Red Stained Snow.

As the weak morning light peaked through the gloom of the ever present night, the feint sounds the winter snow crunching under the weight of a boot could be herd. A boy dragging a dark blue sled with a girl of the same age as him, was leaving behind a trail of red stained snow, the injuries that they both sustained were taking their toll on the boy, panting he heaved once more before collapsing face first into the snow. Minutes passed before he was able to get up again. Picking up the rope tied to the small sled he pushed once more into the growing morning.

“Hang in there Sakura, I’ll get us to someplace safe, someplace where we can recover.” He said taking off his deep blue cloak and wrapping it around the girl who was in the same condition he was in.

Making one last push he made it to the edge of a small town thinking it was safe he continued towards the town but not before collapsing from the gashes covering his body, not wanting to give up he proceeded to crawl until his vision slipped into black and fell unconscious in the snow. The boy heard voices and opened his eyes to find people standing over him, they spoke in rather concerned voices, and he held his consciousness as long as he could then he slipped once more.

Warm … he was warm; if this was death then he welcomed the warmth with good intentions. Opening his eyes, eye more like it, he found that he was in what, from his knowledge, a tree. Trying to see if anyone was in the tree he tried to say something and succeeded in summoning the trees tenant, from what he could figure out they were asking him if he was all right. His vision and hearing was still fussy so he couldn’t make out any faces. His mind gave a painful throb that made him pass out once again. He woke once again to find that he was stiff he moved his arm to try and see why he could hardly move but he soon realized that moving was a bad idea. A sharp pain lanced up his arm telling him that there was still feeling in that arm. A girl walked in with purple hair with pink and lighter purple highlights, she had a tattoo on her right shoulder of a six-point, maroon star with five smaller white stars surrounding it. Seeing what he was trying to do she rushed over and held him down, which was more painful than moving his arm.

“You have to stay still or you’re going to hurt your self even further, you were hurt really badly.” She said pushing down on his arm.

“NO, really I thought it tickled, GAH, where’s the girl I was with, and where’s my stuff?” he said sarcastically, “Would you mind getting off my arm?”

She let go and sat down on a stool nearby, minutes passed before anybody said anything, the one to break the silence was the girl.

“Can you tell me your name? I’ll tell you everything you want to know as soon as this is resolved.” She said to the injured boy.

“Fine, my name is Rain Rider, I came here from Canterlot trying to escape from somebody that ambushed me and that girl I was with, and FYI I don’t know who it was that attacked us, I did manage to let lose a spell to get rid of them. Now that I explained my problem you do your half of the deal.” Rider said wanting answers.

“My name is Twilight Sparkle, and you are in Ponyville library, which also serves as my home. As for the girl you were with she’s staying with a friend of mine, your cloak is with another friend of mine getting washed and fixed, your other things are right next to the night stand but seeing as you can’t move your head it must be nice to know your things are safe, but I never seen anything like this blue metal box before. And your sled is sitting in my living room. What was the girl’s name, if you don’t mind me asking? ” said Twilight looking at the relieved look in Rider’s eyes. Just her saying the girl was alright seemed to calm him down.

“Her name is Sakura, neahponesse for cherry blossom.”

The two talked for minutes until some one else came in.

“Twilight, are you in here? Oh, there you are darling I got the cloak fix and, DEAR CELESTIA WHO IS THAT!! He looks genuinely awful.” She said looking at Rider, who cringed at the volume of her voice.

“Rarity this is Rain Rider the owner of the cloak.” Twilight introduced the two of them.

“Well I do certainly hope he gets out of those bandages, and you my good sir have quite a taste in color, the dark blue of your cloak just brings out the color of your hair, which is a just fabulous shade of olive, but the most interesting thing about you are your eyes and the fact that you walked all the way down to Ponyville with that girl and your injuries.” Rarity said complimenting Riders looks.

“Thank you, you should see Sakura, you would like her.” Rider said smiling and doing his best to sit up.

“Well, I best be taking my leave, fare well Twilight, Rider.” Rarity said saying good bye to Rider and Twilight.

After Rarity left Rider did his best to stretch his stiff muscles, which felt good to Rider ignoring the pain.

“Hey Twilight, can you hand me my pack. It’s the leather bag.” Rider asked wanting to see how Sakura was.  Twilight handed Rider the bag. Rider rummaged around until he found the Item he was looking for, he pulled out a small green bottle, giving it a light toss into the air Rider closed his eyes to protect from the flash that was about to come. A few seconds after Rider through the bottle a bright green flash illuminated the room. Twilight shielded her eyes from the glair of the light, seconds passed before she was able to see again. Once the stars faded from her vision Rider was taking a pair of scissors to the bandages that covered his left arm. Twilight felt odd after the flash, as if she was given a good nights sleep, she felt wide awake and had energy to burn. As soon as Rider got the bandages off of his arms he proceeded to remove the bandages around his legs and handed the scissors to Twilight.

“I need you to cut the bandages from my back.” Rider said holding out the scissors to Twilight.

“What, you’re still hurt, you’ll bleed out.” Twilight said shocked by the request.

“Look, my arms were covered in cuts, but look they’re not anymore. So could you just do this?” Rider asked twilight.

She reluctantly took them and took small snips as to not hurt Rider, after the bandages were removed from Riders back Twilight seen something that almost made her vomit, a giant jagged scar running down his back from his right shoulder to his left hip. Rider fished some clothes out of his bag and told twilight that he will meet her down on the main floor, after getting dressed Rider clipped his pack to his belt along with the metal box and the sword along with it, finding his cloak Rider quickly put it on and was going to meet Twilight on the main floor, but found someone talking to her with a worried voice.

“C’mon Twi, we need your help over at Shy’s place, her condition ain’t getin any better, she can’t stay conscious long enough ta git any info or fer her to eat or drink anythin, this ain’t gonna end well if we don’t do anythin ta help her!” said a girl with blonde hair and dressed in western style clothes.

“HEY, this Shy, by any chance is hair pink and dose she live next to the Everfree?” Rider asked finishing his descent on the stairs.

“Yeah, who’s askin’?” she said looking skeptically.

“The guy she adopted.” Rider said grabbing both hers and Twilight’s shoulders and concentrating on where they need to go, then they disappeared leaving nothing behind but a blue rose petal.

A split second later they were in front of Fluttershy’s cottage, shouting could be heard coming from the second story. Rider at near exhaustion pushed through the door of the small cottage and found where the shouting was coming, Rider walked into the room and over to the girl in the bed. The shouting stopped as he moved over to the group.

“Hey who are you; you’re not supposed to be here.” Said a girl with rainbow streaks in her hair and hovering at one end of the room, staying aloft with the wings on her back.

“I need the room empty, I don’t take no for an answer nether, besides you’ll go blind if you stay in the room when I’m helping her.” Rider said from behind the hood of his cloak.

“You should take his word for it; he was healed after throwing a small green bottle into the air even with the bandages on he was still able to move and looked unaffected by his injuries.” Twilight said walking into the room and standing beside Rider. “Do you think using the same thing on her will help?”

“No, I know a spell that will heal the gashes and help her stay conscious but the elixir won’t work on her. The one I used at your place was a more potent version that effects everyone nearby, but that was my last one. The spell uses my own mana to heal her but at the cost of my own stamina. But I need the room empty of anyone other than her and me; please we don’t have much time!” Rider said pleadingly.

The others agreed and left the room; Rider moved over to the bed and cast a sleep spell to help with keeping her still. Rider closed his eyes and focused, clapping his hands together a white runic seal appeared on the floor around the bed. Light filled the room as the spell took hold, an invisible wind whipped around the room blowing Riders hood back revealing his olive green hair being whipped around viciously. Sakura’s injuries were healing below the bandages; the process was slow going but successful after a few minutes. Rider fell to his knees drained but glad Sakura was fine.

The others down on the main floor heard Rider falling to his knees, and ran up to see if everything went well, they found Rider standing by the bed tired but on his feet.

“Rider … did … did it work?” Twilight asked walking up to the bed to stand beside Rider.

Rider nodded weakly and fell backwards landing with a resounding thud, Twilight knelt beside him knowing that he must be tired so she left him there and told the others to go back down stairs and that she’ll explain everything.

“Um … Twilight who was that, he seemed like he didn’t want her to die.” Asked a girl with pink hair and in a yellow dress, and looking quite worried.

“His name’s Rain Rider he was the one pulling the sled through the snow when we found him. The girl must be his girlfriend, she must be really important to him if her condition forced him to take her from Canterlot all the way down here.”

“Maybe they were running from something that was stronger than they were. Kids pretty tough to walk down here with those cuts, what’s your opinion Applejack?” asked the girl with rainbow hair to the girl in the Stetson style hat.

“Ah think they were runnin from somethin, there are strong animals and people here, they must o been ambushed in the middle o the nigh to ave made it here at the time he did.” Stated the blonde named Applejack.

“Yes my thoughts exactly but hasn’t anybody else gotten a weird feeling off of him?” asked Twilight feeling a little confused that he was able to perform magics.

The other five looked at one another and shook their heads simultaneously.

“Weird, because once I removed the bandages from around his chest I got a wave of pure dark magic emanating from the scar on his back. Something tells me he hasn’t told me anything about his past, or why he has that scar on his back.” Said Twilight looking back on the moment she seen the scar.

Rider slowly opened his eyes blearily and sat up, he looked over to Sakura, she was still asleep from the effects of the sleep spell he placed on her to keep he still. Getting up Rider felt around his pack and pulled out a leak, snapping off one of the leaves he began to regain his energy, walking to the stairs he noticed that he must have been asleep for several minutes because the sun was low over the horizon and dropping slowly. Noticing voices coming from the first floor, He walked down the stairs and came to find the other six sitting in the living room of the cottage.

“Rider would you mind telling us about your past maybe that will answer some of the questions we’ve been having, and maybe we can help you figure out who’s after you.” Asked Twilight curious about Rider, and his past, and wanting answers.

“*sigh* alright but we might be here for a few minutes. As you already know my name is Rain Rider, I was born in Canterlot and had a fairly normal life and parents, my mother was a magicbound and my father was a skybound, they were both the nicest people you would ever meet, but then something happened when I was four. A changeling knocked on our door posing as a royal guardsman, my mother let him in and promptly went to slaughter my mother and father before my and my sisters eyes, a neighbor saw what happened and summoned the REAL royal guard. But the changeling fled before the guards came. They found the scene of my parent’s bloody bodies and my sister and I cowering in the corner of the room covered in blood. My sister quickly got a job at the palace as a servant, we were given rooms and warm food, two years passed and I was six and old enough to be taught how to fight. Princess Celestia would take me to my old home and train me in secret there. My sister and I were aloud to stay the night there; it was hearths warming eve and the day my parents were killed. The same changeling came and killed my sister right in front of me I had a katana hidden behind my back incase he did something he would regret, after he killed my sister I drew the blade and rushed him only to be knocked to the other side of the room, the changeling took the sword and gave me the scar but before he fled he cursed me, the one I’ll truly love will be able to keep me from being taken by the curse. I was to transform into a draconic. Heh, you know my father was an artificer, he would go around the world and gather artifacts form every corner of the world and bring them home, one of those was the sword I used, muramasa, the demon killing blade. After that day I promised to my self that I will protect the one I care about no matter what the cost, even If it meant my life.” Rider said slowly slipping into an emotional break-down.

“Gosh, Ah never knew y’all had a rough time we all had it easy but you, you had ta fight to stay alive. It wasn’t right what they did to ya, taken yer family away from ya just ain’t right, we’ll help if it means getin ya closure we’re gonna help, right gals?” Applejack asked the rest of the group.

They all nodded in unison, which did very little to comfort Rider. They all peppered him with smaller questions that Rider was fine with answering.

“So, Rider is that sword of yours real?” asked the rainbow haired girl hovering in front of Rider.

“Yes, it is. It’s one of the sharpest blades in the world aside from ‘the myth’.” Rider said drawing the blade.

Realizing that none of them had been introduced to him he asked Twilight to introduce him to her friends. By the time the introductions were complete Twilight was half asleep. Rider knowing that it would be best to take her home, so he picked her up and bid good bye for the evening and took Twilight home, by the time they got to Ponyville Twilight was already asleep. Rider was reminded of his sister when he looked at the sleeping Twilight, Rider was still emotionally unstable. Arriving at the library Rider walked up to her room and placed her on her bed. Making his way down to the main floor Rider began researching his curse. Rider pulled book after book he could find on the subject but didn’t find anything on how to break it about to give up Rider pulled one more book but as he did he heard a slight click. Rider turned as the sound of a thin wooden door slid open, Rider walked over to the place the sound came from. Pushing aside two or three books to find a small hollowed out space where the wall was meant to be, just large enough for the book to rest on its end.

Rider pulled it out and brushed of the dust off of the cover, it was written in a language that nobody else but Princess Celestia, and Rider him self knew. Looking out the window Rider found that it was almost morning.

‘Right on time Tia, man have I really been up all night? Figures, I would lose track of time while I was looking for my curse, well better make some coffee for Twilight.’  Rider thought to himself getting up and going to the kitchen. Locating the pantry Rider pulled the can of coffee from the top shelf of the cabinet and proceeded to make coffee. Meanwhile Twilight caught the sent of the coffee and snapped awake, whipped her head around to look out the window then to the clock.

“OH NO, I OVER SLEPT, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, I NEVER SLEPT IN!” Twilight yelled frantically running down the stairs to find the books in neat stacks on the floor.

She looked around confused and went to go find Rider and ask him what happened in the main library. She found Rider sitting at the kitchen table reading an old looking book. She found the coffee maker and got herself a cup of coffee.

“Rider what were you doing last night, and what are you reading, that’s not a language I can recognize.” Twilight said sitting down at the kitchen table with Rider.

“That’s because it predates hearths warming. Princess Celestia taught it to me while I was staying at the palace when my sister was still alive, it’s a book on ancient spell’s and curses. I’m trying to find out how to break mine and get back to normal. But so far I’m only finding things that can break other curses, and not the one I have now.” Rider said reading further into the book. “… AH HA, I found it! Draconia, a curse that has a forced transformation into a half dragon-half human being, the spell takes hold after eight months after being cast, but the spell must be cast by a dragon them-selves, … NO, there is no spell to break this curse. I can’t believe this I came all this way to find that there is no counter-curse; I’m stuck this way for the rest of my life, damn. But if there is no counter-curse there might be a way to control it.” Rider said having an Idea that might just work.

Rider looked in the book to find out if there was a way, finding what he wanted Rider placed a book mark in the pages he wanted to show Sakura. He placed the book in his pack and Twilight accompanied him to Fluttershy’s cottage. They stopped by the candy shop to buy some sweets for Sakura, after departing the store Twilight turned to Rider.

“So why are you going over to Fluttershy’s place if she can’t even read the text in the book, it won’t make sense to her.” Twilight asked Rider as they made there way to the cottage by the forest.

“Well seeing as Sakura cannot understand English I took it upon my self to learn neahponesse. So I can just tell her what I found, simple as that.” Rider said to Twilight who took that as a better explanation then she could ever come up with.

The two never said a word until they arrived at Fluttershy’s cottage. Rider knocked on the door and they both waited until Fluttershy came to open the door.

“Hi, Fluttershy, I just came to see how Sakura is. May I see her?” Rider asked politely waiting for an answer.

Fluttershy nodded and let the two of them in Rider found his way to the room where Sakura was waiting in.

“Sakura kon'nichiwa watashi wa chōdo watashi no noroi de tasukeru kamo shirenai nanika o mitsuketa.” Rider said giving a hug to her in the process.

“Ame no raidā kon'nichiwa, sore wa anata ga shite kudasai baai wa, mitsuketa mono o oshie, mata futatabi o ai dekite yoidesu.” Sakura spoke in the same tongue as Rider.

“Koko de, watashi wa sore o sakujo suru ni wa, no han noroi ga nai noroi no setsumei ga sa rete imasu hon o mitsuketaga, watashi wa ikutsu ka no kunren o sureba, sore o seigyo suru koto ga dekiru koto o miidashita.” Rider replied back pulling out the book and turning to the page he bookmarked.

But before Rider was able to show Sakura Twilight burst in to the room with a worried expression, she rushed over to Rider and grabbed his arm a pulled him out the door of the room before Rider was able to pull away.

“Twilight what has gotten into you you’re usually so level-headed?” Rider said pulling his arm out of her grasp.

“Something’s going on over the Everfree forest, I sense that its powerful black magic, this could be bad news, the other’s are already on there way here right now.” Twilight said as she was getting worried about the other people in the town.

As Twilight finished her statement Rider felt a wave of pure darkness, the only one to have this dark of an aura was ‘him’, and the first mission he was given. Rider looked back to Sakura and told her to wait there and followed Twilight to the edge of the Everfree, where the others were waiting. The arrival of Twilight and Rider sparked questions that they could only answer so fast. They answered as many as they could before Rider felt a presence in the back of his mind, then a piercing pain erupt in the back of his mind forcing him to his knees.

‘I thought you were stronger than this, how pathetic to see the worlds greatest demon hunter to be brought to his knees by a simple headache, I’ll be waiting at the ruins in this forest, don’t disappoint me, I want to see you fight.’  Whispered a voice that was unmistakable to Rider, there was no doubt that it was him.

The pain subsided and Rider could think clearly again, Rider got to his feet and turned to Twilight.

“Twilight, do you know if there are any ruins in this forest?” Rider asked Twilight turning more serious by the second.

“Yes, there are but … *gasp* If my calculations are correct that dark aura we sensed should be at the ruins of the regal sisters.” Twilight exclaimed looking towards the forest.

“Good lead the way, we need to get there fast … wait, Twilight, come here. I need to see your memories.” Rider said motioning for Twilight to come closer.

Twilight moved closer to Rider, and he placed his hand on her fore head. Rider closed his eyes and focused on the memory he wanted, finding the memory he wanted he removed his hand from her head and told everyone to grab each others hands. They followed his instructions and clasped hands, Rider standing in the middle of the line focused on the ruins. In a flurry of wind they disappeared and nothing was left behind. Seconds later they were in the corpse of an ancient castle. Rider and Twilight both felt the presence of something extremely powerful and dark.

“Twilight lets go,” Rider said turning to Twilight who nodded in response, “by any chance do you know any attack spells, because we might need them.”

“Right, I’ll try my best.” Twilight said determined.

As Rider and Twilight made their way to the stairs a dark power is preparing for battle, a dark shadow pulled it’s self into a three dimensional space the form of being part dragon and human. It had human like features but had subtle draconic features, the eyes were feline in look and function, but his teeth were elongated to the point of being fangs. His hair was an oily black and tangled to the point his head might have to be shaved, his physical body didn’t look very powerful but the dark wave of energy meant he was a very powerful magicbound. As Rider and Twilight rounded the corner the figure turned to greet them but Rider had the feeling that this was not going to be friendly.

“Rider just who is that,” Twilight said looking to the shadow and then to Rider than back, “He doesn’t look normal.”

“That’s because he’s not. KERBEROS, WHY DID YOU COME BACK, I THOUGHT THAT I SEALED YOU AWAY FOREVER ON MY FIRST MISION.” Rider said gripping his sword.

‘You only sealed my body away not my being you must understand that I may not be able to cause any mayhem my self I have someone who can help me with that, I am still able to use my dark magics.’ spoke the being without moving his lips.

“So just who is this supposed ‘partner’ of yours?” Rider said getting more and more cautious of whom the second party may be.

“I believe that one of my minions has met you before, and yet you still fight to protect the ones close to you, what a lovely but absolutely ridiculous sentiment.”  Emanated a voice behind the shadow standing on the other side of the room and stepped out into the sunlight.

As soon as she stepped into the sun light Rider knew that now was the time to try and control his curse, because out came the leader of the changelings them selves, Queen Chrysalis. Rider’s eyes suddenly were ablaze with rage as he had finally seen the leader of the changelings, the one he was after for over fifteen years was standing right in front of him. Rider gripped his sword tighter as he continued to look at the woman.

“What are you doing here?” Rider said gritting his teeth in a fit of rage.

“This was just an introduction as to who I am, but I seriously doubt you need an introduction from me, seeing as I was the one who sent that changeling to kill your family.” Chrysalis stated enraging Rider even more.

“Are you here to gloat or fight?” Rider said taking a fighting stance pulling the blade out of the scabbard.

“No don’t be ridiculous, but I do believe I have something you lost after your parents were killed.” She said pulling out a bundle bound in rubber bands and throwing them to Rider who caught them instinctively.

Opening his hand he found metal cases, five to be exact, each having a symbol emblazoned on the front.

“Rider, what are those,” twilight said looking at the boxes “they look like lockets.”

“That’s because they are, they’re pictures of my family and me before they died, and the time when Sakura and I were first dating.” Rider said placing the lockets in his pack.

When Rider looked back to the spot where the two were, nobody was there. A few seconds later he heard foot steps running towards them, it was the others when they got to the castle after Rider’s Flash Step they fell asleep due to the fact that they weren’t accustomed to the extreme speed of the ability. As they stepped into the room Rider felt the building shutter, they were bringing down the ruins.

“Guys, I think it might be a good idea if we were to get out of here, they’re bringing down the ruins.” Rider said as another shutter ran through the decrepit castle, this time strong enough for the entire group to feel.

The cluster of friends made a brake for the stairs, but as Rider made it to the door he felt an aura behind him, he turned around to see the unconscious body of Princess Luna. A jolt of fear ran threw his stomach as his eyes landed on her. The floor beneath her cracked and fall away, Rider knowing what had to be done told the others that he’ll meet them in the library. The room gave a large sway to the south, the tower was leaning even more and the half Rider was on broke away from the stairs. Rider dashed of to the other side to grab Princess Luna and get her to safety, but the room broke apart leaving the two of them in a free-fall. Rider pushed his way through the falling debris and caught Luna by waist and flipped to soften the landing. Rider landed on his back and through up a barrier sense, the all debris was to close to the ground to dodge. The still falling debris landed right on to of the barrier Rider had just placed, as the large chunks of stone fell on top of the shield Rider had to struggle to keep it in place, he didn’t give up though knowing that it will not end well if the spell broke.

“I’m not gonna give up, I have to get out of this ruble if it’s that last thing I do.’ Rider said searching for a spell that would remove the debris and free them.

Rider then remembered one of the combat spells Princess Celestia had taught him, focusing on the spell of Rider’s hope found what he was looking for. Opening his eyes he cast the spell at his intended target, the stones on top of the shield. Seconds after opening his eyes a blinding blizzard blew through the cavity in the settled stones, freezing them to one another and making them very brittle. Removing the shield Rider kicked the frozen dome of stone to make there escape, the stone shattered and released the two. Lifting the princess of the moon on to his back he slowly wound his was back to the village.