//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4: Lorcan & The Timberwolves 
// Story: The Redemption 
// by JusSonic 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 4: Lorcan & The Timberwolves


Thay, Strikemaster Ice, MC Cobra and DJ Fist were hiding behind the bushes. They were watching and looking at the sleeping Timberwolves. If what they saw was correct, this will help in making Twilight hate Lorcan more for this.

"C'mon, let's get started!" MC Cobra snaps, getting impatient. "I've been itching all day of doing nothing! And I wanna do it now!"

"You and me both, Cobra. I wanna break... THEM!" Thay exclaims anxiously.

Strikemaster shushed the two, "Pipe down, guys! You wanna spoil the plans of Jast's! All we gotta to do is wait for the right moment." DJ Fist nudged Strikemaster's left shoulder before pointed at his left. The Cutie Mark Crusaders entered the area. Strikemaster chuckled, "There they are, yo."

"Good... Let's get these doggiies rampage..."

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The scene opens up within the school for young colts and fillies, with only the staff teacher, Miss. Cheerliee putting away some paper work. She hummed a little tune to pass the time, as nothing seem to bother her now and things were going great until…. "Fruspvhm-Gruspvhm…." Suddenly without warning, a familiar emerald lit flame emerged from the center of the room and the brightness made Cheerliee turn around. "Frisisfruvhpmm…." Only to see that the portal of flames died down and left some cloak hooded figure, but his hidden face said it all; it was Lorcan who arrived.

"Waaaugh…" Miss Cheerliee screamed out in terror as she backed away, drop the papers to hit a nearby table of pottery? "Breakrsivhmm…." Without knowing it, the teacher knocked over a pottery vase made in arts and crafts from seeing who was here. "Lo-Lor-Lorcan! Wha-Wha…Why are you here?" The teacher nervously asked off, she remembers Lorcan, who could forget the former Scarred Ruler from the Brotherhood to the Tadaka Dragon Army.

"Well in truth, it's not to stay to fill up the missing classes over my years." Lorcan shrug off to casually state a sarcastic claim of why he's here, even with a silly excuse like that. "I've been given permission by the Mane Six themselves to pick up Nyx & her Cutie Mark Crusader friends. Where are they?" The hooded Dragon teen asked off and then he presented some hoof mark card that was signature by Fluttershy, especially with the butterfly mark.

"Oh, really?" Miss Cheerliee a bit surprised to learn this while taking such a permit card to excuse students from the school. "Well, to tell you the truth, I'm not sure." The teacher shrug off her hooves to sadly let Lorcan know, the CMC location is unknown to her.

"What do you mean, you're not sure? You're their teacher?" Lorcan asked a bit with a raised eyebrow, something about this seemed kinda fishy if a teacher didn't know where her students are.

"Well yes, but during the time when every other pony's parent, guardian or adult friend came to pick them up, I couldn't find them anywhere." Miss Cheerliee shrug off to say that while the other children were picked up, only those in the CMC were not anywhere at the time.

"Oh you gotta be kidding me! My first good deed of the day and it's a disaster before I even started!" Lorcan slapped his left top head in agony in not believing this. How was he supposed to do something to show he's a changed Dragon from bad to good if something bad happened before he even got here?

"You're first…good deed?" Miss Cheerliee asked off with a little raised eyebrow in hearing this right.

"Long story short, you're seeing before you, the former evil Dragon known as the Scarred Ruler in your mitts." Lorcan proclaimed out to pat his left claw on his chest in stating he's now a different Dragon.

"Oh…I didn't know." Miss Cheerliee put her left hoof on her mouth to almost gasp in surprise to hear this. "I guess from during the invasion war, many thought, until recently, you…" The mare was almost about to say something to recall Lorcan's past, but...

"Perished?" Lorcan finished that part off in knowing what Miss Cheerliee was going to say that she & others thought the former evil dragon died that day. "Trust me, I think most be better off thinking that way, if too many know that I am here at a school for foals, then I can imagine the panic uproar." The cloaked Dragon spoke to hold up his arms against his hidden face, saying it’s best not a lot of other ponies know of his being here at a school because it would cause a big panic. "Huuuagh, proves that my mistakes will always come back to haunt me." The teen Dragon sighed in feeling blue, knowing that even now, his dark road path shall come back to haunt him.

This surprised Cheerliee, she never would have guessed it if she hadn't seen it. Lorcan admits of his mistake and is now living with that as his sinful regret. That might be a little harsh to lay on someone that was just acting out, but is now calm and collective to understand their situation. So the teacher bravely walked a bit towards the teen Dragon looking away and at the ground from feeling somewhat blue, even if Lorcan's scales were purple.

"Well, as a teacher, I might have almost judged you too soon." Miss Cheerliee spoke slowly to rest her right hoof on Lorcan, feeling that maybe…this Dragon is not so bad as before. "Despite what you done, you seem to have learn to reflect off your mistakes, and that helps you to know better." The mare explained forth that, if anything, Lorcan is learning to see the acts he's done, and learn something of right from wrong.

"Hmph. I said I wasn't here to catch up on missing class lessons and you're already tutoring me." Lorcan huffed out a hidden smile in seeing what Cheerliee was trying to do, she was trying to cheer him up…and it was sorta working too.

"Well, you are never too old to learn." Cheerliee giggled a bit in mentioning this fact that Lorcan should know about. Now the teen Dragon felt some form of tiny joy in his chest, it was…kinda nice. "You know, now that I think about it, a few of my students did say something on where the Nyx and the others were." Cheerliee spoke from having this moment to think and just recall something about Nyx and the other CMC's whereabouts.

"Really, where was that?" Lorcan asked from a raised eyebrow, maybe this could be a clue he was looking for to find the missing CMC.

"Well that's just it. A few colts and fillies say they saw them and that Diamond Tiara saw what happened before the students return to their daily activities." Miss Cheerliee shrug off to mention that the students witness that only Diamond Tiara was there before the CMC were gone the next minute.

"Diamond Tiara…hmmm." Lorcan held his chin to think and process this little data fact and put two and two together before…. "Oh brother!" The guy slapped his hidden face inside his hood to suddenly groan out. "Now I remember that filly! And if she was the last to see them, ugh…." Lorcan moans a bit in realizing who Miss Cheerliee said was the last to see the CMC, Diamond Tiara. From the invasion with the Brotherhood, he remembers the filly that bad mouthed him that he wasn't scary, and from recalling old events from watching the ponies, including the selfish spoiled Diamond Tiara, it equals one thing; trouble.

"Something wrong?" Miss Cheerliee asked from looking puzzled and concern, did this mean something from what she said?

"Let’s just say, I know where to find my missing answers to my questions." Lorcan stated off from moving away from Miss Cheerliee in feeling a bit serious now, like he has the answers to this puzzling mystery of where the CMC are now and that's by going to the last person that saw them. "Farewell, and enjoy your date. Believe me, the Mane Six explained how Big Mac was planning something for you." The teen Dragon looked back to the mare teacher, cracked a little smile in saying goodbye, and to enjoy a nice planned date Cheerliee will receive from Big Macintosh trying to set it up.

"Click!" Then what Lorcan did next was quite simply a snap of his right fingers once again. "Prusfruvhmm…." And just as before to his opposite side to Miss Cheerliee, an emerald portal of flames appeared, giving him another magical traveling tactic to use. "Frusvhm-Wruspvhmm…" Then the next moment afterwards again, the flaming portal vanished when Lorcan walked through it, which left now Miss. Cheerliee a bit stumped in seeing that dragon leave her school by such a means.

"Hugh, the way Lorcan enters and exits is almost exhausting." Miss Cheerliee sighed with a little relief from this overly excited moment, especially from seeing Lorcan enter and go in the room by such a flashy display. "Oh, I do hope he finds the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and that they are not in trouble." The teacher spoke in feeling a bit cautious, hoping that nothing bad shall happen to her students…wherever they maybe now.

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"I'm telling you. Sending Lorcan to pick the CMC up is bad idea." Warpath groaned. Virtue's group arrives to see how Lorcan's doing, only to find out he was send to pick up the CMC of all things! "I'd swear if my son was with them now and get hurt, I'm gonna break his skull!"

"Warpath... Stop accusing him without any proofs." Blade scolds Warpath, annoyed by his reactions once more. "You barely even give him a chance."

Dragonspear nodded as he spoke up, "Master Blade is right. You have no right to accuse Master Lorcan. He's doing well and you insisted of blaming him."

Warpath huffed while remarking, "At least, Princess Twilight and her friends are with me. We all have our rights to accuse. And there is no way that brat is a good Dragon!"

"Yeah, I gotta agree." Rainbow said, crossing her upper fore arms sternly.

Rarity nods as he remarks angrily, "Right. If that ruffian harms Sweetie Belle while picking her up, he would wish that he wasn't send!"

"Right. 'Dat vermint caused trouble! What makes one think he would do 'dis right," Applejack ask in disgust.

"Right, he's...well...I can't think of anything but maybe because all the other insults were already made!" Pinkie exclaims angrily.

The only members of the Mane Six group who didn't insult was Twilight, Spike and Fluttershy: Twilight because she was too upset at the moment, Spike because he hopes that his brother would prove himself at least ONCE, Fluttershy because she was hoping the same thing.,

"Enough! I'll prove to you all that Lorcan has done nothing wrong." Virtue exclaims to the doubting ones in frustration. "Saber, would you mind go and find Lorcan?"

"Sure father." Saber said as he sighed while heading off, "At least, I don't have to worry about my little one. That guy is hard to find one when he went out without any of his friends."

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The scene shows a building under construction, but most of the workers have gone home. The only ones here were Mr. Filthy Rich and his daughter; Diamond Tiara. And the latter was wearing an evening dress when out with her father from looking over the nearly finished site of the family's next business order. And from seeing what the building was, it was going to become something for secure measures as it was a bank for where ponies keep their coins. What gave that away was the name label 'Rich's Bank Economy' as a way to read it as a fancy way to get folks to keep their money in a safe place.

"Just you wait, when this new building is done, it'll help a bunch on our accountants. Folks will invest their money here, and will make business off of it." Mr. Rich smiled when he was explaining his beneficial aid to helping ponies and their money problems, while also making some extra few bucks himself.

"Sounds lovely daddy, it's the perfect way for ponies like us to live." Diamond Taira smiled pridefully in liking how her father is using this as a way to make themselves richer.

"Now honey, this here's also to help Ponyville from its troubles after that whole invasion thing as well as the past problems with the Dark Mystic Ponies and Grimmore." Mr. Rich spoke with a little sterny tone in hearing his daughter say such a thing while he's doing this out of being helpful to those from Lorcan's last conquest invasion, not just for profits.

"Yeah, I get it." Diamond Tiara rolls her eyes a bit in slightly agreeing with her father without really paying much in mind. "At least the day is almost over and things are looking pretty good in my view." The filly spoke with a smirky attitude that things are looking fine for her the most and some may wonder what sneaky little act lead to such unusual happiness.

"Oh, but it's far from being over." Spoke a mysterious voice within the air that sounded…vaguely familiar.

"Hugh?" Diamond Tiara responded off a bit puzzled as she heard a voice that is too familiar to her.

"Did you say something, Diamond Tiara?" Mr. Rich looked back to his daughter, almost thinking he heard her say something.

"No, I thought I heard a voice. Was that you?" Diamond Tiara shook her head while stating that she thought the weird voice was her father.

"Course not, though it sounds vaguely familiar." Mr. Rich rubbed his chin in thinking this situation over, the voice heard was something he's heard…but where and who?

"Perhaps I can ease the struggle of your thinking minds." The mysterious voice whispered to the two ponies that surprised them to know….they are not alone here.

"Fruspvhm-Gruspvhm…." Suddenly without warning, a familiar emerald lit flame emerged from behind the two ponies, as father and daughter turn around. "Frisisfruvhpmm…." Soon the portal of flames died down and left some cloak hooded figure from the infernos, but his face was seen even from being hidden under his hood; it was once again, Lorcan on the scene. And like what happened before hand, his appearance let off some alarm to those around.

"Lo-Lo-LORCAN..YOUR…YOU’RE ALIVE!" Mr. Rich completely yelped out in surprise shock, the very dangerous Dragon villain is alive…AND HERE BEFORE HIM.

"Yes, so I noticed from similar reactions, or have you already forgotten about the trial?" Lorcan shrug off easily in seeing that from this similar state of shock reaction like any other. "Must we go through with this each time a pony forget that?" He tapped his forehead in being a bit annoyed that he'll be getting some of these surprise reactions every time he appears before those that recognize him.

"Why-why are you here?" Diamond Tiara spoke from feeling a slight bit afraid of remembering the Dragon villain, Lorcan. "Are you wanting to rob my daddy's bank?" The filly girl asked off in thinking that's what this villain is here for.

"Please, I'm not some common fool that lets his lust for greed control him." Lorcan waved off that statement as an insult to his very being. "No, I'm here on a requested task, and I'm searching for answers." The Dragon teen walked pass the ponies, had his claws in hooded rags tug behind his back while speaking with his back turn. "And someone here has something I want." Lorcan spoke off from a turn of his right eye to the only two ponies here that he's seeking an answer of what he wants from them.

"Well I certainly don't know what I have that's yours." Mr. Rich protest out a bit with some bravery, he has nothing that would interest this former villain.

"Too true, you don't have what I want." Lorcan spoke from turning his hooded cover head a bit to respond to the adult stallion, but then the dragon teen made a surprising twist. "But she does…" Lorcan turned around to point his left claw's finger at the one he's referring to, Diamond Tiara herself.

"Me…?" Diamond Tiara responded a bit stumped and surprised to learn this.

"My daughter?" Mr. Rich asked with a puzzled and confused face, why would Lorcan want something of his daughter?

"I will get to the point." Lorcan said as he got into Diamond's face, almost scaring her out of her hooves, "where. Are. THEY?!"

"Maxin!!!" Diamond exclaims in terror. Maxin Talos shows up, growling as he prepares to take down Lorcan to help his boss.

Lorcan just yawns before he punched the pony, sending him flying. The former villain comments, "That was payback for the carriage."

"Okay, look, I understand that Diamond send Maxin because you intimidated her." Filthy Rich said with a sigh. "But at least tell us what you're talking about before doing that again! Now, you think she knows something?"

"Yes, she knows something that I want." Lorcan nods with a serious matter in tone while going on. "The mysterious disappearance of some certain classmates." The teen Dragon in the hood waved out to speculate the part of some disappearances.

"Well, I have no idea what you are talking about!" Diamond Tiara spoke out with trying to tell this former Dragon villain she has no idea what he wants.

"Oh do you know? Funny…" Lorcan spoke from pretending to find that answer a bit… 'falsy' in his literature. "Your teacher says that several of the other students saw where you were the last to see any whereabouts of Nyx, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle. Who are otherwise known as, the Cutie Mark Crusaders." Lorcan reminded that filly with the tiara of some certain classmates that are the ones missing, which makes her yelp in hearing this.

"So, what does that mean? That I know about something just cause I saw them last?" Diamond Tiara remotely remarked off to challenge Lorcan's claim with her own.

"Because the teacher doesn't know whatever happened to them. And I'm supposed to bring them back home." Lorcan shrug off his shoulders to say, he chatted with Miss Cheerliee and is in charge to find the missing CMC. "And when I hear everyone spoke about who saw who, yet that someone didn't report, why does that make one think oddly about the big picture here?" The teen Dragon held his chin in making a pondering claim point about why the filly here, never said a word of those missing when her other classmates said something.

"But I…" Diamond Tiara was starting to feel nervous as this Dragon was backing her into a tough corner.

"Diamond Tiara, is this true?" Mr. Rich asked with a look of suspicious if his daughter knew of this and didn't tell him honestly.

"Daddy, he's trying to pull something over our eyes! He's the villain that attacked and wanted to slaughter us!" Diamond Tiara protest in claiming that they shouldn't believe Lorcan, especially from his bad history that makes him very untrustworthy.

"Oh sure, the old 'he's lying, the former villain' routine excuse. But let me ask this." Lorcan shrug off his shoulders in seeing how this was going to be played out, but had a way to weary the truth from the little pony. "Who has a bad history with the CMC, who has a grudge against the members that have no Cutie Marks, those that have are made fun of for siding with blank flanks, and is not very nice to a reincarnation of Nightmare Moon, now a sweet and innocent filly? Hmm…?" Lorcan pushed all the right buttons, he brought up Diamond Tiara's not to perfect record of account in what she's done which was just as mean.

"Well…ugh…." Diamond Tiara was starting to feel all eyes on her, it looks like she was going to be in trouble, so she snorted her way out of it. "I…I-I don't have to answer anything from you!" The little snobbish filly snapped to the teen dragon hidden in his cloak and face hidden by the hood, actually back-talking without fear of this guy. "So I won't say anything, and that's final! Hmph…" The filly huffs a bit with a snooty remark attitude before walking a bit away from her father who seem to sorrow at this and the un-reacting Lorcan.

"Huuugh, I feel that she 'has' done something and won't say it. What am I going to do with her." Mr. Rich sighed in feeling disappointed that his daughter did do something and won't admit it.

With a few moments, Lorcan suddenly spoke from behind the rude filly's father. "Perhaps with your permission, I can 'persuade' your daughter to talk." Lorcan spoke with a little hidden smirk under his hood, as if requesting for the father to let the teen Dragon get the filly to tell the truth of the question she's hiding from answering.

"Oh, and what do you have in mind?" Mr. Rich asked with a rolled eye expression in not really believing this Dragon can do what he says he can do? "You're not going to do something 'hasty', are you?" The parent asked with a raised eyebrow in not wanting this former villain to do anything rash that would put his daughter in any danger.

"Oh no, just scare her enough to spill her guts." Lorcan responded with a little pat on this guy's back to ease off. "Not literally, just so we're clear. So…you agree to my terms?" The Dragon held up his right claw in wanting Filthy Rich to let him get his daughter to tell the truth by scaring means by necessary.

"Huuagh, alright, as much as I recall you’re evil acts, if it'll teach my daughter to tell the truth, then…." Mr. Rich sighed a bit as he slowly was about to shake, but Lorcan beat him to it.

"Then it's time I get to work." Lorcan cut off Mr. Rich and let go of his hoof before looking ahead with his target on sight.

Then what was happening next became something even stranger before anyone's eyes. "Poofvuhmm…" Diamond Tiara was covered in smoke, and then vanished one moment, only to appear in another place? From looking at her surroundings, she saw a great view of Ponyville, just one problem…where was she? That answer came from when the filly noticed that she was on a pole of her father's building, which was WAY high up.

"WAAAAAAUUGH!" Diamond Tiara screeched out in panic and jumped suddenly and grab the pole as something to hang on for dear life? "WHAT AM I DOING UP HERE?" The filly cried out in crying concerns of her safety in this predicament.

"What's wrong? Don't like hanging out?" Lorcan spoke his voice, and then the filly on the pole saw the cloak Dragon teen walking on air before her.

"Hanging out? I'M DANGLING OFF OVER A ROOF WHILE HOLDING ON A POLE!" Diamond Tiara remarked off and then yelled out her lungs in what was happening to her was no joke.

"Hugh, and some Pegasus and Unicorns like using wings and magic to have conversations up on high places. Speaking of which…let's talk." Lorcan rubbed his chin in pondering confused about such a matter of chatting with those that 'hang out' with the other. "Where are the CMC, you know something and you're not telling." The teen Dragon looked down at the filly holding the pole and eyes shut, the guy wants answers to his questions.

"I told you, how should I know! I don't know anything of where or what they are doing!" Diamond Tiara snapped off annoyed that this Dragon teen villain for being former, doesn't get that she's saying she hasn't a clue.

"Creakvhmm…gruvhmm…" But then suddenly, the pole that was sticking out creaked, and began to bench a bit down, much to the filly who saw this and he'd tighter.

"Hmmm, maybe your father's workers failed to see how strong that pole really is." Lorcan spoke from amazingly was hovering in the air upside-down when inspecting the pole. "It must be getting heavy to support…liars." The cloaked teen Dragon remarked off to say, the pole can't handle the weight that increases from a liar.

"What! I'm not lying!" Diamond Tiara responded off in feeling insulted by the rude Dragon. "Grvuhmm-Vrrusvhmm…." But once again, the pole was cracking and benching a bit more downwards. "AAAUGH!" Diamond Tiara even made another cry yelp from feeling herself almost slip that time.

"Apparently, you are." Lorcan dryly stated to point out the obvious thing to see, the filly was lying. "So, why not tell me the truth and you'll go free?" He shrug out his arms to say that by telling the truth, Diamond Tiara can get out of this mess.

"And I'm supposed to trust someone like you?" Diamond Tiara snapped off with a rude tone in not actually buying that she has to trust someone like Lorcan.

"Well the way I see it, you don't have much a choice." Lorcan held his chin to point down in saying the spoiled filly really doesn't wanna argue about the situation. "Just tell me where the fillies are and admit your wrong." Lorcan stated out as he wants this spoiled filly of a rich pony to tell him where the CMC are.

"Forget it! I don't even like those Blank-Flank Group or that Nightmare Moon filly one bit!" Diamond Tiara snapped off towards the dragon in the hooded cloak in what she feels. "As far as I'm concern, they can just be lost and just be food for Timberwolves!" That ended up being a big shocker to believe that a filly would actually want those she hated for such a feat to happen to them. "Gruvfruvhmm…Gruvhmm…" Which in response to this, the pole was breaking further down, much to even the one holding on for dear life all the more. "WAAUGH…WHAT'S GOING ON?" Diamond Tiara yelped out alarm in what's happening to her, she didn't lie that time, so why did the pole break a bit more?

"So, the truth comes out." Lorcan spoke with a serious motive on his face in hearing what this filly truly feels for toss gone missing. "Therein lies a bit of darkness in you, I can see it. The same thing that turned and created Boris the Red Devil." The Dragon teen pointed in stating how this very 'dark' personality help shape one of Equestria's fearsome foes.

"What are you yapping about?" Diamond Tiara snapped off in hearing Lorcan say such jibber-jabber talk. "I'm not that Pony Devil!" The filly snapped in protest of someone like her can be like the Red Devil pony like Boris is.

"Oh, but you have the makings of one." Lorcan toyed in poking the filly's noise in bringing up the next mentioned stuff. "I remember it like yesterday. Boris was a grown, handsome, and popular stallion within the crowds of many adoring fans." This guy rubbed his chin in remembering over the old days, when Boris was once a known Hero of Canterlot before…the changing tide. "Sounds almost like what you have." The former villain made a joking comment in seeing how much this filly is doing things almost like what Boris did from being a colt.

"So…?" Diamond Tiara remotely asked off in what the point of this question was even about.

"So….what happened that he lost it all? I'll tell you." Lorcan shrug off his shoulders to state out a conclusive evidence in how Boris lost it all. "It's cause he still had such deep, wicked, and darkly evil intentions…against Earth Ponies and a rivalry with Ben Mare!" The dragon teen flicked Diamond Tiara's mane in stating all the problems Boris had trouble getting over, but there was more. "Almost like you…despising blank-flanks, making them miserable and being the popularity queen. I say your more like a mini-Boris the Red Devil figure." The former villain concluded a theory from all the acts Diamond Tiara was showing, it all seem to point towards her becoming what Boris is today.

"I AM NOT!" Diamond Tiara shouted out loud in objecting such a suggestion. "This is some trick, isn't it?" The filly snapped off to say in believing Lorcan was just trying to get to her with this. "Creakvhmm-Gruvhmmm…." But of course, the pole that held the filly broke more further then Diamond Tiara even knew. "Haaugh…." Diamond Tiara yelped and grip herself on the pole that dangled her, it must have reacted when she protest against the truth.

"Looks like you're on a last thread. Pity…" Lorcan spoke out in noticing that the pole is just a little away before it breaks and the filly may drop. "There might not be a go back for you." Lorcan waved off his right claw in saying that at this moment, this filly may not be able to go back now.

"What do you mean?" Diamond Tiara asked from not liking the sound of what was just heard now.

"Look below." Lorcan pointed for the filly to look down to see something in what he's stating.

The filly looked down and soon saw a strange ceremonial spell circle of unknown origin. And the spell itself was glowing with a pulsating beat like a heart. The pressure feeling it released felt somewhat odd and strange, even Mr. Filthy Rich who was near step back in finding it…abnormal.

"Hugh….what's this?" Diamond Tiara asked off a bit puzzled as the ground looked almost glowy.

"Why…it's your coronation, Miss Tiara." Lorcan spoke from spinning himself up straight, and made a sit on an invisible chair position in letting off with a sly face…an answer to the question. "The next filly to change into a new Devil-Pony by the dark summonings." The Dragon mentioned this off with a scary tone, stating that this was meant for Diamond Tiara to become...the next Devil-Pony.

"Prussfruvhmmm…." Suddenly, flames erupted from the strange spell decoration, and the skies looked a bit gloomy. Once more, it looked too much like it was a setting sunset to really see, a strange spell was at work here. But what was even scarier was that the bottom out the center was opening up like a portal, awaiting….a sacrifice of a victim.

"HAAAAAAAUGH……" Daimond Tiara screamed out in horror, what was this, what was this former villain trying to do?

"Well, can't say that I tried to help, you caused this." Lorcan shrug off his arms in saying that this was not his own fault in anyway, but Diamond Tiara. "A spell was made that if a pony should deny the holy light and haven't admit their sins, they'll be changed into devils." The hooded teen Dragon exclaimed off that for every pony, being honest & truthful is a sign of goodness. But in a case where they truly are developing wicked and evilness, it'll grow into darkness, and change their outer forms to fit what they truly are on the inside.

"WHAAAAAAT!" Diamond Tiara screeched out in shock, has this former villain lost his mind, how's doing this even 'good' in the first place?

"Sorry kiddo, you forsaken yourself to this, you don't have many friends to come save you." Lorcan shrug off in letting Diamond Tiara know, that she caused her own downfall to go with this path. "And sorry, but Silver Spoon even sees that this act is going overboard, so she's spared, but she'll feel sorry for you." The dragon teen pointed out with a claw to say that even the filly's own closest friend, saw a line that shouldn't be cross, but not poor Diamond it seems. "As far as Maxin Talos goes...well...he's only hired help, right?"

"Creakfruvhmm…." The pole was breaking, and the filly tried to hold on, but felt her grip slipping, and looked down to see…how close she may get into the horrid spell. "Haugh-haugh…DADDY!" Diamond Tiara screamed out for her father to help her and tried to keep struggling useless to go up the pole without much hopeful chance.

"Daddy can't help, he's given you the judgment to clear your sins, but apparently…it's his lost to lose a…bad egg, we shall say." Lorcan shrug off his shoulders to say, that the rotten and spooled filly's father can't help, and in the end, he'll just lose something that was bad from the start.

Even Mr. Rich saw this, and thought with some concern that maybe the act of this tricking Diamond Tiara to tell the truth might be going a bit too far. "Wait, Lorcan! Isn't this going a bit too far?" Mr. Rich protest out over this loud display, he may have said in agreeing to teach his daughter to not lie, but this might be going overboard.

"Sorry, but it ain't my fault." Lorcan shrug off his arms to look down at the stallion saying about not wanting this, but it's out of his hand. "But I'll let you see yourself…Diamond Tiara." Lorcan exclaimed out from hovering close to the scared filly, and held up his left claw opened for something to appear? "Frusvhmm…." Then without warning, emerald flames emerged from it, and then from within…was the image of Diamond Tiara, smirking with a wicked expression as the filly watched this. "This…is….your…." As Lorcan slowly spoke these very deep words, Diamond Tiara saw the image of herself in the femoral of flames shifting into something. "FUTUUUUURE!" From the loud proclamation from Lorcan in making it sound so evilly and darkly to frighten any soul, a new image within the flame was seen? It was a grown mare with luminous vivid crimson coat color, a long messy bluish gray with grayish indigo streaks, and grayish cerulean color eyes. What was more terrifying was seeing the Cutie Mark warped into a tiara crown of black and thorny spikes with blood dripping jewelry off the five edges shaped like silver sword blades, which was also the same worn on this she-devil pony. Worn on nothing but a split four piece black crimson cape that had edges at the bottom which almost looked to turn into wings, and spiky black shoes dreaded with dried blood. What was also horrifying was that a cut mark of 'X' shape was across the face over the nose and each eye was in the opposite center of the mark. This was a new being that Lorcan proclaimed would be the spoiled brat's future; Diamond 'Cruella' Tiara, the Dreaded Red Devil of the future.

Now witnessing this horror even before the filly of the younger stage was enough to leave one more frighten of one's future self to turn out like that if nothing will change. "No….No-NOOOO!" Diamond Tiara spoke in horror and tried to speak against such magical evidence. "Creakvhhmmm…." The pole creaked and now dangled back and forth, with the filly that was almost about to lose grip. "HAAAHAAAUGH! OKAY-OKAY! I ADMIT!" Diamond Tiara yelped and cried out between wanting to say something. "I GOT THEM TO HEAD TO THE EVERFREE FOREST WHERE THEY'RES A TIMBERWOLF PACK TERRITORY! THEY'LL BE SURROUNDED WITH NO HOPE OF COMING BACK!" Diamond Tiara yelled out loud for both Lorcan and her father to hear the arrogantly admitted guilt she had commented.

"Well now, I wonder if this means you'll change…or stay the same." Lorcan spoke in a calm manner, rubbed his chin in asking if Diamond Tiara is going to be a better pony, or…just lie and try to save herself.

"I'll Change myself! Really!" Diamond Tiara proclaimed out in willing to change herself for the better now. "Rivhmm-CLANKvhmm…." But soon the final support structure of the pole snapped off, and let the filly soon begin to descend. "I'll Change…..I'LL CHAAAAAAAANGE!" Diamond Tiara cried out, and then lastly yell this out while she was falling straight for the inferno spell that would take in the sacrifice.

"DIAMOND TIARAAAAAAAAAAAHH!" Mr. Filthy Rich shouted out in horror, and was about to watch this foolish scare act almost take his daughter away to become something else.

But within the whole event falling into place, only one being seem to have seen enough in being the mastermind behind this stunt. "Okay, I think this act is over." Lorcan spoke a bit casually to stand up straight, and decided to end what's going on. "Click!" The Dragon was holding up his right wrist, then made a snap with them to signal something else to happen.

"Poof-Frvuhmm….." Then in another sudden twist, all the scenery vanished in a Poof of smoke. The skies remain the same of the setting sun, the flames from the ground of the spell ceremony decoration left without a trace, all looked like nothing even happened. But one major question remained; whatever happened to Diamond Tiara that was almost fallen in the spell that would turn her into a devil?

"Hahuaghhaughhaugh-Aahahaaaahvuhmm….." Diamond Tiara was suddenly seen on the ground, in a ball curl form, hugging herself and chattering her teeth; like she got the scaring of a life-time.

"Honey…are you…alright?" Mr. Filthy Rich approached his daughter carefully, trying to see that nothing was wrong, and that she was okay.

But then what happened next was that the filly grabbed her father's right hoof with such a tight grip while muttering these chattery words. "I'll be good! I'll be good! I won't be a Devil-Pony! I won't be a Devil-Pony! I'll treat the CMC better! I'll try really hard to be better!" Diamond Tiara was pattering and speaking with her eyes twitching and her body shaking like it's got the chills. The filly looked absolutely in the worst looking wear possible, even her father was astounded to see his daughter in…such a state without getting her ego act together.

"Well, that went better than I hoped!" Lorcan spoke off suddenly, as he hovered down to the shaking filly and the stunned father before him.

"HOPED! Look at her?" Mr. Rich exclaimed out loudly while snapping at the Dragon teen in seeing that his 'act' has left Diamond Tiara traumatize. "I haven't seen her this freaked out since Twilight turned into a flaming unicorn and that was long before she was a princess!" The parent argue out to tell that even when the filly was approached by an angry Twilight lit in flames of rage.

"Yes, but I think my method has a more 'deeper' and probably more 'permanent' fix to your daughter to not be so 'bully' anymore." Lorcan spoke off a bit laid-back in feeling his way of changing someone that has a moxie and spunky personality to fit with an over ego, was necessary. "After all, isn't that what you wanted to not repeat from your colt hood?" The dragon teen approached and had a hidden smile under his hood to let this stallion know of something from Mr. Rich's past.

"How…how do you…?" Mr. Rich was almost about to respond to how this being knew that until….

"Let's say, I observed you ponies a lot and learn a bit from certain folks like you, Twilight, and others." Lorcan turns around to wave off in knowing some facts that fit each pony base on their characteristics. Then the teen Dragon tried to study Diamond Tiara, who still shook with her eyes not focusing much from being seen by him. "Hmm, by my guess, she'll be out of that state in about…a month or two. Give or take a half dozen in a year." The guy shrug off his shoulders in feeling, that in due time, the filly will be snapped out of this stupid stage, and hopefully, be a better person.

"A whole month or two while she's like…this?" Mr. Rich protest out in shock as he looked over to his traumatized daughter, who won't recover out of this state for some time.

"Well maybe in a weeks' top, there will be 'some' progress change, but she'll be mostly in the shiver stage." Lorcan shrug off again in not really knowing, but guessing of an outcome that will happen over time of a change for Diamond Tiara. Lorcan doesn't have to tell Filthy Rich of the last time he did this. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get to the Everfree Forest and prevent telling Twilight's group that the fillies I tried to pick up are now in the belly of Timberwolves." Lorcan bowed and then turn to prepare to leave when he spoke this; but then did a double take to the ponies still here. "Which was NOT of my own doing, but so far, I'll need evidential proof of that…and for the little ones' sakes to be alive and without more sadness!" The teen Dragon in the cloak exclaimed out that he'll need them CMC to prove, whatever happened was not his fault, or else the Mane Six think it was some lie to cover his evil tracks.

"Trsuvhmmm…." Then in as quick as a flash, Lorcan disappeared by a blurry wind motion before the two ponies.

"Mhmhmhmhmhmmm….." Diamond Tiara held her father as Mr. Rich held his spooked daughter in his hooves while she muttered this. "I'll be a good filly daddy! I'll listen from now on! I don't wanna bully others for being better! I don't wanna lose myself and be a nasty evil devil!" Diamond Tiara was speaking all of this out in not wanting to become something that really freaked her out, why the only thing that would almost be worst for her, is if her own Cutie Mark vanished & she grew up to be a pony without a Cutie Mark?

"Hush-hush now dear, I'm here. You won't become a devil pony, I assure you." Mr. Rich patted his daughter's mane to calm her nerves before letting her get a piggy-back ride on his back to go home.

"Please ground me! Please-please ground me for all the mean things I've done when you weren't there. I wanna change…I wanna change…I wanna change…." Diamond Tiara spoke off this stuff from holding her head and was requesting to be punish by her own will, while the last bunch was more whispers in wanting to change while being so completely freaked out?

Now Mr. Filthy Rich was almost feeling like he looked to his daughter, like she was talking nonsense, more or less. "My word, not even Twilight had gotten through you like this to be more truthful and wanting to be good…It's almost too good, that it's now scary to believe." Mr. Rich admits that while Twilight was scary for the both during the time of Nyx's disappearance incident when that black filly was in town, this act by his daughter was far more concerning. "I might need to have you see a doctor for regular checkups. I'm starting to wonder if Lorcan has changed for the better if he could do this or not. I'll just have to see for myself." The adult stallion spoke off to himself and his daughter while walking to quickly get the both of them home.

Many knew about how dangerous Lorcan was during the last invasion and conquering war effort the Scarred Ruler tried to pull, but many believed the villain Dragon was gone. Yet with Lorcan back, and while many aren't aware that he's less powerful then he was before, he could do things that were still just as great. It take a huge load to convince many of the citizens, that Lorcan, the once known Scarred Ruler, is now a changed Dragon. Boy, has that guy got his work cut out for him ahead for his timely being back in the picture.

-------------------

At this time, Pinkamena and her group were just outside between Ponyville & the EverFree Forest. However, the pink pony sense something that cause her to look out in feeling somewhat concern as if...sensing something not right.

"What's wrong sis, you got that worried look in your eye?" Goldie asked in seeing that Pinkamena seem distracted for unknown reasons.

"I have a feeling that Diamond Tiara just sent the CMC into danger....and it's directly towards the forest here." Pinkamena explained the case in sounding concern over the issue.

That caused many to feel worried and concern in hearing this, the CMC, alone in the Everfree Forest. That's dangerous considering that there are some terrible and vicious creatures that live in there.

"Shall we assist?" Omega asked off if they should act out now.

"Wait a second...I sense Lorcan is heading there too. It looks like he might help them, which means we have a chance moment occurring here." Pinkamena stop the group in sensing anther character was on the way and it sounds like Loran is going off to help rescue the CMC.

"You mean we might just witness Lorcan doing a good deed?" Autumn Gem asked off in thinking about what act could be done to show one's change of being a former evil foe.

"Yep! We'll keep watch to see how it goes, and then be the live witnesses to the event to prove to the others in what Lorcan did. That way, even Twilight and that stubborn Mystic will see things a bit clearer." Pinkamena issued off to mention how much things can go well if they are the live viewers to seeing what deed Lorcan does to prove he's redeeming himself. "Course, if things get a little uneven, there's still Plan B with the needle, but let’s save that for if it happens." She shrug off to say this in feeling that if Twilight still has bigger doubts, she still has her backup plan.

"We best move it! Who knows what the fillies will find?" Sombra suggested this out in feeling concern about now.

"Alright gang, to the Everfree Forest!" Pinkamena issued forth in sounding off like a Sargent commanding an army to get going.

"Lets hope we can see something good and nothing bad at the time we get there." Golden Heart sigh to say in hoping things will be okay.

Soon Goldie's group rushes off in full agreement to get going. Things begin to fad out around now, and only time will tell what happens next...

-------------------

At the moment, the situation with the CMC were not looking at all too good. The rany into a corner of rocks, and were cut off in front by the Timberwolves with their growling teethes showing. A large Timberwolf that was almost twice the size of the rest of the pack, looked like his coloring faded mostly and had some form of battle scars seem to step forth before the fillies. Even in this case, it doesn't take a genius to realize that the little ponies were now staring at what maybe the pack leader of this tribe of Timberwolves.

"We're caught between a rock an' some sets o' teeth!" Apple Bloom exclaimed out in noticing that they are cornered from the rocky boulders to very hungry looking wolves.

"And I'm guessing that big and mean looking wolf there is in charge." Scootaloo pointed in seeing how was the big leader in taking command of this pack.

"An' Granny Apple said 'ta scare them off is wit' loud pots an' pan noises." Apple Bloom stated in recalling that the best way to get these wolves to go away in peace is making loud clanky noises.

"Which we don't have." Scootaloo dryly rolled her eyes to say that for their situation, they don't have any of that.

"Think we can reason with them like how Fluttershy does with animals?" Sweetie Belle asked her friends with worry if they can settle this like how Fluttershy could.

"Aaaawooooowwhhhh!" The Leader Timberwolf howled up in front of the pack as the wolves began to slowly approach in a low to the ground position of predators hunting prey.

"Gruugraaaaruoghhh!" Many of the other wolves were growling when they were fixed into position, giving no escape from their formation.

"Apparently, we're not like Fluttershy!" Nyx gulped a bit while the fillies stared with concurs that this won't be pretty.

"BARKWH! BARKWH!" Soon the Timberwolf Leader barked in giving the others a command to follow through in announce…the attack. "Frusvhmm…." The wolves jumped from their spots, high in the air, leaving the fillies to hug the others with eyes shut, expecting the end to be quick… "SLASVHMM…." But then a bright light was seen slashing across the dark forest. "Barkruvhm-Arruvhmm…." And the cries of some of the Timberwolves were heard, especially from seeing them get knocked across and their pouncing routine canceled.

When the CMC opened their eyes to notice that they were not dead yet, they puzzled themselves to why it was so. Then in front of the fillies was a hooded cloak being that seem vaguely familiar by appearance. And within what were its claws was a beam saber sword, and from the rescuer that lifted its head up, eyes opened, and some light shown through to reveal it was….

"LORCAN!" The Cutie Mark Crusaders responded a bit surprised to see their rescuer is none other than the returned former villain known as the Scarred Ruler of Equestria. Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and even Sweetie Belle are especially shocked to see this guy was here after recalling how he perished from the Dragons against Ponies outcome. The only one not really so shocked to seeing Lorcan's alive appearance was Nyx. The Timberwolves were getting up, recovered from what hit them and glared with growls in seeing the cloaked Dragon teen interrupted their chance to catch prey. 

Lorcan then held up his beam saber sword, which the core was now white instead of black, and burst forth in a glowing green beam color now.

"(You will not harm these fillies under my watch!)" Lorcan spoke from holding his weapon and lifted it up against this wolf pack, telling them this message with a serious expression.

"Awrooovhmm…." The other Timberwolves yelped to look at the other in surprise from what they are hearing Lorcan say to them…and understand it.

"(You….can speak like us? How?)" The Leader Timberwolf responded to Lorcan with a speech pattern that was what the Dragon teen was using.

"(I've dabbled in learning other languages in the past.)" Lorcan wiggled his free claw out in expelling this matter of the language he speaks is of the type to chat with canines.

"Mmmmm, you might be the first Dragon we've seen in a long time that can speak to us." The Timberwolf Leader spoke with an intrigued face, never expecting to find a Dragon that would talk to the wolves.

While things here were going on, the CMC were pretty much in the dark in what was actually going on, without following or understanding anything at all.

"Ugh, what's he doing?" Scootaloo asked a bit puzzled, she was still surprise to see Lorcan, but what's with the weird speech he's gibbering out?

"Tienoggod!" Nyx exclaimed out in surprise tone in recognizing what the teen Dragon was using.

"Tieno-whatsit?" Apple Bloom asked with a raised eyebrow in being confused by what her friend even said now.

"It's another language I read over in one of mommy's books." Nyx explained this fact to her friends to understand that what they are seeing, is another language being done here. "They say with it, you can talk with any canine of any species." The girl stated off to explain such a matter to her friends that Lorcan is trying to talk over with the Timberwolves here.

"Are wolves that look like tree logs count?" Sweetie Belle asked a puzzling question if such a language goes well for those that are creatures made mostly of wood.

"I sure hope so." Nyx spoke a bit wondering and concerning for herself of that matter.

Now back with the wolves and the teen Dragon hiding his face under the hood, the discussion continued to go on.

"(Who exactly are you?)" The Timberwolf Leader growled in wanting to know just who he was dealing with here that this Dragon teen cut into their territory and protected these ponies.

"(Well now…that's the question.)" Lorcan shrug off with a little smile in feeling that question had sentimental connection to this guy being so many things in life, it's hard which to pick from the other.

"(I DEMAND TO KNOW, Who You Are!)" The Timberwolf Leader snarled with more fury with annoyance that this interloper was trying to avoid his question. 

"(I DON'T KNOW MYSELF!)" Lorcan waved out his arms in speaking the wolves' language to bellow out an answer of not knowing the answer to the question. "(Hugh, you see, that's the thing. I'm a Dragon, but beyond that? I…I just don't know anymore!)" Lorcan looked around his surroundings, exclaiming how he really hasn't any other clue to who he really is now. "(I literally do not know, who I am, it's all so intensive.)" As he stated this, the Timberwolves' Leader stared at this guy with some confusion. "(Am I funny? Am I sarcastic? Am I handsome?)" The teen Dragon hidden under his hooded cloak shrug off in making some claims to who he might really from inside to outside appearances.

"Cut the short stuff and give us what we want, shorty.") The Leader snapped off to not wanting to be fooled by these mind games by Lorcan.

"HEY! I'm not short, I'm only Big Bone!" Lorcan snapped off in being insulted from being called short just now.

"Hughhugh, right, and we're just puppets that move without strings." Another Timberwolf remarked off with a cackle in seeing they struck a nerve on this guy.

"Hahahahaha…." The other Timberwolves were snickering in taunting and teasing against this teen dragon for being so upset and angry over being called short.

"Here's our answer, we're not giving up on prey even if you stand against us." The Timberwolf Leader sternly proclaimed out to tell Lorcan, that they will not leave and they'll get their prey, including the Dragon too.

"Okay, so the debating of peaceful negotiations didn't work." Lorcan sighs in seeing this little part to convince the wolves to leave in peace failed. "So we'll have to settle this the old fashion way." Lorcan waved out his free hand in exclaiming that he'll have to settle this the old fashion way of dealing with these situations. "BrIzizizvhmm" Then without warning, Lorcan's saber-beam sword was getting an overcharge boost of energy while the wielder grip the power force. "BRUTALLY!" Lorcan shouted off in planning to fight these wolves with brute force measure for them to get the point.

One rouge Timberwolf roared and leapt at the four; seconds later, he fell, chopped into several pieces of wood. Lorcan scowled behind his hood as he put his beam sword away, "No second chances. I'm that Dragon."

Then in another quick shot, of fast motion, a lot of the Timberwolves were trying to attack, but all were having problems. Lorcan zipped across the field with his original sphere that engulf him, but this one was emerald flames instead of it being black, the wolves just pass on through.

"Grua-Arroouagh!" One of the wolves snarled before they turn to see Lorcan reemerged and then jump to pounce.

"GUARD!" Lorcan held up his left claw and soon summoned a familiar magical square shield barrier.

"Blizizivhmm…" The enemy's pack all attack, the barrier reflected the light of their impact, before….it repelled them. "Arroovhmm…." The Timberwolves cried out a whimsy sound as they were shot backwards from hitting Lorcan's defense.

"Looks like a few of my old moves are still with me." Lorcan reflected himself in feeling how much was still able to come easily to him, just before pointing out his two fingers. "Lightning Bend!" The Dragon teen in the cloak announced as he aimed his next attack. "Brizizivhmm…." That shot out an electric green color energy that was coursing through the Timberwolves before he ceased.

"Grugrugaaaruugh…Roowwoovhmm….!" But strangely enough, that attack barely did much and the wolves were still able to stand.

"Ugh, I'm such a dunce, wood cancels electricity!" Lorcan slapped his forehead in seeing that was dumb, he forgot about the right element to beat the other.

"Awwoooo…." The Timberwolf Leader howled for his troops of the pack to line up around.

"Luckily, fire doesn't get canceled by wood." Lorcan made a sly smirk in knowing one element that can beat his enemies here. "Heavy Crimson…." The Dragon was taking a deep breath and was preparing to unleash his flames of fury until….

"Wait! You'll burn the whole forest!" Nyx shouted out with panicky worry, for if Lorcan uses that move, they'll all be endangered.

Lorcan cease that action and knew instantly what Nyx said was true. Fire would set the whole forest on fire, putting all their lives at risk, so that plan was obviously burned out. But the wolves of the entire pack were all running from all sides, cutting off any chance to dodge out of the way. There was only one way to beat the entire Timberwolf pack with a single blow and it was the one this teenage Dragon used to knock down the council member Jormun with. So without delay, he was gripping his right fist and wielded it up over himself.

"Dragon Crusher!" Lorcan declared out the move of his attack as he thrust his fist directly at ground beneath his feet. "Powwfrvuhmmm…" Then Lorcan delivered a strong shockwave impact on the ground, just as the Timberwolves were a few inches away from clawing the guy in his zone until…. "Bammgrufruvhmm…" A large explosive force unleashed a strong wind pressure shockwave against the wielder's attackers.

"Arroowwoovhmmm…Gruvhmm-mmmphmm…." Many of the Timberwolves were backlashed backwards, clashed against the ground and the trees to the point they were down for the count.

The CMC shielded their eyes and when the dust cleared out, they saw a shocker….Lorcan made a crater from where he stood still in the same position when his fist hit the ground. All was silent for a few moments, and then at that time, Lorcan retrieved his fist from the ground, only to yelp, and ach suddenly to grip that claw, as if it was in incredible pain.

"Oooowwwch! Darn it! I forgot that move was used only in my Battle Mode! Even my real age self in Teenage Form would have been smarter!" Lorcan complained forth from trying to ease his claw that was hurting all over. "As I am right now, short and all, without more toughen scale skin, I'll feel a slight bit of aftershock pain!" The teenage Dragon exclaimed out that right now, unleash he changes, performing that last move that delivers strong impact will cause some damage to him and not just his enemies.

"Grugrugraaaughh….Awoooroooohhh!" There was a growl noise as Lorcan looks up at the only Timberwolf left to deal with…the Leader of the pack.

"So, now it's down to the leader." Lorcan shrug off his shoulders to get himself back to being focus here. "Then let’s do this!" Lorcan made a taunt wave in saying 'bring it on' to the leader of the Timberwolves.

Now it was just down to Lorcan and the Timberwolf Leader, both were giving each other the final stare down. The fillies watched with intensive interest to see, who would make the first move? Both challengers charged forth, with Lorcan blocking a biting attempt with his blade, but felt himself pushed back. It seemed to be evidence that the Dragon teen still was a bit weaken from that 'Dragon Crusher' move of his that he ended up having some pain inflicted on him without warning. But never the less, Lorcan pushed the wolf off his weapon and position himself to fight onward.

Lorcan was clashing his saber sword against the Leader's claws as this leader was very skilled. The two fighters fought until they were now over a hill cliff that was 7 feet below from their fighting. But during a one step backwards, Lorcan trip backwards and saw that he was over near a small cliff. The Timberwolf Leader raised up its left claw and clawed right at Lorcan's right claw hand holding the weapon. Now from the misty air, Lorcan say his own beam saber sword fall to the bottom, and a clump of something that could have almost been believed to be his claw. The CMC were shocked to see this, Lorcan not only lost a weapon, but his own hand.

"(Now you're disarmed!)" The Leader Timberwolf exclaimed from glaring at the opponent before him in his native tongue, saying this was the end for Lorcan.

"(Guess…a-gain!)" Lorcan remarked back at the wolf by the same language for the two to chat as with feeling different about that last statement. "Kichvm…." Then in a twist, Lorcan boosted his back side up by the use of his tail to deliver a kick maneuver under the wolf's chest.

"Graaugh…." The Leader yelped out from that sudden stunt he didn't see coming.

Then in another moment, Lorcan held up his cloth right wrist, and then out from it appeared a glowing emerald color that shaped into…his claw.

"Witchcraft." The Leader Timberwolf muttered in his language in seeing this kind of magic as some form of witchery.

"No, merely an illusion to what you witnessed." Lorcan correctly claimed what was done here was something to trick this wolf to lower his guard.

Nyx saw the beam saber on the ground where Lorcan dropped it and suddenly got a determine face. As she left her CMC group's side to go after the sword below the cliff where above the battle was still on.

"Nyx?" Apple Bloom responded off in seeing her friend doing something as crazy as to go into this fight.

"What are you doing?" Sweetie Belle asked puzzled in why her friend was going for the beam saber sword of their old enemy.

"Isn't that Lorcan's weapon, why are you…." Scootaloo was about to point out whose weapon that was, but before she could even ask why….

"Just helping out!" Nyx responded out with a serious expression to which her friends nearly gasped in surprise. Was Nyx actually trying to help Lorcan, though from the fight, the Dragon teen didn't seem as strong as last they saw him, why would the black filly do such a thing? "Lorcan, catch!" Nyx shouted out to the teen Dragon fighting as she used her magic on the weapon.

Then with all the black Alicorn Filly's got to muster, she tossed the sword up into the air. Where Lorcan soon managed to catch the thing in hand, or claw, and wielded against his foe. Now the two opponents continued to clash blades, claws and teeth against the other for a few minutes against the edge of the small cliff. But then from a chanced moment, Lorcan held his beam saber sword in both claws to stab it into the ground. This unleashed a glowing emerald color across the ground, creating dust clouds as it was breaking the edge corner from where the wolf was and….

"Graaaugh-Arrrooooooaaaauughhh!" The Timberwolf Leader gasped just as he fell from where he stood and though short hit the ground hard. Then Lorcan leaped off from the cliff to land on the ground, just in time to stare at his beaten foe that was still alive from only a little height distant fall.

Once the CMC got a chance to see things clearly after that last stunt, they nearly gasped. All the Timberwolves were defeated, lied across the ground, injured and such, and Lorcan standing triumph over the leader. The leader tried to stand up, but was too weaken and limped a bit every time. Lorcan approached the beaten wolf that lead his pack and had a little smile hidden under his face to see, even in his condition of some lost abilities and strength he had before, he was still a formidable foe to face.

"(Well now, looks like…I win.)" Lorcan spoke with a smug grin in seeing he's bested these wolves, and the leader.

"(Then you can deliver the final blow, kill me. You're a predator, it's what they do when they've bested their prey.)" The Timberwolf Leader muttered in his shameful display in wanting to be killed here.

"No. I'll spare you and your lives if you take my command. Leave these fillies be and never come to harming any ponies that enter the forest." Lorcan spoke in offering some deal for the Timberwolves to take that for their lives, they must not harm ponies. "(Whadda say? Sounds like a fair deal, besides, I heard the Apples Family need your howling aids to make Zap Apples, sop be glad it's not banishment.)" The teen dragon shrug off his shoulders in thinking this was the best deal to offer and it would not cause any problem for the Apple Family that need Timberwolf howls to sound the alarm of the rise of the Zap Apples Season.

"(Yes….we'll obey.)" The Timberwolf Leader nods from hearing this as he finally stood on his own two feet.

"(Swear to that on the blood of your species! I know for a fact, even Timberwolves have prides to keep their words by claiming that oath.)" Lorcan pointed his free claw hand at the wolf leader, stating a prideful oath that once made, cannot be broken.

"(Yes…I swear….by our blood.)" The Timberwolf Leader nods with his head kneel down before Lorcan, promising to keep to that vow.

"(Right, that sounds okay to me. Thanks, big fella, and here's a little something.)" Lorcan responded quite brightly to see that the arrangements have been made, now for one last detail. "Click/Frususvhm…." From a snap of his fingers, all the wounds and cuts were healed from the Timberwolves, as they stood up in surprise. "(Your injuries treated, your lives spared, now leave us be.)" Lorcan waved off for the wolves to go as they are healed and won't delay.

"(May I ask…for one thing? What is…your name?)" The Timberwoilf Leader spoke from about to leave with his pack, but wants to know Lorcan's name.

"(My name…is Lorcan.)" Lorcan slowly spoke out in giving the leader of this pack his name, out of that little respect between fighters.

"(Very well, we take our leave then….Lorcan.)" The Timberwolf Leader nods with showing some noble gestures before turning to his brethren. "Aaaaawooroooooovh…." He made a howl up into the air for the others to hear.

"Aaaroooowwooohhhh!" The other Timberwolves responded to this and soon were racing off a fast lead back into the forest. They were soon gone and out of sight from the teen Dragon and the little ponies here.

Once the battle was over, and that the Timberwolves had finally left the area, one task remained. Lorcan turned to see if the Cutie Mark Crusaders were safe, the good news; they were all safe, the bad news; some weren't too happy to see him. This sorta brought forth an awkward and oddly sensation in what the teen Dragon should do here now? He came, he found the fillies, they're alright now, and now he has to take them back where the Mane Six are waiting for their return. Just one problem, how would he get those that distrust him to let the former evil Dragon take them anywhere?

"Um…are any of you…hurt?" Lorcan slowly spoke from feeling the uneasy settling state so he tried to help by asking if the fillies were not too badly injured.

"Well no, we're good." Nyx shook her head with a little smile in saying they are okay, nothing's wrong, or so she beeves without noticing the look of her friends.

"Good, now let’s…." Lorcan almost was about to say in offering a claw to take the kids with him, but….

"KEEP AWAY FRO' US!" Apple Bloom snapped out loud against the cloaked Dragon teen when she backed away with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle with stern expressions.

"Hugh?" Lorcan, and even Nyx responded puzzled to hear this, the other CMC looked more furious than what they were with the wolves.

"You think that by saving us, we'll be used to bait Rainbow Dash and her friends like those other times!" Scootaloo remotely and dryly stated in knowing what the Dragon villain here was planning, not knowing Lorcan is a former villain.

"Right, we won't go with you!" Sweetie Belle sternly stomp her hove on the ground, in declaring how they will not go with this guy.

"But I was asked to pick you up by Fluttershy." Lorcan spoke out in trying to speak honestly in letting these fillies know he means no harm.

"Yew expect us 'ta think 'dat while our sisters an' 'de others wouldn't be easy fer us 'ta let our guard down, yew use Fluttershy’s name; 'Dat's just evil in using her good nature!" Apple Bloom sternly remarked off in seeing Lorcan was trying to trick them with an obvious lie.

"Well…true the others would not have, but…" Lorcan spoke in thinking over in recalling how only Fluttershy asked him while the rest, were not so agreeable to such an idea.

"And did you think we not remember the moments you hurt us and manipulated us to hurt another! You did that which made me hate my own sister for something that was not her fault!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed out with looking almost ready to cry, recalling the evil Lorcan did in hurting them, both physically & emotional, especially with her own sister Rarity.

"Sweetie Belle, wait a second, that's going to far and…." Nyx tried to stop her friend from trying to go too far, however...

"And how you said that Rainbow Dash was own caring of herself and you slash across my face! Well let's see you like getting hurt!" Scootaloo snapped at the dragon teen in remembering what this guy did to her, well she won't stand for it. "Uaagh…." The little Pegasus filly scoop up a rock pebble, and threw it right at Lorcan where it made a tiny impact on his face.

"Guuaaaugh…." Lorcan yelped to cover his eye with the scar that was where Scootaloo's rock hit, and what a bad place to get hit…painful memories.

"Scootaloo! What are you doing?" Nyx exclaimed in shock to see her friend was acting this way.

"What else, defeating myself against this heartless villain, it's thanks to him that he hurt all of us, even almost made us lose Spike!" Scootaloo remotely stated to remind Nyx of the horrors Lorcan has performed, including some that were of killing intent.

"Right, don't tell me yew thinking 'dat he's someone better, he'll never change after all he's done!" Apple Bloom sternly shook her head in thinking the same thing, Lorcan can't change; he's a lowly sly villain through and through.

"He even tried to kill your clone without mercy, and what happened if you never made it in time or…or the opposite." Sweetie Belle spoke off in almost feeling too sad to continue, if the blow done to Nyx was not fix on time…they lose a friend, and then what?

"Trivuhmm…." Suddenly, there was a clunk noise that made the fillies stop for a moment to look back at Lorcan, who dropped his saber sword. "Frsuvhmmpruvhm…" Afterwards, the very weapon was swallowed by the emerald flames before vanishing…by its wielder's command. Nyx sorta felt something was happening, Lorcan lowered his head down, to which the hood almost covered the expression he showed: sorrow. This puzzled the others of the CMC while Nyx seemed concern as they were not sure what was going to happen here. Then without warning, some background music began to play.

"Wait…this is Kaoru To Misao III, the Full Mix Version!" Nyx spoke off in breaking the fourth wall in recognizing the music, but also earned some odd stares from her pals. "What? I said I got a bit of Pinkie Pie's Fourth Wall Break Thing going on." The black filly stated out to her pals in what was going on with her doing stuff like that.

"I suppose if what you all feel is so strong, then it would be best…" Lorcan spoke with eyes to the ground, tone deputing a bit. "For you to go home, maybe only one life shall be lost for the forest to take." The Dragon teen exclaimed before turning halfway around for his right half to be seen more than the front or back, since his body was still within his own cloak.

"Oh, and whose life is it gonna be lost?" Scootaloo dryly rolled her eyes in seeing this villain was gonna take away a live here after all. And he wants some of them to escape so Lorcan can kill them, question was, which of them?

"None other than…my own." Lorcan spoke deeply to lift his right claw, and gently firmed it into a grip.

"So yew were gonna get us, we knew…wait! Come again?" Apple Bloom was almost about to protest, but then stop for her, even the rest to double look at Lorcan for what he just said.

"Did you say it should be…you?" Sweetie Belle slowly asked a bit taken back, that doesn't sound like what a truly vile villain would do, does it?

"But…why would you do that?" Nyx asked a bit worried, what was Lorcan trying to say to them that he'll lose his life here?

"Because….I have nothing to return to anymore." Lorcan shook his head in sadly stating that for him, even with a life, there is no place for him to return to that which he came.

Now suddenly, the background theme changed as the melody suddenly began to play a sad little beat. A small gust of wind gently blew pass the hooded teen Dragon as the CMC were almost wide and shock to hear Lorcan say such a thing that they themselves, can't believe it's true…even for a villain now a former.

"My father forged me to be something of his, to kill ponies, never wanting me to be something else." Lorcan spoke in a soft voice, but loud enough to be heard by the others. "And when I gain this scar, I changed completely." He gently touched the spot where his scar now lies, a mark his father gave him to which the CMC cringe to learn that. "I've lost my path to the light, fell into darkness, and the chance to live my own way in life." He spoke to let his hand gently fall by his waste as the Dragon teen looked up to see drifting leaves, they almost seem to cover the light above him, splitting him from light & shadow, which fit his character.

The fillies looked to the other in hearing this and their own angry and selfish thoughts on Lorcan was starting to fade now….

"I wasted my ambition to make you all miserable, and even tried to harm my own family when they all turn against me." Lorcan held up both claws to gaze at them, he felt a shaking motion from them before…he throws them down as fist shape. "Even now, while I may be free of the Darkness that bind my heart, what's left for me to go to?" The Dragon under the hood spoke from looking to the CMC, but then sadly looked away. "Everyone is not my friend, I pushed them away, I made myself become nothing more than a monster to their eyes." Hearing this was something that the fillies felt almost shocked to learn what Lorcan has now become…presently. "Maybe like those wolves, I'm only more of a loner, to wither along my path, and fade away to permanently stay in the afterlife." Lorcan speaks from staring at some Timberwolf tracks, moved one foot to almost be like them creatures of the forest, but in a way, he has no one. "No one wants to help a being that has fallen and best left forgotten, like a bad dream." Lorcan states this out with no his back turned to the fillies, announcing that for someone like him, he may just almost be better off…being forgotten by everyone all around.

Now the CMC were really overly come by some emotional feelings. They felt sorrow, sadness, guilt and…loneliness to top it all. Could it be that in a matter of sense, this former Scarred Ruler has now been free of the chains that made him evil, but has nothing to feel good about such a freedom? Lorcan was beginning to walk away with the leaves blowing against his back, almost to say that something is forcing his existence…to leave. But then Lorcan's movement cease from a force that held him and let the breeze of gently leaves pass by him was none other than…the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They held on the Dragon's lower cloak & feet to keep him from leaving; but the question is, why?

"Believe me, we know that feeling." Nyx spoke gently to help ease this cloak teen dragon's pain. "I was almost like that…if not for my friends & those that love me, I be lost too," The black filly spoke from such honesty, when she was Nightmare Moon with the Cult, she wondered between being what they wanted, or someone of which those she's come to trust more like family and friends.

"Lorcan…it looks like…we were wrong." Apple Bloom spoke from a little sorrow in seeing that…this person, they misjudged.

"You really aren't the same as who you once were, are you?" Sweetie Belle spoke from understanding what the girls see, Lorcan's good, but lonely side.

"We just jumped to conclusion and didn't think of your own feelings." Scootaloo spoke with self-doubt in what's happened here was the fillies went and judged to hasty.

"You see, everyone makes mistakes, and that's why we learn from them…to better ourselves." Nyx spoke in trying to bring up something that Lorcan needed to hear. "And if you like, we can say 'thanks for the save' and…we would be honored if you be our friend." The black filly smiled up to the teen Dragon under the cloak and hood, saying something very surprising.

Now it was Lorcan's turn to freeze up from what he's heard, all this time, he's thought the CMC would forever hold their grudge. Yet why was it now that they apologized, when they have all the more reason to hate him?

"You…really mean that? After what I've done to each of you?" Lorcan asked out in feeling almost to stump shocked to believe this was true. The teen Dragon hid his expression while pointing to each of the fillies here. "Try to break your clone's neck, capturing you with my foolish minions trying to harm you?" Those parts were focused on Nyx and Apple Bloom, for they were minim crimes, to the more hasher ones. "And more so physically, clawing your face & deceiving a sister to hurt you by my trickery?" Those last ones were focused on Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, those were far more hurtful events. "I'm sorry for them…ever so much." Then from his eye with the scar, a hidden shred of his tear dropped from feeling self-disgust for the harm he's caused the CMC.

"Well, Ah've learn 'ta git over it an' not let 'dat fearful moment control me." Apple Bloom spoke in trying to help Lorcan see that the problems she had from the Flim-Flam Brothers was pass over.

"And even though you used me and Rarity against each other, our sister bond has grown even stronger." Sweetie Belle spoke to let this guy know that the sisters, with their deep love for each other, has helped to strengthen their love for another.

"And wounds heal over time, so we can move on without holding something as trivial like that down on us." Scootaloo patted Lorcan's cloak in stating how even wounds can heal over, as long as they are not what's tying them down with things from the past.

"In other words Lorcan, not only do I forgive you, but it looks like…your heart asked the rest of us to forgive you to." Nyx tapped her chest in stating something, deep within her own soul in feeling what Lorcan's own heart yearns for. "What you believed to be the real you wasn't to be evil and now we can get along with the part that's your true self. And that way, you'll not be alone, with us as some of your friends and more to come…if you just give others time to open up, little by little." Nyx explained such a deep emotion of thought, saying that Lorcan can be something he was truly meant to be, and in time, have friends to never be lonely again.

This one really hit Lorcan deeply within his emotion as he stared down at the CMC for some brief moment to process this. Could even he, the terror that struck fear and caused unspeakable harmful crimes, can be forgiven? The Dragon's fist tighten for some moments before they…began to loosen and drift on his sides. Suddenly, a little ray of light shined on him, and to Lorcan's wide eyes, felt something from the sun for the first natural moment; warmth. He held his left claw to his chest, and felt something else, a slow beat from his heart, one he hadn't felt since from his mother's passing and asking Spike for forgiveness. Could these be feelings he thought left him, from the moment he was scared?

"I…I…I…" Lorcan was having trouble trying to speak, but from looking down at the fillies’ big eye and innocent smiles, the answer came to him. "Thank you…" Lorcan looked away from them in giving them thanks, but to also make sure, that they never see underneath his hood; two leay tear streams came from both the Dragon's eyes. "For giving me, this chance of redemption." Lorcan could only be so lucky to be given forgiveness by even the littlest, most innocent of ponies of their youth. "Now, let’s go home." After wiping away the evidence of his tears, he turn to look at the smiling CMC in stating that it's time they return home now.

"Frsupvhmm…." Then in a fast motion, a magical blur swooped up the group by Lorcan's will. Then in a vanishing step, they were gone from the scene while only a blur was seen passing through the forest. It was also around here that the background theme ceased it's melody by the quieting echoes of the forest.

-----------------------------------

Suddenly, news was spreading all over Ponyville, about the safe return of the Cutie Mark Crusaders that went missing in the Everfree Forest. Many were worried, since the one who told was Filthy Rich and he even mentioned how Lorcan has return and got his daughter to spill the beans about where she tricked the others to go, including how Lorcan scared her so badly, she's still recovering to say 'she'll change' repetitively. Now outside the Ponyville borders, many of the civilians, including the Mane Six soon saw something appear out of a blur entrance. Then appearing was some familiar being who hid his appearance, even his face under the hood before the ponies which earn gasp that the citizens remembered what happened the last time 'the Dragon villain' came to town. But that was pushed away for he moved away to allow the audience to see that those behind him were none other than…the CMC that were happily fine.

"Yahoooo!" The CMC cheered to race off from Lorcan and made many of the citizens sigh in relief to see the little ponies are back, safe and sound. And that goes double for the family members and close friends of them little group too.

"Apple Bloom, yer're A-okay!" Applejack spoke for joy, as she, Tough, Big Mac and Granny Smith hugged the youngest member of the Apple Family.

"Course sis!" Apple Bloom smiled off all giggly in seeing that she was okay, no questions asked.

"Oh Sweetie Belle, I was nearly traumatized!" Rarity held her own sister when she was near her, almost feeling like she would faint.

"I miss you too, Rarity." Sweetie Belle closed her eyes to let the sisters have their huggy moment.

"Scootaloo, I gotta give you points for your bravery, but even more that you're back home." Rainbow Dash held out her open hoof to let the little Pegasus filly slap it and then she came to give Scootaloo a boggy.

"Sweet! Thanks Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo responded with a wide smirk as she got out of that boggy and shook her head to get her mane right.

"Oh Nyx, I can't believe you did something like this." Twilight came up to Nyx as she held her adoptive daughter close as she, Ben Mare, Spike, and surprisingly a slow Phobos who landed clumsily were there to welcome the black filly back.

"Well how were we suppose to know we got tricked?" Nyx spoke in saying that it was not her fault that she and the others were fooled by Diamond Tiara.

"Just like how Phobos here was foolish to eat bad apples? Speaking of, how you holding out?" Spike pointed beside him of the Moon Dragon and asked how Phobos was feeling now.

"BLURAAAAGH!" And in a weird and oddly seen nutshell, the Moon Dragon turned around with a bag and threw up in it before looking back a bit relieved. "That answer your question?" Phobos remarked to Spike who had a somewhat skeptical look about this.

"Yes-yes! Every CMC is back and there are no worries!" Pinkie Pie cheered with a wide smile in seeing that all was right with their little village.

"And we're thankful to that." Ben Mare nods with a smile in being glad nothing ruined this moment.

"And we owe it all to one person…." Fluttershy smiled to her friends while pointing towards a certain character. "Lorcan!" The yellow Pegasus pony declared out the person being responsible, but....

"LORCAN!" The citizens replied out with wide eye shock in looking before them, seeing the hooded cloak figure was none other than…the Scarred Ruler who was once believed to be dead.

"Um, hi?" Lorcan gave a little wiggle of the claw fingers and had a hidden sheepish expression under the hood, somehow sensing, this might get awkward now.

"Waaaaaughh……" The crowds scream in terror and were running away from the sight to protect themselves from the dangerous villain who has returned from the grave, just like when the last time.

"Wait-wait! You got it all wrong!" Nyx spoke out to leave her family, and soon joined by her CMC pals to form a line between the crowd and Lorcan. "He's no longer our enemy, but our friend." The black filly explained out that the enemy before than is now their friend. "Just like it was stated in the trial!"

"Friend? Him! Ye all pullin' something?" Tough Apple responded out in not believing what he's hearing, that's some bad joke there.

"No wait, it's true!" Cheerliee spoke in speaking on the defense for Lorcan. "I can vouch! Lorcan was asked to pick up the fillies from school and he went to find them." The mare teacher that every pony respects was suddenly puzzled, why would anyone trust such a responsible to someone like Lorcan?

"Plus, I asked him nicely, it was me that had him go through the trouble in the first place." Fluttershy spoke in defense that she was the one that asked Lorcan to perform the task in the first place. "I guess since everyone didn't feel comfy with Lorcan's return and there were trust issues, I wanted to help." The shy Pegasus looked away of the stares focus on her after she explained herself to the crowd.

"You wanted to help Lorcan?" Warpath asked puzzled in what they heard sounded almost crazy.

"But it's true, if not for Lorcan's rescue, we be Timberwolf chow!" Scootaloo stomped her hoof on the ground in declaring the truth of the matter of what danger the fillies were in.

"Timberwolves? Ye all were at their territory?" Applejack yelped up shocked, anypony that's tangled with them never come out unscaled. Of course, the only other pony that was lucky to do so was Granny Smith, years back, etc.

"Yeah, but then Lorcan managed 'ta beat them & their leader an' speak in their language 'ta make a vow not 'ta harm any pony in their territory." Apple Bloom proclaimed out that Lorcan did much to save not just them, but all ponies in Equestria to not be on Timberwolves prey menu.

"Wait! He can talk to Timberwolves? Wow, I wonder if even Fluttershy could have pulled off such a hard task." Pinkie Pie held up her hooves to ask out completely baffled, even she can't believe someone did a task that Fluttershy hasn't been able to do…at least yet.

"We were mean to Lorcan, cause we thought he was gonna hurt us, but…." Sweetie Belle explained out that the little ones did try to fight back if they were endangered, however… "In truth, Lorcan was only misguided in the past." The filly unicorn stated on how Lorcan was only being seen as misjudged by others.

"You all remember on who else were just innocent ponies too, right?" Nyx spoke out in reminding the rest of the citizens about other ponies that were in similar states like Lorcan was. "Princess Luna, me, and even Daddy were those to believe were evil, but we were not, we were just lost and didn't know what to do until we found our light from within the darkness." The black filly gave out such words of encouragement in stating the big picture fact, many that had fallen into darkness to become evil, were turn good and return to the light.

"So you're saying that…even someone like Lorcan was a victim?" Lyra asked in pondering if even the dangerous teen Dragon was safe to have around now.

"That's right, I remember Celestia's speech, but I was there to hear Lorcan's story on what happened." Sweetie Drops nods in recalling that when Princess Celestia told the story about Tadaka and Lorcan, the latter was apparently the innocent victim from his father.

"But while everything that happened, is he…." Caramel was suddenly rubbing the back neck part, thinking too much about the major situation of the last big battle Equestria had until...

"It's fine….it's really alright." Lorcan held up his left claw to speak out gently to the entire gathered ponies to cease this tough debate in question. "Just knowing the CMC are safe and you're pleased with that is enough for me." The teen Dragon hiding his appearance within the cloak stated out. "You don't have to worry of my being staying here, though I will be staying in the castle as per assigned, I'll only be a nightmare to your waking." Then he turned his back to the others as if planning to leave now after just arriving.

The crowds felt somewhat lost and confused by this action. Some even wonder, from all the times they saw Lorcan's acts of evil, this time around, there wasn't much of it. This act even got most of the others from the Mane Six in almost feeling a sense of guilt, fighting the urge to either be mad or forgive Lorcan was a tough thing in their minds and their hearts.

"I'll take my leave and let you all get back to your lives…" Lorcan spoke this out with his head not looking back, but he did tilt his neck around, for his eyes to look back with….no evil to express. "But for a little bit, I'm kinda glad to know that…I'm not all alone. I have….little friends…that helped me out too." Lorcan spoke from feeling a small smile come across his face when he actually said that with a little relief to his heavy stress.

The CMC smiled to hear this and almost wish there was a way to get the teen Dragon some help, but when Lorcan was almost gonna leave outside the doors...

"Wait!" A voice cried out and then who showed zoomed up before Lorcan than…Rainbow Dash! "Look here, as a representative on being cool and awesome, I can't allow this!" Rainbow Dash sternly proclaimed that this act is something she'll not accept.

"What can't you allow?" Lorcan asked with a raised eyebrow, what was this pony getting to?

"The fact you try to act tough on the outside, when you're suffering on the inside without letting others help you out." Rainbow Dash pointed out to tell Lorcan that what he's trying to hide is not good, and needs help. "That's not being cool, that's just being a fool! I should know, I've learned that lesson to ask for help, no matter how it ruins an image." The dare-devil pony exclaimed with a cool smile in saying that asking for help isn't all that bad, and one should not hid it away so others don't think differently of that person; even if that someone is Lorcan.

"Dashie's right!" Pinkie Pie spoke out in joining this discussion with a new smile on her face. "Why, if any of us thought of it, we could have seen that you were just a lost victim of tragedy!" The pink pony exclaimed in thinking the one major thing they never saw was just a lonely person crying for help and was never understood until now.

"Well I'm free of what made me evil and you ponies should just pretend I no longer matter." Lorcan nods his head in feeling that while these ponies spoke kind words to the former villain, it's still better they not get too attached to him. "After all, I carry my sins to bear of all I did, I understand everyone's feelings for me to not endanger them." The teen Dragon looked away in feeling that he may as well know by now, everyone will still see him as a threat then an ally, despite having the fewest of friends.

"Lorcan, you don't have to feel like baring all of that weight, that's what friends and family are there for." Fluttershy spoke to approach the lonesome Dragon teen, trying to bring comfort with a smile.

"What?" Lorcan froze from hearing this, what was Fluttershy trying to say now?

"Shoot, darn tooting', if any of us went 'ta get the fillies fro' school, they be goners." Applejack nods with appreciation, seeing that if it been anyone but Lorcan, the fillies would not be here today.

"Fluttershy learned to accept you for your new change to good, if that's the case, we all should." Rarity nods in humble agreement, it was wrong to keep Lorcan out from wanting to be a good person, they should embrace it.

"But does everyone else feel the same, I doubt…." Lorcan looked away, partly distracted that not all share the same vision.

"Aww quiet you’re whining, shorty!" Phobos snapped off to say in cutting off Lorcan and his little whiny tone.

"Huuuagh…." The crowds gasped in surprise, and that was from what Phobos just said. One, saying that the Dragon teen was whiny, and two, he was calling the cloaked Dragon short. Everyone knows Lorcan hates to be called that; that took some guts to say.

"Phobos?" Nyx sternly spoke to her friend for being rude and would almost scold him, but….

"No, lemma speak!" Phobos held up a claw to have Nyx give him this chance to continue to speak his own mind. "Look, I get the part of your rough life, you think I didn't suffer the same! That anyone here didn't handle some tough times while growing up!" Phobos pointed to about himself and everyone in Ponyville, stating how even they have gone through tough times almost similar to what Lorcan described.

Now the crowds grew silent, Phobos spoke true, each of them dealt with a tough matter and much made mistakes. Who's to say they would not have ended up being the bad guy if they were not straighten up to be more in the light than become swallowed by the darkness of evil.

"If you're gonna change, then fine, do it! But don't keep doubting that everyone won't like you if you don't like yourself!" Phobos finished off his end of the discussion in saying that Lorcan should give himself some trust before he wants anything from the others to trust him back.

"You know, I agree!" Ben Mare suddenly spoke in feeling a bit inspired from what Phobos has gone and said.

"Ben?" Twilight responded a bit shocked to see this, Ben Mare was siding and aiding to help Lorcan, of all people?

"Lorcan, I may have had some angry problems with you, but if folks can forgive me for the misdeeds I've done as the Demon Pony…" Ben Mare pointed to state on how he's done bad things when under the influence of being the Demon Pony before adding this in the pot. "Then maybe it's time we buried the hatchet of the evil Scarred Ruler, and learn to be friends…with you." The stallion spoke with a more positive smile on his face and helped to brighten the mood of the other crowds.

"Yeah! What Celestia's son said," A random citizen responded out in agreeing from what Ben Mare has stated.

"I'm all for it!" DJ Pon-3 held up a hoof in wanting to go along with this to.

"The guy's learned his lesson." Octavia nods in feeling the decision has made some feel like they all agree.

"Rough life, we all know it!"Derpy responded off in thinking how everyone here has been through that.

"Yeah Lorcan, you don't have to be lonely." Feathermay nods with a smile, stating the Dragon in the cloak and hiding under the hood, doesn't have to be lonely anymore now.

Lorcan was pretty much looking around, and couldn't believe this even a tiny bit. The citizens were making a mob, and were…chatting for the Dragon to not go, be their friend, and learn to forgive himself and move on in life. The former villain, known as the Scarred Ruler looked all over, and could almost feeling new emotions entering his very veins, connecting to his heart. All this time, he's been learning to hate ponies for their weakness to Dragons, but now…it seems that being their friend is far stronger than not having them at all.

"Then…if you all can forgive me…for all my troubles, I'll make amends some more." Lorcan held his right claw to grip near his heart, as he smiled under his hood while some invisible tear droplet escaped his left eye. "By helping all that I can, and to those I consider…friends." The teen Dragon exclaimed off in what he'll do now to be a better aid to those around him.

"Yeeaaaaahhhh!" The crowds cheer to hear the news, and many of them were gathering around their new friend and former enemy; Lorcan.

"Let's hear it for Lorcan's new turn of leaf on live!" Derpy came up to hug Lorcan in what could almost be described as a 'bear hug' by strength of this pony's joy for the teen Dragon.

"Come here yew!" Applejack came near Lorcan ate the hug to give him a noogy on the head which was playful, even if the teen Dragon kept his hood on during that process.

"Thank you darlin'!" Rarity came up next, and surprisingly, gave a little kiss peak on the guy's cheek to for saying 'thanks', from saving her sister.

"I um…ugh…" Lorcan was almost too flabbergasted in what happened as he luckily hid a little blush on his cheeks with his hood over him.

"Hehn, you think you be speechless if maybe Luna gave ya a kiss?" Phobos spoke off with a sly teasy remark in who Lorcan rather blush a kiss from, the Princess of the Moon.

"Don't even try to start that again!" Lorcan snapped lightly at the moon dragon by standing over Phobos, the last thing he wants is to have this discussion now of all times.

The crowds laughed with joy from seeing this display take form. However, while everyone else was having a fun time, Twilight was still distant from the crowd, with only Spike by her side. Both seem to share a feeling of 'doubtful trust' about Lorcan being here.

"Well this is certainly something I never thought happen, turn our enemy into our friend." Twilight Sparkle shook her head in feeling almost bizzard out by the end result of a former major enemy.

"What about you Twilight, do you trust him?" Spike asked Twilight in being puzzled if the mare was going to now trust Lorcan now.

"A part of me still holds distrust for him Spike, even if he is changed? What about you for your brother?" Twilight shook her head in having some distance with trusting Lorcan, but wondered about Spike trusting his older brother.

"As of right now, not sure. I mean, I thought when he died, I finally understood him." Spike shrug off his shoulders in feeling that he really doesn't know what he should be doing now. "But learning he was alive and kept himself hidden, kinda makes me not know if I can truly trust him…as a brother?" The baby Dragon admits that if Lorcan never truly died, why did he remain hidden until now of present time…could he not have trust his little brother with such a secret?

"So…what does that leave you and him?" Twilight asked from being a bit curious in where this might lead the Dragon brothers.

"For now, our brother-relationship is kinda unbalanced." Spike shrug off his shoulders in feeling that for right now, the situation of the brothers is in need of fixing. "But, maybe despite all that, until it gets fixed, he and I'll probably be friends at the very least." Spike mentioned off to say that for the most part, the Dragon siblings will still be friends, the brother tiding will recover in due time, maybe.

"Wow, you feel like the trust of brothers is damaged, yet you still want the two of you to be friends?" Twilight Sparkle asked with a raised eyebrow in not believing what she is hearing right now, that's some resolvement from Spike here.

"It's confusing to admit, but….Lorcan's gone through a lot, maybe overtime…..we might be more of a family when our lost bond is fix." Spike shrug off to feel a bit of their family needs some time to regrow what was shattered, the baby Dragon has a new connection with King Spykoran, his grandfather, now it's time to regrow an old bound with his brother. Lorcan.

"Huuuagh, I sure wish I had your way of thinking Spike." Twilight sighs to look back at Lorcan getting a bit over-crowded by ponies that were laughing, and in some weird sense, he crack a little smile to not be seen like he was having; fun. It might be that the mare with the smarts might be the only one that might not give Lorcan much a chance, and may wonder….if she…or even her family like Shining Armor & the rest in Canterlot will approve of Lorcan being back and being a changed being. Time will tell, and that's always a strange event that's left mysterious.

Looks like things here of Lorcan's new change is slowly turning Ponyville around. Though some had their doubts at times, but when Diamond Tiara recovered enough that the CMC saw her, the snobby filly was actually, get this 'NICE' to the blank flanks in that group. She looked still somewhat like a few twitch reactions, but she seem to be wanting to be much kinder. Many have heard of this filly saying she change, and from Lorcan's doing, ended up making other ponies think if he could do such the 'impossible' to make Diamond Tiara nicer, then maybe that teen Dragon has become good. And while Lorcan and Spike's relationship with being brothers was still in repair, they were still on some friendly terms, even if the latter had some trust questions for the former on being true and not hiding anything else from him? Twilight Sparkle, despite her friends, her family, and those that have decided to give Lorcan a second chance in life, the mare was still holding old memories of Starlight, her little brother, and the day he was killed…by the teen Dragon. True, Lorcan was manipulated to be such a villain, but it's hard to really let go of the past to live a better life for the future. So as it stands firm, things with Lorcan in ponies peaceful lives is going to be one 'heck' of a major improvement to handy, on many accounts.

Warpath looks disbelief as Blade chuckles, "You see, brother. I told you Lorcan didn't do anything wrong. And even our nephew spoke the truth."

"Indeed. Lorcan did well in saving lives." Dragonspear said, proud of what Lorcan has done to save the CMC. "This should prove that he can be trusted."

Warpath groaned, "Fine... I admitted. It was wrong for me to judge. That doesn't mean I can go soft on that runt."

"I'm afraid. Warpath is right. This is merely the beginning." Intellect said seriously, suspecting that it's not truly over.

"Yes... I understand... I have hope that the Equestrian Ponies give Lorcan a chance, as do Princess Twilight. When that happens, we have nothing to worry about anymore." Virtue said. He knows most of the Equestrian Ponies here gives Lorcan a chance. The question is, how long?

-----------------------

"How could this have happen?! Why now?! This is unacceptable! I won't allow it!" Drago exclaims in rage. He got reports of what happened and the villain isn't pleased. He was hoping that when the Timberwolves tear those CMC apart, Lorcan would take the blame for it!

The Demon Lords' but Tso Lan and Shendu grunt in agreement and anger. Shendu spoke to Jast, "I presume this was merely the beginning?"

"Yes, my lord. I decide to give Lorcan a chance to win ponies' trust for once." Jast explains, giving out a cruel smile. "And once the trust is gained, we will break and shattered it. It will fulfill our plans."

"So, you're saying that you wanted Lorcan to be trusted?" Cann ask, scoffing a plan that even he finds stupid. "Yeah, right. Like that plan is gonna work."

"Jast is right." Sec spoke, making everyone turned to him. "This plan will work. And once it happens, we can finally fulfill our destiny as well as the Demon Lords'."

"Indeed... This is perfect. This is something I should have done when they came to the End of Equestria." Shendu said sinisterly. If he had done this before, Twilight and her pony friends wouldn't believe alive now.

"Agreed. Proceed to the next plan." Tso Lan demands. "Let us see if Jast's plan works or not. And more importantly, how long the trust Twilight can give to Lorcan?"