Dark Pony Brotherhood

Teaching and Learning

A few days later Lucien was walking into Ponyville alone. There seemed to be a skip in his step. Things seemed better for him now. Such was the joy of finding a new brother. After Big Macintosh had killed the pony, they had moved it to a place that was difficult to find, to let it rot without being disturbed.

They then went back to the farm, and Lucien explained what his role would be as a Speaker. He also explained who Sithis and the Night Mother were. The purpose of the Listener. And he promised Big Macintosh, that he would never have to betray somepony he loved. A bit of a difficult promise to keep, but he felt some darkness from Applejack, perhaps one day she would be a Sister to Lucien as well.

But those thoughts were distracting, and Lucien had another pony he had been meaning to speak with. The lovely Lavender bookish pony whom he had promised to teach about Sithis. He had already decided on how much he would tell her. Enough to keep her interested.

He made his way towards the Library Home in the shape of a Tree.

………..

Twilight groaned as she sat up in bed. Another strange dream. After the one she had a few days ago, she decided to keep a dream journal, to keep track of what happens. Most of the time she could only remember bits and pieces from them and could only write down a handful of words. Like “Home” “Family” and “Mother.” The only words that seemed to stick out from all her dreams.

She sighed, and opened up her dream journal, and wrote down two words.

“Dark Family.”

It seemed strange, but she was fascinated. She wanted to confide in some pony about these things. But she was afraid of what they would think. Especially her teacher. Celestia would be extremely worried about her, but Twilight was afraid that she would do things to make her stop these dreams. And deep down, she didn’t want to. It was almost exciting to go to sleep to see what strange things would visit her.

She practically slept with the book of the Dread Father now. Spike had expressed that he was worried for her. Several times, but she assured him that she was just extremely interested.

She wasn’t sure if he bought it.

She sighed and put the journal down, and took the Dread Father’s book with her as she went down the stairs to the main room of the tree house. She saw Spike sleeping in his small bed, and couldn’t help but smile.

He looked so cute. She thought back to the day she got her cutie mark and the day she met her very best friend who slept before her. He used her magic to pull the blanket a little bit more over him, tucking him in further. He had been working hard, and worrying over her sure hadn’t helped.

She went to the kitchen, and hummed as she made a small breakfast for herself, and thought of what she would do today. Maybe she should get some gems from Rarity for Spike. She was sure he’d like that.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard a knock at the door. She tilted her head, and wondered who it could be, and opened it up to find a dark pony smiling to her, “hello, it’s good to see you again, Ms. Sparkle,” he greeted.

She smiled back, “Lucien, welcome, it’s good to see you too,” she said. “Please come in, I was just making breakfast, would you care for some?” she asked, inviting him inside.

He nodded and came in, “yes, that would be wonderful, thank you,” he said, looking around as he walked in. “I should thank you for lending me your books, they’ve been very…. Informative,” he said. “I hope you don’t mind I ask you a few things, being new to this country and all,” he said, following her to the kitchen.

“It’s no problem, I would be happy to teach you what I can,” she said. “I would also like to discuss the Dread Father with you while we’re at it,” she said. She didn’t see the grin that spread on Lucien’s face.

“Of course, I have nothing for the day, Applejack had said work was light today anyways,” the dark pony told her. “If you don’t have any prior engagements today, I would be glad to speak of him in length,” he said.

Twilight nodded, “Nothing important, but I would like to go out and get Spike something,” she said. “He’s been working himself to the bone for me these last few days, I would like to do something special for him.”

Lucien smiled and nodded, “no problem,” he said.

It was then that Twilight noticed the bruises that Lucien had, “what happened?” she asked, showing concern for the dark pony.

He raised an eyebrow then smiled softly, “just a little trouble we ran into in Manehattan, it’s been… resolved,” he assured her. He didn’t feel the need to concern her with it, the matter was finished after all.

She took a closer look at him, getting closer to his face to see the bruise better. Their muzzles were less than an inch apart.

Even the dark pony was not used to being this close to another who he had not considered a Dark Brother or Sister. At least not one he hadn’t planned to kill. He blushed despite himself, but couldn’t help but break the silence. “Seeing something interesting?” he asked her.

The Lavender pony’s face turned scarlet for a moment, realizing just how close they were, and she couldn’t find a way to respond, but couldn’t find it in herself to pull away either.

The awkward moment was broken once again, this time by a light cough coming a few feet away.

Both ponies turned to see the sleepy baby dragon with a slight smirk on his face.

“Am I interrupting something important?” he asked teasingly to the two of them. “Oh, and the foods burning,” he added.

Twilight became flustered, unable to answer, and only became more flustered as she ran to the stove to fix the food that she had been making. “Shoot, I was going to make some green onion pancakes,” she said, looking sadly at the now burned veggies she had put in the pan. She sighed and threw them out.

“It’s alright Twilight,” the dragon said, trying to cheer her up a bit. “Plain pancakes will be just fine,” he told her.

She looked down, “but I wanted to make something special,” she told him, trying not to look pathetic in front of company.

Spike just smiled back at her, and gave her a hug, “I’ll be fine, Rarity asked me for some help with something, promised me a few sapphires for it,” he said with a gleeful smile.

Twilight just smiled back, and nuzzled him, and wished him luck as he said bye to the two ponies, and went on his way.

Lucien just witnessed what went on before him without saying a word, not wanting to break up the moment. “You care a lot for him, don’t you?” he asked her, though he knew the answer. Caring was another interesting emotion, one that could be manipulated. But he suspected he wouldn’t need to use the baby dragon in his plans. Not yet anyways.

She nodded, “I do, he was my first friend, and I knew him since he was hatched,” she explained. She looked to the stove again, “do you, still want breakfast?” he asked him.

Lucien just shook his head, “not unless you want to make it,” he said. “I wouldn’t mind if we began to teach each other what we know now,” he said.

She smiled and nodded, and went to the small table, and pulled the two chairs on with her magic, inviting him to sit with her. He obliged,, and looked her in the eye.

“Would you mind if I went first? I believe that the subject of the Dread Father will take some time,” he told her.

Twilight nodded, “of course, I’ll answer any questions you ask to the best of my abilities,” she said confidently.

“For starters, I keep coming across the name of Celestia in the history book, who is this exactly?” he asked her.

For a moment, Twilight looked confused that he would ask such a question, but had to remind herself that perhaps ponies outside Equestria may not have heard of Celestia. She thought for a moment on how to explain it, “well, Princess Celestia is the ruler of Equestria, and has been for over a Thousand years now,” she explained.

“She controls the sun, and brings it to rise and set every day, and her sister Princess Luna does the same with the moon,” she told him. “They rule together with harmony,” she explained, trying to sound like a historian.

‘A Goddess ruling a country? That’s new,’ the dark pony speculated. “Have you met these Princesses?” he asked.

Twilight gave him a proud smile, “yes, and I am proud to say that I am Princess Celestia’s ever faithful student,” she said.

This surprised Lucien. Was the pony he was chatting with so important? “I must say, I’m impressed Ms. Sparkle,” he said.

“Just Twilight, please,” she said, a little embarrassed. “I’m proud to be her pupil, every bit of Magic I learned I owe it to her,” she explained. “She’s really a wonderful pony, she treats all her subjects with kindness and love,” she said, acting more like an excited school pony than the historian she was trying to be earlier.

Lucien smiled, but was thinking deeply on this inside. ‘Her loyalty is almost fanatical,’ he observed. ‘Would it be possible to convert her?’ he wondered. She would make a great addition to the brotherhood, being the student of a goddess in magic, she was likely very powerful indeed, and there was no telling the potential of her power.

He then thought of changing the subject, “I believe that answers my question, but if you’re her student, perhaps I may have the honor of being introduced to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna in person one day?” he wondered.

Twilight smiled brightly, “I’d be happy to introduce you, I’m sure she’d love to meet such an intelligent pony as yourself,” she said.

“I’d be honored,” the dark pony said. He wondered how that would go, meeting a Goddess. He’s been involved with Deadric cults on occasion, but it was hardly the same.

“So, anymore questions?” Twilight asked him, proud that she could teach him something.

Lucien shook his head, “not at this time, but I’m sure you’re full of them,” he said with a smile.

The unicorn smiled, “of course,” she said. She used her magic to bring the book of the Dread Father to the table, and opened it. “This book doesn’t into a lot of detail about the Dread Father, I was hoping you could tell me all you know about the subject,” she said, looking hopeful at him.

Lucien smiled, and made himself comfortable. “Well, were to begin, I suppose with the Dread Father himself,” he started.

“The Dread Father goes by another name, he is called Sithis usually, and what he is, is everything cruel, and nothing at all. A Void, Death and Terror. In my homeland, there is a cult which follows him, though he isn’t a god himself. This cult is the Dark Brotherhood,” he told her.

“To them more than anyone else, Sithis is the Dread Father, they consider him their father, and they do his bidding. And the bride of Sithis is their Night Mother,” he said.

Twilight grew more interested. She hadn’t read anything about a ‘Night Mother’ in the book. The term was entirely new to her, and that made it all the more interesting.

“There are many legends of the Night Mother and the Dark Brotherhood. From Sithis giving her children who were the original members of the Dark Brotherhood, to a much more darker one where she sacrificed her children to Sithis,” he went on.

“But it is her who ponies whom wish vengeance on another pray to, and she sends her dark children to murder the target in the name of their Dread Father, for a payment of course,” he told her. ‘Well, at least soon they will,’ he thought to himself pleasantly.

Twilight was on the edge of her seat, listening to Lucien speak of the Dread Father, or Sithis rather, and of the Dark Brotherhood, and the Night Mother. It was all fascinating. And horrifying. Murder wasn’t unheard of in Equestria, but it was so rare. Not only that, but what he was saying seemed to be eerily fitting in with her dreams she’s been having. Same words kept coming up.

She started coming up with ideas as to why Lucien had left his homeland. Perhaps he was running away from this Dark Brotherhood. Or maybe just trying to escape a land where murder was constant.

The dark pony began to speak again. “The Dark Brotherhood is a dangerous organization. If you ever come across them, be careful about where you step,” he warned her.

She nodded, though her mind was also working on trying to fit the puzzle he was giving her.

Lucien smiled to her, “you seem troubled,” he noted. “Is there any reason?” he asked her.

Twilight thought for a moment. Did she trust him enough to tell him of the dreams she’s been having? She never told anypony, not ever her closest friends. She stayed silent for a moment, before she nodded, “I’ve been having some strange dreams lately,” she told him.

This piqued the dark pony’s interest, and he leaned forward. “What about?” he asked her. This was a very interesting development, if the subject made her think of the dreams she’s been having.

Twilight thought deeply on how to explain it. And just decided to use her powers to bring the dream journal in front of them as well, “I wrote what I could remember down,” she told him, handing it over to him.

He paged through it, and read her dreams, sometimes just the words, but he saw a full page describing one dream.

‘The Strange ponies surround me, but I do not feel in danger. They seem to be looking to me, as if waiting for me to give them orders. Then a strange Mare stands next to me, they do not seem to notice her. She whispers in my ear, though I can’t hear what she says, I repeat what she tells me. The Ponies bow, and leave. I look to the strange Mare, and she smiles at me like my mother would when I was studying. I feel warm inside as the dream ends.’

Lucien read the explanation to himself. This was amazing evidence. And it spoke to him of how important this unicorn would be. He was getting excited. He did his best to hide it, and he put the book down, “that’s very interesting, Twilight,” he said. “I wouldn’t worry too much about it, but keep on writing down what you can,” he told her.

Twilight nodded, feeling a little weight off her shoulders having someone she could share these strange dreams with. “Thank you for teaching me about Sithis,” she said, happy to have learned more on the subject that she had been obsessed with for the last few days.

“It was my pleasure,” he told her, smiling at her. Her future was defiantly with the brotherhood. The difficulty would be to get her to abandon her teacher for the Brotherhood. He needed to gather more members first, and learn about things. Maybe speak to Celestia herself to see if he could use anything against her.

He stood up, “Now, I hope you don’t mind, but I think I’ll go about town for a little bit,” he said. “It was wonderful to speak with you again twilight, I hope we get the chance to do so again sometime soon,” the dark pony told her.

Twilight nodded, and agreed, giving him a smile, “have a good day Lucien,” she said.

Lucien nodded, “and you as well, Twilight,” he said, leaving the lavender unicorn with her thoughts, a smile on his face at the news he had uncovered.