> A New Equestria
>  by ZeirMakavar
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> A new dawn, on an unknown land.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 1


A New Dawn, on an unknown land.


Twilight queasily left the boat, resting her head upon the docks, as Applejack left the boat unaffected. "I don't see how you couldn't have gotten seasick Applejack..." She said, finally having gotten her lunch to stay in her stomach. "Even Rainbow threw up once." Rainbow waved from the ship, unable to move yet.
"Well, yeah..." Applejack said, looking around at the ponies, all of them seasick. "I guess I'm just hardier then all you other folks." She said, crossing her front hooves a smile on her face.
"Yeah, I suppose so." Twilight mumbled, looking back at the boat. She smiled, as ponies who had recovered already began working on unloading the supplies. She chuckled softly, as some of these supplies were apple trees. "Couldn't leave them behind?" She asked, looking at Applejack as Rainbow joined in on getting the supplies off the boat.
Applejack shook her head, still smiling. "I'm an apple farmer Twilight," She said patting Twilight's shoulder. "I'm not leaving that. It's my families business, why should I?"
Twilight chuckled, nodding her head. "I guess so..." She smiled, as Rainbow approached them. "So, has all the supplies been taken from the boat? Or should we go and help?"
Rainbow shook her head, smiling. "Oh no." Rainbow replied, smiling. "Just about everything is taken from the boat. Just a few more boxes of food and we can send her back to Manehatten for more supplies. Other then that, we're all set to start the town." Rainbow settled down, next to Applejack. "I still say Twilightopia would be a good idea." She mumbled, which cause Applejack to hit her on the head, and Twilight to shake her head.
"Rainbow," Twilight said, a soft smile on her face. "It's a nice thought to name it after me. But we should let the town council decide on the name, once they are elected that is."
Rainbow sighed, shaking her head. "What ever, I'm going to gather some clouds stuff and figure out where to put my house." She said, before she flew off, after a group of Pegasi gathering clouds.
"Oh yeah..." Twilight mused, chuckling. "I guess they will have to start a Cloudsdale over here too..." Twilight looked around, sighing. The area already showed signs of the city, as ponies worked on getting homes and shops up, before night fall. "Well, I guess we all have work to do." As she moved off the dock, into what would become the marketplace. "After all, wouldn't want to be out in the cold during the night."
Applejack chuckled, following Twilight. "Aye," She said, a soft smile on her face.

Three days pass, and already Twilight was running into political problems. It seemed as though the few ponies from Canterlot who were chosen to go on the expedition were refusing to do any of the work. "Look," Applejack said, flatly to one such pony. "I don't care that you got a hooficure in Canterlot before coming here. I don't care if you're afraid you'll mess up your hair, or get dirt on you. Yah still need to work."
"Well, I never." The mare spouted, backing away from Applejack. "How dare you order me around you... you scoundrel. I'll have you know that I am one of Canterlot's finest. I am of the Elite. You won't see me getting dirty with your filth."
"What did you say?" Applejack yelped, only to be held back from pouncing on the mare by Rainbow and Twilight. "You better shape up, or you'll be on a boat ride back to Equestria, and I told you I don't care who you are."
"My apologizes Miss Rare Trinkets." Twilight said, to the mare. "But Applejack is right, everyone does need to help out around here. This isn't Equestria, your titles there won't mean much for now." She smiled, her wings unfurling. "And trust me, the last thing you'd want to do is make me your enemy." She smiled, nodding.
"V-very well." Rare Trinkets said, looking from Twilight's horn to her wings. "I will... um... think about it." She turned to leave, before glancing back at them. "But that doesn't mean I will."
Both Rainbow and Applejack stood there looking at Twilight. Rainbow had a soft smug look on her face. "And here I was think you'd never use your Alicorn status for benefit." Rainbow chuckled, slightly pushing Twilight's wing with her hoof.
Twilight furled her wings back, looking away slightly blushing. "Yes... well," She finally said, readjusting herself. "I really didn't see any other way... to... defuse the argument. After all, Applejack was right... and Celestia did name me leader of the expedition and..."
Applejack silenced Twilight's protests with a hug, which Rainbow joined in shortly after. "It's okay Twilight." Applejack said, handing Rainbow a couple of bits. "We really never thought that you'd use your status... well, I did atleast."
"Yeah, we had a bet going." Rainbow said, counting the bits. "I though that you'd use your status to make the Canterponies to get in line. Pinkie actually said you'd turn one of them into a teapot, or start banishing them to the moon."
Twilight and Applejack both raised an eyebrow at Rainbows remark. "Okay, I get the teapot thing. But why would Twilight banish anypony to the moon?"
Rainbow shrugged. "I dunno, because they pissed her off?" She questioned, looking at Twilight. "That's why I would."
Twilight was about to speak up when a guard pony walked up to the tree of them. "Ma'am?" He said, bowing before he approached them. "There is something you should see."
> Discordian Hijinks
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 2


Discordian Hijinks


"Well, ma'am?" The guard pony asked Twilight, as they arrived in the place in question. "What do you make of it? Could it mean..."
"No." Twilight sighed, shaking her head, as well as putting a hoof on the guards mouth. "We don't know anything as of yet. I'd ask the Princesses, but I'm going to need someone that can look this over as well." She sighed, looking back at her friends. "I can't believe I'm saying this... but we need Discord."



Discord chuckled, as a few of the tables upon the boat were now dancing around. This prevented the ponies from eating, normally, as they kept running after their tables. The two guard ponies who were his escorts, sat there next to him. He glanced at each of them, before sighing. "My my..." He mumbled, waving a paw in front of one of the guards stoic face. "Rainbow Dash is right. You ponies are no fun at all... And for that matter, I think I've already proven that I'm one of the good guys now. After all, I did help Celestia with that one... hare of a problem Canterlot had a few months back." He chuckled, though got no response from either of the ponies sitting next to him. "My... not even a chuckle? Okay... I will admit that was a bad pun... but still! Give me something!"
One of the guards sighed, before looking around. "Celestia would request that you tone down the shenanigans until we arrive at our location." He relayed, the unicorn clearly having a telekinetic bond with the Alicorn princess in question. "After that, you are free to do as you please. As long as it does not disrupt the forming of the colony."
"Oh, all right..." Discord grumbled. He then snapped his fingers as the tables returned to their natural shape. He chuckled softly as he heard the collective sigh from the rest of the boats passengers. "Well, this is going to be a very fun boat ride..."

Discord sat in his hammock, glad that they allowed him to have a room with a port-side view. He didn't really understand why this room was the one he requested, though it did seem to his taste. He then stopped swinging, and looked out the small window of the room. A thought had just dawned on him, they gave him the room he requested. Though he assumed lots of ponies requested rooms, he had half expected them to toss him in the brig the moment they left port. He chuckled, as he was alone with his thought. He was just about to make a couple of copies of himself, to play poker or prodder, when a knock at the door woke him from his thoughts.
"Come in." He said, wondering who the pony could be. "I do believe the door can't be locked."
A mare opened the door, her coat a soft blue color. Not like Rainbow Dash's, which stood out as a sky blue, this pony had a softer, darker color for her coat. "Um..." The mare mumbled, her fear of him poorly hidden. "It is my job to... to um... go around and... um..."
"Well, spit it out." Discord said, slightly amused at her nervous. "I don't have all day... or well, night." He chuckled, looking out the window at the setting sun.
"I am here to..." The mare gulped, clearly afraid of what he would do. "Room service?" She finally said, in a questioning tone.
"Oh? Did I order room service?" Discord questioned the mare, blinking. "Oh never mind. Tell me, do you have those little chocolate truffles? You know, the ones that have the gooey brownies inside them?" The mare nodded, but didn't speak up. "Oh goody! I'll take twenty of those. And maybe a glass of Apple cider if you have any."
The mare nodded, leaving the room, only to return with a plater of the chocolate truffles, and a mug of cider. "Um... that'll be twenty-five bits... please."
Discord nodded, handing the mare the appropriate amount of bits. He chuckled, watching the mare leave. He hadn't expected the room service to be free, but the surprisingly low price for the chocolate amused him. Now alone with his thoughts again, he began to think of any reason why one of the most stubborn mares he knew, would ask for his help specifically.
None came to mind why Twilight would do such a thing.

A full two weeks passed, and Discord actually enjoyed it. The mare, who he learned was called Midnight Star, had regularly visited him. Though, he understood that it was part of her job, it still made him feel happy inside. Something he hadn't felt in quite sometime. It had taken him only two days for her to stop being worried for her safety every time she entered his room.
He had also learned that she in fact, did not work for the company who ran the ships, but was one of the ponies who hoped to make a living in the colony. After only a few more days, they had begun to have talks, not about important matters though. The mare, did talk a lot about her brother though. "Well, he seems like a nice pony." Discord said, when Midnight first brought him up.
"Oh he is!" She smiled, practically beaming. "Though I don't get to see him all that often... with him being a guard pony and all."
"Oh not to worry." Discord smiled, patting her on her head. "You still enjoy his company when he is around do you not?" Midnight nodded, a soft smile on her face. "Well, then that's something to look forward to is it not? Now, I take it your brother... Seventh Star was it? Oh, I'm not too good with new names... But either way, I take it he's in the colony?"
Midnight nodded, still softly smiling. "Yes, he is." She said, a soft chuckle escaping her voice. "I wish you could meet him though. But he's stationed on the other end of the town, then the noble district. That is where you'll be headed right?"
Discord shrugged, smiling. "Honey, you guess is as good as mine." He said, sighing. "I'm at a loss as to why Miss Twilight Sparkle needs me here anyway.



"Argh... did it really take that long to find Discord?" Rainbow Dash moaned, as the boat pulled up to the dock. "This is the third boat, and I'm thinking he's not on this one either." She groaned taking off to do a fly over, to see if there was any of the signs of Discord being there.
"You see anything?" Applejack asked, when she landed. "I'd go up on there myself, but boats... well I don't like em."
"Coming from the only pony not affected by them?" Rainbow questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, well... that don't mean I can't not like em." Applejack said, slightly defensive. " 'sides, there's Discord." She nodded, as the draconequus showed himself off the boat, in his fashion. Which, this time around involved the water making him a ramp to slide down.
"Why hello my little ponies." He said, walking up to Rainbow and Applejack. "It's a pleasure to see you two. Has it really been a whole two years? My, time does really fly by me these days. Why, if I leave here, I don't expect to see you until your old fogey ponies." He then looked around, sighing. "So, where is Twilight? Wasn't she the one who asked me to be here? Or was I mistaken?"
"No, she did." Applejack said, flatly. "She's in a meeting right now though, over in town ha..." As she said Twilight's location, Discord teleported the three there, disrupting the meeting. "Hall... gosh dang it, I should have expected that..."
"It's okay Applejack." Twilight chuckled, setting some papers down, as the noble ponies stared in shock. "It's nice to see you Discord, how have things been back in ponyville? I heard from Fluttershy that you've been helping her with the animals, is this true?"
Discord sighed, bowing his head. "It in deed is." He sighed, shaking his head. "You really do no how to talk ideally, yet be business like. Just. Like. Celestia." He emphasized the last sentence, which only made Twilight smile.
"Why thank you Discord." She smiled, the same tone emanating from her. "I'll take that as a complement. Even though we both know you meant it as an insult."
"My... she really did train you well." Discord scoffed, feigning hurt. "Or are you just a natural at it like her?"
Twilight shrugged, a soft chuckle escaping her. "Wouldn't know Discord." She said, sighing. "I assume you are tired after the boat ride. Star?" She said, calling one of the guard ponies forward. "Would you please show Discord a room... perhaps one with an ocean view." The guard pony nodded, as Discord blinked, slightly recognizing the name.
"Hold on... Your name wouldn't happen to be Seventh Star would it?" Discord asked, looking the guard pony over. The guard blinked, slowly nodding his head. "Oh, well then this won't due... This one needs to have the day off Ce... Twilight."
Twilight blinked, confused as to how Discord knew the guards name or why he ordered her to give him the day off. "Why?" She asked, hopping to get an answer.
"Why?" Discord repeated. "Why, did he not get the letter? I would assume his sister sent a letter... after all, she seemed so adamant about coming here to meet with him."
Twilight sighed, nodding at Star, who then proceeded to rush out of the room to meet with his sister. "I take it you met her? On the boat?" Twilight questioned, looking at Discord. She then blinked. "You almost called me Celestia, are we that much alike?"
"Hm... Yes, yes, and oh absolutely." Discord answered, sounding off the questions with his paw. "Well, in her youth that is... before the whole Nightmare Moon business went down."
Twilight blinked, shocked at how much she and the younger Celestia were alike. "Wait... you were stone when she ruled, how could you have know what she was like?" Twilight asked, forgetting one simple thing.
"Honey, I was stone." Discord sighed, resting on the table which he had turned part of into a hammock. "Yes, I was trapped and couldn't move. But I could still hear, and think... Man, do you know what it was like waking up everyday, and being in the same place? Every day, in the same place, for a thousand years?" He said, in a very serious tone.
"Excuse me?" One of the nobles said, having had to move because Discord turned his seat into a mug of cider. "But are you forgetting the matter on hoof?"
"No, I am not." Twilight responded. "And quite frankly, I take the earth ponies stance in this. I'm not raising the taxes on the lower classes, just so that you can have more bits." Twilight sighed, shaking her head. "And didn't I tell you that no pony is going to have a say in legal matters until we hold an election? That includes the nobles."
"But..."
"You heard the lady, that includes you." Applejack said, smiling. "Understand?" The noble nodded, grumbling incoherently. Though it was safe to assume that there were insults and a mention of Twilight in there. "Now... can you go and show Discord that thing now? I'd like to put this behind us, and send him back to Canterlot by next week."
"No Applejack," Twilight sighed shaking her head. "I think I need a little rest, perhaps you and Rainbow can show him. I'd ask the guard who brought it to our attention to do so. But I just gave him the day off..."
"Sure we can." Rainbow said, puffing her chest out in her unique manor. "We won't let Discord get to us that easily.... Well, as easily as he did when we first met him that is..." She chuckled softly, remembering their meeting.
"Oh yes, that was in deed a good time." Discord chuckled, as he followed Rainbow and Applejack. "So, where we headed? Some mysterious cave? Or perhaps a mine? Oh... I do love mines. They do such good fun.... Oh wait, those are mimes." Both Applejack and Rainbow sighed. Though he wasn't going to get to them how he did last time, that doesn't mean annoying them was out of the question.

After her two friends and Discord left, Twilight sighed as well. She knew he would be a bother to have around, but she didn't expect him to be so... mellow. Perhaps he had finally come to terms with the term friendship. Twilight chuckled softly, shaking her head. "No... the day he does that is the day I win first place against Rainbow Dash." She mused to herself, looking out a window.
Though the majority of the nobles had left the meeting hall, after Twilight dispersed them, as single one remained. And that was the pony Celestia had put in charge of the guards for in the colony. "Princess." He said, turning to look as the last of the nobles left. "There are a few things I wish to talk to you about."
"Yes? What are they?" Twilight asked, not turning away from the window. "If it's about Discord, I don't want to hear it. We already talked about that and I stand by my decision."
The stallion shook his head. "No." He said, standing firm. "I understand that this was your only choice. It is about why we sent for him."
"Oh? Do tell."
"Well, ever sense you ordered the guard to seal off the section in question, the ponies have begun to ask questions." He said, looking around. "A patrol has already caught a group of foals attempting to enter the restricted area. When questioned, they... they mentioned a club they belonged to. Something called Cutie."
"Mark Crusaders." Twilight finished, a soft smile on her face. "I knew we got a couple of families that had one or two of them. Though I didn't expect a whole group. How many do we have?"
"Around five were caught Princess." He responded. "Though we have reason to believe that their numbers are closer to 10."
"Dusk Shine."
"Yes, Princess?"
"Believe me when I tell you this, if there was only three or four I wouldn't ask you to do this." Twilight said, placing a hoof  over her mouth to prevent herself from laughing. "But if what you say is true, and we have 10 to deal with. Then you'll need all of the guards on the look out for their capes. Believe me, you'll have your hoofs full with them alone." She chuckled, unable to hold herself anymore.
"Ma'am."
Twilight chuckled, shaking her head as Dusk Shine left to inform the guards. "Yes... we will have our hands full." She chuckled again, thinking back to Ponyville, and a certain group of young fillies who had plenty of hijinks. "At least we don't have them to deal with them... Scootaloo comes up with some crazy things. Some of them Pinkie level crazy." She chuckled, as she left the room as well.
> Pink ponies and a mystery
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 3


Pink ponies and a mystery


Dear Celestia,
It's been over a week now sense Discord arrived to help us with our, situation. He informed us that it was of no issue, though that was in front of other ponies. Alone, I asked him again if he knew anything about what we had found.
What he told me, it scared me. I would ask you about what I learned in this letter, but I can't trust conventional means with such important information with in a letter that can't be sent through Spike. I fear what it could mean if the rest of Equestria were to learn of this finding.
At this I have a request.
I will need a second expedition team. But this one must be kept a secret, even from my two friends. I hate to keep them out of this, but discord assured me it was the right thing to do. Please Celestia, this one will be more important then the colony.
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle.

PS, the nobles finally agreed to holding general elections for positions in the council. I hope to have them underway very soon.



Discord chuckled as Twilight left the post office. "What? Isn't your assistant best at sending letters?" He asked, getting up from his hammock. "Or am I wrong?"
"Spike is back in Ponyville Discord." Twilight smiled, walking up to the shop window behind him. "He's watching the library, making sure they don't destroy it while I'm away." She smiled, as Discord nodded.
"That makes sense." He chuckled, his paw going through the window taking a small chocolate truffle out. "I did hear that those three were the start of this Cutie Mark Crusaders club." He chuckled, plopping the truffle in his mouth. "Oh don't look at me like that Twilight, we both know Miss Star only makes them because of the boat ride." He exasperated, as Twilight glared at him still.
"That doesn't mean you can take any of them for free Discord."
"Oh fine, I'll pay." Discord sighed, bowing his head. "I assume you want me to pay for the 19 other ones I ate?"
"Yes." Twilight smiled, as the both walked into Midnight's confectionery. [1]
"Hello? We'll be open in... Oh! Hello Discord." Midnight smiled, bowing slightly to Twilight. "I didn't really expect you to come in..."
"Yes well Miss Perfect here has ordered me to pay for the truffles... Though I did attempt to inform her that... Ow! Now that wasn't necessary..." Discord blinked, rubbing his side as the glow from Twilight's horn faded away. "Fine... I get your point... how much do I owe you Midnight? I ate 20."
"20?" She blinked, looking over at the Window display. "Of the truffles I assume?" She asked, as Discord nodded eyeing Twilight's horn. "Well, then... 15 bits. Yes, 15 bits." She said, as she made the calculation in her head. She then smiled softly as Discord handed her the bits.
Twilight chuckled as they left Midnight's store, a soft smile on her face. Discord on the other hoof, was quite. "What's wrong Discord?" Twilight asked, actually concerned. "Was I a bit harsh? Though you should pay for things you take. Especially food."
"No Twilight, I was thinking about that." Discord said, quitely. "Beyond sealing the area off, again, isn't there anything you can do? To prevent ponies from going there?"
"Well I would, but the Crusaders can some how get around my protection spells." Twilight shrugged, chuckling softly. "And if I did put one up, that would only make them curious and the adults suspicious. Just sealing the area off had made the Crusaders go after it once, I don't want them to attempt a second time. Dusk has informed me that if they were to do that, he has received permission from the families to put them in a cell, for a couple of hours."
"Oh my, have they really gotten that out of hoof?" Discord asked, chuckling. "I may need to go talk with these Cutie Mark Crusaders. Maybe give them a few..."
"No. You will be giving them nothing Discord." Twilight interjected, shaking her head. "And if I hear any report of you going even near them, I will toss you into a cell myself. Do you understand Discord?"
Discord blinked, before he silently nodded. "Well, I'd ask why you won't turn me into stone... but not all of the elements are here now are they?" He asked, looking around. "Why in Equestria did Celestia break up the elements..."
"I'm not sure..." Twilight said, not having thought about it. "I guess i was to busy with keeping the colony in working order I didn't have time to think about it..." She sighed, a soft smile on her face. "Perhaps she has utmost confidence in us."
"Oh that reminds me!" Discord chuckled, looking over to the docks. "Guess who should be arriving on the boat today?"
"Who?"
"Why, my favorite element of course." Discord chuckled, as Twilight smiled.
"I see." Twilight said, looking at the docks as well. "Then wouldn't it be good to go and meet up with her before she attempts to have a party with the dockhands?"
"Oh? Then let's stall." Discord smiled, as they began their walk to the docks. "I do love a party."
Twilight shook her head, sighing softly. "Yes, I'm sure you do Discord."

When they arrived at the docks, Pinkie was already up to her tricks. Twilight smiled, as it seemed she had the same results here in the colony, as she did back home in Ponyville. "Oh hiya Twilight." Pinkie smiled, as a group of dock hands swung around attempting do dance. "Glad you could make it! I'm throwing a Pinkie's here party... Say, how did you know I was throwing a party? Are you psychic?"
"No Pinkie, I'm not." Twilight smiled, hugging Pinkie back. "I came here to greet you. Though, we'd have been here sooner had Discord not stopped to smell every flower he passed..." She looked back at Discord, who was now dancing with a berry bush he magiced to life. "Well, he did say he enjoys parties. And I do say, Pinkie... you would be the best for parties." Twilight smiled, looking back at Pinkie.
"Oh I know." She smiled, giggling in her fashion. "Rarity would have come with but she said she's busy with some things in Canterlot this week. Something about a fashion show... or was it a photo shoot? Photo bomb? Oh what ever, she's still missing the party."
Twilight nodded slightly, looking around. "So, have I missed anything back in ponyville?" She then asked, nostalgia in her voice.
"Mmm no not really." Pinkie responded, hugging Applejack and Rainbow Dash both. "Oh wait! There's a new Daring Do book out. I brought you a copy Dashie." Pinkie exclaimed, pulling out the Daring Do book of no where. "See, look new."
"Wow really?" Rainbow said, smiling. "Hey... I thought I told you not to call me Dashie? That's not really a cool name."
"Oh but it's so cute!" Pinkie said, squeezing Rainbow's face before she bounded off into the town. "Welp, I've got a whole town to meet. So bye!"
Both Applejack and Twilight waved goodbye to Pinkie as Rainbow rubbed her face, sighing. "Damn... where does she get that energy..." She mumbled, shaking her head.
"Pinkie is Pinkie Rainbow." Twilight smiled, as Discord came floating by.
"Oh? Did I miss Pinkie Pie?" He asked, looking around as he sat on a hammock of clouds. "And here I was going to give her my seal of approval... Oh well." He shrugged, licking a claw and tapping Rainbow's forehead. Seconds later a sticker appeared there, with a picture of Discord giving a thumbs up. "See? My seal of approval. And it even has Pinkie's name on it."
Twilight and Applejack chuckled as Rainbow shook her head vigorously to remove the sticker. "Dang it Discord, I asked you to stop!" Rainbow sighed, having finally removed the sticker. "When will you learn?"
"Has Twilight beaten you in a race yet?"
"Um.. no."
"There is your answer little pony. I'll never learn."



Later that month, Twilight found herself in her private office in the town hall. "Now, are you sure that's what Celestia said she would send?" She asked Dusk Shine, a very serious look on her face. "The second team is going to arrive tomorrow I understand, by their last report. But are you sure there will be a couple of Griffons?"
"Yes your highness." Dusk Shine replied. "And they have reported back that they will not be docking in town. They have agreed to the set location and will not proceed until you give the okay."
"Thank you Dusk Shine." Twilight smiled, dismissing the guard pony. Once he left she sighed. "And here I was hoping that the Crusaders would be my only problem... Now there is this. I'm glad that Celestia is including some Griffons, maybe that'll be what we need here." She looked out the window, sighing. "Discord, what are your thoughts?" She asked, looking at a teapot as it turned into Discord.
"Well, if it was up to me the second group would have been here weeks ago." He nodded, a soft smile on his face. "And I don't know... Griffons seem a bit extreme, or have they mellowed down while I was away?"
"That's something you'd have to ask Rainbow." Twilight responded, looking out the window again. "She knew a Griffon before. Though I don't exactly know how it works, as according to her different clans behave differently..." Twilight shrugged, as Discord nodded. "Maybe we'll get some decent ones."
"Not likely." Discord interjected. "From what I knew about them they'd try anything to finish their job. Even breaking the law wasn't out of the option."
"I see..." Twilight mumbled, when a knock on her door made both her and Discord look at it.
"Ma'am?" Came Seventh Star's voice from behind the door. "There is something that you must look at. I think it might involve... that."
"Very well." Twilight sighed, as her and Discord left her office. "Lead the way."

Once they arrived at the scene, which to Twilight's surprise was with in the town. She blinked in confusion. "What am I looking at?" She asked, as the scene before her nearly made her gag. "Discord, do you know of anything that can do this to a pony?"
"No... well yes." Discord nodded, a solum look upon his face. "But the windigoes all died out so... In modern times, and to a guard pony? No, not I."
"I see... Star?" She sighed, looking away from Dusk Shine's maimed body. "Could you please get him down? And prepare a burial at once for him. I'll have to go inform his family."
"Ma'am." Star nodded, though he didn't move. "Ma'am. there is more. In his room, there was writing. But I think it was in Old Equestrian, so I couldn't read it."
"I see..." She sighed, looking around. "Which room is his? I'll see if I can translate it."
"It's in his blood ma'am."
"Oh? Blood writing?" Discord said, almost eager. "Why I haven't seen anypony do that in ages."


"At ne quaere in morte circa angulum."[2]


It took Twilight nearly a whole hour to translate what was written in Dusk Shine's room. Though she attributed this to the fact that it was written in blood, on a wall. And we all know that blood drips. "Well, this is certainly interesting." Discord chuckled looking over Twilight's notes. "You did translate it correctly by the way."
" 'Seek not your answers, for death is around the corner.' " Star read, off the paper. "This sounds like a threat ma'am. Do you want me to inform the guard?"
Twilight shook her head, a solum look upon her face. "No." She finally said, looking at Star. "I want you to do no such thing. I know that there are Cleaner ponies here. Order them to clean this place up, I want no evidence remaining. Understand?"
"Ma'am?"
"What is it?"
"Are you sure that is wise?" Star asked, looking at Discord. "Would it not be wise to inform the guard of the threat? Or is there a piece I am missing? If there is, then as the acting head of the guard I demand to know."
"Star." Twilight sighed, patting him on the shoulder. "What I am about to tell you must not leave this room. Do you understand me?"
"Yes your highness."



Seventh Star sat at the dining table in his and Midnight's home. Though there was food on his plate, and it was lunch time, he didn't feel like eating. Not because of what he saw at Dusk Shine's home, which was just up the street, closer to the Town hall, and the noble district. What his thought's were on was what Twilight Sparkle had told him. If what she said was true, then that meant that... Star shook his head, pushing those thoughts out of his mind. He had ordered in the cleaners as Twilight had asked, and was now waiting for the council to decide who the next head guard would be. He looked over at Midnight, who was engaged in conversation with Discord. A soft smile appeared on his face, as he watched her being happy.
She after all, was why he became a guard pony in the first place. Her and their mother. When both him and Midnight were young, Midnight was still a school pony, they had received a report from the guard ponies that their father had died at the border. Their mother, was distraught after hearing this.
"Brother? Are you alright?" Midnight asked, waking Seventh from his thoughts. "You've had a strange look for awhile now, you haven't even touched your food."
"Yes. I'm fine sister." He responded, before he silently began to eat. "It's just been an interesting week."
"I'll say it has." Midnight chuckled, turning back to Discord. "Did I tell you about that one pink mare that came by? She cleaned out the store... I'm surprised she had enough bits..."
"Ah yes, that would be Pinkie Pie. I thought the snacks at her party tasted familiar." Discord chuckled. "If only I knew they were yours Miss Star."
"Pinkie Pie?" Midnight blinked, looking at Discord. "As in the Element of Laughter? That Pinkie Pie?"
"Did someone say my name?" As if on cue, Pinkie Pie appeared, out of a barrel of cheese. "I think I heard my name. Is any pony talking bad about me?" She then glared at each of the people in the room. "Oh, hiya Discord! Do you have guests at your house? Or are you a guest?"
"How did you.... How are you... huh?" Midnight blinked, trying to wrap her head around the concept that is Pinkie Pie.
"Don't bother with that one deary, you'll never understand." Discord whispered, before turning to Pinkie Pie. "Why, I'm a guest here Pinkie. Care to join us in festivities?"
"Oh boy would I!" Pinkie smiled, jumping out of the barrel, causing a few chucks of cheese to fly out. "Cheese? I thought it was a pickle barrel... It smelled like a pickle barrel..."
Both Discord and Midnight chuckled at Pinkie's side remark about pickles. "Miss Pinkie, you certainly are random." Midnight chuckled, wiping a tear from her eye with her hoof. "But I don't see why we would have a pickle barrel here. They aren't sweet. This is a confectionery Pinkie. In fact, you were here earlier to get confections for your party, remember?"
"Oh yeah!" Pinkie smiled, shaking Midnight's hoof vigorously. "You're the mare that sold me those goodies. And boy did they taste good. I ate half of them just while preparing the party."
"Wait... you did what?" Midnight asked, dumbfounded. "You ate half... how are you not sick to the stomach?"
"I live in a bakery, duh." Pinkie said matter of factly, as if that explained everything she does. "Why would I?"
"Um... no pony can eat that much, and not feel at least a little ill." Midnight blinked, shaking her head. "Your almost like Discord."
"Really? I though I was random?" Pinkie blinked, looking around. "Why does that make me like Discord? He's a meany-mean meany pants. No offense Nice Discord."
"None taken... I think." Discord chuckled, having been confused by Pinkie as well. "It's nice to no that somepony cares about my feelings."
"Oh yeah! Of course I care!" Pinkie smiled, hugging Discord. "You're a friend. And good at parties too."



Upon a boat, heading towards the colony, though not towards to colony, were three little fillies hitch-hiking a ride to the colony. "Shh!" One of them whispered. "If were caught were dead."
"D-dead?" A nother said, worried. "Are you sure? Will they really kill us?"
"Were hitch-hikers... or is it stowaways.... argh what ever, yeah I bet they will. Why do you think no one talks about them?"
"Because it's rude to hitch-hike?" The third one finally spoke up. "Besides, the worst they gunna do is keep us in a room till they get back to Equestria, they ain't killing foals. It's wrong."
"Yeah? And where did you learn that Applebloom?" [3]
"Um... well... I'm just guessing okay!" Applebloom squeaked, kicking Scootaloo softly.
"Hey! That wasn't called for." She then yelped, kicking Applebloom back.
"Quite!" Sweetie Belle whispered, as a guard pony approached their hidding spot. "I hear somepony."
"Who's there?" He asked, flashing his flashlight around. "I know your there, why don't you come out and we can have a nice talk." He blinked, waiting for any sound. When none came he shrugged, and turned to return to his post. "Must have been rats, or the wind. Man, I hope we hit port soon..."
> Cutie Mark Crusaders Special 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Cutie Mark Crusaders Special 1[1]


"Hey, didn't you say that we'd go surprise Applejack once we got here?" Sweetie Belle asked, Scootaloo as they treaded on an unbeaten path. "And didn't I hear the guard pony that this place is off limits? He said this was off limits didn't he?"
"Yeah, he did." Scootaloo smiled, looking around before leaning forward. "But get this, I met up with some of our operatives here. And you know what they said about this place?"
"Um... no." Both Sweetie Belle and Applebloom said in unison.
"They didn't seal this place off, as a restricted section until Twilight got a word in from Discord." Scootaloo smiled, eagerness in her voice. "You here that? Discord himself came here and said this place should be sealed. Discord! Man, after hearing that I just have to check this place out. Right?"	She looked over at Applebloom, then back at Sweetie Belle. "Right?"
Applebloom was the first to respond, slowly nodding her head. "Right... I guess that kinda makes sense." She mumbled, looking around. "But doesn't this place kinda look like... I dunno, it kinda looks like the Everfree forest to me... It's all dark and spooky."
"Well of course it's dark and spooky." Scootaloo sighed, her wings flapping slightly. "Were the first ponies here ever remember Applebloom? They don't even have a cloud city up and running yet."
"Oh yeah..." Applebloom sighed, relaxing slightly. "But still, we aren't allowed in the Everfree, maybe that's why they sealed it off. Because they need more pegasi to make it safe for ponies."
"Yeah? Then explain why Twilight called Discord here?" Scootaloo pointed out. "I know it couldn't have been because she wanted tea. I heard that she even sent a royal plea to Celestia to get him over here. Why would she do that if it was nothing?"
"Um... I don't know." Applebloom sighed, looking around. "So... um how far in should we go?"
"Far enough to find out why this area was sealed." Scootaloo said, before bumping into Sweetie Belle. "Hey what do you think you... are... what is that?" Scootaloo blinked, staring at the same thing as Sweetie Belle was.
"What's what?" Applebloom asked, who had been looking behind them before looking forward again. "Oh... that."
Before them, was a sight that not many ponies had seen. Perhaps no pony had ever seen it before the colony was formed. Before them was a forest, though it wasn't a regular forest. This forest was made out of what looked like ice. Frozen in time, for all the world to see it. As the young fillies walked into the area Sweetie Belle's horn sparkled, as if magic was being discharged, or absorbed. [2] "What is this place?" Scootaloo asked, glancing at Sweetie Belle's horn for a second before her eyes travelled around the area again. "Why is everything ice?"
"It's not ice..." Applebloom stated.
"Huh? No it's obviously ice." Scootaloo argued, looking at Applebloom.
"No, I know ice. I live on a farm remember?" Applebloom stated again, a soft smile on her face. "What ever this stuff is, no pony's ever seen it before."
"Hey, is water normally red... no, I mean green, no I mean... does water act like that?" Sweetie Belle asked, pointing towards something.
That something turned out to be a regal looking fountain. The water with in the fountain, certainly wasn't behaving as water should. In stead of leaving the fountain top, the water appeared to be entering it flowing upwards as if gravity didn't matter to it. But that wasn't the only thing that caught the fillies eyes. What did, was the waters other aspect. Every few seconds the water would change to a different color of the rainbow. There seemed to be no discernible patter to when the water would change color, or to what color. The fillies continued staring at the water for a couple of hours, though they didn't realize the passage of time happened.



"Ma'am?" A guard pony said, interrupting Twilight's conversation with Discord. "You told me to inform you directly when three certain fillies arrived in the colony."
"Yes?"
"Well, it seems the fillies in question have arrived." The guard said, which made Twilight sigh. "And ma'am. They seem to be headed... there."
"What?" Twilight blinked, looking at the guard pony. "Do you mean... where are they now? Did you stop them?"
The guard shook his head, which made Discord laugh. "Do you want to go talk to them? Or should I?" He asked Twilight, as he waved the guard away. "I can easily poof there and back. We can finish our talk then?"
"No, this is something I must do myself Discord. I think they've already found it anyway. So there's no use lying to them."
"Suit yourself." Discord said, as Twilight teleported away.



Scootaloo was the first to break out of their hypnotic like trance that the fountain seemed to hold them in. "Say, I got an idea..." She smiled, which woke the other two up.
"Huh? What?" They said, in unison.
"What if we were to, bottle some of that water up? We could sell it as a party prop... or... or maybe... um... think of something."
As Scootaloo thought of the many ways that they could sell the strange water, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle looked around for anything they could use to hold the water. It was then, that a familiar sounding pop reached their ears. "Uh oh." The three of them said, in unison.
"Now, I'm not going to ask you how you found out about this place. As I think I know who told you. But what I am going to ask, is what made you think it was wise to attempt to come here." Twilight Sparkle said, looking at each of the fillies in front of her.
"But Twilight..."
"No buts Scootaloo. I want a straight answer, from each of you."
"Well, you see. We kind of hitch-hiked a ride here on the last boat. We did that because we wanted to surprise Applejack and... well... Scootaloo heard this wild tale about how you called Discord over here to look at something in this forests and she said that we should go and check the place out because there could be some really cool stuff here, after all why else would Discord ask for an area to be sealed... and... and... well we found this fountain thingy and scootaloo said we should bottle up some of the weird water and sell it as a party prop." Sweetie Belle explained, all in one breath.
"Traitor." Scootaloo whispered to Sweetie Belle.

"Wow... really?" Scootaloo  exclaimed, looking around the area. "Is this place really that important? I mean, Celestia requested Griffons guard this place? Dang..." Her smile was even greater then when she thought of the idea about the water.
"And that's not water... but something important to unicorns?" Sweetie Belle asked, looking at the fountain.
"Yes, in fact I'd go far as say this entire area is important." Twilight nodded, sighing softly. "That is why I requested it to be sealed as a restricted area. Not Discord, as your friend said. But it was my order." She smiled softly, looking at Scootaloo. "And I had it placed under restriction long before he arrived. I knew by the way my horn reacted to the area that it was important, Discord only confirmed my thoughts by telling me what it was."
"And what exactly is this place? You kind of left that out of your explanation." Scootaloo said, which caused  Twilight to wince.
"Well, Discord left that out as well." Twilight admitted. "Though, if I were to guess. It has something to do with Alicorns." Nodding towards a statue on the Fountain, one that depicted an Alicorn. "I've asked for a team to come here and research it. Hopefully Celestia sent the best."
> Investigations and Secret Ponies
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 4


Investigations and Secret Ponies


Dear Celestia,
It's been a week sense the second team arrived to conduct it's investigation into what exactly we had discovered was. They have been working round the clock, and have been an excellent help in my own personally investigation. I had ut to of them on the death of Dusk Shine.
What they unearthed worries me. Or I should say, what they haven't unearthed. The two I placed on Dusk Shine's death, were according to all my sources, the best investigators in all of Equestria. Could it be that we are dealing with forces we don't fully understand? Could there be something here that we've never met before? I'm at a loss for anything.
The only thing that worries me the most, is the message that was left written in Dusk Shine's blood. Seventh Star, who was Dusk Shine's second in command, seemed to believe that it was a threat directed to me. He then proceeded to inform the guards, even after I told him not to. I know he had the best interests of the colony in hoof, but some of the guards have families with foals. Foals that are Cutie Mark Crusaders. You remember them don't you? From last years Gala?
There may have only been three there, but imagine having 13 in an area, all giddied up for adventure...
I've had, an eventful past few months to say the least.
Your student,
Twilight Sparkle.



Twilight sighed, as she left the post office. She looked around at the growing town, a smile on her face. She was proud of herself, and if Celestia's letters were any indication, so were the royal sisters. Here they were, in a new land. And here was a town, almost a year old, that was growing because of Twilight's influence. Twilight stopped near an alley, looking around. A thought had dawned on her, did that reflect on her as a ruler? Or did it reflect on the Sisters? She shook her head, sighing. It didn't matter who it reflected upon, her position as liaison to the crowned sisters would still be the same.
She sighed, nodding her head just as an unknown pony tackled her. Her assailant seemed to know who she was and what she was capable of, as one of the first things they did was pin her wings down. "You have... been warned Twilight Sparkle." Her assailant whispered, before jumping off of her.
Twilight blinked, looking around the dark alley. She used her horn to make some light in the area, yet found no pony who could have been the pony in question. She then shook her head and began the walk to the town hall. This, had to be reported to the small group of ponies in the town that knew of the fountain. She was calling in everyone who did.

Once the group of ponies who she trusted with the information had gathered in the meeting room Twilight began to recount the events of the past month. Going from the information on Dusk Shine's murder, all the way to the mysterious assailant who attacked her. The two Griffons there, were furious.
"No!" Hale, the Griffon liaison there, yelled. "I care not for your pony matters Princess Sparkle. The moment this group of ponies laid their hand upon you, it became a matter of royal responsibility. I must return to Equestria. I must order more Griffons come here. There must be better security. Security that will rival Canterlot." He sighed, looking at the other Griffon, who nodded. "I believe your brother Shining Armor would agree." He then left the room, along with the other Griffon.
"Star?"
"Yes ma'am?"
"I think you should send word of what happened today to Celestia." Twilight sighed, looking around at the ponies still there. "Please can you do that for me? Before the Griffons return?"
"Ma'am." He said, as she dismissed him.
"Oh Miss Sparkle, are you sure you don't need rest? I would be in my house now cowering in fear if I was you." Green Hunter smiled, patting Twilight's head. "Well, I'd love to stay, but I have a business to run. And you have a city to run." He smiled, bowing to Twilight.
"You sure you trust him?" Rainbow asked, watching the noble pony leave. "I think he's planning something. Can't really put a hoof on it but he is."



Seventh Star looked around his office, sighing. This was Dusk Shine's office, but the council actually elected him as the next head of guard. They didn't know this, but it worked out perfectly for him. The people he worked for, truly worked for needed someone close to Twilight. He looked around again, locking the door to make sure no pony interrupted him. He then placed a few spells upon the door and walls, to keep nosy ears away.
Once he was sure it was safe, he pulled out a small silver orb out of his desk. It was time for a report. "Why is your report so late Dusk Shine?" Came the familiar voice of the one he and the other members only knew as Master.
"Master, Dusk Shine has been killed." He replied, sighing. "This is Star Shine."
"Star?" The voice questioned, clearly confused. "Why are you using Dusk's comm? Is yours not working?"
"Circumstances have not let me reach it. There was an... incursion." He replied to the voice, looking around nervously as if he expected some force to attack him. "Three fillies had appeared in side the forest, I had to vacate before I was caught."
"You did a wise move Star..." The voice sounded pleased. "Now, tell me everything. It seems that you are now in charge of that section."
"Yes sir Master." Seventh said, a soft smile on his face. He then recounted the past events of the last few months, sense Dusk Shine's death.
Once he finished, the voice seemed quite. It was a few seconds after Seventh finished before the voice spoke. "You must make sure these, griffons, do not make it to land. If they do, and proceed to begin searching they will find the orbs. And in turn our operatives." The voice was quite for a few seconds. "That is the last thing I... we want. Understand?"
"Yes sir Master."
"Now, return to your 'duties' Star."
"Yes sir Master."



Twilight sighed, as Pinkie gave her a massage. At first Twilight was surprised that Pinkie would suggest something along those lines, but quickly found out that Pinkie was, surprisingly good at massaging. "What can't you do Pinkie?" Rainbow Dash asked, shaking her head. "You're an impossible pony..."
"Um... duh. I can't fly Dashie." Pinkie said, in her unique way. "That's like... for you and Twili."
Twilight blinked, as Rainbow sighed. "Well, Pinkie. Last time I heard, you have chased Rainbow Dash using a flying contraption." Twilight smiled, taking Rainbow's side in the Pinkie argument. "So, by all means you can fly. Though it's not like those of us with wings, you still can fly."
"Huh... never thought of it that way..." Pinkie mumbled, looking around. "Say, weren't those cute little fillies here a second ago?"
"Uh oh..." Both Rainbow and Twilight moaned.

Before the mares could gather themselves and head out to find the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Seventh Star approached them. "Ma'am." He said, bowing to each of the mares. "Princess Celestia has been informed of Lord Hale's intended actions. As well as the assault that you went through earlier in the day." He looked at each of them in turn, before speaking again. "The royal Princess also told me to mention to you that she believed that Lord Hale was... half right. She will be sending more guards immediately, and will attempt to avoid conflict with the Griffons. They seem adamant in having their own presence here. Lord Farseer even mentioned having a Griffon settlement here, separate from ours."
> Investigations and Arrival (But mostly Wubs)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 5


Investigations and Arrival (But mostly Wubs)


Twilight looked around the room, a soft sigh escaping her. The investigation was proceeding as they originally planned, with only one set back. That was, the assailant had yet to reveal them self once again. This made Twilight slightly happy, though her and the research team were still on edge. She shook her head, a soft smile on her face. Today marked the one year anniversary of the founding of the colony. Though the council had yet to settle upon a name for the town, it had grown a large amount sense Twilight arrived. She sighed looking out the window of her office. Celestia wasn't to arrive for another week.
Twilight had come to know one simple fact by now though, and that fact was that a lot can happen in a single day. Twilight sighed, shaking her head. She attempted to keep her thoughts positive, something she found increasingly hard.
"Princess?" A guard said, walking up to her open office door. "I have come to inform you the extra Griffon's have arrived."
"And why hasn't Seventh Star come to inform me himself?" Twilight asked, confused as to why it was a regular guard. "I ordered him to come himself."
"He said he had personal business." The guard informed Twilight. "Some thing about his sister's shop, and pink..."
Twilight then chuckled, nodding her head understanding. Pinkie must have decided to start preparing for Celestia's arrival, starting that day. "Thank you, I will go and greet the griffon's myself." She waived the guard away, as he nodded and left.



The white unicorn sighed shaking her head at the pony still in their cabin on the boat. "Come on Wubs, we're already here!" Vinyl exasperated, having spent the last hour trying to get the nervous Changeling to leave the boat. This was met with nervous whines from said Changeling.
"But... but..." Wubsy whined, being to tired to take the shape of anypony. "What if nopony likes me there?"
"Didn't we already go over this?" Vinyl asked, going into the room to hug Wubsy. "Tavi and I still like you Wubs. Besides, Twilight's in charge. You remember her right?" This remark got a smile, and a nod from Wubsy. "Well good, see you'll be fine. Oh, that's right! Twilight said that there was a whole suburb full of Changelings like you Wubs, maybe you'll make friends there." Vinyl smiled, hoping that would work.
It did. "R-really?" Wubsy asked, creeping out of the room. "There really are other Changelings like me? I'm not alone?"
"Mhm, a whole suburb... what ever that is..." Vinyl shrugged, as she levitated her luggage out of the room, and shutting the door before Wubsy could change her mind. "Now let's get going. Tavi's waiting for us. I asked her specifically to get us a home near the other changelings... hopefully she didn't have to hard of a problem finding 'em."
Wubsy nodded, as they both headed off the boat. Vinyl immediately proceeded to talk about finding gigs for both her and Octavia, which would be hard according to her as the only town was the port town. Wubsy listened sleepily when they ran into a familiar face.
"Vinyl?" Twilight blinked, surprised by them being there. "Well, you came here rather quickly. I thought you wouldn't be here for another month or two." She chuckled, hugging both Vinyl and Wubsy. "It's nice to see you both. Though it's sooner then I thought..."
"Hey what's wrong Twi?" Vinyl asked, blinking. "Is something going on? Should we be worried?"
"Well, no. Not you and Wubsy of course. You shouldn't be targets..."
"Targets? For what? Twi, what's going on?" Vinyl asked, worry in her voice.
"Look I'd tell you if I could." Twilight sighed, looking around. "But it's a sensitive matter okay? I'd have to get you cleared for that kind of stuff." She smiled, though the smile was weak.
"Okay, but you'd better." Vinyl said, half ordering her. "I don't want to be ignorant of anything that could hurt my Wubsy... or Tavi..."
Twilight nodded, hugging them both again. "I'll try Vinyl. That's the best I can give you right now. Even though the entire council was voted in, I still only have one or two allies there..."
Vinyl nodded, looking around. She smiled softly. "Well, best to go look for Tavi then." Vinyl chuckled softly, as Wubsy nodded.

It took the two roughly an hour to find the earth pony mare that Vinyl and Wubsy were looking for. She was standing in front of a small two floored house, not moving. "Heya Tavi!" Vinyl smiled, waiving a hoof at her marefriend. "We've been looking for you. Surprised it took so long though. This place ain't much bigger then ponyville, and I can find you there in a heart beat... then again I know ponyville, and this town is only a year old." Vinyl then blinked, looking from Octavia to the house, and back to Octavia. "Say Tavi, why you looking at that house? Is it ours? Could we afford it? Did you really buy a ho..."
Octavia silenced Vinyl by placing a hoof to her mouth. "No, this isn't our place Vinyl. Ours is a bout two blocks away." Octavia sighed, looking at Wubsy. "Two things. One Twilight wasn't kidding when she said there were a lot of Changelings here, I actually bought our house... Yes Vinyl I did just say house... I bought it from a Changeling., who so happens to own quite a few houses there. And two, I'm standing in front of this house because this is where the head of the guard lived."
"Lived?" Vinyl blinked, looking at the house. "What makes you say lived? Did he move?"
"Look." Octavia said, pointing towards the door. And the police lines. "I looked into it, and he's not the only pony that's been murdered. They actually called a whole team in from Canterlot to look into it. Seems there's something going down somewhere in the forest, that has the guards spooked."
"Really? We should check it out then!" Vinyl suggested, smiling. "That sounds like a job for us!"
"Vinyl, you sound like a little filly." Octavia sighed, shaking her head. "And trust me, you do. Seeing as I had to get that information from a filly... Strange that these Cutie Mark Crusaders are the only ones willing to talk about it... n other pony either knew anything, or refused to tell me anything."
"Yeah, something was bothering Twi..." Vinyl mumbled, shrugging. "Must be serious if what ever it is even worries the guards. I mean, I sorta half figured that she was worried about Spike and was to embarased to admit it... but if ponies are being murdered because of what's worring Twi, then maybe we should stay out of it..."
"That... that's actually mature of you..." Octavia blinked.
"What? I can be an adult if I want to." Vinyl smiled, nudging Octavia. "I just choose to play around and act like a little filly. Life's short, and I choose to enjoy it."
"Sure of course." Octavia mumbled. "And here I was thinking you were just immature."
"Yeah, but you like that Tavi." Vinyl chuckled, nudging her again. "Don't deny it, you said so yourself."
Octavia sighed, as she moved to head to their house. "I wasn't going to Vinyl. I know very well what I've said in the past... Some of it I regret." 
"You know you don't have to Tavi. Me and Wubsy forgive you." Vinyl smiled, affectionately kissing Octavia's cheek.
"Vinyl..." Was all Octavia said, before they reached there house. "Well, here we are." Octavia smiled, changing the subject as quickly as she could. "This is our new home. Well, until we get kicked out, again. For... somepony disturbing the peace."
"What?" Vinyl said, defensively. "I was practicing. I didn't have it that loud..."
"Vinyl, you woke up the whole town. Every night, for three weeks." Octavia sighed, shaking her head. "I'm surprised they didn't kick us out sooner..."
"Well... yeah I did but, what am I supposed to do?" Vinyl questioned, a smirk on her face. "Say, why do you think Twi was down at the docks any way? Seems like an odd place for her to hang out..."
"Perhaps she was looking the place over, making sure everything was going fine." Octavia suggested, sighing softly.
"Or she was meeting somepony." Wubsy smiled, looking around their new home. "She seemed to be heading somewhere when you bumped into her."
"Yeah, she did didn't she..." Vinyl nodded, looking at the kitchen. "What evs, I'm hungry."



Twilight Sparkle sighed, shaking her head. It seemed odd that Vinyl and Octavia were already there in the colony. She shook her head softly, passing it off as a slight coincidence. Besides, Pinkie was there so chances were that Vinyl would be performing at Pinkie's 'Welcome Celestia' party that she sure was planning. Twilight chuckled as she walked up to the more regal looking boat, that was behind the one Vinyl and Wubsy came out of. "Hello, I take it you would be the extra guard that Sir Hale ordered?" She asked, one of the griffons that were hanging around the boat.
"Your late." He stated, eyeing her with a level of scrutiny that only Griffons could do. "You were to be here earlier."
"Ah yes," Twilight smiled, nodding. "I would have been, had I not ran into a friend of mine on the way here."
"And who would this be?" The griffon asked, after looking at a couple of the other Griffons.
"That would be Vin... why is that any of your business?" Twilight asked, blinking. "What do I have to go through quarterly reports? Telling you every five minutes what's happened? If so, then you can pack up and leave. I don't care what Hale says my business is my business. And I will not have watch dogs watching my every move. Do you understand?" She said, her anger not entirely hidden.
"Yes ma'am." The Griffon sighed, shaking his head. "How ever, your safety is of the utmost concern."
"No, what is of concern is the safety of the town." Twilight sighed, her anger rising. "I don't care what anypony thinks, I'm only just a figurehead here. The real power is in the council, not me. That's why I set it up that the council members are voted on, to see what the public wants. It's an idea from Luna that I agreed with, and wanted to see how it would work." She smiled, looking at the town. "And so far, I've been shown that it was a brilliant idea." She chuckled, as she watched the griffons squirm.
"But ma'am, are you not a member of the council as well?" The first griffon asked, looking around.
"Yes, I am. As are Applejack and Rainbow Dash." Twilight responded, shaking her head. "But as I said, that's an elected title. I'll have to relinquish it eventually." She smiled softly, causing the griffons to shuffle uncomfortably again. "Oh? Are you that unfamiliar with Republic ideals? I know the griffon tribes follow the same hierarchy as most changeling hives, but they've dealt with..."
"Do not compare us to those barbarians." The griffon who was speaking the most said. "We are not wandering savages... like they are."
"Hey!" Twilight said, not realizing she touched a sensitive matter. "I didn't know okay. Do the Griffon's and Changeling's not like each other?" Twilight then asked, now curious.
"They are our natural enemies." A second griffon, female, said. "High King Farseer's father was killed by changeling. And his father before. This... treaty the Changelings have with Equestria, the Kings did not take lightly. Many a night was spent attempting to convince Celestia of her mistake. Your leader refused to see it this way."
"Right." Twilight nodded, sighing. "But if I see any of you fighting any Changeling, I will make sure it's you that are punished. Do you understand?"
"We will not stand for..."
"Do you understand."
"Yes, your highness." The griffons bowed, excusing themselves.

"You did that rather well Star..." Twilight chuckled, sighing. She smiled, walking out from behind a pile of boxes. "Thank you for taking my place, while I dealt with Pinkie Pie."
"Do not ever make me deal with those... warmongers again." Seventh asked Twilight, retaking his original pony disguise. "They are fools, and children."
"Fine by me." Twilight smiled, nodding softly. "But be careful what you say when me, okay Star? Now I have a threat that will have to be backed up when they test it. And I know they will."
"Princess." Seventh said, after a moment of silence.
"Yes Star?"
"Did you really get the idea from Princess Luna?" He asked, looking at her confused.
"Yes. Why would I lie to you Star? I have no reason to." She smiled, patting him on the shoulder. "You've been a great friend helping me as you have."
"How many times?" Rainbow Dash asked, landing in front of both Seventh and Twilight. "How many times have we spent time together and you were actually this changeling Twi? And don't plead innocence, I just saw what happened."
"Rainbow..."
"And I want the truth Twi. The real truth." Rainbow continued, ignoring Twilight. "I mean it Twi, the truth. Not some hair-brained excuse that nobles would give."
"Rainbow... I only asked him to take my shape this one time, I had to deal with Pinkie..." Twilight admitted, looking away. Rainbow raised an eyebrow, half doubting Twilight. "And maybe during a couple of Town meetings... but I swear, that is all."
"Pinkie swear?"
"Cross my heart, and hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my... OW!" Twilight grumbled, rubbing the eye she just proceeded to poke.
> Revelations
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 6


Revelations


"And I want the truth Twi. The real truth." Rainbow continued, ignoring Twilight. "I mean it Twi, the truth. Not some hair-brained excuse that nobles would give."
"Rainbow... I only asked him to take my shape this one time, I had to deal with Pinkie..." Twilight admitted, looking away. Rainbow raised an eyebrow, half doubting Twilight. "And maybe during a couple of Town meetings... but I swear, that is all."
"Pinkie swear?"
"Cross my heart, and hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my... OW!" Twilight grumbled, rubbing the eye she just proceeded to poke.

"You better be telling the truth Twi." Rainbow grumbled, sighing she shook her head mumbling. "I swear if I find out that you're lying then I'll... I'll... bah I don't know what I'd do but I'll do something!"
Twilight chuckled, nodding her head. "I'll keep that in mind Rainbow." She responded, smiling. "Next time I'll keep you in the loop. Okay?"
"And Applejack... Pinkie too." Rainbow stated, glaring at Twilight and Seventh both. "They both need to know what your doing Twi."
"Sure, I'll inform Applejack as well... And Rainbow?"
"Yeah Twi?"
"I thought that I'd tell you it was Pinkie's idea." Twilight smiled, nodding her head. Seventh nodded his head as well, a stoic look on his face. "Though I still want to know how she knew that you were one of the Changelings that Celestia placed to protect me Star..."
"I believe that it is this 'Pinkie Sense' ma'am." Star responded to Twilight's question. "That is the only... reasonable explanation."
Twilight nodded, a soft smile on her face. She looked at Rainbow, who nodded as well. The two mares chuckled, as Star shifted slightly. "What's wrong?" Rainbow asked, poking Star. "We makin' you nervous? Is little changeling guard nervous?"
Twilight shook her head sighing, as Star slightly growled at Rainbow. "Do not think that your position as an Element, or as a council member will stop me from throwing you into a jail cell Rainbow Dash."
Rainbow blinked, at the sudden aggressiveness that Seventh showed. She looked away, a slight blush on her face. "R-right... um... hey, if you're a changeling then is Midnight one also? Or are you portraying as her brother?"
"My sister is truly my sister. She too is a changeling... well, half Changeling." He mumbled the last part, looking away.
"Half Changeling?" Both Twilight and Rainbow blinked, looking shocked that that was possible. They looked at each other, blinking at their similar looks. "So... ponies and changelings can mate together?" Rainbow blinked, looking at Twilight.
"Well, from my initial analysis of... um... Wubsy, I concluded that Changelings and Ponies are actually rather closely related. Well, I should say Changelings and Alicorns."
"Wait, just Alicorns?" Rainbow blinked, even more confused. "Why not pegasi, or unicorns?"
"I don't get it myself either Rainbow." Twilight shook her head sighing. "All my research says that the actual physiology of each pony race is actually different. But, as we saw with the Cakes. Each one is close enough to mate with each of the other races. Even Alicorns, could mate. If my calculations are correct that is... but what surprised me was how close Changelings and Alicorns were..." She looked at Seventh then at Rainbow. "It's almost as if they came from a similar ancestor. And if my research are correct, then the other pony races came from Alicorns... which would change everything."
Both Rainbow Dash and Seventh Star looked at Twilight in an awkward silence. It was actually Star who spoke up next. "So, then why can a changeling and a pony, that's not an Alicorn, mate? Wouldn't their physiology be to far apart?"
"No, I think it's the same as why a pony could mate with an Alicorn, it's just to close to matter. I mean, look at your true form. You have wings and a horn. You're practically a bug-like Alicorn. Your whole race is. I'd go so far as say that Chrysalis is the last of the 'Alicorn' Changelings if you will... You Star, Wubsy, and changelings like you would be the 'pony' changelings. The next Changelings in the evolutionary chain. That would explain why there is an increasing number of autonomic Changelings."
Rainbow, who had been sitting in silence up until now, finally spoke. "All this stuff you've found out... It's because you've been researching that fountain haven't you?"
Twilight looked away, slightly blushing. "Okay, I will admit one thing... I may have taken a couple of gulps from that weird liquid in the fountain." At this, both Rainbow and Star tensed up, for different reasons. "It was only a couple... of glasses... But that's not the point! Once I did I could focus so much better! Even my magical ability increased!"
Rainbow blinked, and Star looked nervous. "Um.. that's great Twi... so is the fountain not dangerous? We can remove the  restriction?"
Twilight sighed, shaking her head. "No." She mumbled, sighing once again. "In fact, I'd say that anypony that's not actively researching the fountain and the liquid substance it contains should not be allowed near it." Rainbow blinked, confused. And there was a noticeable sigh of relief from Star. "Think about it Rainbow. It increased my ability. Imagine what would happen if anypony from Canterlot heard of the fountain. That forest is very valuable, even without the fountain. I don't want any business pony mucking it up for sales before we fully understand what it is. Even then only trained ponies should enter the forest."
Rainbow nodded, a soft frown on her face. "R-right... Hey Twi."
"I'm not drinking from the fountain again Rainbow." Twilight sighed, still looking away. "Drinking from it... it actually scared me as to what it did. I don't want any pony drinking from it. That means all of us Rainbow. Understand?"
"Right. But that's not what I was going to say."
"What?"
"Where did Star go? I mean, he was right next to me a second ago..."



Star yawned, the whole thing about the fountain worried him at first. But once Twilight had mentioned nopony going near it, he relaxed enough to yawn. He smiled softly, a changeling, yawning. He'd been in pony form for far to long. He was still softly when Twilight chose to speak up again. "Think about it Rainbow." She said, towards the blue one that he understood was a friend. "It increased my ability. Imagine what would happen..."
Star blinked confused as to why Twilight suddenly stopped talking. It took what his eyes were seeing a couple of seconds to be comprehended. He was teleported away.
He didn't know where, as he'd never seen this giant cave he was in before. He looked around worried, wondering how he would get out, and where he was. How was he supposed to protect Twilight Sparkle, as was his cover, if he wasn't even anywhere close to the Alicorn.
In his frantic wanderings while he looked for a way out, he passed a few things that made him stop. Though each one distracted him for only a few seconds. Each one, he didn't realize gave him clues to where he was.
It was around three or four hours later that he came upon a sight that made him stop completely. He now found himself at the mouth of a unfathomly large cavern. Though that's not what caught his eye. To his left he could see a lake.
A lake of the same liquid as was in the fountain.
Seventh found himself slowly walking up to the lake, it bemused him. Though he already knew the stuff about the fountain that Twilight discovered only after drinking from it, the liquid still eluded him as to exactly what it was. He had a feeling that Master knew exactly what it was, but he didn't care. If Master wanted to tell him, Master would tell him.
He understood that there was no goading Master, or you'd find yourself in a ditch. Dead.
Seventh blinked, looking around. A strange thought had passed his mind. Master informed any new member that his word was law, and breaking the rules was punishable by death. Had Dusk Shine broke any of the rules? Was he dead because he questioned Master? Or was something else at...
"Hello little one." A familiar voice sounded, causing Star to jump in freight. He then blinked, the liquid hadn't responded to the loudness of the voice. He looked around to see where the source was.
And in the darkness, he found two large reptilian eyes.
"It's a pleasure finally meeting you in person."
"Master?"
The dragon's eyes seemed to smile. Though at least in Seventh's eyes they did. He didn't see much more of the dragon the the eyes. The eyes that had to be as large as he was.



Star blinked, waking up in his office. He looked around sighing. He stretched out his body from the awkward nap he just took. He then felt his wings flutter slight. Wings? He glanced at a mirror and saw that during his nap, his disguise must have deactivated. Quickly changing back into the earth pony that the guards knew as Seventh Star, he smiled softly. Shaking his head he mumbled something under his breath before he moved to go apologize about his disappearance to Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle.
"And remember Star, what you learned here today must never leave this cave. Can you promis me that?"
That single thought passed his mind as he left his office. He chuckled, knowing full well what the answer was.
Yes.
He was a changeling, a race bred to keep secrets. Though right now he looked like an earth pony that rose to be head of the guard, at heart he was a changeling.
He blinked, looking around. Who was this Wubsy that Twilight mentioned? Twilight had said something about the changeling Wubsy, and research. Why would Twilight be studying Changelings?
He sighed shaking his head. Because that was her previous assignment, from Celestia. Though now she had to worry about Politicians and noble ponies, before she was studying Changelings, to better understand them.

"Oh there you are! Hey Twi! I found him!" Rainbow Dash smiled, landing down next to Star.
"Where have you been Star? We've been looking for you for hours!" Twilight asked, sounding worried. She looked him over, almost as a mother would when she found her child had been in a fight.
"I apologize, there was some paper work that had to be taken care of. Paperwork that was put aside to help Twilight." He responded to Twilight's question, which caused Twilight and Rainbow to shift nervously. He blinked, he seemed to remember walking from the cave to his office. He also remember that he actually did do the paperwork. What he didn't remember was where the cave was. Or who that surprise guest in the cave was either. He shook his head sighing. The memory wasn't important to him at the moment.
"Yeah... now that I think about it don't you have some paperwork Rainbow?" Twilight blinked, looking at Rainbow. "Why were you spying on me?"
"Well... I wasn't spying!" Rainbow said, defensively. "I was... um... napping..."



Luna sighed, shaking her head. She was walking up towards her sister's personal quarters. There were a few things she needed to talk to her about. "Tia?" She asked softly, knocking on the door.
"You can come in Luna. You know you always have my permission, your my sister."
Luna nodded, softly sighing. She then walked into Celestia's room, looking around. It had been the better part of a thousand years sense she'd been in there, it hadn't changed. "I've read the letters that Twilight sent about her research with the Fountain. Are you sure it's wise to trust Farseer's griffons with the protecting of this fountain? What if he's planning something? Is our Changeling guard not good enough?" Luna asked, worry in her voice.
"Yes Luna." Celestia smiled, patting Luna on the shoulder. "Besides, I've been told that Twilight has even banned everpony except those directly studying the fountain from going near it."
"You went to visit Deacon haven't you?" Luna asked, looking up at Celestia.
"And if I have?"
"You know hold old that dragon is Tia!" Luna complained, anger in her voice. "You know the things he's done! The... the amounts of ponies he's killed!" Luna looked away from her sister, slowly walking away. "Why Tia? Why would you trust him? Do you not trust your student to tell you in her own time?" Luna looked back, at Celestia, who was blinking in shock. "Well?"
"I do Luna." Celestia sighed, looking out a window. "And I do believe she will, but I had to go Luna. He's planning on telling Twilight. On telling her everything."
"Everything?" Luna blinked, now also looking out a window. "She won't take the truth very well."
"Neither did we."
"This is true."
"It even caused us to fight. You turned into Nightmare Moon."
"Yes... I know Tia."
It was then that a guard approached each of them. "Princess, your ship is ready to depart." He informed Celestia, before excussing himself.
"Well, I guess I have a colony to go visit." Celestia smiled, chuckling softly
"Tia?"
"Yes Luna"
"I'm going with."
"If you wish."



"Ma'am?" Seventh Star said, walking up to Twilight during a particularly boring council meeting. Rainbow could be seen from her seat watching the two. "I have come to inform you that the Sisters's ship will be arriving shortly."
"Sisters?" Twilight blinked, looking at Seventh. "Only Celestia is coming Star..."
"I have also come to inform you that Princess Luna will be joining Princess Celestia in her visit."
Everyone grew quite at this revelation. Each member of the council looked up to Luna, as without her suggestion they would not have the position they had today. The Earth ponies especially looked up to Luna.
The council was made by Luna's suggestion back in Canterlot. It worked so well, that Twilight had wanted to see how it would work without the prying eyes of the sisters. That, and how it would work if it was the council who was in charge, not the Royals. All in all, Twilight was proud of the results of the first election.
There were thirteen council members of the thirteen four of them were Earth ponies, counting Applejack. Three of the remaining nine were Pegasi, counting Rainbow Dash. Then five of the six were Unicorns, with Twilight being the remaining member of the council. Though Twilight would have liked it if Rarity was there to help keep the Unicorns in check.
Almost immediately after the elections were complete the Unicorn nobles had begun to try and regain the ground they lost because of the wait. Of course, this was met with a ton of opposition, as the earth ponies supported Twilight. And the pegasi supported Rainbow Dash, who trusted Twilight.
And now, the entire council had just received word that the orchestrator to the birth of the Canterlot Council, Princess Luna herself, would be coming to the colony. Though they were overjoyed that Celestia would be coming, Luna would as well.
And their reaction to Luna coming was different then when Twilight told them Celestia was coming.

"Where is the pink pony? We must prepare for Luna's arrival!"
"The Princess of the night? Here? Where is Pinkie Pie?"
"The Pink one! Find her now!"
"Yes! Gather the Pink one! Princess Luna is coming!"
Twilight shook her head, as she glanced at Rainbow, who was smiling as much as the other Pegasi. They both then nodded, as they left the council room with Seventh Star. It seemed that none of the others in the council noticed that Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Star all left the room. Or that the door they left out of turned out to be a bookcase.
"Are you sure Star?" Twilight asked, as more shouts to find Pinkie Pie could be heard. "Is Luna coming as well?"
"That is what the Changeling stationed on the boat said." He nodded, speaking softly. "He saw himself both Celestia and Luna getting on the boat. I know not why Luna would need to come here."
"It might have to do with the fountain." Rainbow pointed out, which got nods from each of them. "I mean, Twi's been sending reports on the progress of the research to Celestia, and I don't see a reason why she'd hide that info from her sister. They both rule Equestria..."
"We got your point already Rainbow." Applejack sighed, looking at each of them. "Even still, both of them are coming. And I agree with them." She waived a hoof at the door separating them from the rest of the council. "We should prepare for their arrival. How long does Pinkie have to get together something for Luna as well Star?" Applejack asked, looking at Seventh.
"If the report is correct, then the Sisters will be here in two hours."
"She's prepared better parties in half that time... right?" Rainbow blinked worried. "I mean... it's because of Luna that the... and we should do something..." Rainbow rested her head down on her forehooves, sighing.
"Trust me Rainbow, I think Pinkie Pie knew the whole time that both of them were coming." Twilight smiled, looking out one of the windows. "Look." There it was, a large banner facing towards the docks that Pinkie had made a couple of days earlier. Pinkie looked at Twilight, before waiving frantically at them.


"Welcome to the Colony!"


"Princess Celestia and Princess Luna!"


Rainbow shook her head, a soft smile on her face. "I wish I knew how she did that..."
> "For Shits and Giggles"
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 7


"For Shits and Giggles" [1]


Deacon sighed, looking around his cave. He smiled softly at what was going around. Though many of the ponies didn't know it, he was there, resting underneath the ground. His cave had a secret entrance to it that only Celestia knew of. He liked it that way, getting regular visits from the Alicorn. He had watched her grow up, and was about as overjoyed as she was when word reached his ears that the Alicorn had something neither of them expected. A younger sister.
His smile then grew slightly, the happy memories of the past entering the front of his memories. He was just about to rest his head down to take a nap, probably another one for a couple of days, when movement disturbed him. "Who is there?" His voice boomed across the cave. "Celestia? Is that you again? My... so many visits in the past week, are you really that worried of you... Oh. It's you."
"Hello Deacon." A unicorn smiled, walking up to the ledge that most ponies who met the dragon sat. "It's been to long. To long sense I've had time to come and see you hasn't it Deacon."
"Don't think I don't know what your thinking boy." Deacon said, glaring at the Unicorn. "Though what eludes me as to why? You were my best student here. You were... are the best at manipulating the ponies around you to benefit the fountain. Why? Why use the fountain? What could get you to use the fountain in that way?"
"Why?" The unicorn chuckled, in a slightly crazed way. "You ask me why, and yet you say you know what I'm thinking. If you do know, then why should I tell you."
"I want to hear it from you."
"Shits my friend." The unicorn turned to leave the cave. "I'm doing it for shits and giggles." And with that, he left.
Deacon sighed, shaking his head. "This... complicates things." He sighed, as a large spherical object rose from the depths of his cave.
"Yes Master?" The familiar voice of Seventh Star asked from the orb. "You called?"



"Trust me Rainbow, I think Pinkie Pie knew the whole time that both of them were coming." Twilight smiled, looking out one of the windows. "Look." There it was, a large banner facing towards the docks that Pinkie had made a couple of days earlier. Pinkie looked at Twilight, before waiving frantically at them.

"Welcome to the Colony!"
"Princess Celestia and Princess Luna!"

Rainbow shook her head, a soft smile on her face. "I wish I knew how she did that..."

"I wouldn't mind knowing either..." Applejack sighed, waiving back at the pink mare. She looked around the street, before she burst out laughing. "It seems the others have found Pinkie as well." She pointed her hoof down at the street as the entire group of Councilponies who were left in the Council Room were there, eagerly trying to get the attention of the famous party pony.
"I wonder what Pinkie has planned for Luna..." Twilight mumbled, a soft smile on her face. She looked at Seventh, who proceeded to nod. "Well, it's safe for us to leave. Star assures that there are no ponies who don't know the secret on the other... Oh.. hello Discord..." Twilight blinked, having been the first pony out of the hidden room, she was greeted with Discord's face.
"Oh? We having a secret meeting and not telling Discord?" Discord smiled, looking around the hidden room. "Hm... not everpony is here... Hello little Changeling slash walking sensor." [2]
"My name is Seventh Star." Star growled at Discord. He never trusted the Draconequus, not now and not when he worked directly under Celestia. And why should he? The draconequus never gave him nor either of the sisters reason to trust him, yet they trusted him out of his prison? He shook his head softly before turning to Twilight. "Are you sure it is wise keeping this... thing here? Would it not be wise to send him back to Canterlot?"
"And risk sending your sister's best customer away?" Twilight chuckled, nodding at Discord. "May I ask why you are here Discord?"
"Well, I'd have been inside the room but you've made it impossible to enter through Magic. Oh, and that perception filter you put on the room is genius, how did you come up with it?" Discord chuckled, looking around inside the room.
"It's Changeling magic." Twilight smiled. "Having studied them, I found ways to disguise other ponies and... whole buildings as well. It's why they have horns. I thought that at first it was only to help with the disguise, but through my research I found that they are very close to Alicorns... very close." Twilight looked at Star, before smiling softly. "Do as you wish Discord, we actually were just leaving."
"Oh? So I missed your little get together?" Discord sighed, a faux tear being shed. "Oh, how that disappoints me."
"Yes, we actually have to go rescue Pinkie from being hounded by the Council."
"Oh? Pinkie Pie you say?"
"Yes, it seems Luna is coming here as well."
"Oh? Both of the sisters?" Discord smiled, thoughts of chaos and annoying both sisters entering his mind. "Well... this is going to be oh so much better."
A soft buzzing sound disturbed the group. With each person then looking at the source of the sound. It took Seventh a couple of seconds to realize what the buzzing sound was. Once he did he panicked slightly. "Um... excuse me. There is a matter of urgency that I must deal with."
Twilight nodded, a soft sigh escaping her. "What was that about?" Rainbow asked, blinking. She watched Star leave, blinking still.
"I wouldn't know Rainbow." Twilight sighed, a soft smile on her face. "Even with the research I do have, they are still a mystery to me."
"Right." Rainbow sighed, looking around the street. "Say, when did Star say that Celestia and Luna would be arriving?"
"Hm... In a couple of hours I think."
"Then why is everyone headed to the docks?"
"Hm... it does look like that..." Applejack mumbled, looking around. She then blinked, she smelt something that all farmponies knew. And feared. "They ain't heading to the docks Dash. They running."
"Running? From what?"
Applejack then pointed further into the city, the noblepony district, at a large smoke stack. "Fire." It was then that the three ponies began running, though it was the oposite direction as the other ponies.

When they arrived at the scene, the fire had spread from a corner shoppe, that would have Rarity screaming in rage, to three other buildings. And it was spreading despite the guard ponies efforts. "What is going on?" Rainbow asked one of them, one Forest West who was promoted to be the second in command by Star. "Why is it spreading instead of dying down? Your even putting water on it!"
"We don't know!" West responded, the pegasus yelling back at Rainbow. "The Unicorn guard that was here burned to a crisp when he approached it. Two others who came to help just died when they attempted to."
"Just died? What do you mean?" Twilight asked, calmer then Rainbow. "How did they die?"
"Well, according to what I understand. That's how." He said, looking at each of them, who had confused looks on their face. "Um... they just dropped dead. As if all the life force was drained out of them."
"A Cursed Fire..." Twilight mumbled, causing the three others to look at her. "It sounds like a cursed fire... one that was started by dark magics. And it looks like it was done by a powerful magic user as well." She watched the fire for a couple of seconds. "But not as powerful as me. I should be able to counter it, it should be easy to put it out after that."
West nodded, before ordering all of the guards away from the fire. Just in case. "Very well, please do anything that is needed."
Twilight nodded, before her eyes became completely white. Seconds later she blasted the fire with powerful magic, which cause anypony near her to be flown away. "That... That took more out of me then I thought it would." She sighed, a soft smile on her face. "You should be able to put it out now West. I'm glad we got to it when we did." She smiled, blacking out.

When Twilight finally came too she was still laying in the street. It had to have been more then a couple of minutes. She looked around at the scene. She smiled, glad that they put the fire out before any more buildings had started to catch fire. She stumbled slightly as she began walking to West. "Which building did it start in?" She asked him, as the mare silently pointed towards the shoppe. Twilight then blinked, it was a simple small family owned shoppe. Not really the kind of place a powerful magic user would consider a target. Something more was going on, something that was eluding Twilight. And Twilight planned on finding out what it was.
She sighed, looking around inside the shoppe for what she knew she would find. "A blood sigil." She mumbled to herself, looking at the symbol drawn on the wall. The symbol drawn in blood. "Tell me, who owned this shop?"
"A small middle class Unicorn mare." A pegasus guard said, holding a scroll. "Her name was Misty Winds."
"A Unicorn..." Twilight looked around. "Where is her body?" She asked the guard, before he pointed at a pile of ash near the sigil. "That's what I thought..."
"What you thought?" West blinked, looking at the sigil. "If you knew where Miss Winds was, then why did you ask?"
"To verify something." She turned to Rainbow, who had just entered the room. "Listen I want everyone out, those of you with clearance on... that, stay."
Rainbow raised an eyebrow, as most of the guards left. West didn't as she had been debriefed the day she was promoted. "You sure?"
"I've actually been here before Rainbow." Twilight sighed, looking around. "This doesn't happen in this neighborhood. I know a lot of these people... And... With the information on the Case of Dusk Shine, we found something interesting."
"Interesting? How interesting?"
"He.... he did it to himself." Twilight sighed, looking around the room. "And that's not all. On his body, we found that same sigil. I have no idea what it does... as Blood magic is supposed to be illegal."
"He did... Are you saying that he cut himself, proceeded to write in a dead language on his wall, with his own blood. Then go into the living room, hang himself while mutilating his own body... and then he slowly bleed to death?" Rainbow asked, looking around the burnt room.
"That's exactly what I'm saying Rainbow..." Twilight sighed, a soft smile on her face. "And it's worrying me that it's a blood magic user behind this..."
> Deacon (Part 1)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 8


Deacon (Part 1)


"Interesting? How interesting?"
"He.... he did it to himself." Twilight sighed, looking around the room. "And that's not all. On his body, we found that same sigil. I have no idea what it does... as Blood magic is supposed to be illegal."
"He did... Are you saying that he cut himself, proceeded to write in a dead language on his wall, with his own blood. Then go into the living room, hang himself while mutilating his own body... and then he slowly bleed to death?" Rainbow asked, looking around the burnt room.
"That's exactly what I'm saying Rainbow..." Twilight sighed, a soft smile on her face. "And it's worrying me that it's a blood magic user behind this..."

"I don't get it... why are you so worried over one magic user?" Rainbow sighed, poking the ash pile with her hoof. "So yeah this guy made a guard off himself, and made some random pony kill herself by burning her shoppe down. So what?" Rainbow then flew around the room, swooping down next to Twilight. "We'll just find him and grab him before he can do any.... Hey! Why can't I move!"
"That's why it worries me Rainbow." Twilight said, as the red aura around her horn died down. "From what I understand in the few texts that I could get to, blood magic's first law is controlling blood itself. It's how a user is able to get people to do things they don't want to.
"The Changeling's love spell isn't as exact as blood magic. With the Changelings there is a chance they can break out of it, we saw that with Shining and Cadence. But with blood magic, they aren't controlling the mind... It's the body that's being controlled. As if they turn you into a marionette."
"Okay. So blood magic dangerous." Rainbow nodded a soft, nervous chuckle escaping her. "From what you got, is there any defenses? Like wards or something?"
"No Rainbow... I don't think there are any wards to block Blood Magic." Twilight said, shaking her head. "It's a very old magic and would require old magic to block it. Wards, well wards are newer and made to protect against newer magics."
"So no wards." Rainbow looked around, before blinking. "Say, Celestia and Luna are coming. Why don't we ask them?"
"I was planning on doing that anyway. This is something they need to know." Twilight sighed, as they walked out of the burnt shoppe.
"Right... so then compile a list of any Unicorn that can access anything to do with blood magic." Rainbow nodded, as she turned to fly off to the city records. She however, was stopped by Twilight.
"You'd better make that anypony Rainbow. Most newer magics are used by Unicorns because of their horn yes. But Blood magic, and all other older magics use Sigils as the medium. What does that tell you?"
"That I'll be making a very large list..." Rainbow sighed, before flying off to the Records.
Applejack sighed, looking around the street. "Well, at least this was taken care of quickly..." She smiled, nodding as West walked up to them.
"Ma'am... Councilpony Applejack." She nodded, to each of them. "The Cleaners are here. Would you like them to wipe this place as well?" West asked Twilight, looking around at the scene. "It would be nice to be able to actually conduct an actual Investigation, instead of leaving it to the Cleaners..."
"I know West... I know." Twilight smiled, before nodding at a group of Unicorns. "But this is a serious matter, not something that most ponies should know about."
"I know... I'm still waiting for a regular crime you know... not something that has to do with... that." West mumbled, before she too flew off to the records. "I'm helping Miss Rainbow... maybe it'll go faster..."
"Knowing Rainbow, she's already done and resting on a cloud." Applejack chuckled, as Seventh Star walked up to them. "Hey Star, how was the urgent business? Did it go well?"
"It went... fine." Star sighed, nodding at Applejack before turning towards Twilight. "There is somepony who wishes to meat you. Come with me."
"Can't he come here?"
"That wasn't a request."




Two hours prior


A soft buzzing sound disturbed the group. With each person then looking at the source of the sound. It took Seventh a couple of seconds to realize what the buzzing sound was. Once he did he panicked slightly. "Um... excuse me. There is a matter of urgency that I must deal with."

Seventh left them as quickly as he could, to get to a safe place. Master was calling him, and it seemed urgent. "Yes Master?" He asked, taking his orb out from hidding. "You called?"
"Yes... it seems that Celestia isn't the only pony who knows of my location." Master sighed, a soft chuckle escaping him. "It seems a past... protecter has discovered where I am."
"And this is an urgent matter?" Star asked, confused.
"It is. Because of what he plans." Master acknowledged. "He is using the fountain, for pleasure. I might have let him slide if he had a good reason, how ever his is... His reason is worrying."
"His reason?"
"He says it's 'for shits and giggles.' His words." Master sighed, shaking his head. "There is one thing you must do for me Star. No, a couple of things."
"Anything you say Master."
"There is a book, that I made sure was sent to the colony, I need you to get it. And the other thing, bring Twilight Sparkle to me." Master said, his tone suddenly flat.
"Which book is it?" Star asked, looking around confused.
"You will know."



"It went... fine." Star sighed, nodding at Applejack before turning towards Twilight. "There is somepony who wishes to meat you. Come with me."
"Can't he come here?"
"That wasn't a request."
"You think you have the right to order me?" Twilight blinked, confused. "Last time I checked, it was..."
"Twi, he could be being controlled by that blood magic user guy..." Applejack whispered into Twilight's ear, before smiling at Seventh.
"R-right..." Twilight shook her head, before waiving her hoof. "Fine take us to him."
"Very well."

It took the ponies around an hour to reach the cavern that held Deacon, though they didn't know that was who sat waiting for them. "Where exactly are we?" Twilight asked, looking around the giant cavern. "When we first scanned this area this didn't show up."
"That's because it's protected." Star said, looking out into the darkness of the cavern. "Much like your... safe room."
It was then, that Twilight noticed the lake. The lake of liquid that was also in the fountain. "Is that... Thats..." She looked at the small lake, before glancing at Star. "That's the same stuff as the fountain isn't it?"
He nodded, and Rainbow blinked. "That's... that's a lot." She said, as the three mares stared at the lake.
"It is one of very few pools left in existence Twilight Sparkle." Came a voice, one that confused the mares even more. "Do not fear. I will not harm you." The dragon smiled, as his massive head came into their view.
"Twilight Sparkle, allow me to introduce to you... Master."
"Call me Deacon. It's what Celestia and Luna call me." The dragon chuckled. He looked over each of the mares there, before smiling once again.
"So... Deacon, I take it you know the Princesses?" Rainbow asked, blinking. The shear size of the dragon bamboozled each of them.
"Yes, you could say I am their adoptive father." Deacon chuckled, as Twilight looked over the lake. "I watched each of them grow into the fine Mares they are today... Though the business with Nightmare Moon did worry me so. They did get into arguments a lot..."
> Deacon (Part 2)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 9


Deacon (Part 2)


"So... Deacon, I take it you know the Princesses?" Rainbow asked, blinking. The shear size of the dragon bamboozled each of them.
"Yes, you could say I am their adoptive father." Deacon chuckled, as Twilight looked over the lake. "I watched each of them grow into the fine Mares they are today... Though the business with Nightmare Moon did worry me so. They did get into arguments a lot..."

"Adoptive... what about their really parents?" Rainbow asked, seemingly the only pony there that could comprehend the size of Deacon, besides Star. "What happened to them?"
"Well... Father disappeared shortly after Luna was born, and mother died a few years after that." Celestia said, from behind them.
"Ce-celestia!" Twilight blinked, looking around. "When did you get here? How did you get past Pinkie's party?"
"Oh? So Pinkie planned a party?" Celestia asked, to confused stares from the three elements there. "Oh... I'm not here yet. We're actually still on the boat, this is just a projection of my consciousness." She smiled, nodding at Deacon. "It's one of the perks of being an Alicorn."
"Cool..."
"Princess... there's something we need to tell you." Twilight sighed, looking away.
"Oh and what's that? Has Rainbow finally come out of the closet?" Celestia smiled in a trollish way.
"I'M NOT A.... I hate you..." Rainbow glared at Celestia, before looking away.
"Well no..." Twilight sighed, looking back at Celestia. "There seems to be a blood magic user here."
"WHAT!?" Both Deacon and Celestia yelled, anger in their voices. "I knew he planned on using the fountain... but this... this is blasphemy."
"You knew? As in he's been here?" Applejack blinked, looking from Deacon to Celestia and back. "How long ago was it?"
"That was why master called me here." Star said, in a flat tone. "He informed me of the seriousness of who it was."
"Oh?"
"It's a past student of mine." deacon said, a soft tone in his voice. "It would be... him Celestia."
"Oh..." Celestia sighed, shaking her head. "Well, why don't you four go help Pinkie Pie. Me and Deacon have a few things to discuss."
The four of them nodded, and left the cave. A soft smile was on Celestia's face as she watched them leave. "You'll have to tell Luna eventually." Celestia said, as a soft purplish light came from behind her. "You do know that, right?"
"I do." Said a black coated Alicorn, he was taller then Celestia. "Though that is a story for another time."



Twilight sighed, shaking her head. Once they arrived at the area where Pinkie would hold the party, they found that Pinkie was already done preparing the party. "How did you know that Luna would be coming?" Applejack asked, looking around the area. "We didn't find out until a couple of hours ago.
"Well of course I'd know AJ." Pinkie smiled, looking around as well. "Why wouldn't I? NO! Those don't go there! They go here." Pinkie yelled at a now nervous pegasus, she then proceeded to go and continue working on preparing the party. "Hope they get here soon and see this awesome party!"
"Yes, I do say that it looks wonderful." Celestia smiled, as she and Luna walked off the boat, a soft smile on each of their faces. "You do know how to throw parties Pinkie."
"Why thank you Princess Celestia person." Pinkie smiled, bowing to both of them. "I just couldn't wait 'till you got here!"
"Well thank you Miss Pinkie Pie." Luna smiled, looking around the party, nervously.
"You don't have to be nervous here sister, the people love you here." Celestia smiled, pushing her sister into the crowd of ponies.  "So relax."

Hours later after the sisters arrived and Pinkie's party started things had started to die down. Celestia sighed, shaking her head as she watched her sister attempt to dance. She looked around and something caught her eye. The same black alicorn in the cave was now standing atop a hill watching the party. She smiled, waiving for him to join them. "Who are you waiving at sister?" Luna asked, looking around.
"Oh, no one." Celestia smiled, chuckling softly. "What ever happened to dancing Luna?"
"The other ponies attested that I should receive dancing lessons from this DJ-P0N3..."
"Ah yes, Vinyl Scratch... I didn't know she danced..."
"Vinyl... you mean the one from then?"
"Yes..." Celestia smiled, before turning to the crowd. "Hello my little ponies." Celestia smiled, nodding to the crowd. "There is somepony that I'd like you all to meet. He's been here in hiding for quite a long time." She then turned to Luna, a soft smile on her face. "With out him, neither me nor my sister would be here today." At these words, the entire crowd grew scilent.
"How?" Luna blinked, looking around the crowd.
"Yes, if any of you ponies have realized already the one I talk of his our father. Allow me to introduce to the ponies once again, the lord of the night. Deacon."
As she said Deacon's name a dark cloud covered the town, a cloud dark enough to turn day into night. Seconds later several lightning bolts hit the ground in between Celestia and Luna, and once the light died down, in it's place was a male alicorn. His coat was the same color as Nightmare Moon's, and he looked just as angry. The ponies in front of the royals panicked slightly, as they did when Luna first showed herself to Ponyville. "Hm... perhaps there was a bit too much theatrics..."
> Rising Tensions
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 10


Rising Tensions


"What were you thinking!" Luna yelled at Celestia, who both were inside City Hall. It was after the party, and Deacon's arrival. "Why? Why didn't you tell me Deacon was father!"
"I would have... but he requested me not too."
"You could have done so with out his knowing."
"I tried."
"Did you? Or are you just making excuses Celestia?"
Celestia blinked when Luna called her by her name. "Luna... I think you should calm down..." Celestia smiled softly, looking around.
"Calm down?" Luna growled, glaring at Celestia. "Why should I? I spent the last thousand years thinking that you were my only family left. My real family! You told me that Father died! Why should I calm down!"
"Because... the last time you called me Celestia was before you turned into Nightmare Moon." Celestia sighed, remembering the day as if it had been yesterday. "And I don't want to loose you again Luna, not so soon after I got you back."
"Right now, I don't care." Luna said, as she left the room as Twilight and Rainbow came in.
"Everything alright?" Rainbow asked, looking back at Luna. "Should I go get her?"
"No... there will be no need Rainbow Dash." Celestia sighed, placing a hoof on Rainbow's shoulder. "She just needs sometime alone. To calm down."
Rainbow and Twilight both nodded. "Celestia, there is something I want to talk to you about."
"The blood magic user?"
"Yes."



Luna sighed, shaking her head. She had stormed off angry at Celestia for hiding that Deacon was their father, yet she couldn't remain mad. She looked around, blinking. She had found herself at the crystalline forest. Looking around she quickly found the fountain and the liquid with in. Though a sight made her blink in confusion. Deacon, whose black coat contrasted with the white of the area, was standing in front of the fountain. "You know what this is Luna?" He asked, not looking away from the fountain.
"Is it not obvious? It is a fountain." Luna blinked, looking around.
"It is a tomb." Deacon smiled softly, finally looking at Luna who had a shocked face. "Your mother's tomb."
"M-mother?"
Deacon nodded, as Luna glanced at the fountain/tomb again, sadness on her face. "So... So Tia didn't lie about that?" Luna blinked looking at Deacon, tears in her eyes. "I thought that if... If you were alive... Then there was a chance that... that Tia lied about that as well..."
"Sometimes the truth hurts Luna," Deacon smiled, setting a hoof on Luna's shoulder. "It's what we do with this truth that makes us who we are. It's when we know the truth, yet get back up, that makes us heros." He turned to leave the area, looking back to look at Luna. "I'm sure there is a lot you want to talk to your mother about." He said smiling, before vanishing into smoke.
"R-right..." Luna sighed, turning to look at the fountain. "Well... I've never done this before, so I guess..."



Celestia sighed, shaking her head. "I'm not entirely sure how we should go about dealing with this Twilight." She said, looking at Twilight. "There are dozens of ways we could go about doing this. But each one would stress the ponies out. And each one worse then the last."
"There must be something we can do!" Rainbow argued, slamming a hoof down. "There has to be! I don't want to sit around and wait until he kills again! He must be found!"
Twilight shook her head, a soft sigh escaping her. "It seems that that's all we can do Rainbow, with out endangering the ponies." She said, putting a hoof on Rainbow's shoulder. "We are here to protect them, not to sacrifice them to find one single person."
"But... It was your idea to go out and look for him."
"It was, but that was before I knew of what it would cost. Do you want the ponies to hate us because we sacrificed so many?" Twilight asked, worry in her eyes.
"Well... no, the last thing I want is to betray the ponies." Rainbow sighed, shaking her head. "But we need to find the blood magic user."
"There is no way that we know of that will not sacrifice others." Celestia sighed, shaking her head. "It seems the best choice of action is to wait."

Rainbow sighed, laying upon a cloud. She twisted around slightly, trying to get comfortable. She however, was having a hard time calming down enough to nap. This would be because of the conversation she had earlier, with Twilight and Celestia. She'd go and ask Applejack her opinion, but her and the other earth ponies were working on bucking the apple trees. Rainbow looked around, a soft smile on her face. She chuckled, looking at the town that had grown so much in the past year. She blinked, looking below her. Below her, was a unicorn.
The Unicorn, who's cloak hid his face, smiled at Rainbow. This caused Rainbow to blink, as she now noticed his eyes. It appeared as if his eyes had the same markings as the sigil they found in the shoppe. "Hey!" Rainbow yelped as the Unicorn ran off. Chasing the Unicorn proved difficult however, as it seemed he had Mare-do-well like qualities. "Damn it... I'm not going through this again..." She sighed, looking around.
She saw the stallion in a dark alley, and smiling she ran after him. Just as she almost caught him, her body froze. To her, it felt the same way as when Twilight froze her blood. "Let me go!" She ordered, before a flash of light blinded Rainbow, nocking the mare out.

When Rainbow woke up, she was covered in blood. Rainbow blinked, looking around. She blinked, looking at the wall of one of the buildings. "No..."
Once again, the mysterious blood magic user left a message. With no clear recipient, Rainbow stood there, looking at the message in confusion.


"Cum omnes deficiunt somnia vestra,
Et hi sunt avemus pessimum
Et sanguines currere consenescunt
Lorem veritatem occultare,
Volo vos tegant
Sed intus est bestia,
Nullum est celare possimus,
Non materia quod genus,
Adhuc de cupiditate."

> Three Months Latter
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Intermission 1


Three Months Latter


"I'm telling the truth I swear!" Rainbow yelled as the guard ponies dragged her off. "I swear! I'm not lying! It wasn't me!"
"I wish we could believe you Rainbow." Twilight sighed, shaking her head. "But you were the only one there. We searched everywhere and didn't find a unicorn like the one you described."
"What?" Rainbow blinked, confused. "But he has to be there! I swear! I'm not crazy Twi!"
"I'm sorry Rainbow." Twilight said, smiling softly. "But all the evidence say other wise. Take her away."

"Are you sure it was a wise idea Twi?" Applejack asked, looking around the empty council room. "Are you sure we should have arrested Rainbow? Wasn't there something we could have done."
Twilight shook her head, a soft sigh escaping her. "No, there was only one thing we could do." She said, a somber tone to her voice. "As I told Rainbow when the guards arrested her, the evidence said it was her." Twilight chuckled softly, before turning away from Applejack. "I don't want to believe it either Applejack. But I conducted the investigation myself. All the evidence I found, pointed to Rainbow having done it."
"But... why would she?" Applejack protested. "She said it herself, the last thing she wants is to betray the ponies. Why would she... it just seems wrong Twi..."
"I know. I do wish there was something I could have done, but we are bound by the laws here as well Applejack. And the law states that if the evidence is..."
"I know what the law states Twilight." Applejack interrupted Twilight, sighing. "I wrote half 'em myself remember?"
Twilight nodded, as Luna walked up to them.
"How fares the investigation?" She asked, looking at Twilight then at Applejack. "I hear that you make a breakthrough?"
"I wish it was going good Luna..." Twilight sighed shaking her head. "But if the preliminary investigation is right then Rainbow really did do those things... But, there are still inconsistencies."
"Such as?"
"Rainbow didn't know about blood magic until after the events took place, and my investigation began." Twilight stated, her tone still flat. "I only researched into the blood magic because of the killings, which means who ever it was knew from the beginning about blood magic."
"Yet," Luna sighed, looking around. "All the evidence points Rainbow Dash as the blood magic user." Twilight nodded, sighing. "Normally I would pass the idea of as idiocy, but this is old magic we are talking about... The sigils, they allow anypony to use the magic, even those not Unicorns."
"Exactly." Twilight nodded, a somber atmosphere encompassing the room.
"Tell me Twilight, what made you second guess your choice? As you've said yourself the evidence points to Rainbow Dash."
"Because..." Twilight sighed, looking around a soft blush on her face. "After the guards took Rainbow away, I remembered what happened at Shining and Cadence's wedding." Twilight smiled softly, as Luna sighed. "Nopony gave me a chance and just ignored me, even though I was right. I didn't want Rainbow to think we abandoned her, with out being absolutely sure it was Rainbow that actually did what we were accusing her."
"A wise choice, given this new evidence." Luna nodded, a soft smile on her face.
"How've you been Princess?" Applejack asked Luna. "We haven't seen you sense you saw the fountain. You've been there this entire time?"
Luna nodded, her face turning to one of sadness. "In deed I have Applejack." She said, sighing. "It is my mother's grave... After so long..."
"We know Luna." Twilight sighed, patting Luna on the side. "It's fine, just try and come into town more often."
"This I will do." Luna nodded, before she turned to leave the room.
> Victoriam in detrimento
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 11


Victoriam in detrimento


Rainbow Dash sighed, shaking her head. She'd been in the jail for what seemed like years now, but according to the rock marks that she started on the first day, she'd been there for around three months. She yawned stretching her body out, having slept on the hard rock her body felt stiff after waking up. "Damn it Twilight... you should have realized I was right by now." She mumbled, shaking her head again. "Why... why haven't you come yet?"
"Your breakfast." The guard said, pushing the mushy meal into the cell.
Rainbow sighed, glaring at the food with the anger she felt at Twilight. She then sighed feeling lost. Out of all of her friends, it had been Twilight that she hated the most at the time. She knew that Twilight was right, and if the evidence pointed at her then they were duty-bound to putting her in jail. "But it still hurts." A pony said, from a cell next to Rainbow's. She ignored him, thinking he was talking to himself. "It hurts, doesn't it Rainbow Dash."
Rainbow blinked, hearing her name from the same stallion. "Are you... what do you want?" She said, looking at the Stallion. He was a darker blue then her, even darker then Midnight even. Rainbow didn't know how she knew his coat was a blue color, but she shrugged it off. "Who are you?"
"Saevine." The stallion smiled, saying nothing else.
"Um... that's not really a common pony name... You are a pony right?"
"Your not mad Rainbow Dash, and Twilight knows this." He smiled, a chuckle escaping him. "Victoriam in detrimento."
"Victor... what did you just say?" Rainbow blinked, confused even more by this stallion.
"Victory in defeat." He repeated, only in Equestrian. "It's a phrase we know by heart."
"We? Who exactly are you?"
"I told you, I am Saevine." Saevine smiled, chuckling again. "And this is a note... A note that Twilight made for you."
"What? Why would you have this? Aren't you a criminal?" Rainbow asked, taking the note, even though her instincts told her to not trust the stallion.
"Appearances can be deceiving." Saevine smiled, chuckling slightly. "No one said I was a criminal, neither are you it seems."

Dear Rainbow Dash,
If you are reading this then it's been three months sense I arrested you. Hopefully this will give you insight into my reasons. You already know that many of the councilponies are furious over what the blood magic user is doing. I arrested you because there was no alternative.
The evidence did in deed point towards you, that was no lie. But if you are reading this, then I was correct and the evidence was too perfect. I don't believe that it could have been you to have done the things that the user did. I would tell you this all myself, but I don't want to risk being heard by ears that shouldn't hear.
From what I've done here, we are getting no where. For what I have planned to find this Blood Magic user we need someone on the outside. Someone who has nothing to loose, someone who would gain from finding the real perpetrator. His first mistake was framing you. As I can tell that you've already been thinking of ways to prove your innocence.
If you believe what is in this letter, then this will be the last we communicate for quite a while. So I want you to survive Rainbow, understand?
With hope,
Twilight Sparkle
PS, The council has already pressured me to start in on doing other projects for the city, instead of focussing on catching the User, so you won't be hearing a lot from me.

"How would you know if I'm not a criminal?" Rainbow questioned him, glancing over the note. "You don't even know me."
"And how do you know that I don't know you?" Saevine asked, a coy smile on his face. "I serve those who I do, and through me, their will I bring." He chuckled, pushing a rock to the side. Two things happened almost instantaneously. The first a flash of light entered the cells, telling Rainbow that it was evening. The second was a hole appeared in the side of the the jail. A hole that allowed both Rainbow and Saevine to leave, rather peacefully.

"Who are you really?" Rainbow asked Saevine, looking the black Unicorn over. "I've never seen you before."
"I used to work for Luna." Saevine responded, looking around the area. "But that was before Twilight Sparkle requested my help with the matter at hoof."
"What did you do for Luna?"
"Assassination."
Rainbow Dash blinked not expecting his response to her inquiry. "Assassination? Like a spy?" Rainbow blinked, watching Saevine. "Are you a spy?"
"You could say that." Saevine sighed, looking around again. He then headed further into the forest, further then Rainbow ever had been. "You can also say that I've had more training then the royal guard."
"Really?" Rainbow blinked, looking around the forest, as it slowly creeps into a more Everfree-like area. "That's kind of cool."
"And dangerous."
"How? You got like, super spy skills right?" Rainbow smiled, looking around still. The area kept reminding her of the Everfree forest, in that it's entirely wild and unkempt. Saevine was quiet on giving an answer, which caused Rainbow to smile, as she assumed it was a yes. She wondered where exactly he was taking her, as there seemed to be no destination in  sight.
Rainbow followed Saevine silently for what seemed like hours. She had begun to think that there was no way he could be a pony, because he wouldn't stop to rest nor eat. "Hey, can we stop for a bit?" Rainbow finally said after seven or eight hours of walking. "My hooves are tired, and we haven't stopped to eat. Besides, it's the middle of the night."
"Cease the complaining." Saevine said flatly. "My job is to get you to a safe area. One where your work would not be interrupted."
"What exactly will be my work?" Rainbow asked, stopping. "You haven't exactly explained that."
"You will be in charge of the things that the council can not do." Saevine responded, still in the flat tone. "While the council will be the shield of the new world, you will be the sword."
"So kind of like the wonderbolts, but with more action?" Rainbow asked, raising an eyebrow. "Will I get a team?"
Saevine turned to look at Rainbow, startling her, before nodding. "A team has already been gathered, one that will follow you." Rainbow smiled, chuckling softly. "Oh, and you've been given special permissions by Celestia and Luna."
"Special permission?"
"As the sword of the new kingdom, you will be immune to all laws. You will be enigmas never seen nor heard, a silent blade. All things available at your disposal. In other words things that are banned from other ponies, are not for you."
"Wait, so..." Rainbow blinked, looking around. "So your saying that we are above the law?"
"You are the law. The final judge. The same as the agents of the Griffon Kingdom."
"So... If it's for the kingdom, then we can do what ever it takes?"
Saevine nodded, as Rainbow smiled. "That is exactly what that means." He said, turning to head where ever it was they were going. "Only, it must be for the kingdom."
"Right. And the team will be loyal to me?"
"It is their duty." Saevine chuckled. "You were chosen by Princess Twilight, as the head of this Shadow."

It was another thirty minutes before they arrived at their destination. Rainbow blinked, confused at how they could have built such a building so quickly, in the time it must have taken the Royals [1] to decide to make such an organization.
"Umbra Equestria." Said a familiar voice behind Rainbow Dash. "It's what we decided to call it. After all we will be working in the shadows."
"Trixie?" Rainbow blinked, looking at the blue unicorn with confusion. "What are you doing here? Your not part of the team are you..." Rainbow asked, hoping that Trixie just had stumbled upon them.
"Nope. Trixie is technically not." Trixie smiled, nodding. "Trixie is specialist. Trixie help with keeping base hidden from other ponies."
Rainbow watched Trixie suspiciously, wondering who else she would see. "Don't worry Dash, we've been keeping her under control." A second familiar voice said, as Cloudchaser hugged her old friend. "It's nice to see you. Funny, meeting you again after the Academy and your still my boss."
"Well, I wasn't really your boss at the academy..."
"You were team leader Dash, that's technically the boss."
"I guess..." Rainbow smiled, as Saevine watched silently.
"Say, who's the stiff?" Cloudchaser asked, looking at Saevine. "What's his job here?"
"Didn't he bring you guys here?" Rainbow asked, confused.
"No, we were brought here by Twilight." Cloudchaser said, at which Trixie nodded. Cloudchaser smiled, shrugging. "I get that he showed you where this place is, but who is he."
"He worked for Luna, he's a spy." Rainbow smiled nodding at Saevine. "He said that his name is Saevine, but I don't think that's really his name. I haven't gotten a look at his cutie mark, because of that cloak he's wearing... Oh and he's boring."
Cloudchaser chuckled when Rainbow called Saevine boring, she then shook her head. "That's a very you analysis Dash."



"Ma'am?" Seventh Star said, knocking on Twilight's open door to her office. "You asked me to report to you when that was done?"
"Yes." Twilight sighed, not looking up from the paperwork. "And how was your acting 'Saevine?' "
"She did not know ma'am." Star responded. "And Rainbow has intergraded as the leader of Umbra."
"Good." Twilight smiled, as she got up from her seat and moved to the entrance to her office. "Thank you for telling me Star. I want you to go there once and a while and then report to me on how Rainbow is doing. Understood?"
"Ma'am."
"Thank you." Twilight turned to leave, a soft chuckle escaping her. "Now I must go and talk to Green Hunter, you can have the rest of the day off, okay Star?"
Seventh Star nodded, before turning to join his sister. And probably Discord, for breakfast.

As Seventh Star was visiting Twilight Sparkle, a cloaked pony entered Green Hunter's office as well. "Master..."
"Yes, what is it?" Hunter asked, with out looking at the Unicorn who was visiting him. "I am rather busy."
"Rainbow Dash has escaped. Rumors say that she is hunting for a blood magic user." The cloaked Unicorn said. As he spoke the last sentence a smile appeared on Green Hunter's face.
"Is that so?" He asked, a chuckle escaping him. "So they came to the conclusion that I wanted. They think its blood magic!" He burst out laughing, rather crazily. It was a couple of seconds before he composed himself again. "Well, this is going so well... Thank you, because of your work on framing Rainbow Dash they cut down on the security, and I could get more. More of that lovely substance." He laughed again, as Twilight nocked on the door.
"Hunter? I would like to talk to you about something." She said, opening the door. "Oh, you have a guest... Would you like me to come back later?"
"Oh no." Hunter smiled,chuckling softly. "We had just finished our meeting, what is it that you wish to discuss?"
"Well... it's about Rainbow's arrest." Twilight said, looking around. The cloaked pony slowly walked out of Hunter's office, looking back at Twilight. Though his face was hidden, a single eye could have been seen had Twilight looked back at him. An eye that looked a lot like the ones Rainbow Dash described. "I've been thinking about it sense they arrested her. Had we acted to quickly?"
"Oh?" Hunter said, fegning confusion. "And was it not your research that led to the conclusion that Rainbow Dash was guilty? Was the problem not solved?" [2]
"Well, yes... there have been no more attacks..." Twilight sighed, looking away. "But, I looked at the evidence again, and there is no way that it could have been Rainbow. I think she may have been framed."
"And you come to me because?"
"Because I looked into the area's that were attacked." Twilight stated, her tone going flat. "One of the shoppes that burned down were yours. I had figured that you'd have called for an Investigation of your own."
"I did." Hunter lied, though Twilight might not have caught the lie. "The results were the same as yours. If in deed Rainbow was framed, then it was an excellent job.No pony could have noticed but you."
> Seeking the past...
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 12


Seeking the past...


"He worked for Luna, he's a spy." Rainbow smiled nodding at Saevine. "He said that his name is Saevine, but I don't think that's really his name. I haven't gotten a look at his cutie mark, because of that cloak he's wearing... Oh and he's boring."
Cloudchaser chuckled when Rainbow called Saevine boring, she then shook her head. "That's a very you analysis Dash."

Rainbow Dash sighed, looking around the castle thing she now called home. It had been only two days sense Saevine had brought her there, and she still was getting used to being called 'boss' every time she passed someone. "I guess this is what Twi felt like when she first became a Princess..." Rainbow thought aloud, chuckling softly. She smiled softly, glancing around the entry hall one last time before heading further into the castle.
Turning a corner in the hallway she found herself in, Rainbow found herself back in the entry hall. Blinking around confused she shook her head shrugging it off as a coincidence. Turning around and heading towards the kitchen, Rainbow decided to make herself something quick to eat before the others woke up.
Rainbow sighed, looking around the kitchen sighing. She hadn't really cooked much before, having had prepared some simple meals for herself before. "Well, I guess I should see what I can make..."



An explosion near by woke Trixie up. The first thoughts that passed threw her mind was that someone was attacking, but a quick look out her window told her otherwise. She then blinked, trying to figure out what the cause of the explosion was. It sounded close, coming from what Trixie decided was the first floor.
Quickly going over the schematics of the first floor in her head Trixie then decided that someone was in the kitchen, as the only room on the first floor that could cause an explosion.
The second thought to pass Trixie's mind was her wondering how somepony could be that bad at cooking. Even she was at least competent at cooking.

Deciding that the best course of action would be to look and see who else was awake. Trixie got out of the bed and proceeded to head towards what she assumed was the source of the sound.
Arriving at the kitchen gave Trixie an interesting surprise. "Rainbow Dash?" She blinked, looking around the kitchen which was covered in ash. "Trixie does not understand why the kitchen is covered in ash. What happened?"
"I tried cooking..." Rainbow admitted, looking away from Trixie. Rainbow then proceeded to get up of the floor, and headed to the brick oven. "Damn, it's not even edible..." She mumbled, mostly to herself, while looking at a bowl she had pulled out of the oven.
"Allow Trixie to cook something then!" Trixie smiled, looking around the kitchen. "But first... we must clean."

By the time Cloudchaser reached the dining room, the rest of the group had already been woken up. "Mmm I smell food." She smiled, lazily looking around the room. "Am I really the last up..."
"Aye, that you are." Shinze, one of the two changelings in the team, said chuckling. "Last to this awake place we call reality."
"Must you be so strange?" said a brown earth pony, who no one knew the name to. Though people called him Doctor. "It's rather odd..." [1]
"Coming from a person called Doctor?" Shinze responded, glareing at the earth pony. "I find you more odd."
"Calm down both of you," Rainbow Dash sighed, shaking her head. "I'm not dealing with your fighting for a third day in a row."
"Yes ma'am."
Cloudchaser and Trixie both chuckled, as Shinze and Doctor both bowed to Rainbow Dash as she entered the room. [2] "Where is your plate Shinze?" Cloudchaser blinked, wondering if he had eaten yet.
"Changeling..." Was all he said, smiling softly.
"Oh, yeah... what's for breakfast?"
"Trixie made breakfast." Trixie smiled, nodding towards the kitchen. "And Trixie did good job if she says so herself."
Cloudchaser sighed, nodding her head. "I see... And for the love of Celestia, could you please stop talking in third person?" She then said, yawning slightly. "It gets confusing after a while."
"But this is how Trixie talks." Trixie responded, setting a plate down in front of Cloudchaser. "Now eat breakfast, we have work to do, do we not?"
Rainbow nodded, a soft smile on her face. "Right, I think it's time that we finally set down to get working on what we actually are here for." Each person there then looked at Rainbow Dash, their eyes unblinking. "Okay... that I did not expect..."
"So, what exactly is our mission?" Doctor asked, looking around. "I think I speak for all of us here when I say that you're the only one who seems to know what it is..."
"Well, right now it's to catch a criminal that has surfaced here in the new world." Rainbow said, looking at each of them. "We don't know anything about him except that he uses a really old type of magic... A magic that according to Twilight, is illegal."
"And what magic would that be?" Trixie asked, now noticing that she is the only Unicorn there. "I've never heard of any magic being illegal."
"Twilight referred to it as Blood Magic." Rainbow responded to Trixie's question, which caused her to blink. "None of you probably heard of it because the only book that mentions it is in the Canterlot Library, under Celestia's watchful eyes." There was a collective oh from the group, as Rainbow continued. "That is why we are being tasked with finding this pony. According to Twilight anypony can learn blood magic because it uses something called a sigil. This is why every single pony in the city must go through the elimination process.
"Deacon, Celestia and Luna's father, has given us technology that his agents use to help us with our search. This includes communication orbs that the agents use to communicate long distances, as well as surveillance gear that Twilight's guards are working on placing around the town.
"We are the new world's first and last defense against old magic such as blood magic. Because of this, Celestia has granted our member's a special pardon."
"A special pardon?" Doctor blinked, looking at Rainbow with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, as in to say around here, we are the law. And have permission from both Celestia and Luna to use any means necessary to capture users of illegal magics." Rainbow responded, a blank look on her face. "Any means."
"So, that includes magic that is illegal Trixie is guessing?" Trixie asked, her interest now peaked.
"Yes. Yes it does."
> ...for a better tomorrow
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 13


...for a better tomorrow


"Well, yes... there have been no more attacks..." Twilight sighed, looking away. "But, I looked at the evidence again, and there is no way that it could have been Rainbow. I think she may have been framed."
"And you come to me because?"
"Because I looked into the area's that were attacked." Twilight stated, her tone going flat. "One of the shoppes that burned down were yours. I had figured that you'd have called for an Investigation of your own."
"I did." Hunter lied, though Twilight might not have caught the lie. "The results were the same as yours. If in deed Rainbow was framed, then it was an excellent job. No pony could have noticed but you."

"So you was right, Green did do his own investigation." Applejack smiled, nodding her head. "I guess your better at figuring stuff out then most of us normal ponies."
Twilight shook her head softly. "No, he was lying." Twilight stated, sighing. "I have a feeling he didn't tell me the whole truth. He might have done an investigation, but he found something out..." She looked around sighing softly. She then looked at Seventh, before speaking again. "Star, I want you to put someone on him. Watch his movements, I have a sinking suspicion he knows something."
Seventh Star nodded, he turned to leave but turned back to Twilight. "Do you want me to contact Umbra? We could use them."
"No," Twilight waved a hoof at him. "It's to soon to use Umbra, let Rainbow get used to her role first before we start barking orders at them." Seventh nodded, before leaving Twilight's office. "Great..."
"What wrong sugarcube?"
"Now we have to go and explain to the council about Rainbow's disappearance."
"No we don't. No pony said we had to tell the council everything." Applejack said, a soft smile on her face. " And don't give me that whole element of honesty thing... we're politicians now Twi, and from what I hear lying comes with the job."
"Well, it just... why shouldn't we tell them?" Twilight blinked, as she got up to leave her office with Applejack. "They were the ones who were in an uproar because Rainbow was arrested, they were the ones that wanted her to be freed... especially the pegasi."
"That's exactly why we can't tell them." Applejack noted. "If we did, their first demand would be to see Dash. She needs to focus on her job right?" Twilight nodded silently, "Well then she should be left alone to do her job."
"I suppose you are right." Twilight sighed, shaking her head mumbling.

The two mares had left the Council Hall building a short few minutes later, a soft silence between the two. Twilight blinked, as she saw Seventh standing near the road. He had a blank look on his face. "Star?" She asked, waving a hoof in front of his face. "Are you alright? What happened to putting someone on tailing Green Hunter?"
Seventh shook his head, returning to consciousness, he blinked looking aT Twilight. Wait, Twilight? Did he not decide to tail Hunter himself? Why was Twilight there with him? "I apologize ma'am. I must have dozed off, for the last thing I remember is deciding to tail Green Hunter myself."
"I see..." Twilight looked around, sighing. "Okay, what I'm about to do is going to feel strange Star, but trust me okay?"
"Yes ma'am." Seventh Star said, seconds before it felt as if a second consciousness was in his mind, which sent shivers down his spine. And he unconsciously closed his eyes.



When Seventh Star opened his eyes, he had just left Twilight's office. What was it that he needed to do? Right, get somepony to tail Green Hunter. Star shook his head sighing. "No, I must do this myself." He mumbled to himself, looking around. He began to slither around the building looking for Hunter, and he quickly found him.
It didn't seem as though Green Hunter was doing anything that warranted his arrest, unless he knew he was being tailed. Grab cup of coffee, drink coffee. Talk to co-worker, get some water. Poor some water in too hot coffee. Head to bathroom, be in bathroom for a while. Perhaps he has bladder problems? Leaves bathroom to head back to office. Is in office for sometime, then heads out front door.
Seventh Star then blinked, looking at the pony who was talking with Green Lantern. He didn't recognize the pony, but that didn't matter the mare was wearing a cloak. Seventh just needed a good look at her face and then he'd be able to find out who she was.
And he might get his chance, the two had stopped talking and the mare was now turning to look in Seventh's direction.
And then everything went black.



"Damn," Twilight grumbled as the spell disengaged. "If only I could have gotten a couple of seconds."
"Ma'am..."
"Yes," Twilight blinked, looking at Seventh.
"I do not remember any of what we just saw. The last thing I remember is leaving your office, is that how I got out here?"
Twilight nodded, sitting down she looked around. "Come to think of it... when I went to see Green Hunter three days ago, he had a visitor that looked a lot like that mare."
"Could it have been her?" Applejack asked, also looking around.
"No," Twilight answered, shaking her head. "The one I saw was clearly a stallion. Who ever these two are, they seem important to Green Hunter."
"Perhaps they are the private investigators that he has?" Applejack put forth, a soft smile on her face. "I highly doubt that they'd have anything to do with the case beyond that."
Both Twilight and Seventh nodded their heads, as Hunter had always been lax in explaining how he got his information. "Perhaps you are right." Twilight mumbled, getting up. "But I still want someone trailing Hunter."
> Final Days (part 1)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 14


Final days (part 1)


We all live in a universe of never ending possibilities. A universe filled with joy, filled with happiness, filled with peace. But how peaceful is the universe really? The universe is truly a mass of random quantities and chances that is better known as Chaos. We all know what Chaos symbolizes, its avatar of Discord reminds us of this every day.
But what exactly does chaos mean in itself? Or a better question, can we use chaos as discord does?
It is time we found out...

~Unknown - Excerpt from the opening page of Final Days



"We are the new world's first and last defense against old magic such as blood magic. Because of this, Celestia has granted our member's a special pardon."
"A special pardon?" Doctor blinked, looking at Rainbow with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, as in to say around here, we are the law. And have permission from both Celestia and Luna to use any means necessary to capture users of illegal magics." Rainbow responded, a blank look on her face. "Any means."
"So, that includes magic that is illegal Trixie is guessing?" Trixie asked, her interest now peaked.
"Yes. Yes it does."

"So..." Cloudchaser blinked, looking around the room. "You are saying that we can pretty much do anything right?"
"As long as it's for Equestria, yes." Rainbow nodded, a soft smile on her face. "Beyond that, there isn't really much I can do..."
"What?" Trixie blinked, each one there looking confused. "There is nothing you can do? Trixie doesn't understand?"
"By all means, I'm a criminal."



Rainbow stood upon a balcony that lead into a room the group had selected to be hers, before she arrived. She sighed looking around the room, a soft smile on her face. The entire group seemed to have had something to say about her being an outcast. Trixie and Cloudchaser seemed to have the most to say. Rainbow chuckled, wondering how Trixie would make due with her threat against Twilight.
"Silent fuming doesn't do many ponies good you know." Shinze whispered into Rainbow's ear. "Care to talk about what's bugging you?"
"How did you get in here so quietly?" Rainbow asked,once her heart calmed down. "And also, don't ever sneak up on me again, I almost bucked you out of my room."
"Oh? So you like the room?" Shinze asked, a soft smile on his face. "Personally I think a pink room would do better for you."
"I will kill you if you paint my room pink." Rainbow said, glaring at Shinze.
"Oh? Is that to girly for Ms Rainbow Dash?" Shinze smiled, chuckling. "You ought to embrace your femininity. It's something I will enjoy torturing you with."
"Your going to torture me with the fact that I'm a mare?" Rainbow asked, raising an eyebrow. "Or are you going to torture me because I'm a mare?"
"Perhaps neither."
"That... that doesn't make sense."
Shinze chuckled once again, the smile never leaving the Changeling's face. "That's the point our cerulean coated leader." He then turned to leave her room, yet before shutting her door he turned back, to look at Rainbow Dash. "You are welcome."
"Welcome... wait for what?" Rainbow asked, though he had already left. "What the hay is his problem..."
Rainbow sighed, shaking her head. She already had know that things would be interesting here with Trixie here. But with the addition of an enigmatic Changeling? Rainbow already wished she was back in Ponyville.

Having shaken the thoughts of returning to Ponyville out of her mind, Rainbow found herself once again staring out into nothingness. She also found herself thinking about the past couple of years, from Twilight turning into an Alicorn, to the discovery of the New world. And to the more recent events, ones like why Umbra was formed.
She shook her head, bring her thoughts to how they were going to go about catching the Blood Magic user. She smiled, as she remembered the surveillance gear included something Deacon called a camera.

"So, as Lord Deacon had explained, this gives us a live feed from with in the city." Doctor said, chuckling. "This enables us to monitor the happening of the city with out..."
"Yes, I know." Rainbow interrupted, "I want to see if he's planning on something. Look for anything suspicious... Why is Star following Hunter?" Rainbow blinked, pointing at one of the monitors. "Is there a way you could... um... pull that one up?"
"Yes, actually I can."

Upon the larger screen showed Green Hunter talking to a cloaked mare. She was a pegasus, as Rainbow could tell where the wings were hidden under the cloak. A little ways away, was Seventh Star in his disguised form. The group had been watching him follow Hunter for a few minutes leading to this moment. Rainbow wished that they could hear what was going on, but as of the moment they only had visual.
It was only a few more seconds later that the unknown pegasus mare had stopped talking, and was now looking at Star. The screen jumped for only a second, and in that second something that Rainbow knew to be impossible happened. In front of them was a video of the mare, suddenly on top of Star, his disguise disabled. The mare seemed to be holding him down, and threatening him.
The mare, who then got off of Star, looked back at Hunter. Who nodded a second before the screen jumped again.
The mare no where to be seen.
"Um... what did we just watch?" Trixie blinked, confused.
"What ever we just did," Rainbow said, her voice flat. "Just made things worse."
"Oh? How?" Shinze asked, looking at Rainbow. "The screen jumped, and in that time she pounced on the changeling, said a few choice words to him. From there, she received orders from the Unicorn, and walked away."
"No." Rainbow shook her head, sighing. "At that speed, it was impossible. Even for a Pegasi, which I know she is. What we are dealing with is another Sigil user."
"Sigil user?" Trixie said, a questioning tone in her voice. "But are we not dealing with a Blood Magic user? Is that not what you said?"
"That wasn't blood magic."
> Final Days (Part 2)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 15


Final Days (part 2)


One would assume that the best way to understand the implications of Chaos would be to understand the implications of it's sister, Harmony. I myself did my own research into the matter of harmony, after being requested to do so my HRM Princess Celestia. What I found, was nothing. Harmony is the essence of togetherness. A second word for friends being in alignment. What does that bode for Chaos?
I decided to ask Celestia herself. However, who I found intrigued me. The mare, also an Alicorn claimed to be from the future and had used a spell I created a long time ago. Two of them in fact. Both of them incomplete works. One to do with time. And one, I deliberately left unfinished for fear of what it could do.
The second one, which I speak of, was meant to be a "walk in their shoes" spell if you will. To increase the harmony of a group if you will. I made this half finished spell during my research into the matters of Harmony. Not two days after Celestia sent her sister to the moon. If only I made it sooner, perhaps Nightmare Moon never would have been born into this world.
Nightmare Moon. A subject that HRM Princess Celestia does not like to talk about. Many of the noble ponies have asked her about who she was. She would always avoid the question. Not out of fear, but of shame.
Few who know Celestia, as I and Chancellor Puddinghead knew her, also knew and understood her sister Luna. Grief filled Luna due to the neglect she received from both her sister, and the ponies. Well, that's the public story at least.
Those few who knew Luna by the word 'friend,' understood that there was so little hate with in her. In fact, I doubt that she would have ever become Nightmare Moon had not one pony suggested sending Luna away.
You see, young one, many of the noble ponies with in the grand city of Canterlot wished to assert more and more power over the lesser classes. Celestia, herself wished to have at least some power over them. However, HRM Princess Luna halted the progress of the Monarchy, instead she proclaimed that the ponies at large should hold the power, something that I, and Puddinghead, agreed with. To this degree, she was essentially a threat to the nobles.
To one noble in general. This noble, had an oppressive plan in the works, one that he claimed would make the ponies submit to the rule of the nobles. He planned on using a magic that used blood as a catalyst, one that essentially took over the entire body of it's victims.
I was lucky enough to find two of his victims that still retained some of their sanity.
They told me the opposite of what I originally thought. I had assumed that, after their minds were taken over, that their waking mind would enter some form of deep sleep. But what they told me, made it all to clear what the noble was planning.
They were awake for the entire time.
~Unknown - Excerpt from page one of Final Days. [1]





Twilight sighed looking at some paperwork when a nock came at her Office's door. "Yes, come in." she said, as two ponies came into the room. One an Earth Pony and the other a Unicorn.
"You asked for us madam Twilight?" The unicorn asked.
"Yes, I would like for both of you to do something for me." Twilight nodded, a soft smile on her face. "Miss Spirit, could you please shut the door? I would like to discuss this privately." [2]
"Who were those two?" Applejack asked, as she walked into Twilight's office.
"They were noponies in particular." Twilight responded, a soft barely noticeable chuckle escaping her. "Did you need something?"
"Yah," Applejack nodded, a smile on her face. "Just thought I'd come in here and tell you that the Pegasi are just about done with setting up New Cloudsdale." Applejack sighed, shaking her head. "You've been awful busy lately, why?"
"There is no reason Applejack, beyond the Council has been keeping me busy sense the incident with Rainbow Dash. How many times must I tell you that?"
"Speeking of Rainbow, how is she?" Applejack chuckled. "And don't tell me you don't know. I know you've been sending Star to keep an eye on her."
"I know Applejack." Twilight sighed, shaking her head again. "I know that you're the last person to keep secrets from. I also know that Rainbow is doing well with her new job, which is why I decided to send a couple of more ponies over to Umbra."
"You sure about those two?" Applejack asked, looking out of the office. "One of them seemed to have been pulled off the street..."
"Yes, actually I believe she was." Twilight responded, which caused Applejack to raise an eyebrow. "By some pony named Chance Meeting, if my sources are correct... Or, at least she traveled with him."
"Travelled?"
"Yes, it seems Mr. Meeting, travelled around Equestria, where I'm assuming he found Ms. Spirit."
"I see." Applejack nodded,sighing softly. "Certainly a strange character then..."
"Give her a chance Applejack, she might prove useful to Umbra." Twilight chuckled, still softly smiling. "Her cutie mark is based off the fact that she survived alone for so long."
"I guess."

Twilight sighed, having finally found some time to herself, after having had to deal with the other council ponies time in and time out. She was relieved just to have a few seconds of peace and quiet. "Having troubled thoughts?" Luna asked, walking into the room.	
"You do know that you should have returned to Canterlot with your sister right Luna?" Twilight asked, avoiding Luna's question.
"Yes, that is what the nobles expected." Luna responded, giving a slight nod. "But do they not, have no power over what I can and can not do?"
"Yes, I suppose so..."	
"Then tell me Twilight, why must I do as they order?" Luna asked, a soft chuckle escaping her. "If one holds no power over somepony, then why must the latter follow the formers rules?"
"They shouldn't.' Twilight responded, sighing. "If that were the case, then nopony would listen to anypony but themselves."
"And that is wrong?" Luna asked, raising an eyebrow.
"It's not."
"Then is that why you are avoiding my question?" Luna said, in a flat questioning tone.
"No, it has nothing to do with that..." Twilight responded, looking away. "I just don't know what to do."
"Explain."
"Well, I've tried... I've tried working on other projects other than catching the Blood Magic user. But how do I know who to trust? If our preliminary investigation is correct, then he can control anyone. Even an Element Bearer." Twilight then sighed, shaking her head. "With that in mind, coupled with that it could be anypony... how am I supposed to know that he isn't anypony in the council? Or somepony I trust... What if I'm wrong, and it really is Rainbow? I know that she couldn't, but if what we understand so far is true, then she could have easily pretended to not know about Blood Magic."
"Her surprise, and confusion, seemed genuine." Luna noted, a soft smile on her face. "Why do you doubt your friends Twilight? You know very well that can cause disharmony."
"I don't doubt them." Twilight sighed, shaking her head. "I doubt myself. If I... we can't find the Blood Magic user, then it will be only a matter of time that he can find a way to take control of the Elements of Harmony. After all, four of the bearers are here." Twilight noted, to which Luna nodded. "And who knows what he could do if he got you under his hoof Luna. He's just to dangerous to not be worried about."
Luna then seemed to look off into something that Twilight could not. "Yes, of course sister..." She mumbled, much to Twilight's confusion. Then turning to Twilight, Luna smiled. "Sister has informed me that this book should help in the search of the sigil user." Luna said, handing Twilight a book, that looked older then anything she'd seen.


"Final Days."


"Who wrote this?" Twilight asked, looking up at Luna confused. "There isn't an Author."
"That is something sister has yet to tell even me." Luna smiled, before vanishing.
Twilight yelped, as she woke up. "That was a dream?" She blinked, looking around her office. "It seemed so real... Maybe it was." She sighed, as she looked at the book her head was on. The same book, that Luna gave her in the dream. "I guess there are some things I don't even know about them..."
Twilight sighed, as she magically lit a candle. "I suppose I can read this before sending it to Umbra..."

"The entire time..." Twilight mumbled, setting the book down. "I wonder, if that were true... then they'd would have watched as their bodies killed themselves." Twilight shook her head, trying to wash away the horrid thoughts. "How can somepony kill that way..."





Twilight sighed, as she walked down the road to her house. She was quickly joined with Discord. "What do you want Discord?"
"Nothing. Just felt like floating around my favorite pony." He responded, chuckling. "Well, besides Pinkie that is."
"Discord..." Twilight said, stopping.
"Yes Twilicorn?"
"One, stop calling me that, it's annoying." Twilight mumbled, as she sighed. "And two, what do you know of blood magic? You have to know something."
"Twilight." Discord sighed, resting an arm on Twilight's head. "If there is one thing you know about me, you would know that I'd never dabble in that disgusting magic. I mean really, cutting yourself to use magic? How horrid."
"Cutting yourself.... Then that means that Rainbow isn't the user." Twilight smiled, nodding her head. "If she was, there'd be scars, from repeatedly cutting herself... That means that anypony with a scar could be the blood magic user. Which cuts... about 87% of the population." Twilight mumbled as she thought aloud.
"You know, you should probably think in your head more often." Discord chuckled, patting Twilight's head. "So what anyway, so now you only have to be suspicios of 13 percent of the people here. That's only about 3,000 ponies."
"Don't you get it Discord?" Twilight said, eagerness in her voice. "Anypony trying to hide their scars could be using Blood Magic, after all it is illegal. And if they know about getting scars, then chances are they'd know we do as well."
"Yes, but who is to say they aren't magically hiding the scars as well?" Discord asked, smiling.
"Now that I think about it... that is true." She mumbled.

"Didn't Green Hunter have a scar?" Applejack asked, after Twilight had told her the discovery. "He was also with that weird pony."
"Yes, but he said it was from a hiking trip." Twilight nodded, sighing. "And trust me, I'd have to agree with him on that... hiking is hard."
"For you maybe." Applejack chuckled. "But remember, I'm an Earth Pony."
"Yes, that is true Applejack."
"Why again can't we go exploring sis?"	 Applebloom asked her sister. "It's boring in here."
"Yeah!" Scootaloo chuckled.
"Because last time you did, you almost got killed." Twilight responded, for Applejack. [3]
> Cutie Mark Crusaders Special 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Cutie Mark Crusaders Special 2


"For you maybe." Applejack chuckled. "But remember, I'm an Earth Pony."
"Yes, that is true Applejack."
"Why again can't we go exploring sis?"	 Applebloom asked her sister. "It's boring in here."
"Yeah!" Scootaloo chuckled.
"Because last time you did, you almost got killed." Twilight responded, for Applejack.





"Twilight's right Scoots." Sweetie Bell said, after they had snuck off. "We did almost die, that cliff was scary..."
"There ain't going to be cliffs this time Sweetie Bell." Scootaloo said, as she looked around the forest. "Were going back to that fountain thing. I heard there's a tomb there!"
"A tomb?" Both Applebloom and Sweetie Bell said, their ears twitching in interest. "Why would there be a tomb..." Applebloom said, confused.
Scootaloo opened her mouth, to state a cheeky answer, yet none came. "I don't really know..." She instead said,chuckling. "But doesn't that give us a reason to go and check it out?"
Applebloom was about to speak up, when the three fillies froze at the arrival of a stallion. "And what are you three doing here?" Green Hunter asked, a smile on his face. "It seems you'd be headed into an area that you aren't allowed in."
"Were looking for adventure of course." Scootaloo said, smiling. "Why else?"
"Yeah, is that a problem?" Applebloom asked, looking around.
"I don't think Applejack would like it if somepony found her sister in a restricted area." Hunter said, flatly. His comment caused the three fillies to shift around nervously. "Though, I suppose I could accommodate your adventurous spirit."
"What do you mean?" Sweetie Bell asked, as the other two looked confused at each other.
At this, Hunter chuckled, shaking his head. "Heaven, please show these young fillies the cave." He said, as a cloaked mare appeared beside him. The same mare that he was seen talking to.
"Yes Master." The mare said. 
> Hyrda and Spirit
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 16


Hydra and Spirit


"Oh? How?" Shinze asked, looking at Rainbow. "The screen jumped, and in that time she pounced on the changeling, said a few choice words to him. From there, she received orders from the Unicorn, and walked away."
"No." Rainbow shook her head, sighing. "At that speed, it was impossible. Even for a Pegasi, which I know she is. What we are dealing with is another Sigil user."
"Sigil user?" Trixie said, a questioning tone in her voice. "But are we not dealing with a Blood Magic user? Is that not what you said?"
"That wasn't blood magic."

"What do you mean not blood magic?" Shinze asked blinking.
"Just that." Rainbow sighed, shaking her head. "Blood magic is about controlling a person against their will. And unless we're missing something, that wasn't manipulating somepony else. She teleported, I don't know how, but she did."
"This makes things interesting." Doctor said, a smile on his face.
"Do you always act this way?" Shinze asked him, raising an eyebrow.
"Um... Yes, now that I think about it, I do." Doctor chuckled, smiling. "Is that a problem? because I don't think i'll be changing how I act any time soon... Well, unless I die..."
"How's Derpy anyway?" Rainbow asked, turning to Doctor.
"Oh.... um... Well, you see that's an interesting story..." The stallion said, fumbling around. "You see... I seem to have lost her. Well, no, not mentally... But, well.... I have no idea where she is."
"Well, that's nice." Shinze said sarcastically. "Can we get back to the matter at hand?"





"Is there a reason you are so nervous?" Hydra Wolf asked the small mare beside him. "Princess Twilight had said they were nice people. Plus, we'll be with Rainbow Dash, the element of loyalty." He said, nodding.
"Well... but..." Free Spirit said, looking around nervously. "This is Spirit's first time here, and Papa isn't here so..." [1]
"Has this Chance ever been to the New World?" Hydra asked, blinking at the mare. "He seems to have travelled a lot."
"Oh yes." Spirit smiled nodding. "We travelled a great deal around Equestria. Spirit made lots of friends."
"Are any of them here?" Hydra questioned, raising an eyebrow. "In the new world that is."
"Um... Spirit doesn't know... Think first one here." Spirit said, smiling. "Papa isn't even here."
"Yes, I got that..." Hydra mumbled, shaking his head. "You said that before."
Spirit blinked looking away. "This really isn't Equestria is it."
"No, it isn't." Hydra agreed, as they walked up to what looked like their destination.

"What do you mean Twilight is sending two more people here?" Trixie blinked, almost ordering Doctor to explain. "I thought we were the only ones to be here!"
"Well, yes..." Doctor sighed, shaking his head. "I thought that as well. I assumed the five of us would be enough, but Twilight has other ideas." He shrugged, chuckling slightly. "Who am I to question her decisions."
"A Time Lord perhaps?" Rainbow Dash said, from behind Doctor. "And don't deny it Doctor. I recognized you right away. Now... I'd like to know how exactly you lost Derpy. She was supposed to be in charge of the weather team in Ponyville, or was when I left."
"Well..." Doctor sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's a long story... And one I'm not to proud of... Can we discus that later?"
"Fine."
"Thank you." Doctor sighed, turning to look out a window as two ponies approached. "Ah! I believe that is them." He smiled, as they watched the mare poke at the barrier.
"Spirit's never seen anything like this up close." Spirit said, poking the barrier a couple more times as Rainbow Dash, Trixie, and The Doctor walked up. "I've seen it before... but not this close."
"It's a special barrier." Rainbow smiled, looking at Spirit. "I take it you are Free Spirit, and Hydra Wolf?"
"We are." Hydra said, smiling. "You would be Rainbow Dash?"
"The one and only." Rainbow said, chuckling. "Come on, it's best if you get in the barrier soon. Night fall is coming, and this place is worse the Everfree at night."
"Worse then Everfree?" Spirit blinked, looking around nervously. "Spirit's been to Everfree before... Not nice."
"No..." Rainbow chuckled, as they slowly walked to the castle. "No Everfree isn't nice."





"So hose were the recruits." Shinze asked, watching Spirit playing around outside. "The mare seemed interesting."
"She is." Rainbow nodded, a soft smile on her face. "Kind of reminds me of myself when I was younger."
"What are you an old grandma mare now?"
"You know what I mean Shinze." Rainbow sighed, shaking her head. She'd gotten used to Shinze's remarks over the time she's spent with him.
"Do I?" Shinze said, smirking. He nudged Rainbow slightly, nearly toppling her over. "Last I checked, you said I knew nothing about you." He smiled, pretending to recount something. "I believe it was when you were yelling at me for pulling that one prank on you... what was it... Oh yeah!" He chuckled again, a sly grin on his face. "It was when I switch all of you clothes with mareish ones."
Rainbow's eye twitched, indicating her anger. "I thought I told you to not speak of that again." She said, threw gritted teeth. "I said I'd kill you if you did."
"You can't." Shinze smiled, nodding his head. "Cause then I wouldn't be in the sequel."[2]
> Diary of a Mad Pony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 17


Diary of a Mad Pony


-Unknown date, written in Canterlot.-
No... No I can't do it... I shouldn't. I wont'... It's not right nor fair of me to do something like that. I shouldn't... have. It felt so good. The feeling of her body as her life bleeds away. It was wonderful. But I shouldn't tell any one... Maids... Are expendable, I can always get another. No one would suspect somepony hiring up more maids. Would they?
Doesn't matter. I'm doing it any way. She lived here in the guest house any way. I'll have to come up with a reason why she hasn't left for groceries. It felt so good to kill her. It was so good. Maybe next time I'll experiment a little.
Killing ponies is so much fun.





Green Hunter sighed, closing the book he was reading as Twilight walked into his office. "Yes?" He said, sighing slightly. "You need something Twilight Sparkle?"
"Yes, actually I was wondering on one thing." She sighed, nodding her head. "I recently came in possession of a book by Star Swirled." She sighed, her voice sounding confused. "Celestia said that it was by him, but the book itself doesn't mention an author. I know for a fact that you know more about his works then me."
"You want me to look over the book?" Hunter said, raising an eyebrow. "May I see the book."
"Yes, I brought it with me." Twilight nodded, as she used her magic to move said book, from her saddle bag to Green Hunter's desk.
"I see..." He mumbled, looking over the book. "Well, the cover and preface does match what his other books would have. I'll have to spend time reading the book in its entirety." He said, after a short time. "I assume if it truly is one of Star Swirled's books, you plan on sending it to that Umbra group?"
"How did you..." Twilight blinked, stepping back a couple of steps. "I thought that only me and Applejack knew about them..."
"Don't forget you pet, Seventh Star."
"He's not a pet." Twilight growled, glaring at Hunter for a couple of seconds. "He maybe a changeling, but that doesn't make him a pet."
"No matter," Hunter chuckled, turning to leave. "I'll look at it Twilight."

Twilight sighed, looking around her office. "If only we didn't have to deal with the blood magic user..."
"Twilight!" Applejack practically yelled, as she barged into the office. "It's Applebloom... she... she..."
"She what Applejack?"
"She's missing." Applejack said, after taking a few deep breaths. "I'm surprised I didn't notice earlier. But, she's gone."
"What.... How?"
"I don't know."

And so the search for three little fillies began. Twilight's attempts to keep the search for Applebloom and her two friends hidden from the majority of the city, however the prospect that it could be the fault of the Blood Magic user, spread threw the guards like wildfire, and threw them the CMC. It took only three hours for the search party to go from just Twilight, and Applejack. To them, and every filly and colt in the city. "Please miss Twilight, can we please help?" One such filly asked, wearing her CMC cloak.
At this, of course, Twilight patted the filly on the head. "Of course you can my little pony." She said, smiling softly. "I'd be glad if you did." She sighed, as the fillies ran off. Leaving her, Applejack, and Green Hunter alone.
"It is a sad thing." Hunter said, a smile showing. "That those three would vanish. Are you absolutely sure they aren't adventuring somewhere?"
"No, I told them not to." Applejack stated matter o-factly.
"Pardon me for not being a filly or colt. But isn't that precisely why one would go out adventuring?"
"Yes, it is." Twilight sighed, taking her eyes off Hunter. "Which is why I told Star to watch them if they left us."
At that precise moment, the aforementioned Changeling, bursted into the area, his horn glowing green. "Back away from him Twilight." He said, glareing at Hunter.
"What?" Twilight blinked, looking from Seventh Star to Green Hunter and back. "Why? What has he done?"
"He is the Blood magic user."
"That is a heavy accusation Star." Applejack said, watching Star.
"In deed it is Changeling." Hunter chuckled, as his horn began to glow a deep red color. "And, I'm afraid it's true." Chuckling more, he watched silently, waiting for either Twilight or Star to make a move.
A suddenly as the tensions rose, two cloaked ponies appeared besides Green Hunter. "Master? You called?" The mare  asked, watching Twilight.
"Ah yes," Hunter chuckled, his horn no longer glowing. "It seems as though my identity is now known." He sighed, shaking his head. "We must take our leave now. After all, we have more things to plan then I thought."
Applejack pounced, just as the group turned to leave. She managed to pin the mare, even though Green Hunter was the target.
"Star." Twilight sighed, as the mare struggled to get out from under Applejack's hooves. "Could you please get Rainbow Dash. I think Trixie should know what to do with her."
"Ma'am."





"What did you need Twilight?" Rainbow Dash asked, looking around the area. She raised an eye at the mare who Applejack had pinned. "Who is she?"
"This is... I don't know, but she works for Green Hunter." Twilight responded to Rainbow's question. "Who so happens to be the pony behind all the things going on."
"Wait, Green Hunter?" Rainbow Dash blinked. "Green Hunter is the Blood Magic user?"
"Yes."
"Okay, so what do you want me to do with the mare?"
"Anything, he's used magic on her. Similar to Changeling magic, but not quite. Maybe Shinze can do something about it?"
"Sure." Rainbow said, nodding at Trixie who then formed a barrier around the mare. "So, how have you been Twi?"
"Good.... Stressed." Twilight admitted. "I guess I never expected that there would be so much work to be doing here."
"Well think about it Twi, We're starting a brand new Equestria. With you and Luna at it's lead, It should be a good one at that."
"Rainbow..." She sighed shaking her head. "You know as well as I do that me and Luna aren't in charge. The council is."
"Yeah, and who's been elected chair-pony each time she wanted somepony else to be elected?"
"Me..."
"Exactly, so quit your worrying Twi, we'll get this worked out. Then we can get back to being the Elements of Harmony, and sipping tea with Discord... well, maybe without Discord."
Both Twilight and Rainbow Dash chuckled, as Rainbow and Trixie began heading away from Twilight and Applejack. "See? I told you she'd be fine." Applejack sighed, patting Twilight on the shoulder.
"I guess you are right." Twilight sighed, shaking her head. "Both of you. I'm worrying too much. About Rainbow, about when the Bloo... Hunter is going to strike next. What he's going to do next."
"Well, think about this." Applejack smiled, looking in the direction Rainbow left. "We have one of his workers, he'll be delayed for quite some time."
"What makes you think that?"
"He said they had even more to plan." Applejack said. "That tell's me he didn't expect to be found out. And he also wouldn't have expected me to land on that mare, capturing her."
"We both know you were aiming for him."
"But he doesn't."
> Enter the Shadows
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


chapter 17


Enter the Shadows


Rainbow Dash sighed, watching the Pegasus mare on the other side of the glass. Ever sense Twilight asked Umbra to do something about the enchantments put on the mare, they've been in the Manor, each one staring at the other. "Argh!" Rainbow finally yelled, turning to look away from the mare. "This is so annoying! Why didn't the enchantments on her dissapear the moment she walked in here..."
"The enchantments are made to block magic." Shinze mumbled, watching the mare. "Magic that Twilight knew of at the time. We might be dealing with a form of Hypnotism that is as old as blood magic."
"Meaning we need old magic to counter it..."
"Exactly." Shinze chuckled, looking over at Rainbow and Trixie. "Which none of us know."
"Actually..." Trixie mumbled, looking up at the mare. Trixie has been studying old magic."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
"Have you found anything that could help?" Rainbow asked, looking from Trixie to the mare. "I mean, with getting rid of the enchantments." 
"I should have, yes."
"Then get right on it Trixie." Rainbow sighed, turning to leave with Shinze. "I want it done soon. If he used blood magic or anything similar on her, then she should have memory of what was going on. This could give us an edge against Green Hunter."
"You're starting to sound like a warrior..." Shinze mumbled, watching Rainbow as they left Trixie.
"Is that a problem?"
"Not really." Shinze chuckled. "It's actually interesting. Knowing that your trying your hardest to catch this guy."
"He ruined my reputation with that last stunt of his Shinze." Rainbow sighed, looking back at him. "It's my duty to Equestria to catch him. And I'll do anything I can to do so."
"Is that so?"







It had been three days since Trixie set out to break the enchantments on the mare. To no prevail.
Rainbow Dash stood watching the mare sighing. "You won't speak." She said, watching as the mares eyes drifted towards her. "You wont eat. You haven't even moved from that spot for the three weeks that you've been here. You'll have to give in eventually. And when you do, I think is when we'll be able to help you."
"Heaven." The mare said, to both Rainbow and Trixie's surprise. "My name is Heaven."
"Well miss Heaven..." Trixie mumbled, blinking. "I'm glad that you are finally speaking with us."

“Not to immediately hound you with questions,” Rainbow sighed, watching Heaven with new interest. “But could you please tell me... Us if you remember anything? From when you worked for Green Hunter?”
“For?” Heaven said a tint of disgust in her tone. “How dare you suggest such a thing! Me and my brother worked with him. For the longest time we were being paid for our services.”
“Then if he was paying you, why did he have you under a spell?” Shinze asked as he slowly walked up to Rainbow and Trixie, his tone flatter the usual. “Would he not just pay you again assassin?”
“He might,” Heaven sighed, looking away. “But I serve under Celestia. I would not do anything that would harm Equestria.”
“Huh, so he’d have to hypnotize you if he wanted… wait did you say assassin Shinze?” Rainbow blinked, looking from Heaven, to Shinze and back. “What makes you think she’s an assassin?”
“Because that is what she is.”
“How do you know?”
“I just do.”
“How?” Trixie asked, looking at each of the people in turn. “Only thing Trixie can tell is that she is a mare, and a Pegasus.”
“It is her behavior.” Shinze sighed, watching Heaven. “I can tell just from her mannerisms, that she is trained in the art of killing.”
“You’re actually a Changeling aren’t you?” Heaven asked, watching Shinze in return.
“And if I am?”
“It would explain a few things.” Heaven smiled, as Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “Like how you could tell what I am just off my actions.”
“So, you are an assassin?”
“I am. What of it?” Heaven asked, now looking at Rainbow.
“Okay, now I... We really need to know if you remember anything from when Green Hunter had control over your mind.”
“And if I do.”
“We need to know the important things. Like where his hideout is, what he can do, the extent of people under him. Stuff like that.” Rainbow sighed, a soft smile appearing on her face. “Can you please tell us anything?”
“I can tell you a few things.”
“Such as?”
“One, it seemed half the time that I wasn’t in control of my own body, almost as if I was actually watching myself from far away. It was... almost scary, as if... I had no say in what I would do.”
“Hey... now that I think about it, would you be the mare that pounced on Seventh Star a few days ago.” Trixie asked, blinking.
“The Changeling that had been tailing Green Hunter?”
“Yeah, him.”
“Then yes.”
“How?” Rainbow asked, her ears twitching. “I watched you do it... the screen blinked for a second and you were on top of him. How did you do it?”
“Spatial magic.” Heaven replied, sighing.
“Huh?”
“Spatial magic.” Heaven repeated, smiling. “It’s a very old type of magic. My family has used it for generations.”
“What exactly does it do?” Trixie asked, looking from Rainbow to Heaven, and back.
“It deals with space. Used correctly, it can either shorten distances, or increase them.”
“How interesting.” Trixie sighed, looking at the ground. “And this Spatial magic would be a sigil magic? As you are a Pegasus, not a Unicorn.”
At this, Heaven chuckled. “Well, I guess it would be a sigil magic, though it is different than Blood magic.” Heaven chuckled again, before sighing. “I take it that is what you believe Green Hunter to be using?”
“Well isn’t it?”
“Um... Yes.”
“Well, then it’s a good thing that we have somepony here that had blood magic used on them then.” Trixie sighed. “We now have an edge against Green Hunter.”
“Are you implying that Hunter used blood magic on me as well?” Heaven asked, a confused tone in her voice now.
“Miss Heaven, Green Hunter has used blood magic to have several ponies kill themselves in rather... gruesome ways.”
“Such as?”
“Well, one pony maimed their self, another lit their store on fire with them inside, another maimed their self then hung their self. And, other more graphic things.” Shinze sighed.
“Is that so?”
“That is so.” Shinze chuckled, turning to look over at Rainbow. “Your friend Green Hunter has killed over thirty ponies using blood magic. In fact, I believe that our Rainbow Dash here may also be a victim of Green Hunter’s.”
“How so?”
“Before coming here I followed your brother.” Rainbow sighed, looking away from everyone. Before this she had only told only Twilight and Shinze, and now again she would tell it. “Chasing him, I found myself waking later on. Not of what happened, I found myself covered in blood.”
“The blood of another,” Shinze finished, sighing. “If Twilight’s report is accurate.”
"Is that so?" Heaven sighed, shaking her head.
"Yes, and we've been looking to take him down, since then." Rainbow sighed, turning to leave. "Well, I'll be getting some air... I hate these stuffy rooms."

Rainbow sighed, shaking her head as she looked around sighing. The forest around the the castle that she now called home had the strange allure on her, that the Everfree had back in Equestria. She shook off the urge to fly to far away, so she landed in a clearing she didn't recognize and began wandering around. "Who's there?" She asked, when she heard a ruffling.
"Hello Rainbow Dash..." what looked like a shadow said. "We've been waiting for you."
"Woah!" She yelped, backing away as it approached her. "What... who are you?"
"We are the future, the past, and the present. We are the things that hide in the dark, under your bed. We are the things you see out of the corner of your eyes, on a cloudy night."
"Okay, that doesn't explain anything..."
"We are here to help Rainbow Dash." the shadow said, as others aproached from other directions. "And to give you a gift." And everything went black.
> Marching Foreward
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 18


Marching Foreward


"Are you sure?" Twilight Sparkle asked Rainbow, as they both ideally watched the stallion who took the stage after Vinyl left. "He seems..." Twilight sighed, struggling to find a word. "Odd."
"Odd yeah..." Rainbow Dash nodded, her voice firm. "But he's still the one I was in my dream. It was weird really... Never had one like it."
"Well, if you insist that he's supposed to help in finding Hunter, I guess..." Twilight smiled, looking over her friend. In the time that Rainbow had been away, she had changed. Beyond the dark black lines that formed symbols that now dotted her cerulian fur. Rainbow Dash seemed more like a leader the Twilight did at first, allong with having an air around her that seemed to dare anyone to cross her. "You've changed Rainbow... You're not as laid back as before."
"Times change Twi..."
"You going to explain those markings?"
"I already explained it to you Twi..." Rainbow sighed, shaking her head. "I was taking a walk, when these weird shadow things came up to me... I blacked out, and woke up a few hours later after having that weird dream."
"I believe you on that Rainbow, but it does explain the markings."
"Well I don't know what they are!" Rainbow half yelled due to frustration. "What, you don't think if I knew I'd tell you? That place... Hell, this entire island is like the Everfree, I don't know what half the stuff is going on is!"
"Okay Rainbow, I get it."
"Really, I don't know why they are thre..."

The two of them sat in silence until the Stallion bowed and walked of the stage, which Vinyl returned to. Rainbow then sighed, looking at Twilight. She then smillled and walked over towards the stallion. "Hello," She said smiling softly. "My name is..."
"Rainbow Dash, Element of Loyalty, and leader of this hear new Equestria's branch of the organization known as Umbra." The stallion, who's black coat seemed sinister up close. "You come to me in the hopes that I will help you hunt for the criminal known as Green Hunter, the Blood Mage." Rainbow stared at him blinking, a loos of words that caused him to chuckling. "I take that as a Yes. Well I won't help."
"You need to!" Rainbow pleaded, finally finding her voice. "Please, the dream.. vision... or what ever it was, with out you Equestria could fall into chaos because of Hunter."
"Ah, that's where you... And the ones that gave you that vision are wrong." The Stallion finally looked at Rainbow, which gave her a aclear veiw of his face, which caused her be at a loss of words as well. It wasn't that his left eye seemed to have no pupil what so ever, but that it seemed that ahe had a sigil as the pupil of his right eye, which was golden. "I won't be helping. Not you, not Green Hunter, and most certainly who gave you those markings."
"You know whe they were?"
"Past, Present, and Future..." He chuckled, a brown fedora hat appearing on his head, which reminded Rainbow that he was a Unicorn. "Have at what you want Rainbow Dash. In this one, I'm just a simple observer, minimal distractions from time."
He chuckled, and turned into smoke before Rainbow Dash could protest agaisnt his leaving. "So, did you get anything?" Twilight asked, walking up to her.
"No, except that maybe we need to rethink what sigils can... no, can't do."
"What do you mean?" Twilight asked, looking around the room confused, "Is someone using them now?"
"He knew who I was, and why I was looking for him." Rainbow said, shivers goingf down her back. "Then there was his face... He had a sigil on one of his eyes, he might even be a worse threat then Hunter if we leave him unchecked..."
"R-really?" Twilight blinked, sighing. "Well, I'm going to have to leave Rainbow, I have some forms to fill out. Seems a group of ponys are asking for a fifth expansion into the forest..."
"A fifth?" Rainbow blinked, looking out a window a soift chuckle escaping her. "Well now, this place is growing quite nicely..."







"Hey Rainbow!" Vinyl said, waving a hand chuckling, as she walked up to Rainbow Dash, who was sitting at a table alone. "So, what do you think of the place?"
"It's... interesting..."
"I know!" Vinyl chuckled, her chest puffing out in pride. "I bought it last month from gig money. Though back then it was just a abandoned warehouse. Turned it into a club in fivew days..."
"Wait... you own this place?" Rainbow blinked, chuckling when she finally saw Vinyl's unique style around the club. "I just thought you played here."
"Nope, I own it."
"Say Vinyl... You would'nt happen to know the name of one of the performers would you?"
"Yeah, I know all their names... why?"
"Well, I need someone investigating him..."
"Oh right, Twi did mention you were incharge of some super secret police force thingy..." Vinyl chuckled, nodding her head as she removed her glasses. "Sure, who is it?"
"It's that one that went on earlier..." Rainbow said, trying to remember what he looked like, though having trouble. "Um... he was a black unicorn I think... Blind in one eye..."
"Ah, that's Rourke." Vinyl chuckled, nodding her head again. "He was one of the first DJs I found here, pretty good if I say so."
"Rourke?"
"Yup." Vinyl confirmed, smiling softly. "Though I get the feeling that's not his real name... Wonder why he's hiding it..."
"Thank you Vinyl." Rainbow smiled, as she began to head back to Umbra.

"Trixie, I need you to pull up the residency list." Rainbow said, once she reached the Ops center in Umbra's Castle. "I want you to put a Sigil flag on someone."
"Okay... who is it." Trixie's voice came in from her almost completely closed off office.
"A unicorn DJ by the name Rourke, I saw a sigil on his... um... right eye." Rainbow mumbled, confused why the memories of him were slowly fading away, as if someone was using an eraser to remove him from her memory.
"His eye?"
"Yes, his eye."
"Think he might have something to do with Green Hunter? Want me to mark him as a possible accomplice?"
"No... maybe... Yes." Rainbow nodded, chuckling softly. "At least until we capture Hunter."
"Got it Dash."

"Welcome back from your jaunt Dashie." Shinze chuckled, as he walked towards her.
"I told you not to call me Dashie Shinze..." Rainbow said, not making a motion to look at him from her balcony. "How many times do I have to tell you before you learn."	
"Have you ever teased the notion that I tease you because you're atractive?" Shinze asked her in his signiture sarcastic tone.
Even still, this caused Rainbow Dash blushed slightly. "No, I haven't." She said blatently, with as little emotion as she could muster. "And that's only because I know that it's because I know you do it because you find it funny."
"Well there is that..." Shinze chuckled, the sarcasm almost leaving his voice. "Though I do find you attractive Rainbow Dash."
"W-What? That's not something you should be saying, and not just because I'm your boss."
"What, no time for us to enjoy another ponies comfort? We should be focusing on policing the old magic users? Besides, all I said was that I find you attractive Rainbow." He said, his tone uncharacteristcly flat. "That doesn't mean I have feelings for you. Just that I find you attractive."
"What.. oh..." Rainbow sighed, slightly confused by the dissapointment in her own voice. "Right, I knew that... Now why are you here?"
"To watch your reaction as I tease you."
"So the usual."
"Yup."
"Then get out."
> Betrayal in the works.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 19


Betrayal in the works.


"Well no, it's not that I hate him Rarity..." Rainbow Dash sighed, as she talked with Rarity through one of the orbs that Deacon provided them, though how they got back to Equestria confused Rainbow "I mean, I like him yeah, but..."
"Go on dear." Rarity said smiling after Rainbow was silent for a bit.
"Well, he's annoying." She then sighed shaking her head. "I mean, he just sits around making sarcastic comments and teasing me... He's like a schoolcolt in his attitude..."
"Dear, have you ever thought that he might be lying about how he said he didn't like you?"
"Of course he doesn't..." Rainbow sighed definitively. "For one, if he did he wouldn't have said it sarcastically..."
"He could have been doing it deliberately Rainbow Dash." Rarity sighed.
"What ever, I'm not dating him Rarity." Rainbow said, shaking her head. "No matter what you, or he says."

Sighing for a third time, Rainbow Dash looked into the mirror in the bathroom, the black markings staring back at her. "I wish I knew what these things were for..." She mumbled, putting her hoof on the mirror. "It kind of looks cool though..."
"Contemplating something young Rainbow Dash?" A familiar voice asked her, as Deacon walked into the room.
"Hey!" Rainbow blinked, looking around. "W-What are you doing here? Isn't this the..."
"Last I checked, the bathrooms in this place are ambiguous."
"Ah... they are?"
"Well, I believe so..."
"Whatever, why are you here?" Rainbow asked, tilting her head slightly, watching Deacon.
"Can I not visit the masses?"
"Well... no... but why are you here?" Rainbow asked again, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "I've come to know you noble types. You never go somewhere without some ulterior motive."
At this, Deacon laughed. "Ah yes, that is something we nobles do at times. But honestly, I'm only here to talk."
"You sure?"
"Quite positive really."
"Okay..." Rainbow sighed, shaking her head. "What about?"
"Only a word of Advice, and a clue."
"Eh?"
"I have two things to explain to you Rainbow Dash. The same thing that gave you those markings, is what caused Luna to become Nightmare Moon."
"W-What!?"
"Now, now." Deacon said reassuringly, patting Rainbows shoulder. "The beings that are called Shadows are not malevolent. They in fact, are past Guardians. They are the souls of those who died."
"Wait, Guardians? Guardians of what?" Rainbow asked, confused to what he said.
"There is a place of Magic in the Old World, where we are actually, it is called The House of The Moon. According to the ancient scriptures, from before even I was, The source of magic in the world comes from the moon, which at the time represented Chaos, or Madness. Where as the Sun was Order, or Law. Now, of course in this time, Magic was at it's youth and was very unpredictable, so it needed pillars to contain and control it. These became the Guardians, which the Shadows have now selected you as one.
"However, this magic you now have at your hoof tips, is a magic even older then sigils."
"So..." Rainbow sighed, sitting down. "You are saying that the reason Luna became Nightmare Moon was because she lost control of the power of the moon?"
"That is exactly what happened. I... I was young then, and foolish." Luna chuckled, startling Rainbow. "I... I had something Tia didn't, yet still did not have the people's affection. That sadness... It grew into Jealousy. The Moon, it's power is fueled by emotion. Positive emotions, give gifts. And negative emotions, such as jealousy, corrupts the soul. I... I tried rebelling against my sister twice before it corrupted me completely."
"Okay... Why are you here Luna?" Rainbow asked, sighing softly shaking her head. "I was kind of busy thinking about somethings."
"Then we shall leave." Deacon chuckled, nodding to Luna. "Oh, and one more thing, Rainbow Dash. Betrayal is in your mists, and it will come from somewhere unexpected."
"Eh What?" Rainbow Dash mumbled, blinking.
She continued to stare at where Deacon and Luna left the bathroom, until she grew bored and started to wander around the castle, that is until she was approached by Shinze. "I'm going to be heading into town." He said, watching her. "Do you need anything?"
"Um... No not really." She blinked confused, "Say, I didn't realize you could go into town... Aren't you..."
"If you would remember correctly, I'm a Changeling. That, and I'm not an escaped criminal like someponies."
"Oh, right..."







Shinze sighed, he was now in the shape of a mare earth pony. Though most people wouldn't notice that he was a changeling, those that would were changelings themselves. "Were you followed?" Somepony asked him when he sat at a corner table in a pub.
"No, Rainbow Dash doesn't suspect a thing brother."
"A mare this time?"
"Remember, Master told us to change the shape we came in, to avoid suspicion."
"Two people regularly going to a pub is not suspicious."
"How about when they only talk, and don't order anything?"
"Then I see Masters point..." The other pony sighed, shaking his head. He wore a cloak similar to the ones that Heaven and her brother wore. "Though I don't see why we must meet at the same time each day."
"I don't question master's thoughts."
"Well, neither do I."
"They are closing in on Hunters location."
"That is fine, he has become a liability." The pony said chuckling.
"I see..." Shinze sighed, shaking his head. "Well then, what will master have me do?"
"Lay in wait." The pony said, emotionlessly. "Stay as a sleeper agent, until the time is right. Master  trust you with the most important job. Make sure the Guardians of the Moon fall."

	
> Guardians of the Moon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 20


Guardian's of The Moon


"Make sure the Guardians of the Moon fall."







Those were his orders. It's what he had to do. Yet watching Rainbow Dash and her friends, he couldn't help feeling guilt. Shinze knew that there would come a time, where rainbow knew the real reason he was there. At first, it worried him. The aftermath. The eventual feeling of betrayal that she would undoubtedly feel. But, he also knew that time would hopefully heal the wounds that finding the truth would bring.
And because of this, he knew what had to be done.





"Hey, has anyone seen Shinze?" Rainbow Dash asked, three days later. "I haven't seen him in awhile."
"No, not really..." Cloudchaser chuckled, shaking her head. "Haven't seen him sense you last saw him. Why?"
"I just wanted to ask him a couple of things." Rainbow Dash sighed, looking down. "Like... why he hasn't reported in three days."
"What, do you really expect a Changeling to fully obey any of us?" Trixie chuckled, shaking her head. "No, I'm suprised he listened to you for as long as he did."
"That's true..." Rainbow sighed, just as an alarm sounded.
"We got a hit!" Trixie said, excitedly. "Large traces of Sigil magic being used in sector three, just outside the city."
"Alright, time to get going." Rainbow chuckled, looking at the screen. "This could be Hunter making his move."

"Can you read me?" Rainbow Dash asked, at the mobil base they set up, just south of where the trail ended.
"Loud and clear." Trixie said, back at HQ. "The trail ends slightly north of your location. Not really sure what he's planning though... as it's just a small clearing."
"Okay, then approach slowly. Remember, the target might be Hunter. He is a know user of Blood Magic and may have someone with him."
"Hello Rainbow Dash." Hunter said, as the approached him. "I've got something for you."
"Rainbow help!" Scootaloo yelped, her wings and limbs tied, as well as being tied to her two friends Applebloom and Sweetie Bell.
"Let them go Hunter." Rainbow said, her tone flat.
"I see the Moon chose you as a guardian."
"No small talk." Rainbow ordered, her tone growing angrier with each word. "Let them go. I'll have no qualms about killing you." 
"Sad to see you like this though..." Hunter chuckled, seeming to ignore her demands. "A guardian of the moon. How sad, you had so much... potential." He chuckled, shaking his head. "You really fell for what Deacon told you about them didn't you?"
"What do you mean?"
"The whole story? About the Moon, and why he says the guardians exist?" Hunter continued chuckling, as Cloudchaser and the Doctor circled around him, hoping to either get the fillies, or to catch him by surprise. "Well,what say you to me telling you a secret?"
"What secret?" Rainbow said, confusion included now with her anger.
"It was all a lie." Hunter said smiling. "Even his 'identity' was fabricated by Celestia and Luna. The moon had nothing to do with magic, or anything except the darker aspects of life. In fact I, and the people I work for, only hope to remove the wool from the eyes of the ponies. By, taking down the Moons guardians."
"How do I know that you're not lying?" Rainbow asked, glaring at him.
"Because I told him all this." Shinze chuckled, walking in from behind Rainbow Dash. "I indoctrinated him into the order of Knights Templar. I taught him all he knows."
Seeing Shinze, and him declaring himself her enemy, was both a good and bad feeling for Rainbow. "Shinze..." Rainbow blinked, all but confusion leaving her mind. "Shinze I... why?"
"Why?" He chuckled, shaking his head as he walked over to Hunter. "Because, I was ordered to."

What happened next, happened in what seemed like an instant to Rainbow Dash. Shinze winking at her, then turned onto Hunter. Pinning Hunter, he bucked the cloaked stallion away towards Rainbow Dash. "I'd hurry up and subdue him. Rainbow." He said, chuckling softly. "Didn't expect this did you Hunter?"
"Why?" Hunter asked, his turn to be confused.
"Because," He said as he turned from his bug-like form to a deep blue pegasus. "I've been serving Deacon this entire time."
"Wait..." Rainbow blinked, as she looked from the subdued stallion that was under her, to Shinze. "Then do you mean... Are you one of those Guardians?"
"And if I am?"
"Why didn't you tell me?" Rainbow asked, sighing. "It would have made things easier."
"Well..."
"You even knew that it was Hunter that was killing every pony."
"Um... you see."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Now isn't the time to be worrying about things like that." Shinze sighed, just as the stallion broke free from Rainbow Dash. Though this didn't last long as Heaven dropped down onto the Stallion, from no where.
"Woah, where did you..."
"Spatial magic, remember Rainbow Dash?" Heaven chuckled, pinning her brother to the ground, in a way that made both Shinze and Rainbow flinch.
"So, should we contact Twilight and Applejack?" Rainbow asked, just as Cloudchaser and the Doctor finished untying the fillies. "Applejack especially, she's going to want to know that Applebloom is safe."
"Yes, I agree." Trixie chuckled, as Rainbow hard clicking threw the headsets. "I'll let them know."
"Thank you Trixie."


To be continued, in Book 2.

> ANE2 Teaser
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Great ponies are born in fire. It is the privilege of the lesser pony to light the fire. But who is to say what defines those of us are the great ponies? The lesser ones? AK Yearing, also known as Daring Do can be considered one of these great ponies. Or is she a lesser pony to one Rainbow Dash? The facts are, there is no cut-and-dry way of telling weather or not A pony has lit the fire for another, or if their fire was lit by a pony. But no matter, that is not what this story is about.
It's about what happens in the aftermath of the fire. When, sometimes, a literal fire is released.





"Oh, what a pleasant surprise." Green Hunter mocked, as a guard pony lead Rourke to his cell. "Such an honor seeing the great Rourke at my, most humble cell. To what, do I disgustingly owe the honor to?"
"You of all people should know why I'm here Hunter."
"What? Did Celestia get her favorite pet to help clean up my mess?" Hunter continued to mock. "Wouldn't that be why she sent something created by his magic to get rid of me?"
"No." Rourke sighed shaking his head. "In fact, I'm here on Lunamaria's orders."[1]
"Lunamaria?" Hunter blinked, unaccustomed to hearing the second princess called by her full name. "You mean... Princess Luna?"
"I'm more surprised you still consider her a princess. Considering the fact that you're a member of that Sun Cult." Rourke chuckled, sitting on a stool outside Hunter's cell. "Though, you weren't always as I hear. What made you turn?"
"That's not important."
"Oh?" Rourke chuckled, a smirk appearing on his face. "I do believe it is."