After the Fact

by The dead Pixel Brony

Beatings given

It had been a few days since Luna had been by to see me. Not unusual, seeing as she does have duties to see to.

I decided to go on a walk, being cooped up in that room for about a month now. I knew I would scare a few of the ponies that were not used to me yet, but it just comes with what I am now, I guess. Luna said I was free to move about as I please, being a guest here.

My high tops make a weird squeak on the marble as I walk.

The hallway I'm in is devoid of the usual staff that frequent it, from what I've seen the few times I was needed outside my room. I round a corner, headed towards the gardens outside.

Then I hear the scream.

A feminine one.

A familiar one.

Its Luna.

I break out into a run, going faster than I should have been able to. I don't turn the corners I take. I slam into the walls, smashing stone, and tearing it out as I pull away and keep running.

I make it to the throne room, being there a few times. I don't slow down. Skidding to a hard stop just inside the room, I see that the doors have been blown apart.

The sight before me makes the anger return.

A centaur looking creature is holding Celestia up by her throat. Luna and a pink alicorn I haven't met yet are laying on the floor in a weakened heap. Luna looks up and sees me.

"T-Thomas?" she meekly asks.

The anger is surging through me. It wants control.

I let it have it.

A roar that isn't mine rips it way out of my throat as I fall into darkness.

I watch in terror filled amazement as Thomas lets out an unearthly roar. I am reminded of the first night we met as the black mist seeps from his mouth.

Bending his legs, Thomas kicked off with strength he should not possess, slamming into Tirek a second later. My sister falls from Tirek's grasp as the two go hurling through a wall.

Struggling to my hooves, I make my way towards the hole. Looking through it, I see the two slamming and punching each other through the castle in a frenzied fight, utterly destroying it.

Their fight takes them near the edge of the cliff.

"Thomas!" I weakly cry out.

I can do nothing as the two go flying off the edge.

A roar echoes across the valley. A familiar one, bring flashes of the night Thomas was in Ponyville after he was changed.

Looking towards Canterlot, I see a tower start to fall. A second later, explosions of rock tear path down the mountain, shortly ending at the bottom.

"Twilight!" I hear Rainbow Dash yell from behind me. "Whats going on over there!?"

I turn to see her hovering a few paces away from me, her gaze transfixed on the mountain.

The roar comes again, but is cut off this time.

A loud whistling fills the air.

With a loud crash, something slams through the bell tower above town hall, and continues flying towards the Everfree.

"Rainbow!" I yell, flapping my wings. "Gather the girls! I'll be back!"

With a salute, Rainbow flies off as I head for the everfree.

It doesn't take me long to find what was sent flying, but I already knew who it was. Lying in a heap of broken trees and dark black blood, was Thomas. A black mist leaked from his injuries, amazingly few that they were.

I fly down towards him cautiously.

"Thomas!" I yell out as I near him.

He stirs a little bit, opening his eyes and blinking them without focus a few times. I walk a bit closer to him as he sits up.

"Thomas?" I ask, stopping a small distance away just to be safe. He may not have been in control last time he was like this, but I have seen what he is capable of.

He looks my way, squinting his eyes in an effort to get them to focus, I guess. He growls a bit, then stands up. I backpedal a bit further away.

"Thomas!" I yell to get his attention, lighting up my horn to be ready to defend myself. "What are you doing?"

"Fighting." he rumbles in an unfocused way, walking past me.

I stare at him in a bit of bewilderment as he calmly walks past. Shaking my head, I gallop after him.

"Fighting? Fighting who?" I ask, slowing to trot as I come around to his side, looking up at his face.

"Big monster. Hurt Luna." he rumbles.

"Tirek?" I ask, worry building in my gut. "How did he hurt her?"

"Made weak. In throne room. Kill it." he snarls that last bit.

"Made weak?" I mutter to myself.

Then it clicks.

"Wait! Tirek didn't make them weak, they gave me their powers to keep them away from Tirek." he comes to a stop. His eyes dart back and forth in thought

He looks towards me.

"Tell me what to do."

"Princess Twilight Sparkle!" Tirek bellows from the field he is standing in, looking at me as I stand on top of a boulder. "You have something that belongs to me!"

Then Thomas attacked. With a roar and more black mist, Thomas launches himself towards Tirek, slamming into his chest. As Thomas distracts him, I launch an energy ball at the pair.

Seeing the ball coming, Thomas punches Tirek in the gut, then flings himself out of the way. The ball impacts with a mighty boom. The cloud left over from the explosion parts as Tirek returns fire. I teleport out of the way.

Thomas and I fight him like this for awhile. Thomas hitting and throwing him, as I fired balls of explosive energy at him. The fight was evenly matched, Tirek withstanding our attacks, and dishing back out what was given. It ended with the three of us standing in a crater. Tirek and I were no worse for wear, but Thomas was bleeding heavily, his clothes almost gone from the blows.

"It seems we are at an impasse." Tirek stated, saring us both down. He looked towards Thomas. "I don't know what you are, but my respects to someone who could fight me face to face like that." Tirek nodded.

Thomas growled.

"Now, Princess, why don't we bargain for your friends?" he snapped his fingers, and bubbles containing all of my friends, including Spike and Discord appeared above his head. "The alicorn magic in exchange for your friends?"

Thomas lept at Tirek with a snarl.

Tirek easily caught him with his hand. Thomas struggled, using his free arm to.beat at Tirek's hand, his blows moving much slower than they were.

"I was talking." Tirek growled, grabbing Thomas' free arm with his other hand.

Then Tirek ripped his arm off.

Not even giving Thomas a second the scream, Tirek threw Thomas like a ragdoll over my head.

"Thomas!" I yelled, about to fly after him, but Tirek's words stopped me.

"Leave and I'll do the same to the rest of your friends." Tirek laughed.

I stared off where Thomas was thrown. My wings lowered to the ground as I made a decision.

"I'm sorry Thomas." I muttered, turning around.