

I miss him more than I realized

It seems..."

And then the rest of the Mane Six joined in, while Vaati shrunk back and folded his arms defensively to escape the spotlight.

"Your big brother, best friend forever

Like two peas in a pod, you did everything together!"

Twilight sang the next part alone.

"And though he's, oh, so far away

I hoped that he would stay

My big brother best friend

Forever...

Forever... "

Finally the music cut out, bringing Vaati peace of mind. These random songs were just so completely stupid; it was one thing about Equestria he would always dislike. His sour mood dissipated, though, when he saw the tear fall from Twilight's eyes. "Ehrm…sorry, Twilight," he apologized. "You're right; I never had siblings, so I don't know what it's like. If you hold him in such high regard, he can't be all bad, can he?"

Twilight sighed. "Yeah, my brother is pretty special. I mean, they don't just let anypony be Captain of the Royal Guard."

Vaati's mouth fell open and his eye twitched once. Captain of the Guard? Marrying a princess? A name that just SCREAMS heroic do-gooder?! Good Goddesses…

The idea of essentially a pony version of Link almost made Vaati feel ill. Despite him being Twilight's brother, Vaati was already pretty sure he would not grow to like this "Shining Armor" character.

"So let me get this straight," Rarity interrupted excitedly, getting in Twilight's face. "We're helping not only plan the wedding of a princess…but a Captain of the Royal Guard?!"

"I guess we are," Twilight flatly replied, stuffing a pillow under Rarity's head just as she fainted again from excitement.

As the rest of the Mane Six excitedly began talking amongst themselves about their plans for the wedding, Vaati just tuned out the rest of the world and focused on devouring his cockatrice leg.

XXXXXX

Vaati just stared pensively out the window as the train neared Canterlot, ignoring the various conversations the others were having as he watched the city on the mountain grow larger as they approached. Scootaloo and her friends had been invited along too to be the bride's flower fillies, and thus his daughter was going to Canterlot with him. One thing did pique his curiosity, though. The entire city was currently surrounded by a shiny energy bubble that he was certain was not normally there. The message from Celestia about the task she refrained from elaborating upon entered his mind, heightening his curiosity…and a subtle sense of foreboding.

As the Friendship Express neared the gates of Canterlot, the two guards lowered their spears, allowing the train to pass through the energy shield unhindered. Vaati and the others instinctively recoiled as the shield passed over them, seemingly scanning them. Vaati's suspicions began to creep deeper into his subconscious at the train entered the Canterlot station, which has filled with the ever-stoic Day Guards.

"Whoa, what's with all the guards?" Rainbow Dash asked as she poked her head out of the door of their car.

"I'm sure they're just taking the necessary precautions," Rarity answered. "Royal weddings do tend to bring out the strangest in ponies. Now let's get going! We have work to do!"

Pinkie Pie abruptly sneezed confetti before stepping out, with Vaati and the others filing out shortly afterward. "And you got a big brother to go congratulate!" Applejack said to Twilight.

"Yeah. Congratulate," Twilight glowered, stomping past two guards whose stoic expressions wavered for a split second. "And then I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind!"

Vaati followed her, hoping to keep her from doing something stupid as she trotted over to the palace garden. He glanced up at one of the towers and saw Princess Celestia looking into a telescope. The concerned look on her face did not sit well with him. Just what in the name of the Goddesses was going on here?

Twilight's declaration snapped him out of his thoughts. "I got something to say to you, mister!" she shouted at a bunch of soldiers crowded along the castle walls.

Vaati and Twilight both jumped in surprise as they saw a hundred spears level in their direction all around them. Before Vaati could even open his mouth to comment on how much of a bad idea pointing their weapons at him was, a unicorn in more ornate armor appeared on top of the wall and removed his helmet. "Twily!" he exclaimed with a large grin.

Vaati observed Shining Armor with a scrutinizing eye as the captain made his way down the stairs to greet his irate sister. He was a stallion of pretty strong, firm build, with a white coat, a blue mane and tail, and a shield cutie mark. Everything about the guy made all the villainous bones in Vaati's body shudder in dislike.

Once Shining reached his sister, he held out a hoof to hug her. "Oh, I've missed you, kid! How was the train ride?"

Twilight slunk away from his reach and glared at him. "How dare you not tell me in person you were getting married?! I'm your sister, for pony's sake!"

Vaati savored how taken aback Shining looked. "I-it's not my fault! Princess Celestia has requested a major increase in security. Didn't you notice all the guards at the train station?!"

"As a matter of fact, we did," Vaati interrupted.

Shining looked up at Vaati. "And who are you?"

Vaati's eyebrows furrowed. "What, do you live under a rock? I'm Vaati! You know, the Wind Mage? Lord of the Palace of Winds? Defeater of Discord?"

Shining fumbled his words as he tried to respond. "O-oh. Wait, yeah. I know who you are. It's just that I never saw you in person before. Sorry."

Vaati waved his hand in dismissal. "Your ignorance is forgiven. But, why the increase in security? I somewhat doubt it has to do with the wedding."

"It doesn't. A threat has been made against Canterlot."

Twilight and Vaati both looked shocked by this. "A threat?" Vaati repeated. "What kind of threat are we talking about?"

"We don't know who's responsible for it, but Princess Celestia has asked that I offer additional protection."

Vaati noticed how Shining's eyes diverted towards the sky. "So the shield spell is your doing, then?"

Shining nodded. "I think this is something you both should see."

Vaati and Twilight watched as Shining shot a beam of magical energy up at the barrier, replenishing its strength and reinforcing it. Once he finished, though, he gritted his teeth as a headache began to form, but was able to shake it off. "The burden of keeping Canterlot protected rests squarely on my shoulders," the young captain explained as he led his guests up the stairs. "Staying focused on the task at hand has been my…top priority."

Twilight averted his gaze, still mad but starting to feel guilty too. "Okay, okay, I get it," she finally admitted. "You've got a really important job protecting all of Canterlot with a force field only you can conjure up."

Vaati cleared his throat. "Not true, not true at all. I can conjure one just like this on my own. With a little tweaking to mesh my magical signature with your own, I could even further strengthen your current barrier with my own magic, meaning you won't have to reinforce it nearly as often."

Shining's jaw nearly dropped. "You can?! That'd be great, actually! Lately I've been getting headaches whenever I perform my spell, so an extra helper would be fantastic!"

Twilight, unwilling to be nudged out of the conversation, suddenly spoke up. "Shiny, I get that you have a responsibility here, but still, how could you not tell me about something as big as your wedding? Am I not that important to you anymore?"

"Hey. You're my little sister. You are important to me. But, I'd understand if you didn't wanna be my best mare now…" he trailed off with a cheeky smile.

Twilight brightened immediately. "You want me to be your best mare?"

"Well…yeah!" Shining responded.

"I'd be honored!" Twilight said, bowing humbly.

Twilight and Shining hugged before Twilight pulled away. "But I'm still pretty ticked you're marrying somepony you don't even know! When did you even meet this 'Princess Mi Amore Cadenza'?"

Shining smiled. "Twily, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza is Cadance, your old foal-sitter!"

Twilight blinked in surprise. "Cadance? As in the Cadance? As in the greatest foal-sitter in the history of all foal-sitters?!"

"Heh. You tell me. She was your foal-sitter."

"How does a princess even land a baby-sitting job in the first place?" Vaati inquired.

"Cadance is only the most amazing pony ever! She's beautiful, she's caring, she's kind…"

Twilight delved into her memories of Cadance. "How many unicorns can just spread love wherever they go? I only know one…and you're marrying her! You're marrying Cadance! You're marrying…"

Twilight abruptly stopped as she saw someone in front of her. Vaati surmised this was the bride in question. She, like Celestia and Luna, was an alicorn, with a pink coat and a triple-colored purple, pink, and yellow mane and tail. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything important," she spoke haughtily.

"Cadance!" Twilight exclaimed before suddenly performing a rather goofy dance. "Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!"

Vaati and Cadance both looked utterly confused. "Twilight, what in the Dark World was that all about?" Vaati demanded.

"Yes, what was that?" Cadance added irritably.

Twilight seemed surprised, to say the least. "Cadance, it's me! Twilight!"

"…Uh huh," Cadance muttered, walking past a stupefied Twilight.

"Greatest foal-sitter in the history of foal-sitters, huh?" Vaati jibed, unimpressed and slightly suspicious himself. "Either you've been replaced by a shapeshifter or Twilight's memory is going."

Cadance shot him a nasty glare before immediately changing it into a smile as Shining wrapped his hoof around her. Vaati glared right back; it was painfully obvious how fake that smile was. "I've got to get back to my station," Shining informed them. "But Cadance will be checking in on all of you to see how things are going. I think I speak for the both of us when I say that we're excited to have you here. Right, dear?"

"Absolutely," Cadance answered with an unpleasant smirk in Twilight and Vaati's direction.

All sorts of warning sirens went off in Vaati's head. Those were expressions he was prone to using himself whenever he had something fiendish planned. Twilight seemed taken aback by Cadance's expression as well.

"Well, we'll let you get to it," Shining said, turning to leave, with Cadance following.

Twilight sighed. "Might as well get to work, then," she stated unenthusiastically.

"Uh huh," Vaati replied, glaring daggers into Cadance's retreating back. "I'm going to see the Princess. I'll meet up with you later."

XXXXXX

Princess Celestia was so caught up in looking through her telescope for signs of any threats, she didn't hear the tell-tale sound of someone teleporting in behind her.

"Princess."

Celestia jumped slightly before turning around to face the sorcerer and nodding in greeting. "Vaati. I'm glad you came."

"You said you have a specific task for me that you didn't elaborate upon in your letter," Vaati bluntly replied, folding his arms. "What is it?"

"I would like you to help Shining Armor reinforce his shield spell, as I'm sure you are capable of doing," Celestia spoke, walking away from the telescope and back inside where Vaati stood.

"What a coincidence," Vaati replied. "I just offered him that very service. I can most certainly do that. Anything else?"

"I'm certain you've also heard about the threat that's been made against Canterlot," Celestia surmised.

Vaati nodded in confirmation.

"I'm greatly worried about who it might be. I'm not certain if this threat originates from my world…or yours."

Vaati narrowed his eyes. "You think that whatever made Diamond Tiara its personal puppet could be the one behind this?"

"As I said, I'm not certain. But I worry about whether the precautions I've taken will be enough. So, if the barrier is somehow breached or destroyed, I request that you lend us the aid of your monsters."

Vaati raised an eyebrow in interest. "Really now? I almost wish that this enemy shows itself now; my minions have gotten so bored from the lack of fighting and warfare that they don't know what to do with themselves. A good battle would do wonders for their morale."

"I'd rather it not come to that," Celestia replied. "But I can understand the boredom your subjects must feel. I'm certain they will eventually adjust to a more peaceful existence."

"In any case, if push comes to shove, I'll have my Wizzrobes teleport my entire army over here to aid in Canterlot's defense."

Celestia bowed her head. "Thank you, Vaati."

Vaati bit his lip as he considered his next words. "There is…something else I wish to discuss with you. About the princess, Cadenza."

Now it was Celestia's turn to look curious. "Oh? What would that be?"

"I watched Twilight greet her, and everything I observed concerns me."

"…In what way?"

Vaati unfolded his arms and looked Celestia straight in the eyes. "Well, for starters, Twilight was telling me all these great things about her when she was a child and about how she spread love wherever she went and all that nonsense. But when she finally did show up, Cadenza was boorish and short-tempered, and most importantly, didn't appear to recognize Twilight at all. I find that rather worrisome."

Celestia shook her head. "Cadance has just been busy with the preparations. It's a very stressful time for her, considering how big a change this is in her life. I'll admit, the one time I was married, I became a little snippy myself before the big day."

"Perhaps. But if I'm going to aid in security, it's my job to take all possibilities into account. It's borne from underestimating a twelve-year-old boy with a magic sword three times in a row. I won't dwell on it now, but if Princess Cadance gives me more reasons to be suspicious, I fully intend to look into it, regardless of yours or her fiancé's wishes."

Celestia reluctantly nodded, understanding his reasons. "I understand. You're dismissed."

As Vaati walked out of the room, he opened a mental link with his chief Wizzrobe. Nigellas, can you hear me?

…Aye, sir. What is it?

I want all monsters in the Palace of Winds to be fully ready for combat. It seems a threat has been made against the throne recently. If the antagonist makes their move, I want you and your Wizzrobes to teleport all monsters over to Canterlot.

…Is it wrong that I now hope this wedding you're attending gets crashed, sir?

Just make sure everyone is on standby, Nigellas. Vaati out.

XXXXXX

That evening, Princess Luna, having finished bringing about the night once more, phased through the force field and landed by her sister, who had returned to her telescope. "Rest, sister," Luna implored. "As always, I will guard the night."

Celestia was too exhausted to object and quietly retired to her bed. Luna took her place at the telescope and began searching the world beyond Canterlot's boundaries. Looking down into the city, she saw Vaati sitting with Twilight and her friends at a local restaurant, discussing something. Twilight looked angry about something, and Vaati looked disinterested. Again she felt that familiar tingling sensation in her chest that made her body feel warmer inside as she observed the sorcerer.

Then he looked up and stared straight into the telescope lens, realizing he was being watched. Seeing who it was, he flashed a smug grin and idly waved in her direction. Luna squeaked like a filly and immediately turned the telescope away, feeling her cheeks flush a hot pink in embarrassment. She could even almost hear his laughter. "Curse him, that handsome foal," she grumbled to herself, irritated that she had lost her composure again.

XXXXXX

"What in the hay are ya laughin' at?" Applejack asked in confusion.

Vaati looked back towards the farmer and said, "Nothing of consequence, dear Applejack. Now, where were we?"

"How about the part where Cadance is the worst bride-to-be ever?" Twilight snapped unhappily, her friends staring at her in shock.

Spike lifted up a figurine of Cadance in her gown and said in a high-pitched voice, "Who, me?"

"Spike, that goes on the cake!" Applejack chastised.

"Twilight, whatever are you talking about?" Rarity asked. "Cadance is an absolute gem!"

"But Rarity, she was so demanding!" Twilight protested.

"Of course she is! Why shouldn't she expect the very best for her wedding?"

Twilight didn't look convinced. "Applejack, did you know that after she said she "loved-loved-loved" your hors d'eourves, she threw them in the trash?"

"Aw, she was probably just tryin' to spare my feelings," Applejack answered, brushing it off.

"No, she was being totally fake and insincere!" Twilight countered.

After an uncomfortable pause, Fluttershy spoke up. "Well, she did raise her voice to one of my birds."

"See?!" Twilight proclaimed. "Rude!"

"But…he was singing really off-key," Fluttershy added, lifting her hoof to reveal said bird perching on it, which squawked loudly.

"…Pinkie Pie, you had to have noticed how Cadance treated…"

Unfortunately, Pinkie was not paying attention, instead using the bride and groom dolls with Spike to kiss.

"Twilight, I highly doubt you're going to get through to them," Vaati pointed out. "They can't see anything wrong unless it's about to blow their heads off."

Twilight sighed. "Rainbow…you're with me on this, right?"

"Sorry, Twilight," Rainbow answered, flexing her muscles after a strenuous day. "I've been too busy prepping for my sonic rainboom to pay much attention to the bride's bad attitude."

In desperation, Twilight looked up at Vaati. "Please tell me you agree, Vaati," she whined.

Vaati gazed ahead pensively for a moment before replying, "I have my suspicions."

"Twilight, Princess Cadance is about to get married," Rarity said. "I'm sure the cause of all her unpleasant behavior is simply the result of nerves."

Twilight stood up and stomped her hoof on the table. "And I think it's because she's an awful pony who doesn't even deserve to know Shining Armor, let alone marry him!"

"I think you may be just a tiny bit possessive of yer brother," Applejack replied.

"And I think the lot of you are being tools," Vaati countered. "Twilight knew Cadance better than any of you, and most people don't abruptly pull a complete 180 in personality like Cadance apparently has. If Twilight is suspicious, why aren't you?"

"We are not tools, Vaati. You pulled a 180 yourself, remember?" Rarity pointed out.

"No, I'm still an insensitive jerk. I'm just not evil anymore."

"You guys have just been so caught up in your own wedding plans to notice that maybe there shouldn't even be a wedding!" Twilight yelled, slamming her hoof so hard that everybody's drinks fell over.

Fed up with her disbelieving friends, Twilight got up and stalked off.

XXXXXX

As Shining adjusted his wedding uniform, he heard a knock at the door and trotted over to it, opening the door to reveal Twilight with an unhappy look on her face. "Twily!" Shining beamed.

Twilight entered without saying a word. "Your brother's lookin' pretty good, don't you think?" Shining boasted, showing off his uniform.

The look his sister gave him made his smile vanish. "Uh, everything okay?"

Twilight took a deep breath and began, "We need to talk. I think you're making a big-!"

"Ahem!"

Twilight and Shining looked over to see Cadance emerging from the adjacent room, an irritated scowl on her face. "Oh, hi sweetie!" Shining greeted.

She sure has a way of sneaking up on people, Twilight thought to herself.

"Could I speak to you for a moment, dear?" Cadance asked in a tone that suggested it was more an order than a request.

Shining playfully nudged Twilight's shoulder. "Better see what she wants."

The two lovebirds made their way into the room and shut the door, though Twilight could faintly hear them arguing over something. Curious, she snuck over and nudged the door ajar so she could listen in on their conversation.

"I thought I made it perfectly clear that I didn't want you to wear that!" Cadance snapped.

"This was my favorite uncle's!" Shining explained, holding up his medallion.

"And?" Cadance replied, uncaring.

"And I think I should wear it!"

"Are you disagreeing with me?!"

"I guess I am!" Shining spoke just before a sharp spike of pain pulsed in his head.

"Oh, dear!" Cadance said. "Are you getting another one of your headaches?"

Cadance's horn glowed as she began some kind of spell, connecting her horn with his through her magic. His eyes started to glow green as well, and his expression went vacant. "Feeling better?" Cadance aked with all the sweetness of poisoned honey.

Twilight fell back from the doorway in shock. She isn't just unpleasant and rude, she's downright EVIL! She thought.

Not knowing what else to do, she bolted out of the building just as Shining and Cadance emerged from their room. "Twilight!" Shining called after her.

"Let her go," Cadance dismissed, nuzzling Shining's shoulder.

"Huh…it seemed like she had something else she wanted to tell me," he mused.

XXXXXX

As Luna continued scanning the skies, she heard hoofbeats quickly approaching the castle. "Who goes there?" she demanded, but relaxed when she saw it was only Twilight. "Stay indoors, Twilight Sparkle!"

Twilight didn't even acknowledge that she had heard Luna as she disappeared inside the castle. As the Moon Princess returned to her stargazing, however, something abruptly caught her eye. A shadow swooped past the lens, but was too quick for her to make out what it was. Luna lifted her eyes from the telescope and glared through the ever-present force field, relying on her night vision to catch sight of the unknown shadow. After several moments of quiet, she finally saw it again, flying through the air with the dexterity of a seasoned Wonderbolt. Something in Luna's gut, however, made her doubt the silhouette belonged to a pegasus, and watched it approach the energy field. The most worrying thing was how she was still unable to make out its appearance despite her ability to see in darkness, almost as though the figure were deliberately cloaking itself in black magic to obscure its appearance.

Luna's eyes narrowed as she watched the thing land on the force field and slowly lope about on its surface. Whatever it was, it was almost as big as her sister and had dragon-like wings that spanned twice that length. "Who goes there?" Luna demanded. "Show yourself!"

The creature looked directly at her, and Luna could clearly see two red eyes burning like hot coals in the murky blackness.

Then the creature lowered its head towards the force field.

And then started eating it.

Luna's jaw dropped as the creature chewed on the force field as though it were made of rock candy, absorbing the energy into itself as it began to open a hole in Canterlot's protection.

"NO!" she bellowed, extending her wings and taking to the air. "Cease that at once!"

The creature growled, the noise distinctly lupine but lowered in pitch. As Luna closed in on it, it bared its teeth, revealing long, sharp white canines. Just as she opened the force field to confront the monster, it pulled away from the shield's surface and took flight, extending its huge wings to their full length. The monster then took off towards the Everfree Forest at an impressive speed. Not willing to lose this unknown creature now that she understood the danger it posed to Canterlot's defenses, Luna pursued it relentlessly. Amazingly, the monster was able to maintain a good distance between itself and its pursuer as the dense thicket of trees grew larger in the distance. Luna's horn glowed for a moment before she suddenly disappeared, teleporting right into the monster's path.

To her shock, it did not alter course or stop. It just pile-drove her with concussive force, scratching at her soft underbelly with cruelly-sharp claws. Luna gasped in pain as she felt her blood pour forth from the lacerations. Her vision was obscured by jet-black fur due to the monster's close proximity, until she finally lit up her horn again, knocking the beast off her with a concussive burst of energy. The beast wasted no time with continuing its retreat towards the Everfree Forest.

Luna groaned in agony as she held her bleeding stomach, trying to stabilize her flight. She gritted her teeth; despite being hurt, she was not going to let it get away. Crying out in anger, she gave chase with speeds that only Rainbow Dash could match, and slowly began to close in on the monster. Just as she almost reached it though, the monster fanned out its wings, abruptly pulling back. Luna couldn't dodge in time and crashed straight into the beast again. It regained its bearings first and hovered above her. Before Luna could do anything else, the monster released a fireball that caught her right in the chest, sending her careening into the forest below.

Luna's landing was not a pleasant one. She tumbled through branches, smashed against tree trunks, and finally tumbled through the dirt until she finally came to rest in the dark undergrowth of the eldritch forest. Luna lay still for several moments before she finally came to, grumbling as she weakly stumbled to her hooves. Shaking off her pain and fatigue, Luna took in her surroundings. She was deep within the Everfree Forest, the canopy so thick she couldn't even see the sky. The unnatural darkness swallowed up her vision. Luna cursed to herself; the monster had escaped her.

Seemingly alone now, Luna began to inspect her injuries, wincing at their extent. Her belly had numerous lacerations running down its length, staining her indigo coat deep red with her blood. Painful, yes, but as an alicorn, it wasn't much to worry about so long as she got it treated quickly. The princess of the night began walking, hoping to find a place where she could break out of the forest's canopy and get back to Canterlot. Perhaps the beast may have gone back to resume its work. If she hurried, she could possibly catch it in the act again…

All those thoughts vanished from her mind as an explosion of pain in her back leg caused her to scream. She collapsed and looked to see that something sharp and black had pierced her left hind leg. The owner's red eyes could still be seen in the darkness as the iron-tipped tail forcibly extracted itself from Luna's leg, causing her to cry out again. She forced herself to leap to the side as the monster's tail attempted to impale her once more. Once it missed, the creature snarled fiercely and pounced at the princess.

Luna gasped and randomly fired an energy bolt in self-defense, but her aim went wide and sailed past the beast's shoulder. Still, the light illuminated the scene long enough for Luna to make out the canine-like body of the beast as it landed by her right before the forest plunged into darkness again. She could vaguely make out its body as it circled back towards her, eyes smoldering in hunger and hatred. She was almost certain now that this was some kind of winged wolf, and the spear-like tail and fire breath made for an even nastier opponent. She heard it hiss and growl as it considered its prey, loping around her in a circle within the darkness. Luna began charging magic in her horn, readying herself for an attack. The light from her horn allowed her to see the hellhound's wicked face just before it opened its gaping maw and leapt at her once more. Luna fell on her back as the monster tried to pounce on top of her and kicked it off with her hooves, sending it to the ground with a yelp. She then hit it with the magic beam she had been charging up, slamming it against a tree trunk.

The monster slipped back into the darkness and all fell silent once more. Luna doubted her enemy had fled just yet; she darted her eyes about, listening for any sign of her attacker.

What she was met with instead was a sudden roar of flames as the forest ignited around her. The hellhound was using its fire breath to start a forest fire. Luna swore to herself as she hobbled through the dense underbrush, barely staying ahead of the spreading flames. At least with the fire, she could see the area around her now and thus had a better sense of direction.

Without warning, the dragon-wolf creature emerged from the raging inferno, wings spread wide as though it were freshly spawned from the depths of Tartarus. Its fangs gleamed ghostly-white in the firelight as it extended its claws towards Luna.

Everything was happening so fast. It had been a long time indeed when Luna had felt true fear. For the first time since her long-ago battle with her sister, Luna was afraid for her very life. Backed up against the proverbial wall and with no strength left to run, Luna turned around and stared death in the face.

And just as the hellhound tackled her, she thrust her horn deep into her attacker's throat. The creature gagged and struggled, its claws ruthlessly raking Luna's sides as it struggled in its death throes. It took several moments before the hellhound finally went still, allowing Luna to push its corpse off her body. As it hit the grass, the body suddenly dissipated into dark energy, leaving no remaining traces of the monster.

Though she had bested her foe, one grave danger remained. And as Luna looked up, she realized she wouldn't escape this one as a burning tree fell towards her.

XXXXXX

Meanwhile, back in Canterlot Castle…

Twilight burst into her friends' room. "Shining Armor's in real trouble! You have to help…"

Then she noticed that her friends were all wearing rather fabulous-looking dresses, all except for Vaati, who was trying to convince Rarity not to force him to wear another, more frilly version of his usual tunic.

"Rarity, for the last time, I'm not freaking wearing that!" Vaati snapped.

"Vaati, you have to wear something nice for the wedding!" Rarity groused.

"I can wear whatever I bloody well please! Now get that monstrosity out of my sight and never mention it again!"

"Dresses?" Twilight gaped. "What are you…?"

"Can you believe it?" Fluttershy eagerly interrupted, flying up to Twilight. "We're gonna be Princess Mi Amore Cadenza's new bridesmaids!"

"New bridesmaids?" Twilight repeated. "What happened to her old bridesmaids?!"

"She didn't say," Applejack answered. "But she did say that she would love-love-love it if we would fill in for 'em!"

Realizing she was not about to convince Vaati to try on his new clothes, Rarity turned her attention towards Twilight. "Seeing as we've been working so hard and everything…"

"And you had your doubts about her," Applejack lightly chided.

"I told you she was an absolute gem!" Rarity said.

"Are you sure this is what I should wear?" Rainbow asked, tugging at her dress. "Doesn't seem all that aerodynamic…"

"I'll see what I can do," Rarity offered.

Vaati suddenly headed towards the door. "Speaking of which, I should reinforce the shield spell before we retire."

Twilight observed her friends excitedly talking about the coming wedding with a look of sorrow. There was no way any of them would believe her now; they were just too excited to care about any possible dangers. Sighing dejectedly, she slowly trotted out the door into the night. "I guess I really am alone," she mumbled sadly.

"How so?"

Twilight perked up as she realized that Vaati was out here too, having just finished adding his own magic to the shield spell. "Vaati!" she exclaimed, feeling slightly better.

"Still finding reasons to suspect Cadenza of something, are you?" Vaati inquired.

"I don't just suspect anymore, I know," Twilight answered. "I have proof that Princess Cadance has gone evil!"

Vaati quirked a curious eyebrow. "Do you now? And what proof would that be?"

Twilight shook her head. "I think it'd be best if I wait until tomorrow to reveal it. Just make sure to be there when I expose her. We can't let that wedding happen!"

"Twilight, if you can't prove anything, I can't do anything to stop the wedding myself. Trust me, I do have my own suspicions about her, though. So don't think you're alone in this, alright?"

Twilight's eyes welled up as she managed a smile. "Oh, thank you," she spoke, hugging Vaati tightly. "At least there's somepony I can still count on!"

"Ech…yeah, yeah. Now let me go so I can burn that monstrosity Rarity wants me to wear before she tries to force it on me again."

XXXXXX

The next morning…

Celestia's worry was growing. Luna had not shown up to help lower the moon so the morning could be ushered in, so she had been forced to do it all herself. Worse still, Luna had still not shown up. She was nowhere in the castle, and her guards were unable to find her either. While Celestia had to keep a straight face for the sake of the wedding arrangements, she had dispatched Luna's guards all over the area to find their missing ruler. With that out of the way, she could focus on the other important things, like the wedding rehearsal she was now participating in. As she and Shining Armor stood at the altar, awaiting the bride, the Mane Six sans Twilight approached with their heads held high.

"Perfect, girls," Celestia commended. "No need to rush. Then, of course, Cadance will enter."

The bride in question promptly walked proudly into the room as the doors opened for her. Shining stared at her with an adoring expression. "I'll say a few words," Celestia explained as the bride and groom met up. "And then we'll begin with the vows. Shining Armor, you'll get the ring from your Best Mare."

Shining turned towards where his sister should be, only to realize that she wasn't there. Spike, however, was busy playing around with the wedding figurines again. "Hey, has anypony even seen Twilight?" Shining asked.

Suddenly the doors opened once again, and the mare in question burst into the room, Vaati lurking behind her at a distance in order to not bring attention to himself. "I'm here!" Twilight proclaimed, walking angrily towards the altar. "I am not going to stand next to her! And neither should you!"

Shining recoiled in surprise and glanced apologetically at his unamused fiancé. "I-I'm sorry. I don't have any idea why she's acting like this!"

"Maybe we should just ignore her," Cadance coldly suggested.

"You have to listen to me!" Twilight demanded angrily.

"Oh goodness!" Fluttershy spoke. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!"

"Are ya sure about that?" Applejack pressed.

Twilight stuffed Applejack's hat over her face to shut her up. "I've got something to say!" she snapped, pointing at Cadance. "She's evil!"

Shining stepped between his fiancé and sister, while everypony else muttered in shock, even the guards. "She's been horrible to my friends, she's obviously done something to her bridesmaids, and if THAT wasn't enough, I saw her put a spell on my brother that made his eyes go all googly!"

Vaati teleported behind the cornered Cadance, who looked very uncomfortable with the situation. "And then of course, once you factor in Princess Luna's sudden and unexplained disappearance and the fact that Shining Armor hasn't performed his spell in over thirteen hours when he's supposed to do it every four, leaving me to pick up the slack, things are starting to look a little fishy concerning you, Cadenza."

Vaati did not fail to catch the brief look of shock and anger when he mentioned his involvement with the shield spell. But then her expression abruptly changed as tears came to her eyes. "Why are you doing this to me?!" she cried.

"Because you're evil!" Twilight retorted triumphantly as Cadance ran bawling from the room. "Evil! And if I don't stop you, you're going to ruin my brother's life!"

The moment Vaati took note of the mortified and angered looks of everybody in the room, he knew that things were about to take a turn for the worse. As Twilight trotted smugly back into the room, she ran right into her furious brother. "You want to know why my eyes went all googly?!" Shining snapped, grunting as the pain in his skull returned. "It's because ever since I had to start performing my protection spell, I've been getting terrible migraines!"

"Well, you shouldn't be," Vaati spoke up. "Shield spells shouldn't have any bad side-effects unless you're keeping one up constantly without any breaks. All you do is just reinforce it every so often. There's no reason you should be experiencing those headaches."

"Yeah, well, like it or not, that's what's been happening to me!" Shining retorted before rounding on Twilight again. "Cadance hasn't been casting spells on me, she's been using her magic to heal me! And the reason she decided to replace her bridesmaids was because she found out that the only reason they wanted to be in the wedding was so they could meet Canterlot royalty!"

"And that's a problem because…?" Vaati inquired.

"Vaati, shut up!" Shining shouted. "And if she hasn't been on her best behavior around your friends, it's because with me being so busy, she's had to make all the decisions about the wedding!"

"I-I was just trying to…" Twilight stammered.

"She's been completely stressed out because it's really important to her that our big day be perfect!" Shining interrupted. "Something that obviously wasn't important to you!"

Shining grunted as another migraine came on. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go and comfort my bride!"

With that, Shining stormed out of the room after Cadance. "And you can forget about being my best mare! In fact, if I were you, I wouldn't show up to the wedding at all."

Twilight's mouth fell open in shock and heartbreak as her friends began to file past her, shooting her sour, disapproving looks. "C'mon, y'all," Applejack bade. "Let's go check on the princess."

And then Princess Celestia strode past her, and without even bothering to look at her, coldly spoke, "You have a lot to think about."

Vaati brought up the rear, saying nothing and giving her a passing glance, his expression that constant mask of neutrality that made it impossible to tell what he was thinking. Twilight's heart twisted into a knot as she was left alone in the wedding hall, abandoned by all the friends she had thought would never leave her. As tears fell down her cheeks, she whimpered to herself, "Maybe I was being overprotective…I could have gained a sister…but instead, I just lost a brother…"

Twilight collapsed on the staircase and began crying to herself in shame for several minutes, and didn't even notice somepony reenter the room until she felt a hoof softly caressing her mane. Startled, she looked up to see Princess Cadance wearily smiling down at her. "I'm sorry," Twilight whimpered.

And then Cadance's smile immediately morphed into a venomous, hate-filled glare. "You will be."

Before Twilight could react to Cadance's ominous response, Cadance's horn glowed green, a ring of green flames emerging round Twilight. Unable to use her magic, Twilight could only look on in horror as she began to sink into the floor. Satisfied with her work, Cadance left the scene with a cruel smile on her face, not even bothering to watch as the only one truly suspicious of her disappeared, where she would hopefully never be seen again.

To be continued…

Author's Note

Will anyone notice Twilight's disappearance? Will anyone discover Cadance's plot before it's too late? And what of Princess Luna? What was the hellhound-like monster that attacked her? And what has become of her? Find out next episode, on The Equestrian Wind Mage!

Episode 16: A Canterlot Wedding Part 2

Episode 16: A Canterlot Wedding Part 2

Somewhere deep beneath Canterlot Castle…

Twilight found herself in a dark place and immediately emitted a glow from her horn to better take in her surroundings. She appeared to have been sent to some crystalline cavern deep underneath the city. "W-where am I?" she whimpered to herself.

As she began slowly walking down the caverns, she called out, "Hello? Is anypony there?"

There was no answer in the darkness save for the echo of her own voice. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks; she was alone. Nobody had believed her when she had called out Princess Cadance's evil nature. And she had been right all along! But everyone abandoned her, thinking her a liar and falling for Cadance's charade. Her friends, her mentor…even her brother. She couldn't imagine her life without any of them. She had believed that they would be there for her whenever she needed it, that they would never turn their backs on her.

They had lied.

They had betrayed her.

Nopony would save her now. She was alone.

Alone.

Alone.

Twilight's hooves quivered as she felt her eyes grow wet with tears.

Alone.

Alone!

Twilight collapsed on her hooves and began to sob, the empty tunnels echoing her agonized cries as she curled up into a fetal position. Terrible thoughts whirled around her head, spitting cruel, hurtful words into her ears.

Forsaken, betrayed.

"N-no!" Twilight wailed, her hysterical sobbing intensifying.

Abandoned, despised.

Twilight squeezed her eyes shut and rocked herself back and forth on the ground.

A L O N E.

Twilight's sobs slowly degraded into quiet blubbering as her body went limp. And she lay there. Unmoving, unseeing. Her faith shattered, the bonds she shared destroyed. With nothing left to keep her going, she simply gave up. She would lay there until the alicorn of death came for her withered soul, leaving behind the empty, shriveled corpse of a lost, forgotten pony.

"Twilight? Twilight, can you hear me?"

Twilight's eyes snapped open at the sudden voice, one she recognized immediately. No other person possessed that forever-condescending drawl.

"V-Vaati?" she called out, lifting her head up and looking around. "Where are you?!"

In answer, something suddenly swooped into Twilight's field of vision, causing her to recoil in surprise before she realized what the thing was; one of Vaati's Eye Sentries. The little miniature winged eyeball squeaked in greeting, its eye glowing bright red for some reason. "Thank the Goddesses you're alright," Vaati's voice spoke. "I must say, you look like crap."

Twilight then realized that Vaati was still inside the castle, and was speaking to her through his sentry, which was apparently why the eye was glowing. "H-how did you know I was down here?" Twilight asked. "I-I thought you abandoned me…just…like the others did."

Vaati's response was momentarily delayed by the utterly heartbroken tone in her voice. "Me? Abandon you? Certainly not. I only left with them because I knew that Cadance would try to get rid of you once you were alone. I watched her send you down here from the doorway and sent this sentry after you while her back was turned. It seems we were right after all."

Twilight hung her head. "Yeah…we were, and…and my friends still didn't believe me. They thought I was a jealous liar. Oh Celestia, they must hate me now!"

But before Twilight could renew her sobbing, Vaati sternly interrupted her. "Listen to me, Twilight. Listen very closely. Whether or not your friends and family have disowned you is not important right now. What is important is that you find your way out of those caverns and get back to the castle as soon as possible. They may not want anything to do with you right now, but that does not change the fact that all of them are in danger right now. Do you understand?"

Twilight gulped. "I…but, what about you?"

"I'll be handling things on my end. Don't worry about me. Whatever Cadance has planned for Canterlot, I'll have something in place that will certainly said plans on themselves."

Despite Vaati's rather sinister chuckle, Twilight couldn't help but smile a bit. Despite everything that had happened, she still had one friend left she could count on. "Vaati…" she spoke softly.

"Mmm?" Vaati responded.

"…Thank you. Thank you so much. I'm glad you're still there for me."

"…Heh, you did the same for me so many times in the past. It's high time I repaid the favor. Now you focus on getting out of those caverns. My Eye Sentry will keep me informed of your progress. Take care of yourself down there, alright?"

Twilight nodded her head. "I will. You take care of yourself too, Vaati."

With that, the Sentry's eye ceased glowing and returned to its normal white color as it began circling just over Twilight's head, keeping pace with her as she ventured down the dark tunnels with only the light from her horn to guide her. The light was still poor, though, and Twilight did not see the wall until she bumped into its reflective surface. Shaking her head, she looked at the crystalline wall before her. "What is this place?"

She suddenly jumped back in fright as an unwelcome visage appeared on all the reflective surfaces around the cavern; Princess Cadance, grinning cruelly. "The caves beneath Canterlot!" she explained gleefully. "Once home to crazy unicorns who wanted to claim the gemstones that could be found inside! And now…your prison!" The deranged alicorn laughed as Twilight shook with fear, the Eye Sentry burying itself in her mane to protect itself. "How pathetic! You're down here all alone, with no one to hear you, no one to help you! Most ponies, Celestia herself included, have forgotten that these caverns even exist! Which is why they're the ideal place to put those who try to interfere with my plans!"

Cadance cackled evilly at her own brilliance. Hoping that she could get her to pull the stereotypical villain monologue, Twilight asked, "Plans? What plans?"

"The plans I have for your brother, of course! And all of Equestria as well! Once my army reaches Canterlot, nothing will stop us from taking over your land!"

"Don't you dare do anything to hurt my brother, you…you…you monster!"

"The only way you'll stop me is if you catch me!" Cadance retorted in a sing-song voice.

Twilight's horn glowed more intensely as she fired an energy beam at the crystal wall where Cadance's face grinned smugly down at her, shattering it instantly. With that, Cadance's visage vanished…only to appear again directly behind her, laughing again. "Over here!"

Twilight fired again, the beam ricocheting off the reflective walls before hitting the ground. Cadance's face appeared all over the place, cackling as Twilight became more and more riled with each shot, until finally she blasted a hole in one of the walls. As the dust settled, she then saw Cadance herself standing on the other side, looking surprised.

All other thoughts promptly vanished from Twilight's eyes as she pounced on Cadance, ignoring her protests. "W-wait, p-please! Don't hurt me!" she cried, shuddering beneath Twilight's iron grip before she realized who it was that was pinning her down. "Twilight! It's me! You have to believe me! I've been imprisoned like you! The Cadance who brought you down here was an impostor!"

Twilight glared hatefully at the princess. "Likely story!"

The Eye Sentry flitted over Twilight's head, its pupil glowing, indicating it was ready to shoot an intense laser beam the moment Cadance tried anything funny. Cadance managed to get up and began awkwardly doing a dance. "Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake," she wearily sang, desperately hoping Twilight would believe her now. "Clap your hooves…"

"…and do a little shake!" Twilight finished along with her, her eyes widening in realization as Cadance smiled. "You…you remember me!"

Twilight ecstatically hugged Cadance, the real Cadance, and laughed in exhilaration. "Of course I do!" Cadance replied, rubbing Twilight's back affectionately. "How could I forget the filly I loved to sit for the most?"

Suddenly the Sentry went rigid as its eye glowed red again. "What's this now?" Vaati's voice demanded. "What is going on here?!"

Cadance pulled back in shock. "Ah! What is that?" she cried, pointing at the Eye Sentry.

"It's okay," Twilight assured her. "That's just an Eye Sentry. The one talking through it is my friend Vaati!"

Cadance blinked in surprise. "Vaati? As in the Wind Mage Vaati?"

"Oh good, at least someone recognizes me," Vaati mused. "But, Twilight, tell me what in Majora's name that shrew is doing down here, and why you're hugging her like she's suddenly your best friend!"

"Shrew?!" Cadance repeated indignantly.

"Wait, it's okay!" Twilight said. "He doesn't know yet. Vaati, this is Princess Cadance. The real Cadance. The one back in the castle is a fake."

"Well, how about that? She was replaced by a shapeshifter. I was right the whole time, heh. I'm good."

"That's not all, either," Twilight explained. "The fake Cadance apparently has an army approaching Canterlot as we speak! She plans to conquer all of Equestria!"

"Ha! Not if my monsters have anything to say about it! Though this does help things quite a bit on my end. Now I can convince Princess Celestia to ready her guards for an imminent attack. All I have to do is get her to talk to you."

"I know what my imposter really is," Cadance interrupted. "She's a Changeling. They're a race of pony-like insects that feed on love by impersonating a loved one. Her real name is Queen Chrysalis, and she's the leader of their hive. The Canterlot Guards won't be enough to stop her army; they're outnumbered at least ten to one!"

"I can assure you, Cadenza, my monsters can more than make up for the numbers discrepancy with sheer power and skill."

"Uh, please, call me Cadance."

"Alright then, Cadance. You and Twilight get to the surface as quickly as possible, while I beat some sense into Celestia's head and transfer my forces over to the city. I might get Discord to come too; the more the merrier, I say. Take care."

The sentry's eye stopped glowing, indicating that Vaati had broken contact once more. "Come on," Cadance ordered. "I think I know a way out. Follow me. We have to stop that wedding!"

"It'll be my genuine pleasure, Cadance!" Twilight answered with a grin.

XXXXXX

Vaati didn't bother even knocking as he strode into the room Celestia was getting herself ready in. The princess in question glanced at his reflection in the mirror of her vanity cabinet. "Yes, Vaati?"

"Celestia, we need to talk. NOW."

Celestia's brow furrowed at Vaati's harsh tone, turning around to face the irate sorcerer. "Is there a problem?"

"Oh yes, quite a few," Vaati responded coldly. "Not least of which is that you abandoned Twilight like a sack of bucking garbage when she told you about Cadenza's evil nature. The only thing stopping me from slapping you senseless is that we have more urgent news to speak of."

"Vaati, don't speak to…" Celestia began irritably.

"Celestia…shut your goddessdamned mouth and listen to me. You had the gall to dismiss Twilight before, but you will NOT dismiss me."

Celestia, taken aback by Vaati's dead serious tone, clamped her mouth shut and let the Wind Mage continue.

"The bride currently dollying herself up for this sham of a wedding is a fake. An impostor. The real Princess Cadance has been imprisoned alongside Twilight in a set of catacombs deep inside Canterlot Mountain. And before you try to refute me, yes, I do in fact have irrefutable proof."

Vaati snapped his fingers, summoning another Eye Sentry. "Link with your compatriot in the mines."

The creature squeaked in acknowledgement before its eye began to glow blood-red. "Twilight, Cadance, can you hear me?" Vaati asked, glancing side at Celestia, who observed with a concerned expression.

"Yeah, we can hear you, Vaati," Cadance replied from the other end. "What's going on?"

"I have Princess Celestia in the room with me right now. Care to explain the situation to her so she'll actually listen to reason?"

"Princess?! Princess, it's me, Twilight!" Twilight's voice interrupted. "I was right! I told you!"

Celestia felt her heart constrict as she finally understood the mistake she had made. "Oh…dear Mother Faust," she spoke with anguish. "Twilight, I-I'm sorry I doubted you. I was a fool. Can you forgive me?"

"…Princess, listen. We can exchange apologies later, but right now, stopping that imposter from marrying my brother is the most important. She's a Changeling Queen by the name of Chrysalis, and as we speak, the rest of her hive is approaching Canterlot. Chrysalis has been brainwashing my brother so he can't perform his spell, so that her forces can break down what's left of the shield when they arrive."

"If that's the case, then we need to confront her and tell the guards to prepare for battle," Celestia stated.

"Aunt Celestia, the Canterlot Guard won't be enough to stop them," Cadance answered. "We're talking about a force of thousands. The Guards'll be outnumbered ten times over."

"Which is why I'm going to discreetly order my forces to transport over here while my shield is still active. My Wizzrobes' magic can easily sync with mine so they can pass through without incident. I don't plan to keep my barrier active much longer anyways. I want these Changelings to come. I want them to realize why it was a bad idea to ever set foot in this land. I suggest you evacuate the civilians in a discreet manner as well, Princess. When the Changelings break through, things are going to get ugly, fast."

"Um…Vaati, before you go…" Twilight requested hesitantly. "Will you…will you tell…"

"Yes, I'll tell your friends about how terrible they were for doubting you and that they owe you an apology so big that nothing short of kissing your hooves will be sufficient," Vaati interrupted.

"Um…thanks, I guess?"

"Just get back to the castle so we can expose this she-devil, already! Vaati out."

The sentry's eye ceased glowing right before it disappeared. "Proceed with the wedding as planned, while your guards evacuate the civilians. Hopefully Cadance and Twilight will arrive in time to crash it. If you need me, I'll be organizing the city's defenses."

XXXXXX

Canterlot Castle, Cadance's room…

The false Cadance was feeling absolutely ecstatic. The wedding would happen in less than an hour, and the rest of her hive was quickly closing in on Canterlot. Shining's barrier had all but disappeared, leaving only Vaati's secondary barrier in place, which wouldn't hold for much longer either. She was extra lucky today; for some reason, the weirdly-shaped wizard-thing had ceased replenishing his own barrier.

The impostor grinned as a song came to her head, an aria dedicated to her big day.

"This day is going to be perfect,

The kind of day of which I've dreamed since I was small!

Everypony will gather 'round,

Say I look lovely in my gown,

What they don't know is that I have fooled them all!"

XXXXXX

Unbeknownst to her, Cadance had a similar tune going through her head as she, Twilight, and the Eye Sentry raced through the winding tunnels.

"This day was going to be perfect,

The kind of day of which I dreamed since I was small.

But instead of having cake

With all my friends to celebrate

My wedding bell, they may not ring for me at all…"

XXXXXX

"I could care less about the dress,

I won't partake in any cake,

Vows? I'll be lying when I say,

That through any kind of weather

I'll want us to be together,

The truth is, I don't care for him at all!

No I do not love the groom,

In my heart there is no room!

But I still want him to be all miiiiiine!"

XXXXXX

"I must escape before it's too late,

Find a way to save the day,

Hope? I'll be lying if I say,

I don't fear that I may lose him

To one who wants to use him,

Not care for, love, and cherish him each daaaay!

For I oh-so love the groom,

All my thoughts he does consume,

Oh, Shining Armor,

I'll be there very soon!"

XXXXXX

The wedding…

"Finally the moment has arrived,

For me to be one lucky bride!"

XXXXXX

"Oh the wedding we won't make,

He'll end up marrying a fake!

Shining Armor will be…"

XXXXXX

"Mine, all mine! Ahahahahahaha!"

XXXXXX

"Mares and gentlecolts!" Celestia declared. "Today we are gathered to celebrate the marriage between Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Captain Shining Armor!"

She watched as the false bride began to make her way towards the altar, her expression smug. Now that she knew this Cadance was an impostor, she couldn't begin to fathom how she hadn't seen it before. Cadance never sneered like that. Despite her thoughts, she continued with the ceremony as Vaati had instructed, trusting in the sorcerer's instructions. This was her chance to repent for giving Twilight the cold shoulder, and she would not disappoint her faithful student again.

XXXXXX

The streets of Canterlot…

As the majority of Celestia's Day Guards ushered the protesting civilians into the safety of a network of tunnels directly underneath the street, Vaati watched as his barrier pulsated momentarily before his chief Wizzrobe appeared before him, an entourage of Darknuts and Moblins at his side. "Reporting for duty as ordered, sir!" Nigellas greeted with a salute. "So who do we get to cook to a nice crispy black complexion today?"

"Patience," Vaati admonished. "Our enemies have not arrived yet. What about the others?"

"They should be right behind me, boss," Nigellas answered.

Indeed, seconds afterward, two more Wizzrobes warped in, with more monsters accompanying them as well. As the minutes ticked by, the entirety of his palace defense forces warped into the streets of Canterlot, taking in their surroundings with curiosity and excitement. "So this is Canterlot, sir?" Nigellas inquired, tilting the rim of his wizard hat slightly upwards as he took in the sight. "Ho boy, Hyrule Castle can't even hope to hold up a candle to this place!"

"What's the situation, milord?" Maulgrim, dressed in full armor with his trusty sword and shield in hand, spoke up as he approached. "What are our orders?"

"A large force of shapeshifting insectoid ponies, possibly thousands strong, is making its way to Canterlot as we speak," Vaati explained to all his gathered forces. "They're called Changelings, and they're the ones who made the threat against Canterlot. Their queen is in the castle as we speak, and does not yet know we are onto her! So when her soldiers arrive and break through this barrier, tear the little pests apart!"

A great cheer rose up amongst his monsters as Vaati began issuing orders. The monsters were to hide in the alleyways and anywhere they couldn't be seen overhead, and once the Changelings made landfall and engaged the Canterlot soldiers, the trap would be sprung on them. Satisfied with how the preparations had turned out, Vaati teleported back over to the castle, just outside the door where the ceremony was taking place. Just as the vows finished exchanging, Vaati heard the rapid clopping of hooves and turned around with a wicked smirk. "Well, took you two long enough. Now let's crash this wedding, shall we?"

XXXXXX

"Princess Cadance and Shining Armor," Celestia announced, smiling brightly even as dread burned within her, "I am happy to pronounce you…"

"STOP!"

Celestia barely managed to hold back a smile as Twilight barged into the room, causing everypony present to murmur in surprise and confusion. The rest of the Mane Six wore a mix of expressions including confusion, disappointment, and concern. The irate bride growled and stomped her hoof. "Why does she have to be so possessive of her brother?!" she demanded before catching herself and bursting into a fit of crocodile tears. "I-I mean, why does she have to ruin my special day?"

"Because it's not your special day! It's mine!"

Everypony gasped as another Cadance entered the room, looking much scruffier than her doppelganger. Standing next to her was Vaati, his arms folded and a triumphant grin on his face. His grin widened as he took in the shock of the false bride as she realized she had been caught. The looks on everypony else's face was a bonus too. "The jig is up, Cadenza!" Vaati cried, pointing at the impostor. "Or perhaps now would be the appropriate time to call you by your true name…Queen Chrysalis of the Changelings!"

"W-what?!" the impostor stuttered. "But how did you escape my bridesmaids?!"

"With my wedding bouquet, of course," Cadance explained coyly. "Never use brainwashed bridesmaids to hold a bride hostage."

"Hmph, clever," the impostor congratulated. "But you're still too late!"

"A-Ah don't understand!" Applejack exclaimed in confusion. "What's going on?!"

"That faker up there, Applejack, is a Changeling," Vaati explained. "A shapeshifting insectoid pony that feeds off love energy by impersonating someone you love. It was quite ingenious, I must admit. It would have been better if she actually acted like the one she was impersonating. What an incompetent boob."

Vaati allowed himself a short chuckle of amusement. "Now, Chrysalis, if you'd be so kind as to ditch your disguise, since it's no longer of any use…"

The impostor gritted her teeth as a ring of green flames emerged around her, obscuring her form as it shifted into a taller, much more slender build. As the transformation completed, the queen of the changelings laughed madly. "Very good, little ones!" she spoke. "I should have expected the hairless monkey would be clever enough to expose me! As queen of the Changelings, it is up to me to find food for my subjects!"

Vaati took a moment to observe Chrysalis's body; a black, chitinous carapace; long, slender legs with holes in the hooves; long, teal mane and tail; large, reptilian green eyes; and a long, jagged horn. "Equestria has more love than any other place I've encountered!" Chrysalis proclaimed, stepping forward to confront Cadance. "My fellow changelings will be able to devour so much of it that we will gain more power than we have ever dreamed of!"

"I'd like to see them try," Vaati interrupted. "The shield is still up. You may have prevented the good captain from strengthening his own, but mine is still active."

Chrysalis chuckled. "Not for long, it won't be." She fluttered over to Shining's side, the dashing groom's eyes glowing a faint green and his expression blank. "Ever since I took your place, Cadance, I've been feeding off of Shining Armor's love for you. It has already made me stronger than I've ever been before. And as for your shield, my minions are already chipping away at it!"

Vaati quickly glanced out the window, and was met by the sight of thousands of changelings pounding on his force field with their bodies. She was right; it wouldn't hold for much longer.

Good. Vaati wasn't feeling very patient right now.

Chrysalis rubbed Shining's chin with mock affection. "He may not be my husband, but he is under my total control, and I'm sorry to say, unable to perform his duties as Captain of the Royal Guard!"

"Which is why I'm taking responsibility for his duties for the time being," Vaati declared. "Until this blows over, I'm the Royal Captain now."

Chrysalis laughed at this. "Oh, please! You won't be able to do anything once my changeling army breaks through your barrier! First we'll take Canterlot, and then ALL of Equestria!"

"Not today, you won't," Celestia finally spoke up, drawing the changeling leader's attention. She affixed the bug-pony with a dark glare. "You may have rendered Shining Armor unable to perform his spell, but now that you have been forced to reveal your true self, I can protect my subjects…from you!"

As Celestia took to the air, Vaati groaned, "Hey, not fair! I want a go at her!"

Ignoring him, Celestia unleashed a beam of pure sun energy from her horn, while Chrysalis responded with a green energy beam of her own. Celestia began to overpower the queen, Chrysalis beginning to panic. "No! NO!" she shouted, putting all her energy into her assault.

To everyone's shock, Chrysalis's beam abruptly overpowered Celestia's own, and as Celestia's mouth dropped open in shock, an explosion rang out. In seconds, Celestia's body skidded across the floor, her horn scarred black. The crowd gasped in disbelief; Princess Celestia, defeated!

"Princess Celestia!" Twilight cried, running over to the fallen alicorn's side, her friends joining her.

"Well, certainly wasn't expecting that," Vaati mumbled to himself. But then he grinned. All that means is that this insect might actually be a worthwhile challenge, he finished in his head. Excellent.

Even Chrysalis was astounded by her victory. "Ha! Shining Armor's love for you was even stronger than I thought! Consuming him has made me even more powerful than Celestia!"

"The Elements of Harmony…" Celestia weakly groaned. "You must get to them…and use their power to defeat the queen!"

"We can't rely on the Elements," Vaati declared without turning towards the Mane Six.

"Huh? Whatever for?!" Rarity asked, appalled.

Finally Vaati turned, his eyes ablaze with anger and his tone sharp and sarcastic. "Oh, let's see! Maybe it's because of YOU?! Maybe it's because the whole lot of you abandoned Twilight when she needed you most, thinking she was a jealous liar when every word she spoke was the truth?! I saw her when I sent my Eye Sentry down there to watch over her while she made her way back here, and she was a complete wreck. You completely shattered her faith in all of you! You might as well have defecated on the Elements themselves, because now that you weakened your bond of friendship with the one who holds all of you together, they are completely and totally worthless! No, we're going to get through this through the sweat of our brows, the strength of our backs, and the blood of our enemies!"

Chrysalis could not stop herself from reflexively cringing from the nasty, almost demonic tone Vaati was using as he faced her again. "You may think your newfound power can overcome Celestia, but we have yet to see whether it can conquer me, Vaati the Wind Mage!"

As Vaati monologued, Twilight's friends guiltily began to apologize to her. "Ah'm so sorry, sugarcube," Applejack whimpered. "Ah feel like an ass for hurtin' you like that."

"We were so heartless and insensitive!" Rarity cried, on the verge of tears of shame, the others nodding in silent agreement. "Can you ever forgive us?!"

Twilight looked away, uncertain. "…Yeah, I can," she answered. Her friends began to smile. "…But not yet. Not after what you put me through. I'm sorry, but…you guys really hurt me. I thought you had abandoned me. I thought you hated me. I can't just get over that right away."

Vaati glanced over his shoulder. "Everybody get out of here now! Take shelter wherever you can! The Changeling Queen is mine! Twilight, get Celestia and your friends out of here! Scootaloo, you and your friends go with Twilight!"

"But Dad, I want to-!" Scootaloo started.

"To fight? I don't think so! Now get going!"

"What about me?!" Cadance yelled as everypony began hastily clearing out.

"Try to get your dashing groom to stop drooling all over his suit, I don't care! Just don't get in the way!"

Chrysalis grinned. "Are you challenging me to a fight, then? After I just defeated the Princess of the Sun herself?!"

"I couldn't care less about what I just saw," Vaati snapped, his form beginning to change. "Because I did better."

Chrysalis's mouth hung open in shock and awe as the great winged eye took shape before her, dwarfing her several times over. "I defeated Discord, the so-called god of chaos! Do you really think you or your pathetic minions frighten me, insect?!"

Suddenly Vaati heard a resounding crack like glass shattering and saw his shield collapse. Hordes of changelings began converging on the city. The siege had begun. Seeing this, Chrysalis's confidence returned. "An impressive form, 'Vaati'. But my army outnumbers Canterlot's defense forces ten times over! Do you really think they stand a chance?!"

To her surprise, Vaati unleashed a deep-throated, guttural laugh in response. "Not at all. But as you'll soon find, it's not the Canterlot Royal Army you should be worried about; it's MY army."

XXXXXX

Hundreds upon hundreds of changeling drones smashed into the streets like a shower of green meteorites, leaving small craters in the cobblestone where they landed. As one got up and prepared to face the enemy, it found itself overshadowed by a truly massive armored figure. It stood on two legs and dwarfed the queen herself in size. "Greetings," it spoke with a savage grin underneath its ponderous helm just before the Darknut crushed the changeling into a puddle of mush with one swing of its huge mace.

The hordes of changelings reacted with surprise as hundreds of strange, almost entirely-bipedal creatures emerged from alleyways and from within buildings, most carrying large weapons that a normal pony would find impossible to carry. At their head was a green-robed individual with a wide-brimmed hat, fire magic condensing in one hand and ice magic forming in the other.

Silence reigned for several moments as the Canterlot guards rallied around the monsters and contributed to the tense staredown between the defenders and the changeling army. Nigellas was the epitome of cool and collected in the face of danger, calmly staring down the multitudes of enemies laid out before them. Until he hunched forward and screamed as loud as he could, "LET'S HAVE AT 'EEEEEEM!"

A raucous din rose up as the monsters bellowed in elation, eager for battle, and charged, spears leveled, swords raised, waves of magical energy raging before them. They were a visage of hell's wrath incarnate, wave upon wave of grotesque beings surging forward like a rolling wave, fire and ice magic heralding their arrival. In that dark moment, the changelings felt true fear.

And then the two armies collided to the sound of ringing steel, magical discharges, swords crunching into carapace, and the screams of terrified and dying changelings.

The first wave of changelings was annihilated within seconds, succumbing to the fierce flames of the Pyromancer Wizzrobes, and any remaining crushed underfoot by the unstoppable charge. Larger, stronger drones protected by an extra layer of chitin led the next wave as they rallied against the oncoming monsters of Hyrule, and battle was joined.

Even the warrior drones proved inferior to the hulking Darknuts, their armor splintering instantly with each swing of a mace or sword, or each bash with a shield. Moblins and ponies provided a wall of spears that kept pushing forward despite the vast numbers of their foe. Wizzrobes and unicorns fired powerful blasts of magic into the air, preventing many changelings from flying over them and attacking from the rear. Those that did found themselves staring down the barrels of Bokoblin crossbows shortly before their lives were ended.

Many changelings backed off and tried to fight at a distance, shooting magic beams at the relentless tide of monsters. Darknuts raised their shields and blocked, Wizzrobes erected magical barriers around themselves, and the Moblins just took them in the chest and kept right on fighting, barely even feeling any pain. Miniblins swarmed about, picking off any survivors of the initial stampede hoping to stab anyone in the back. The wounded and dying were shown no mercy whatsoever, speared and gutted remorselessly by the madly cackling imps. Changelings that had originally been assigned to other areas realized how badly this was going and immediately abandoned their targets to fly to their besieged brethren's aid. Flame, ice, wind, rock, sword, and spear cut down changeling after changeling, the cries of the bug-ponies almost entirely drowned out by the feral cries of the rampaging monsters.

In short, Chrysalis's army was getting slaughtered.

XXXXXX

Chrysalis leaned out the window and watched in horror as the battle, if it could even be called that, raged below in the city streets. She could feel her subjects' fear, she could hear their terrified, anguished death-cries, and it brought tears to her eyes. "This…this wasn't supposed to happen," she whispered to herself.

"That would be because I played you for a fool, Chrysalis," Vaati replied from behind, still in demon form.

Chrysalis whirled around and glared hatefully at him. "What?!" she roared.

"Since the moment I met you, I was suspicious of you. And you removed all doubt from my mind when I watched you send Twilight to the catacombs below the castle. Using a little creation of mine, I was able to maintain contact with her, and after she revealed your plan which you were gracious enough to supply her with to me, I took steps to turn your little invasion plan on its head. My army of monsters has been awaiting your hive's attack since this morning. You were out-gambitted, my dear Queen. And soon, you won't have a hive left to rule over!"

Chrysalis ground her teeth and shook with rage. "You…you played me…How…dare you! For the love of my hive…I'LL KILL YOU, WIND MAGE!"

Vaati emitted the most evil laugh he had pulled off in a good long time as the wind began to whip around his ponderous form, raising him into the air. "Give me your best shot! Dealing with you will be little more than a matter of pest control, you miserable bug!"

Magic gathered in Chrysalis's horn as Vaati's horns crackled with electricity. "DIE!" Chrysalis screamed, unleashing the full extent of her magic, while Vaati countered with a powerful magical thunderbolt.

The fight was on.

XXXXXX

Elsewhere in the castle, Twilight and Rarity kept a weakened Celestia aloft with their combined magic while Spike and the rest of the Mane Six ran beside them. "T-Twilight, please put me down," Celestia begged. "I'll be fine."

"No, Princess!" Twilight countered. "We have to get you somewhere safe!"

"Ah! Whoa there, we got company!" Applejack cried, skidding to a stop, causing the others to as well.

Right in their path was a large host of changelings, chittering sinisterly as they advanced on the group of ponies. "Now what do we do?" Rarity cried desperately.

Before anyone could answer, a bright flash of light appeared between Twilight's friends and the startled changelings. Twilight's jaw dropped when she realized who it was.

"Discord?!"

Discord didn't respond to Twilight's voice, instead summoning a batch of pies, which he then hurtled into the swarm of changelings, hitting all of them right in the face.

At which point the pies all exploded, expulsing confetti and streamers with concussive force. The end result left the entire swarm of changelings injured and unconscious. With the threat taken care of, Discord turned towards Twilight's group and smirked. "Oh, hello! Didn't see you there! My word, Celestia, you look like you've seen better days!"

"I have," Celestia replied with an unamused frown.

Discord chuckled. "Well, anyways, a little birdie told me that the cheese-legs brigade was stirring up trouble in Canterlot, so I decided to pay a little visit and observe all the chaos!"

Upon noticing everypony's frowns, he amended, "Aaaand of course, help you guys out too!"

"Actually, there is a way you can help," Twilight said. "Take Princess Celestia somewhere safe and protect her. We gotta help out with the fight somehow!"

Discord dismissively waved his eagle talon. "Oh, don't worry about ol' Licorice Hair! His monsters? They're beating the changelings senseless! The big guy himself?"

Suddenly an explosion blew open a huge hole in the wall, from which the great winged eye and the changeling queen emerged, locked in a deadly dance of magic, horn, and claws.

"Right here, actually," Discord finished nonchalantly.

"Scatter!" Twilight yelled to her friends. "Discord, get the Princess out of here!"

"Yes, of course," Discord replied with an over-dramatic roll of his eyes and a mock bow. "As you command, Your Highness."

With a snap of his fingers, Discord and Celestia both vanished. With that out of the way, she scrambled out of the danger zone alongside her friends, watching with bated breath as Vaati and Chrysalis savagely dueled. "Should we help him?" Rainbow Dash whispered to Twilight.

Twilight shook her head. "Vaati's the best hope we have right now. We'd just get in the way."

"Well we gotta at least dosomethin'!" Applejack pressed. "We can't just stand here while there's a huge battle goin' on around town!"

Rainbow smashed her hooves together. "Yeah! I say we go down there and kick some flank with Vaati's monsters!"

Twilight nodded. "Fluttershy, I know you don't want to get caught up in this. Take the fillies and go find shelter wherever you can. We'll go help out with the street battle, okay?"

"O-okay," Fluttershy whimpered. "B-be safe."

"B-but Applejack!" Applebloom whined.

"Shh, it's okay, sugarcube," Applejack assured her sister, hugging her tightly. "Ah'll be fine, okay? Ah'll come back, Ah promise."

"B-be careful out there, sis!" Sweetie Belle whimpered.

"You know I will, Sweetie," Rarity replied, hugging her sister as well.

"I know you'll kick flank out there, Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo cried. "Make sure you come back, okay?!"

Rainbow chuckled as she gave her biggest fan an affectionate noogie. "Of course I will, squirt!"

As Fluttershy and the Crusaders began looking for a safe place to hide, Twilight transported herself and her friends into the heat of the battle and took in their surroundings. Clouds of dust were stirred up everywhere, obscuring the fight. Silhouettes of hulking monsters swatting away changelings like so many annoying flies could be seen everywhere. A Moblin behind them grabbed the changeling biting into its shoulder by the head and promptly popped it like a wet sack with its great strength, showering green blood and brain matter all over itself. The monster grinned as it tossed aside the limp corpse and charged right back into the fight. The ground was littered with mangled corpses, almost all of them changelings. The changeling onslaught finally claimed a victim, a combined beam of magic from three warrior drones incinerating an Ice Wizzrobe while it was distracted by an oncoming drone.

Twilight cringed at the gruesome reality of battle but quickly shook it off. "Alright, let's do this!" she yelled. "FOR EQUESTRIA!"

XXXXXX

Chrysalis barely managed to avoid being gored by Vaati's huge claws as they slashed at her. She flitted out of arm's reach and charged another energy beam. Vaati's horns charged up electrical energy before colliding against her beam once more, illuminating the ruined hall in dazzling displays of green and white light. Miniature bolts of lightning ricocheted off the contact zone and sparked all around the area, leaving scorch marks in the walls.

Without warning, Vaati's beam ceased as the Wind Sorcerer dissipated in a cloud of black smoke. Alarm bells went off in her head, instinctively ushering her to move. Just as she started flapping her gossamer wings, the floor beneath her erupted with dark energy, sending her hurtling through the ceiling onto the next floor. As Chrysalis struggled to her hooves, Vaati rose from the hole she had made, a ring of stone eyes rapidly spinning around him. His arms had turned back into wings, as the erratic spinning would have been hampered by their presence.

"I hope you weren't thinking of leaving, Chrysalis," Vaati cruelly jeered. "The fun has just begun!"

Chrysalis panted from the exertion, her mind whirling with panicked thoughts. I defeated Celestia! I brought her down with a fraction of my new magic, and yet it's taking all of it just to keep him at bay! Surely this creature can't be more powerful than the Princesses…can he?

She was brought out of her thoughts as the stone eyes stopped spinning and vertically circled the demon eye like a halo, the eyes all staring at Chrysalis. "Dance, little puppet!" Vaati laughed. "Dance to the pull of my strings!"

The stone eyes suddenly spat a torrent of lasers at Chrysalis's feet, causing her to cry out in alarm as she tried to avoid them. She realized that he was now toying with her, toying with her! It would have made her blood boil were it not already pulsing with fear. "Is this all you have to offer me, pest?!" Vaati roared. "And after all that energy you sucked right out of Mister Goody Four-Shoes? What good has it done you, worm?! WHAT GOOD HAS IT DONE YOU?!"

Chrysalis bellowed with rage, condensing all the power she could muster into a flurry of venom-green energy balls. Vaati's stone eyes broke away from orbit and intercepted each of them, getting destroyed in the process. Four remained, and Vaati chuckled menacingly. "My turn."

Suddenly the eyes became cloaked in dark magic and shot at Chrysalis. The queen attempted to dodge, but it did no good. Each projectile exploded on contact with the wall, the blast radii knocking Chrysalis senseless. Entangled in the rubble, Chrysalis weakly tried to rally herself, but then realized the awful truth; her magic, all of it, was spent. She had used it all up defending herself from this insane demon spawned from the depths of Tartarus, and the fiend looked like he still had plenty to spare! Her carapace was cracked in several places, allowing blood to freely ooze from them. It hurt to even breathe, let alone move.

And then Vaati was upon her, his eye ablaze with malicious intent. His middle left wing reformed into an arm and seized the broken changeling queen in his mighty talons. As Chrysalis looked into that eldritch eye, she knew in her heart, that it was over. It was all over.

"W-wait! Wait, p-please!" she stammered weakly, raising a hoof. "I-I surrender…No more…no more…"

Vaati scoffed. "Feh. You're pathetic, vermin. And here I was, hoping you'd provide a decent challenge for a change. Again I am disappointed. As for mercy, well…I'm afraid I have none to spare for…"

"Vaati, wait!" a voice suddenly cried.

Vaati bristled indignantly at the interruption. "Is somebody ALWAYS going to interrupt me whenever I try to kill someone dangerous?!" The sorcerer glanced to his right to see Princess Cadance and Shining Armor approaching. Shining no longer had the blank expression, but was still rubbing his head due to the lingering migraine. "I suppose you're going to tell me to spare her, right?" Vaati growled irritably.

Cadance's face was laced with sorrow. "Vaati, hasn't there been enough senseless bloodshed already?" she asked. "The changelings stopped being a threat twenty minutes ago. They're now trying to hide throughout the city because they're too loyal to Chrysalis to just outright flee. Your monsters are hunting them down like animals. I-I can't let it go on anymore. Please call off your troops. The battle's over."

"If I kill her, then they will be leaderless," Vaati replied. "Then they can never be a threat again. And why are you even defending her? She locked you up in a forgotten cavern, impersonated you at your own wedding, brainwashed your fiancé, tried to trick Twilight into murdering you in a rage, and then tried to attack Canterlot! What reason could you possibly have for keeping me from crushing her like the bug she is and ending it for good?"

"It's called compassion," Cadance answered sternly. "You're wrong if you think the both of us aren't furious at her for what she tried to do…but she was doing it for her subjects. She was trying to do what she thought was best for her people…even if she went about it completely wrong."

"Personally, I'd love nothing more than to throw her in the dungeon and have her put on trial for war crimes," Shining spoke up. "But I agree with Cadance, genocide is never the answer. The changelings are beaten. Maybe we can take advantage of that and secure a non-aggression pact with them or something. Just…put her down, Vaati, and call off your soldiers. Please."

Vaati groaned in resignation as he unceremoniously dropped Chrysalis to the floor, knowing that ignoring them would have only caused more trouble than it was worth. "You loony bleeding-hearts," he grumbled before linking his mind with Nigellas. Nigellas.

BURN, YA LITTLE PARASITE, BU-oh, yes, what is it, boss?

Call off all our soldiers.

…Wh…what?

Call them off. The changeling queen has surrendered. Party's over.

…Well, crud.

Casualties, Nigellas?

Eh, negligible, sire. A few of them pony guards got fried during the fighting, and we lost one or two of our own, but other than that, these changelings didn't put up much of a good fight.

Feh. Neither did their queen. Round up the survivors and bring them to the castle…ALIVE.

Got it, sir. You know I know better than to exploit loopholes.

Of course you do. Vaati out.

XXXXXX

Several hours later…

Twilight and her friends silently walked through the halls of Canterlot Castle, many sections damaged or outright destroyed during the all-out brawl between Vaati and Chrysalis. No words were exchanged; the horror of what they had seen on the battlefield clung to their minds as they approached the hospital wing, which thankfully had been spared. Inside the room was a single occupant; the changeling queen herself.

She was covered in bandages and had several tubes injected into her body, linking her to a heart monitor. As Twilight observed Chrysalis, she found that she could not feel any sense of satisfaction at how everything had turned out. They had won; Equestria was saved. But her friendships had been damaged, much of the castle was in ruins, and she had personally borne witness to the gruesome slaughter of hundreds of changelings, and took part in it as well.

As if sensing that she was being watched, Chrysalis slowly opened one eye and stared at Twilight. "What do you want?" Chrysalis tried to hiss, but came out as a weak whimper.

Twilight just stared back for several tense minutes. "You know…I wish I could hate you, for everything you put me through…what you put all of us through…but, in the end…you suffered the most. I don't forgive you. I probably never will…but I'll never hate you. Hate only brings pain."

Twilight left without another word, her friends following after in order to make an attempt to salvage their friendship. Celestia, her horn still somewhat charred, came into Chrysalis's room an hour later and sat in the chair in the corner. Neither one said anything, unwilling to be the first to start any sort of conversation. But a question burned in the back of the changeling's mind, one she couldn't let go unanswered, no matter how badly she wanted not to care.

"Why?"

Celestia quirked an eyebrow, as if asking her to clarify.

"Why did they spare me? Why are you sparing me?"

Celestia smiled. "For the same reason you chose to invade us. Equestria is full of love, just as you said. That's why I can find it in my heart to forgive you. Others may not share that sentiment, but I think you suffered more than you should have."

"I don't need your pity!" Chrysalis snapped.

"Pity is the only reason you and the last remaining members of your hive are still alive, Chrysalis."

Chrysalis cringed inwardly at the harsh truth of Celestia's words. "So why have you come, then? To gloat about how you vanquished the wicked changelings, and in a show of your unfathomable compassion, shall save us from extinction?"

"You realize, of course, that this could have all been avoided if you had opened negotiations with me instead of invading, right? We ponies give love freely. But now, after what you pulled, an unpopular stigma will follow your kind for generations to come."

"That stigma already existed, Celestia," Chrysalis countered. "We changelings are regarded as monsters by all members of Equestrian society. I had no reason to assume you wouldn't banish us the moment we set foot in your city. I had to feed my people by any means necessary."

"I'm still willing to start diplomatic talks with you, you know. I know you want what's best for your people, but they won't benefit if you cling to your pride."

"…Fine. Not like I'm in any position to resist, really."

"Now, I have just one question before we begin."

Chrysalis sighed. "Yes?"

"Did you have anything to do with my sister's disappearance?"

Chrysalis blinked in surprise. "No, actually. I never even saw her leave, and my hive was still hundreds of miles away."

Celestia looked crestfallen by Chrysalis's response, but put it behind her as she summoned a pen and quill. "Shall we get started then?"

XXXXXX

The next several hours were spent working out a non-aggression pact between Equestria and Chrysalis's hive. Changelings could travel to Equestria and gather love for the hive as long as they didn't obtain it by force. Chrysalis herself was not allowed to enter Equestria for a period of two years, and would be sent away with the few hundred changelings still remaining of her hive back to their own territory in the Badlands.

Just as Celestia finished up with Chrysalis, who immediately fell asleep, a guard rushed up to her. "Your Majesty!" he cried. "Princess Luna has returned!"

Celestia's eyes widened. "She has?! Where is she?!"

"She's in your bedchamber, waiting for you, Your Highness."

XXXXXX

The moment Celestia laid eyes on her sister, she let out a sob she didn't even realize she had been holding back and hugged Luna tight. "Oh Luna, I missed you! What happened to you?! I was so worried, and then all these awful things happened at the wedding, and…oh, don't scare me like that again!"

"Did I miss something, sister?" Luna hesitantly asked. "Because I have a story to tell myself."

"Oh…um," Celestia stammered as she released Luna. "Please, you go first, Lulu."

And so Luna recounted her tale of chasing after the demon hound, trying to stop it from eating its way through the protective barrier, and finally battling it in the Everfree Forest and narrowly escaping the fire that ensued. The story, and the monster's description, left Celestia with a dark, worried feeling.

XXXXXX

Somewhere in the Frozen North…

From within his makeshift lair in the mountains, the royally-clothed dark unicorn grinned cruelly, flashing his unnaturally-sharp teeth. "Yes…the time is near at hand," he spoke aloud. "I can almost see it…The Crystal Empire will return any day now, and when it does, it will be mine once more."

King Sombra chuckled as a dark presence loomed behind him. "You are not seriously thinking of attempting to reclaim the city on your own, are you?" it hissed. "A foolhardy plan."

Sombra whirled around and glared at his mysterious benefactor. "Do you doubt my power, Demon King?!" Sombra growled angrily.

The dark one shifted in a way that suggested it was shaking whatever passed for its head in its current form. "If we had any doubts about your power, Sombra, we would not have bothered to even approach you and free you from your icy prison. But our enemies are not to be underestimated. That is why we are placing a few of our own units under your command."

The demon reached out with one black claw and tore open the portal it used to come to Equestria. "Come forth, beasts of darkness," the dark force intoned. "Come and serve the will of your king!"

Sombra watched cautiously as six lupine shapes loped forth from within, stretching out their large wings and spear-like tails as they padded over to the demon king. Sombra raised an eyebrow. "What manner of beasts are these?"

The demon idly scratched one of the hellhounds behind its ears as it answered, "These are Hounds of Majora. They serve as shock troops in the royal Dark World army. They can match skilled pegasi in aerial maneuverability, can breathe fire, and can impale enemies with their tails. But their greatest asset will serve you well. They can eat force fields."

Sombra's eyes widened. "You jest."

"Gwo hoh. We never were one for humor. They can drain any shield they encounter, so long as it is not constantly replenished at a faster rate than they can consume. Take good care of them; these are the only troops you will command until the hour of Lord Majora's return is near at hand."

Sombra watched as his benefactor left through the portal without another word, closing it behind it. Watching these so-called "Hounds of Majora" closely, the Crystal Tyrant resumed his place at the mouth of the cave, staring into the omnipresent blizzard, waiting for his empire to return to him. The Hounds lined up beside him, three on either side of him, and joined him in his silent vigil.

Author's Note

Oh man, I had a LOT of fun writing this one. I hope you all enjoyed that! And now we can move on to the next big showdown on our hitlist, and consequently, the final two episodes of this season! Woo hoo, go me!

Episode 17: The Crystal Empire Part 1

DISCLAIMER: I was less than pleased by the introduction of Alicorn Twilight. Therefore, there will be no mention of the so-called "test" leading up to it. Not that it would have mattered anyway, considering what'll happen in Season 2…

Please enjoy.

XXXX000XXXX

Episode 17: The Crystal Empire Part 1

Northern Equestria…

King Sombra grinned. After waiting for so long, his patience had paid off. There it was, ripe for the taking…

His empire.

The Hounds of Majora snarled beside him, eager for his orders. "Yes…at last, it begins!" he declared. "Soon, all of Equestria will be mine!"

"So we take it the Crystal Empire has finally returned?"

Sombra looked over his shoulder to see his benefactor exiting the portal to the Dark World, its shadowy form condensing into a definitive shape as it approached his side and looked down upon their target. "Indeed it has, Your Majesty," Sombra replied with a devious grin.

The King of Demons scrutinized the shining capital with a single, eldritch eye tinged a slightly greenish pallor. "Gwo hoh hoh…Then now is the time, Your Majesty," the demon replied. "Strike in Majora's name and reclaim your empire. Then we can move on to the rest of this sickening world."

Sombra chuckled darkly. "Of course."

"Show no mercy, and ensure that the Wind Mage and his so-called friends do not get in your way. Refrain from killing him if you can; Lord Majora still has hope that he will return to our cause. The Dark God himself will arrive soon to congratulate you on your victory…or punish you for your failure."

Even Sombra could not repress a shudder at his ally's ominous tone.

"Do not fail him, Sombra."

Sombra frowned. "I will not. But…how will he come here? Is he not still imprisoned in the Pyramid of Power within your kingdom?"

"The divine one has many methods of influencing the world around him still. Rest assured; he will grace you with his presence in due time. Now go; word may have already reached the Equestrians of the Empire's return. No doubt they are already making plans to prevent your arrival. Hurry, and remember that, even in this world, Majora is watching you."

XXXXXX

Canterlot Castle…

Princess Celestia busied herself with filling out the thick wad of documents given to her by one of her scribes, a bored look on her face. In the weeks since the Canterlot Wedding Battle, life had pretty much returned to normal for everypony. The castle and the city had been restored to their former condition, and better yet, Twilight had managed to reconcile with her friends. Still, Celestia felt a pang of guilt at how she had treated her most faithful student, and was still beating herself up over it every night when she thought nopony was around.

Her thoughts and work were suddenly interrupted as the doors of the Throne Room burst open, a guardspony rushing up to her. "News from northern Equestria, Your Highness!" he proclaimed, bowing his head.

"Yes?" Celestia asked.

The guard took off his helmet. "I am simply to tell you that it has returned."

Celestia's mouth fell open in shock. Managing to collect herself, she turned to another one of the guards while dismissing the scribe. "Find Princess Cadance and Shining Armor!" she commanded.

"Yes, Your Highness," the guard answered before running out of the room along with several other guards.

Now alone, Celestia picked up a pen and parchment and began writing, "My Dearest Twilight, you must come to Canterlot at once…"

XXXXXX

Golden Oaks Library, Ponyville…

The library door opened as Vaati stepped in, a mildly-irritated look on his face. "What is it, Twilight?" he inquired. "This better be important, I was busy helping Scootaloo with her flying."

He then noticed that all of Twilight's friends were in the library as well. "Oh good, there you are, Vaati," Twilight spoke. "Now that everyone's here, I have news. Princess Celestia wants us all to come to Canterlot right away. Something urgent has come up that she needs all our help with!"

"If it's another freaking wedding, count me out," Vaati griped.

"Ah think it may be a little more urgent than that," Applejack answered aside.

"She didn't specify what it was, but she wants us there as soon as possible!" Twilight said.

"And we're standing here wasting time like a bunch of idiots, why?"

Twilight rolled her eyes. Vaati's attitude could be so grating, sometimes. "Let's just go," she grumbled.

XXXXXX

Canterlot Castle…

"Are you sure you do not wish me to go as well?" Luna asked as she and her sister stared at the stained-glass window depicting Cadance, Shining Armor, and Twilight encircling the demon form of Vaati, whose eye stared down at an image of the changeling queen below, radiating a beam of light onto her writhing form signifying the Wind Sorcerer's now-famous defense of Canterlot.

"Yes," Celestia answered calmly. "Princess Cadance and Shining Armor are already there. The others will be joining them soon."

"The Crystal Empire's magic is powerful," Luna replied. "It cannot fall into Sombra's hooves again."

"It will not," Celestia assured her. "With Vaati, the Elements of Harmony, Shining Armor, and Princess Cadance there, not even King Sombra will have the strength to penetrate its defenses."

"I hope you are right, sister."

"Ahem," another voice interrupted. "We're not interrupting anything, are we?"

The two alicorns turned to see Vaati and Twilight enter the room. "We're here, Princess," Twilight greeted. "What's going on?"

Luna walked past the visitors, but stopped a moment to whisper in Vaati's ear, "I wish to speak to you later."

Vaati nodded wordlessly before approaching Celestia. "Judging by the nature of our summons, Equestria is in mortal danger yet again, and you want us to pound the newest threat into the dust, correct?"

Celestia smiled wanly. Always so blunt and right to the point. "I summoned you all here because the Crystal Empire has returned."

"Crystal Empire?" Twilight and Vaati chorused.

Celestia retrieved a crystal from beside her throne and placed it on the floor before them. "Few remember that it existed. Even my knowledge of it is limited."

Celestia fired a beam of light at the crystal, causing a holographic image of a crystalline city situated in a circular pattern with a ridiculously-tall crystal structure in the very middle appeared. Vaati and Twilight scrutinized the image intensely, taking in all the details. "But what I do know is that it contains a powerful magic. One thousand years ago, King Sombra, a unicorn whose heart was black as night, took over the Crystal Empire." Suddenly, the Empire's crystals all turned scraggly and black as a dark-coated unicorn dressed in royal armor grinned savagely down at his chained subjects, who looked absolutely miserable. Vaati immediately assumed this character to be the evil king in question. He certainly didn't look like any normal unicorn. His mane and tail had an ethereal quality not unlike the Princesses', his eyes glowed venom-green with a purple mist trailing out of them, his horn was curved instead of straight, and Din's Fire were those FANGS?! "Using the Elements of Harmony," Celestia continued as the events she explained took place in the hologram, "my sister and I managed to overthrow him, turning him to shadow and imprisoning him beneath the ice of the frozen north…but not before he placed a curse upon the Empire, a curse that caused it vanish into thin air…"

"Wait a minute, Princess," Vaati interrupted as the hologram vanished. "Say that again."

"The Empire was cursed by King Sombra before his defeat," Celestia repeated.

Vaati grinned like a maniac. "One more time, please."

Celestia raised an eyebrow, slightly irritated. "Sombra cursed the Empire before his defeat."

"Are you taking notes, Twilight?" Vaati sneered down at Twilight. "Because I do believe your dear Princess just confirmed to the both of us that curses are indeed real. I was right, and you were wrong! Take that, bookworm! You were wrong, wrong, wrong!"

Vaati began doing a little victory dance, ecstatic that he finally had the opportunity to rub Twilight's wrongness in her face. Once he noticed both Celestia and Twilight giving him strange looks, Vaati stopped mid-dance and his eyes darted about awkwardly. Abruptly returning to his normal stance, he immediately spoke, "I'm sorry, please continue."

"Wait, is Vaati right, Princess?" Twilight asked. "Curses are actually real?"

"Yes, but that's not the important thing right now," Celestia answered impatiently. "The important thing is that the Crystal Empire's magic must not fall into the wrong hooves again."

"The wrong hooves?" Vaati repeated. "Are we to understand that this King Sombra character is back as well?"

Celestia nodded. "Shining Armor and Princess Cadance are already there, and their first report stated that Sombra is somehow already free of his prison and is making his way to the Empire as we speak."

"So what is so important about the Crystal Empire's magic that King Sombra cannot be allowed to reclaim it?"

In answer, Celestia fired a beam of light into the crystal, causing it to hover in the air and radiate positive energy around the room. "If the Empire is filled with hope and love, those things are radiated across all of Equestria. But if fear and hatred take hold…"

Celestia's magical aura grew darker as she fired a beam of dark magic at the crystal, casting an ominous shadow over the ground. As her eyes glowed sickly-green just like Sombra's, jagged black crystals began to grow out of the floor, surrounding Vaati and Twilight. Vaati could feel the black magic radiating from these dark crystals, and the demon part of him immediately felt drawn to it, eager and hungry. The sorcerer shivered; when he last gave in to that temptation, all of Hyrule was plunged into darkness and he became a legendary villain for almost five hundred years.

A few moments later, Celestia blasted away the eldritch crystals, returning the atmosphere to normal. "Which is why I need your help to protect it!"

"You want us to help protect an entire empire?!" Twilight gaped.

"Even that is no mere feat, Princess," Vaati added.

"You will not be alone in this endeavor," Celestia replied. "Princess Cadance and Shining Armor, as I said, are already there. And your Ponyville friends will accompany you as well."

"My brother and Cadance are there?" Twilight exclaimed.

"If it's of no consequence to you, Celestia, I wish to bring a few of my more competent minions to this party," Vaati said. "You never know when you might need a good Wizzrobe or Darknut watching your back."

Celestia nodded. "Do what you think is best. But do so quickly; there is no time to lose. Once everyone is ready, the Friendship Express will take you to the Empire. Now go; time is of the essence!"

XXXXXX

As Vaati and Twilight walked out of the Throne Room, Luna stepped forward from where she had been waiting beside the door. "Vaati, a moment please."

Twilight looked questioningly at them. "Go on ahead, Twilight," Vaati ushered.

Nodding in understanding, Twilight left them alone. "So what do you wish to talk about, my dear?" Vaati asked, adopting a slightly more sultry tone, hoping to get a flustered reaction out of her like he loved to do.

To his surprise, Luna's face was all business. "Now is not the time for subtle courting, Vaati," she responded sternly. "What I have to say is of the utmost importance."

Vaati blinked in surprise. "Alright, then."

Luna looked away. "King Sombra is not an enemy to be underestimated. News from Cadance and her husband indicated that he is already attacking the Empire's boundaries. I have my faith in you as well, but the time may come when you have no choice but to face Sombra in combat. He is not like the other foes you have faced, Vaati. By giving himself to dark magic, he has obtained more power than any unicorn could normally achieve in their lifetimes. It took both myself and my sister with the Elements to defeat him before, and we still failed to outright kill him."

Vaati quirked an eyebrow. "You actually tried to kill him? And here I was, thinking none of you had the stomach for it."

"Listen carefully, Vaati," Luna sharply interrupted. "Sombra is much more dangerous than Discord or the Changelings. He did not single-hoofedly conquer an entire empire by being a fool. Sombra was one of the most careful, devious tacticians in Equestrian history. It was part of why we had so much difficulty defeating him; he had many traps set out to weaken or hinder us. His most dangerous weapon, though, is something that cannot be blocked with magic or a spear; his poisonous words."

Vaati did not fail to notice the shiver that went down Luna's spine as she looked forlornly down at the floor. "Be wary of the things he may tell you," she warned. "Don't listen to anything he says. I did, and…and all of Equestria ended up suffering…"

Vaati's brows furrowed as the realization came to him. "King Sombra was responsible for your transformation into Nightmare Moon?"

Luna shook her head. "Only partially. The greatest fault lies with me, for being taken in by his lies. Even though I shook them off and aided in his defeat, they stuck with me, teasing me endlessly until I couldn't take it anymore."

Luna put a hoof on Vaati's shoulder. "Vaati, I implore you!" she begged. "Please be careful out there! I don't want to see you get hurt, or worse…"

Vaati found himself unable to reply for several moments, taken aback by the concern and pleading in Luna's eyes. Finally he flashed that infamous smirk of his. "I know how his kind works. I've dealt with them before. I won't let him lead me astray, and when I put him six feet under, I'll make sure he STAYS six feet under."

Luna hugged him in response before letting him return to Twilight, who was currently speaking to her friends. "Alright, girls!" she declared. "We're going to the Crystal Empire!"

The rest of the Mane Six looked at each other in confusion. "We'll explain on the way," Vaati interrupted. "Right now, we have a train to catch. And Maulgrim and Nigellas will be joining us down there."

With that, Vaati reached out telepathically to the Chief Wizzrobe and said, Nigellas, I have a task for you.

Ah, yes sir, what is it?

I want you and Maulgrim here at the Canterlot train station, pronto. We're taking a little trip.

Should I pack an extra pair of undies, sir?

Not that kind of trip, you buffoon.

I'm kidding, sir. I think I remember where the train station is. I'll have mud-for-brains ready in a jiffy. Any grave threats we should be aware of?

…Pony Ganondorf. That is all.

…I think I'll pack extra undies anyway.

Just get your arse down here. Vaati out.

XXXXXX

By the time the group reached the Canterlot train station, Nigellas and Maulgrim, who was already fully-armored, stood waiting for them. Seeing them, Nigellas took off his hat and bowed grandly. "Here n' without fear, sir!" he greeted. "And hello again, Miss Twilight! Lovely to see your inquisitive face again, eh?"

"Hi, Nigellas," Twilight replied with a giggle.

"Lady Rarity, it is a pleasure to see you again," Maulgrim greeted, performing as gentlemanly a bow as his armor would allow.

Rarity chuckled in mild embarrassment. "Oh, it's always a pleasure to see you, Maulgrim, dear!"

"By the way, boss," Nigellas said. "You never did specify where we were going."

"The Crystal Empire," Vaati answered. "We'll tell you more on the train."

"All aboard!" the conductor yelled.

"Alright, everyone!" Vaati commanded. "On the train! Now!"

XXXXXX

As the train chugged through the blizzard that had hit once they reached the frozen north, Nigellas looked out the window and shuddered. "It looks colder than a Kholdstare's nest out there!" he complained. "Why'd this freaking Crystal Empire have to show up in the middle of a frozen wasteland?!"

"Beats me," Vaati replied from the comfort of his own seat, which he lounged upon as though it were a sofa in order to keep others from sitting next to him. "Though that wind looks like it could rip the hats right off our heads. No matter."

Vaati tapped the red crystal on his hat, causing it to glow momentarily. He kept a small supply of magic inside that gem for such purposes; now the hat wouldn't leave his head no matter how the wind blew. "What I want to know is how this so-called Empire managed to survive in such a place," Maulgrim spoke gruffly. "I can't imagine how ponies could scratch a living off these snow-covered rocks."

"Magic, probably," Twilight replied. "Princess Celestia mentioned some kind of powerful magic that protected the Empire; maybe it protected it from the harsh weather."

"Seems reasonable," Vaati agreed. "Perhaps through the use of a shield that encompassed the entire city. The circular layout strongly suggests that possibility."

Twilight was about to reply, when suddenly Pinkie Pie abruptly cried out, "OW!"

"Pinkie Pie, darling, what's the matter?" Rarity cried as Pinkie clutched her leg.

"Pinchy knee! Pinchy knee!" she yelped, her eyes wide with fear. "REALLY BAD PINCHY KNEE!"

"What in Din's name has gotten you so worked up?!" Vaati demanded, sitting up straight.

"Oh mah goodness," Applejack moaned in dread.

"What? What?!" Vaati demanded desperately.

"Pinkie Pie has this…weird ability to predict immediate events," Twilight explained hesitantly, as if she had doubts about it herself. "She calls it her 'Pinkie Sense'. If I remember correctly, a pinchy knee means something really scary's about to…"

CRASH!

Glass exploded everywhere as a window was suddenly shattered. Before they could even comprehend what just happened, another window was broken. Maulgrim was up with sword drawn in seconds. Nigellas leapt back towards his companions and readied a fireball. Everyone turned to see two segmented tails with sharpened tips quickly withdrawing from two broken windows. They could also hear scratching noises on the ceiling, as if something with large claws was walking on the roof of their car. And then the culprits crawled through the smashed windows and entered the compartment.

"Din's tits, what are those?!" Nigellas yelled as the monsters advanced.

Rarity and Fluttershy screamed in terror, Rarity promptly fainting. All the others looked scared out of their wits, and for good reason. The creatures that had barged into their car looked absolutely vicious. They were wolves, that much was certain, but wolves weren't supposed to have dragon wings or spear-like tails, or have teeth that big! "Get back, girls!" Vaati commanded getting between the hellhounds and the Mane Six. "We'll deal with this!"

Twilight shook off her terror and stood next to Vaati. "No! I'm helping you!" she spoke with conviction as her horn started to glow.

"Twilight, get you and your friends to the next car! I freaking mean it! There's too many people in here as it is! Everyone fighting at once will just cause chaos! GO!"

"Twilight, Vaati's right!" Applejack cried, slinging Rarity over her back. "There ain't a lotta room in here to fight! Let 'em deal with this!"

Twilight gritted her teeth, hating the sound logic of her friends. "Alright! But you be careful, you three, got it?!"

"Look alive, boss!" Nigellas warned.

Vaati turned to see one of the monsters pounce towards him, and reacted on instinct, blasting it back with a powerful gust of wind, sending it crashing into its companion. The two monsters recovered quickly and simultaneously opened their mouths. "Fire breath!" Vaati yelled. "Get behind me!"

Vaati erected a shield, holding the flames at bay. "Looks like they favor fire!" Nigellas observed, switching out his fireball for a sphere of ice energy. "Let's see how they like a blizzard ten times worse than the one outside right to the face!"

There was not enough room to dodge, one of the hounds taking the brunt of Nigellas's attack. The other ducked behind its companion to protect itself before reemerging and leaping at its foes, claws outstretched. Maulgrim raised his shield and knocked the beast out of the air, slamming it against the wall. Before he could stab it, its tail arched over its head and lunged at the Darknut. Maulgrim blinked in shock as the tip of the tail tore right through his shield, though thankfully missing him. Meanwhile, the first one managed to break out of the ice and lunged at Vaati again, who countered with a Razor Wind spell that left a nasty laceration on the hellhound's chest. The beast yowled in pain and flung itself out the window and disappeared into the blizzard.

The remaining monster struggled to dislodge its tail from Maulgrim's shield, the Darknut working to dislodge his arm from the straps. The awkward position left him unable to get a good strike in due to the beast's constant thrashing. He barely managed to get the strap undone before the monster attempted to roast him with its fire breath. With a rough snap of its tail, his shield slipped off the end and crashed into a table.

Realizing it was now alone, the hellhound made the smart decision and dove out the window as well, its body soon obscured by the howling blizzard.

XXXXXX

In the next car over, Twilight nervously bit her hoof with worry. Rarity had managed to recover and apologized for her behavior. "Oh, I hope they're alright in there!" Twilight whined to herself.

"They'll be fine, sugarcube," Applejack assured her. "Vaati can take care'a himself, remember?"

Suddenly they heard a thumping noise above them, followed by scratching sounds. A second later, another speared tail broke apart a window. "Oh no you don't!" Rainbow shouted as another monster appeared.

Before it could enter the cabin, Rainbow tackled it at full speed, forcing it away from the train. "RAINBOW!" Twilight yelled.

Rainbow pulled away from the monster before it could claw her and bucked it in its chest with her hooves, sending it careening into the endless expanse of snow below. She then quickly flew back inside the cabin. Seeing she was safe, everypony crowded around her, hugging her tight. "Rainbow Dash, don't scare us like that again!" Rarity snapped.

"Hey, I wasn't in any danger!" Rainbow protested. "I kicked his sorry flank twelve ways to Sunday!"

A few moments later, the door leading to the next car opened as Vaati stepped in. "Everyone okay?" he asked with a slight pant.

"Fine, you?" Twilight replied with a sigh of relief.

"We managed to chase them off for now. Did one come in here too?"

"Nope! Thanks to me!" Rainbow boasted.

Vaati rolled his eyes. "Well, in any case, it looks like we're getting close to the Crystal Empire."

Vaati spoke the truth; a few minutes later, the train pulled into a makeshift station, where a white stallion whose face was obscured by a scarf and black glasses of some kind awaited them. The cabin door opened, allowing its occupants to step out into the freezing cold, Nigellas tightly clutching his hat and cursing whatever gods he could think of under his breath.

"Twilight!" the waiting stallion cried, stepping forward.

"Shining Armor?" Twilight called out.

The stallion removed his scarf to reveal that it was indeed her brother, who grinned. "Twily! Vaati! You guys made it!"

"Indeed we did," Vaati replied, shivering in the cold. "Had a little trouble a few miles back though."

Shining's brow furrowed. "What kind of trouble?"

"The train was attacked by several monsters," Maulgrim explained. "Worry not; we drove them off."

"Consequently, I've never seen those monsters before," Vaati pointed out. "Are they Equestrian?"

"I don't think so," Shining responded. "But whatever they are, King Sombra controls them."

"What?!" Twilight yelped.

"King Sombra?" Vaati queried. "If they answer to him…then that means he knew we were coming."

Shining's face looked troubled. "Then we better hurry! If those monsters attacked, then he can't be too far behind! We have to get to the Crystal Empire before he finds us!"

"And before I freeze to death!" Nigellas interjected, shivering. "I ain't an Ice Wizzrobe!"

Shining turned to Maulgrim. "Can you run?"

"Little shrimp, I can run with a mountain on my back," the Darknut retorted.

"Good. Be ready to do so if Sombra appears."

As the group began walking, Nigellas asked, "Who is this King Sombra guy anyway?"

"He's the unicorn king who enslaved the Crystal Empire a thousand years ago," Shining explained. "After the Princesses overthrew him, he caused the Empire to vanish, and it just recently reappeared!"

"If he is a unicorn, then how can he be alive after being overthrown a thousand years ago?" Maulgrim interjected.

"If he's anything like Ganondorf or I, he likely achieved immortality through his studies in dark magic," Vaati pointed out. "It does tend to have that effect on you, after all."

"Cadance and I got to the Empire right before he did," Shining continued. "We barely raised a protective shield in time to keep him from getting in, but he's already attacked it several times."

"But I don't understand!" Twilight cried over the howling blizzard. "We were sent to find a way to protect the Crystal Empire! If King Sombra can't get in, then it must already be protected, right?"

"Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

The entire group stopped cold. "Tell me you guys heard that," Rainbow stuttered, looking around fearfully.

"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! Impudent worms, did you truly think you could escape me?!"

Without warning, a ring of pitch-black clouds encircled the group, lightning flashing from within. Vaati, Maulgrim, Twilight, Nigellas, Rainbow, Applejack, and Shining all braced for a fight as the ring of darkness slowly closed in around them.

"There is no escape from the will of King Sombra! None!"

A beam of dark energy suddenly shot out of the cloud and struck Shining in the chest before anyone could react, knocking him flat on his back with a cry of agony. "SHINY!" Twilight screamed, rushing to his side.

Vaati got between Twilight and the origin of the attack, glaring into the murky blackness before him. Moments later, a pair of evil green eyes stared back at him, a poisonous purple haze trailing out of them. His red pupils were slit like a cat's, and they bore into the sorcerer far more than Vaati would have liked. Soon their owner slowly stepped forward, exiting the dark mist and revealing himself in all his wicked glory. "You must be Vaati the Wind Mage," King Sombra greeted with a dark grin. "Yes…my benefactor has told me all about you."

Vaati's eyes narrowed, wary of the dark unicorn before him. "Benefactor? What benefactor?"

Sombra's sneer widened. "That conversation shall be left for another time. But as it stands now, I cannot allow you or your pathetic friends to interfere with my plans to reclaim my empire!"

Twilight, upon seeing the Crystal Tyrant in person, felt rage overtake her as she ran up beside Vaati. "How dare you attack my brother, you monster!" she yelled, firing a powerful energy beam at King Sombra.

Sombra's horn glowed, causing a dark shield to appear which repelled her attack. Glaring coldly at the much younger unicorn, Sombra snarled, "Know your place, little girl."

As Sombra fired another beam of his own at Twilight, Vaati got in its path and raised a protective shield. The next moment, Vaati found himself hurtling through the air, the explosive energy having shattered his shield. Vaati painfully landed on his back, gasping in shock at the pain and the wet cold of the snow below him. "BOSS!" "MILORD!" both of Vaati's minions cried out as they rushed to his side.

"Count yourself lucky, sorcerer, that my benefactor wants you alive," Sombra intoned. "Your friends, however, will not be so fortunate."

Suddenly, six more shapes emerged from the thick smoke, causing the Mane Six to gasp in fright as they recognized the hellhounds that had previously attacked the train. The beasts glared hungrily at the ponies in particular, ready to devour their prey at last. "Kill everyone but the Wind Mage," Sombra coldly ordered.

"Milord, are you alright?" Maulgrim asked as Vaati struggled to his feet.

"Guh…I underestimated him," he mumbled to himself, wiping his face with his sleeve as he took in their predicament. "Alright, everyone get close to me!"

Everyone immediately crowded around the Wind Sorcerer even as Sombra's hounds closed in for the kill, the dark king himself watching with anticipation. Vaati thrust both his arms out, and soon the wind began to change direction, swirling around the Wind Mage and his friends faster and faster, picking up snow as well until a wall of snow was spinning around them. Sombra snarled at his hounds. "What are you just standing there for?! Stop them!"

Suddenly, the whirlwind expanded outwards, catching Sombra and his monsters by surprise as they were caught up in the hurricane-force winds. "GRAAAAAAAAAAAHH!" the Crystal King bellowed in fury as he and his minions were flung far away back into the blizzard.

"Everyone, GO!" Vaati yelled, reeling slightly from the exertion.

He couldn't remember the last time he'd been forced to use a spell of such magnitude against an opponent, and the fatigue caught up with him quickly. Seeing this, Maulgrim took the initiative and hoisted the exhausted Hylian wizard over his shoulder and ran alongside the others, flinging an unconscious Shining Armor over his other shoulder. "MOVE!" he bellowed.

The Wizzrobe, Darknut, and ponies ran as fast as their legs could carry them towards a sky-blue dome in the distance. "That must be it!" Twilight yelled. "We're almost there!"

"GRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Everybody looked over their shoulders to see a wall of black mist barreling towards them, Sombra's enraged face at the forefront. Black lightning bolts lanced out of his horn, almost hitting Nigellas and Twilight, who ran faster out of panic.

"You will not escape, fools!" Sombra roared.

"Almost there…almost there," Twilight whispered desperately to herself as they got closer to the Empire's boundaries.

Finally they phased through the protective barrier just as Sombra reached it as well, the evil king bellowing in rage at his failure.

XXXXXX

On the other side, Twilight and her companions finally stopped and panted in exhaustion. "Everybody okay?"

Maulgrim lowered Vaati and Shining to the ground as they came to. Shining had a nasty burn mark on his chest from where Sombra had struck him, causing him to groan as he got to his hooves. "Shiny!" Twilight cried, running up to him.

"Urgh…I'm fine, Twily, really," Shining answered. "I just need to visit the infirmary. The healer we brought with us should be able to fix me up. In the meantime, I want you all to go visit Cadance at the Crystal Palace."

Twilight looked doubtful, but did not press him further.

"Wow…sparkler-rific!" Pinkie cried as she spied the Crystal Empire ahead of them.

As they walked down the empty streets, Rarity fawned over everything she saw. "It-it's all so gorgeous! Just gorgeous! There…are no words!"

"Focus, Rarity," Applejack chided. "We're here to help protect this place, not admire the scenery."

"Eh, I don't see what the big deal is," Rainbow replied in a bored tone. "Looks like just another old castle to me."

Rarity's face twitched. "Another…old…CASTLE?!" she stammered. "Why you…!"

Then she noticed that Rainbow was laughing, and realized she was just fooling around with her. "Yes, haha, very funny."

"I will concede, though," Vaati admitted, "that this place is indeed magnificent."

My palace is still superior though, he finished in his mind.

XXXXXX

Crystal Palace, Throne Room…

Princess Cadance wearily sat upon the throne, her head bowed as her horn remained aglow. She barely registered the doors open, but her eyes shot open when she heard a familiar voice cry her name. Her exhaustion momentarily disappearing, Cadance walked up to Twilight and did their little dance. "Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!"

As the two of them laughed and shared a hug, Vaati walked past them and remarked, "I still think that's stupid."

As they separated, Cadance's horn suddenly fizzled out for a moment, and Vaati noticed the cold arctic blizzard for a split-second before Cadance's magic reasserted itself. "Nayru's Love, you look like crap, Princess," Nigellas bluntly stated.

Maulgrim roughly elbowed the Wizzrobe. "Have care how you speak in the presence of royalty, Wizzrobe," the Darknut warned.

Cadance lifted a hoof. "No no, it's alright. I can't say I don't share his sentiment right now. By the way, who are you? I don't recognize you."

"You may have met them once or twice at your wedding reception," Vaati explained. "These are my chief minions, Nigellas the Wizzrobe and Maulgrim the Darknut. They helped lead the defense of Canterlot during the changeling attack."

Cadance nodded in respect. "Then I must thank you for doing that for us, Nigellas and Maulgrim. You performed a great service to Equestria."

"It was our pleasure," Maulgrim replied with a bow.

"Eh heh, yes it was," Nigellas agreed in a slightly sinister tone.

Cadance looked out the window of the palace and said, "As I'm sure you've probably guessed by now, I'm the one responsible for the shield that's currently protecting the Crystal Empire from King Sombra's attacks."

"Cadance, you haven't been getting any sleep, have you?" Twilight realized with horror.

Cadance weakly shook her head. "I can't; my spell needs to be constantly maintained. I can't drop it for even a second, or…well, you saw what's out there."

"Aye, we did," Nigellas agreed. "Damn near killed us all, too."

Cadance's brow furrowed with worry. "King Sombra attacked us en route to the Empire," Vaati explained. "And before that, those monsters that apparently answer to him attacked our train. He knew we were coming, and tried to stop us from reaching you. Even more troubling, though, was what he told me. Sombra is not working alone, it seems. He mentioned a 'benefactor' of sorts, a benefactor who apparently knows all about me. It may very well be that this ally of his not only provided him with those monsters, but also likely released him from his prison."

At that, Cadance realized a presence missing from the room. "Wait, where's Shining Armor?" she asked in a half-panicked tone.

"It's alright, Cadance!" Twilight assured her. "Shining's fine. Sombra injured him, so he went to the infirmary and told us to go on ahead."

Cadance sighed in relief. "Thank goodness something worse didn't happen. You know, it would be nice for us to meet again when the fate of Equestria isn't hanging in the balance."

"Princess, I think you need a break," Vaati surmised. "If you recall, I can perform shield spells too. I can keep up my own while you…"

"It won't work, Vaati," Cadance interrupted solemnly. "My barrier is comprised of my love magic, which seems to be what protected this place in the past. It's the only shield that's managed to keep Sombra out as long as it has. He and his minions made short work of Shining's barrier when we first got here."

Vaati was visibly disturbed by this revelation. "I…see."

"Between me keeping up this shield and Shining keeping an eye on Sombra's activities in the Arctic, neither of us have had much time to gather any kind of information from the Crystal Ponies."

"Crystal Ponies?!" Rarity exclaimed with a manic smile as she pulled on her hair. "There are Crystal Ponies?!"

She calmed down when she noticed the weird looks everyone else was giving her. "Um…please, continue."

"We have to believe that at least one of them knows something about how to protect the Empire without my protection spell. I can't keep this up forever…"

Vaati scratched his chin. "Well, we could go out there and interrogate the populace ourselves. Would that help?"

Cadance smiled. "Yes, that would be a godsend."

"Then we have our mission," Vaati proclaimed, turning to his gathered friends. "We'll split up and interrogate the citizens, see if any of us can find any useful information."

XXXXXX

"Are you sure? Absolutely sure?" Twilight asked the Crystal Pony.

"I wish I could help you," the mare dully answered. "But…I can't seem to remember anything before King Sombra came to power. And I don't want to remember anything from the time he ruled over us."

The Crystal Pony shivered at the very thought of her life under the tyrant's hoof. "King Sombra's magic must be why their coats aren't…crystally," Twilight whispered to Vaati.

"Have we really been gone a thousand years?" the Crystal Pony asked.

"Yep," Vaati answered bluntly.

"It seems like it was just yesterday," the mare spoke.

"Likely because time didn't even move for you during your imprisonment," Vaati replied.

"If you think of anything, even the smallest bit…" Twilight urged.

"Of course," the mare answered before slowly closing her door.

"That's the twenty-fifth one we've come across," Vaati griped. "All of them are exactly the same; don't remember anything, and act like a bunch of mindless automatons! Perhaps King Sombra wiped their memories too…"

The thought didn't sit well with Twilight. If that was the case, would their search be in vain?

XXXXXX

"Hey you!" Nigellas said to a pair of Crystal Ponies. "This empire of yours has some kind of magical protection! Know anything about it?"

"I wish we could help you," one of them dully replied as they walked off.

As Nigellas watched the apathetic citizens roam aimlessly about, Maulgrim came up to him, having had no luck himself. "What in the bloody Dark World's wrong with these people?!" Nigellas complained. "They don't remember anything about their own homes! Any luck on your end?"

Maulgrim shook his head. "Same as the others," he answered.

"I'm starting to think this may be a lost cause," Nigellas surmised.

XXXXXX

Eventually, everyone met back up beneath the Crystal Palace. "I got nothin' so far," Rainbow informed.

"Me either," Rarity added.

"Our search was a bust too," Nigellas agreed.

Fluttershy walked up to Twilight…only to reveal she was in fact Pinkie in a Fluttershy suit. "My cover has been blown!" she hissed in Twilight's ear. "I repeat; my cover has been blown!"

"Uh…okay?" Twilight responded awkwardly.

"Sorry, Twilight," Applejack apologized. "It seems like these Crystal Ponies have some kinda collective amnesia or somethin'. Only thing I was able to get from 'em was somethin' about a library."

Twilight suddenly grinned widely. "A library?! Well why didn't you say so?!"

"Uh…Ah thought Ah just did."

XXXXXX

The whole group soon arrived at the Crystal Library, basking in the huge collection of books before them. "I just…I don't even know what to…there are no words!" Twilight stammered in awe.

"Ahem…can I help you?"

Everyone turned to see an elderly Crystal Pony with huge glasses staring at them. "Yes!" Twilight replied enthusiastically. "We're looking for a book!"

"We have plenty of those."

"Way to be specific, Twilight," Vaati jibed before addressing the librarian. "We're looking for the history section."

The librarian rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "History, history… Ah, yes!"

The whole group looked at her expectantly, but the elderly mare said nothing. "…Are you going to tell us where it is or not?" Vaati inquired impatiently.

"I…I…don't…remember," the librarian slowly replied. "I'm not sure I actually work here."

A collective groan rose up amongst the group.

"Is this crone really freaking serious right now?!" Nigellas griped.

"How can you not remember whether or not you work here?!" Vaati snapped, losing his patience.

"I-I don't know!" the mare whimpered. "I'm sorry!"

Vaati sighed in exasperation and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Alright, everyone. It looks like we'll have to find the History section on our own. Split up and search, tell me if you find anything. Now hop to it, all of you!"

XXXXXX

At least an hour passed, upon which the ponies, Hylian, Darknut, and Wizzrobe made a right mess of the library during their fruitless search for anything related to history. As she looked up from another false lead, Applejack asked aloud, "Anybody else startin' to think this might be a lost cause?"

Nigellas stood on top of a ladder, picking a book from the top shelf. "Nope," he grunted to himself, tossing it carelessly over his shoulder.

He failed to notice said book hit the back of Maulgrim's head down below, causing the Darknut to grunt in surprise and turn around, just in time for a second book rejected by the Wizzrobe to smack him right in the nose. Snarling in offense, Maulgrim swiped another book from the shelf and chucked it at Nigellas's head.

The effect was immediate.

"AH GODSDAMNIT TO THE BOWELS OF—KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!"

Nigellas, dazed by the heavy projectile, lost his balance on the ladder and fell. Unfortunately, he took the entire bookshelf with him, an enormous crash echoing through the halls of the spacious library as it fell on top of the hapless Wizzrobe, crushing him beneath splintered wood and scattered books.

"Perhaps I overdid it," Maulgrim muttered in bewilderment.

Everyone was at the scene of the accident immediately. "OH MY CELESTIA, WHAT HAPPENED HERE?!" Twilight screeched, horrified by the mess.

"…A catastrophe of a certain nature," Maulgrim half-mumbled.

"Why do I get the feeling you're responsible for this, Captain?" Vaati spoke, staring at the nervously-sweating Darknut with a critical eye.

Everyone watched as Nigellas slowly drug himself out of the wreckage, groaning in agony. "Oww…why in the Dark World did you…"

Still dazed, Nigellas's face fell on a book, ironically the one responsible for his pain. After a moment, he lifted his head and read the title. "…Oh look, I found something," he muttered before falling unconscious.

Vaati stirred in mild excitement before heading over and eschewing the book from beneath the Wizzrobe's limp noggin so he could read the title. "History of the Crystal Empire," Vaati read, everyone grinning with excitement. "Well, it seems that, despite you two's faithful tribute to The Hero and the Pottery Shop, you proved to be a help in the end."

"Let's hope it has the answers we need," Twilight mused aloud as Vaati opened the weathered recording of the Empire's history.

XXXXXX

Crystal Palace, two hours later…

As Cadance sat wearily upon the throne, her husband at her side and wearing a bandage over his wound, Vaati and Twilight strode in, a book tucked under the Wind Sorcerer's arm. "Good news, my hapless compatriots," Vaati greeted loudly. "We've finally found some worthwhile information about this confounded place and how it protected itself in the olden days."

Cadance barely even acknowledged their presence, but Shining Armor managed to smile. "Finally! What did you guys find?"

"A Crystal Fair!" Twilight replied.

"A what?" Shining asked with a confused blink.

"It's an old tradition amongst the Crystal Ponies," Vaati explained. "It was established by the Empire's first queen, and has been repeated once each year as a way to…gyuh, it still sickens me slightly to say this…"

Vaati opened the book and quoted a passage from it. "…renew the spirit of love and unity in the Empire so they could protect it from harm."

"All the answers we need are right here in this book!" Twilight exclaimed excitedly. "My friends and I could put the Fair together and rekindle the Empire's magic!"

"Normally I would make it clear how stupid I find the whole thing," Vaati added, "but this Fair might be the only thing that can clear up the citizens' collective amnesia, which I'm almost certain by now is King Sombra's doing."

"Sounds pretty promising!" Shining answered with a smile, which faded as he noticed how exhausted his beloved wife looked as she continued to keep her shield spell active.

Seeing this as well, Twilight said, "We'll get started right away!"

"Hold on a moment, Twilight," Vaati interrupted, stopping her. "One thing bothers me about this."

"What is it?" Twilight asked.

"This Fair is supposed to generate the magic necessary to keep Sombra out of the Empire, right?"

"Well, yeah."

"Then answer me this; if this Fair was practiced every year before he came to power, how was he still able to get inside in the first place?"

Nobody had an answer for Vaati's question. Indeed, the very thought of what the answer could be served only to heighten everyone's anxiety. As they left, neither of them noticed Shining suddenly clutch his chest and take a sharp breath as pain wracked his body.

XXXXXX

As Vaati followed Twilight into the room where the others waited, he sighed in resignation as he heard the dreaded song cue. "Here we go again."

Maulgrim and Nigellas looked equally confused. "Just stay quiet and out of the way until they get it out of their system," Vaati recommended.

Twilight set the book on the table and opened it as she sang:

"Princess Cadance needs our help,

Her magic will not last forever!

I think that we can do it,

But we have to work together!"

"What am I seeing," Nigellas mumbled flatly.

"We have to get this right,

Yes we have to make them see,

We can save the Crystal Ponies

With their history!"

As Rainbow put on a suit of armor, she sang;

"It says that they like jousting!"

This news caused Maulgrim to finger through the book's pages with sudden interest.

"They flew a flag of many hues!" Rarity joined in.

"Make sweets with crystal berries!" Applejack sang as she picked them alongside Pinkie.

"I'd refrain from eating that if I were you," Nigellas flatly suggested.

"They had a petting zoo with tiny ewes!" Fluttershy added.

"Oh we have to get this right,

Yes we have to make them see,

We can save the Crystal Ponies

With their history!" Twilight's friends all sang.

"There was a crystal flugelhorn

That everypony liked to play!" Pinkie sang as she blew into said device, making everyone within the near vicinity cringe.

"And the Crystal Kingdom Anthem,

Can you learn it in a day?" Twilight sang.

As they all set up the fair, Vaati's jaw dropped as he saw Maulgrim and Nigellas finally lose their nerve and succumb to the catchy tune, singing alongside the others.

"Oh we have to get this right,

Yes we have to make them see,

We can save the Crystal Ponies

With their hiiiistooooryyyyy!"

As the music died out, Vaati marveled as he finally comprehended the situation at hand, looking at all their hard work. "That…took a lot less time than I thought it would," the baffled sorcerer mumbled.

"I'll never underestimate the power of random song cues ever again," Nigellas added with a whistle. "I say we did a grand job, though!"

"Thanks, guys!" Twilight said. "I couldn't have done it without you all! Now to make one final check that everything's set up, and then the festivities can begin!"

"What's this thing for?" Applejack asked, indicating a crystal sculpture of a heart on a pedestal.

"The last page mentioned something about a Crystal Heart as the centerpiece of the Fair," Twilight answered. "So I used my magic to cut one out of a crystal block!"

"Looks nice, Twi!" Applejack congratulated. "Ah think we're ready to get this Fair up 'n runnin'!"

XXXXXX

A few minutes later…

Pinkie Pie made an ungodly cacophony of noise as she blew into the flugelhorn to announce the arrival of Cadance and Shining Armor as they stepped onto the palace balcony overlooking the city. Vaati, Nigellas, and Maulgrim, serving as impromptu guards, stood at their sides. Twilight walked ahead of them and cleared her voice. "Hear ye, hear-!"

Twilight was abruptly interrupted by another tormenting blast of Pinkie's horn, that is, until Maulgrim seized it from her and chucked it off the balcony without a word. Noticing everyone staring at him, the Darknut stood at attention. "Please, do continue."

Twilight rolled her eyes before issuing her announcement to the city. "Hear ye, hear ye!" she declared. "Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor cordially invite you to attend the Crystal Fair!"

At this, Crystal Ponies slowly began to emerge from their homes, their curiosity piquing as something dormant stirred within them, forgotten memories suppressed by the lingering will of a relentless tyrant. Vaati noted with curiosity as some of the ponies abruptly changed into a more elegant, crystalline form that shined dazzlingly in the sunlight.

"Twilight, I think this may actually work now," he admitted.

XXXXXX

Outside the boundaries of the Empire's shield, a dark force seethed, observing his target with growing anger. Surrounded by a protective cloud of darkness, King Sombra snarled. "They're putting together that accursed Fair," he growled, barely hearing the snarls of Majora's Hounds beside him over the forever-howling winds. "Impossible! They can't have found the Crystal Heart already, could they? None of my spells have been triggered so far…What are they doing?! Bah, no matter! I have no intention of letting this go any further!"

The poisonous glow from his eyes intensified as dark magic flared from his horn, slowly condensing into a swirling mass of pure annihilation.

XXXXXX

As the Fair went underway, Rainbow's excessive mingling amongst the crowd caused her to pick up tidbits of information as the Crystal Ponies' memories began to return. One piece in particular caused her to panic and hide the Crystal Heart under the flag Rarity had made for the Fair, accidentally draping it over Twilight and Vaati as they continued to read from the book.

"Hey, what gives?" Vaati snapped, brushing the cloth off his head and standing up.

"Guys, I think we got a problem!" Rainbow declared.

After explaining the situation, they immediately went to Shining and Cadance to inform them of the abrupt news. "I didn't know it was an actual relic!" Twilight stammered, frantically flipping through the book's pages. "The book didn't mention anything about the Crystal Ponies powering the Heart!"

Once Twilight reached the last page, everyone sans Vaati gasped. "And here's why," the sorcerer declared. "That bastard of a king tore out the page explaining it! Good Goddesses, he's more thorough than even Ganon ever was!"

"I'm so so sorry, Cadance!" Twilight apologized profusely.

"I-it's alright, Twilight," Cadance stuttered.

Suddenly Cadance cried out as she felt an incredibly powerful force strike her shield. In her weakened state, there was nothing she could do. With a cry of agony, she fell into her husband's arms as her horn fizzled out. Everyone's eyes widened. "Twily," Shining whispered.

"Oh Goddesses, no…" Vaati breathed in dread.

All around the city, the shield collapsed, the clear blue sky giving way to the frigid winds of the icy north. A vast black cloud encircled the city, slowly advancing on the defenseless kingdom. Vaati leaned over the balcony edge and peered into the shadows with his keen eyes.

There he was, grinning cruelly at his impending triumph.

King Sombra laughed as he saw his waiting Empire clear as day. As he stepped forth from the dark mist, the Hounds emerged alongside, their yellow eyes glowing like eldritch flame. Sombra glanced at them before he spoke. "The King of Nightmares wants the Wind Mage alive. Bring him to me in one piece. As for the Equestrian interlopers…bring me their heads on a stake!"

To Be Continued…

Episode 18: The Crystal Empire Part 2

Episode 18: The Crystal Empire Part 2

Cadance's shield had failed. The Crystal Empire was defenseless. And as Vaati and his friends watched, King Sombra issued an order to the monstrous winged wolves at his side. "Cadance!" Shining begged, shaking his limp, unresponsive wife. "Please! You gotta wake up!"

Vaati gripped the rails of the balcony tightly, watching his distant enemies prepare to attack. "Vaati, what do we do?!" Twilight panicked.

Vaati gritted his teeth. "I don't know. But whatever it is, do it quick! In the meantime, I'll hold him off!"

"Vaati, wait!" Twilight cried, but the sorcerer had already vanished.

"Din's tits, we're in trouble," Nigellas breathed, pulling down on his hat anxiously.

XXXXXX

Just as the Hounds of Majora spread their wings to take flight, a sudden gust of wind forced them all back and sent them careening back into the dismal cold. All except King Sombra, who stood firm in the face of the intense wind. He flashed a fanged smile as he saw the Wind Mage appear before him, pointing at the dark king. "That's as far as you go, Sombra," Vaati ominously intoned.

Sombra chuckled darkly at his foe's impudence. "We meet again, sorcerer," he spoke as the Hounds recovered their footing and prowled back up to their commander's side, growling at Vaati. "Have you not yet learned your lesson from our first meeting, boy?"

"I admit you caught me by surprise the first time around," Vaati replied, "and I congratulate you for it. Every other dark force I've faced in this world was too easily beaten, despite whatever power they held. But it was nothing more than a lucky blow. It will take more than that for you to prove yourself my equal!"

Sombra's grin widened. "As you wish." He then turned to his servants. "The lot of you are not to intervene."

The Hounds growled, but obeyed their master's wishes, backing away to give the combatants room. The wind howled in anticipation, whipping the two master wizards' cloaks about. Sombra's horn crackled with black lightning. "Let us test the extent of your power, Sorcerer of Winds!"

XXXXXX

Twilight watched from afar as Vaati battled against King Sombra, biting her lip. Shining was still trying to rouse his wife, while Nigellas paced about anxiously, trying to think of something. Rainbow darted through the air, unable to decide whether she should stay or help Vaati out with that nutcase of a king. Maulgrim stood still as a statue, impassive as ever, but one could tell it was because even he had no idea what to do. Crystal ponies throughout the city were beginning to notice the black mist surrounding the outskirts of the Empire and panicked, running to the safety of their homes.

Everything was going to Tartarus in a hoofbasket.

"C'mon, guys!" Rainbow Dash demanded. "We gotta think of something! Princess Cadance needs to get that shield back up somehow!"

Nigellas suddenly stopped pacing and looked up. "I think I have an idea! Miss Sparkle, I'll need your help with this!"

Twilight turned away from the balcony and looked at the Wizzrobe. "What do you need me to do?" she asked, a determined look on her face.

"Cadance is out of magical energy," Nigellas explained. "And it'll take too long for her to replenish it on her own. So we're going to do a little Wizzrobe trick we use to empower certain members of our Order in case of an emergency; a power transfer, of sorts. You following me?"

Twilight nodded. "We have a spell like that, I think. But it's risky. If we transfer too much of our own magical power to another…"

"We could very well completely drain away our own Life Force and die," Nigellas finished for her. "Aye, I know the risks. That's why we Wizzrobes only did it during emergencies, whenever the Grand Overseer himself was in danger or had already been killed, thus requiring a new one to be selected. We'll have to be careful, but the both of us have a great deal of magic within ourselves. Not as much as Lord Vaati, but an impressive amount nonetheless. Do you know the spell?"

Twilight nodded.

"Good. Follow my lead, and stop only when I tell you to. Be warned; the both of us will feel very tired after this."

"I understand."

Nigellas nodded and strode over to Shining Armor. "Alright, set her down and step aside," the Wizzrobe ordered.

Too worried for his wife to object, Shining obliged and backed away as Nigellas and Twilight knelt by an unconscious Cadance. The Wizzrobe looked up at her. "You ready for this?"

Twilight nodded. "I'm ready."

Nigellas's hands and Twilight's horn simultaneously began to glow with energy. The magical energies streamed from their appendages into Cadance's horn, transferring into her body. As she began to look less and less exhausted, their fatigue grew worse. But they kept going. Just as Twilight was about to give out, Nigellas finally said, "Alright…enough."

With an exhausted gasp, Twilight and Nigellas severed their connections and fell limply to the ground. "Twily!" Shining cried, running to his sister's side.

"I'm fine, Shiny," Twilight tiredly assured him. "I'm just a little tired. Cadance…?"

Shining looked over and gasped in relief as Cadance got to her hooves, looking a lot less haggard than she had before. Before she could comprehend how her strength had returned, Nigellas wheezed from where he lay, "Now would be a good time to get that shield of yours back up, Your Highness!"

Cadance blinked for a moment before she finally understood what was going on. Looking over the balcony, she could see lights flashing in the distance as Vaati and King Sombra dueled fiercely. From the looks of it, the sorcerer was mostly on the defensive, but he remained within the Empire's boundaries and made sure Sombra stayed out of it. But it was obvious it wouldn't stay that way much longer. Without further ado, she lit up her horn and cast her spell.

XXXXXX

"Tch…unbelievable," Vaati hissed to himself as he narrowly avoided a bolt of black lightning from Sombra.

To his shock, he was actually struggling in the fight against his opponent. King Sombra was much more powerful than the Changeling Queen and was taking this fight much more seriously than Discord had. For the first time since he had arrived in Equestria, he was fighting an equally dangerous enemy. Snarling in frustration, Vaati countered with a flurry of electric-blue energy spheres, hurling them all at the black unicorn. Sombra's horn flashed, causing a wall of black crystals to emerge around his body, absorbing the energy spheres and shattering afterwards, leaving the dark tyrant unharmed. Vaati gritted his teeth once more; unlike his previous enemies, this one was a skilled fighter.

Sombra took a step forward. Then another. Black magic flashed from his horn, forcing Vaati back. He was a mere few hoofsteps away from setting foot on the Empire's soil. If he passed that threshold, the shield would be useless. Vaati growled in defiance as he summoned one of his Eye Sentries. Sombra halted, curious to see what the sorcerer was planning next. Vaati seized direct control of the sentry with his mind, and shifted its form into something he had not used in centuries: a sword, a rapier to be exact. The hilt was a pair of bat wings, and the hand-guard contained an engraving of Vaati's demon form. An amethyst stone was set in the pommel.

Without breaking contact with Sombra's eyes, Vaati experimentally swung his weapon around himself, refamilarizing himself with his old sword. He hadn't utilized his skill at swordplay since the Picori Festival all those centuries ago, due to relying more heavily on his magic. But he had learned his skills from secretly observing the swordsmen school his old enemy had been a part of. And though he had never fought the Hero of Legend blade-to-blade, he was confident his skills could match the upstart brat's any day.

Thus he levelled the tip of his sword at the smirking king. "You want to test the limits of my abilities?" he asked rhetorically. "Then you had best be prepared to test all of them. Magic isn't my only strong point, you know."

Sombra laughed. "How intriguing! A mage who actually knows how to use a sword! Very well, I'll play your little game."

At Sombra's behest, a red and black scythe appeared from thin air, enveloped in his dark magic. Twirling it rapidly around himself, Sombra grinned at his opponent, who looked uncertain for a split-second before throwing caution to the wind and meeting him in melee combat. The clashing of their weapons rang in the frigid air. Despite Vaati's skill, Sombra had the greater reach with his scythe, and Vaati could not get a hit through Sombra's defenses. Every time Vaati made a thrust, it was deflected by the constant spinning of Sombra's scythe. Finally Sombra swung at the mage, who blocked and pushed against him, trying to force the Crystal Tyrant back. Sombra snickered. "This is not like other duels you have fought, Vaati. My weapon is wielded by magic, not by hooves. Locking blades with me won't push me back."

Vaati smirked. "No. But this will!"

Without warning, Vaati grabbed hold of the shaft of Sombra's weapon and channeled a burst of magic into it, disrupting Sombra's hold over it. Grunting in surprise, Sombra dropped his weapon. That grunt became a cry of agony as he suddenly felt Vaati's blade slice cleanly through his horn, severing it from his body. Sombra clutched the stump of his horn as he reeled back in pain. And to finish it off, Vaati kicked the evil king squarely in the chest, knocking him back into the blizzard just as the shield suddenly began to rise up from the ground. Opening one eye, Sombra could only scream with rage as Vaati smirked and raised his middle finger at him, a gesture of extreme disrespect he had picked up from the Hylians, before disappearing behind the shield's reflective surface.

"VAAAAAAAAATIIIIIIII!"

XXXXXX

Vaati just stared at the shield where he could imagine Sombra raging on the other side for several quiet moments, breathing heavily. Finally he dropped his sword to the ground, fell on his back, and laughed. He laughed at the adrenaline still flowing through his veins. He laughed at the look on Sombra's face as the shield went back up. He laughed at himself for being stupid enough to endanger himself like that. He was laughing too much to notice the severed tip of Sombra's horn sink into the ground, a pool of dark energy forming around it.

XXXXXX

With the shield once again active, Cadance could now turn her attention to the Wizzrobe and unicorn both lying on the ground, both panting profusely. Frowning in anger, she yelled, "Do you have any idea how irresponsible that was of you, Twilight?! Giving your magic to me?! If something had gone wrong, you could have died!"

"Don't blame her, Princess," Nigellas groaned as he slowly got to his feet. "The whole thing was my idea. I've done it before myself, so I had her follow my directions. She was never in any danger."

"You had lost consciousness, Cadance," Twilight slowly added as she too stood upright. "What else could we do?"

"I understand it was the only thing you could do," Cadance answered. "That doesn't mean I still have to like it."

"What about Vaati?" Twilight asked. "Is he okay?"

As if in answer, Vaati appeared out of thin ear, panting quietly. "I'm right here and in one piece. What more do you want?"

Twilight gasped and immediately wrapped the mage up in a bear hug. "Vaati, I'm so glad you're okay!" she cried. "Don't you ever scare me like that again!"

"Now if I did that, my life would get too boring," Vaati commented dismissively before turning his attention to Cadance. "Rest assured, Sombra won't be bothering us again for a while. Not much a unicorn can do without a horn, after all."

Rainbow's mouth dropped. "You cut off his horn?!"

Vaati smirked as he dismissed his rapier. "I can hold my own in more than just magic duels, Rainbow Dash."

"…Okay, that's pretty dang awesome," Rainbow spoke in awe.

Vaati couldn't stop himself from preening. Compliments from Rainbow Dash were a rare occurrence. But before Twilight could speak up and lightly berate her friend for feeding Vaati's ego, Shining suddenly let out a pained gasp and collapsed on his knees, clutching his chest. "Shiny?!" Twilight cried.

"Shining!" Cadance cried, rushing to her husband's side and removing the bandage from Shining's chest.

Everyone gasped at what they saw.

Black crystals were slowly growing out of Shining's chest where his wound was, tearing through his white coat. Shining's breathing became labored; the agony of a single breath was excruciating. "W-what's happening to my brother?!" Twilight stammered in a panic.

"His body is becoming crystallized," Vaati slowly replied in mortified fascination. "That spell Sombra hit him with…it must have had a side-effect."

Cadance shuddered a breath. "I have to stop this!"

Shining urgently held up a hoof, wincing at the pain the action and his words caused him. "No! Cadance, you can't drop the shield! Not for a moment! Not even for me…"

"Shiny, you can't let this get worse!" Twilight cried. "It'll kill you!"

"And King Sombra will kill all of us if he gets inside the Empire!" Shining shot back, grunting in agony as the pain in his chest spiked in intensity. "D-don't worry about me, alright? We need to find the Crystal Heart. If we do, we can use it to undo this spell."

"What's this we business?" Nigellas spoke up. "Your ass belongs in the infirmary. We'll look for the Crystal Heart!"

"No, Nigellas," Vaati interrupted with a frown.

"Sir?" Nigellas inquired.

"You and Maulgrim are to stay here and keep the fair up and running alongside the others, as well as continue to provide security. If anything, you can partake in a few of the events yourselves. Just make sure that the Crystal Ponies have a good time, otherwise they won't be able to power the Crystal Heart, even if we do find it. Twilight and I will search for the Heart ourselves."

"I'm staying by Cadance's side," Shining said, pulling himself to his hooves. "There's nothing the infirmary can do for me anyways. My wife needs me."

Vaati nodded before turning to the others. "Maulgrim, Nigellas, you have your orders. Twilight, let's go."

"Do you even have any idea where to start looking?" Twilight asked.

"Why do you think I'm bringing you along instead of Rainbow Dash?"

"Hey!" Rainbow griped in the background.

"Be careful, both of you," Shining said.

As Vaati and Twilight retreated into the palace to begin their search, a dark crystal began to grow from where Sombra's severed horn had come to rest.

XXXXXX

King Sombra gritted his teeth in hatred as he felt his black magic take form around him, focusing on his stump of a horn and regenerating it, the power of his hatred towards the Sorcerer of Winds strengthening his magic. Within moments Sombra's horn was fully restored, and the dark king's grimace became a savage grin. "Foolish sorcerer," he spoke to himself, chuckling darkly. "Your attempt to disable me has only worked to my advantage."

He glanced at the snarling Hounds. "Continue to assault the barrier. I will weaken it from within."

As the Hounds of Majora renewed their assault on the shield, tearing and biting at it with a bloodthirsty zeal, Sombra charged black magic into his horn and connected with the small crystal on the other side of the barrier. Slowly but surely, the black crystals began to spread as the Crystal Tyrant's magic seeped into the Empire's borders like a deadly disease.

XXXXXX

As Nigellas and Maulgrim paced around the fair, watching the Crystal Ponies partake in the festivities, Nigellas sighed audibly. "Well this is a fine kettle of fish we find ourselves in."

"How so?" Maulgrim rumbled.

Nigellas lowered his voice to prevent the unsuspecting ponies from eavesdropping. "Lord Vaati and Miss Twilight are heading off to find that Crystal Heart while we're stuck keeping these crystalline dimwits too entertained to notice the crazed Equestrian equivalent of Ganon literally right at their doorstep, trying to force his way in! It's bloody ridiculous, I say!"

"It is the way it must be," Maulgrim replied. "If anyone can find the Heart, it's Master Vaati. And when he does find it, we will no longer have to worry about the dark force beyond our borders."

Nigellas sighed, exasperated. "Remember the days when we just blew whatever was giving us trouble into dust and left it at that?"

"Perhaps, then, you should follow the Crystal Ponies' example and find a way to entertain yourself and keep your mind off the concept of our impending doom."

"…Conversations with you are always so uplifting," Nigellas muttered sarcastically.

Maulgrim was about to reply when his vision was suddenly blocked by a mass of sky-blue and rainbows. "Hey, big guy!" Rainbow Dash declared. "Think you can help me out?"

Maulgrim grunted and stepped back to give himself room. "What do you want?"

"I'm about to start up the jousting tournament," Rainbow explained. "But my opponent, Fluttershy, ended up chickening out, and now I got nobody to joust against! Think you can pick up her slack?"

Maulgrim scoffed. "You could not budge me if you tried your hardest, rainbow one."

Rainbow sneered. "Is that the Darknut way of saying you're chicken?"

A brief, uncomfortable silence ensued before Nigellas broke it, clearing his throat. "Ah, kid, there are things one would consider courageous, and things one would consider foolhardy. What you just did was mind-numbingly stupid."

"I accept your challenge," the Darknut rumbled ominously. "And tonight, I drink to your bones."

Even the arrogant, cocky attitude of Rainbow buckled momentarily beneath the death gaze of the Black Knight. But she would not accept that she had bitten off more than she could chew. "Hey, egghead," she said to Nigellas.

"Yes, chicken horse?"

Rainbow bristled. "Don't call me chicken horse!"

"Don't call me egghead," Nigellas replied in an even tone.

Rainbow glowered at the Wizzrobe. Touché, egghead. Touché.

"Anyways, while I'm off teaching the big guy here a thing or two," Rainbow said, "would you mind watching my stall for me? I'm giving out flugelhorns."

Rainbow pointed towards the stall in question. Nigellas shrugged his shoulders. "Eh, I have little else to do. Good luck getting your hide tanned twelve ways to Sunday, kid."

Maulgrim's armor clanked ominously as he slowly walked past Rainbow, heading for the jousting area to put her in her place. The young pegasus could not resist gulping nervously. As they left to settle their business, Nigellas took up Rainbow's stall and picked up one of the silly-looking horns, waving it in the air. "Oi! Who wants a flugelhorn?!" he hawked.

"Ooh! Ooh! I want a flugelhorn!" Pinkie Pie declared, dressed up as a clown.

Nigellas glared at her. "Nobody cares about you, Pinkie Pie! Who ELSE wants a flugelhorn?!"

"I WANT A FLUGELHORN!" Pinkie demanded, stomping her hooves like a bratty foal.

Nigellas was sorely tempted to give her one, alright. Right across her painted face. The Wizzrobe slumped his shoulders and groaned. "Gyuh, why this?"

Meanwhile, Maulgrim and Rainbow regarded the bleachers full of cheering ponies with half-interest as they idly adjusted their armor, staring each other down all the while. Maulgrim looked at the lance clutched in his hand, a truly puny weapon for one of his size and stature, with a measure of disdain. He then glanced at Rainbow, who pawed at the ground in preparation for a charge. Time to take this one's ego down a peg, the Darknut thought to himself, smirking.

The rainbow pegasus lowered her lance and charged.

Maulgrim did not move.

WHAM!

The next thing Rainbow knew, she was swaying on her feet and seeing stars. "But I dun wanna feed Gramma while she's in the bathtub," Rainbow slurred before falling on her back, knocked clean out.

Maulgrim looked down at the small dent in his chestplate and the shattered lance laying in pieces around Rainbow's body. The entire audience burst into laughter at the scene, and Rainbow would have blushed furiously were she not already unconscious. Raising his arms towards the crowd, the great warrior boomed, "Are you not entertained?!"

He was answered with raucous cheers from the audience.

It was good that Maulgrim was a natural crowd-pleaser. Otherwise, they would have noticed crystals in the background darkening to a sinister shade of black as the artificial sky flickered, revealing the dark mist indicating Sombra's looming presence circling the Empire like a snake coiling around its victim.

XXXXXX

Crystal Palace…

As Vaati and Twilight fruitlessly searched throughout the palace for any sign of the Crystal Heart, Twilight suddenly noticed the Throne Room, and something occurred to her as she observed the throne.

If the Empire is filled with hope and love, those things are reflected across all of Equestria.

If fear and hatred take hold…

Noticing Twilight staring off into space, Vaati said, "Find anything?"

Twilight shook her head. "No. How could we? This isn't King Sombra's castle!"

Vaati quirked an eyebrow. "Isn't this where he lived during his reign?"

"Right…but it didn't look like this!"

Twilight looked up at the crystal situated above the throne and concentrated, grinding her teeth as she forced herself to think of something she truly hated and feared, something that would allow the dark magic forming around her to take shape. Her aura began to darken. A purple haze trailed out of her eyes. But as she came close to taking hold of the black magic, she suddenly felt someone slap her horn harshly, startling her and breaking her concentration. Reeling in surprise, she stared at Vaati, but fell quiet when she saw the glare in his eyes.

"Don't you even think about doing that ever again, Twilight," Vaati growled. "Black magic is not to be underestimated. Its corrupting influence could easily make you just as twisted as King Sombra. I myself fell victim to its allure and did not recover for centuries. I have learned to control it without it controlling me only through countless decades of self-discipline. I will perform the spell."

Twilight could only nod in response and stepped back as Vaati brought his hand up, enshrouding it in dark energy. He cast a beam of dark magic at the crystal, causing a shadow to spread forth from the crystal and envelop the hall, revealing a hidden staircase leading downwards into a dark abyss. Looking down at the winding staircase, Twilight said, "The Crystal Heart must be somewhere down there!"

"Indeed," Vaati agreed. "Along with who knows how many traps, pitfalls, and all manner of security measures that will no doubt make our progress quite the chore."

Twilight gulped as Vaati took note of just how far down the stairs went. "Hop on my back, Twilight," Vaati ordered.

Trusting in her friend's judgment, Twilight didn't question him and got onto his shoulders. Without further ado, Vaati floated into the air and began descending into the depths of the secret stairwell, stealing one last glance out the window and not liking what he saw.

Dark crystals were spreading like wildfire within the Empire. The shield was flickering continuously. It was obvious Cadance's spell was weakening faster than before, likely due to Sombra's influence weakening it from within. Time was running out.

It took several minutes before the two of them reached the bottom of the staircase and immediately noticed a door in front of them. Twilight got down from Vaati's shoulders and approached the door, enveloping the handle with her magic.

The door suddenly slid across the wall, causing both of them to jump in surprise. "And here we come across our first trial," Vaati remarked rhetorically.

"W-what the?" Twilight stammered, grabbing the door handle again, causing it to slide away from her once more.

Vaati scrutinized the door as it passed him by before idly casting a black magic spell at the crystal centered overtop the doorframe, causing it to stop moving. Vaati and Twilight watched as the door slid open, a light pouring forth from within. "Well, that was easier than I thought it would be," Vaati mused quietly as he stepped through. "Come along, Twilight."

Vaati took two steps forward…and stopped abruptly, his jaw dropping at what met his eyes.

He had somehow reappeared in Ponyville, but something about it was dreadfully different. The whole town was in flames.

Much of the once-peaceful town lay in ruins, and numerous ponies lay unmoving within the wreckage. Vaati immediately felt ill; he recognized many of those faces. There were even a few children lying about as well, and the sorcerer trembled as he realized that they were dead. Nopony else seemed to be around. Either the survivors had evacuated, or…

…or there weren't any survivors to begin with.

"What…what happened here?" Vaati stammered, looking around.

Then he felt his heart stop as he recognized one of the foals half-buried in the wreckage of the Cutie Mark Clubhouse.

"Oh Goddesses, please no…"

Her orange coat was covered in soot. Dried blood was caked to her forehead.

"SCOOTALOO!"

Vaati desperately sprinted towards his foster daughter's limp body, but was halted by an energy beam that struck the ground before him. Vaati whipped his head around to see his assailant approaching from behind, and his eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Twilight?" he spoke. "What's going on here?!"

The look in Twilight's eyes didn't sit well with him. They were full of anger, confusion…and hatred. Tears streaming down her cheeks. "Why did you do it?" she demanded. "Why, after everything we've been through together! Why did you attack us?!"

Vaati's breath caught in his throat. "I…I did…no, I couldn't have done this! I couldn't have!"

"I watched you do it!" Twilight sharply retorted. "And now everypony's dead because of you! My friends…our friends…Look! Not even your own daughter was spared!"

Her words cut through Vaati like a knife, leaving him unable to reply. "I thought you said you could control your dark magic!" Twilight yelled. "You lied to me! I trusted you, AND YOU LIED TO ME!"

"Twi…I didn't…"

"I shouldn't have believed you," Twilight said quietly. "I should have known you couldn't be trusted to live amongst us."

Vaati could feel something wet trailing down his cheeks as he collapsed to his knees, overcome with despair. "I…I did this…"

"Everypony was right!" Twilight shouted, her voice dripping with venom. "You ARE a monster! You never changed! I…I HATE YOU!"

Vaati just sat there, watching as Twilight gathered black magic in her horn, fuelled by her hatred towards her former friend. Her eyes began glowing eldritch-green, with a violet haze trailing out of them. And Vaati just sat there, waiting for the end. His mind reeled; how could his life have fallen apart so abruptly? His home, his friends, his family…all gone.

All because of him.

Just before Twilight unleashed her power, she somberly spoke, "So much for the magic of friendship."

Vaati's world was consumed by light, and then he knew no more.

XXXXXX

The next thing the sorcerer knew, he had fallen on his rump, breathing heavily and shaking profusely. It took several moments for him to clear his head and realize that he was back in the catacombs of the Crystal Palace. Twilight was standing over him, looking worried. "Are you alright, Vaati?" she asked.

"I…we were in Ponyville…I had destroyed everything…" Vaati shakily responded, staring at the floor. "I-I couldn't control my powers, and…and everyone paid for it. You were the only one left, and…you hated me for what I did…"

Vaati was cut off by a firm hug from Twilight. "Whatever you saw isn't true," she reassured him, gently rubbing his back. "You're my friend, and I know you wouldn't lose control of your powers like that. I could never hate you."

Vaati seemed to calm down, prompting Twilight to disengage the hug. "But…what happened?" Vaati asked.

Twilight glanced at the door, which she had shut in order to free Vaati from its trap. "King Sombra's magic. It's a doorway that leads to your worst fear. Had either of us come alone, we would have been trapped in that illusion for who knows how long."

Vaati slowly got to his feet as Twilight sent a beam of magic into the crystal, causing the real door to appear. Vaati took a shuddering breath to calm his nerves, but blinked as he felt a hoof on his hand. He looked down to see Twilight smiling at him reassuringly. Overcome with relief that his closest friend was by his side, he returned her smile before glancing at the door with a determined look.

"Come on, Twilight," he bade. "The Crystal Heart is near."

They stepped through the door and frowned as they saw what awaited them.

Stairs. Lots of them.

"I'm beginning to think Sombra may have an unhealthy obsession with stairs," Vaati flatly remarked.

"Be that as it may, we've got no time to waste!" Twilight cried, galloping up the winding staircase.

Several minutes later, Twilight's run slowed to a walk, and finally to a crawl. The poor mare's knees buckled as she panted profusely, struggling to continue. Then she noticed Vaati slowly floating up the staircase, his arms folded and a smug look on his face. "Bet you wish you could fly, don't you?" he quipped.

"S-shut…*pant*…up," Twilight wheezed sourly.

Vaati scoffed. "Honestly, Twilight. You make things so difficult for yourself."

Twilight stomped her hoof. "You think you're the only one who can screw around with gravity?"

Twilight cast a spell around herself, lifting herself into the air. Suddenly her body flipped upside-down and attached to the underside of the staircase, reversing her field of gravity. She then began sliding up the staircase, cheering all the while. Vaati quirked an eyebrow before following her. "Okay, I'm impressed."

Though the staircase seemed endless, the two magicians' unique methods of travel shortened the journey exponentially, and they both reached the top soon after. After a short moment of reacquainting themselves with the laws of gravity, they took in their surroundings. They had reached the top of a tower, its windowless archways allowing a perfect bird-eye view of the entire Empire. But that wasn't what captured their attention.

Floating in the very center of the room, glowing radiantly, was the Crystal Heart.

Taking a moment to observe the background, Vaati noted, "Looks like we got here just in time. Cadance's magic is flickering faster than ever, Sombra's already redecorated half of the city, and the unwashed masses have just discovered our little ruse concerning the fake Crystal Heart."

Twilight grinned and stepped towards the Heart. "Well, they won't have to worry about it much longer!"

Vaati suddenly whipped around as he heard a warning klaxon sound.

XXXXXX

King Sombra sharply lifted his head and widened his eyes. "They found it," he growled, activating a spell he never thought he would have to.

XXXXXX

Just as Twilight touched the Heart, a wall of solid black crystals enveloped her, trapping her inside a crystal cage. The Crystal Heart skidded along the floor over to where Vaati stood as more black crystals began to sprout out of the floor and walls. "Twilight!" Vaati cried. "TWILIGHT!"

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha…Foolish sorcerer."

Vaati bristled at the sound of King Sombra's disembodied voice. "I'm okay!" Twilight responded from inside her prison.

"Can you teleport out?" Vaati asked.

Twilight reappeared on the other side, only to be forced back into her makeshift cell. "I guess not," Vaati mused.

"Vaati, don't worry about me!" Twilight cried. "You have to get the Crystal Heart to Princess Cadance! It's the only way to stop King Sombra!"

Vaati picked up the Heart. "Are you sure, Twilight?"

"Just go! Hurry! Cadance's barrier will collapse any minute now!"

Vaati and Twilight looked into each other's eyes and found solace in their shared determination. Nodding to his friend, Vaati tucked the Crystal Heart under his arm and floated out the window towards the balcony, where the rest of the Mane Six, along with Cadance, Shining Armor, Nigellas, and Maulgrim, were attempting to quell the mounting terror of the crowd of Crystal Ponies below.

"Now don't y'all worry yer pretty little crystal heads!" Applejack nervously declared, waving to the crowd. "The real Crystal Heart'll be along any minute!"

"I don't know if they believe you," Rarity whispered, also waving.

"Don't know if Ah believe me," Applejack whispered back.

Suddenly they heard Cadance gasp as the last of her magic finally gave out, and the exhausted princess fell unconscious in her weakened husband's half-crystallized arms, the strain causing him to hiss in pain. And just like that, the barrier collapsed once more, clear-blue skies giving way to a burnt-yellow horizon and a wall of black mist.

"He's back!" one Crystal Pony panicked, turning to run. "I can't take it!"

She ran screaming towards a place she could hide, or throw herself to her own death, anywhere where she wouldn't be found by the king.

She then crashed into a wall of black crystal, and saw the very incarnation of her people's night terrors looming over her, a grin of pure malice stretched across his face.

"Oh! K-King Sombra…" she stammered, shaking with pure terror.

Her fright made Sombra's grin widen even further as he addressed his petrified subjects, who had all turned to face him. "Your king has returned! Now…"

Sombra stomped his hoof with the force of a minor earthquake.

"KNEEL!" he boomed.

As one, the Crystal Ponies dropped to their bellies and covered their faces with their hooves, too terrified to make a sound. The terrified civilians spread out, opening a clear path for the king to his old palace. Sneering at the ease of his final triumph, Sombra saw the Hounds of Majora fall into step beside him out of the corner of his eye as he strode towards the Palace.

Watching the evil king approach, Rainbow began to panic. "What do we do now?! What do we bucking do now?!"

"We stand and fight!"

Everyone saw Vaati descend onto the balcony, and gasped at the Crystal Heart clenched tightly in his hold. "This is it! This is do or die!" Vaati declared. "No cowering, no turning back! You fight with every fiber of your being! Don't give up! The Crystal Heart has returned! COME AND GET IT, TYRANT KING!"

The mention of the fabled relic caused several Crystal Ponies to overcome their fear and look up towards the Wind Mage in wonder. They ducked their heads once more when Sombra stomped his hoof and growled. "That belongs to me, Wind Sorcerer! Return it at once, and I may yet deliver you to my associate in one piece!"

Vaati teleported into the town square, standing before the tyrant king defiantly. Sombra eyed the Crystal Heart hungrily. "You want it, fool?" Vaati sneered. "You'll have to do the impossible to get it. You'll have to kill me first."

Sombra's grin lowered into a snarling grimace. "If you insist."

Vaati laughed in his enemy's face as his body began to change, humanoid body giving way to a spherical shape. "You make it sound so easy," Vaati mocked, his voicing becoming deeper and more demonic with each second. "But I have faced many enemies, King Sombra. I have won and lost many battles spanning countless centuries…"

Sombra looked on with minor shock and bafflement at the winged eye towering over him, imperious and all-powerful, as it finished its speech. "…and I NEVER DIED!"

The wind whipped around the two foes as they gathered their magic. "Then let this be your first, and LAST time, Vaati!" Sombra roared before addressing his waiting minions. "The Wind Mage is mine! Kill the others!"

The Hounds took to the air, making a beeline straight for the palace balcony. Knowing he could not help his friends, he turned and rumbled, "Nigellas! Maulgrim! Guard my friends with your lives!"

Nigellas and Maulgrim crisply saluted and took charge of the situation. "Little Shy, Pink One, get the Princess and Captain inside the palace where it's safe!" Maulgrim commanded. "Those of you who can hold your own, get ready to fight for your life!"

The six Hounds zeroed in on the balcony's occupants, claws outstretched and eyes ablaze with savage hunger. Maulgrim, Nigellas, Applejack, Rainbow, and Rarity all braced for battle as Pinkie and Fluttershy ushered Shining and Cadance inside. Suddenly Rainbow flew into the air and performed a Sonic Rainboom right in the Hounds' path, disorienting them and knocking them out of the sky. As the Hounds crashed to the ground, the Crystal Empire's protectors teleported into the town square, courtesy of Nigellas. Crystal Ponies scattered, fleeing to the relative safety of their homes as a great battle began.

As Rainbow engaged one Hound in an aerial dogfight of sorts, the others used magic, steel, and their own brawling skills to keep the other raging hellhounds at bay. In the midst of the chaotic brawl, King Sombra and Vaati fought with the ferocity of tigers, magic colliding again and again in showering displays of dark magic and wind spells. Their horns were ablaze with their respective auras as blue electricity and smoldering violet energy beams collided with one another, the feedback causing untold damage to everything within fifty feet of the combatants.

The whole time, the Crystal Heart was firmly clutched in Vaati's talons, and the dark king relentlessly targeted the arm holding it, trying to get him to release it. But Vaati would have none of that. As Sombra unleashed a tidal wave of dark energy, Vaati disappeared in a cloud of similar energy, avoiding the attack. Sombra's head whipped around, seeking his opponent. He almost didn't see his shadow grow darker, but when he did, he immediately turned into an intangible cloud of dark mist right before Vaati's claw erupted from the pool of darkness below. Realizing he had missed, Vaati retracted his arm and reappeared behind Sombra as the unicorn rematerialized, his eye glowing red.

A wall of black crystal rose up behind Sombra and absorbed the blast, and as the dust settled, Sombra countered with a powerful beam of his own, scoring a direct hit on the transfigured mage and knocking him to the ground. Vaati couldn't believe it. Even in his ultimate form, Sombra was proving to be his worthiest opponent yet. He was immediately jolted out of his reverie as he felt a magic presence start to envelop the Heart. "Oh, no you don't!" Vaati roared, vanishing once more.

Sombra growled as his connection to the Heart was severed by Vaati's teleport. His growl became a bellow as he was suddenly blindsided by a dozen electric-blue energy balls hitting him from all directions. The next thing he knew, Vaati had reappeared and swatted him into the air with one mighty claw. Vaati fired another beam to finish off his foe, but Sombra recovered and became intangible once more, growing larger as he assumed his larger, incorporeal mist form.

Vaati cursed to himself as Sombra's mist form surrounded him from all sides, leaving him with nothing to hit. "You pathetic creature," Sombra's voice spoke from the darkness. "You think yourself a master of the dark arts? That you are my EQUAL? Boy, you know NOTHING of darkness!"

Suddenly smoky black tendrils whipped forth from the dark haze, coiling around Vaati's appendages and restricting his movement. The demon eye struggled fiercely against his bonds, but they merely tightened further. As a result, Vaati tightened his own grip on the Crystal Heart. Sombra's head appeared from the mist and met the sorcerer at eye level. "But it is not too late for you to learn," Sombra continued, the purple haze from his eyes trailing into Vaati's own.

Suddenly, Vaati saw a vision of Hyrule Castle. "Think of what awaits you, Wind Sorcerer!" the voice of Sombra intoned in his head. "Under my guidance and that of my new allies, this whole world could be yours, just as you've always desired!"

He could see himself on the throne of Hyrule, dictating his draconian laws to the slovenly populace. "Join us, Vaati!" Sombra declared. "Rejoin the forces of darkness, and we will remake ALL worlds to suit our vision!"

Vaati's resolve was crumbling. The thought of the throne of Hyrule, all his, was too alluring. And with Hyrule under his thrall, that meant…

Vaati looked to his left to drink in the glorious beauty of his wife, the crown jewel of the kingdom, Hyrule's very own Princess Zelda.

Only it was not Zelda who stared back at him. This woman held herself with utmost authority, unlike the soft, meek demeanor characteristic of what he knew of the Princess. Her midnight-blue hair flowed like the evening sky, and her soft eyes pierced his own, rooting him to the spot. "Do not be fooled by what you see," Princess Luna spoke softly. "This is but another of Sombra's illusions. Resist, as I know you can. Resist, for the bonds you have made with those whom you hold dear to your heart are stronger than King Sombra's foul magic."

And then Luna leaned forward in her throne and gently placed her lips on Vaati's own.

And just like that, Vaati regained his senses and found himself once more staring into the eyes of King Sombra. Before the dark king could realize what had happened, Vaati's eye glowed as an intense beam of energy slammed into the king full-force, blasting him back with an enraged yell and returning him to his true form. Sombra hit the ground hard on his back and growled in agony. "Rrrgh…how?" he snarled, astonished that Vaati had broken free from his spell.

Vaati, now free of his restraints, drew himself up to his full height and fixed a menacing glare on his downed foe. "With a little help from a dear friend of mine who knows you inside and out," Vaati replied.

Sombra looked surprised for a moment before his expression darkened in anger. "Of course," he snarled as he got to his hooves. "Of course that meddling little moon-witch would interfere. I should have known she and her odious toad of a sister still have not learned to stay out of matters that do not concern them."

Sombra's horn glowed once more, the skies darkening in response as lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. "I'll hold back no more! Wind Mage, you die now! You die painfully! And an even more agonizing fate awaits your accursed friends!"

Vaati did not notice the glow of the Crystal Heart slowly envelop him as power grew behind his words. "You will not lay a hoof ON MY FRIENDS!"

When Sombra realized what has happening, his grimace dropped into an expression of shock, confusion, and finally dread. "The Heart…" he whispered.

"BURN!"

Sombra raised a thick wall of black crystals in front of him as Vaati unleashed the full extent of his wrath, unknowingly bolstered by the power of the Crystal Heart feeding off of his desire to protect his friends.

Sombra's protective wall shattered like glass on impact, consuming the king in light and dark energy working as one. "GAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGHHH!" Sombra bellowed in agony, flying into the air and crashing unmercifully into the hard ground, his body flailing about as he tumbled down the main street until he finally skidded to a halt, lying still on the ground.

At the sound of Sombra's pained scream, Crystal Ponies poured out of their houses and hiding places, gazing in awe and wonder at what they witnessed. Sombra, that loathsome tyrant, lay prone upon the ground, smoke rising from his body. Looming over him was a mighty horned eye, with the wings of a dragon keeping it aloft, and the Crystal Heart clutched in its talons. The Heart's aura radiated all over the demon beast's body, and in that moment they saw their savior. A feeling that had not been present in their hearts leapt into their chests, filling them with long-forgotten warmth; hope. Seeing the gathering crowd, Vaati boomed, "Your king is powerless! The Crystal Heart has returned!"

Vaati threw the Heart over towards the palace, where it settled into its former position beneath the palace foundations. "Your fate rests in your own hooves once again! Now, use the light and love within you to finish off this tyrant once and for all!"

As one, the Crystal Ponies' coats regained their shiny luster as they bowed their heads towards the ground, filtering their happiness and love into the Crystal Heart. Sombra shakily stood upright and gawked at what was happening. "What?!" he roared. "No! Stop! I command you! STOP!"

The Crystal Heart began spinning faster and faster. The Hounds, feeling the growing positive energy building up, halted their attack and looked towards the powerful relic. Sombra gritted his teeth and reared back, glaring at his former slaves, who ignored him. "I AM YOUR KING! OBEY ME! STOP!"

He gathered magic into his horn, ready to smite the traitors where they stood, only for said magic to peter out without warning. "Huh?" Sombra gaped, looking up at his horn.

White crystals were growing out of his red horn, cutting off his magic. "No…no, this cannot be!" he gawked.

The Hounds abandoned their fights and made a beeline straight for the arctic tundra as the Heart reached its full power. Suddenly, with a resounding boom, a wave of positive energy exploded from the Heart, enveloping the entire city. The Hounds disintegrated instantly upon contact, unable to outrun the field. Sombra watched it barrel towards him, and in his last few moments, the dark tyrant knew fear. Upon being hit by the magic wave, Sombra felt his body begin to harden into crystal and crack, light spewing forth from within the cracks. Sombra looked down at himself and unleashed one last bellow of rage that reverberated across the land long after his body had shattered to pieces, the remnants flying off into the distance.

The wave destroyed every last trace of King Sombra's influence, restoring Shining Armor to normal, reinvigorating Princess Cadance, dispelling the dark mist, and freeing Twilight from her prison. With his battle over, Vaati finally returned to his human form and regarded his newfound crystalline appearance with mild concern. "This had better not be permanent…"

Shining and Cadance stepped onto the balcony to address the cheering crowd of ponies below. As Nigellas dressed a wound on Maulgrim's arm, the Wizzrobe remarked, "See? I knew everything would turn out alright!"

Maulgrim frowned. "Nigellas?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

"Ah…yes, good idea."

Vaati looked up at the tower to see Twilight leaning over the railing, smiling down at him. "Good job, Vaati," she softly congratulated.

Everyone was in a festive mood, and as a familiar tune started up, Nigellas suddenly sang,

"It seems the day has been won,

The Crystal Empire's here to stay!"

Pinkie grinned as she sang the next part.

"Everypony really had fun!"

"And that's why we're all glad to say," Rarity sang as they all gathered around an embarrassed Vaati.

Everyone sang together as they hoisted Vaati over their heads in celebration, causing him to chuckle with bemusement.

"Yes we finally got this right,

Thanks to you, we made them see,

We have saved the Crystal Ponies

With their history!

Yes it all turned out alright,

Thanks to you, the kingdom's free,

We have saaaved the Cryyystal Poniiies

With their hiiiiistooooryyyyyyyyyyy!"

And as Vaati watched the crowd cheer for him and chant his name, Vaati felt a genuine smile crease his face, and a tear of happiness fell from his eye. It felt good to be the hero. And at long last, when Vaati admitted it to himself, it didn't seem so wrong anymore.

XXXXXX

Deep within the frozen wasteland…

Far from the boundaries of the Crystal Empire, a blood-red horn lay in the pristine blanket of white snow, devoid of an owner. Soon, however, a shadow fell over the last remaining fragment of King Sombra as a dark claw scooped it out of the ground and glared at it with a single, venom-green eye. "You failed us, Sombra," it growled angrily. "Your task was simple. So very simple. And you FAILED."

"Calm yourself, Dethl," another, even more evil-sounding voice spoke from behind. "There is little that can be done for now."

Dethl slowly turned to see a heart-shaped mask float up to its side and observe Sombra's horn with burning yellow eyes. Two spikes jutted out from its forehead, with four more running down each side. "He underestimated his enemies," the animated headpiece spoke. "It seems we all did."

"Forgive us for being foolish enough to put our faith in this useless cur, Lord Majora," Dethl apologized.

Majora's Mask emitted a low hum to voice its displeasure. "Cease with your groveling, Dethl. It is unbecoming of you as the High King of Demons."

Dethl wisely said nothing. "Besides," Majora continued. "This is only a minor setback, one that will be easily corrected in due time. Sombra still has potential I wish to see in action. I chose well the one who would be put in charge of the future branch of my church in Equestria, and I stand by that decision."

A dark-red tentacle snaked out from behind the mask and retrieved King Sombra's remains from the Demon King. "I will take this with me back to the Dark World and have Lord Ghirahim work on restoring him."

Dethl inclined its pitch-black, spherical head. "As you wish, Divine One."

"As for you, you are to remain here in Equestria for the time being."

Dethl blinked in confusion. "What? Why?"

The mask trembled with mild irritation as its owner explained, "A matter of the utmost urgency has arisen, which must be dealt with at your immediate discretion."

The mask spun around to face King Dethl for emphasis. "Ganon is about to return."

Dethl's eye widened in shock. "What?!"

Majora wheeled around and stared off towards the distant Crystal Empire, where his sharp eyes witnessed the Sorcerer of Winds having the time of his life being a hero. "His seal keeping him imprisoned in the Sacred Realm is weakening, just as the one keeping me bound within the Pyramid is. But his will break some time before mine. It will not be long before he returns to Hyrule."

Dethl's eye narrowed. "What do you ask of us, o holy one?"

The mask turned around and floated up to its servant. "Ganon cannot be allowed to interfere with our affairs in Hyrule, not when we are so close to being ready. Our ultimate plans will not fully encompass Equestria for some time. Find a way to make sure Ganon appears in Equestria instead of Hyrule. Vaati and his friends had little trouble with Sombra. Surely they can handle another King of Darkness. And in the meantime, I want you to tail them. Learn all you can about the Elements of Harmony and their bearers, but do not reveal your identity to them. The Elements are no threat to me personally, but they may still hinder our efforts in the future."

"What of the Dark World's affairs?" Dethl inquired.

"I leave them in Chancellor Cole's capable hands," Majora explained. "Rest assured, your kingdom will not crumble during your brief absence. Now away with you; time grows short, and I want everything ready for when the final hour is at hand."

Dethl bowed. "As you will it, Your Lordship."

As the King of Nightmares vanished into the howling winds, Majora turned once more towards the Crystal Empire, and the defector from his cause who how thought himself a hero. "Enjoy yourself to the fullest, Wind Mage," the God of Evil ominously intoned. "For when the hour of my ascension is at hand, so too will be the hour of your reckoning!"

Majora's laughter was drowned out by the howling winds of the north, heedless of the apocalyptic plans of the Heart of Darkness and those who followed it.

END OF SEASON 1

Author's Note

DUN DUN DUUUNNNNNN!

Well, at last we have come to the end of the first season. Wow, what a ride. I hope you all enjoyed that, and I hope you'll enjoy the next installment. So all of you who watch this story should watch me and keep an eye out for when the second season comes. Be advised, however; it will not come for a while, as I have finals this week, and after that, I will be getting ready to move. I may not be active again until at least January. Just giving you guys a head's up. Have a happy holidays and all that.

SEE YOU IN THE NEXT SEASON!

Also, think links to a picture thanking all of you wonderful reviewers for your support in this project: http://lordsiravant.deviantart.com/art/Equestrian-Wind-Mage-Thanks-For-the-Support-419054374