//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: Avenger's Verdict // Story: From the Ashes // by Benjamin Lawe //------------------------------// From the Ashes Chapter 5: Avenger’s Verdict Marco stood triumphantly over the defeated forms of Ceasler and Slayde. The younger looking one groaned slightly as Marco pulled the helmet off its head and placed it upon his own. Now replaced, he tucked his treasured hat into Zecora’s saddlebags, now that there was some free space.   He hadn’t used any potions on the pair of night guards. He couldn’t afford to waste them. With the element of surprise on his side, it wasn’t hard for him to simply beat the two into submission while they were distracted with the manticore.         Over the sound of the beast thrashing around in the corner, Marco could hear the telltale sound of more guards approaching, alerted by all the noise. He grimaced slightly as he unsympathetically wrenched the older pegasus’ breastplate free. The next batch of guards would be upon him any second, and there wasn’t any possible way he could evade them. Which meant everything was going according to plan. Marco quickly equipped the final piece of his stolen set of golden armour. He truly looked the part. The helmet he stole from the unicorn guard had a fake mane on top, most likely due to the fact the guard’s hair was actually orange underneath. So in combination with his new silver mane, Marco’s natural charcoal grey coat complimented the disguise perfectly. The sound of the guards approaching became louder. He didn’t have much time. “And now...” Marco said as he gripped the bloodied bandaging coiled around his chest, “Time for the most important part...” For this to work, the bandaging would have to come off, as well as the stitching. “Oh boy...” he grit his teeth, “This is gonna hurt.” *        *        *        * Captain Caliber raced through the empty streets, heading as fast as his wings would take him towards the scene of the action.         He cursed himself and he cursed his luck. “Damn it!” he said aloud, “I was too far away! I wasn’t there!”         He didn’t get it. The commotion was coming from the southern wall, which everypony knew was the side of the city that extended out, hanging from the mountain on which Canterlot was built. The captain knew his enemy, so he focused almost entirely upon the northern side, as it was the area directly connected to the mountain and thus the only entry point accessible for non-pegasi. So for a simple earth pony to make his move, on the southern side was unexplainable.         He rounded the final corner through the twisting streets and saw a group of his guards encircling what appeared to be two downed night guards. As he got closer, he recognized the pair. Ceasler and Slayde lay beaten, but alive. They weren’t seriously injured, but it appeared as if they had been on the receiving end of a fierce struggle. Their golden armour had been knocked loose, the shining plating laying all about, and both ponies were missing various pieces. “What happened?” he asked a nearby royal guard, “Where’s the perpetrator?”         The guard was the spinning image of the captain, bleach white in coat with a regal blue mane and gold armour. But this guard’s royal appearance was betrayed by apparent exhaustion. “Take a look.” he responded by pointing to the Caliber’s right, “Hard to believe ain’t it?” Caliber could see it keeled over by the damaged pathway. Clearly beaten and seemingly unconscious, the sight of a fully-grown manticore caused the captain’s eyes to bulge. “What the hell is a manticore doing here?” he asked involuntarily, “Wait. Stop. Slow Down. Just... just tell me what happened.” “We only just pieced it together ourselves.” the royal guard started, “But here’s what we got so far... “The manticore charges in, and puts these two down like that. Half the guys here heard the noise and ran in to help, but trust me... this thing was pissed.” the guard spoke plainly as he recounted the events, “I came in after the alarm went off, and even then it took all six of us to overpower the bastard and get the medic in-” “Medic?” Caliber questioned, “Where? I don’t see any and I can tell these two have had nothing but first aid...” “Yeah, that’s right...” the royal guard answered, “But these two got of easy compared to their friend. As soon as the medic arrived, she rushed him off for treatment-” “Friend? You mean there was a third?” Caliber asked, immediately suspicious, “A civilian?” “Err, No sir?” he replied confused, “He was a night guard too.”         Caliber now knew something was up. He had a history with Ceasler, and he had met him and Slayde earlier tonight. They were a pair, so a third member could not be accounted for. He considered that this third guard could have gotten involved in passing, but he hadn’t deployed any groups with less than two members; he never risked solo runs during the night watch. For this to be legitimate, there would’ve had to be one or more other guards involved. “You’re certain?” he asked directly, pulling himself away from his thoughts. “Of course.” the royal guard nodded, “He had the standard colours and full uniform, well whatever didn’t come off in the fight...”         Caliber looked down at Ceasler and Slayde. Something the guard had just said didn’t sit right. And then it hit him; Slayde had no helmet, but Ceasler did, and Ceasler had lost his breastplate, yet Slayde hadn’t. He continued to study the scene until he noticed that it was all too deliberate.         He compared the two guards. Neither of them still wore their neck-brace or saddle-plates, but in between them lay one of each, so it would appear it they been knocked off in the brawl. To some it might have been logical to assume the other missing pieces suffered the same fate, but the captain could see past that. He quickly did the math, and realized that of all the parts he could see, there was only enough for one complete uniform. Which meant the missing pieces could also form a set that would be lacking only a few non-critical elements.         Caliber gritted his teeth. This wasn’t looking good. He had yet to consider it, but thinking back to when he saw Marco at Twilight’s library, his coat was more than compatible with the standard night guard appearance. If you gave him a uniform, the resemblance would be uncanny; nopony would think twice. Unless... “What kind of pony was he?” The captain asked suddenly, “Pegasus or unicorn?”          The royal guard shot a brief look over to his comrades who were keeping an eye on the manticore. He didn’t know. “A unicorn.” he said flatly, “I mean, he had the helmet on, and we couldn’t actually see the horn, but he definitely wasn’t a pegasus-”         A grim feeling washed over the Caliber. “So he’s a unicorn because he’s not a pegasus?” he asked directly, “Even though you didn’t see a horn?” “Well, yeah?” he replied honestly, “Everypony knows the garrison doesn’t allow earth ponies. Hell, earth pony civilians in Canterlot are rare enough, but they just ain’t allowed to serve the guard. They’re just too... uh, weak. “Don’t get me wrong...” he continued defencively, “I got nothing against them as a rule, but they just aren’t compatible with unicorns or pegasi. Too much stuff holds them back from being effective fighters-” “So what did the medic say?” Caliber interrupted, getting back on track, “Where did she take him?” “Huh? Oh... she said the wound was in a vital spot, and she was worried that it came from the manticore’s tail, which is poisonous.” the royal guard said uncertain, having been put on the spot, “Last I heard, they rushed him off to the barracks hospital for emergency blood transfusion and to see if he got poisoned-” “The barracks hospital?” the captain said, eyes widening, “Shit! How long ago was this- forget it!”         Caliber became airborne with a jolt, not even looking back to the guards as he addressed them. “Stay here with those two!” he yelled as he blasted off in the direction of the barracks, “And keep that thing in check!”         This was bad. There are plenty of health centres and hospitals in Canterlot, but if a guard gets injured, there’s only one place he gets sent. And that’s the garrison’s own dedicated infirmary. The problem was its location. The eastern side of Canterlot’s top tier. Which was dangerously close to the night palace...         The guard captain bit his lip so hard he drew blood. He had underestimated his enemy. And not just because of the situation he was now in, the scary thing was that everything was acting in the earth pony’s favour. He had found unconventional means to invade, going against expectations and turning preparations made for him against themselves. Then he masqueraded as a night guard and either feigned or self-inflicted an injury to avoid suspicion. And the worst part was that he was now getting a free ride to his final destination. “He’s still on the back hoof, but I’m loosing control of the situation.” Caliber said to himself, “Think! You can’t let him keep the momentum. Intervene. Do something!”         Clarity struck. “No. this is to be expected.” he said, regaining his cool, “Guerrilla tactics are normal for a single aggressor, so it’s only natural the first strike was his. But there’s a fatal flaw in his plan.” His eyes narrowed as he increased speed. “He could only maintain the upper-hoof so long as his actions were unpredictable and we didn’t know where he was.” Caliber mused, “But I can be certain of his location. He’s either on his way to that hospital or he’s already there.”  “Either way...” he continued seriously, “This is the decisive moment, and my best chance. He put up a good front, but I’m about to end this foolishness.”         Caliber’s eyes intensified ever so slightly. “Looks like I’ll be taking care of this myself!” *        *        *        *         It had seemed like a good idea at the time, but with his body in such a sorry state, Marco was having a hard time pretending to be unconscious without actually passing out.         As soon as the purple coated unicorn medic hovered him through the thick, double-doors to the garrison’s infirmary, she rushed him halfway down a winding hallway and slapped him roughly onto a flat, white bed where there was an old-looking brown coated doctor waiting. “Get those saddlebags and amour plating off!” he commanded to the unicorn as she disassembled Marco’s uniform, “They’ll get in the way!”         Marco opened his eyes halfway, taking in his new environment seriously. It was the classic hospital scenario. White walls, while floors, and that sterile smell that is so artificially clean it makes one feel ill. He watched as the medic and the doctor formed a pair and looked over their new patient. Despite himself, Marco couldn’t help but notice; the male doctor, the female nurse, the sickly smell and pale white everything... it was all so generic it made him feel like a colt with food poisoning all over again. He was quickly pulled away from his childhood memories of eating though tubes for a week when the doctor leaned in and forced Marco’s left eye open, shining a blinding compact-torch into his pupil. “Dilation response normal.” the old earth pony said robotically, “You can cancel the anti-venom, he hasn’t been poisoned.”         Marco resisted the urge to retaliate as the pony kept the light in his eye. Before it became too much, it turned off and Marco’s vision returned. He could see the purple unicorn fiddling with what looked like blood packs, and as much as he hated needles, he almost smiled as she hooked him up to the device. While the nurse was doing the nurse stuff, the doctor was doing the doctor stuff, the old stallion staring intently at Marco’s wounded chest. “Whatever hit him nicked an artery, and the exterior is agitated.” he furrowed his wrinkled brow, “But it doesn’t look like infection.” He looked up from the wound and at the patient it belonged to, who seemed strangely invested in what was going on. “We can’t stop the bleeding as it is.” he said quickly, turning to the purple unicorn, “We have to start surgery right away.” “Who’s the surgeon on call tonight?” she asked, “I didn’t see anyone else on my way through...” “There isn’t anyone else.” The doctor shot back, “I’m the only doctor on call tonight and all the medics are in the field.”         The significance of that last part wasn’t lost on Marco. ‘Perfect.’ he thought, ‘Things are finally starting to go my way...’ “I’ll have to do it.” the doctor said crisply, “Nurse, hit him with the gas so we can get started.”         The purple unicorn rushed over to Marco’s bedside, and begun purposefully tweaking with some dials and knobs connected to a device just outside his field of vision. He remained eerily motionless as she gently pulled the nozzle over to his face, mere moments from putting him under...         The old doctor was facing away at the time, sterilizing and equipping himself in preparation for the imminent surgery. “Okay.” he finally said, turning back to the scene, “The first thing we need to do is-”         The words froze in his throat as he saw the shocking scene before him. The tools he had prepared fell to the floor as he unconsciously lost his grip on them. Marco was crouching on the edge of the hospital bed, gripping the nurse around the neck with one hoof, and forcing the gas nozzle to her muzzle with the other. She fumbled weakly against his strong hold, her groans snuffed by the nozzle and eyes hazing as the gas coming from it took quick effect.           The doctor looked on in abject horror as Marco finally released the nurse, her legs limp and eyes closed, out cold. The old pony fearfully inched his way backwards as the stallion before him rose up off the bed, still too terrified to regain speech. Marco however, did not delay in addressing him. “Where’s the first aid kit?” he demanded, his voice deep, “Point it out for me won’t you?”         Still petrified, the old doctor raised a quivering hoof and pointed to a white and red box fixed to the wall behind him. By way of acknowledgement, Marco bent down and gently picked up the unicorn he had gassed. “Whoopsi-daisy...” he groaned as he hefted her up and onto the hospital bed he had just made vacant, “There we go.”         Marco promptly opened up the first aid and begun rummaging inside of it, talking to the doctor as he did so. “Don’t misunderstand.” he begun, “I don’t relish harming innocents, especially those trying to help me, which I guess you guys were essentially doing...”         Marco found a roll of bandaging in the box and he promptly begun to wrap it around his chest. “But...” he continued, “I can’t let anypony interfere. And that’s just what you were about to do. Unicorns are unpredictable, so I couldn’t take a chance in her case, but you...”         The old earth pony remained speechless, shaking in the corner of the room. “Just go.” Marco stated grimly, “I don’t care what you do, just get out of here.”         The doctor didn’t budge. “What?” Marco asked uninterested, “What is it? Are you worried about the girl? Are you worried about me? Or are you worried about yourself?”         Marco finished applying his fresh bandage. “Because I don’t care.” he said darkly, “Come at me or run away, but just get on with it. If you understand, hurry up and-”         He didn’t have a chance to finish his sentence before the doctor sprung up and bolted out the closer of the two exits, still not saying a word. Marco shrugged to himself as he checked on the unicorn he had been so brutal to. He wasn’t expecting the doctor to abandon her, but like he had told the old pony, he didn’t really care about that stuff. It was easier this way and he had much, much more important things on his mind.         He trotted over to the spare table where the nurse had placed his saddlebags and stolen uniform. He was within striking distance of the night palace, and with this disguise to call on, getting up close would be made significantly easier. And combined with his other ace-in-the-hole stashed in Zecora’s saddlebags, his path to Luna would become clear. *        *        *        *         Captain Caliber landed just outside the hospital, praying that he wasn’t too late. He briskly but cautiously made his way up to the thick double-doors. It was too quiet. He knew the place would only have one or two doctors on call at a time like this, but still, it was suspiciously inactive...         The double-doors suddenly blasted open, surprising the captain as a lone figure scrambled through the opening. Caliber didn’t waste a second as he intercepted the target, the training that had been drilled into him taking over. In the time it takes one to blink, the pegasus charged into the old stallion with lightning speed, pinning him down with his powerful forelegs. The doctor squirmed helplessly underneath the firm hold and Caliber could clearly see the fear in the earth pony’s eyes. It didn’t take long for him to find the meaning behind his panic. “Where is he?” he demanded, not easing up on his hold, “Tell me what room you came from!”         The old pony struggled slightly against the captain’s grip. “S...south W...wing.” he managed, voice trembling, “Theatre... theatre A!”         With this new information, the Caliber sprung up and off of the doctor. Without a word, or even a look back, he charged inside. Down the winding hall of the south wing he raced, theatre A only a few rooms ahead. ‘Please don’t be late...’ his mind begged, ‘Tell me he hasn’t escaped again!’         He finally reached the door to the room he was looking for, and he didn’t pause before kicking it open. But he did pause upon seeing what awaited him inside. He quickly noticed the purple unicorn lying flat on the hospital bed and the various devices scattered around, but they weren’t the first thing to grab his attention. For standing before him, halfway through re-equipping his stolen armour was an equally shocked Marco.         The two ponies both reacted at the same time, each doing different things. Marco lunged for the saddlebags next to him, and he quickly tossed the closest vial towards this new threat. He couldn’t be sure what type of potion he grabbed, he could only pray it was the one he needed...         But Caliber wasn’t waiting around any more. As soon he saw Marco go for the saddlebags, he launched across the room, crashing into the wounded earth pony with a powerful air-borne tackle. The impact was so great that Marco was flung off his hooves and into the opposite wall.         The captain was so fast that the vial Marco threw had barely left his grasp as he was struck. A full two seconds later, the potion finally hit the floor at its intended destination, but the target was no longer there. Instead, the captain had moved to its origin and was currently recoiling from his own lightning-fast tackle.         Sliding down off the wall, Marco crouched and looked through pained eyes, not at the captain, but at his potion as it arched downwards. Caliber might have evaded its trajectory, but if Marco had grabbed the right vial, as long as he was in this room he would still be under the effect...         The glass shattered, and the familiar green fog exploded outwardly. Marco was relived; it was the one he wanted-         The green cloud crept up the Caliber’s nostrils, but instead of collapsing, he scrunched up his face and clutched his nose as if in disgust. “Urgah!” he moaned, “What the hell is that smell?”         Marco couldn’t deny his curiosity, so he cautiously sniffed at the air. But what he smelt was not his modified version of Zecora’s sleeping potion. This green cloud wasn’t a gas, but fog. Froggy Bottom Bog Fog to be exact.           These particular fumes were revered for their horrible smell among pranksters, but Marco imagined their function was a bit more limited considering his purposes. “What the hell are you playing at?” Caliber roared, recovering from Marco’s unconventional attack, “Stink bombs? Are you a child?!”         The captain forced his focus to sharpen. ‘Don’t lose your cool!’ his mind cried out, ‘He’s obviously trying to distract you... and it’s working!’  “You’re under arrest!” he called out, still absorbed by confusion, “Don’t move! It’s over for you!”         Marco silently eyed Zecora’s saddlebags, which were just out of reach. If he made a break for it, it would only take a second to grab something from them. Two seconds if he wanted something specific.         The captain regained his composure just in time to see Marco make his move. The desperate earth pony only wanted one second, but Caliber only needed half that...         He moved like a blur, even faster than before. He was on Marco instantly, punishing him for the attempt with a withering strike to his chest. Once again, the earth pony thudded against the back wall, but this time his pain was voiced with a heavy gasp. The blow had hit home, right at his injured chest. “I said...” the captain called indifferently, “Don’t. Move.”         Marco didn’t move. He just sat there, gasping for air. This pegasus was so strong, and impossibly fast... if this turned into serious fight, he could tell he wouldn’t stand a chance.          And Caliber had just made it abundantly clear that Marco wouldn’t be able to take him by surprise. This one was too smart to fall for any of his tricks. “Okay... okay.” Marco sputtered, winded, “You got me. I won’t try anything.”         Caliber took two deliberate steps forward, putting his front hoof on top of the discarded saddlebags on the floor. “I don’t believe you.” he said plainly as he slid the packs out of Marco’s reach, “Although I would advise you not to. I won’t hesitate to make it so you can’t try anything should you attempt to.” “Heh.” Marco grinned, “And here I thought all you guards were dumb brutes. You don’t need to tell me you’re their boss.”         The captain just stared right through Marco. It was painfully obvious that he, even now, was trying to manipulate and unnerve him. ‘This guy...’ he thought to himself, ‘It would be best if I just assume everything coming out his mouth is constructed to make me think a certain way or lower my guard. But I need to keep talking to him. He’s the key to what Celestia’s been doing; I have to find out what his connection to is to that book.’ “Indeed.” he finally replied, “A good warrior must be not only be strong of body, but of mind as well.”         The captain didn’t stop before continuing. “Is the girl okay?” he asked, wanting to look over to the bed, but he couldn’t afford to take his eyes off Marco, “What did you do to her?”         Marco could feel the captain’s eyes constantly upon him. This guy wasn’t taking any chances, which was a smart move. Too smart. This guy was just too smart. He wouldn’t be able to outwit him, not like this at least... “I kicked her pretty hard.” he lied, “But I don’t think she’s dead.” “Is that so?” Caliber asked, aware that Marco was lying in an attempt to aggravate him, “What about the other one? Did you give him a taste of your power too?” “That weakling?” Marco hissed, “No, he ran off like a coward all by himself. He didn’t even think twice about leaving his friend here with a villain like me.” “And my guards?” he replied flatly, refusing to let Marco’s purposefully malicious tongue have its intended effect on him, “Was that more of your ‘strength’, or the manticore’s handiwork?”   “Oh yeah. That was me.” Marco added provocatively, “The manticore was useless once we got onto the ground. Maybe I drugged it too much? It probably had no idea what was going on...”                  Caliber just stared at the grey earth pony still kneeling before him. He could tell that he was being menacing by design, but further beyond that, the mechanism that was driving him to act this way was twisted in and of itself. Upon seeing this guy for what he was, the captain no longer harboured any doubt that the princess had done the right thing in her intervention. He could see it as clear as day; this guy was dangerous. These ‘underlying principles’ of his were dangerous. “What?” Marco questioned, seeing meaning behind the captain’s silence, “You can’t hold that against me! This is a battlefield!”   So it would be these principles Caliber would aim to crush. “Battle?” he questioned, “You wouldn’t be talking about the battle you’ve already lost would you?” “I put giving up behind me. You should know that.” Marco said directly, seemingly returning to his normal self, “Or is this your way of telling me you’re gonna end this? Do you think you’re strong enough to beat me?”         This struck a nerve within Caliber. “Stop talking about strength!” he said, “You really don’t get it do you? You think that enduring pain and hardship while staying dedicated to revenge is strength? You’re wrong! The battle you’ve already lost is the battle with yourself!”         Marco finally mustered the will to stand. “What the hell are you talking about?” he growled defiantly, “Are you saying that giving up on justice is somehow strength?” “There is no justice here. Only your hatred.” Caliber said evenly, “You’ve given into it. Wallowing in your hate, thinking only about revenge... that’s what makes you weak! The strong are those who rise above their pain and refuse to let it consume them. And that is where you have failed.”         Marco gritted his teeth, his rage overflowing. “Don’t be naïve!” he roared, “You can make it sound as pretty as you want, but it doesn’t mean shit in the real world! Strength is strength! It’s not subjective! You can be as magnanimous as you want, but when reality gets nasty, if you don’t have the power, it counts for nothing!” “You still don’t understand.” Caliber shook his head, almost pitying the stallion, “Every life you have and would have trampled over in order to satisfy your selfishness... they are all stronger than you. Because they believe in peace. Because they believe in real justice. Those guards, this nurse, and even that doctor... in my eyes, they’ll always be above someone like you.”         A silence developed. For a moment, neither of them said anything. It was clear that there was no common ground to be had. “You know, out of all the thing’s you’ve said...” Marco said suddenly as he looked about the room, “I’ll admit there’s one thing that made sense.”         Caliber raised an eyebrow, but maintain his suspicion. He had allowed his concentration to waver earlier, but he wasn’t beyond thinking this troubled earth pony was still planning something. “And what would that be?” he asked neutrally. “Earlier, you said that a good warrior needs to be not just strong, but smart too.” Marco replied, his voice hollow, “And you’re right. The dumb ones don’t last long...”         Caliber frowned. Where could he be going with this? “But I think the same can be said of warriors that are too smart.” Marco continued, his tone dark, “Warriors like you I mean.” “What are you talking about-” Caliber made to ask, but he didn’t get around to finishing his question. He was interrupted as his eyes saw a blur as the air between him and Marco seemed to haze...   “What am I talking about?” Marco said, changing his stance, “I’m talking about you. Were you so self-assured of your own intelligence that you thought talking to me would make a difference? Did you think that your opinions on strength and justice matter? “I hate to burst your bubble, but you are a soldier. If the way you think had value then your job wouldn’t be necessary.” he continued, his tone condescending, “Truth be told, keeping you busy like that was a real pain, but I had to find a way to buy the time I needed...”         The air hazed once again, and Caliber looked around for something that was causing it. And he found it.         Next to the hospital bed, lying inconspicuously on the floor was the business end of the gas nozzle. It was currently, and had been hissing away silently since Marco used it against the nurse earlier. But since the guard captain could see the gas in the air, it meant it was already far too late. The room was completely filled with the stuff. “Did you know it’s rather easy to spot a gas leak by smell?” Marco asked, causing Caliber to whirl and face him again, “How unfortunate that somepony threw the wrong potion...”         The captain’s eyes widened as he saw two twin black objects balanced on Marco’s hoof. It seemed as though while he had tried to identify the source of the gas leak, he had given Marco the opportunity he was waiting for to remove something from the saddlebags. “You wasted time you didn’t have on some pathetic attempt to reason with me.” Marco said condemningly, “You’ve lost your chance.”         The conclusion came to Caliber in a blinding flash. A room deliberately filled with gas plus a pony fixated on revenge. The mystery substance had to be flint. He was going to cause an explosion! ‘He wouldn’t would he?’ the captain thought, ‘Neither of us would be able to-’         Marco turned sideways as he braced to toss the objects he was gripping. But as he exposed his side, the captain saw something, and in that instant, upon realizing what he saw, he finally understood Marco’s connection to Celestia’s ramblings.         It all made sense to him now. The reason why the princess was so afraid of Marco, the reason why he felt like he had forgotten something crucial... it was now all so clear.         He had to stop him. He had to say something. Anything. “Wait! Marco!” he called, “Don’t do it-”         Marco didn’t wait. “Goodbye.” he murmured as he casually tossed the black things into the air.         The captain’s world froze as he saw the future. But that didn’t mean he wouldn’t fight it.         And so he flew. Shooting off the mark, Caliber grabbed the nurse and zipped out the room in one fluid motion. He didn’t know how long he had, but he was away in an instant, getting as far as he could before the inevitable happened. Back in Marco’s room, he watched as the twin black shapes hit the floor and connected, a quiet ‘clink’ chirped out.         The ambiguous things rolled harmlessly away at different angles. They weren’t flint. ‘What an idiot.’ Marco thought, “Did he really think I’d just blow myself up?’         Despite what the captain assumed, Marco hadn’t taken them from Zecora’s saddlebags. He had merely improvised with the rubber stoppers on a nearby medical tray. The black little balls didn’t even really look like flint orbs, but he imaged they might to somepony in a room filled with flammable gas.         Marco didn’t delay. He put the last piece of his night guard uniform on and loosely strapped on the saddlebags. The one on his right side was still full and heavy with something, but the one on his left was nearly empty. He looked inside briefly as he reached to grab one of the potions with his mouth. There was only four left, two red ones and two purple ones. And while he could work with what he had, it was still unfavourable. After all, he could barely remember how many of them it had taken for him to survive that manticore attack back at Everfree. Nevertheless, he had been saving the best for last. He pulled out one of the red tinted pots.                  While Marco was reequipping himself, Caliber was busy hip-and-shouldering his way through the double doors leading out of the hospital. Concerned only with the safety of himself and the nurse, he hadn’t given a thought to anything other than survival.         But after three seconds of lying flat in an attempt to protect his head, he realized these three seconds shouldn’t have existed in the first place. After a quick check of the nurse’s vitals, his eyes snapped back to the hospital entrance. ‘It was a bluff!’ his mind screamed as he scrambled up off the ground, ‘He played on my panic! If I had stayed calm, I would have realized he wouldn’t sacrifice himself like that! He had no reason to be carrying flit around either, and he couldn’t have found it in the hospital-’         His mind flashed back to his revelation concerning Marco’s connection with Celestia’s behaviour.  “This isn’t over!” he told himself as he flew back inside. He was done talking. This guy was too dangerous, too unstable. He had to put a stop to this now, before it was out of his control. So down the winding hallway he charged once more, clearing the distance to the hospital room in seconds.         Marco hadn’t gotten far. While the captain had barely stepped foot into the theatre, Marco was at the opposite door, with one foot out into the adjacent hall.         Caliber’s attention was immediately drawn to the red-coloured vial between Marco’s teeth, and he quickly braced himself. He didn’t need to look twice to know what this red potion was. Because, in becoming familiar with the laws surrounding its use, he had naturally come to understand the substance itself... Immolation oil. Characterized by its unique shiny bolt-red appearance, it is considered a unique kind of alchemic concoction because it’s only possible purpose is destructive. Its premise is a very special and unstable naturally occurring chemical that reacts explosively with oxygen. This chemical is then combined with a very potent flammable oil, so that when the container breaks or is breached and the mixture is exposed to air, it will burst into flames.         It didn’t take much imagination for Caliber to picture just how this effect would be amplified inside a room filled with gas. He dared not move, desperately wanting to avoid provoking Marco into using it. So in keeping still, Caliber took stock of his environment. But no matter how he looked at it, if Marco chose to drop the potion, there would be no way to intercept it in time. Both ponies were also just next to their respective exits. If they fled as the gas in the room ignited, they might escape, but neither of them would be able to completely avoid the explosion even if they ran as fast as they could. “You came back?” the potion between his teeth jiggled as he spoke, “I can’t tell if you’re smart or dumb...”         Caliber held his ground, prepared for anything. “One way to find out!” Marco called as he let go of the vial. Caliber estimated he had three seconds. Three.  He stepped out and took flight, easily twice as fast without a nurse weighing him down. For his part, Marco ran for all he was worth through the door opposite him. Two. The hallway was too winding and Caliber couldn’t gain enough speed in the maze. The hall Marco was in was direct, so he galloped down its length and rounded the corner at its end and out of harm’s way. One. The captain misjudged his next corner and bounced roughly off of the wall as he cut it too fine. Falling to the floor, he could only pray he had gotten far enough away... Zero. *        *        *        * Twilight strained her eyes as the wind rushed at her face.          Flying low, the young manticore glided soundlessly over Ponyville. If anypony in the humble town were crazy enough to still be awake, they would have seen the purple unicorn soaring purposefully over their homes on the back of a most fearsome steed. But even if one was to see, the scene would almost instantly be dismissed as a dream by virtue of it surreal nature. In the distance, the shape of Canterlot was becoming more and more visible. Twilight couldn’t help but wonder if Marco had seen this same view, even though he would never truly see it the same way she did. What would she do? What was her plan? While Marco had been able to keep focused on his strategy, Twilight had no idea what she was going to do once she got to the city, or even how she’d be able to get in. There was nothing to busy her mind with other than uncertainty. “What should I do?” she asked herself, “What can I do?”         Too many questions and not enough answers. How would she approach the problems she faced?         The beast below her snorted gruffly. Oddly enough, becoming aware of it once again gave Twilight the answer to her question. The courage to tame the manticore, the courage to trust in Fluttershy’s judgment... it all came from the same place. ‘A leap of faith.’ she thought, ‘It’s what’s brought me here, so I have to keep believing, no matter how bleak it may seem. I’ll know what to do once I get there’ Canterlot grew closer and closer. It wouldn’t be long now until she would be upon the city. The manticore gained altitude, preparing itself to go in over the southern wall that was coming into view. Twilight was surprised at just how sky-worthy manticore were in spite of their seemingly disproportionate wings. Even more so considering Fluttershy claimed that this one was only a cub.                  Twilight tried hard to push aside her fear as the ground below got further and further away. Between taking off like this and reaching Canterlot, it would be only Twilight, the manticore, and the open sky.         She focused as hard as she could on her task. Up there somewhere was Marco, and she would face all obstacles, one by one until she found him and stopped him... Suddenly, and without warning, a flash of light erupted from the top tier of Canterlot and pieced through the darkness. Twilight was stunned only for the briefest of moments, because in the next instant, the blinding white-hot glow was succeeded by a thunderous boom.           The sheer volume of the explosion was almost enough to knock Twilight off the back of the manticore. “What in the world is going on up there?” she asked herself, her expectations for what awaited taking a drastic turn. *        *        *        * Marco stumbled outside, still a bit in shock from the fierce explosion. Anypony who would underestimate the raw power of a blast like that had clearly never experienced one. His ears rung and he placed his steps awkwardly, but he had to get away from the scene as soon as possible, as this place would soon be swarming with guards. After all, nopony in their right mind would stick to their post after what he just did. If he’d guessed right and Caliber was the leader, and it was also safe to assume that he was now out of the picture, then that would mean the time was about right for him to throw the rest of the guard into chaos. In the safety of an inconspicuous alleyway, Marco took off Zecora’s saddlebags. The leftmost one now contained a measly three potions, but the one on the right, the one that had yet to be opened, was still full to bursting. In fact, out of everything he carried with him, the objects that became visible as he opened the bag were suspiciously unsuspicious. They were apples. Just a whole lot of apples. Normal apples too; they were unmodified, completely edible, and safe. There were fifteen of them. Marco pulled them all out, and one by one arranged them into a strange pattern. One apple followed by two, two followed by four, four followed by eight; with each row, the number doubled itself. Back in Zecora’s saddlebag, there was an additional object that had become visible, previously buried beneath all the fruit. It was just a normal old jar, but unlike Marco’s other containers, this one was dotted with holes, so its contents were obviously not a potion. Inside it, buzzing around harmlessly was a tiny, innocent-looking, bulbous insect. Marco screwed off the top and pulled the vibrant parasprite out of the jar. The cute thing tried to fly away, but Marco was obviously not going to let that happen. “Whoa there little guy!” he said, keeping a firm hold, “I don’t know how long the zebra lady had you cooped up in that thing, but I can’t set you free just yet...”         Marco grabbed the first apple in his strange pattern. “Here, I bet you’re hungry.” he said, holding the fruit up to the parasprite’s mouth, “Don’t worry. It’s safe...”         The tiny bug didn’t hesitate before chomping down hard on the apple, taking the whole thing in with one bite, despite its size. Marco didn’t hesitate either, letting go of the parasprite and bending down to grab the next row of apples, the one that contained two.         As he rose, bearing more fruit, the little insect was in the process of gagging, apparently about to spit something up. “Perfect.” Marco smiled with satisfaction, knowing what came next, “This should do the trick...”         The parasprite, as if on queue, coughed up a vibrant bulb of gooey fuzz. But before the substance lost altitude, a pair of eyes, legs and wings popped out. The parasprite had duplicated... “What about you?” Marco asked the recently spawned creature, “Hungry, right?”         After only a few minutes, and fourteen more apples, the two parasprites had become four, and the four had become eight, and the eight had become sixteen. Marco had spawned the makings of a swarm.         He could hear the sounds of guards running around frantic, responding to the fire as his tiny parasprite army marched off on their quest for more food. This was going just as planned, or perhaps even better than planned. The swarm would continue to multiply exponentially, and between the chaos they were soon to ensue and the effects from the explosion, the guard would be in disarray. But more importantly, they would be focused only on these two incidents.         And without their captain to tell them any different, even the biggest idiot would treat these two sudden and unexpected events as related. So with the entire guard moments away from erupting into a complete frenzy of confusion, Marco’s stolen uniform took on a whole new level of effectiveness. He would be able to walk straight to the night palace unhindered. It was just too perfect...         But for now Marco had to wait. He couldn’t risk moving openly until the parasprites had done their job. So he just sat, visualizing his strategy for going up against Luna. Even if it went exactly as he expected, it would be the most difficult of all his encounters tonight.         He centred himself, bringing back the determination he found in the forest, during his most trying moment when things seemed hopeless. He would need it all. The resolve it took to rise against friends, the strength it took to exceed the manticore, and the prudence it took to overcome the captain... he would have to harness all this power and more to fulfil his promise, and to satisfy his justice. It had come to this. After all the roads that lead here, obstacle after obstacle, Marco was a stone’s throw away from carrying out his responsibility. And all that stood in the way was this last trial. All it would take to see it accomplished was this one final effort. *        *        *        * There would be no way Twilight could find Marco in all this chaos.         Still upon the back of the young manticore, she had managed to fly in unannounced without any resistance. After all, everypony was just too distracted. Various guards were in an uncoordinated mess doing damage control and putting out the fire, while the rest of them scrambled alongside the civilians, trying in vain to bring the horde of parasprites under control.         Without her command, the manticore circled high above the top tier of Canterlot, waiting for some kind of direction. But what could Twilight do? Any action she took would have to be deliberate and directly concerning Marco, but as it stood, there was nothing for her to be certain of. If she charged in without thinking it through, she’d be absorbed by the pandemonium and wouldn’t be able to help anypony. She couldn’t think of a spell she could use to help in this situation either. While her best bet would’ve been to use magic to calm the bedlam, Twilight didn’t think she was up to the task. After all, the last time she tried to quell a parasprite infestation, she only made it worse. And putting out the fire at the hospital would require elemental conjuring magic, and while water was the easiest of all the elements to create, only a handful of Celestia’s students had been taught the art, and Twilight was not yet among such students. And on top of all that, Twilight wasn’t comfortable expending any more of her magic. Of all unicorns schooled in magic, one of the first things that gets drilled incessantly into their minds are the consequences of over-exerting their abilities. And while she hadn’t the place to recall the different stages a unicorn goes through if they go beyond their limits, Twilight was conscious of the fact that she was approaching these limits. In truth, the spell she had strained over back at Zecora’s hut would eventually take its toll on her body, but such consequences would come later. For now, Twilight wouldn’t risk using any more magic for fear she would need it if she were to confront Marco once more. Applejack’s final words rung in Twilight’s ears. ‘No matter what you have to do, stop him before it’s too late.’ the memory of her pained friend’s voice begged, ‘Before its too late for anypony...’         And she would. Regardless of the cost to herself, she had seen enough back then to know how important it was to end this, and she had seen enough here to know the task would now fall to her... she truly was the only one left who had any chance of stopping Marco. The captain was out of the picture and Celestia herself was preoccupied with the imminent sunrise. Twilight was the only one remaining who knew what his intentions were.          And then it hit her. She might not be able to figure out where he was at the moment, but no matter what, the place he’d end up would be the night palace. It was her best chance, but she couldn’t think of a way to communicate it to the manticore...         The beast suddenly and unexpectedly growled before zooming downwards in a very deliberate direction. ‘What is she doing?’ Twilight thought as she struggled to hang on, ‘What’s gotten into her? This isn’t the right way!’         Twilight didn’t understand. ‘What could it be sensing?’ she wondered to herself, until it finally clicked, ‘Sensing! Of course! Smell! It must have picked up on the scent of blood!’         The young manticore growled again. It was clearly mad. “Can she tell it belongs to him?” Twilight asked herself, “Where are you taking me?”         The answer became obvious as the night palace came into view. Twilight feared she might have been too late, but the manticore suddenly lurched downwards and thumped down hard to the ground not far from the palace itself.         Twilight quickly noticed that there wasn’t a single guard in sight. That is, aside from the one that the manticore had just intercepted. The one who’s thick bandaging and lack of wings betrayed the guise of a regular night guard.         Marco instinctively braced himself at the sight of another manticore, but his attention was quickly diverted to the figure on its back. To say that he couldn’t believe his eyes would be an understatement in the extreme. “No...” he whispered in shock, taking off his stolen helmet, “She couldn’t have...” “Marco!” Twilight yelled as she dismounted from the manticore, “Stop!” “Damn it Twilight!” Marco said condemningly, “Why did you come here? Get out of here now!” “Not until you stop this foolishness!” she roared, determined not to give an inch. “Why must you keep interfering?” Marco replied, “This has nothing to do with you!” “But it does!” Twilight retorted, “You’re not alone anymore. We understand-” “Stop telling me you understand!” Marco interrupted, “No one does! No one ever will! No one will ever know why I must to do this!”         Twilight quickly identified her next line of persuasion.  “Macro you can’t do this. You can’t let anger blind you.” she reasoned, “If you do this, the only thing you’ll do is cause more of the same pain you’ve been suffering from!” “You don’t get it do you Twilight?” he replied simply, “This isn’t about getting revenge. “I have no delusions.” Marco continued, his words taking her by surprise, “Everypony I ever knew died that night. But they’re dead and gone; buried in the ashes. I’m not here to make Luna pay. “I’m the only one who lived Twilight.” his eyes met with those of the speechless unicorn before him, “Its my responsibility to make sure that there are consequences!” Twilight couldn’t accept this. “You’re wrong.” she said bravely, “You can’t see past your rage. If it’s true you’re the only one left, then it means you’re the only one left still bearing a grudge. If you stopped right now, it would end with you. Your ‘responsibility’ is to forgive. Give up on vengeance! You can’t let yourself perpetuate any more suffering!” “Give up?!” Marco was fuming, “Wake up Twilight! You’re asking me to give up on justice! It might sound all well and good just talking about letting go, living and let living and all that, but that’s all it is... empty words! It doesn’t work in reality! “If I just let it slide... let the death of a whole village be ignored, that would be the worst injustice! What would stop something disastrous happening again?” he continued, each word laced with retribution, “Even if Luna didn’t know how much an eternal night was going to affect the world, the truth is that the consequences extended far beyond just Ponyville. “The same sun shines upon all of Equestria, Twilight.” Marco concluded, “When something like that is taken away, the effects go beyond what you can see with your eyes.” “Please Marco...” Twilight pleaded softly, “I didn’t come here just to stop you. I came for you. “Even if you won’t give up on your ‘justice’, don’t give up on yourself!” she said, taking a step closer, “You can stare me down and tell me that forgiveness is impossible. You can yell all you want about how virtues are unrealistic...” “But Marco...” she continued, “Look me in the eye and tell me its impossible for you to forgive!” Marco looked her in the eye. “Twilight...” he said evenly, “It’s not hard to criticize, but the fact is that the reason I am standing here before you is because I resolved to act. I committed myself to upholding what I thought was right. “You can go on and on...” Marco continued, the anger rising in his voice, “Telling me every way that I am wrong, but unless you can actually tell me what I ought to do, everything you say is useless!”         Marco’s eyes glazed over as he finally opened his heart and made his true emotions bare. The barriers that had guarded him dropped suddenly as his fury evolved. “Tell me what I should do!” he roared, wrath plaguing every syllable, “Make me believe it!”         Twilight was beyond frightened, but she couldn’t allow it to gain purchase. Not this time. “Maybe you’re right.” she said gently, “Maybe no one understands...”         She gave Marco one hell of a look. “Because I think even you don’t know who you are anymore.” she said accusingly, “You’ve suffered through so much that you’ve become a stranger to yourself...”         Twilight paused for a moment, Rarity’s rambling taking on a whole new level of sense. “The darkness inside has changed you.” she finally continued, “Taken hold of your thoughts and corrupted the truths you live by. “And you’re still trapped by it, even now.” she said gently, “The evils that robbed you of what you held dear trapped you in an illusion, an illusion you could not escape...”         Twilight was in the zone. After what she had been through to get here, and after seeing Marco once more, the stray fragments of her understanding were finally coming together. “Do you remember when Rarity pulled you back from your nightmare?” she asked, “She told you it was all fake and woke you up. It’s the same thing here. If you realize these thoughts aren’t your own, if you realize that this isn’t you, if you realize what you’re becoming, if you let me help you... I can pull you away from this nightmare!”         The stallion still hadn’t moved. “Please Marco...” Twilight pleaded, “Does any part of you still want to move forward? Don’t you want to see what tomorrow will bring? Is there anything other than vengeance and hate in your heart? Because love and forgiveness don’t just come. You have to want them.”         Marco was still speechless. “Say something!” Twilight called, “It doesn’t matter how hard it may seem. As long as you desire forgiveness, it will thrive!”         Marco’s eyes were distant, and even though he was staring right at her, Twilight could tell he wasn’t looking at her. “You have to take the first step.” she said suddenly, pulling the stallion back into the moment, “It’s the one and only thing you must do on your own. I need to hear you say it... “Tell me you haven’t given up on yourself!” she yelled, “Tell me what you truly want!”         Marco made to answer Twilight, but before he could, something happened that neither of them expected, but both recognized. Twilight watched in horror as the sinister black fog exploded outwards from where Marco was standing, and it didn’t take but a moment for her to realize what it was. This dark energy was the one she and her friends had purged from Luna when it had turned her into the wicked mare of darkness. This was Nightmare Moon.         She had no way of knowing how or why this evil still existed, but in being sure she was not hallucinating, she could be certain of why it was here and what it wanted... “Am I interrupting?” it hissed, with no apparent source other than the mass of fog blocking her path to Marco, “I am so very sorry, but I think you’ve said quite enough...” “How?” Twilight stuttered, “I thought we destroyed you!” “Destroy? Me?” the voice cackled a malicious laugh, “Your little elements of harmony might have been able to break my hold on the young princess, but seriously? You thought such a thing could harm me?” “Where is he?” Twilight demanded, ignoring the voice, “What have you done?” “Oh... nothing. We just need some privacy is all.” it said dismissively, “I can’t have you screwing around with my new toy now can I?”           Twilight tried to stand her ground, but the ‘danger’ radiating from the insidious cloud was overwhelming. Regardless of what had become of Marco, she needed to get out of here.         The voice chuckled evilly, perhaps sensing Twilight’s fear. “What are you going to do?” it provoked, “Come on, try something! Let’s see what you’ve got!”         Twilight’s horn pulsed as a bright purple light enveloped her and disappeared, and as it faded, she had vanished along with it. With another flash, further away from where she once was, Twilight reappeared veiled in the purple light. It seemed as though, even in her weakened state, she had managed a teleportation spell. But the destination was neither towards Marco and the cloud nor away from them. It almost seemed as if she failed her spell and fallen short of her intended destination.                  But Twilight was exactly where she wanted to be. Now next to the young manticore, she clambered upon its back and nudged it to take off. The voice chuckled again to see Twilight flee. In disregarding her, the black cloud drew inwards, further enveloping the area where Marco had been.         Twilight shot a look back to the scene as she escaped the night palace. She didn’t stand a chance against such dark magic. So she had to run; run and find the only one who could possibly know what to do.         She had to tell Celestia. The princess would know what to do. Twilight just hoped she found her in time... before it was too late. Back down at the night palace, Marco’s world took upon a sudden change. Time froze, and all light was snuffed out. The wind just vanished, stuck in the air...         Marco felt fear as these things were suddenly stolen from his senses. Everything had been stopped dead and a grim silence begun to rule. It was like a dream. No... a nightmare.   “Little Marco...” a voice said suddenly; it was fluid, feminine, venomous and seductive all at once, “What are we going to do with you?” “Who are you? What is this?!” the stallion called frantically, “Show yourself!”         A thin, deep black and blue cloud materialized and coiled softly around Marco. “I am without a name or form.” she said softly, “But even then, if you think hard enough, you should be able to figure out a name by which you know me...” “This presence...” Marco replied darkly, “You’re what they called Nightmare Moon.” “Oh? What’s the matter?” she said changing pitch, “You don’t sound very happy to see me. You could hurt my feelings...” “What do you want with me?” Marco snapped back. “Down to business already?” she said smoothly, “How cute. I always liked that about you...”         Marco took a shocked step backwards. He was loosing his ability to stay cool and collected with this sinister voice bearing down on him. “Hrm? Don’t pretend to be surprised. Surely you’ve felt my eyes upon you?” she continued, “No? A pity. I just couldn’t help myself. You’re such an interesting case after all.” “I asked you what you want!” Marco demanded, not amused in the slightest. “I want to help you, my child.” she said smoothly, “I think you have potential...” “What makes you think I want anything to do with you?” he spat, “Have you forgotten what you did?!” “Oh, don’t be like that.” she said dismissively, “I’ve seen it. You don’t blame me for what happened. Otherwise you’d be out there looking for the dragon that-” “Shut up and go away.” Marco cut in, “I don’t want to hear it from you.”         The voice didn’t detract from what she was saying. “You’re after the one who let them off the leash.” she probed, “You’re after the first cause. Luna...” “What does she have to do with you?” Marco asked, changing his tone. “Nothing anymore.” she said truthfully, “You however, significantly more...”         The sparkling blue and black cloud coiled in closer. “I’m here because you can’t handle her as you are-” “Enough!” Marco interrupted, “I can take care of myself!”         Nightmare Moon’s aura backed up considerably. “You’re kidding right?” she said surprised, “Don’t you remember what happened the last time you went up against a princess? No matter what you might be thinking, you wouldn’t last a second. You? Against alicorn magic? Please. You’d be no different than an insect to her. Powerless. Out of your league...”         He didn’t respond, so the voice seized the opportunity. “But I can change that.” she whispered, “I can give you the power you desire. All you have to do is open your heart to me. “You don’t need to hide around me Marco.” she continued disarmingly, “I can see you. I can see you for what you are. I can see the hatred inside your heart. And I think it’s simply beautiful. “I’m giving you the chance to embrace your true nature.” she offered, “You can stop pretending if you let me in. “Do it.” she beckoned, “Say yes.”         Marco didn’t falter. “No.” he refused, not a sliver of hesitation to his voice. “No?” she repeated in surprise, “And here I thought you were smart. You need me...”         Marco closed his eyes seriously. “Maybe you’re right.” he said softly, “Maybe I am walking into a slaughter. But I don’t want the kind of power you’re trying to give me.” “I’m not trying to give you anything. Nor am I trying to take anything away.” she continued without loosing momentum, “You already have the power inside, I only want to see it awakened. Don’t try to run from your hate. Don’t try to hide who you truly are-” “Stop!” Marco yelled, “You’re wrong about me! This isn’t about hatred! This is about doing what’s right! It’s about justice!” “Do you really think you can feed me those same lies?” she replied darkly, “The little unicorn might still be ignorant, but you underestimate me. My eyes see all. I’ve seen your reality. I know the truths behind who you are and what you’ve become.”         She moved her cloud in on him once more. “It’s time to stop being weak.” she taunted, “Take my power and make it your own. I’m offering you what you’ve always wanted! Strength! It’s yours for the taking!” “It’s meaningless.” Marco whispered ever so softly, and the cloud drew in somewhat. “What?” the voice asked, either not believing, or not properly hearing what the stallion had just said... “I said it’s meaningless!” Marco roared defiantly, “Just having strength is meaningless! There’s no point in gaining power if it turns you against everything you stand for! “I only want to do what’s right by them!” he said glaring, “There’s nothing else!”         The grim cloud seemed to shudder as it frothed with some kind of emotion. “You poor, poor foal.” she said arrogantly, “You really are messed up aren’t you? You’ve been telling yourself the same lies for so long you actually believe them. That’s so sad. So pathetic. “Actually, its tragic.” she continued, changing tune once more, “The unicorn girl was right. Your whole reality is just some messed-up daydream you can’t wake up from. I came here because I know you for what you are inside, but I never expected you to be blind to it. “Your whole existence is fake...” she pushed, “But I can open your eyes! I can show you the truth!”         The seamless cloud seemed to bubble with sensation. “I will never lie to you, and I will always understand you. All I need is your acceptance.” she spoke, each word carefully chosen, “Give it to me. What’s your answer?” “No!” Marco roared, “Not now, and not ever! Go away!”         The black and purple fog melted backwards, draining away from him. “Fine. I’ll leave you to your misery.” she said withdrawn, “But I’ll always be here, waiting for you to face reality. You can’t escape your fate... you can’t keep the hate at bay forever-” “I said...” Marco yelled for the final time, “Leave me alone!”         The world flashed back, and all those foreign senses returned as if they never left. It was if nothing had happened, as if none of it was real. But he knew just how real it truly was.         The flames at the hospital glowed not far in the distance, and tiny parasprite army buzzed overhead and all around. The door to the night palace was still was just out of reach. The only thing that was different was that Twilight and the manticore were no longer here. Time, it seemed, had continued to flow while Nightmare Moon had badgered him with her rotten temptation.         Marco grimaced as thoughts of what she, Twilight, her friends, and even the guard captain had said crept into his mind. “Stop it.” He commanded himself, “They’re all gone now. They’re out of the way. So don’t dwell on what they’ve said... not when you’re so close.”         And just like that, the realization dawned on him. “I am so close.” he said aloud, the truth of it almost unbelievable, “There’s nothing in the way anymore. She... she’s right there!”         He galloped as fast as he could up to the massive door to the night palace, and stopped dead when he reached it. This was it. This was the moment. The mere thought of it had kept him going and driving him forward. And now, through it all, he was finally here.         He steeled himself. He knew what needed to be done, but he knew it would be hard fought. ‘Stick to the plan.’ he thought to himself as he unclipped Zecora’s saddlebags for the final time, and positioned them so they would remain opened, ‘Don’t falter now...’         Marco closed his eyes and stood motionless for a few moments, centring himself and preparing his mind for the task ahead. ‘No time for pride, hatred or pity.’ his mind chanted, ‘Such things have no function, and they will serve only to slow you in both body and mind. Ignore your intentions and focus only on the outcome. Don’t jeopardize the cause with needless emotion.’         And with his resolve proclaimed, Marco violently kicked open the door and strode inside, his eyes scanning, prepared for anything- “So you’ve come?” a soft voice echoed all through the chamber, causing Marco to search for the source. It didn’t take him very long to find it... Princess Luna, the younger of the royal sisters was standing passively towards the back of the chamber. Her expression was masked by shadows, but her figure was unmistakable.           It was her. She was alone, out in the open, and prepared. “It seems as if the sins of my past have finally caught up to me.” the princess spoke once more, “I have been waiting for you... Marco.”         To hear his name used, his eyes locked onto the target standing idly at the far end of the otherwise abandoned palace.         To call someone your enemy and seek them is one thing, but to see their face for the first time, is another. Marco’s blood boiled with fury as he seethed with the most powerful emotions he’d ever felt. It came so naturally. Pure and unmitigated hatred...         And so, in the blink of an eye, everything he told himself he’d ignore rushed to the surface as he charged across the room, rushing recklessly towards his enemy. “Luna!”