Without offering up an explanation to her friends, Twilight teleports the two of us to her castle, where she immediately places a powerful spell of holding on me, dampening my magical ability with the same spell. The only thing I can do now is glare at her as she sends a letter to Celestia, telling her that she has apprehended one of the many she must have been warned about. "'I request that he be taken care of as soon as possible. Twilight.' Send it, Spike. I don't want to have to deal with him any longer than necessary." The baby dragon sets the letter aflame, the green smoke sparking with magic filtering out an open window, probably directly to Celestia.
"What'd he do that's so bad, Twilight? He looks like an ordinary guy."
"He was a magical researcher before Princess Luna's banishment to the moon. The records say that he would use any and all means to research his project. Nopony knows what it was, not even the princesses. As far as written records go from back then, he's only mentioned on a small few, mostly in letters to the princesses from one of his so-called assistants. None of what was written was very flattering," she says, passing back and forth across the floor before me.
"But what did he do, Twilight?" Spoke asks, hurrying along behind her.
"Nopony knows, Spike. All of his assistants are long dead, and he was several years before Luna. Before that, nopony cared much about what he did, just that he was looking for pony volunteers."
As Spike opens his mouth to reply or ask another question, he belches flames and a scroll emerges from the green fire. Twilight catches it in her magic, then pours over it, examining it as if it would save her life. She doesn't look happy when she lowers the scroll from her face. "Princess Luna wants to see him. Princess Celestia says that I should just send him on the train, keep an eye on him during the ride. I'm not sure either of them remember what he almost did to Equestria!"
But I remember. I could have saved Equestria from all these years of struggling to regain her footing in the world. Even the griffins know how I could have held avoid conflict, if I'd only had the right materials, the ones I later found for myself, wandering the Badlands in desperation.
"Spike, keep an eye on him. I'm going to grab a few things before we leave. And to think Rarity was going to buy you a ticket...."
Then I'm left in the large, empty room with a purple-and-green baby dragon. "So.... You really as bad as she says?"
If I could have, I would have made an angry reply. As it is, all I can do is groan and roll my eyes.
In Canterlot
Six Royal Guards escort me to the castle in the center of the city, hugging the side of the mountain far above the ground. Twilight Sparkle went to find somepony, Spike following after one last, curious glance I caught out of the corner of my eye. The guards are annoyingly stoic, not even glancing around as they walk in perfect unison. Just to be annoying, I set my hooves to the ground once they lift theirs. A few ponies in the crowd glare at me, obviously ticked at what I'm doing. It's nothing compared to his angry Celestia was when I was called to her court for my experimentations.
After passing through the castle gate, I'm met by the princesses, glaring passively at me. They don't seem to remember me very well.... I believe this will suit my purposes just fine, as long as they're struggling to recall a Star Flail Flare sometime in their rather long past. "Thank you for escorting him. My sister and I can take it from here."
The guards bow to their princesses before leaving me with the two alicorns. Luna looks more interested in me than her sister does, which is saying something. Celestia looks as good as emotionless as she stares at me. "Sister, do you recall--"
"Somewhere else, sister. For now, make sure he gets where he is supposed to be." With that, Celestia turns and leaves, probably to take care of some princess things, leaving her sister to struggle with her memory and to show me to wherever it is I'm supposed to be right now.
"Come, I am to take you to your quarters in the castle."
Inside the castle? That just makes my job too easy, as I tighten the straps of my saddlebags, still full of a seemingly random assortment of plants and objects. Plus, the princesses will be unaware of what I have in mind; at least, until they remember a very similar dark-coated unicorn from quite a while ago. It shouldn't be for a while, though. Plenty of time for me to put all the components together and prepare myself for the spell that will change all of Equestria. Then, after I have unleashed the disappointingly slow magical spell, I will disappear into the land beyond the Badlands once more, though far more willingly.
The castle is rather layered, but I plan on sneaking out at night and prowling around to familiarise myself with this new castle of theirs.... Luna takes me quite far into the castle, until we pass two doors, one adorned with the sun of Celestia's cutie mark, the other with Luna's, and come to a door painted in simple night colors, one five-pointed star brighter than all the other stars combined. Something similar was painted on my door in the past.
"And here is where you shall stay, Star Flare. There are guards at both ends of the hall and the balconies, so I expect you shan't attempt escape. If you wish to walk around our home, speak to any of the guards. Do not make any mischief whilst my sister and I attend to our subjects. Do you understand?"
Nodding, I push open the door and look inside. It's not once been lived in, that much I can tell. A bit of a nostalgic addition, perhaps? "Understood. No making problems, be a good little unicorn, and don't go wandering off on my own. Simple."
"I hope so. My sister expects to hear nothing bad about your behavior by night," Luna says, leaving me with the sparsely-furnished room and a slightly nostalgic feeling.
"Yes, Mom," I grumble, shutting the door behind me, flopping onto the large couch, the first comfy piece of furniture I see. Though undignified, I can't bring myself to care. My flank in the air and my forelegs under my chest, it may not be the most comfortable way to sit, but it's all I feel like doing right now.
Perhaps I'll start on my plans after a short nap....