Behind hallowed Eyes

Clattering hoofsteps and the urgent voices of ponies reverberated through the thoroughfares of Ponyville. Guards tried to bring decorum in the midst of kin checking in on kin, friends checking in on friends, and parents making sure that the family was together. Ironically, the dark stallion had attacked in the middle of a town meeting about the recent attacks, and the ensuing paroxysm of fear likely did more damage then the assailant itself.

The moon was high in the midnight sky now, and the warm evening had long ago faded into a chilly twilight. Luna, Celestia, and their respective Guards had set up a temporary camp in Town Hall where they would sort out the night’s events until the light of morning.

Princess Luna was out in the field for the duration of the night, and Twilight’s friends had gone out to make sure their families were safe, so Twilight Sparkle and Spike were alone with the sun princess in Town Hall for the time being.

While Spike helped sort out various reports and other paperwork with the Princess, Twilight sat in a corner by herself, completely silent. Miserable thoughts shifted uneasily in her mind. If only I could have been here. I could have protected Ponyville… A single small tear fought its way out of Twilight’s eye, sliding down her cheek before dropping to the oak floor with an almost tragic silence. Spike glanced at the purple pony, and seeing her state, came to her side.

“Twilight, don’t be so hard on yourself. It’s not your fault.” He sat down next to the pitiful pony. “You needed to be with the Princess, nopony got hurt anyway. Everything will be fine.” Though feeling that his words had no effect, Spike was glad to see Twilight lighten up a bit and smile slightly. It wasn’t a smile of happiness or relief, but Twilight appreciated Spike’s attempted reassurance and she could at least give him something in return. All the while, in the back of her mind, Twilight knew that Spike’s words were true.

“You’re right, Spike.” She said, embracing the little dragon. “You’re right.” She stood up with a renewed vigor and began to march toward Celestia. “Even still, I want to make things right. This beast, what ever it is I don’t care, it just needs to be stopped.” She approached the Princess and in her most confident tone said –

“Princess, Princess! I know who the Dark Stallion is!” Twilight never got to speak for a yellow foal galloped into the room shouting, and several guards unsuccessfully perusing her. A rather large camera swung around her neck. She attempted to halt, but was going so fast she instead skidded into a bookcase, knocking all of the books out onto the floor around her. Unfazed, she stood right back up and continued “I saw the Dark Stallion, I followed it to the outskirts of town, I even got a picture of it!

So that’s what they’re calling it? Celestia thought, then in her usual calm tone inquired “What is your name, young filly? You say you have a photograph of this ‘Dark Stallion’?”

The yellow foal eagerly nodded in response. “My name is Huckleberry Bush, journalist extraordinaire. Of course I got a picture of that beast, nothing escapes my camera eye!” Huckleberry held up a little black and white photograph for Celestia to see, who then took hold of it with her magic.

The Princess’ eyes grew wide as she looked at the picture. She whispered something into one of the guards ears, who replied with a gruff “Yes, my lady,” and galloped out the door.

She then returned her attention to the small pony before her. “Now Huckleberry Bush, You said before that you know who this stallion is. What do you mean by this?

At being asked this, Huckleberry suddenly got quiet. She looked at the floor and make circular motions with her hooves. “Well, I think…” She began, but then hesitated.

“Anything you know could save many lives in Equestria. Even if you are not sure, your information could make all the difference.” Celestia said, sternly, but gently.

Huckleberry looked up at the Princess; there were a few tears in her eyes. “I, I think that monster is my dad… But please don’t tell my mom, she would be devastated.”

“That is a promise that I might not be able to keep, Huckleberry. More importantly, though, how come you think this ‘beast’ is your father?”

Huckleberry took on her most serious tone yet. “I could see it in his eyes. They were different – monstrous and shining, but there was something about them and I could just tell they were his, I would recognize my father’s eyes anywhere. Even when it seemed like he was going to attack me, I took that picture of him, and suddenly it almost seemed like he recognized me for a moment. I’m sure of it.”

Celestia was pensive for a moment. She seemed like she was going to speak when guards once again came into the room, this time with a mare that strongly resembled Huckleberry who had several strawberries for a cutie mark. Her eyes were moist like she had been crying, and upon seeing Huckleberry she burst into tears once more.

“Huckleberry!” She cried out as she ran towards the foal.

"Mom?” Huckleberry called out in surprise.

The mare embraced her daughter as she wept with tears of joy. “I was so worried about you! You could have been hurt by that monster! Don’t you dare ever run off like that again! ”

Huckleberry squirmed in her mother’s grasp. “I’m fine, mom. I got a picture of the Dark Stallion!” She gave up trying to break free and relented to her mother’s will.

“We haven’t heard from your father in days! And they say somepony’s missing in Manehattan, I just can’t lose both of you in one week!” Huckleberry’s mother continued.

“Mrs. Strawberry Fields, I assure you that your daughter is fine.” Celestia addressed the mare in a soft tone. “In fact, with the chaos lately reports are still being sorted out, so I am sure your husband is safe too.”

Strawberry Fields looked up at her Princess with watery eyes. “Thank you, Celestia. Thank you for keeping my daughter safe.”

“It is my sister Luna, your Princess of the night that you should thank for this miracle.” Celestia replied with a warm grin. “However, she is out tending to her such duties at the moment.” There was a noise at the other end of the room. “Ah, finally everypony’s here.” She said.

Once again, somepony had come through the door. This time it was the rest of the mane six. Twilight, who had been sorting the books Huckleberry knocked over greeted her friends with much enthusiasm but did not get a chance to talk before Celestia began to speak again.

“We need to address this problem of the Dark Stallion before it escalates any further. Twilight, I assume you and your friends are up to the task?” She addressed the mane six. Twilight hesitated at first, but then confidently replied “Always, Princess. Just tell us what we need to do.”

“First, I need to tell you what I believe you are up against.” Celestia sounded a bit grim all of a sudden. She looked out window at the night sky, which was just starting to lighten at the edges of the mountains in the distance. “Thousands of years ago, there was a brilliant sorcerer called Drossga. He was half pony - half dragon, the last of his kind. One day he went to the mountains of the north and disappeared for many years. It is believed he discovered some sort of ancient dark magic, for when he returned he was changed. He had gone mad, the magic made powerful as a god, but sucked all emotions him leaving him forever with only anger, misery, and sorrow. Drossga locked himself in isolation, but his misery spread like a disease, creating an army of powerful but miserable creatures out of normal ponies. These became known as Fallen Ponies. Driven to insanity, Drossga escaped his own prison and with his army ravaged Equestria for years before a brave hero sealed him away and the ponies returned to normal, but the chaos left behind led to the rise of Discord. You know what comes after that.” Celestia turned to the group of ponies in front of her. “I fear now that what we are seeing is a return of the Fallen Ponies, and possibly even Drossga the Mad Mage.”

Twilight was terrified but perplexed. “How come I’ve never heard of this Drossga and these Fallen Ponies?” She asked. “I’ve read almost all there is about Equestrian history. If he is so important, why have I never heard anything about him in my studies?”

Celestia responded with a motion towards the door. “Nearly all of Drossga’s writings and records were stolen from the Canterlot archives many years ago. The few that remain I have kept secure in my private library. Let us go to the castle, we will likely be needing his works and we can continue planning there.”

As the troupe left for Canterlot Castle, Huckleberry came alongside Celestia out of earshot from her mother. “Are you sure daddy is going to be safe like you told mom?”

Celestia sighed. “If your father truly is a Fallen Pony, your father is safe from himself only in theory, but it is only a matter of time before he cannot be saved.”

Huckleberry was silent the rest of the way to Canterlot Castle.

* * * * * * *

A harsh breeze cut through the night air, cold and sharp like a razor. The silver moon glowed in the starry sky over a wooded valley several miles from Ponyville. Tall thin trees huddled together in groves, shivering not from disturbance by the sleepy animal life, but the biting, snarling wind forcing its way through branches and leaves that curled like stiff arms attempting in vain to grasp and warm their chilled bodies.

In the cover of one such grove, a large shadowy stallion crouched in the shadows. His dark purple mane and tail whisked in the breeze like fire lapping oxygen from the air, and his shining eyes peered into the darkness that enclosed upon his angular muzzle. Sharp fangs protruded slightly from the beast’s maw and strong hooves dug into the earth.

Here in this parapet of trees the stallion remained completely silent save for an occasional grunt. He turned his head every so often to glare into the darkness, flicking his flame-like tail now and then, and snapping with a great growl and toothy maw at anything that made a noise. Here in this forested fortress the beast sat for perhaps hours.

At one point in the night, the beast happened to look up into the star-speckled sky at the bright moon. The shining image reflected off the beast’s piercing eyes, giving the illusion that tears of light dripped down the face of the beast. Out of the silence a groan rose from the beast’s throat, becoming a howl that echoed with despair across the trees, hills, and valleys for miles and miles into the growing dawn.