Interviews with the guards were protracted at best, with what little info they had on the beings that intervened with their confrontation with Discord, they didn’t know what else to say but two mysterious ponies disabled Discord and injured them.

“And you are saying you didn’t see the face of this ‘hooded’ pony did you?” Commander Colton asked.

“No…” Twilight said, disappointed.

“We’ll inform the Princesses and begin our investigation on this mysterious group,” Colton said as he trotted out.

“Thanks,” Twilight said.

“That was crazy,” Twilight turned to Rainbow who along with the others had gotten out of bed, still a bit bruised from yesterday, but feeling okay now.

“Really crazy,” Spike said.

“Yeah, who were they? Why did they seem like they were actively targeting Discord?” Twilight asked.

“Beats me,” Rainbow said nervously.

“That’s the thing Rainbow, I think he may know you somehow,” Twilight said.

“W-what makes you say that?” Rainbow asked.

“He didn’t actively try to hurt you, Is he somehow related to how you got infected with vamponism?” Twilight asked.

“....No, he’s nobody,” Rainbow said.

“Rainbow-” Twilight began but Rainbow suddenly turned away.

“I said he’s nobody! Drop it!” Rainbow left the room hurriedly.

“Rainbow!” Twilight called.

“Ah’ll get her,” Applejack tried to follow her but Fluttershy stuck her wing.

“I’ll go calm her down,” Fluttershy said, before leaving as well.

“Alright,” Twilight said.

Rainbow sat in the bathroom, honestly panicked.

“They found me… maybe if I just play it cool nopony will pry, or maybe I should-” Rainbow paused when the door opened in the bathroom entrance and she heard hooves on tiles.

“What do you need?” Rainbow asked knowing it was one of her friends.

“It's just me Rainbow, you don’t have to worry,” Fluttershy sat outside the stall.

“Go away… I need to be alone,” Rainbow said.

“Not until I know, why are you so distressed?” Fluttershy said.

“I can’t say, just like Applejack has things she’d rather not have known, I’d rather not say what really happened to me in the past,” Rainbow said.

“Rainbow, if there’s a danger in the works, prior knowledge could save ponies,” Fluttershy said.

“I don’t want everypony to distrust me, those ponies… their monsters, you shouldn’t get mixed up with them…” Rainbow said with a shaking voice.

“I understand…” Fluttershy said.

“No you don’t Shy, these ponies, they-”

“Why do you think I came to Equestria in the first place?” Fluttershy asked.

“Huh?” Rainbow questioned.

“Because my family was killed off by a bunch of racist dragons, I fled for my life too, I can’t say I understand your situation fully, not until you tell me…” Fluttershy said.

“...I guess our situations are similar…” Rainbow said finally exiting the bathroom stall and Fluttershy hugged her.

“You can tell us when you're ready, but if there is an immediate threat we need to know what we’re up against,” Fluttershy said.

“I can’t….” Rainbow said.

“I understand,” Fluttershy said.

“No Shy, I literally can’t… he put a curse on me,” Rainbow said.

“He what?” Fluttershy said looking at her friend in surprise, Rainbow stuck out her tongue and revealed the symbol on it.

“What is that?” Fluttershy asked getting worried.

“A silencer curse, if I say any of their names or anything too incriminating or if I even try to remove it by force… it’ll sever my tongue,” Rainbow said.

“What?! We need to inform the princesses! Maybe they can-” Fluttershy began but Rainbow stopped her.

“No, I can’t risk it, we need to find out their names a different way,” Rainbow said.

“But Rainbow,” Fluttershy said, Rainbow hugged her.

“We’ll find a way,” Rainbow said.

Twilight trotted through the hospital with Spike on her back, he was still a bit sleepy so he was resting, she was lost in her thoughts.

“Familiarity… but I don’t even know who that pony was, so why did looking at him feel so… nervewracking,” Twilight shook her head. “I don’t know why… but I feel as though I need to keep my distance from him, like as far as possible… could this be what the other hooded pony was warning me about?” Twilight wondered before hearing a familiar voice.

“Twilight!” Twilight looked up and saw her teacher running up to her.

“Celestia!” Twilight exclaimed and she galloped to her too and they hugged.

“I thought you were trapped in the bowels of the Crystal Empire by Discord,” Twilight asked.

“I was,” Celestia said backing off after the hug. “I was chained to a wall with a magic suppressant ring on my horn alongside my sister, twas fortunate that the problem was solved and Cadence was informed of our whereabouts, those cuffs were really chafing me,” Celestia said with a chuckle.

“Agreed,” Twilight chuckled.

“I was told that Discord was drained of magic and in poor condition, what exactly did you do to him?” Celestia asked as she and Twilight walked together.

“It wasn’t us,” Twilight said.

“What do you mean?” Celestia asked.

“It was a pony who stabbed Discord with a crystal and this mysterious crystal drained him of his power, before you ask I have no idea who this pony is, but I think his name is Cloud, that’s what I heard,” Twilight said.

“I see…” Celestia went into thought about it.

“When we tried to stop him for answers, he attacked us,” Twilight said.

“He did?” Celestia said.

“Yes, and it was weird, none of our attacks phased him, and he had super strength, it was like he was enhanced via magic or something… but it wasn’t any kind of magic I’ve seen,” Twilight said.

“Curious, I should investigate this, after we question Discord,” Celestia said.

“Question Discord,” Twilight asked.

“Yes, unfortunately, it seems the ordeal has taken its toll on him, he is in a coma,” Celestia said.

“He is?” Twilight said.

“Indeed, having one's magic drained so quickly can have great negative impacts, Discord who thrives on his magic is lucky he didn’t perish,” Celestia said.

“Goodness,” Twilight said.

“Agreed, he’s in a high-security room and he’s being watched constantly for any signs of awakening,” Celestia said.

“How long will it possibly take?” Twilight asked.

“Who knows,” Celestia said as the two exited the hospital.

“For now, Nightmare Night is coming up, so let that be your only focus,” Celestia said.

“Ok,” Twilight said hugging Celestia.

“In the meanwhile, I should get back to Canterlot and fix any hysteria that Discord caused, farewell Twilight,” Celestia said before trotting back to her carriage.

“Bye Celestia!” Twilight called before turning to leave. Alls well that ends well, now Twilight needs to head back and get Spike back in bed.

Celestia trotted to her carriage and acknowledged the Guards at the reigns.

"Remind me to gather the historians of Equestria... we may have an older threat to attend to," Celestia said.

"Very well princess," The guards said with a bow.

"If I am right... then we may need to summon all assets," Celestia said to herself as she entered the carriage and it took off.

Several blows were landed and a pony impacted the wall.

“Ugh!” Cloud groaned as he slid to the ground.

“How many times are you going to be insubordinate? Do I actually have to break you to get it into your skull!?” Vel growled as he trotted up to Cloud and stomped on his head.

“Forgive me,” Cloud muttered.

“How many times have I heard that? How long do you think it’ll fly? What’s stopping me from killing you?” Vel demanded.

“I am,” Vel turned to see a chromatic mare enter.

“You… when are you going to discipline your son you crone?!” Vel growled.

“Hold your tongue Vel, Are you forgetting he’s an instrumental part of the plan? If you kill off a key player, we lose! And Arma will slaughter us all for it, even you,” The mare said.

“Hnngh…” Vel growled before trotting away. “Next time he messes up and I’ll paint the walls with his blood,” Vel said before disappearing.

“Mother…” Cloud said getting up and hobbling to her.

“Oh my sweet child, you have to stop testing Vel, you know he’s so much stronger than you,” She kissed Cloud on the forehead.

“I know… But I saw her today,” Cloud said.

“Ah… her… it is not time to bring her back dearie, Spectra is too defiant, but we’ll have her back soon,” The mare said.

“Do you mean it?” Cloud asked.

“Yes, now sleep dearheart, you have more missions tomorrow,” The mare said.

“Yes Mother,” Cloud said before turning and leaving.

When he was gone the mare trotted to a fireplace and grabbed a picture, detailing her, Vel, and two foals.

And one of them had a rainbow mane like her…

“Don’t worry my dear Spectra, Mother knows best,” The mare chuckled before leaving.

Applejack reentered her home, Apple Bloom was waiting for her and galloped over to her.

“Haha, hey there AB, how’s it goin?” Applejack said.

“Good sis, ah heard everything,” Apple Bloom said.

“Everything?” AJ said, worried about how to explain it.

“Ya fought Discord an put him in the hospital! That’s mah sis,” AB said.

“Oh…” AJ said and tried to seem unconvincing with her expression, but Apple Bloom noticed.

“That is what happened right?” Apple Bloom asked.

“AB, it’s best if ya don’t pry, what happened is only for the princesses and us ta know,” Applejack decided.

“But what really happened? Ah wanna know,” AB asked.

“Ah, can’t say AB jest drop it fer now, sides, ain’t ya got a Nightmare Night party ta prep for? Ah bet ya still fit in that ghost costume,” Applejack teased.

“Oh ok… are ya going to be able to come this time?” AB asked.

“That depends… on the weather, ah need ta ask Rainbow what the weather’ll be like,” Applejack said.

“Got it!” AB ran off.

Applejack laughed until AB left the room and then she quieted.

“Yeah… hope there won’t be any bad weather… gonna need an excuse otherwise,” Applejack said as she left to get her chores done.

A figure entered a large chamber, with torches and an altar, the middle of the room had a larger torch producing black fire.

“Hail Arma,” Vel knelt before the torch.

The torch ignited brighter and became a massive blaze with a demonic face upon it.

“What is the meaning of this meeting Vel?” Arma demanded.

“I am curious as to your reason as to why you continue to hone your relationship with the host, forgive my assumption but, what if she finds out and rats to her princesses?” Vel politely said.

“You dare to question my competence? My decisions are always the right choice, and my choice is law, understood?” Arma firmly said.

“O-of course, forgive me for questioning you, I only wish to imply on the nature of your contact with her?” Vel said.

“What I do with my host is none of your concern, but if you must know, I’m not warning her of what is to come, but rather alluring her with it,” Arma said.

“Allure?” Vel questioned.

“In due time, she will come to us… if she wishes to hold onto her foolish friendships that is, when the time comes, we take what is ours, and then finally, the plans I have set in motion, for thousands of years, will meet fruition, and this planet shall know my offer,” Arma said.

“Your wisdom is to be praised milord,” Vel said with a bow.

“I must rest now, leave me!” Arma said.

“As you command,” Vel said before leaving “The next crystal has revealed itself, and the Equestrians are none the wiser still, if all things go right, we can snatch them up one at a time before any notice is given,” Vel grinned.

Vel entered a library-like area where several ponies and dragons were organizing books. “You two!” The two ponies he was referring to spun to see him and then bowed.

“Yes, Lord Vel?” They said.

“The holiday known as Nightmare Night is approaching in Ponyville, and I know just the one to help us create the perfect diversion,” Vel said with a smile.

Author's Note

Sorry about the wait, got sidetracked, but trust me, the fan is about to be hit soon.

Till then stay wonderful and thank you to everyone reading.