The Apprentice

                                                             Day two.

   Pinkie bounced right next to me, then leaned up closer. "Sooooo how much did you learn? You must be a like a full mage now with how long it's been!"

   Twilight walked inside with the gang behind her and laughed. "Pinkie, Argyle has only been here for a day and a half."

   Spike hopped off of her back. "Yeah, really."

   "I know! Imagine how powerful he would be tomorrow? Or the next day or the one after that!" Pinkie gasped, "At this rate Sparky would be like a Super Spark!"

   Twilight face-hooved with a sigh.

   Spike rolled his eyes.

   Fluttershy giggled.

   Rarity was too busy with a mirror to notice.

   Luna leaned closer to me and whispered, "Is the pink one always this way?"

   I chuckled. "Honestly, this is normal."

   The alicorn just blinked, then slowly leaned back. "I see."

  Applejack looked at Pinkie and shook her head. "Uh, right. Anyways, howdy Argyle!"

   Spike said, "Yeah, how ya doing?"

   I waved to them. "Hey guys." I let out a nervous smile. "You're ... early."

   "Well of course we are darling." Rarity had a saddle-bag on. She put the mirror back into one of the pouches, and waved her hoof. "Fashionable, or otherwise, we simply could not be late."

   Fluttershy looked very worried. "Oh, I hope Angel is alright..."

   I asked Fluttershy, "What happened to Angel?"

   "He caught a cold. I was going to stay home, but Twilight insisted I come."

   Twilight nodded her head. "Yes, everypony needs to be present and on time for this."

   I felt that was a bit pretentious of Twilight. "Who is watching him at least?"

   "Nopony." Fluttershy pouted.

   Spike patted Fluttershy on her back. "Oh, I wanted to stay and watch him, but Twilight forced me to come too."

   Twilight insisted, "He's going to be fine. This should not take us long."

    I did not see Rainbow Dash. "Where is Rainbow?"

   All the others looked around confused.

   "Oh, now where is that silly filly?" Applejack walked up to my window, gazed out of its open glass doors. "Lazing about on a cloud somewhere I reckon."

   Twilight sighed. "Alright, where did anypony see her last?"

  "Oooh, oooh! I know, I know!" Pinkie was bouncing and waving her hoof.

   Spike chuckled. "Uh oh, you know what that means."

   Twilight asked, "You know what happened Pinkie?"

   "Yeah! Maybe a big hydra snatched her away!"

   Spike nodded his head. "Yep, that."

   "Ugh, Pink-"

   "Or she fell victim to spontaneous cloud combustion!"

   "I hardly think that is even-"

   "Or she flew so close to the sun, she incinerated!"

   Twilights mouth was agape. "Pinkie, how could you even suggest-"

   "Or she could have just gone on a trip."

   Everyone in the room gaped at Pinkie.

   Rarity said, "Um, pardon me, a trip?"

   "Well yeah, here." Pinkie pulled a letter from her mane, and had it in her mouth. She said with her mouth full, "Miss ish a latter fom her."

   "A letter?" Twilight took the letter, and read it.

"Hey guys. I know we're supposed to visit Argyle Thursday morning, but something really important came up, and I have to go. Sorry I can't be there. Rainbow Dash."

   Twilight huffed and put the letter down. "Oh, she could have just told us in person! I mean, she had enough time to write this."

   Rarity asked the pink mare, "Did she at least tell you where she was going, Pinkie Pie?"

   Applejack jumped in, "Or why she went?"

   Fluttershy softly added, "Or how long she would be?"

   "Nope, nope, and nope!" Pinkie waved her hoof. "You guys know how she is, always in the fast lane."

   "Typical!" Twilight was red faced. "The fate of Equestria could hang in the balance, and she just goes off into the sunset!"

   Pinkie Pie glared at Twilight, like she had insulted her.

   Fluttershy pointed her hoof at Twilight, "Now you wait a minute. Did you consider it might have been a family emergency? She said really important."

   Twilight's ears bent down. "Well, no, but she has some explaining to do when she gets back."

   Applejack caught Pinkie glaring at Twilight. "Uh, ya feeling alright, sugarcube?"

    "Well of course I am silly." Pinkie giggled, "It's Rainbow you should be worried about." She smiled. I caught something in it, something wrong. I could not figure it however.

   Luna shook her head. "Verily, the elements are a most peculiar band."

   I whispered, "You don't know the half of it."

   "Well, Rainbow Dash or not, we must drag on." Twilight shook her head. "Come on guys, this just got desperate." She turned and trotted towards the door.

    A feeling I shared, while muttering, "No kidding."

   Rarity looked concerned. "Um, I'd hate to break this up, but maybe we should check on Rainbow Dash? If she needed to just leave like that, then maybe we should take a rain check and help her?"

   Twilight turned around. "I know, but we can't stop now. Who knows if we'll get another chance like this? Besides, Rainbow is the best flyer in all of Equestria. I'm sure she's fine."

   Fluttershy stood by Twilight. "Well, Rainbow Dash or not, I would like some answers."

   "Well, things have been rather dismal lately, and more ponies have disappeared." Rarity shrugged.

   Spike nodded. "Besides, we can fill her in later."

   Pinkie started shifting uneasily where she stood. "Sooo, what now guys?"

   "Where didya reckon we should start, Twilight?" Applejack walked up to Twilight.

   "Yes darling. Do tell." Rarity walked to the others as well.

   Spike asked, "The Canterlot library?"

   "Where else?" Twilight gestured for us to follow her. "Come on."

   "Stay, Elements." Luna told the others, "Allow me to lead." The alicorn walked up to Twilight.

   Twilight looked at Luna and nervously smiled. "Uh, I would not want to impose on your royal duties, Princess."

   "Tis morning, Twilight Sparkle." Luna looked at her with a straight face. "The night hath passed."

   "Um, yes, but it's just a simple trip to the library. You know me." Twilight nervously giggled with her hoof rubbing the back of her head. "Always reading, my friends are too!" She grinned at her friends, and lightly cleared her throat.

   The others stared at her with confusion for a heartbeat, then smiled nervously and all agreed that they loved books and could not wait to read some.

   Luna had contempt in her eyes. Their coyness was wearing her patience. She took a breath in to center herself, and said, "Twilight, what dost thou think of me? Truly, thou wouldst do admirably to admit when thine scheme is obvious. I am offering to help, not snitch."

   Twilight looked at me, still nervous about Luna knowing what she was up to. However, I smiled and nodded reassuringly to her, while I showed her the letter she wrote in my left hand and pointing at Luna.

    She nodded in return, and sighed in defeat. "I'm sorry, Princess. I did not mean to imply that you would tell anypony, but that Celestia would likely have you watched. We can't be too careful."

   Luna scrunched her nose, "Of what is Tia guilty?"

   "Like I said, I think something is wrong." Twilight shrugged. "I just don't know exactly what."

   The others gathered to Twilight's side.

   "That's why we're here." Applejack added.

   "Yeah! This should be fun!" Pinkie laughed while bouncing up and down.

   "Very well, then. Follow." Luna walked to the door.

   I went to follow Luna, but Rarity stopped me. "Um, Argyle, darling, perhaps you should put something more ... presentable on?" She waved a hoof at what I was wearing.

   "Yeah, you don't want Celestia to see you in your boxers." Spike joked.

   I looked down at myself. I still had my lounging clothing on. "Ah, yeah. Good idea."

   Twilight told me, "We will meet you at the library."

   Luna corrected, "Nay, the Starswirl Wing."

   "Why there, Princess?" Twilight looked at Luna.

   "Thou shalt see soon." She finished opening the door, and the others followed her out. "I have in mind something thou shouldst appreciate."

   "See you there, Sparky!" Pinkie bounced out with the others.

   I mumbled, "Yeah, yeah."

   A few minutes later, I got the clothes I arrived in on. I thought about how fortunate it was to have my favorite clothes, something from home at the least.

   My dark green cargo pants. They had two big deep leg side pockets with brass snap buttons, and deep normal pant pockets. They were thick and durable, yet soft and giving.

   My favorite white long sleeve shirt with a crimson coloured fold-sleeve-button-up-shirt over it, that's what I called them anyway. It had pockets on each side of the upper chest, and straps just above each elbow that could be fastened with a button on the upper arm, so when you folded the sleeves they would stay folded.

   Lastly, my white hiking Skechers. Those shoes were just awesome. I could take them anywhere.

   I walked outside after a few minutes passed. The others had a big start on me, so I got a move on.

   I walked a few minutes and was near the Starswirl wing, when I ran into Fernsworth.

   Fernsworth bowed with one leg over his chest. "A most pleasant of mornings to you, Sir."

   I waved. "Hello Fernsworth."

   Fernsworth returned to his poised stance, and smiled. "I am ever so grateful that you remain in good health."

   "Uh, thanks?" I shrugged. "Glad you are too?"

   "Of course, Sir." He slightly bowed his head.

   I scratched my head. "Well, I was on my way to the-"

   "Starswirl Wing, Sir?" Fernsworth finished for me, "Her majesty Luna accompanied madam Twilight, with visitors, just a while ago down this hall." He pointed behind him to his left, down the beginning of a hallway. "If Sir hurries, Sir may catch them before any discoveries are made without Sir's presence."

   "Thanks... Well, it was nice seeing you again." I waved him goodbye. "See you later."

   "That is most assured, Sir." Fernsworth said in a very chipper tone. He then trotted off down the hall behind me.

   I watched him walk off for a moment, then I turned and thought to myself, "Okay, that was creepy."

   I was just a right turn away from walking up to the Iron gate, and seeing the gate guard patrolling the Starswirl hallway as always. I wondered about continuing the joke, but thought against it. I took a breath, and walked onward.

   A few steps was all it took for him to notice me. His head turned to see me and his blank expression went into a wide eyed one. He looked forward heartbeats after he saw me.

   I chuckled and walked up to him, and stood a few feet in front of him. He looked up from the floor hesitantly at me and said, "Good morning."

   I held a hand up, "Hi." No more death stares from me. I just looked as normal as I could. I held my hand out, "Name's Argyle. I think you know that, but I have yet to tell you."

  The guard just looked at my hand. "Um, what do I do with it?" He pointed at it.

   "You shake it. Where I come from, it's a greeting."

   He put his hoof up and I held it. He then started to shake my hand like it was a maraca. I could not help but laugh.

   "Very strange tradition." The gray unicorn told me. He cringed then face hooved. "Doh, I did it again. I apologize."

   "For what?" I tilted my head.

   "I insulted your culture again." He rubbed the back if his head with a hoof. "I have been thinking about what I said before, and well, I feel awful about it. I now understand why you were giving me that look."

   "Insulted?" I shook my head and huffed in humor. "No insult at all. A bad joke by me if anything."

   He shrugged. "So, you are not upset?"

   "I actually was just a bit aggravated, but I felt rather bad after words." I smiled and gave him a thumbs up. "But, that's okay. You're a cool guy."

   He looked shocked. "No pony has ever said that to me before."

   "Until now."

   He then pointed at the gate. "The Princess told me you would be joining her. Let me get this open for you."

   "Hey, thanks!"

   "Anytime." His horn glowed. The gate unlocked and opened with a squeaky metal sound.  "I am Zaner Lipizzan 3rd by the way."

   "Now that's a name!" I walked in. "See you later, Zaner."

   "Until then." The gate closed behind me, and I walked on to see the hour glass. The sand was flowing up, so I think it was 12:40 PM.

   I was about to turn, but my eyes were caught inside the glass. The blue glow was, soothing. I watched the sand grains fold, and trickle, inside the perfect glass structure. For a second, I felt like the room was melting, like I was the sand. It's hard to describe, but when I stared into the sand, I felt something click. There was something about the sand that felt warm, and strangely familiar. For one second, everything was possible. All doors opened. All windows unlatched. All seasons waxed. I was being drawn in by something ... extravagant.

   I was suddenly pulled back by a voice. "Argyle, you there?"

   I shook my head slightly, then turned to my right. "Coming!"

   I walked down the bookshelf hall to the right of the hour glass, towards Luna's nook.

"What the hell was that back there?" I had never felt anything like that before. It was very exhilarating, and frightening. I felt different. I felt more open, like any fog of mind was completely cleared away.

   I walked into the nook, and was ambushed by pink.

   Pinkie bounced close to my right. "Alright! Sparky is here! Now we can get this party started!" An explosion of confetti clouded my view.

   I looked onwards bleakly and muttered, "Yay..."

   "Pinkie Pie!" Twilight said, "Now is hardly the time. We have a serious problem on our hooves."

   "Aw, come on Twilight." Pinkie poofed in the blink of an eye, then was standing right next to Twilight. "Anytime is a great time for an egg head party!"

   Applejack laughed and knocked Pinkie on the shoulder. "Good one, Pinkie Pie."

   Twilight just huffed in frustration.

   "There will be plenty of time for that, Pinkie." Rarity said, "Just be patient."

   Fluttershy nodded silently in agreement.

   "Elements." Luna sternly said, "Pay sharp attention, and Argyle, thou may takest the stool yonder." She pointed at the stool next to the desk.

   "Fair enough." I took the stool and sat near the desk. All the others paid close attention.

   Luna's horn glowed, and I heard the sound of stone grinding. A single cobblestone the size of a watermelon floated up from the floor. A very old looking book, with a familiar marking on its weather worn leather cover, floated up after the stone. The marking was a line swirling and four stars dotting the front cover, two small, two large. It was bounded with bronze coloured metal bindings. The metal bands bound each thick leather cover, like latches.

   Pinkie looked at the tome and nearly drooled. "Ooooh, pretty leather." All the others admired the tome as it floated.

   Applejack shrugged. "It's a musty old book. Nothin' fancy."

   "What is that, Princess?" Twilight looked on wide eyed.

   "Its must be ages old." Spike looked impressed.

   The book hovered and gently landed on the desk near me. "Tis the personal journal of Starswirl the Bearded." Luna told everyone. "Only I know of it, and its location."

   Twilight giggled in delight. "Really?!" She fidgeted in her stance like a kid in a candy store.

   Applejack asked, "Starswirl the who now?"

   "Ugh, are you kidding?" Twilight rolled her eyes at Applejack. "He just happens to be one of the greatest mages of the pre-classical era!" She trotted up to the book on the desk, then looked at Rainbow Dash defensively. "And this is his personal journal!"

   Applejack nodded. "Okay, so it's a very important musty old book then, but what's it got to do with any of this?"

   "More than all here understand." Luna looked at us all very seriously. "Elements, thine's answers may very well be found, however, dost all here possess the strength for such answers?"

   "If it involves Equestria's safety, then it is our mission to find a solution." Twilight said, "We can handle the truth."

   The others gathered near to her, while I just sat on the stool with them close behind me.

   "That's right." Applejack said with a look of raw determination, "There is nothing we can't do together."

   Fluttershy lightly added, "Friendship solves all problems."

   "Yeah!" Pinkie bounced and laughed. "This is just getting fun too!"

   "Yes, this is rather exciting." Rarity pointed at the tome. "If this helps us in our endeavor, then I say bring it on!"

   Spike nodded, "What Rarity said."

   The others all cheered together ... right in my ears.

   Luna smiled. "Verily, the Elements never cease to impress, even when a mare down."

   Pinkie giggled, I quickly looked at her. She looked a little nervous over something.

   She took a breath in. "Very well. Open the tome, Twilight sparkle."

   "Got it." Her horn glowed and the book opened. She clapped her two front hooves together in excitement.

   I leaned in to see the inside of the tome, as everyone else moved in to get a closer look. Luna was to my right still on the couch.

   "Ooh, look at that Twilight." Spike pointed at the way the journal was written.

   "Yes, this style of writing is definitely pre-classical." Twilight looked at it confused. "But the formatting is odd." She cleared her throat, and read the very articulately written words on its first page.

"5th of January, year 980.

A  t last, my heart bounds with joy! My submission must have impressed,

as an invitation to the Cornelius University just arrived via the

Kingdom express for myself including my fellow classmate, Clover.

Our Flashport spell has gotten us enough notice, that my invitation was from Cornelius the Wise himself! I am to pack up and head to the University as soon as reasonable. Just think, I get to meet Cornelius the Wise, the greatest mage in all the Unicorn Kingdom! Giddy hardly does such description true justice.

6th of January, year 980.

V    erily, we are being escorted. I have little in the way of reason for

such a thing. I fail to see what about the Flashport spell could bring

Cornelius to have, non other than, General Skycutter himself escort

us to the University.

If It were made known we would be escorted by a militant from the Pegasus Kingdom, then I would have guessed it Commander Hurricane, or somepony with less responsibility on his or her table, not the General of the sky King himself. Clearly, something shadowy waxes under sight. I will think more on this.

Clover will be hard pressed to believe this. I will record more after the successful voyage we will start at dawn tomorrow.

11th of January, year 980.

R   ealistically, I little words to describe what I am seeing. The most

curious of wonderments has befallen me. First, On our second day

down the trail, I ran into a most peculiar and well dressed white mare

known as Gala.

She was making way to the University as well, but to demonstrate new methods she invented that turns normal cloth resistant to tearing, overall damage, and even to repel magic. A truly great achievement if any, however, on my fifth day of walking, I ran into the most otherworldly creatures I have ever seen.

One was unconscious and looked in a bad way, but the other was very much lively. He goes by the name Akaiem. He told us a few stories of his home called Earth. He stands on two legs, incredibly, with feet. The other two are arms with, amazingly, hands! It reminds me of dragon features, yet without scales.

In fact, I remember Clover had a theory once about what dragons would look like without scales. Perhaps this is why Cornelius sent Skycutter to escort us? A grand scale has tilted in the cosmos indeed. Tomorrow we will arrive at the University. Hopefully all will be made evident there."

   "Wait, hold on." Twilight put a hoof to her face. "Argyle was not the first Human in Equestria? That makes no sense."

   Spike shook his head. "How could we not know that?"

   Twilight frowned. "I have never read anything, historical, fiction or otherwise, that mentioned anything about a Human in Equestria. How is that possible?"

   Luna answered, "Much was lost to Starswirl's time."

   "Gala?" Rarity said to herself, "I remember that name from somewhere before..." She put a hoof to her mouth in thought.

   Luna took a breath in, "I forewarned thee, Elements. This truth will be a trial unlike anything thee hath experienced prier to this day."

   "You mean, it gets worse?" Twilight looked at Luna with disbelief.

   The dark alicorn slowly nodded.

   "Oh, don't stop now!" Pinkie was sitting, somehow, on a beach chair with a bag of popcorn. "It's just getting good!"

    "Now just hold on everypony." Applejack cut in. "We all knew this could get hairy, but we need to find what we came for."

   "Yes, there is no way we are stopping now." Twilight looked back to the book with determination. "We will read this until we get what we came for."

"13th of January, year 980.

A   las, I did not see him last night, so we stayed the night. After, I stood

before Cornelius himself today, with Clover and my new unlikely

friends. Everything I heard about him in my classes were mostly

true. His coat a pure blue roan, yet his mane streaks of azure

and one ice blue. It fell straight as if ironed. He also had his

signature reddish purple tented spectacles donned. I got a

view at his eyes, they are a hue of magenta. Even a young

aspiring mage as myself could feel the magic waxing around him.

He welcomed us and got straight to the point. He seemed little surprised by Akaiem. If anything, he looked saddened for him. We discussed matters about the Flashport spell, and heard Gala present her achievement. Akaiem however, asked only how he and his brother could return home. I came to better know this human in such a small timeframe, and I have grown to appreciate his company. The look on his face pained me, when Cornelius told him there was no known way for him to return.

Cornelius told us on all our projects we were to work together, even with Gala and Akaiem. I had no ill mind of it. I welcomed it in fact. I feel upset for Akaiem. I cannot imagine being trapped in his world alone, neither can I know what pain he must feel towards his fate. His brother is still very sickly. It is unlike any affliction the apothecary has seen. That is no small venture. I wonder what magic caused this phenomenon?

14th of January, year 980.

C   an this human never cease to amaze? Not only is he very

knowledgeable, but by Solstice he has magic! Everypony was

predisposed to our projects, I did not notice the jar of fabric dye

I knocked into when I testing the Flashport across a twenty five

hoof distance. It would have ruined Gala's ability to present to

the judges, were it not for Akaiem. He saw it fall, and held a

hand out. He expected it to spill everywhere, but to our

bewilderment, it froze in mid fall just inches away from spilling.

Normally it would not surprise, were it not for him conveying how his world is without magic openly. Never mind what a world without magic is like. A being from such a plane can develop affinity is groundbreaking! This changes what has been accepted as stone solid law. Better still, he can now help diversely in our projects. I am sure such will gain the attention of Cornelius, since he wrote said laws.

He is also very kind as well. He accidently ran into a fellow Student and knocked her papers to the ground. We were on a deadline, so he told us to continue without him. All the other students were either too busy or had not the sense to help. He was five minutes late to the presentation. He got quite the scalding from the judges. They preceded to explain even though he was a guest, he must respect this world's customs.

Clover was not happy with the judges, but Akaiem retorted for himself. He asked if the judges valued helping others in need. They answered yes, of course. He then told them about his accident and how he rather been five minutes late and help somepony, then be on time. This caught the judges off guard.

We followed our presentation with great success! The judges loved the Flashport and Gala's mastery with fabric. Clover found Akaiem's defense against the judges most humorous. Gala complemented us by saying "good show." I believe the time I shall spend here will be unparalleled.

15th of January, year 980.

A   broad does my heart rends at its tissue. Akaiem's brother, Liam,

I believe his name was, passed into eternity sometime last night.

There was nothing the apothecary, nor even Cornelius the Wise,

could do but ease his pain.  Akaiem had a few days time to speak

with him at least. Although neither party knew of how little time

he had left.

This day was called in the University. No Students need attend class. Appropriate measures Cornelius called it. Nothing about this day is appropriate. I went to Akaiem. I have never done such a thing before. I do not know if I helped much. I feared I would say the wrong thing, in result, I just sat next to him, watching the stars. I now believe such pain can only scar, not heal.

He was first to speak. We talked all night, about his world and life, and myself to him about mine. Our worlds are similar in many ways. I have a few theories to that. I have read into the theory of Dimensions by Serius the Strange, and it seems he was correct. I feel myself beginning to see Akaiem not merely as a marvel, but a friend."

   Spike rubbed the back of his head. "How are we going to find what we're looking for? It could take all day at this rate."

   Twilight shrugged, "We don't have much choice, Spike. We can't skip a paragraph or we might miss what we're trying to find."

   Luna walked over to Twilight. "Twilight Sparkle, I may be of assistance in that." Her horn glowed, and a single page turned. She pointed at the book. "Gander upon this page."

   Twilight's eyes widened when she saw the date on it, and so did mine. "It jumped over three hundred years!"

   "Tis an age old enchantment." Luna smiled. "It can make the simplest of tomes as endless as the night's sky."

   "I read about that once." Twilight giggled. "Oh, this is so cool!"

   "Cherish that feeling, young one." Luna's features grew glim. "For this page contains the truth I spoke of."

   Everyone in the nook looked at Luna, and looked at each other in worry.

   Fluttershy bent down. "Oh, um, m-maybe we should c-come back tomorrow, or w-when we're ready."

   Applejack told her, "We're as ready as we're gonna get. Go on Twilight, let's see what all this fuss is about."

   Twilight gulped down the knot if her throat. "Alright, here we go." She looked to the book and read that paged solemn.

"17th of May, 1299.

D   awn we received word that the Crystal Empire was attacked over

two weeks ago. How it took this long for us to get wind of this is

beyond me, but side issue. We do not know what is attacking the

Fifth Kingdom, but we have been summoned by the King and Queen

themselves. Clover, Akaiem, Gala and Myself, are to go to the

Alicorn Kingdom as soon as we are able  to receive orders from the

King and Queen.

To think, we just arrived from the Crystal Empire but a month ago and all was perfect. Now, rumors of giant dark clouds swallowing palaces and mountains whole are spreading throughout the entire Four Kingdoms. I have never seen, nor experienced such a horrible phenomenon in my three hundred plus years of life as a mage. No such record exists even in Akaiem's library back in Newfound land, the Crystal Empire, of such a thing.

Emperor Sombra did give some incentive about the origin of dark magic and how the Empire was attempting to find its source. Perhaps, they found what they were looking for. Never the less, we must answer this call, and return to the Empire posthaste!

20th of May, year 1299.

A   ll my heart, may Erebus night shield us and Solstice light preserve us.

Never have I seen such. So much death, bodies, millions blanketing

the landscape for miles. Even now as I write this, the canvas of this

tent bares no barrier to the smell. The once beautiful towers of crystal

now gone. It was as if they were torn from their foundations and

smashed upon the mountains. Fires are still tearing at the rubble.

I have never smelled burning flesh before. It sickens me.

No tower stands, no city bustles. All is ruin.

Even worse still, some were changed. The ones that could not retreat North yet still lived turned into monsters. Their bodies blackened, and they secreted a viscous ooze. They reeked of death.

There exists a gray kind as well. I never have seen such a thing before either. It bares the likeness of an insect, but with the stature of full pony. If insect and pony became one, that would bare likeness to what I encountered. They are very aggressive. We fought a horde of them earlier this evening. I am thankful for the battalion Skycutter sent to escort us. Thankfully, no one was lost to the attack.

21st May, year 1299.

V   erily, I cannot sleep. I still see the faces of every dead that blanket

this afflicted soil. Clover and Gala were like me, awestruck and

saddened, Akaiem, however, was angry at what we saw. I still

hear his words when first we saw this, "Not here too. Please God,

not here too." I believe he was thinking about the great war back

on Earth he left behind. If this bares Earth's likeness, then I never

want him to go back. This is not a place for life. Whatever is

responsible for this, we will bring it to justice.

22nd of May, year 1299.

R   unning, I encountered a seemingly dead elder dragon, however,

a spark of life yet still burned within. Akaiem somehow resuscitated

him with an electrical burst by his palm flat on the elder's chest.

Sadly, when his great heart began pumping again, his grievous

wounds were all to apparent. Gala attempted to use her scarf for cloth

to dress some of his dire wounds, however was stopped by him. The

dragon thanked her, but said it would help little.

The elder dragon's name was Equinox. He was the the last of his breed, a Crystal dragon. He told us about this catastrophe. The dark cloud, the city falling, the countless hordes of monsters, and how the Empire was attacked on all sides simultaneously. They hardly last a month. Akaiem asked him about the Emperor. The dragon said the Emperor was not saved from the cloud. He did not know what had truly befallen Sombra. It all matched what was told by the messenger before.

Before the dragon passed, he reached inside his chest and gave Akaiem his crystal heart. He told him to present it to his brothers far south of the heartland. They had knowledge of what it symbolized. I have read tales about the import of when a dragon gives you any part of his heart, yet the elder called him Tearfire. I have little familiarity with that title, nor such dragon lore. No book exists written on such a thing. Perhaps, I might change that one day?

I am leaving tomorrow back to the Four Kingdoms. We shall deliver our report. Yet, I bear a great feeling of dread. I feel strange at times, like something darker has moved into mind, clouding better judgment. I have seen the proudly disciplined solders that Skycutter sent with us, fight and brawl like drunken scoundrels over the silliest of things, even hold grudges over them. I have even caught myself thinking horrible things about my dear friends. Solstice, I hope this can be turned around before long."

   "Hold." Luna turned the next page. It jumped in years again. "Read from this. Tis the last entre."

"28th of July, year 2970.

A   ll consuming fires upon the frosted planes, smoke choking at life,

death smites its attempts at addendum from it. The light waxes to dark,

as only blackness shall forever rule this world, until the brightest of lights

burns the black away. Another dream of when you left us, my old friend.

I have seen much in my old age. My bones creek with experience I can

attest every early morning. My heart yet still pains the same.

I am left alone in my age. Yet I still have a promise to keep, one I will never mind to break, even with flanking death at my hooves. Clover, you would have appreciated that, but you are now gone, and so is Gala. Relics do not age well, but my bones yet stand. They have a promise to keep, one they will never buckle under.

I still have yet this spell of unlocking Equinity's lineage to finish. I still have not your answer old friend. I still have so much work yet concluded. The true power of friendship, and my spells that involve it, I still have so much to do. I need more time. Mortality is such a pesky nuisance. Especially when you have a promise to keep, one you have no mind to break.

Your library is well. I have tended it like I said. The world is safe like we promised. It was hard. Shortly after you left, ghostly monsters we called windigos fed off the hate left behind from the war and the excess black magic. That nearly caused a famine. Thankfully, Clover found the way to defeat them. Again, Akaiem, friendship saves this world. This land was named Equestria after that terror. Then there was a long winded incident with the last of the Draconequus, now, however, all pony races live here in peace. Even well over a millennium later in contrast, I feel hatred is stirring somewhere again. I do fear the darkness will come again, and bring another conflict with it.

Even so, this old relic is needed no more. Did you know the King and Queen had children? Two daughters, they are caring for things here as princesses. My Elements of Harmony have served them well, and will continue to. There is more to them than just power. If needed they will find other masters to protect the land. I fashioned them after your Aegises. Maybe I have your answer after all?

Death is coming, but I will not let it in. I know what I must do. No other choice remains. I must leave the mortal world, in order to stay. I have a promise to keep, one I will never mind to break. The final incantation, like I promised. My it guide you back. Until I see you again, my old friend, the Librarian."

   Twilight finished reading the final verse. The room was dead quite.

   Fluttershy broke the silence with one of her whimpers. She was hiding behind my stool, with her hooves covering her face.

   I laughed. "You alright, Fluttershy?"

   Fluttershy said while shaking, "Oh, Y-yes. I-I will be f-fine. Are you f-fine?"

   "I am now that you're with me." I smiled.

   That seemed to do the trick, as she loosened up a bit. "Oh, alright."

   "Yes well, it was certainly dark for a book." Rarity shook her head.

   "Y-yeah." Applejack shrugged. "That certainly was worth the fuss."

   "I will study this journal more later at my place." Twilight put Starswirl's journal in one of Rarity's back-bags. "We have all we need, let's go guys."

   Applejack asked Twilight, "What'cha think'n, Twi?"

   "If this is all true, then I'm thinking we need to take the train this time." Twilight trotted towards the exit's direction.

   "If ya say so." Applejack huffed, "Everypony's act'n so peculiar, all this sneak'n around..."

   Fluttershy got up, but shifted uneasily. "Well, this is not the first time strange things have happened." She put a hoof to her mouth, then said, "Remember when we first met Zacora? Everypony acted strange, hiding and so on."

   "Oh, please, don't remind me of that dreadful day." Rarity dramatically said, "I am still finding split ends in my hair." She frowned, while puffing her hair with her hoof.

   "Yeah, but this is different..." Applejack looked in my direction. "What do you think, Argyle?"

   I raised my head and answered, "I think we should follow Twilight. We need more time with that book."

   Fluttershy softly added, "I agree. You guys have fun with that book, while I tend to Angel."

   "Now hold on Shy-" Applejack caught what Fluttershy was getting at.

   I heard foot steps down the hall. Spike ran up to everyone and cut off Applejack. "Hey, have you guys seen Pinkie anywhere?"

   "No, can't say we have." Applejack pointed her hoof at Rainbow. "Ah thought you went with her to get some more popcorn or whatever?"

   "Well, yeah, until she up and vanished!" Spike gestured with his hand to Applejack. "You know how she is!"

   "I am sure she is fine darling." Rarity reassured Spike, "Knowing Pinkie Pie, she must have misplaced herself in one of her ... erm ... moments. I am certain she will turn up."

   Fluttershy softly said, "Besides, she could not have gone far."

   "Right. Remember the last time she miss-placed-herself?" Spike blurted, "There was like a thousand of her!"

   "Don't worry sugarcube. We'll help you look for that silly filly." Applejack gestured to the others. "Let's go girls. Ah think Ah know where to look." She asked me, "You come'n, Argyle?"

   I answered in a low tone, "In a minute."

   Applejack acknowledged, telling me to meet them later and where, as I heard hooves patter away.

   Thoughts raced across my mind's eye. I sat on that stool, with my chin resting on the backs of my clasped hands, as my elbows rested on my knees. I stared into open space. I was the only one in that room for a split second. I saw every detail metaphorically speak to me in all directions, like if my mind was a court of scholars debating facts within the fiction.

   "What befuddles thee, Student?" Luna had been listening to my left, near the desk.

   I had no choice left. I had to ask Luna. I turned on the stool to face Luna. "Is it possible for me to return home, or is it true, what the journal said?"

   She closed her eyes and thought to herself. Luna shook her head, and told me, "Thee were brought here by dark forces." Luna sighed. "I am unable to personally attest to any possibility, I am sorry."

   It was shocking how numb It felt. I was sure the reality would tear me a new one. I thought maybe that was why I felt the need to stay, because I knew there was no where else I could go all along. But, that also bred its own problems, like what Starswirl said in his journal and how I was going to stop it.

"I must break my promise then. I'm sorry little sister. Please don't hate me."

   "Then we have work to do." I got up. "We have to find out what is really happening."

   "We knoweth not what it truly is we fight." Luna shrugged with frustration. "Such knowledge remains lost to the pre classical era."

   "There is a saying on Earth." I told Luna, "When life gives you lemons, find a new life."

   She scrunched her nose at me in humor. "Curious, where do lemons play into this?"

   "It means we persevere." I turned to walk to the hour glass. "We are magic. It can't be more than just a cast and a flashport. Find the evil, then blast it. Simple."

   Luna followed me closely. "Simple? What was described in Starswirl's journal sounded anything but."

   I put my hand to my chin in thought. "All we need are some clues, something tangible."

   She asked me, "An investigation then?"

   "Yes. I will start with whomever cursed me." We reached the hour glass. I think it was around 3:46 PM, if I remember correctly.

   Luna stood near my left, then asked me with a dubious look, "Thy art skilled in the inquisitive arts?"

   I had read Sherlock Holmes many times before. I was comfortable with the challenge.

   "Let's just say this should be ... elementary." I smiled.

    Luna gave me an odd look. "Um, very well, then I will see to these disturbances happening in Ponyville of late."

   "Good idea. Zacora should be your first stop by the way." I walked to the iron gate, with Luna to my side following. "She will point you in the right direction."

   "I shall ensurest her a visit then. Thank thee." Luna smiled.

   I laughed. "Hey, what else are prize Students for? Chopped liver?"

   Luna recoiled her head back while looking revolted. "Verily, what sick being would chopeth liver?"

   I lightly face-palmed. Not at Luna, but at myself for making a human joke thinking a pony would understand. It was not a matter of intelligence, but a simple difference in culture.

   "Um, it was just some Earth humor. Never mind, you're welcome." I lightly waved my hand, trying to dismiss it.

   She shrugged, still revolted and confused. "Surely in thy's world chopped meat is not truly humorous?"

   "Heh, there is a little more to it than that." I smirked. "What a little debacle I put myself in."

   We reached the iron gate. The guard was peering in through the bars. "Good evening, Princess, and Argyle. Let me open this for you both."

   I gave him a thumbs up while smiling.

   Luna just looked at both Zaner, and myself confused.

   We walked on down the hallway. I turned towards my room. "There is something I need to get first."

   "Very well, I shall accompany thee." Luna remained to my side.

   A few minutes of walking, and Luna asked me, "So, I see thou hast made a new friend."

   "Who?" I thought for a moment. "Oh, Zaner?"

   "Yes, every time I previously met and informed him of thee joining me, he wouldst look like I ordered him to fight a frontline. Now, twould seem he hath chummed up to thee."

   I laughed, and joked, "What can I say? I'm just a likeable guy."

   She scrunched her nose and bumped into me on purpose.

   That surprised me a little. I blurted out humorously, "Hey!"

   We both shot funny bug eyed faces at each other. After a few seconds we burst out laughing.

   "Alright, I played a joke on him, by staring at him without mercy." I showed her my death stare face. She laughed. "But, we're cool now."

   Luna asked, "Why did thee jest him in the first place?"

   "Oh, he complemented that potato sack robe you made me ware that one time. "Luna was right, Humans do dress strange" he said."

   "Ah, indeed. Apologies." Luna had a sheepish expression. "I too made a poor sported jest."

   We walked to my room. I opened the door, and went inside. Luna followed shortly after and inspected my room.

   "Argyle?" Luna asked me, "Did thee close thy's glass balcony doors?"

   I glared at the doors, which should have been open. "Maybe the wind did it?"

   "Curious." She inspected the door closely. "Wind does not turneth dead bolts." Luna tugged on the doors, they were locked as well.

   I had a look around. My clothes were in the order I left them, and my desk was intact. It all looked untampered with, until I saw a lone piece of paper behind the trash can near my desk.

   "But wind does do that." I pointed at the marooned parchment. Luna walked over while I grabbed the piece of paper. It was blank.

   Luna surmised, "Must have blown off the desk."

   "Apparent, however, someone was here to see it." I pointed at the door. "They closed then locked the door afterwards."

   Luna thought out loud, "Why would somepony intrude in thy's chambers?"

"Servant maybe? Fernsworth..." I looked to Luna. "Maybe it was Fernsworth."

   "Who?" Luna looked at me confused.

   Her reaction unsettled me. "You know, Celestia's personal butler?"

   The dark alicorn looked at me seriously. "Tia, has not employed a personal butler, at no point in time."

   "Well, that's not good." I shook my head. "I hate to inform you to the contrary, but I have been told otherwise."

   "By whom?" Luna narrowed her eyes at me.

   "By her personal butler. Repeatedly." I crossed my arms. I did not like where that was going.

   Luna huffed, then walked towards the door. "Follow, Argyle."

   I quickly moved to pick up what I came for, my ipod. "Wait up!" I ran up to her. "What's the rush, where are we going?"

   "To my Sister. She can explain this."

   "Luna-"

   "She is not a liar." She held her head up. "Once she dismisses this, we may return to the real mystery at hoof."

   I frowned. "Her dismissal is what I am afraid of." I had to walk briskly to keep up with her, she was practically trotting.

   Don't upset the Princess, that was what Twilight urged. I had no intention to make any waves. Luna, however, was intent on testing Twilight's warnings. I swallowed the lump in my throat, and followed Luna to her sister's chambers. Sun Tzu, would not approve.

   "Stay there, I shall return." Luna told one of the two guards to let her through.

   The guard looked at her apologetically. "I am sorry your majesty, but Princess Celestia is not to be disturbed for any reason."

   Luna looked like someone had just slapped her. She glared at the guard, who in turn gulped in worry.

   I stood there with an equally surprise look. I could not help but think, "What screams dictator?"

   The vexed Princess retorted with a very stern tone, "Assuredly, the Princess of the night is the exception?"

   He looked at the other guard, who nodded to him. He saluted her then unlocked the door.

   "Truly harder than it should hath been." Luna held her chin up with a huff.

   One guard mocked her by lip syncing and rolling his eyes behind her back. The other one tried not to laugh.

"Maybe waning discipline and respect among the staff?" I shook my head.

   I glared at the guard. He met my gaze once. I could tell he had ill thoughts towards me, like, "Yeah, what are you going to do about it?" It was a look I was used to back on Earth. I was very disheartened to see it in Equestria as well.

   It also made me angry. I cleared my head and imagined lightening flaring in my eyes. Seconds after his obvious challenge, I let my eyes flare a little with electricity. I had no idea it would actually work. I saw the sudden burst of light flare up the wall behind the guard. The guard jumped a little and stiffened.

"Pissant." I snickered at him.

   The doors opened and Luna gestured for me to enter. I walked in after her.

   "Ah, Argyle Orion." Celestia was laying on a nice looking large pillow. She did not have her tiara on, but she had a thick royal blue blanket covering her back. "I am very glad to see you again, even at such short notice." She quickly cast a look at Luna. "Now, what can I do for you two?"

   "Well, your majesty-" I was trying to politely say, until Luna did it for me.

   "Elder Sister, explain why I hearest rumors of thee possessing a personal servant."

   "Oh, my, all this fuss is over that?" Celestia laughed. "Of course I have a personal servant."

   Luna looked at me like she had proven her point. "Yes, thank thee-" Her eyes widened when Celestia's words sunk in. "What!?" Luna looked at her sister with bewilderment. "For when did this take place!?"

   It was worse than I had feared. "She actually told the truth? Well that's even worse. Not only does she keep things from others, but she has no fear in being open about it."

   Celestia obviously found that amusing. She smiled, and told Luna sarcastically, "Oh my brash little sister, "twas" just last season. Remember?"

   "Nay, we do not!" Luna stomped her hoof down. "We would if thee hath actually informed us!"

   "Temper, Luna." The white alicorn shook her hoof side to side. "Remember, Inside voice."

   Luna's nostrils flared, but she tried to calm. "Why am I hearing of this just now?"

   The Princess sighed at her sister. "I do not intrigue you with every little happening for me that takes place, nor would I have you annoy me with every little thing you come across." She got up, and walked to Luna. "Is your loving sister so wrong to respect your privacy?"

   Luna's features softened. "Well, I-'

   "Am I not loving enough?" Celestia struck a dramatic pose. "Need I pry and be more assertive towards your day from now on? What you have done, where you have gone, who you have talked to? Oh, what a horrible sister I have been to not give my baby sister her time of day!"

   I just shook my head. "Gotta hand it to the bitch. She is cold and stark evil, but damn is she good at it!"

   "Nay! Tis alright." Luna shook her head and sighed. "I suppose a personal servant is not something of import."

   Celestia dropped into a more relieved pose. "Are you sure? I could be more assertive if you need it."

   Luna waved her hoof side to side, "Nay, Nay. Tis fine."

   "Oh, perfect." Celestia hugged Luna, then she walked back to her pillow. "When you need something else, let me know."

   I was about to say something, but Luna in all her boldness, stepped on my foot, lightly but firm. I crossed my arms, and gave her a look. "All right. You have a better plan?"

   Luna shook her head lightly at me. I waved my arm forward for her to go ahead in turn. "Well, then by all means your malevolence."

   "Um, there is one other topic, sister."

   The Princess of all dictators sat down on her lovely and oh so comfy pillow. I remember snickering for that a second, as I thought about how she probably fluffed that pillow with the souls of her enemies. "Oh? And what is that?"

   "The disturbances in Ponyville."

   Celestia thought to herself for a second. "Ah yes, the disturbances. What of them? I already sent my two best on the case."

   "I have reasons to think the happenings of late fouler of nature than previously thought." Luna cleared her throat. "So, I am including myself and my student apart of the investigation."

   It hit me then, Luna was playing a hand. She was just trying to get out of her sisters hair. She was also putting a few older hands out for her sister to see. To hide in plain sight. I would have applauded if the situation was different.

  Tia giggled. "Very well, I shall await my two investigator's synopsis with anticipation."

   "Yes, well, that is all." Luna turned then nudged me to move. "We will be going."

   The Princess said in a sarcastic tone, "Good day my little detectives!"

   I waved to her with a wide smile on. "Oh yeah, we'll have a good day, when you go back to hell ye white demon!" Luna kept nudging me out the door.

   We went out of the doors into the hallway.

   "Come, Student. We hath work to do." Luna took to the left hallway.

   I was right on her tail, but not before having a final word with my new friends, the Pissant and his boyfriend.

   I walked to them both and congratulated them on doing a wonderful job, while patting them on the back. I asked them if they liked dancing. They said they never had the time for it. I nodded and walked away.

"Heheheh, you will now fuckers."

   I smiled devilishly when I heard behind me, "Woah, hey! What's Going on?!" The two Guards lost control of their armour, thanks to a little spell I made up and cast on them. "Hey! Keep your hooves to yourself!" I heard the clanking of metal and grinding on stone, as the two guard's armoured suits started waltzing together with them still inside, in front of Celestia's chambers.

   I was a few steps down hall when I heard, "What in Harmony is going on out here?" One of the guards said in panic, "Princess! It's not what it looks like!" Celestia huffed loudly. "Surely, you two love birds could have waited for your shifts to be over?"

   I had to run after Luna, as I was going to explode into laughter.

   I caught up to her, and let out a few laughs. Luna looked at me like I had lost my mind.

   "I'll tell you later." I said panting, "So, what's the plan?"

   "See what thee can discover on that curse." Her horn glowed. "I shall maketh way to the Everfree and investigate."

   "Right, when do we meet back up?"

   "When the hour glass fills 8:00 PM. I Shall meetest thee at the wing."

   "Until then, good hunting."

   Luna flashed, and was gone.

   My stomach growled. "Damn, Alright. Food first, then life and death situation."

                                                                    ***

   Luna arrived at her destination. She felt fallen leaves crunch under her dark hooves. A wisping gale picked up and gave life to the Everfree's ocean of green. She knew very well where Zacora lived. She was one of her few subjects that stayed lively well into the night.

   Luna had put herself a little ways from Zacora's hut for a reason, as she wanted to inspect the forest scape for anything amiss, but as far as her eyes and gut could tell it all was quiet and quaint.

   She heard Nightmare Moon speak to her. "No disturbance here, perhaps further in the wood?"

   The dark Princess ventured into the moist dank of the Everfree. She was nearing her destination, when a rustling of leaves sounded to her right. The alicorn turned, ready for a beastly attack, but saw familiar dark stripes and hooded robe standing on a small up clime.

   "Princess? Of all surprises made, this one bares no dismay." Zacora had a back bag full of light blue mushrooms and other herbs.

   "Good day, Zacora." Luna waved. "I hath come on important business. May we talk?"

   "Yes, Zacora figured you would stop by, but we must away from beast or spy." She gestured for Luna to follow her.

"No reason to await, ask her now."

   They walked down a mossy trail, still a ways from the hut. Luna asked Zacora, "Pray tell, I hath heard much about a sudden violent nature in this forest's beast population. I ask, why?"

   "Of that, there can be little known. Its root cause has yet to be shown."

   Luna sighed. "I see. That bares little incentive."

   "But, I will say this. A dark thing is making its way, and the beasts are reacting violently with much disarray."

   "But the cause still unseen?" Luna thought on it, but she needed more to draw anything but wild theories.

   Nightmare huffed, "Hmmm, this Zebra knows something, I can smell it upon her."

   A sudden growling Luna could hear. When she looked, five Timberwolves lumbered out of the brush.

   Their mouths dripped with tree sap like drool. A foul musty Odor that smelled like forest rot flowed from their nasty wooden jaws.

   "Timberwolves, here?" Zacora backed up, while the pack began circling them. "We must run!"

"But mere rodents, cast them to the wind."

   "It is I whom they should fear. Behind me, Zacora!" Luna charged her horn, and flapped her wings. She caught the wind gusts from each flap and turned them into a small tornado that roared with powerful winds around her horn. The Timberwolves whelped, as the Tornado sucked each one down the funnel, scrambling them into a mess of wooden limbs.

   "That should teach them manners." She let the spell die, and bits of Timberwolf fall to the moist forest floor.

   A loud roar belted from the thicket in the brush. Zacora jumped when she saw a huge Manticore burst out of the thicket.

   "Even Manticores venture here! Run for the life you hold dear!"

   "This way!" Luna sprinted down the pathway with the zebra to her side. The Manticore roared and snarled. It tailed them every bound.

"Luna, to the left, blue leaves!"

   A patch of poison joke ivy glowed down a fork in the path. "Zacora, hide!" Zacora jumped into a bush, while Luna turned down the path. The Manticore was not fooled however, and went right for the bush the zebra hid in.

   "Ugh, here brute!" Luna cast a spell at the beast angering it. It left the bush alone and charged at the Alicorn.

   Luna ran when the beast jumped at her with its claws out ready to tear her to bloody pieces. Both nose dived into the poison joke patch.

   The Princess stumbled out of the patch, then back up on the path. The Manticore lumbered out of the ivy patch behind her. It roared in anger at both Luna and Zacora, but to its surprise, it stood not but a few inches tall. It squeaked at them, then ran off into the jungle.

   Zacora laughed, "Well done! We must go, before more show." They soon arrived at the hut, and went inside.

   Zacora took of her robe, and hung it on a wall peg. "Now, talk we may."

"Those pests are normally skittish around divine beings... Our lead is more than rumor."

   "I see the rumor's exaggerations are indeed fact." Luna stretched her stiff muscles, and noticed her vision began changing. The room began turning upside down. Soon, Zacora was standing were the celling should have been.

   "Yes, facts they are." Zacora poured her bag of mushrooms and herbs into a large boiling caldron in the center of her hut.

   Luna knocked into a shelf. Sighing in frustration, she just sat down.

   Nightmare Moon laughed.

   The zebra smiled, and grabbed a yellow bottle from the shelf. "Take this, for the poison joke."

   "Thank thee." She drank the remedy. It tasted like herbs. Slowly her sight returned to normal.

   Relief washed over her. "Hast thee attempted to halt these happenings at success?" The indigo alicorn stepped closer to the warm caldron.

   "Hmmm." Zacora stirred her caldron. "I have tried many things. Potions, magic, even hexes and sprites, but all failed to bring this curse to the light." She thought to herself. "One fact is plain, a natural force is not to blame."

"Now, this commoner bores me. The source, make her tell you its source!"

   "Where did it begin? I must find the source posthaste."

   Zacora sipped the boiling contents of her caldron and smiled. "A pony near the old ruins I have seen cloaked in guise, but his white coat and fancy clothes did betray his disguise."

"Hmm, this dark force at least has good taste."

   "The old fort Everfree." Luna sighed. "Yes, I know it well."

   "This cloaked one I watch, he always wonders where none dare trot."

   "Probably somepony that was hugged little as a filly. Our choice is obvious, recon the fort, lie in wait."

   Luna pondered her options. "Much gratitude, Zacora. I must now away-" Luna's stomach growled in defiance. She blushed in embarrassment.

   Zacora laughed, "Come, have a bite before you go." She grabbed and filled two wood bowls of wonderful smelling liquid from the caldron. "You will need it for the road."

"Non sense!"

   "Thank thee." Luna looked at the steaming bowl dubiously. Although it smelled delicious, it looked like watery mud with small cooked mushrooms that glowed a light blue bobbing in it.

"Peasant feed. Never mind your nose, you would be well advised to not consume it, otherwise risk, ugh, dysentery."

   "Um, pray tell, what is this? Soup?"

   Zacora saw her expression and giggled. "No fear Princess. An old family recipe my blue mushroom stew, it can also bring great health to you."

"Bring great health to a God? That is rich." Nightmare laughed.

   Luna rolled her eyes, then looked back at her bowl. "Verily? I hath heard of them, but never the chance to try them."

   Horn glowing, she brought a spoonful to her mouth then sipped. It was the best stew she had ever tasted. Her body shivered. Her self control waned. She suddenly needed that stew like a fire was under her. Luna put away the spoon and gulped the whole bowl down like she had not eaten in months.

"Well, I suppose even divine beings indulge at times. Now, allow her the pleasure of serving you again!"

   Zacora laughed and gave her another bowl. The princess took it greedily and downed it in a few gulps.

   Luna finished her second bowl and gasped, but still felt like she had a hole in her gut.

   She looked at Zacora with a beet red face mixed with shock and a little worry. "Gadzooks! What has befallen me? Never am I ... well ... this ravenous!"

"Quickly, Luna! Claim that infernal caldron's contents in the name of your divinity!"

   Luna whispered under her breath, "Quiet!"

   The Zebra smiled and poured them both another helping. "It is the magic you taste, for in blue mushrooms glow you will eat in haste."

   The dark Princess finished her fourth bowl and finally felt satisfied. Luna got up and felt unbelievably good. "Hark, my body, tis marvelously rejuvenated!" She laughed in disbelief. The sudden strength made her feel like a mountain. Luna stood tall and puffed out her chest in stonewalled confidence. "Thank thee. I shall remember this well."

"So shall all who will stand against a newly empowered God!" Moon laughed nefariously.

   Luna face-hooved.

   Zacora giggled. "You are most welcome."

   Luna trotted to the door. "Truly, I will ensurest thee a visit more often, but I must now go." She waved the zebra goodbye.

   Zacora returned the gesture. "Until then, Princess. The white pony should soon arrive, he you cannot miss."

   "Understood." The newly strengthened alicorn trotted out the hut, then back on trail towards the old ruined fort.

"Just like before. Turn here, ah, yes."

   Luna and the Everfree had a deep history. She knew her way around its age old trails, other wise, it would be nearly impossible to traverse the sea of green that was the Everfree forest. After about an hour of walking, the old fort was soon in sight over a small brush clearing.

   The moon had risen, it was getting late in the evening. Luna had to hurry.

"Speed brought us early. There! That tree line is perfect for reconnaissance."

   A cloaked white pony came into view after an hour of waiting. Whomever it was, trotted up to the main entrance and looked around to check if he was followed. Satisfied with a seemingly clear coast, he moved inside.

"Childs play."

   Luna waited untl she was sure her flashport would go undetected. Once she flashed close, she went inside the dark and musty ruined door way.

   Mossy age warn walls and floor lied in hallways she had walked before long ago.

"Welcome home, Queen of the night."

   Luna frowned, "Silence."

"Even you must face your fears sometime, my dear Luna."

   Luna sneered, "Silence I commanded."

   It had changed little since then. Echos of the mind she heard in the silent moist hallways. The iron clank of loyal warriors in motion. The chants of glory and pride in the campaign that was to ensue echoing down hallways. It all began here. She was hoping whatever was causing her home distress, was not getting its start there as well.

"Luna, feel that? Something foul is near."

   Luna came up on the main hall. The air began growing colder with each step. It reminded her of that beast the Librarian fought in Argyle's dream. The Void God it was called. She heard voices from inside. Luna felt the strong evil presence grow nearly overbearing. She got closer and leaned on a window sill, its window lost long ago, and listened to a room of strange voices.

   Something was laughing like a lunatic. "Heheheheh wooaahhh hahahaha! Hehehe."

"What a racket!"

   Something monotone and yet powerful commanded, "Calm yourself."

"YAAH! No fun, no fun, NO FUN! You know I hate sitting here, Dirge! When can we get to the fun parts?"

   Nightmare Moon sighed in frustrated contempt. "Whatever they are, there is more than one."

   Something conceited and light toned said, "Patients, Mischief dear. There will be plenty time for that later."

   "You're no fun either, Vanity!"

   Luna got a closer look inside the main hall. Just below she could see six thrones lined in a half crescent shape facing the cloaked pony. Each stone head board was far too large to see what was sitting in them.

   A deep voice boomed from a dark corner she could not see. "Hmmm, no crunching noises?"

    "Silence. You have returned."

"Behold princess, I give you the origin of your Student's curse."

   The cloaked pony trotted up to the middle of the hall. "Indubitably."

   "How went the mission?"

   "Unequivocally. A nudge here, a bit of distain there, and a batch of missing ponies, because boredom was waning me, and we have a perfect set stage. Of course, I enlisted some outside assistance."

   "Oooh, live meat for me later, yahahaha!"

   "Unharmed I assume?"

   The cloaked pony responded, "Physically? Certainly. Mentally? For their strength of will to decide."

   "So, I suppose that means we are almost ready, Dirgey?"

   "Of course, success was inevitable. Step two begins immediately."

"Hmm, this spells ill. We must find what they have done already."

"FINALLY!"

"Slowly crushing the ribcage ... the tiny, teeny, ribcage."

   Luna was getting frustrated that she could not see the monsters below.

   "Does that mean I can now, Dirge?"

"He can what?"

   "I see reason. Do not fail to entertain our guest."

   Luna whispered to herself, "Guest?"

   "Oh goodie! Just when all my other flesh toys went bad too."

   Her gut dropped when she saw the cloaked pony was staring right at her, smiling. "Oh drat!"

"It's a trap girl! Haste to the exit!"

   "Have fun, dear."

   Manic laughter boomed inside the hall, as a dark creature scuttled from the throne he sat in. Its eyes glowed a crimson hue, that burned hot when they connected with Luna. "More, MORE MEAT FOR ME!"

"Haste means RUN!"

   Luna turned then bolted back down the hallway.

   The hall behind her laughed and cackled, as she heard foot steps and grinding sounds of metal sharpening.

   "Aww. just come back! Just a taste! I promise I'll just taste!"

   The alicorn was not about to fall victim to a lunatic. She was going to lure it away from its friends first.

   Her body felt no strain from sprinting. It was still empowered by what she ate. The hall behind echoed with a twisted song that creature was singing while chasing her.

   "Strip the flesh, solve the wound, cut the skin then break the bones. Mend it up, THEN CUT IT AGAIN!"

   "By the moon." Luna grunted and second guessed fighting whatever it was.

"Whatever happens, do not trip."

   Luna said annoyed, "Yes, thank thee."

   "Why run Princess? No one's hurting you, that is, until I catch  you." A withheld giggle echoed.

"Hide there! And fool this monster away."

   Luna saw a dark turn, and hatched a plan. She turned and hid there. Then ran in place, and cast a spell that sent the sound down the hallway as if she was still running.

   The creature sped passed her laughing and snarling. A sigh of relief passed Luna. She concentrated on a spot to flash too. She closed her eyes, and her horn glowed.

"Your room, anywhe-'

   "Ooooh, you're skin is prettier then I thought."

   Luna eeped as her heart skipped.

"Flank."

   She did not feel the creature approach her. Two burning eyes stared at her from the celling. The beast dropped down, and Luna got a good terrifying look at him. He was bipedal like Argyle, and shared many humanlike features. He was wrapped in dressing cloth head to toe underneath his tattered and torn dirty clothes. Only patches of matted hair, mouth, and burning eyes were exposed.

   "Aw, come a little closer ... for a hug." It stepped towards her slowly.

   The Princess backed into the darkest part of the hall. Her rump hit a cobble face, and froze in horror. The hallway behind her had collapsed. It was a dead end.

"A weak rubble wall? Hmmm..."

   "I knew you would hide here." He giggled. Two blades shined in both his hands. "Like them? I sharpen them every day."

   Luna's eyes glowed, then Nightmare surfaced, "If thee wish to die badly, then please, continue to threaten!"

   He laughed. "Oh, pretty flesh." His black tongue stuck out, and he sliced it in half with one blade. Blood spurted, and things crept from the spatters. It mended back within a few seconds. "I'm gonna skin you, put your face on, and say hiii to your dying carcass!"

"Fascinating."

   Luna could not understand why. She was an Alicorn. The Princess of the night. She did not feel fear. It is the dark side of the moon that fearlessly faces the abysmal unknown, the depths of space, yet this monster frightened her to no end. The floor gave slightly on her hind hooves.

"Are you thinking what I happen to be?"

   A cunning plan hit her, just in time.

   The dark creature smelled the air. "Mmmm, ahahaha! The must of fear. That thick musty smell you get just before you cut." It giggled.

   Luna yelled, "Then forwards! Come, kill me badly!" Her horn glowed bright.

"Yes, good girl."

   It grabbed one small creature that crawled from the blood. The small creature screeched in pain for a second, as he ate it with a loud crunch. He asked with his mouth full, "Hmmm, would that horn still glow so, even after I saw it off?" The sick beast swallowed and smiled.

   Luna was revolted beyond nausea. "Wretched  monster!"

"Don't let him distract you- *he comes!*"

   It lunged cackling insanely at Luna, both blades poised to rend her to tatters. "YAAHAHAHA! NEW FLESH, FOR MY MEAT PUPPETS!"

"Now!"

   The princess put all her weight on her hind legs and pressed. The eroded floor gave way and she fell with it. The creature swiped at her.

"NOT ENOUGH CLEVER!"

    She felt a sharp tip effortlessly cut a gash on her nose bridge. Luna whelped in pain, as she tumbled down the eroded hole. Her horn glowed bright as she concentrated on the hallway above her as she fell. Her backside hit the moist dirt.

"NOW YOU'RE MINE!" The creature jumped into the ditch after her in his blinded blood thirst.

   Luna smirked, that was just wait she hoped for. In a flash, she stood above the hole she had made. The creature landed on his face with an angry yell. Luna charged her horn, and let a powerful pressure blast hit the wall of worn rubble.

   "Hey, no fair!"

  Nightmare snarled in Luna's mind, "The world is unfair, loathsome whelp."

   The wall creaked and groaned as it gave way. Right into the ditch she made, filling it with tons of stone and loose dirt in weight, hopefully entombing the nightmare below until Tartarus come.

   After Luna and Nightmare took a breath of relief in, they heard knocking under the rubble pile. "Hey, it's dark down here!"

   Luna stared at the rubble bewildered. "Of what make are these things!"

"Worry about it after we leave. It is nearly time."

   "Right." Luna quickly flared her horn, and concentrated.

   Loud knocks beat under the floor. "Don't leave me! I need your face!"

   Luna grunted in disgust and flashed into safety.

                                                                   ***

   "Phew, I'm alive again." I complemented the chef for a wonderful meal. "Thanks, that was great!"

   "Hey, that is no problem, anytime." The head palace chef laughed. "After the work you did, I actually owe you one!" He pointed at his spotless kitchen. "I can now see why you are Luna's apprentice."

   I always wanted to try magic at cleaning things, I mean, who did not? Mickey Mouse had his blue hat, but he did not have the genius of Johann Strauss the 2nd. I managed to project the music from my ipod's ear buds with magic. The music filled the kitchen, some voices of spring here, a little blue Danube to wash it down, and some chit-chat to egg them on. The cleaning utensils not only stayed inline, they were the orchestra to my maestro.

   The whole kitchen was cleaned in minutes what would have taken the head chef and staff hours.

   "Well, I have business to get to. Until later!" I waved him good evening.

   "Take it easy!"

   I entered the hallway, and searched everything I could think of, even Fernsworth's room, for clues. That butler was far to tidy for mishap. Not even a layer of dust to indicate how long he stays in his room, as it looked like he never left it. I asked around the palace for information. Nothing came up, to much of my dismay.

   A failed search later, I wondered what time it was. I asked a nearby palace staff what time it was. She said 7:40 PM

   After thanking her, I moved and inwardly sighed. Something was up with Fernsworth, I just knew it, but I lacked anything to support it. I frowned. "Support, huh? Well, maybe Luna found something." I strode to the Starswirl wing, as the walk was going to eat up time anyway.

   I reached the iron gate, and talked a bit with Zaner. He let me in, and I looked at the hour glass.

   I struck a pose and pointed at the hour glass one hand out, while my other one was on my side. "8:00 PM on the dot!" I did an arm pump, "I'm like a caged beast!"

   I frowned when I heard giggling behind me. "Undoubtedly!"

   I let my arms hang, "How long had you been standing there, Luna?"

   "Oh, since 7:50 PM." She giggled again, "My caged beast."

   "Ah, yeah. I never going to live that down, huh?"

   Luna shook her head, "Never."

   I was going to laugh, until I turned around and saw her nose bridge was bleeding.

   "Luna, you're hurt." I walked over to her.

   "Tis but a scratch." She waved my hand away with her hoof. "Leave it."

   "But, It will scar."

   "Let it. We hath more things of import to waste magic on."

   "You found something, or did it find you?"

   "Both."

   I closed my eyes. Thoughts raced like a slide show. "Alright." I walked to the nook, Luna came trailing soon after. Then sat down on the sofa. "Tell me everything."

   After Luna finished her story, I was sitting with my chin on my clasped hands. "At least five more of them?"

   "Yes. Each just as awful as the first abomination in thine's dream before."

"Yeah, Xerxus, I think the Librarian called him. What, is it mating season? Where the fuck did they come from?"

   "Very well, what are you going to do?"

   "I know who cursed thee. I but need to find the beast."

   "And you want me to finish what you started in Ponyville, switch roles right?"

   Luna looked surprised. "Correct. Find the source of the disappearances."

   I smiled. "The case is mine then." I felt a rush of endorphins. I finally had a real challenge. Something that I could really sink my teeth in. And best of all, leeway had already been broken by Luna. I felt like I was on the winning side for once in my life. Who gets to save the world? And save it we will... Right?

    I got up, and stood like I was on top of the world. "Applejack said to meet at Twilight's library after the evening. Where are you starting your hunt?"

   "Here in the palace. Whomever cursed thee is a servant here."

   "You said he was white of coat, and fair of dress? Hint, it very could be Fernsworth."

   "I hope thee art wrong about that. If not, I fear what that implies."

"I think you may be denying yourself a few details, for the sake of love, my teacher."

   "That your sister is in direct danger?"

   "Yes. I could bare not any harm upon her."

   I felt my heart sink. I did not want to imply that her sister was apart of that debacle. But I saw the seething evil in her eyes like tar out of a pit. I knew she was black at her core. But, in contrast, if Luna did indeed pop the lid, she would discover that for herself. I just had to there to comfort her when it, or if it, did happen.

   "I shall pray that never the case, for you."

   "Thank thee. But, I do not think it necessary." She waved her hoof in dismissal.

   I turned, and walked towards the iron gate. "I think I will head to Twilight's. Inform them of what happened."

   Luna followed. "Tis late, Argyle. Perhaps tomorrow?"

   "Late? Yes. Will Twilight be asleep? No, she has too much on her mind."

   "Hmm, if thee thinkest so."

   "If I am wrong then I will just apologize, and fill her in anyway." I smiled devilishly.

   Luna giggled. "Very well."

   "Speaking of late, you stayed up all day. Are you not tired?"

   "Nay, Zacora's stew still has effect. I feel no strain."

   I laughed. "Hell-of-a-thing." We reached the iron gate. I bid Luna a good night if I did not return later.

   I closed my eyes, and stood near the gate. I prepped myself for a rather large flashport.

"Mission. Find the source of the disappearances. First goal. Let Twilight and the others know so they can protect themselves. Second goal. Find Rainbow Dash, cannot lose the possible need for the Elements of Harmony at a later time. Plan sanctified."

   I imagined Twilight's library. The spicy smell of lavender and vanilla. The still dusty air. The age old covers of the books upon your finger tips as you run a hand over them in alphabetical order. The horse head carving in the middle of the main room. And myself standing right next to it.

   The stone floor I stood on gave way under my feet. As a flash of light blinked through my eye lids. The feeling happened again, but in reverse after I reached my destination. It all happened in a split second.

   I heard a small sound like glass broke suddenly. I opened my eyes to see if I had broken something, but saw nothing I could have. I noticed a surprised pink mare to my right. I leaned on the table, and waved my hand, "Hello, Pinkie."

   "Oh, uh. Hey Argyle!" Pinkie looked caught off guard. "What a surprising surprise!"  She stood off the side near the doorway to my old room. Piles of books were near her sides. She was right in the middle of the two towered stacks of books.

"What are you doing hidden in books?"

   "Argyle? Oh hey!" Twilight walked out of my old room. "What are you doing here?"

   "Yeah, what's up?" Pinkie walked near me.

   "The sky is up. I am here to talk to Twilight about something." I gave Pinkie a testing glare. "But, now that Pinkie is here, I suppose that takes out two problems with one stone."

   Pinkie shifted in her stance, but seemed undaunted.

   "Um, alright." Twilight gestured at the book towers. "I was just returning the books back to your old room."

   "I hate to impose. but I have something to tell you." I pointed at my old room. "Have a second?"

   "Sure." She walked back into the room.

   "Coming Pinkie?" I gave her an expressionless stare. "You don't wanna miss this."

   "I still have to help out here, but I will be right in reeeal quick!"

   I smiled. "Alright. Don't work too hard."

   I did not know why, but Pinkie seemed different somehow. I thought, less involved maybe? Less something, that was for sure.

   I walked into the room. It looked good. Still needed work, but it looked good. My old impromptu bed table was the table as God intended again, right in the middle of the room. Nearly full book shelves surrounded me covering each wall.

   "So, what's up?" Twilight tilted her head in a normal mammal reaction to a question.

   I proceeded to tell her about my day to stall time. I knew Pinkie could hear outside, the door was not fully closed, not that it would have mattered much. She knew how important my words were, so I wondered why worry about simple books?

   Two answers, she was not herself and wanted work to keep her mind of things, or, she was separate in agenda and company for reason. In Laymen's, she was hiding something. I wanted to know why. I always trusted my gut, even if it made no sense, as it always lead to an answer in time. Time brings to light all things, even pink mares.

   I went about telling Twilight more interesting information to contrast any boredom for Twilight, and to test Pinkie's patience, since I knew she was listening for the juicy topics. I would increase the topics, each slice a light more interesting, but ever more madding to any who know what he, or she, wanted to hear. There by forcing his or her impatience, and giving me more reason to suspect them. Sun Tzu, would approve.

    I told Twilight how I suspected Fernsworth, Celestia's secret personal butler, of foul play, and my failed investigation following in that day.

   Taking back and forth between us, Twilight and myself had managed to burn almost 40 minutes. She informed me about how a missing pony report was filed on Rainbow Dash. Twilight looked very upset over it. I too, was rather upset over it, but I had no intention of giving that report time to mean something.

   I was impressed Pinkie had held on that long, but I remembered the episode where she sat for a whole day, just to prove she was herself. I was hoping she would not repeat such perseverance.

   I inwardly sighed, as the what-ifs started pouring in. "Perhaps, I misjudged her. What if she was just afraid of everything that has happened? Or, maybe she misses Rainbow Dash, so she's a bit off? What if, because I don't warn her, she goes missing too? Ah! Damn it!" I rubbed the back of my head, not knowing what to do. Stay the course, or admit that maybe, just maybe, my gut was wrong for once, and I needed to protect my friend.

   I was about to throw in the towel and let Twilight hear what I had to say, until Pinkie opened the door.

   "Hey guys! Sorry, but I forgot to feed Gummy." She giggled. "Like a silly head." Pinkie yawned. "Plus, it's getting pretty late, so good nighty you two!"

   "Alright, good night Pink." Twilight hugged her bye.

"Well shit, it worked. That was close." I waved her bye. "Don't worry Pinkie, just stay safe aright? Go straight home."

   "Okey dokey lokey!" Pinkie bounced out of the library.

   I walked out of the room to check to see if she really left. I locked the front door to make sure she was gone.

   Twilight gave me a funny look. "Argyle? Okay, did you really come over here just to tell me about your day?"

   "Nope. I had a very important message, for your ears only at the moment."

   "Why only me? Why are you avoiding Pinkie Pie?"

   "Have you not noticed she's been acting strange lately?"

   "Strange? That's just Pinkie Pie."

   "Exactly."

   "I don't understand."

   "She is strange, so normal for her is strange. Since your visit at the palace, she has been quiet a lot of the time, and when she does talk she makes sense ... more then usual." I walked over to Twilight from the door.

   "Oh that's all? She's just putout. With the animal attacks, and Rainbow missing, we all are."

   "Twilight listen close ... and you might want to sit down. If Starswirl's book hit you, this is going to knock you down."

   "U-uh, alright." Twilight looked worried suddenly.

   "Back in my old room if you mind."

   "Ookay." She sat and a chair once we went into the room.

   I told her every bit of information I withheld. My dream involving the Crystal Empire and Xerxus, Luna's little adventure, the investigation I was on, and how she needed to discreetly inform the others to be vary careful. I put emphasis on keeping it a secret, and to tell the others that as well. The information could endanger them as much as it protected.

   "Uh, whoa." Twilight put her hooves on her head. "This is far worse then I ever imagined! Are you certain of all this?

   "Yes, please take great care. Luna still has the scar on her nose to prove it."

   "Okay, I will take care of my end. What about you?"

   "I have a culprit to catch, here in Ponyville."

   "Hey, there are two friendly guards I heard about looking into the missing ponies here."

   "Celestia had them put here, yes. Do you know them?"

   She shrugged. "Sorry, I never got a chance to meet them."

   "For tomorrow then." I turned to leave. It was getting late, and I was not catching anything in the dead of night. Plus, I was really tired.

   "It's really late. I think I should go. Good night, and again, caution."

   "I will, good night, Argyle." Twilight went up the stares.

   I stepped near the spot I arrived at. And remembered what took place while in transit. I was about to flash away, when I remembered the sound of something being broken. I decided to have a quick look and see. At first, I found nothing but dust, until I glared at where Pinkie was standing when I first arrived.

   "Why where you hiding in the books, Pinkie?"

   I walked to search near the book stacks, and soon found the remnant of a glass something. It had been hastily stomped on by the look of the increasingly smaller shards all trailing a single origin point. Then, I found it, a thin metal needle.

   I held the needle. The bits of still connected glass tube glittered on it like a dirty snitch telling a secret. A syringe, still wet with a clear trace liquid.

   "Why indeed..."

   I took it for evidence, then I flashported to my room.

   I got dressed for bed after checking my room for abnormalities. Having found non, I put my little secret in a safe place. I had a few décor pillows for my bed. The pillows had ruffled edges. I stuck the needle between the ruffles, completely hiding it. I even cast a camouflage spell on it to blend in. I only read about it, never got to really try it until then.

   "Not too shabby." I put the pillow down near my bed.

   I got in bed, and cleared my head by reading that book I had been immersed in. I had gotten to the first battle of the war.

                                                   The battle of Canterlot.

   Nightmare moon's three Lunar Legions swarmed the entire country side from the ancient Fort Everfree in one night. Swamping the Celestial guard elements and forcing the entire 1st Suncaster brigade that was always stationed there to fall back to the palace.

   The sudden attack was brutal and shock trooper fast on all fronts. Literally crushing all but the palace defenses in hours. Celestia had been off on royal business that night. After a whole night of siege, the palace fell. The entire 1st Suncaster brigade along with Brigadier General Suncaster himself lost their lives. None were spared. They fell buying the inhabitants time to escape. The author was among the refugees. It was projected over 7,981 lost their lives that single night. 181 guards, the entire 1st Suncaster brigade, with non wounded.

   Losses for the Lunar Legions were inconclusive, some report a little as a dozen, to non at all.

   "Sun Tzu, would approve." I laughed wearily. I was thankful we were not fighting anything like that.

   I put the book down, blew out my candle and tried to nod asleep. It was very hard to sleep. I knew what happened to missing people on Earth. I cringed on the inside about what could be happening to Rainbow Dash, or the other ponies. My stomach dropped in worry and anger. I gripped my pillow tightly. My heart was seething with hate for what was very well taking place, and there was nothing I could do about it that night.

   "Trouble sleeping?" I heard over my shoulder.

   "Huh?" I would have jumped, if it were not Luna asking that. "Yeah, a lot on my mind."

   "Allowest my aid." Her horn flared, and she leaned towards me. It touched my forehead, then a rush of calm hit me. My worries washed away with it.

   I slumped down, suddenly I could not wait to sleep. "What the hell was that?"

   Luna giggled, "Twas a calming spell. Twas also coupled with another. Both shall ensurest thee well off tonight from brigands of the mind."

   I giggled. The warm and fuzzy feeling was so intense, I felt like I was about to float away. "You say the darnest things. Why do you still talk that way?"

   Luna scrunched her nose in part laughter at my groggy voice, and a bit vexed at my brash question. "And for what is that supposed to insinuate?"

   My vision blurred a little, as my eye lids felt like they weighed a ton. "Oh, nothing rally, I just wandered why."

   "Tis how I was taught. I know it may not be current, but it suits me fine. For what reason thee thinkest otherwise?"

   Giggling, I patted her neck. "I have my raisons. Antediluvian is bardocucullated shore, but its sooo old-fisted. Try something more mormon, butt if its two hard for ya..."

   "Mormon? Hard!?" Luna proceeded to talk, but I don't remember much after that. I had already dosed off. It was a dreamless sleep, more of a magic induced limbo type hibernation if anything.

                                                                     ***

                                                            Day three.

   I felt like someone had punched me in the face. "Holy mother of God..." I gripped my pounding forehead. It was sometime after dawn.

   "Good morning, Argyle." Luna was lying on the plush rug near my desk. "Did thee hath, oh, did thou- drat. Did you have a good night!?" She sounded like she was talking to someone who speaks a different language, or someone deaf.

   "Whoa, Luna. For the love of Jesus and his pogo stick, why are you shouting?" I tried to get out of bed. My head was splitting. I just sat bedside with my hands on my head.

   "What's the matter?" She walked up to me.

   "Oh, it's my head-" I froze, head still reenacting the battle of Antietam, I thought I heard Luna say something not in archaic. "Did you just say something in slang?"

   "Verily, I took your advice, and became more mormon, as you call it. A word I never heard before, but little matter."

   "That's good." My head committed metaphysical suicide. "Gyah! Ugh."

   "Hmm, It might be a reaction to thy's curse. Such dark things often leave mental scars."

   "How long will it last?"

   "Not too long. You can heal yourself if thee want to speed it."

   "Alright." I tried to imagine the headache gone. My left hand glowed, and the pain slowly died down. "Thank you darling. I promise I will never cheat on you again." I looked at my left hand, and chuckled.

   Luna looked side to side. "Um, right, you are welcome."

   Feeling better, I shot up. "Right! I have a case to solve."

   "As do I."

   I got dressed in my Earth clothes from the previous day, grabbed my ipod, and the needle from last night, then I wished Luna happy hunting. I concentrated on Twilight's home again. But right when I flashed, Luna's word hit me. "Wait, Mormon!?"  I flashed with a broken picture.

   I flashed and saw nothing but the sky above me. I started to fall, tumbling end over end.

  "OOOH FUUUCK!" I hit a tree branch and held on. I sighed. "By the wisdom of Buddha's third chin, that was close."

   "Oh my Celestia! Argyle, are you alright!?"

   I looked below me. There stood Twilight on her balcony.

   "Woo, am I ever!" I let go, landing on the balcony. I counted my lucky stars.

   "What happened?"

   "I just lost my image for a split second right into my flash." I dusted myself off.

   Twilight pointed at me. "You could have been killed! You have to be more careful."

   She was right. Flashporting needs a clear picture, or there is no telling where you will go.

   "It was an accident. I am no daredevil."

   "Well, alright."

   "I have to go now. Nice seeing you!" I waved to her, and flashed down below the balcony. It was time to start my investigation, and my roller coaster to hell.

   "Good luck!" Twilight waved her hoof.

   I walked into town. No pony there had seen a Human before then, so I got a few weirded out looks.

   I took in a breath. "Alright, Argyle, you got this." I sat down, and weighed my options. I had little time left to get it right, or I would regret it forever.

   A well dressed pony approached me. I had a lump in my throat, my pulse quickening. That was it, I had to make a choice.

   "Good morning, Sir." The pony nodded to me. "May I take your order?"

   "Um, yeah, I think I will have eggs, alfalfa sprouts, and a bowl of fruit please. Oh, and some coffee."

   "Hmm, very good, Sir." He took my menu, and trotted off.

   I remember this, it was my first time ordering at a restaurant alone. I never knew quiet how to put what I wanted, as it always felt like I was bullying someone by ordering them around just to give me food. Strange, I know, since I had to pay them for it, but I have always been weird like that.

   I checked my cash purse, I had about 35 bits to burn. Luna had given me a bit purse somewhere that prior night. I found it in my pant pocket. So, I figured I would eat something.

   After I ate, I heard behind me, "Oi, boy'o!" I turned around and saw the guard with an accent and the one with a scar.

"Well, look who it is." I put down 20 bits, and went to greet them. We stood near the middle of town square.

   "Hey you two." I waved.

   "Hello, Argyle, it has been awhile." The guard with a scar waved back.

   "Fancy meeting you here, ladd."

   I shrugged. "What are you two doing here?"

   The guard with a scar answered, "We are searching for the missing citizens."

   I crossed my arms and smiled. "When Celestia said she sent her two best, I figured it was you."

   "That's what she called us?" The guard with a accent laughed.

   The guard with a scar added, "General Arco requested us, her majesty accepted."

   I thought to myself, then asked the two a question. "So, how many have gone missing?"

   The guard with a scar said in a saddened tone, "13."

   My eyes widened, "13!? There should have been a man hunt after five!"

   "Aye." The guard with an accent nodded. "Celestia did not want a panic."

   The other guard finished for his friend. "So, she sent just us to keep it quiet."

"This is far worse than I thought. Alright, high gear time."

   I shook my head. "Not anymore, Luna and myself are now looking into this, that is why I am here."

   "Really? Why did you not say so earlier?" The guard with an accent laughed.

   "Well, we could sure use the help." The guard with a scar nodded.

   Before we went any further, I took my chance to ask. "Oh, hey, what are your names by the way? I never got a chance to ask last time we met."

   The guard with an accent laughed. "No worries, the name's Canagan."

   The guard with a scar laughed with his friend. "I am Augeron."

   "Pleased to finally meet. So, what do you two think is the cause?"

   The two guards looked at each other.

   Canagan looked to his friend. "You wanna tell him?"

   He nodded. "Alright. Argyle, if we tell you, you have to keep it to yourself."

   I narrowed my eyes. "I would never disclose information, even under pain of death."

   "Well, that's good." Canagan smiled.

   Augeron however, was not smiling. "We have reason to think it may be a ponynapper."

"As I thought. Good that I wont need to bring them onto the wagon. I now need something tangible just to prove guilt."

   "Any pattern to the disappearances?"

   Augeron shook his head. "Non at all."

   Canagan shrugged. "Completely all over the place random."

   "Have you any leads?"

   Augeron shook his head again. "No, we have already interviewed every report, and looked into every lead." He then looked annoyed "We were thrown into this in the dark, no brief, no real leads except the reports."

   Canagan waved a hoof, also annoyed. "Celestia just said she had the utmost faith in us." He snorted, "Whatever that means."

   Augeron patted his friend on the shoulder. "Easy now, no need to get worked up."

   "Still, that is less than ideal for sure." I shook my head. I was really starting to hate Celestia. I was thinking how that nag was getting on my last nerves, and it takes a lot to get that far under my skin.

   I thought to myself. "Then we must review. Back to formula it is." It was time for a slightly more elementary approach, if you get my meaning.

   Nodding in confirmation at my plan, I asked my two new friends, "Hmm,  alright then. Who was the first victim?"

   The two guards thought for a minute, then Augeron told me, "Minuette, I believe her name was."

   Canagan sighed, "Aye, her mother filed the report over ten days ago."

   "Then that is were we start." I turned to walk towards the dense side of town, were the most houses were.

   Augeron cleared his throat and stopped me. "Argyle, before we start, I must ask, are you certain? Do you have experience in this?"

    I sighed, not out of annoyance, but towards how I could put it the same to them as I did to Luna without repeating myself.

   "Back on Earth, crime is a daily obstacle. Ponynappings are called kidnappings there. They happen every day in the hundreds across my land."

   They both looked at me wide eyed. "Saint Grove, by the hundreds you say?"

   "It is a very serious problem. So, yes, I suppose I do have a natural born experience in this. Being Human is to know such a thing enough to avoid it after all."

   "Then you are going to be an asset." The guard with a scar robbed the back of his head. "If we are right, then this will be the last mass ponynapping in centuries. In other words, a very long day."

   The guard with an accent added, "Us guards have the occasional apple thief now and then, or an animal attack. Not murder or ponynapping, and saints never in that order!"

   "Then, we have work to do."

   "Wait!" I heard over towards the café I ate at. My waiter trotted up to me.

   He held out his hoof, about 10 bits on it in a small bag. "You left too much, here."

   I smiled pleasantly surprised. "No it's alright. Keep the change."

   I turned on my heel, and started walking.

   The waiter persisted. "But, it's too much."

   I looked back and smiled. "Consider it a tip then."

   I walked for a few seconds while Canagan and Augeron followed. I heard at a distance. "A 10 bit tip? Wow, uh, thank you, Sir!"

   I gestured welcome with my hand so the waiter could see it.

   Canagan laughed, "Well you made somepony's day."

   "I guess I did." I smiled, then asked Augeron, "So, do you remember where Minuette lived?"

   "Yes, just down this road." Augeron point his hoof towards a distant Ponyville home. It looked no different then any other.

   We got to the door. "This is it?"

   "Yep, this is the place, boy'o"

   "You had better knock first." I gestured to Canagan. "She is not used to me."

   He knocked on the door. A Maya blue mare with solid steel blue eyes and a solid periwinkle coloured mane answered the door.

   "Yes? Oh." She noticed the two guards. "Have you found my Minuette?!" She spoke with a kind French accent. It was mild but there. Her sudden excitement also crushed me.

   "No ma'am. We're still looking for her." It seemed to hit Canagan too.

   The mother looked to the floor. "I see." She asked Canagan, "Then why are you here? I answered all I could days ago."

   "I will take it from here, thanks." I put my hand on Canagan. He looked dubious, but let me go forwards.

   Minuette's mother looked at me. "Who are you? I have never seen anything like you before."

   "I am here on behalf of Princess Luna. By her order I am to solve this case, and find your beloved daughter."

   I hoped my words would ignite something in those sad eyes. It was like she was just a shell, empty, without purpose. Some sick bastard stole her life away.

   She seemed to warm up a bit. "It's alright kind creature. It has been 11 days, 17 hours, and 48 minutes. I have already made my peace with it. All I want now is to bury my daughter."

   I clenched my fist. "I am going to swallow your soul when I got my hands on you." I swore to everything, I would not rest. Mortals can sleep when their dead. I had work to do.

   "May I ask for the honor of knowing your name?"

   She looked at me, slightly stunned. "Edel."

   "Edel, I cannot imagine your loss, but I will do everything my mortal body can stress to find this evil. However, I must ask you for one thing."

   My words seemed to be getting to her. I saw for one second a flare of hope. "If it will help."

   My heart lifted, even at the smallness of the flare. "If you may permit, these guards and I would check your daughter's room for anything that may lead us to her."

   Edel thought to herself, and smiled slightly. "Only if you tell me your name."

   I smiled back. "Argyle, ma'am."

   "Come on inside, Argyle. My Minuette's room is just this way."

   "Thank you."

   Canagan whispered behind me. "Let him answer the doors from now on."

   Augeron whispered back, "No joke."

   It was very cozy and quaint inside, like any other home in Ponyville. Edel took the three of us up a set of stares. We turned left into a hallway once at the top. A guard rail moved towards three sets of doors down the wall on my right. Two on a wall, and one facing me at the end of the hall.

   "Her room is your first right." Edel opened the door. "We kept it as she left it last."

   The others and I entered Minuette's room. "That is well news."

   Canagan asked, "So, what are we looking for?"

   "Anything out of place, something that may link us why she disappeared."

   We looked through her room very respectfully, but thoroughly. Even after about 20 minutes of looking, we had found nothing.

   I thought to myself, without a real picture of what we needed to consider out of place, it was like finding a certain sea shell blind founded. I remembered Pinkie, and that syringe I found where she hid that prier night.

   I repeated to myself, "Why indeed..." when I saw something in a corner of the room. I picked it up, it was a party hat.

   "Miss Edel?" I showed her the party hat.

   Canagan looked at it. "A cone hat?"

   "Oh, that was from the party Minuette was invited too, um, Sugarcube corner I think?" She thought to herself and giggled. "It had one of Pinkie Pie's humorous names. Glad you're not dead I believe, but that was over 13 or so days ago."

   "Yes. It was." I glared at the folded paper cone hat, like it was the first prime whiteness. The things it could tell, the secrets contained in a cone. I wondered what formula would be used to find the volume of a cone filled with truth.

   I smiled. "And the plot thickens..."

   I asked Edel, "Is it alright if I my keep this?"

   "Yes you may." She smiled.

   "That is all we need, I think. Thank you for your help ma'am."

   "No thank you." She showed us to the front door.

   Edel looked at me once we were out the door. "Argyle, please-"

   I nodded to her. "I will with every fiber of my being, Miss Edel."

   She shook her head. "No, I wanted you to be careful. All of you. Whoever is doing this has no soul. They are capable of anything. Please, be careful, and don't join my daughter while finding her."

   "No worries ma'am." Augeron smiled. "You have the best there is on this."

   She nodded and smiled.

   I put the party hat in a bag I bought off a street vender.

   "What is going on, Argyle?" Canagan pointed at the bag. "We spent 20 or so minutes searching a victim's room, and all we take is a paper hat?"

   Augeron stared at me with question. "You have an idea of who we are looking for, do you not?"

   "It's honestly too early to make any assumptions, even theories."

   Canagan pried, "But you must have a reason."

   "I do. I was at that party. Pinkie threw that party for me. If I am right, and the other victims were there-"

   Augeron's eyes widened. "Then the disappearances might not be random at all!"

   I smiled. "Bingo. Now, who's next guys?"

   Canagan scratched his head. "A young mare, Sweetie Drops I think her name was."

"Oh no, Lyra's friend..."

   I sighed, "Aright, lead the way."

   We went door to door. All 13 victims. Each one had a piece of the party in their rooms, or had attended my party. I had hit pay dirt. There was a connection.

"Sloppy, Pinkie Pie, very sloppy." I still did not know if she was directly guilty, but I knew she had something to do with it. It all lead to her. I always suspect two things at once. Either she was guilty, or somepony else who was at the party was framing her. Either way, it looked grim for that bubbly pink mare.

   After some walking, a guard I had yet met flew down from the sky. He saluted Augeron, and whispered something  to him. He thanked the Pegasus guard, then he flew away. The scared guard looked sickened suddenly.

   I asked Augeron. "What's up?"

   "New missing pony report." He gestured to follow him, "I know the way."

   We came up on a bridge, and I saw Rarity's home. I narrowed my eyes. "Why are we?" We were walking right towards it. "Who sent this new report?"

   Augeron sighed, "I believe he said a filly sent it in."

   Canagan thought to himself. "Aye, but what was the name again? It started with an S... Swe ... sweee something."

"Oh no." My gut dropped. "Sweetie belle?"

   Canagan nodded his head. "Yes that's it!"

   I froze and asked both guards in worry, "Who has gone missing?" I hoped it was not who I thought it was.

   Augeron looked at me with sadness, "It was her sister, Rarity."

   "FUCK!" I bolted towards Rarity's house like a German king tiger tank had just rolled into town. Canagan and Augeron ran after me. I had no time to waste. Rarity could still have been alive. I had to find that psychopath right then. Theory or not, I knew where I was looking first, but I needed a few final bits of the puzzle from Sweetie Belle.

   I ran up to the door. I knocked on it hard. I did not mean to pound on it, but I was extremely focused on that one thing.

   Canagan said, "Whoa, calm down boy'o."

   Augeron added with sense, "Getting angry will not save miss Rarity."

   I agreed with him, but he never saw me fully angry before. I was at my best when I was angry. The heat gave me focus, just so long as I did not burn everything around me in the process.

   I heard on the other side of the door. "Um, who is it?"

   "Sweetie Belle! It's Argyle. I heard about Rarity!"

   "Argyle!?" Sweetie Belle opened the door. "Have you found her?"

   She had been crying. He eyes where puffy and red. The fires of hell paled compared to mine that moment.

   I shook my head, both to answer her and to clear my head.

   Sweetie Belle broke down crying again. "Oh nooo. Where is she?"

   "Sweetie Belle, I am going to find her. But, I need you to tell me something. Can you be strong for me?"

   She sniffled. "Alright. Wait do you need to know?"

   "Were did you see her last?"

   "Yesterday evening."

   "Where?"

   "Here, in her home, the Carousel Boutique."

   "When did she leave, and why?"

   "Well, Pinkie Pie came over, and asked her for some help designing some dress."

   My gut stirred with fire. All the pieces melded together in my mind. "One last question, did she leave with Pinkie Pie?"

   "Well, yeah. She needed help, so Rarity took some stuff with her, and told me she would be going with Pinkie, so I needed to watch the shop until she got back." She sniffled again.

   My eyes widened, like a predator that sighted its pray. "Alright, stay here, Sweetie Belle. I will take care of the rest."

   I got up to leave the Boutique, and have a nice little chat with a certain pink mare. Sweetie Belle tugged on my pants. I looked back to her.

   "Um, mister Argyle? You don't think Pinkie took her, do you?"

   "I just need to talk to her, but we shall see what happens after that. Stay here, and continue being a little angel for me, alright?" I robbed her head.

   She smiled, and saluted me. "You have a crusader's promise!"

   I laughed, and turned to go rise cane from the bowels of hell.

   I jogged to the road that lead to Sugarcube Corner. "Somepony's gettin' their soul eaten."

   The other two guards ran trotted with me. I could tell they where concerned.

   I saw Pinkie walking over on the other side of the street. Then she saw me, I froze in place. My eyes trained on her with knifes. Pinkie tilted her head, staring at me without expression. Once she caught on, she smiled at me. I saw it right then. That moment I felt my gut drop. Something about that smile made an artic chill freeze up my spine. That was not Pinkie Pie. That was a soulless demon.

    A crowd came, and passed over us, braking eye contact for a few heart beats. Pinkie was gone when the crowd cleared.

   I yelled, "Pinkie!" I took off running after Pinkie Pie. I had no time to waste. I was too focused on that pink mare to notice what Augeron and Canagan had to say about my brash behavior. We came near Pinkie's bakery, but Augeron stopped me before I could close in.

   "Alright, I understand you are upset, but stop for a breath and talk to me. Why are we here?"

   "Think Augeron. Party hats, and other favors from a party that Pinkie threw, then everypony who attended started disappearing suddenly. That includes Rarity, who went missing the day she left with Pinkie Pie."

   "That's true, but what evidence gives the pink one guilt?" Canagan asked, "Even if you're right, there is not enough to prove it."

   Augeron thought to himself. "Still, we have to ask her what happened last time she saw miss Rarity."

   I took a breath in. I needed them to follow my lead. Not for vanity reasons, lord no. I just knew exactly what I was looking for. I decided to show them my last piece of evidence.

   "This is what sparked my suspicion of her." I reached into my pocket, and bought out the broken syringe. I had it stuck in a cork I got from the Café while I ate.

   The both looked at it. "A needle?"

   "Yes, I found this at Twilight's house last night. That was after I caught Pinkie Pie hiding near a doorway. I found this crushed right where she hid. The shatter marks are consistent with a hoof print."

   They both looked at each other, and sighed. Augeron gestured to me. "Alright, Argyle. What now?"

   I looked towards the entrance to Sugarcube Corner. "She expects me, so I will go in first and talk. Canagan, I need you to head over and cover the rear exit while I head in. Augeron, when I give you a signal, you will know it when you see it, I need you to rush inside from the front. If you do not hear from me in 10 minutes, rush in. Alright?"

   Both guards looked worried. "What if you are wrong, Argyle?" Augeron narrowed his eyes.

   "What if I am right?" I stared right back at him.

   Canagan sighed, "Alright, boy'o. You can count on me."

   I took a breath in, and handed Augeron my bag. It had all the evidence to prove probable cause of suspicion, including the broken syringe. "If for any reason something happens to me, bury her."

   Augeron took it. "Do not fret, I got your back, Argyle. Just let me know when."

   I went up to the door, It rang with a bell once I opened it. I walked up to the counter, and sat down.

   No one else was in the store, just me and my suspect. Even if it went bad for me, in 9 minutes and 25 seconds my two friends would ensure her downfall, as my death or harm would prove her guilt. Guilty, or innocent, time was the deviser, myself but baring witness the dividend. Sherlock Holmes would approve.

   "Oh, hey Argyle!" Pinkie popped out of the door leading to the kitchen. "What a surprise, again!" She giggled.

   I smiled. "Hello, Pinkie." I waved to her.

   "Soooo, you want a cupcake!? I just made a batch of my super duper oh so yummy tipy top secret rainbow cupcakes! That's why you're here huh?" Pinkie giggled.

   "Well-"

   "Say no more, back in a jiffy!" Pink poofed back into the kitchen.

   "Cupcakes, huh?" I figured I had at least 8 minutes left.

   I always wanted to speak with a psychopath, for obvious inquisitive reasons. I was always curious as to what made them tick, why they needed to kill. Genetic, difference in mentality, or just a basic hatred for ones own race, it was all speculation, however that pink in front of me was all real.

   It smiled, giggled and bounced. No one would ever suspect it was cover for psychosis. I did remember some episodes that showed Pinkie in her depressed state when her hair fell straight. Perhaps, it was not just a bubble of personality, but a façade for whatever was truly behind that pink mane. Something, hungry.

   "Alrighty!" Pinkie walked out with a plate filled with dark cupcakes with rainbow icing. "Get 'em while their hot!" She put the plate on the counter in front of me.

   I reached for one. "How much do I owe you?"

   Pinkie laughed, "Silly Argyle, you don't pay for gifts!"

   She walked away from the plate. I asked her, "You going to have one?"

   "Oh, I already had a bunch!" The pink mare pointed at me. "So you eat up!"

   I still had at least 7 minutes to burn. No rush. I looked at the cupcake. It was rather beautiful. Would have been a shame to eat such a thing. I never knew you could instill a rainbow into food without a Zap apple.

   I asked Pinkie, "Zap apple cupcakes?"

   She shook her head. "Nope, even more super special! A one of a kind ingredient."

   "What is it?" I laughed.

   Pinkie metaphorically zipped her mouth shut, and shook her head.

   I inspected the cupcake, then I tilted my head. "That reminds me. Why were you hiding in Twilight's home?"

   Pinkie looked at me and shrugged. "I was helping Twilight out with her books, silly. Not hiding. Just ask her or any one of our friends." She kept eyeing at the cupcake then back to me.

   There was something about that cupcake that was really alluring. It had a sent to it that I just loved. It made my mouth water.

   I tried to ignore it. "Yes I am sure you said that, but did you tell them about the needle you had? The one that I found crushed where you were hiding?" I chuckled, but she was not laughing.

   She blankly stared at me. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

   I smiled. "Hmm, I am sure you don't, since nothing happened to Twilight that night, you dodged a bullet, but the glass cuts on your hoof would attest otherwise."

   Pinkie just glared at me, and showed me all four of her hooves one at a time. "See? No cuts, silly head. Guess that puts a few holes in your claim."

   I leaned towards her. "And yet it moves, Pinkie." I shifted back into my chair. I figured 5 minutes left.

   "Pinkie, where is Rarity?" I was about to put the cupcake down, but something made me want to at least taste it. I took a big bite out of it, then put it down.

   Pinkie huffed like she had been holding her breath. She then grinned at me. "Oh, I would not be worried about her." She giggled.

   "Why-" I froze. Once the wonderfully flavored icing wore off, I tasted something, strange.

   I looked back at the cupcake, and saw the part where I bit had dark chunks in it. I felt around in my mouth, and it was full of chewy chunks of something. The taste was very familiar. I stopped in mid chew. The flavor changed. It tasted like iron. I knew that taste. I had eaten blood sausage once by accident and nearly threw up over it. The taste of iron, and another flavor, my gut sank, I knew it. It tasted like meat. It was not a cupcake, but an impromptu meat pie.

"Where could she get ... meat."

   "Oh God." I spit out the chunk of cupcake. "Why did I bite that!? How stupid?!" I realized to my shame it was but an impulse of nature. Humans are omnivores, and crave meat after a while. The brain's want-center would release hormones that would trigger the need for meat. I cursed at myself.

"Goddamn my omnivorous nature!" I shot her an angry look. "Where did you get meat?"

   Pinkie giggled. "Aw, what's the matter, you don't like it now? But, I thought you loved your friends?" She grinned.

   I gaped at her. "Friends?" I looked to the cupcake. "Oh God." It was time, I turned to give Augeron the signal, but my legs gave. To my horror they were numb.

   "Oopsy daisy!" Pinkie laughed. "Somepony's clumsy womsy! Well, I did put enough sleepy stuff in that cupcake to knock out two earth ponies."

   "Ugh." I was slowly losing my feeling. I had been drugged inside a psychopath's hunting grounds. 3 minutes was still too long. I dragged myself by my arms over the floor. I had to get to the door, or the window. My arms were long enough to put a hand on the glass, and signal Augeron. Anything at all, even close enough to yell at it. I had to give the signal.

   Pinkie was dancing around me, singing.

   "Ring around Argyle, his mouth was full of Rarity, once I gut him out then cut him up I'll sell him as a specialty!"

   Pinkie laughed. "Whoohoo! This is fun!"

   I grunted, "Ugh, you crazy bitch." I pulled harder, but my arms where going limp. I had lost feeling in my lower torso a few seconds ago. But I felt my heart, it pounded in my chest like a jackhammer.

   "Man, are all Humans this strong? Everypony I did this too barely lasted a few seconds, yet you've been crawling for almost a minute!" She laughed. "You really are a Super Spark!"

"Fuck, shit, damn it." My arms began going numb, and I slipped trying to pull on a numb elbow. "Fuckshitdamit!" I dragged my limp self grunting. "Got ... to, window!" I reached for the window, as it looked closer than it actually was. My vision started blurring and depth perception was going with it.

   "Oh, Argyle." Pinkie walked over and stomped on my hand hard. I grunted in pain. "I know about the two meany guards outside, waiting to take you from me." She smiled. "I know you suspected me from the moment we last met at the palace. I was just not exactly sure you would do anything about it, that is, until you caught me at Twilight's."

   I kept crawling, towards whatever I could grab.

   Pinkie laughed. "So, I thought in my brain and made a clever little trap for you. That needle was meant for Twilight, sure." She got right up to my ear and whispered. "But, I crushed it just for you. I knew you would search for it, and then come here right into my hooves."

   My eyes widened. "So, she was the one hunting me? I fell right into her trap. Even the 2 minutes left is not soon enough. Even still, Augeron and Canagan now have the proof they need, my death." I was so close to the door, just one more numb pull. "Must, try."

   "Were are you going, silly? The party is not that way!" Pinkie trotted back next to me. "We still have other cupcakes to try, and there's that one batch I need your "help" with." She giggled.

   I reached with a nearly numb hand for the door knob. I touched it, and smiled. "Got ... you." I gave out right then with a grunt, and fell unconscious. I suppose the endorphin boost from reaching the door, however small, must have relaxed me just enough for my will to give.

   I woke up inside a dark room. It smelled musty and something else stunk, metallic smell of blood, and the nausea of petrifying flesh. I was tied down on what felt like a cold slab of steel. A cushion was under my head supporting it. I looked around, large and thick leather strap belts held me in place.

   I did not struggle. I knew it was not going to help. A normal person would have screamed and panicked, and trust me, I really thought about it. Parts of my body and mind wanted to howl in terror, however, other more versatile parts knew if I made little noise I had a few more seconds of life to burn. I would need every tock, every beat.

   I saw a bluish thing to my left through the corner of my eye. It was over towards a dark side of the room. I could not turn my head much to see it, as I did not want to be lively. I needed more time. It could have been Rainbow Dash, but it was not moving, or making noise.

   I closed my eyes. Sounds, smells, lights, anything I could get I took. It took all of my will power just to keep my emotions from wreaking me. They swirled and burned, crashed and turned into a maelstrom of panic, fear, anger, hate, worry, and most importantly an emotion I had never felt before that moment.

   Even to this moment I still have difficulty describing it. It was a kind of fearing-worry like drop of the stomach, with a burning passion for survival. Not because I did not want to die, it was not that primitive. I did not want to fail my friends, and die before I was sure they were safe. Even with that cupcake filled with meat, I still had yet to see bodies. I knew very well the kind position I was in. I was very likely to die horribly that day.

"No, not a room. A ... cellar? Dungeon?"

   Excerpts from the show Dexter burned into my mind's eye. I followed that show very close back on Earth. It was a great show. Right then, I knew what it felt like to be on someone's table. I would soon be Pinkamena's trophy.

   I heard a door open, and hooves on stairs. I felt like vomiting, as my time had come. I was going to die badly. I wondered, what's first? My teeth? My nails? My skin? What will it take first to watch me squirm like the insect she thought I was?

   Each creaking step sounded. I thought in pending mortem to each step,  "Said the finger to the butterfly, the magnifier to the ant, the monster to the child."

   Like every step told me how many minutes, or hours, Pinkamena would work on me, I counted them. A normal person would have screamed. My breath was held in. Even if I tried nothing would happen.

   The hooves got closer. A breeze from the doorway washed over areas that one should not feel breezes on a psychopath's table. "My clothes are gone." My mind shuttered in glim gray.

   I felt a hoof beat on my chest. "Wakie, wakie, sleepy head!"

   I stayed perfectly still. Hoping she was just checking on me, and would move on. I was wrong.

"I said wake up!" Pinkamena slapped my face hard with her hoof. "You think I'm stupid!?"

   I tasted blood. My teeth had cut my cheek from that slap. "Just hoping you are." I chuckled and spit out the blood in my mouth.

   She smiled. "Having fun? Good, I will soon too." She giggled. "That I can promise."

   Her hair was flat, and she had a dress made of different coloured patches of skin. Each one had a cutie mark on them. I felt like my guts were getting torn out when I saw the Maya blue one with an hour glass on it. I also saw a horn of the same colour on a makeshift necklace with two other unicorn horns around her neck. Three different Pegasus wings were also stitched into the back of her morbid dress.

"Miss Edel, I am so sorry." I choked at the sight and had to look away.

   I glared at the dark room. It was more like a basement. A sheet hung in the background on a moist wall that said Life is a party! on its tattered surface. Tools also littered about the room, bloodied, and obviously used. Horrifyingly, some ponies were on the walls, as taxidermy heads on wooden boards.

   "Is that what you have planned for me?"

   Pinkamena looked at the head boards and shook her head. "Oh no, you're far too special for that!"

   "Lucky me." I cursed her soulless existence.

   "Oh yes, you really are!" She nodded her head. "You see, you're going to help me with something extra super important."

   I sneered at her, "Other than to satisfy your sick cravings?"

   "Ha!" She trotted to my right. "You think I like this?" Pinkamena gave me a very angry sneer. "You think I like doing this to my friends!?" She pushed the table to my left, it swung, and I faced that corner with the blue figure I noticed. My eyes widened, and my gut fell. It was Rainbow Dash. She was not only dead, but butchered and turned into a taxidermy stature.

   That pushed me over the edge. "AAHH!" I screamed, "Noo! Rainbow!"

   I also saw another dead corpse farther to my left, also on a table. It was completely skinned and gutted, and had a void in the center of its skull where a horn might have been. It was so mutilated I had a hard time telling who it was at first. Then I saw the eyes, blue and stunning. Rarity, I was too late to save her as well. I had failed Sweetie Belle.

   I yelled through gritted teeth at Pinkamena. "You motherless fuck!" I grunted and tried to lash at her, but the belts of course held me in place.

   "Don't tire yourself out yet!" She swung the table back. "The fun is just starting!" The pink mare laughed, and trotted to her tool table, and grabbed a knife from her little tool table. "Once I finish, I will be done for good!"

   "Pinkie, you're a serial killer! You will never be done!"

   "I don't kill cereal silly!" She laughed. "I'm going to kill you."

   I shook my head, "Why? Who told you to do this?"

   Pinkie froze, and looked at me. "Bravo, Argyle. Out of all the ponies I have done this too, not one asked me if somepony else was involved. It was always Oh no Pinkie, why are you doing this?!" She sighed. "That is why I wanted to save you for last. You're extra special."

   "Tell me Pink, who is it?"

   She shook her head. "You would never understand. She is not of this world. She is a monster."

   Shock hit me. "The little girl, you mean?"

   Her eyes went wide. "How do you?"

   "She brought me here, Pinkie. I have been hunted by her since day one."

   The pink mare closed her eyes. "She came to me, shortly after your party. She told me everything." Pinkamena started tearing. "She even showed it to me. It was so horrible." She knelt down and held herself. "She told me she and her friends were hungry, and they fed on hate. She wanted our friends for food, my friends." Pink got up and yelled, "But, she can't have them! I spent the last week and a half making cupcakes! Because, love is the only way to beat the monsters!"

   I groaned, "Love? Sweet Jesus, Pinkie, you have the Elements of Harmony!"

   "I know that! It's not powerful enough!" Pinkie pouted, "She showed us using it. We all died anyway." Her face then lit up with a sickening smile. "So, I thought what is a more powerful symbol of love then cupcakes? I turn every pony here into a symbol of love, and I starve the monsters!"

"HA! Perfect logic! I love this chick!"

   "Oh God no. Not him." I closed my eyes, after all that time, the voice was back.

"That's right twinkle twinkle periwinkle! I am back! And man are you fucked!"

   "So, you understand why cupcakes are so important." Pinkamena walked in front of me. "Although, you were last on my list, I think I can make do." She eyed my arm, and licked her lips. "I heard about a mage's focus points from Twilight one day. I am curious, are there really three special points in your arms?"

   I was afraid to answer her. I turned my head away. Pinkamena looked at my whole figure, and giggled. "Now I understand why you always have clothes on. Humans really have everything upfront, unlike colts where you have to cut to see it."

"Wink, wink, nudge, nudge, eh Argyle?"

   "Any other points I need to know about?"

   I just held my mouth tighter.

   She giggled "It's alright. I wanted to see and explore all of it for myself anyway." Pinkie walked to her tool table. I saw my ipod on it. "Hey, Spike told me about this. An ipod he called it?" Pinkie nudged it and the ipod flashed on. "Ooooh." She giggled. "All I need to do is press on it right?"

   "Only if you press really hard." I chuckled. "In fact, you better smash your head on it, as hard as you can just to be sure."

   "As hard as I can, huh?" She smiled and grabbed my ipod then brought it down on my head.

   It bloodied my nose. "Ah!"

   Pinkamena laughed. "Hard like that?"

"Okay, now that was stupid, Argyle."

   I guess my nose hit the play button, as it started to play a rather appropriate song.

  "Hey, it worked!" She grabbed the ear buds turned up the volume to max and listened.

   I knew that song. Need to, by Korn. I muttered, "You have got to be fucking kidding."

"Well, look on the bright side. Your fat nose is good for something!"

   "You Humans are you're strange angry music! I love it!" The song filled both of our ears, and she let the tip of her knife just touch my left arm. My body tensed like a vice at the cold steel. "Oh, and I made sure your magic would not work. No pony likes a party pooper!"

   She leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Now let's began."

   Pinkamena dug the blade into my left arm. I felt a sudden electric surge of horrible pain, as the blade cut deep. My face contorted with agony. "NAAAAHHHH!" I yelled as she drug the blade down my upper left bicep. The blade let up, and was pulled out of the wound.

"Cut it again! That was friken hilarious!"

   I breathed hard. My eyes started to water. My heart was about to burst.

   The blade came again, while Pinkamena whispered, "Shhh." I felt it cut even deeper. I yelled again. The tip scraped the bone that time.

   Pink huffed. "Oh, its not here. Unless it's inside your bone? But, it's a little too early for that."

   I felt like I was about to faint. The room spun. My head hung. I could only feel the gash in my left arm. I felt something inside stir. A very cold feeling.

"Don't faint! Die with pride! Think of what Head would say!"

   Pinkamena came back with a what looked like a tool doctors use to pry open a ribcage. "With all that blood, it is hard to see. This should help." She jammed it into the gash, and cranked. I rasped, the room was getting dark. I felt a numbing cold all over. After I heard skin tearing, I blacked out.

"Nononono, awww, damn it! That was funny as hell too."

   I woke up standing. I was yelling at something. I shook my head, and saw Pinkamena hiding in a corner in the fetal position. I saw the steel table to my left. It was bent nearly in half at the head board. The room was suddenly trashed to shambles. Thankfully, the song had stopped.

   I heard Pinkie mutter in absolute fear. "Y-you're- you're a m-monster, just like ... h-her."

"Oh well, at least now I can laugh at your stupid face when you see what you've done! HA, there it is!" The voice laughed.

   "Shut your mouth!" I yelled at the voice, "Why don't you just die instead?!"

   Pinkamena scream in fear when I yelled. "Nooo! Stay away!" She broke out crying and rocked herself. "I thought I was stopping them, but now I see you have always been watching me. I need more time..." She grabbed her knife on the floor and poised herself to charge at me. "Killing one of them should slow them down, it has too! I will start with you!"

   "No stop Pink-" The mad pink mare charged and jumped at me with an insane look of bloodthirst, and a war cry that would make a Viking piss himself. I instinctively brought my hand up and shot a lightening bolt at her. It hit her square in the mouth, tearing a burning hole into the back of her throat. She fell down next to me after I dodged her. Her bloodied and bruised body twitched like she was having a seizure.

   I yelled in anger, "Damn it!"

"Huh, nice shoot'n Tex." It put on a deep country accent. "Good'ol country justice if Ah ever dun seen it, convulsions and all." It laughed.

   I heard a large bashing noise up the stairs. The door was being kicked in. The door gave with a loud crunch.

   A familiar voice called down, "Argyle! You down there boy'o?!"

   "Pinkamena Diane Pie! Surrender now and come peacefully." Two sets of hooves quickly trotted down the stairs. " Stop where you stand scum! Your spree is at an..." Augeron froze, so did Canagan.

   "Saint Pasture." Canagan stood agape at the grizzly sight of Pinkie's killing room. "No, not the pink one..."

   "My Celestia... Argyle!" Augeron ran up to me. "Are you alright?"

   "Yeah ... fine." I gave way, but Augeron caught me.

   "His arm!" Canagan pointed at my mutilated arm. "She really did a number on you ladd!"

   "We must get him to the hospital! Help me, quick." Both guards helped me to my feet. I was so tired.

"I'm so deleting Need to..." I laughed. "Hey guys." I rasped in a low pain stricken voice. "We solved the case."

   "Yeah, boy'o, that we did."

   My eyes started tearing, "But, yet I still failed... They died anyway."

   "There was nothing you could do about it." Augeron cleared his throat, "You did good."

   I looked at him with blood shot eyes. "How did you find me?"

   "After 10 minutes passed with no signal we searched the shop you went into. You were not there."

   Canagan huffed, "Which I'm still trying to figure out, since we covered all the exits."

   "So, we search all over town. An hour later, we got a tip that Pinkie was seen with a large bag entering her house."

   Canagan finished, "So, we rode right over here, with some of our boys."

   Other guards trotted up, as soon as we worked our way up the stares. They were ordered to secure downstairs, and apprehend the culprit.

   "Ah, Saints! Augeron, our friend's losing a lot of blood!" Canagan tried to put pressure on my arm with his side. I grunted. "Sorry ladd, but pain is better than dead."

   "Alright, cover him up first. Then haste to the Doctor!"

                                                                               ***

Chapter ten. When the sun cast its shadow.

Coming soon!