Corruption is Magic

I stand and look down to the stones that form the burial mound for Gomra, Alexander stood to my right. The remains of what was once her house behind the mound. Why did it come to this? She was one of the first people I met here… and now she is the first one I have seen die. I had questions I wanted to ask her… things I’ll now never get to ask… Things I never got to do with her.

“Alexander…” I whisper. “What was your history with her?” I ask. I didn’t know her fully but she was still someone I would consider a friend… knowing more about her would be nice.

“Well, she was much like Gelfree when she was younger. She had a habit of getting into sticky situations when younger. I met her back then, she had caused me a few issues but in having to deal with her antics I grew to enjoy her company.” Alexander calmly recalls, no joy in his voice. “She often dragged me into her trouble but with time I got used to it and even laughed whenever she brought me the trouble. It wasn’t until one day she came to me beaten an inch from her life and broken looking that it dawned on me how much I had helped her. I guess that attack and the birth of Gelfree soon after that she decided to change to a more quiet life.”

“Was that before you became a Prime Evil?” I ask, getting silence in response to my question. “Right… sorry.”

“No… I’m sorry. It’s something I should share about but… It’s a time I’m not proud of.” Alexander explains. “I can’t share everything from then… not yet. Though you do deserve to know. I was known as the Prime Evil Tyrant. When I got here after my death I quickly began making deals and pacts. Gaining power and growing through the ranks. I… lost myself to the power and became the thing I died in my old world trying to get rid of for the greater good. I became A Prime Evil and ruled with an iron fist. That is when Gomra came into the picture. She helped me…” Alexander takes a deep sigh before continuing. “I had been a dictator and done great evils but I also didn’t try to destroy the world like Hemrick. Anyways, as I said I grew to like her company. However… when she came in, beaten and bloody and… defiled. I hunted down the bastard who did it.” Alexander growls as I hear his teeth grind together. “I wanted so much to hoist his beaten to death’s door body on a rack and tour him through the world as an example.” Alexander spits but after a few deep breaths he continues more calm. “It was only because Gomra wanted me to show them mercy that I didn’t, I didn’t make an example of them… I did however ensure he never breathed again.”

“Goddesses…” I quietly turn my head to Alexander who looks down at the mound with sorrow. “What did you do after?”

“The only thing I could do… I abdicated the throne.” Alexander, looking defeated, closes his eyes. “I kept in contact with Gomra and was named Godfather of Gelfree. I would pop into her home every now and then… Gelfree would call me Uncle Alex, Cute one and she definitely was a handful at times. I would help out Gomra where I could and I kept a close eye on them both. Sadly though… I had dropped out of the loop with them twenty ish years back. I had… other things I was focused on. That is until she told me about you.” Alexander explains as he opens his eyes and looks at me with a small but pained smile.

The usual Alexander with the constant smile and air of confidence and calm was gone, now what stood before me is a heart broken, sad, and remorseful man. A monster who had done wrongs, a manipulative man, and a person who keeps secrets. But all the same he stands here before me with his pain on display. Taking a step forward I wrap my arms around him and bring his head into my shoulder with a hand. “Thank you… for sharing this with me.”

“Thank you Twilight.” Alexander whispers as he returns the hug. “I promise… I’ll protect you, until you spread your wings.”

Separating from our hug Alexander has a small shimmer to his eyes that he blinks away as he clears his throat. I however let my tears flow as they want andI give him a small smile. “You know, you, Gelfree and Gomra are weird.”

“Wow, I expected you to say many things but not that.” Alexander laughs causing me to get embarrassed.

“No, I mean compared to the rest of the world.”

“In what way?” Alexander asks as he calms his laughter.

“You all prove there is more color in this world than at first glance. One simply needs to look hard enough to see it.”

***

“Sister!” Luna yells as she flings open Celestia’s bedroom doors, a scroll held in her magic as Celestia is raising the sun for the start of the morning. The sudden entrance however causes her to jump and let out a yelp of surprise.

“Luna, please knock so you don’t startle me.”

“Sister, a letter came from the element of Honesty. Twilight is missing.” Those words alone turn the startled but happy princess of the sun into a panic stricken mess upon hearing it.

“W-What do you mean missing?” Celestia asks, confused but when Luna hands her the letter she takes it in her own magic and reads it within seconds. The events of the day prior, About Discord and Twilight’s teleportation mishap, the inability for Discord to find her using his magic, and her not being anywhere in Ponyville. Letting the letter go she looks to Luna who looks about ready to start a warpath to find Twilight. “Calm yourself.” Celestia says both to Luna and herself. “We must get notifications out to every City, town and village in Equestria along with friendly nations across the globe. Without Twilight the Elements can only be wielded by us but they won’t be agreeable since the destined bearers have been found and have used them. This leaves Equestria vulnerable.”

“Agreed, but what do we do about Discord? This could be a trick and he truly knows where Twilight is.” Luna asks with apparent suspicion.

“I don’t think so… He tried to find her, the letter says and he couldn’t find her. It seems AppleJack was convinced and she even made a note of how he seemed to get distressed every time he failed. Either he got better at acting or he truly can’t find her.”

“Then let’s have him come here and continue searching.” Luna suggests, Celestia however could tell it was because she still didn’t trust him. Celestia couldn't blame her.

“Very well, If he is willing to. You deal with that and I will send letters to our allied nations. Once we are done we will then send letters to every department of guards in major cities and towns in Equestria.”

Splitting up the Sisters set to work preparing for a search for where Twilight could be. However as they do that down in Ponyville Twilight's friends attempt to search for their friend again in the village and outskirts of said village. That is, all but one, AppleJack having tried many times to try and write everything needed in the letter in a coherent method sits amid a sea of parchment and bottles of apple cider, her face lying on her writing desk and a bit of drool hanging down on to the desk. The smell of alcohol filling the room.