The Four Stallions of the Apocalypse: Broken Formation

by UltimateRuin009

Chapter 4 (Revised)

Chapter 4

Spike awoke from his bed but only for an instant. “We, got to stop, Nightmare…” and with that he drifted back to sleep.

“Oh Spike, you’ve been up all night.” said Twilight. “But you’re still only a baby dragon.” Twilight and Connor have been looking throughout the library looking for anything on the Elements of Harmony. Connor knows of their powers from before, being there as it demonstrated on him, and since then he’s been to a place worse then the moon.

“God dammit where the hell is any book on those elements!” exclaimed Connor.

“You know you don’t have to swear so much.” said Twilight. She wore a scowl on her face but Connor didn’t care about it.

“Well gee sorry for having the same mouth I had one thousand years ago, being banished didn’t help learn much modern culture.” said Connor with an irritated look on his face. They both glared at each other for a couple of seconds then minded their own business’s as they continued looking for a book on the elements. After some time Connor felt guilty but those thoughts left as Rainbow Dash flew through the door, nearly crashing into it.

“Okay, so who are you REALLY and what are these elements?” asked Rainbow irritated. Applejack grabbed her by the tail and pulled her back.

“Look, if ya’ll aren’t REALLY Connor just tell all of us. We don’t wanna have liar’s here.” said Applejack. She looked sincere saying that, if Connor was in her shoes he’d sound more harsh and would sound threatening, but as it seems Connor is just learning how to stop being his old self.

“I understand your concern, and I may have lied to you as of who I am. But believe me when I say that Connor is my real name, I don’t go by War anymore.” said Connor.

“But those three other ponies ya’ll were fightin’, they called you by that though.” said Applejack.

“Listen, I know what they called me, but I’m only War when I’m in that form, and as you can see I'm not. I’m not here to infiltrate anything, nor am I to hurt anypony, not even Nightmare Moon, I’m only here to prevent tragedies, nothing more.” said Connor.

Applejack took a minute to observe Connor’s face, and when she seemed satisfied, she looked deep into his eyes. Connor was wondering why she did it but he had to show that he was truthfully being honest with her, for he could tell why she was looking into him, staring through him. She was done when she said,

“You’re telling the truth.” Applejack then walked over to Twilight, on her way saying also, “And ah hope that ya won't be haunted anymore.” Connor was right on one thing; she really was looking right through him, or at least could tell what was wrong with him. Twilight looked at Connor with a bit of concern as to what Applejack had said to Connor but he didn’t bother looking at Applejack after what she had said. “Now sugarcube, mind telling us what these elements are?”

“Well I don’t really know much about them, that’s why we’re in here lies a book about them, I don’t know where it is though.” said Twilight. Then suddenly out of nowhere, almost literally Pinkie Pie had a book in her hoof.

“Here it is!” exclaimed Pinkie Pie. Twilight looked at the cover of the book shocked.

“A reference guide to the Elements of Harmony, but how did you find it so quickly?” asked Twilight overly confused.

“It was under the E section.” said Pinkie Pie. Something about her tone made Twilight quickly think that she was being condescending but this wasn’t the time to argue about it. She flipped through the pages of the book quickly until she finally hit a page where she wanted to be.

“Alright, the elements of harmony, 6 in total are the forces that bind Equestria and the world together through Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Loyalty, and finally the 6th and most powerful element, Magic,” read Twilight. “A spark will ignite the sixth element to appear after all the other five have come together.” The text came with a picture featuring a web of 5 different colored gems, representing the five separate elements with a bigger gem in the middle of it representing the element of magic.

“It is said here that the elements last known location was in the Everfree forest.” finished Twilight. She gulped at those words and so did the other 5 mares in the room.

“Then we have no time to waste.” said Connor. He proceeded to go through the door as he looked back not hearing the hoof steps of the others following. “Look, I understand the risks, the Everfree forest was never the safest place to be but if we don’t go, it’ll be hell on earth and afterwards nothing can stop it, it’s either now or never.” The mares agreed with Connor and Rarity walked up to him and looked him dead in the eye.

“He’s right girls, I’m not sure about the hell on earth bit but I know that if we don’t do it now we won’t be able to do it again.” said Rarity. Connor had to smile a bit, Rarity seemed more understanding then before, back then she was just too flirtatious, now it just seems otherwise. They were walking out the door when they noticed Fluttershy wasn’t with them. Connor knew what he had to do.

Fluttershy was walking away from Connor, much like how Twilight did back at the town hall but Connor didn’t make any sudden movements. “Look, I won’t hurt you, I would rather kill myself before hurting you or anypony in this town.” said Connor sincerely. “But I know that we need you, just as much as you need us I think. I will not let a single thing in that forest lay so much of a finger or hoof on you, okay?” Fluttershy stopped backing away as she walked up to Connor and she nodded.

“Alright, I’ll tag along.” said Fluttershy. Connor noticed she still sounded too unsure of herself still, he expected as much but it was alright, he didn’t expect her to completely secure of herself. With one look back Connor saw that the mares we're ready for the adventure they were to make, it was a rag-tag little gang but none the less very necessary for what they had to do. These were the ponies needed for this trip, and they just had to stop Nightmare Moon.

“Let’s ride.” said Connor. He neighed and stood on his back hooves as a form of dominance as the mares followed suit except for Fluttershy and Twilight and they all galloped to the Everfree forest, they’re mission set and goals made.

“I will make things right, for Equestria, I will not repeat my history.” thought Connor.

---

They hit the entrance of the Everfree forest as a clear path was there, seemingly already set for them as if destiny had this pre-determined. Connor ignored that thought as he led the 6 mares through the path.

“Alright, no turning back girls.” said Connor, looking back at them. They all looked determined with their silent nods, knowing what had to be done. They all walked through the path as Rainbow Dash stayed along with Fluttershy to help make sure she wasn’t too scared to continue onward. They continued until they hit a cliff and they stopped right there, looking for any other paths.

“Well, the only path we’d be able to find is the direction we all came back from.” said Twilight. Connor knew she was right but there had to be another way.

The black smog from before was back, but doesn’t bother to change form back to the 4 alicorns from which it came from. It went right into the rock and broke off the support of the bit of the cliff that would seem logical for it to break off and went out of the rock. The smog went off to accomplish some other deed to get the ponies off tract from the elements.

Finally Rainbow Dash walked over near the edge with the rest. “Well, this is kind of a bust, no other path but down.” said Rainbow. Then almost if it was all too easy, the part of the cliff from where everyone was collapsed; Rainbow and Fluttershy were fine immediately since being pegasi they had wings. However the rest of the ponies were sliding down the rock for another cliff came up when they were sliding down. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy was able to save Pinkie and Rarity, setting them on the ground while Applejack, Twilight and Connor were sliding down.

Connor was able to hold his ground good enough to traverse the slippery mud of the ground as he was able to jump down from the cliff off of several jump points. He looked back up to see Applejack grabbing a hold of Twilight’s hooves. Connor knew what he had to do.

“Applejack, pull me up! Please!” plead Twilight. Applejack had a moment of doubt, she was one tough pony but she wouldn’t be able to pull up Twilight, she didn’t have the strength. Then all of a sudden, some ponies caught her eye.

“Twilight, let go.” said Applejack. That was the craziest thing that she had heard in her life. Her life hung in the balance in one pony’s hooves and she’s telling her to let go.

“Are you crazy?!” asked Twilight.

“Look Twi,” said Applejack. “I would never to tell you that if I knew it would hurt you, now I will ask ya’ll again, let go.” Twilight was in major doubt but she knew Applejack was right, she barely knew her she knew that Applejack was an honest one. So Twilight did as Applejack told her and let go.

She was falling, wailing around as anypony would and then was caught by Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. They weren’t fully prepared to catch Twilight so then they both let go, but mostly out of the weight of Twilight Sparkle. Applejack gasped as she was scared to death, she froze up into a mental and physical lock-down as she felt unable to do anything next.

Connor was running off of the walls of the canyon they were in and right before she was too close to the ground. He jumped off the wall and caught Twilight Sparkle on his back. His hooves hit the other side of the canyon as he held on for dear life, sliding down the wall. “Dammit not yet.” thought Connor. He saw that he was low enough to the ground as it would be to be safe then jumped off the wall and hit the ground with his hooves, nearly breaking them but Twilight was good.

“You okay?” asked Connor.

“Yeah, just fine really, thanks.” said Twilight. The two pegasi floating down towards the ground as they landed safely.

“Uh, fellas?” asked Applejack. Everyone’s attention diverted to Applejack, at the edge of the cliff still. “Is anypony gonna help me down from here?”

---

The 6 mares and Connor continued their path forward, Connor despite nearly breaking his legs just kept going. In his mind, pain was weakness, weakness was giving up, giving up was surrender, surrender was cowardly, and he never was a coward. Fluttershy and Rainbow went up to Twilight. “Sorry that we weren’t able to catch you.” said Rainbow. “And having enough strength to keep you up.”

“Its okay girls, I think anypony would make that mistake too, not just you two.” said Twilight.

“I wouldn’t.” said Connor. Twilight and Rainbow Dash looked at Connor with disgust while Fluttershy turned her head away in shame.

“What’s your problem?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“I have no problems with any of you mares, however I’m merely stating the obvious, I wouldn’t because I don’t have wings.” said Connor. Connor looked back at the three with a big grin on his face. “Problem?” Rainbow Dash grunted in disgust as a loud thump hit the ground just in front of all of them.

The creature had a man’s face, lion’s body and a scorpion’s tail. They all knew what this creature was called, a Manticore, a magical creature of all the above features. Connor immediately took up his position. “Get back!” yelled Connor. His eyes fixated on the Manticore as it charged up to Connor. Connor expected everything from anything, and he wouldn’t let his mind off in the heat of a 1 on 1 battle.

The Manticore was the first to strike, flailing its front paw with claws as sharp as diamonds coming in fast. Connor was barely able to dodge the attack and had done the same, hitting the Manticore with his might and making the creature fly back a bit. The wings of the beast caught the wind allowing it to get ground with graceful ease. Rainbow Dash was cheering at the sidelines but the others seemed to not know what to do. Fluttershy, was wanting to speak but no words coming from her muzzle, just silence wanting to be broken.

“It’s alright, I know what I’m doing.” said Connor. By now he could have killed this Manticore with ease, yet with adrenaline flowing through his body, causing his eyes to turn into slits. The mares must have caught what his eyes had become; Rainbow Dash’s cheers weren’t quite as they were as it died out. The Manticore and Connor were at a stand-off. They circled their battlefield never loosing each other’s body movements or their eyes. The Manticore let out a blood curdling roar which unsettled the ponies, Connor more or less scared.

“You are one tough Manticore, but this is only beginning.” said Connor. He prepared himself, knowing the only way to make the fight shorter was to scream louder than those that apposed you. He inhaled a lot of air then came out with a thunderous roar, louder than the manticore's that blew back the Manticore and making its hairs stood up on their own as a look of shock took over the beast’s face. The six mares couldn’t believe what assaulted their ears either, they all backed up as Fluttershy compulsively fled to the nearest bush.

Connor made the first move, jumping into the air higher then he should have the moon illuminating onto his figure, a perfect image of one of Nightmare’s sons. As if the force of the heavens beat down from Connor as he descended down towards the Manticore, he was stopped by Applejack and Rainbow Dash. They tackled him from the ground with all their might as it was only enough to make sure Connor hit the ground with his hooves instead of the Manticore.

“Are you two crazy?” asked Connor. Connor was overly surprised to see the mares hold him down as Fluttershy walked up to the creature. “GET BACK FROM IT!” shouted Connor.

Fluttershy stopped the beast by brushing her nuzzle up against one of the creature’s paws, it seemed to calm down. “What the-?” asked Connor. Fluttershy convinced the creature to show that paw she brushed her face against and noticed a large splint of wood in it, lodged in the paw.

“Oh you poor thing.” said Fluttershy. She pulled it out with her teeth as the Manticore roared at Fluttershy, her hair blowing from the force. Connor pushed the mares off of him as he charged over at the Manticore but stopped. The Manticore was licking Fluttershy like it was her pet.

“Oh who’s a good kitty?” asked Fluttershy in a baby voice. Connor was dumbfounded at the sight, not knowing what to think. The Manticore left as Fluttershy caught up with the other mares, leaving Connor standing there with his mouth gapping. He was deep in thought on what had happened. Whenever he had a battle with a Manticore he would break the beast, making it a shadow of its old self. But now having to win a battle without breaking, this was new. Twilight saw Connor stand there.

“Connor?” asked Twilight. Connor snapped out of it as he saw the mares actually wait for him. “Are you coming or what?”
Connor never felt this way before about anything, he never had friends to help him out, nor friends to show him better, but friends that would encourage him to do things. He wasn’t encouraged to fight but he found it his number one solution. To know another way to fight it really blew his mind. His closed his gaping mouth bringing his senses back to Equestria.

“Yeah, I’m coming, no worries Twilight.” said Connor. He walked up to Fluttershy with a question in mind. “You know I could have pulverized that beast, how come you did what you did?”

“Well, sometimes it doesn’t hurt to show a little kindness.” said Fluttershy. Connor stopped in his tracts and smiled. That was a nice thought that never entered his brain before, it was alien to him and he liked it. He felt his knees were a little weak but he knew he could press forward with the others. He slowed down to trot next to Twilight so they could talk.

“Wow, heh.” said Connor.

“How come you’re laughing?” asked Twilight. Connor closed his eyes to think for only a minute then opened his mouth again. “Well?”

“I lived most of my old life fighting, and that was mostly the solution, to know another alternative is pretty amazing to Mm.” said Connor. “Honestly, I think it’s a nice touch.” Twilight had to smile at that, to know not only she was touched by something nice, innocent and new, she had the same feeling at that moment to. They both caught up with the others as they all talked like the Manticore never really happened.

---

The trail had led the 7 to a dark part in the Everfree forest, it was almost spookily dark. The mares weren’t very intimidated by it, so was Connor, not even Fluttershy was remotely scarred. They were talking like it was just a regular forest. “How far do you think we’ve gotten so far?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“Ah believe we’ve gotten pretty darn far, if I do say so myself.” said Applejack. They all kept trotting forward as they all noticed the lighting was getting darker. Everyone’s concerns of the sudden darkness coming were heightening farther into the depths of their minds as a dark presence emerged in the form of black smog. It didn’t show itself directly but instead decided to do another trick.

The trees took on horrible faces taking up most of their trunks, faces of those that have been tortured.

“What’s going on?” asked Rarity scared.

“I don’t know but whatever it is, it doesn’t have good intentions.” said Twilight. They all coward and walked back until they all were in a little crowd of their own, except Pinkie Pie and Connor weren’t there. They looked to their left as the 5 mares saw Connor, on his flank with a gaping mouth and eyes that looked upon the faces in fear.

“Connor, what’s the matter sugarcube?” asked Applejack. He didn’t respond, he didn’t move, his face looked upon the tortured faces with utter horror. They looked to see Pinkie Pie in another direction laughing at the faces.

“Pinkie? What are you doing?” asked Twilight in complete confusion. Pinkie ignored the question as she continued to laugh at the faces. She made all kind of faces at the deformed looking trees.

“These faces are funny!” exclaimed Pinkie Pie. He just bellowed in laughter and then all of a sudden, the face on the tree disappeared. Connor went into more shock, muttering under his breath.

“God dammit, not this again…” thought Connor. He tried to scoot himself back but only hitting another deformed tree, scared out of his own mind as the images came back again.

“When I was a little filly, grandma Pinkie told me that I had to learn to face my fears.” began Pinkie Pie. “She taught me how to laugh at my fears like they were nothing, watch.” She pranced up happily to another tree. “Ha. Ha.” And just like that the face on the other tree had disappeared. Connor was becoming to be angry; in his head those faces are on ponies and not on trees, PTSD taking over his normal functions.

The other mares fully understood what Pinkie was doing, and they all joined her. Connor’s fears had taken over, primal instincts kicked in and kicking out all rational thought. “No, they’re just laughing to make sure they don’t hurt anypony, they’re not ponies…” thought Connor. The more the faces kept disappearing the more that Connor kept freaking out, then all of a sudden he couldn’t take it.

“NO!” screamed Connor. “QUIT LAUGHING AT THEM!! THEY DON’T DESERVE THIS!!” Connor galloped towards Pinkie Pie, in the middle of an exhale as he stopped her by stuffing a hoof into her mouth. “PLEASE!! STOP!! THEY’RE HURTING!!”

“What’s hurting?” asked Fluttershy.

“THE PONIES!! THEY’RE GRIM FACES ARE RESULTS OF PAIN AND TORTURE!! STOP!!”

“Connor, they aren’t ponies.” said Twilight. The sight of another pony screaming in mental agony wanted to make her cry.

“THEY HAVE THE SAME FACES OF THOSE IN SUFFERING TWILIGHT!!”

“Connor, they aren’t ponies.” said Rainbow Dash. She made him look at it all differently, then it hit him. They weren’t the ponies he thought they were, they were only deformed trees, probably a result of magic since they weren’t here before. Whoever casted the spell, it wasn’t aimed at all of them, it aimed right at Connor. The faces he had tortured closely resembled the faces on these trees and the insane part of his brain knew it too. Pinkie Pie spat out Connor’s hoof in disgust.

“You could have just asked me to not laugh.” said Pinkie Pie. Connor was in fight or flight mode now, adrenaline kicking in again. He hated this feeling, he wasn’t in combat yet he felt cornered, numbers were numbers but he wasn’t as strong on the inside as he was on the inside, that much he knew. He backed up from the mares, and then went into a full gallop down the path they were in before.

“There you go Connor, you went and blew It.” said Connor under his breath. He felt ashamed, weak and just wanted to drop dead, the first few ponies he met that welcomed him, even after seeing his mantle that wanted to be his friends. And now he just felt like crap, the more he thought of it the more depressed he became. He galloped off of the right track and found himself on another cliff. He just stood there at the edge, looking down to find himself at a cliff with a bottomless end. Tears were going down his face like no tomorrow as he lay down, bawling himself to death, figuratively, not literally. He wanted the heavens to strike him down like a rag doll and they were a 2 year old kid that was too rough with his toy. But once again, his prayers weren’t answered

“Connor?” asked a voice. Connor turned his head to see the 6 mares standing just a small distance from him with empathetic looks on their faces.

“Go away.” said Connor. He turned his head back to the bottomless cliff as he looked down, the tears falling down it, not making a sound when they fell; the only sound in the dark was Connor’s sniffles. Twilight approached Connor slowly, not making any sudden movements but found that Connor didn’t care much for anything in his surroundings. She lay down next to Connor placing a fore hoof on him.

“Look, Connor, we don’t mind what you just did.” said Twilight.

“Right…” said Connor. He wasn’t buying in whatever façade Twilight try to pull on him, but he knew that he wouldn’t break down the wall just for that.

“Connor, why you did it, well, you don’t have to share it with us but I just wanted you to know that it’s okay.” said Twilight.

“Why you did it, it must have been for a good reason right?”

Connor just stared at Twilight in desperation. He knew that he didn’t have to share but, they were sincere in enough to not think ill of him, not judge him for the bad but for the good. He gathered himself together before talking, making sure he wouldn’t get stuck in his own words.

“No, I have to share.” said Connor.

“Connor, you don’t have to.” said Twilight.

“If I don’t know, I’ll regret it and feel more like crap.” said Connor. “It’s okay, I find that I have to for my own good. I’m done hiding anyways.” Connor took one more deep breath, the tears stopped flowing out like a faucet as he begun.

“When I took on the mantle of War, I had to do things I was far unready psychologically for what I had done, and for it I suffer from it to this day. I had to torture ponies, order other ponies to torture other ponies, more cruelly then I had to. On the outside I was strong, and I was the icon for others that wanted to follow in the footsteps of a warlord. I felt wrong but the way the mantle kept getting to me, it had told me that it was alright kept going in and eventually I stopped feeling sorry and let the darkness take over.”

“Soon, I found myself covered in blood. It was the blood of a family that each had the same grimace as the tree’s just back there. It was my first time killing some pony out of the spite of Nightmare Moon, for who of which wanted to die so badly because of their defiance, it wasn’t the right way but Nightmare wanted to make an example out of these innocent ponies. The parents only wanted the best for her young and I had tortured them in front of their own filly and colt, punishing them for defying Nightmare Moon, the only crime. I amounted a lot of pain on to her like I could without consequences, there truly wasn’t any but not that anypony could see, it was a mental consequence.”

“I tortured her for hours without end, whipping her, putting out fiery coals onto her body. Believe me; torture methods in the old days were downright horrible. After an hour I’d stop, give the mother and father ten minutes to recover a bit then go right back to it. The young wanted to be with their mother; to comfort her but the spears that threatened to cut them open told them otherwise. They were unable to do the same with their dad for the same reasons. They stood there in desperation, constantly shouting at us to stop torturing their beloved parents. The stallion I was, that I knew I was cried out at me to stop but my mantle, the other me, told me to keep going in the name of Nightmare Moon. I should have never listened to the dark side. I should have just kept fighting it no matter what. If only I could change what I have done...”

“Then I did the unbelievable, the mare was dying, she wasn’t going to make it but she was conscious but she was screaming with the same damn grimace. Then for one final act of torture, I…” Connor broke off into sobs again, then back again, recovering a little faster. “I killed their children.” The mares gasped, they’re reassuring stature replaced with shock of such acts.

“The mother was crying, asking us to take her own life, make the pain go away, the father just kept threatening to take my own life, all of the threats were discarded as I sliced his neck open without a hitch. But I let the mother rot in her shackles, alone with the bodies of her children and husband. I came back the following morning and found her dead, they had those damn faces, I wanted to die and it ultimately what made me want to defy Nightmare Moon. What had really driven me over the edge is Nightmare’s sadistic ways of handling the bodies of torture victims, by eating their rotten corpses.”

The mares gasped in complete horror of what they had to hear form Connor, it was downright…well…inpony. Connor seemed to cringe a bit but was able to hide it well enough for that the mares wouldn't see it.

“I didn’t shed a tear because anger came in, and it came in as rage as I made bodies hit the floor breaking out of the Old Canterlot castle. I worked with Celestia to use the elements of harmony to make sure Nightmare never came back, along with the other 3 alicorns you saw me fight back at Ponyville. As you all well know, staying on the moon forever was never the result, I’m here aren’t I?”

“But I was never on the moon; I stood on a star to guard Nightmare Moon, to make sure that she and my brothers would never come down again. Soon the same brainwashing that had taken me and the princess of the night over came down harder on my brothers, it was like how it was before but it wasn't right. For 1000 years that very darkness tried to win me over like it did my brothers, for 1000 years I had endured the immensely painful heat of a damn star. It felt like the force that keeps us on Equestria was a million times greater on the star, and it hurt beyond reasoning. But the weight of myself and the weight of hallow words never hurt as bad as the weight of other ponies whose lives I had taken away without remorse, whom I’ve stripped their hope, dreams, families, and worse of all their breaths, that hurt far worse. More than I expected...”

“Celestia told me that I had to go, I had left too many scars on this beautiful world and I was told to be put on the moon. Sadly I ended up on a place much would consider worse, to me it didn’t make a difference. It was cruel for myself to think that being banished to a place where the world was in eyeshot for 1000 years seemed pleasing, but after a while I felt tortured by it's mere presence, a monument to all my sins and acts of violence. Coming back to this place and remembering ponies that were a lot like those that were kind hurt far less than it should have. I knew I would never repay what I’ve done, but my heart told me I had to finish my mission, end Nightmare Moon. But it looks like she got the better of me all along.”

The mares cried, they cried not for Connor but what he’s done and how he regretted it all and wanted to die for it. They all went up to Connor as they lay down with him, crying for him as eyes dried up, unable to cry anymore he just lay there with the others.

“I don’t deserve this kindness.” said Connor.

“You do, more than you think.” said Twilight. They all lay down, relying on one another’s body heat to survive much of the cold of the night. Connor felt right here, next to his new friends, next to knowing that in some pony’s eyes he was forgiven for his sins. Connor promised himself that he would do better the moment he touched the Earth but he had to say it to himself again so he wouldn’t forget again.

“I promise I will never be that pony again.” said Connor. The mares heard him as they hugged on tighter. They just stood there as they were, he felt right and he let the mares do what they were doing. He didn’t care much for himself at that moment anymore, nor for the rest of his life. But he knew what he had to do, he may have ditched his vices but he must cling to sacrifice.

“We have to go back." said Connor. "I know they’re trees now, I won’t freak out at the sight of them.” The mares got up from Connor as they all walked back to the trees, they had to finish what Pinkie Pie had started.

---

Laughing at those faces was the most emotionally hardest thing Connor had to do for the longest time, to laugh away faces forever in pain and stricken of hope was something Connor wasn’t really ready to accomplish. “It was the right thing to do, it was really only trees.” said Connor. On the outside Connor seemed fine but even if it was trees it just didn’t feel right. Trees helped give life to Equestria and all the other countries through photosynthesis, even an inanimate object deserved something different than that.

“It was just a spell Connor, if anything the caster is to blame.” said Twilight. She knew Connor was over sensitive right now about the gift of life, but he had been through enough.

“I know but,” Connor let out a sigh, thinking of what to say. “I don’t know why I’m being so oversensitive right now; I’ll get over it though that’s one thing I know.” He shrugged off the weight of emotions like it was nothing, just so that he could keep going on without more thoughts like that. He hated that he had to do what he had done before which led his mantle to take over, but doing it for the reasons he did at the time was easily justified seeing how it was to be strong for others and not just for his own wellbeing.

They finally got to a stopping point in the road to the elements of harmony, a river which was violently swirling around, making it so that the ponies wouldn’t be able to go across on hooves.

“What in tarnation is making all this happen?” asked Applejack.

“I don’t know but it can’t be good.” said Rarity. They decided to further investigate the river, double checking to make sure that they wouldn’t be able to make it across by hooves.

“Yep, just as I thought.” said Rainbow Dash. They were really not going to make it across by their own hooves, and even if they tried to go over Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash didn’t have the strength to get them over. And with Connor nearly breaking his ankles, he just couldn’t risk it by jumping over the river with another pony on his back. They then heard the sounds of crying, the kind of crying which seemed to sound whiny and annoying, mostly to Connor though.

They saw a sea serpent, it had purple scales and had…well groomed hair? Now that didn’t make sense to Connor. Back in his original time sea serpents were savage creatures that didn’t have time for such things, guess he was wrong on how they are now. It seemed to thrash about in the water, causing the water around it, and the river itself to turn into rapids, explains both the crying and as of why the water was how it is now, but doesn’t explain the ends of it.

“Excuse me…um…sir...?” said Connor. “How come you’re thrashing about like this? We aren’t able to make it through the forest on hooves with the water how it is.” The sea serpent changed its attention back from what it was doing and swam over the ponies.

“Oh, I really am sorry,” began the sea serpent. “But here I was, minding my own business when some kind of black smog went right in and SWOOSH! It cut through my mustache!” He, as the sound of the serpent’s voice made the ponies believe it to be, pointed at its mustache. It was how he said it was, cut into two as one lay perfectly groomed while the other bit of hair was messed up, it didn’t look good on the creature. “And now I look absolutely horrid!” The sea serpent went about back into its crying and thrashed around in the water again, making the river worse.

A big wave of water hit the ponies as they all stood there, wet to the bone and cold as hell. “Are you serious…this is what this is all about?” asked Applejack. Everyone else but one pony thought the same.

“Why, of course it is!” exclaimed Rarity. All their manes were messed up by the water as she walked up to the sea serpent. “Here darling, I know how to solve this predicament.” Connor felt like endlessly hoof facing himself at the thought that this is why they wouldn’t keep going, but then realized that this was another test for them by Nightmare Moon. The thought of that mare made him angry without end, and he hated being angry for no good reason.

Rarity went up to the body of the serpent as she tore off one of the scales off of his body. “OW!” shouted the serpent. “What did you do that for?” Rarity took the scale in her mouth and did what she thought wasn’t much of a good idea to do, for her at least. She cut off most of her tail, the curly hair hit the ground as the others were in shock. Then by her telekinesis, Rarity had it permanently attached the serpent’s messed up mustache.

Connor thought it looked even worse, the creature’s hair was orange and what was Rarity’s tail was not the same as the mustache which was less curly. The tail was purple and the shade it was didn’t match the mustache at all. But he knew it was an act of extreme generosity, knowing she would never part with such a well groomed tail so easily wasn’t the easiest thing Rarity had done in her life.

“Your tail Rarity…” said Fluttershy, her shyness getting the best of her.

“Oh it’s alright girls, it’ll grow back eventually.” said Rarity. Then they all noticed the river stopped moving like the rapids it was before, and instead now it was calm and pleasing.

“Hey girls, it stopped moving like that, we can cross now!” exclaimed Twilight. Twilight was trotting into the river when she was picked up by the tail of the serpent, along with the 6 other ponies.

“For such an act, I’ll carry you all across!” exclaimed the serpent. He stuck true to his word and by his tail carried the little ponies across the river. They hit the solid ground with a small thud, and with a little salute from the serpent, he was off, swimming away in the river to some other part of the Everfree forest.

“Now that was a very…interesting sea serpent.” said Connor. He looked at the other ponies that were with him, with a look of “are you serious” on his face.

“Well don’t doubt the importance of beauty.” said Rarity annoyed. “It may not seem so important but posture and looks are everything.”

Connor had to roll his eyes at this; he was never the type to worry much of his appearance. “Whatever you say Rarity.” said Connor.

“I know you’re not that kind of guy to worry about your appearance, but it doesn’t hurt to do that at least once.” said Rarity.
Connor had to give her a sincere look; she was trying to reach out to him.

“I’ll... do it when the time is right.”

---

They all were trotting down the dirt path still; knowing that they couldn’t be far it gave them drive to their trot. Until finally they saw the old castle, the old castle was withering away and was close to a need for demolition. Twilight could see why the elements were put here; if the ponies weren’t able to get here the Everfree forest would just finish them. Horrible thought thinking about it but she knew it was true.

“Hey, we’re almost there!” said Twilight. She went into a full gallop as excitement got the better of her; she didn’t even notice the destroyed bridge that lay in the path. She was halfway from falling off when she got the bridge, doing her best to not fall off by pushing herself up by her front hooves. Applejack had pulled her up by the tail just in time before Twilight fell, seconds close to that actually.

“Whoa there nelly.” said Applejack. “What’s with you and falling off of things lately?” Applejack chuckled a bit but Twilight stood there unamused by Applejack’s attempt at a joke.

“Well great, how are we gonna get over now?” asked Pinkie Pie. Rainbow Dash let her mojo kick in as she trotted up to her friends.

“Ahem.” said Rainbow Dash. And with that she was off to the other side by wings. Feeling a sense of pride of herself when she got over.

“Oh yeah!” said Pinkie Pie in a realization. Connor laughed out loud from the silliness that had ensued, Pinkie Pie scowled at him. “What?”

“Oh nothing.” said Connor. “It was just funny how the answer was so simple.” Pinkie Pie kept scowling at Connor for a good minute or two. “Um, why are you doing that?” Pinkie Pie took another minute to scowl then surprised Connor with a happy jump.

“Because I want to!” exclaimed Pinkie Pie happily. She all of a sudden hit Connor at the shoulder with her front hoof, this actually surprised Connor.

“What was that for?” asked Connor. He could tell Pinkie just did it but his confusion overtook his understanding for he didn’t understand modern attitude all that well, his only option was to drop it.

He took a look over to where Rainbow Dash was, she was taking quite a bit a time as he noticed 3 other Pegasus talking to Rainbow. They were all wearing skin-tight spandex and wore dark masks over their faces; Connor knew the façade in an instant.

“Rainbow!” shouted Connor. It was loud enough for Rainbow Dash to hear Connor’s worried tone, now knowing he has seen the three mares that were with her. One of the pegasus eyes had glowed in a dark color and the fog surrounding the space between the other mares and Rainbow Dash was closed off.

“You know our deal, be our leader or help your friends, you can only choose one.” said the mare pegasus whom fogged up the space. Rainbow was now deep into thought, she had just met the 5 most amazing mares of her life, sure she’s seen these ponies before but she never knew them. And Connor, Connor was a troubled stallion but she knew as much as the others did that he is no different a pony then the others. The deal of a lifetime, becoming the leader of a pegasus group that rivals the Wonderbolts would be really wonderful.

“So, you in or what, come on we don’t have all day.” said the Pegasus. Rainbow smiled, knowing her answer.

“Thanks.” said Rainbow Dash. The 3 mare pegasus ponies grinned widely believing her answer final. “For the offer I mean.” And with that the three pegasi had their grin’s drop and their mouths gaping open. “But there’s some ponies out there who I just simply can’t leave hanging.”

And with that she was about to fly over but Connor came up, coming from a long leap from the other side and hitting the ground before Rainbow Dash. The mares in spandex grinned devilishly as they turned into the stallions Connor knew they really were, his brothers.

“Going after my new friends won’t help anything.” said Connor with a malicious growl. The 3 stallions smiled at Connor, ignoring the tone and held him to account lighter than they should, they knew of his strength.

“Ah but on the contrary, it does old man.” said Death. “Divide and conquer remember? It’s one of the first lessons that you had us constantly review. Showing us how weak we are alone.” Rainbow didn’t know how to take that in, it was bad enough for Connor to be associated with these ponies but to have trained them personally? She knew she had to tell the others of this disturbing news.

“Your right, but me and these mares are too strong to follow the ideals of combat, the combat that I have taught you all.” said Connor. “And Rainbow Dash, I talk like this now to show you that I am, as they say, not afraid of what will happen next.” Truth be told, he was. After what the mares had tried to do for them he feared his brothers would lay a harmful hoof towards one of them, especially Rainbow right now.

“Let’s put that to the test, shall we?” said Famine. It seemed as if time slowed down as Famine became border-line close to Rainbow Dash ready to strike a hoof at her with all his fury, while Famine was fast, Connor was faster. Connor gracefully countered his move with a hind leg kick that sent the apocalypse pony flying. With some kind of force Connor struck a hoof towards Rainbow, but a hit that didn’t neither hit nor connect, but just sent Rainbow to the other side of the cliff where the others lay in wait.

Connor turned around to feel a horn, sharper then the manticore’s claws, struck him in the chest and push him a few feet. An intense amount of pain came from the initial strike as two more horns, striking his sides came up and the world felt agonizing. Connor gritted his teeth through the pain and tried to hit the stallions whom pierced him with their horns but doing so made it worse for him, more pain kicking at his brain telling him to stop. He just kept pounding at their heads, the more strikes that connected the more his pain increased but he just had to keep doing it.

Until at last, the stallions were out of his body and Connor bleeding like a faucet through his gaping wounds. He lay there on the floor in a pool of his own blood, but the wounds were quickly regenerating and the gaping holes seemed to have been covered completely. He was breathing heavily as he noticed Celestia’s magic was fading, the first instance he knew it was, his cutie mark reappeared.

“Awwww, poor little Connor’s true nature is current? How cute.” said Death mockingly.

“We both now I’m not that damn pony anymore.” said Connor in a low growl. And with that, Nightmare appeared, Connor freezing where he lay, trying to get up but for the first time, his legs ignored his plea.

“Oh, but we know you are Connor.” said Nightmare. Magic erupted from her horn as a pitch black aura was looming over the five. “Welcome back to the family, son.” said Nightmare.

“I have fallen from your evil long ago. The only thing that remains is the mark of which you branded me.” He looked back at his flanks another time, his cutie mark was only a brand to him and in hindsight, it was. Until finally his coat became a black, a black that was darker then the glow illuminating Nightmare, his brothers and himself. His eyes glowed a devilish red, the form he had took up during land down onto Equestria.

“It’s not just your mark that remains.” said Nightmare. “But eventually, your ashes shall be blacker by the start of the day, for the sun shall never return.”

“It will return, so long as there is just one pony out there willing to fight you, just like before.” said Connor. “It may be too late for someone like me, but it isn’t for the rest of the world.”

And with that, they all were gone by a teleportation spell. And Connor knew he would be going through hell. Again.