The King Of Nothing

The rest of the day was mundane, with the group doing pretty much what AJ offered: constructing and teaching Amon how to build a bed.

The first tries could barely stand together, but after some trial and error, Amon started to do a much better job, earning a whistle from AJ as she complimented his fast learning.

Getting an idea, Amon worked on something smaller. With the help of Vivi and Rarity, he made a medium-large dog bed with a cushion attached to it, gaining the attention of the group.

"What do you have there, sugarcube?" AJ asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, nothing much," Amon replied, using sandpaper to clean the bed. "Just got an idea for practice now that I'm getting the hang of things. "I thought of making a small pet bed to leave in the garden. A small present for the local animals here."

Amon explains as he marches deeper into the garden, looking for a good place to leave his work before he places his bed underneath a nearby tree, where there is a nice shadow cast. All the while, Amon is oblivious to how Fluttershy has gone stiff and is staring right at Amon the second he mentions he is making a present for animals.

"I imagined that a cat or a dog would see this bed; in the middle of the day, I was a bit tired and took a small nap. What do you think? Fluttershy, you are the expert. Do you think they would love…?"

"...yes!" Fluttershy interrupted as she kept staring at Amon while he was still adjusting the bed so he couldn't see her. On the other hand, the group could see how Fluttershy was acting weird right away.

"Darling, are you feeling okay?" Rarity asks in concern, yet Fluttershy can only start panting when a group of wolf cubs and their mother approach Amon. The stallion remains calm and firm, slowly backing away and crouching so as not to seem menacing.

The wolf seems to reach for him and isn't aggressive, and the mother says something only Fluttershy understands as "thanks" while lying on the bed. One of the cubs lets Amon scratch her ear.

Something in Fluttershy's mind seems to be snapping as she starts to growl and slowly approaches Amon until AJ grabs her shoulder and pushes her away.

"Say! We seem to be getting short on paint and nails! We will go get some more; let's go, partner!" AJ yells before taking Fluttershy away as everyone blinks.

Marcus looks back between her and Amon before starting to get angry.

Are you freaking kidding me! I have been trying for months, and that bitch has not reacted to anything I try, yet he doesn’t try anything, and she is all thirsty! No fair, no fair!

Marcus keeps thinking until Rarity chuckles, "My, my, darling, do you think love is in the air?"

"I'm speechless here, my gem. This is the last thing I expected from Fluttershy, and at the worst time possible," Marcus adds with concern as he whispers to her. "Amon had a bad experience; I think dating is the last thing he wants or needs."

"Agree, but you have to admit if things calm down… maybe we could play matchmaking?" Rarity asks in excitement, causing Marcus to chuckle.

"Oh, sweetie, sometimes I wonder if you are the real Princess of Love." Pinkie and Vivi laughed, still looking in complete surprise at the direction Fluttershy went.

Meanwhile, far from them, once AJ found a faucet, she used it to splash Fluttershy's head to snap her back to reality.

"For pit's sake, Fluttershy! What in the hay happened to you back then? You looked about ready to pounce on the poor stallion," AJ said to her friend, passing her a handkerchief to dry herself.

"Wolf cubs, AJ! Wolf cubs, playing with him without any problem! There is nothing more paternal than that! I'm not made of stone!" Fluttershy defends herself in exasperation.

"If the momma wolf had let him scratch her belly, I would have jumped his bones right there."

"By Celestia, partner, you got it bad for him," AJ mentions in astonishment.

"I know! I'm whore and a horrible friend!" Fluttershy screams in shame.

"Hey, quit it with the self-degrading; you are not bad, just… feeling lonely. Tell you what. Why don't you rest a little if you can't control yourself? I will tell everyone you didn't feel so good and went to bed to lie down."

"N-No, that's okay, AJ, that's okay. Thanks for the concern, but if we stay clear of Amon playing with animals, I think I can control myself; just… just pull me away until we are safe, okay? M-maybe if we go to the kitchen? Yeah! You and Pinkie wanted to teach him some recipes, right? Let's do that. It will clear my mind and keep it busy making something."

AJ remains quiet. "Fine, we will do it your way, but better keep a cool head partner; there is a dangerous object in the kitchen."

"I'll be careful, promise."

Once that was settled and the two mares returned to the group, the rest of the day was spent more or less relaxing as Pinkie and AJ taught Amon some small recipes he could try using the simplest ingredients if he wanted to share them with others.

During all that time, Marcus discretely kept giving Amon the sting eye before resuming his act as the doting boyfriend with Rarity and Pinkie, who couldn’t help but be more playful while working in the kitchen.

Something that Fluttershy noticed and, alongside Vivi, tried to do the same for Amon, which they found humorous: Amon kept blushing and looking away when their clothes kept getting dirty.

Eventually, night arrived, and everyone went their separate ways, with the princesses being kind enough to offer the others a room to stay the night before returning to Ponyville.

"I will head out at 10 pm for my stroll. We can meet on the sheet in the garden," Amon whispers to Amon as he nods and prepares for their side project plan.

"We must ensure we don't get any surprise visits from your fog monsters, too. Here, use this:" Marcus discreetly gives Amon a big gold ring. "It is a magic dampener; it blocks magic when you place it on your horn. With this, we will take him off guard. We will reunite in the gazebo in the garden's center, waiting for me there at 10."

Amon nods and takes the ring. With everything in place and nothing else to do, Amon spent the rest of the night preparing push-ups, planks, and other warm-ups until it was time. The stallion stares at the clock with intensity before taking a deep breath.

He was about to grab his backpack and head it up but ultimately decided against it.

I'm supposed to take a relaxing walk. It would be weird if I took it with me… I think this one time would not matter.

Leaving his luggage behind, Amon exits the room and looks around. As he starts walking, he finds the hallway empty in the dead of night.

Reaching a fork in the road, Amon fishes for the ring in his pocket and stares at it momentarily before looking at his reflection in a nearby window.

A ring that can block my magic. This is precisely what I needed all these years ago. Those sisters, if the solution was so easy, why did those two insisted on me learning to use magic?

Amon pounders before putting the ring on his horn. He immediately finds his answer as he suddenly feels a brief piercing headache and loses his balance, almost tripping. He has to hold himself against the window while he rides the unpleasant sensation until it passes and he can stand up straight once more.

Okay, I will grant them that. There was a reason it wasn’t the first option.

Amon rolled his eyes and continued his march toward the garden, unaware of how there was a pony not too far from him, following behind, sticking to the shadows to not be seen.

Once Amon reached the gazebo in the garden, the stallion had to lean on the frame for support. The dampening ring sting appeared and disappeared sporadically, constantly making him lose his balance. On more than one occasion, Amon felt as if he was seconds away from puking, yet he soldiered on, feeling his revenge was so close.

God damn it, is this damn ring supposed to be a torture device?

Amon complained that he had regained control in time to hear a branch cracking behind him. Turning around, he saw a shadow hiding behind a tree.

Amon was about to call out the individual, thinking it was Marcus, yet decided against it. Figuring there was no point in the human hiding when Marcus set the meeting in the first place, meaning Amon had to act carefully.

"Who goes there?" Amon calls, entering as someone caught in the middle of a midnight stroll. His muscles tensed up, and he was ready for an attack any second, only to relax and be surprised when instead of a monster, a royal guard or his primary target. Fluttershy was the pony that stepped outside the tree, wearing a night light pink robe.

"Shy… Fluttershy, wasn't it? W- What are you doing here?" Amon asks before looking to the side when the clouds in the sky briefly let the stallion know how the robe wasn’t too large; it was pressing around her chest, and she was showing a bit of skin.

"You… ask me here," Fluttershy replies, equally confused as she blinks several times. "Early in the night, you knock on my door and slip me this note," The shy pegasus shows him.

"What?" Amon takes the letter and starts reading it, discovering a bizarre note stating that he needs to take something out of his chest, can't stop thinking about her, and must meet her in the pavilion.

"You call for me and everything, Amon. What is going on?" Fluttershy questions, confused and slightly hurt.

"No, this isn't me, Fluttershy, I… oh no. Fluttershy, you are in terrible danger."

"I say." The voice of Amon suddenly speaks up from the shadow, alerting both. "Then again, that is to be expected from anyone dumb enough to get close to you, specimen." Their voice slowly morphs into another masculine one.

"You really were a challenge and a half to track down."

"Dr. Faust, I presume," Amon mentions as he searches for the pony.

"Dr. Faust?" Fluttershy asks, confused as she looks back at Amon. "Amon, you know this pony?"

"Only by name and what he did to me," Amon replied as he clenched his fist. "Show yourself, you coward!"

"Oh! So, have you heard about me? Good, it makes things easier. Tell me specimen, do you have any idea of what your little rebelion cost me?!"

"You could tell me you are in constant pain, and I still couldn't care less. After EVERYTHING you…" Amon stops glancing at Fluttershy. "...after all you did to me. You would still deserve far worse!"

That leaves Fluttershy surprised. "Amon he is… he is the one?"

"Yeah, he is the son of a bitch that has made my life a living hell."

His statement earned Faust laughs: "I can't take credit for the faults of trash. Sure, I spend an annoyingly long time tracking you down. And send the proper precautions so you don't cause any more trouble for me, but how did you decide to live your life? What did you do with the freedom you kept whining and moaning? Becoming a hobo? That was all your doing, specimen."

"SHUT UP!" Amon yells in fury.

"No specimen! I have had more than enough of your defiance. It's time you learn who your master is. The king of shadows has invited you to his castle," Faust proclaims loudly.

"Like I give a damn about your theatrics!" Amon replies in anger.

All of a sudden, Fluttershy's body goes stiff, and her pupils disappear. "And I would gratefully accept his invite," The pegasus said, catching Amon off guard

"What? Fluttershy, what are you saying? Hey. Hey!" Amon rushes to Fluttershy and starts to shake her, but she seems unresponsive

"Don't bother specimens; she is under my complete control. Now kill," Faust orders. Fluttershy pulls out a knife from her robe and almost stabs Amon as she starts to swing her weapon widely.

"Oh, doesn't this bring back memories? I still remember when I put all of your primates in a warehouse and then ordered you to start slaughtering each other. It is still ironic how much you whine about it, considering how much your species loves to do that out of pleasure."

"Faust, I swear, when I get my hands around your neck…!" Amon exclaims, having managed to grab both of Fluttershy's arms and disarm briefly, only the pegasus to take flight to take him off balance, plunder herself into him to bring both down, and then proceed in trying to strangle Amon.

"I think you have more pressing matters at the moment; you shouldn't leave that frail pegasus alone, specimen; Celestia knows whom she may hurt… even herself could be at risk if unattended."

The proclamations left Amon stiff, and a cold sweat ran through his back. "Now, if you excuse me, I need to have a chat with the princess." Faust laughed, and Amon could hear footsteps growing quieter until he heard a cry and then a slash.

"¿What?" Faust calls out in anger.

"So you are famous Faust, then, pleasure," Marcus calls with a smirk as Amon starts hearing a conflict happening not too far from him. Two silhouettes fighting one another get further and further away until they seem to be going deeper into the royal garden.

Damn it! Damn it! What should I do?

Amon questions himself as he exchanges glances at the fight and then at the pegasus that keeps trying to reach his neck.

"...DAMN IT! Fluttershy, I'm so sorry!" Amon yells before headbutting Fluttershy as hard as he can. The blow is enough to make her retreat and hold her head in pain before tripping and falling back when Amon pushes her farther back as he sits down.

As he stands up, Amon notices the knife in the ground, picks it up, and tosses it into the two silhouettes.

The weapon finds its target, and Amon hears Faust's scream of pain, making the alicorn smile and rush to the sound of the scream.

With no time to think, Amon ran as fast as he could, finding signs of struggle, a sword, and knife marks everywhere as proof of a fight. Among the chaos, Amon finds the bloody knife and a trail of blood, yet no sign of Marcus.

Not only that, but the fight seems to have stopped, which is starting to worry Amon as he follows the trail of blood.

Reaching a pond, Amon froze in place when he found the end of the trail, but instead of Faust, he only discovered Marcus holding his arm in pain, his sword broken and covered in cuts and blood all over his body.

"Marcus!" Amon rushes toward him and tries to inspect his wounds. "Are you ok? Where did Faust go? He couldn't be far; I'm sure I hit his leg."

"Amon… why?" Marcus suddenly asks out of the blue, looking at Amon with rage.

"What do you mean, why?" Amon asks in confusion until he hears Fluttershy's scream. When Amon turns around, he sees the pegasus in question looking directly at Amon and Marcus with her hands covering her mouth.

The impression of the position seems clear because Amon is still holding the bloody knife.

"Is not what you think."

"Fluttershy, run! He is deranged!" Marcus screams at the top of his lungs, which only seems to confuse Amon even further.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Shiitake's voice alerted everyone, and looking to his right, Amon was shocked to see the major in question, with her usual guards looking at him in anger. "So you finally show your face, you freak!"

"What? No, you get it all wrong. Listen, I… Marcus, he needs help, please."

"Save it for the jury! Arrest him!" she orders her guards while pointing at Amon. The guards soon surround Amon and press him into the ground as he looks everywhere for help. His eyes eventually land on Fluttershy, who still seems in shock, covering her mouth and staring right at Amon.