Dark visitors

A dark soul ... stays dark.

Chapter 5

Black heart

The girls continued walking guided for Lonesoul, who looked sidewise at Rainbow Dash occasionally. The ponies, including Rainbow Dash, started noticed this and, in fact, it began to seem suspicious.

"What are you looking at me?!" Rainbow Dash said almost shouting and with suspicious look.

"Nothing." Replied the accused.

"Do not give me that, I know you've been watching me since we started to walk..."

Lonesoul cover the pegasus mouth, indicate them to make silence and pointed to a small black spot on the bark of a tree. All looked with horror at this little being but his fear vanished when they saw what it was. A kind of black parasprite with red eyes was walking down the tree probably looking for something to eat.

"Do not move." Said softly. "He hasn’t seen us yet.

"Are you afraid of that?!" Rainbow Dash seemed like she was to explode with laughter. "It's just a parasprite." Rainbow Dash finally burst out laughing.

"Not a parasprite, a swarm of parasprites mutated by black energy."

"A swarm? They should be invisible, because I only see one."

"The trees on this area have no leaves."

Rainbow Dash stopped laughing and tries to understand what Lonesoul meant by that trees had no leaves, when she could see them on the branches. She didn’t have too much time to think about that, because when the parasprite saw them gave a shriek and hundreds of red dots appeared on the trees. What she had thought were the leaves of the trees were actually more of these mutant parasprites.

In matter of seconds the bugs surrounded them, flying in circles around them without leaving a single way to escape.

"What do they eat? - Ask terrified Twilight"

"You really want to know? - The cold Lonesoul’s voice answered."

"I’ll distract them, you flee." Rainbow Dash said preparing to fly and face the swarm.

"At least you take responsibility for the problems you causes."

"Do what I say!"

"I could do that or..." Lonesoul stomping hard on the floor and a wave of black mist spread like the blast of an explosion scaring the creatures that had surrounded them. "Lets continue."

"Why you didn't do that from the beginning?"

"Because we just call the attention. Now we can be sure that the joker knows we are going. So, I wanted to avoid unnecessary confrontations like that."

Now it was the girls who kept looking at Lonesoul, what he did was simply amazing. They really believed that they had no salvation and in one move he had fixed everything.

Lonesoul meanwhile showed no interest in the stares of the ponies, he had more important things to worry about. He had to find out what made the pegasus different before she ended making that she and her friends get kill. But, he couldn’t raise suspects; he needed that they don’t notice his interest in the pegasus.

"Why you were sent?" Asked finally.

"Huh?" Twilight, who until now was focused on his thoughts about everything that had happened and what might happen, was surprised by the question. "We were sent to find out what happened in the Everfree forest and fix it."

"No, I mean why you."

"Oh, well, like Rainbow Dash already told you, we have saved Equestria many times before. You see, we are the elements of harmony."

"Elements of Harmony?"

"They are the greatest power known in the kingdom. Each has an element, mine is the magic."

"What are the other elements?"

"Well..."

"Twilight." Applejack whispered to her friend. "Are you sure we can trust that information to him?"

"I can hear you." Because the always cold Lonesoul voice tone was hard to tell if he was upset or not. Of course, the ponies hoped not. "And don’t worry, if you do not tell me I'll find it out anyway, so there's no worry if not tell me what I want to know." It’s clear that these words also don’t inspired confidence.

"Well ..." After some thought Twilight decided to tell. Anyway it's not like that was a big secret, just had to ask anypony and he’ll know immediately what he wanted to know, so it didn’t matter. "The Fluttershy’s element is kindness, Rarity’s element is generosity, Rainbow Dash is loyalty, Applejack honesty, Pinkie Pie the laughter and as I said mine is magic."

"I understand." The element of Pegasus was loyalty ... loyalty ... Would it be loyalty what avoid the black energy consumed her? It was when she saw her friends when black energy back, so it was possible that the loyalty to her friends was the cause of it.

"Do you understand?" Everyone, even Lonesoul, turned to Rainbow Dash. "How can you say you understand if you do not know the names of four of us?"

"Not only spoken with words. And what is your interest in questioning me?"

"Do not change the subject. And what's that about not only spoken with words?"

"Simple." Lonesoul continued walking and left his voice expresses some disinterest and arrogance, as if what he was saying was something even a child should know. "It doesn’t need a genius to know that the pink híperexcitable pony is the carrier of the element of laughter, and when she mention the name of Rarity looked at the other unicorn. There were only two elements, honesty and kindness, which are easy to pair with the orange and the pegasus pony respectively."

"How you see Twilight looking Rarity if you turned to her while she talk?"

"Not only see with the eyes, and stop questioning me." Lonesoul stopped in front of a cave and turned to the ponies. "Now stay here."

"Why? Am I bothering you?"

"Yes. But that's not the why. The generator is inside the cave and if you get closer... well, you know that you and black energy don’t mix."

Rainbow Dash looked suspiciously at Lonesoul with some displeasure for not being able to accompany her friends but finally give in. "Okay. Take care of my friends. If they return with a scratch..."

"Calm down. They’ll continue breathing when we return. You should care more for yourself. You will stay here alone, exposed to any attack."

"I'll be fine. You can relax." Added quickly when she saw the concern of her friends. "Continue without me."

The group continued with its mission. The friends of Rainbow Dash couldn’t stop worrying about her. They really disliked the idea of leave her behind, but they couldn’t risk that again she went crazy.

As they progressed they began to see more and more of some strange black crystals. "Don’t touch the crystals, it have black energy. Not much, but enough to completely consume you."

Besides the crystals, Twilight noticed that no matter how much they entering the cave it don’t become dark, it was very strange, but she assumed it was an effect of black energy. They had not ventured more than fifty yards when they came to an abyss.

"Don’t worry Lonesoul." Twilight said. "I can teleport us to the other side ... Lonesoul?" Lonesoul continued walking as if he had not heard her, getting closer and closer to the abyss. "Are you listening?"

When Lonesoul was a couple of steps from the abyss a bridge of black mist began to spread and he continued to walk on this. When he was in the middle of the bridge he turned and looked at the faces of the surprised ponies.

"Are you coming or not?"

Twilight approached the bridge and touched it. The structure was solid, though it was cold as ice. The unicorn stood on it and told her friends that they can continue.

"How did you do that?"

"The matter in its most basic form is energy. The energy can become matter."

"Then you can turn that black energy into what you want?"

"No. It requires a lot of concentration to convert energy into matter. Materialize appliances with many moving parts or large objects is difficult. Besides, I can only make black energy in a material."

"What material?"

"We call it Crosys. It is a unique material not found in nature."

Wow. Twilight could not believe her ears. It can materialize objects with magic, but that new material Crosys, Black energy. Everything was so new and exciting! It was amazing! She couldn't believe that nopony had written about such interesting things!

"We are here." Once again the voice of Lonesoul Twilight awoke from his thoughts.

In front of the ponies there was a metallic cylinder embedded in the rock floor with a small glass window. Around the cylinder there was no black mist, so they could see some strange black marks and circles on the floor around the object. Through the window in the cylinder they could see a small black crystal, such as that formed throughout the cave.

Lonesoul approached the cylinder and extended a foreleg at the window. Twilight expected that he open or break the glass, but as soon as he touches the glass his foreleg pass through it like if it wasn’t there. He takes out the crystal and the marks in the floor disappeared along with all the black mist. The crystals that grew in the cave became into rock and the cave gradually darkened until they couldn’t see anything.

"Who turned out the lights?" Pinkie said as a joke, one that might have been a bit more humorous if her friends weren’t scared to death because they were plunged into darkness. Twilight lit the place and saw that Lonesoul was no longer next to the cylinder. She looked back the way they had come and saw him walking away."

The ponies went quickly to reach him but before they did it he jumped aside just in time to avoid a huge black sphere that fell from the darkness crush him. The ponies run to Lonesoul to see if was okay and realized that something was embossed on the sphere.

It was a mask of theater, the comedy one. But it was not normal; there was something sinister on it. The smile had sharp teeth and there was malice in his expression. The expression was like if it were happy for doing something bad, like a bad joke or maybe something more evil.

"You knew we were coming." Lonesoul said. "What's the catch?"

"If you knew it wouldn’t be as fun." They heard a jovial and mocking voice from the darkness.

"Who's there?" Twilight had a bad feeling.

"Who do you think?" Lonesoul answered. "It comes with a mask of comedy and believes that all the problems he has caused are some funny jokes."

"The Joker."

"Bravo." Joker's voice answered the deduction of Twilight. "Now I know why you are considered the smartest of the group." Twilight smiled proudly. "Don’t smile, believe me, is not as great as you think." Said this, laughter echoed in the cave.

"No more talks." Lonesoul stopped the Joker laughing. "Something falling from the ceiling above me is a very mediocre trap for someone from your class. Tell me, what is the real trap, piece of scum?"

"No. JAJAJAJAJA"

"I will destroy you anyway."

"What attitude, typical of a Phantom, you're all killjoys. I'll give you a hint to cheer you up. Do you see that I'm not so bad?"

"Speak the fuck up."

"The surprise is waiting at the front door."

"Rainbow Dash ..." Immediately Lonesoul said the name of the Pegasus, he ran down the road to the entrance followed by the other ponies.

Lonesoul created the bridge over the abyss and cross it with the other ponies and then a question came to his mind. Was I worried? The answer was clear to him, yes, he was. But... why? He never before worried about anyone, it wasn’t normal, the Phantom never cared about anyone except when ... No, it was impossible. But the question was why? Was it for his interest in her for rid of the black energy control? Yes, that must be the why.

Finally, they see the light announcing that they approached the exit of the cave. A few steps from the cave were a lump of cyan color. As they approached they could distinguish wings, and a characteristic color of rainbow mane. It was Rainbow Dash! She was lying motionless on the floor, they had to hurry.

They get more and more close, they were really close. Lonesoul suddenly stopped and motioned for the ponies to do the same.

"What are you doing? We have to help Rainbow Dash!"

"That's not Rainbow Dash."

The cyan pegasus stood up and turned to the other ponies revealing a devilish grin on his face, one that reminded the one that was embossed on the black sphere that had fallen from the ceiling.

"Bravo." Said the pegasus. "You found it out; I guess I'm very predictable." Said that, black mist covered her entire body until they could see nothing of her. The mist disappeared as quickly as it appeared revealing a black earth pony with a mask of comedy equal to the one in the black sphere.

"Who are you? Where is Rainbow Dash?" Twilight was very worried about what might happen to her friend, there was something devilish in that pony mask. Perhaps she was dead or worse, maybe ... No, she can’t think about that. Rainbow Dash was strong, she wouldn’t be hurt easily and she should keep hope.

"No idea. She went crazy after giving him a gift." As he finished speaking in his particular voice broke into laughter. Which make Lonesoul get mad. "Jealous? I saw the way you looked her in the way here."

"You're dead." He answered angrily.

Twilight on the other hand was not even paying attention. She looked from side to side looking for anything that would give a hint of where his friend was. Without seeing anything she had another idea of how to discover where her friend was.

"Lonesoul, you feel the presence of that creature before it was in sight. Can you find Rainbow Dash?"

"No." The creature replied curtly. Twilight was about to scream angrily when the joker interrupted.

"I hope you have not put all your faith in him. Without black energy around he can’t even tie a rope." Once again the creature ended with laughter.

"What are you talking about?" Asked confused the unicorn. Lonesoul had been able to build the bridge without black energy around him, so he didn’t need to be in contact with the mist to use his powers.

"It's an exaggeration, obviously." Lonesoul answered." Although I can’t sense the presence of creatures around me, I can fight with all my potential, but without black energy around me to recharge I become weak quickly. Fortunately the joker is subject to the same limitations, so I can still easily kill him. "Lonesoul walks toward the joker ready to destroy him."

"Then it’s fortunate that it’s not me who will fight you."

As soon as he stopped talking, Lonesoul jumped back just in time to prevent something hit him, something that leave a trail of rainbow colors behind.

"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight could not believe her eyes. Rainbow Dash lunged again and again against Lonesoul trying to hit him, fortunately he dodged all. "What are you doing?"

Rainbow Dash stopped and stayed fluttering in the air revealing her body completely covered by the black marks.

"What do you think? I show who is weak to this fool." Once answered the question the Pegasus continued his series of attacks.

While Twilight and her friends tried in vain to reason with Rainbow Dash, the joker was writhing on the floor unable to contain his laughter. Then in a quick movement Lonesoul not only evade the pegasus but also make her hit a rock at the entrance of the cave. The friends of the now furious Pegasus were in silent, now aware that they could be sure that nothing would make her to reason, letting the laughter of the joker, that now were stronger, echo in all the cave.

It was clear that Lonesoul had passed from defensive to offensive. He had by far the advantage, whenever Rainbow Dash lunged, he make the same move making her hit strongly the rocks until Rainbow Dash get dazed.

With the skill of his opponent reduced, Lonesoul could handle it easily. In the next time Rainbow Dash lunged, Lonesoul made the same move throwing her against a rock, but this time he pounced on her before she got up and immobilized her. That was it; all he had to do was remove it black energy of her. Lonesoul was concentrated, but ... nothing. He couldn’t take out the black energy of her.

"You didn’t think it would be so easy, right?" The look on Rainbow Dash's face had changed; it wasn’t the expression of  a dazed pony, now was a diabolical and arrogant expression. She brought his face close to Lonesoul and whisper. "I'm going to destroy you."

The pegasus kick his opponent throws him at several feet. That was all; take care of her wouldn’t be as easy as he thought. He had never met anyone who caused him so much trouble. Again Rainbow Dash was on him, but this time cut short just as she was past him and kicked him. Lonesoul could hardly avoid the blow; it was becoming faster, his skill increased every second that black energy remained in control of her.

He had to fix it quickly, that he wasted energy fighting with her was just what the joker wanted. Maybe kill her? No, he could not kill her ... Why he couldn’t kill her? Does his research interest him so much? No. It was something else but ... what? No time to think about it ... Another pegasus attack, this time brushing against his target.

The only option was to break his concentration. Could attack his mind as he had done with the Hailer, his kind was famous for that, but ... Lonesoul glanced at the Joker kept laughing loudly, he could not spend energy on the fight. He had to ... Hit.

Lonesoul had lowered his guard while thinking and Rainbow Dash had not hesitated to take advantage of it. He fell and his enemy got him up with a hit and immobilized him against a rock. However, she saw something, a purple glow behind her. She knew what it was, Twilight was about to use her magic. What a pain. The pegasus spread his wings ready to escape as fast as she could, but she saw something unexpected. The glow disappeared and suddenly she hears exclamations of surprise from her friends.

"It's bad manners to meddle in the affairs of others." The joker, as usual, ended with laughter watching the magical barrier that had been created between the two ponies in duel and the others, who now returned to their attempts to make her friend to reason.

Rainbow Dash returned his attention to his opponent, but what she didn’t know was that the distraction had given him time to think in a solution. But ... that was really the only solution? Sure. He had thought of every possible solution and there was no other. It was not like he wanted...

Rainbow Dash lifted her leg ready to deliver the final blow. It was now or never, Lonesoul should make his move.

The whole cave was silent. The ponies were silent unable to believe what was happening before their eyes and the joker had suspended their laughter and now lay motionless watching what was happening.

"I am not crazy enough to hallucinate something like this." Said the joker in the most serious tone he'd had in his life, but that doesn’t say really much.

Rainbow Dash, like everyone was still in shock while Lonesoul held his lips against her in a warm, soft kiss. Success. Rainbow Dash had broken his concentration, was his chance.

Gradually the black marks on the body of the pegasus began to disappear. The pegasus began to struggle to get rid of the kiss, but was in vain.

As the marks faded so did Rainbow Dash struggles until she answered the kiss and continued so until the marks fully disappear.

Lonesoul finally broke the kiss at see its purpose completed. Rainbow Dash stepped back and only then could reason. What had just happened? What really happened?

Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to express these questions when Lonesoul slapped her knocking her out on the act and leaving three scratch marks on his face. The mist in his foreleg disappear revealing three sharp daggers embedded in his hoof, then the mist cover it again and turned his attention to the joker like if was to him to who he teaches those sharp daggers.

"That was cold, cruel and heartless." The Joker do still speak the same mocking and jovial tone, which considering the situation was really annoying. "But considering who you are may be considered that you have improved your attitude. Now, I leave." The creature became a mass of black mist and flew away at high speed.

The barrier separating the ponies disappeared and they ran worried for their friend. Rarity turned to Lonesoul with a furious glare.

"This is the most cruel and less gentlemanly act I have ever seen in my life. You kiss her and a few seconds later you attack her. What’s wrong with you?!"

"Better get out. I'll finish the mission alone."

"Are you listening?!"

"What do you mean by finish the mission?" Ask a little calmer Twilight but with the same furious glare of Rarity.

"You don’t think that was the only generator, right? There's more. I will deactivate it alone; you caused me enough trouble already." Lonesoul turned his back and walked on into the forest and into the next generator.

Twilight hated to leave everything to him, but had no choice, Rainbow Dash was very ill and had to take her to the hospital, and ... that place was horrible, black energy was leaving her an uncomfortable feeling. Anger, sadness, pain ... emotions that arose inside from nowhere, she don’t wanted to be there more time, especially with someone like Lonesoul. But there was something she should do first.

"Lonesoul, wait." Lonesoul turned to the lavender pony foreseeing what she will say. "Tell us what you know of those ponies that attacked Ponyville."

"Polite people say please."

"Don't provoke me."

"Controller scum."

"What?!" Twilight's horn glow purple while it loads with magic and hatred in her eyes intensified.

"Not you, them. Power-hungry scum. Traitors who will be punish."

"What can you told us of them apart that you hate them?"

"In the world I come from my race is known as the most powerful in the universe. Traveler worked for us, a brilliant scientist with trouble to follow orders. He never bears than his race wasn’t in charge. So he decided to change that, using our own resources for their own research. We soon realize it, but it was not a threat, so we just keep an eye on him."

"What was he investigated?" Twilight turned and saw Rainbow Dash up. Judging by her question she had been paying attention to the conversation.

"Power, he was seeking power. He did not seem as a threat. Until one day he appeared with those cores, a power source never seen before. We went after him, but we didn’t count with Chaos, his old friend, was stupid enough to join him. Hiding like rats survived until the devices were full working. The controller. I witnessed its power, that thing allowed them to manipulate the laws of nature, was very dangerous.

"What did you do?"

"We attacked with everything, ready to end at once for all with them, but we didn’t count with a skill of the controller. At the last second they opened a portal with characteristics never seen before. The General decided that follow them would be very risk, but I'm not good at following orders, or being a coward. I reopened the portal and followed them. It was a new world. There wasn’t a parallel dimension, or another universe. It was a completely different reality with its own laws and forces. World by world I followed them. I watched as his powers evolved, not only could manipulate natural laws, they created and destroy matter and energy, until we arrived here."

"What happened when you arrived here?" Before Lonesoul could answer a loud roar echoed in the distance.

"Enough talk. I've lost too much time with you. I will only say one last thing. Controllers are abominations that go against the laws of nature. Expect nothing but wickedness from them." Said that Lonesoul left the same way the joker did.

Rainbow Dash walks to where Lonesoul was before left and look the trees back to normal. "We must go. I want to leave this site as soon as possible."

None of her friends objected, frankly neither wanted to continue on that site. Nopony had said anything, but dark energy began to affect them as Twilight. This time they’ll do what Lonesoul said, certainly they not trust him, but they had no choice, Black energy was... they don’t really know what it was, but no longer wanted to be near it.

Fortunately the part of forest they had "cleaned up" was on the verge of the forest, so no more black energy nor creatures was found in the way to Ponyville. As soon they arrived to Ponyville Rainbow Dash got carried to hospital. Of course she did it reluctantly and only to please her friends. She thought that was unnecessary to go to the hospital for a couple of scratches on the face and the flank. Fluttershy, who was the most worried of all, accompany Rainbow Dash to the hospital while the others went home to rest.

While bandaged to Rainbow Dash a memory popped into his mind. A warm kiss ... a slapped ... It had no sense. She had kissed many times before, but none had been like that. It was an unexplainable feeling, the best kiss of her life.

But not only remembered the kiss. Rainbow Dash touched the wound on his face. Three long thin marks ranging from the bottom of his eye through his cheek to his jaw. Why had he done that? Who kiss her like that never would have done that. For how it felt ... that kiss was the kiss of a tender lover, she knew it. Why? Perhaps... he was pretending to be bad? Why would he do that? She feels so ... confused.

"Are you okay Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy’s concerned voice pulled the pegasus out of his reverie. The yellow pegasus approached her with worried eyes and spoke in an altered voice that contrasted with her usual shy voice. "Is something wrong? Does it hurt the wound? What if the clutches of that black mist monster were poisoned?" She takes the doctor by his shoulders and shook him violently and uncontrollably. "Was poisoned right? How much time she left? You cannot let her die! You have to do something!"

"FLUTTERSHY!" Rainbow Dash's scream interrupted her friend agitation, who finally stopped shaking the doctor. "I'm fine, I was just thinking."

"Oh ..." Fluttershy's voice returned to his usual shy tone. "I'm sorry." She apologized to the dizzy and disoriented doctor.

"What were you thinking?" Twilight entered the room making Rainbow Dash turn her head, but not in her direction. The pegasus doesn’t want her to see that she was blushing. "It's something wrong?"

"No, nothing." What the hell happened to her? She was the coolest pegasus in Ponyville, no, in all Equestria. It has no sense to blush for thinking in the kiss that gave her a jerk in the middle of a fight, only to hit her later. Immediately she thought on this the blush on her face disappeared along with her sense of confusion, which was replaced by a feeling a lot easier to understand for her, hate. "I wasn't thinking in anything. Everything is fine."

"If you say so." Was easy for Twilight to realize that something was bothering her but didn’t want to be her who bothers. She must have had enough with what black energy had done; surely that was what she was thinking.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were going to write to the princess with everything that happened and get some rest."

"I was a little worried about you and..."

"I told you I'm fine." Now was she who bothered her. It would be best to leave her alone; Rainbow Dash had already been through a lot.

~ L ~

CRASH! BOOM! ZWANG! Attack after attack, all failed. Lonesoul had defeated a Hailer before. If that joker really thought that with increasing the number to ten would be the difference was even more stupid than he looked.

One, two, three, four...... eight, nine and ten. As easy as count the Hailers now lay in pieces on the ground. The path to the generator would be very easy. Confront a Phantom was a grave error by part of the joker, the last in fact. He was ready to put an end to all this.

But ... was not his mission what worry him. He could complete more dangerous missions without moving a hair. What worried him was the memory that really refused to leave his mind even in the midst of a fight. I guess people reading this can imagine what it is. That kiss was actually their first kiss, which was expected taking into account that he has always had that attitude.

Although it was only a tactical move, that kept bothering. The Phantom doesn’t have emotions, especially him, or so was supposed. His breed saw the emotions as a weakness and he had always ensured don’t have any. The blow... Why he did it? He had do it to teach a lesson to that creature or just had done that to make sure that she hated him and stay away from him. Had he become into one of those pathetic Phantoms that still having emotions and feared anything that might arouse some feeling?

He could not deny his interest in the creature, he had told himself that it was only interested in his particular ability to get rid of black energy, but was it true?

Lonesoul stopped their march and look at the moon. Certainly that was true. He is Lonesoul, feared even among his own. The Phantom exiled from the lair for doing everything at his way. He still being part of the clan, of course, they wouldn’t expel someone with his power. But his daring had done to be hated by his superiors until they simply push him aside. He was a legend. He was a lone wolf, a lone soul. And nothing would change that. Now he should stop wasting time on nonsense about emotions that was impossible he had and concentrate on his mission. There were many generators to turn off and a joker and other creatures to tear into pieces.

Now the real war began. He will kill the joker and everything that get in his way. Only that matter now. Lonesoul looked down and continued his way ready for the coming battle.